Hector Perez

By Hector Perez

 

More than 100 City of Austin employees joined Mayor Lee Leffingwell at the annual Mayor’s Health and Fitness Resolution Run/Walk last week.

 

The run began outside City Hall and took participants on a one and a half mile run through part of the Ann and Ray Butler Hike and Bike trail. Although the event was open to the public, the majority of this year’s participants were city employees.

 

“Well, you always hope for more,” Leffingwell said. “You’re not going to get all 12,000 but we’ve got a very good turn out and we’re looking forward to a good run.”

 

Established in 2009, the run encourages healthier workplaces and lifestyles for the entire Austin community. This year’s run comes after the Austin Business Journal named the City of Austin Central Texas’ healthiest employer.

 

“We’re proud of what Austin does to encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles,” Leffingwell said. “That’s a big bang for your buck as an employer.”

 

Representatives from HealthyConnections, the city’s internal employee wellness program, handed out T-shirts and health leaflets before the run. The program’s growth in recent years has contributed in large part to the recent accolade.

 

HealthyConnections worker Clemmie Cummins says the city has a comprehensive employee wellness program which includes exercise sessions, tobacco cessation classes, and health assessments.

 

According to the city’s website, some 6,450 employees participated in the program in 2012. Laura York was among the employees who took advantage of the program last year and was present for the mayor’s run.

 

“They have all kinds of stuff for us to go to,” York said. “I’ve never had an employer that sponsored health related things.”

 

Leffingwell’s emphasis on health is a continuation of the work begun by his predecessor, Mayor Will Wynn. In 2004, Wynn founded the Mayor’s Health Council with the goal of making Austin the healthiest city in the U.S. by 2020. Renamed in 2012 as the Mayor’s Health and Fitness Council, the organization has sponsored the run since its inauguration.

 

“Part of the work of the organization is to encourage health and fitness of City of Austin employees, but of course, that extends to everyone in Austin,” Leffingwell said.

 

As a whole, Austin has also received national accolades for its health awareness. Facebook ranked it at number three on its “Fittest Cities” list, and the American College of Sports Medicine put it at number 11 on its American Fitness Index.

 

With the recent name change Leffingwell says he expects the city to place a larger emphasis on nutrition through different internal initiatives.

 

As for his own new year’s resolution—

 

“Well, it’s not to eat more jelly beans,” Leffingwell said. “My new year’s resolution, like many people, is to shed a few pounds.”