Healthier Together is sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah
Setting goals and working to meet them, and in the end, improving your health. That’s what Scott Standing is challenging us all to do today.
Standing said he’s just a regular guy. By day he’s an account executive with Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah. But in his free time? Standing decided he’d use that to make a difference in his health and well-being.
“I set a goal to hike to the highest point in each of Utah’s 29 counties,” he said.
That was just over 10 years ago, after being encouraged by his colleagues to do a Ragnar.
“So, it was kind of positive peer pressure to get me started and then once I got started, I kind of got hooked on setting goals, achieving goals. I don’t love exercise enough to just go and do it for exercise’s sake. I have to have a goal,” he said.
Standing made a new goal after completing his hikes – to run a race in each of Utah’s Counties.
“If I registered and actually paid the money, even if I didn’t train that well, I always showed up and completed the race,” he said.
Now Standing is challenging each us to to set a goal and get after it.
“I’ve run three marathons, 10 half marathons. I did a 5k with my youngest in August. And a half marathon with my daughter in June,” said Standing.
He has run races in Bear Lake in the cold of winter, in a race his family had to create in Piute, a wild goose chase in Delta, one in Moab finishing with his kids cheering him on, and so many more letting him see so much across the state. But he said the key is just set that goal, whatever it may be.
“I’m not an athlete by any stretch. I’m a little overweight. I don’t win any races…in fact the only races I’ve ever won are when I was the only one in my age category. I’m doing it, and I’m trying to stay healthy, “ he said.
And he is, allowing him to do things he never imagined.
“About 4 ½ years ago, because I’d stayed healthy and still was in good shape, I was able to donate a kidney to a neighbor down the street…and honestly that’s one of the best things I’ve done in my life – is be able to give that gift of life to someone else,” said Standing.
Standing also believes stepping up his activity has also slowed the impact of Parkinson’s Disease, something he was diagnosed with having a year ago.
“Kind of a big blow when you think you’re gonna live forever if you stay healthy. But one of the things I’ve learned after the diagnosis was – the best thing you can do for Parkinson’s is stay active. There’s no cure for it. Medication helps mitigate some of the symptoms but stay active and it kind of motivated me.”