The journey to a healthy life is different for everyone. For Scott Sutter, the President of the Southern New England Athletic Association, going on a run wasn’t always an option.
“I never, without a doubt, thought I would run again,” said Sutter. For years running, even walking, seemed like just a dream for Sutter.
“When I was a child I was paralyzed, so I lost ... as it sounds I wasn't able to walk from the 5th grade to my freshman year of high school,” said Sutter.
He was paralyzed from Gullian-Barre Syndrome after getting Lyme disease as a child. Sutter spent years fighting for his stride. In high school, he was nominated to run with the 1996 Olympic flame and then Sutter eventually became an athlete at a Division 1 School through college.
“The meaning of the Olympic flame to me is not so much to win, but to try as hard as you can,” said Sutter.
Now he’s using that motivating message to help motivate other people, by putting together races such as the NBC Connecticut Family 5K.
The race is during the NBC Connecticut Health and Wellness Festival on Saturday, Oct. 28, on the concourse of the XL Center. There are two charity 5Ks at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. benefiting the American Cancer Society. Each race is 16 laps around the XL Center concourse and 60 people can participate in each heat.
“It's perfectly flat, you don't have to worry about the wind, rain the temperature,” said Sutter.
The race is ideal for any age or ability and participants will be able to attend the free health and wellness festival next door. Therefore, no matter how fast you race, the real prize is winning your health.
“If you stay positive, you rally around good people you can accomplish anything,” said Sutter.
You can find out more information about the NBC Connecticut Health and Wellness Festival and sign up for the NBC Connecticut Family 5K by following this link.
