It was one of those misty Savannah mornings when it would have been easy to listen to the little voice in the reluctant-runner part of my brain saying, “Aww, come on; pull the covers over your head and settle in for another hour of sleep.”
But I got going — because this was the Saturday of the Savannah River Bridge Run, and I was a registered member of the best team out there.
A group of 28 people who started our training regimen barely knowing each other had become a walking and running club. We proudly represented the nonprofit Canyon Ranch Institute, Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care, and Connect Savannah as we ran and walked — no crawling necessary — in what’s billed as the South’s toughest bridge run.
When we started training, many of us were novice exercisers. But, we had a goal: Conquer the bridge! And we did it. We all started and finished, with smiles of relief and sometimes looks of surprise on our faces as we crossed that finish line.
Our only question: What’s our next fitness goal?
If you want to join the club, come on over to Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care at 9:30 a.m. most Saturdays at 106 E. Broad Street in Savannah.
We have wonderful group leaders, Palmer Steverson and Sandy Haeger. They also are two of the fitness instructors for the CRI Life Enhancement Program at Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care, which was brought to Savannah by civic leaders Charles H. and Rosalie Morris.
Anyone with questions can email us at CRI@canyonranchinstitute.org.
Everyone is welcome.

Cabe is the executive director and a board member of the Canyon Ranch Institute.