Karen says several local businesses have already been recognized as Worksite Wellness companies, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, HD Smith, and St. John’s Hospital. “All the hospitals provide wellness checks for their employees, as well as heart healthy snacks and gym privileges,” says Karen. “Many have established walking programs. This makes them attractive places to work.” Karen’s past work experience has prepared her well for her current role. She started her career as a social worker, then honed her leadership skills working for Staples in business development. “I applied with AHA because I wanted work that allowed me to affect change in the medical realm, and this certainly fits,” she says. Hearing her pitch Fit-Friendly Worksites to business owners, it’s natural to assume she herself has long maintained an active lifestyle. Not so, she says. The Leaders “Overloaded with responsibilities, out of shape, overweight, reticent, immobile or old(er). We took action. Faced being uncomfortable to share in the success of improving ourselves.” Your Doctors Changing Springfield docsgetfit.com Dr. Bill Peterson (58), Dr. Diane Hillard-Sembell (54), Dr. Craig Backs (58), Mike Suhadolnik (71), Dr. Dick McDaniels (72), Dr. Kathy Sgro (64), Dr. Tanya DeSanto (46) Springfield Scene Magazine Tenth Anniversary Issue/Nov/Dec 2014 “I was actually pretty sedentary until about seven years ago,” says Karen. “It all started when my daughter Alana, then 16, asked me to enter Abe’s Amble, a 10K race held each August at the fairgrounds.” Much to their mutual surprise, Karen enjoyed the event so much that she continued running, primarily in half-marathons, which are Her next race will be the Polar Dash on 13.1 miles in length. New Year’s Day 2015 in Minneapolis. “I really don’t consider myself a runner,” she says, “but more of a finisher. I am usually dead last in most of these races, but it still gives me a great sense of accomplishment. And I enjoy feeling the burn.” She says she has set a goal for herself of doing a half marathon in all 50 states before she dies. So far, that numbers 10. “I’m really having fun picking the races,” she says. “The surroundings are a very important part.” So far she has run in the “Alien Race” in Roswell, Georgia, a “My husband Jeff tells me I’ll die from hypothermia in that one,” she laughs. nighttime race featuring runners dressed like aliens. Others have included a mountain race in Utah, a beachfront race in Hawaii, and her favorite, the Disneyland half marathon, which begins at 5AM and features all the Disney characters, lights, music, and other entertainment along the race route. the hill”), she clearly took to Jeff, and they recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Most of Karen’s family still lives back in Australia, and she visits them as often as she’s able. Jeff, who grew up in Red Wing, Minnesota, owns the Red Wing shoe stores in Decatur, Springfield, and Peoria. Besides Alana, now 23 and a medical student in Australia, they also have a son, Andrew, who is 22 and lives in Springfield. The Gedroses have lived in Springfield for Besides running, Karen says she enjoys 20 years, a fact that never fails to surprise swimming and hiking and considers them, Karen says. herself an outdoors type. One sport she “We will look at each other and say, ‘there doesn’t enjoy so much is skiing. are no mountains here, there’s no beach.’ “I met Jeff when he was a ski instructor at But somehow it has become home.” Lake Tahoe 26 years ago,” she says. “I was ~SSM~ from Australia, age 28, and on an 8-week Companies wishing to contact Karen about tour of the U.S.” establishing a fitness program are encouraged Though she didn’t take well to skiing to call her at 217-899-6985 or email her at (“I threw my skis to the bottom of Karen.gedrose@heart.org. 31