The Monon Community Center helps marathon swimmer continue her wellness journey
Like many of us, Monon Community Center (MCC) member Rose Scovel found herself too preoccupied with everyday life to focus on fitness. She prioritized working, volunteering, and enjoying the quiet moments in between.
“I used to say things like, ‘I don’t run. So, if you ever see me running, you should probably run too.’” Scovel says, laughing. “It’s not that I didn’t want to get healthy, but there was always a reason or excuse as to why I couldn’t take that first step.”
That all changed when Scovel was diagnosed with diabetes in 2008. It was then she knew she needed to focus on breaking down her fitness barriers.
Motivation Through Marathon Training
“Diabetes is a progressive condition,” explains Scovel. “If I wanted to get better and stay better, I needed to make exercise a habit.”
So, that’s exactly what Scovel did. She started with walking, trying to maintain a goal of three 20-minute walks per week. It didn’t take long for that habit to grow into a passion for fitness. Specifically, she found joy in endurance training and races.
Today, Scovel is a seasoned racer. She has over 100 finishes including half-marathons, marathons, 100-mile century bike rides, a triathlon, and an Ironman.
“I love the culture and community around endurance races,” says Scovel. “Training for the next big event became my main motivation to continue my fitness journey even when it was hard.”
Finding a Partner in Fitness
Endurance races require steady training, and Scovel wanted to ensure her body was up to the challenge. In 2021 she decided to try marathon swimming, long-distance swims conducted in open water such as rivers, lakes or the ocean with a course spanning five or more kilometers. That meant she needed to spend one to two hours a day swimming laps. Finding a pool where she could train with hours that worked with her busy schedule presented another fitness barrier.
Enter the MCC, a true partner in fitness for Scovel. The facility offers convenient hours plus all the amenities she needs to train, from an indoor lap pool to an indoor track to a fitness center with treadmills, cycle bikes, andweights.
As an MCC member, Scovel has unlimited access to everything she needs to prep for the next big race and continue building her skills and strength.
The Importance of Community
Scovel strives to form connections in all aspects of her life from co-workers to fellow churchgoers and like-minded fitness enthusiasts. The MCC provided Scovel with more than space and equipment to train—it strengthened her with a support system that is wholly unique to the fitness community.
After she began training at the MCC, Scovel met and connected with other members who were also marathon swimmers, forming a tight-knit community that inspired and encouraged each other.
“Everyone knows Rose,” says Shannon Strzynski, MCC fitness and wellness supervisor. “She’s there to support and motivate someone else when she isn’t competing in an event herself.”
Exercise Made Easy
A few months into 2023 Scovel encountered another barrier to fitness when a fractured tibia left her unable to walk.
Scovel called the MCC to ask how they could help her swim safely. Staff assured her that someone could assist her in and out of the pool and that she could always request further modifications. Even with her injury, she was able to continue exercising at the MCC in the pool and in the fitness center with equipment like the hand bike. Because of the MCC’s support, by the end of the year, she walked in the Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving and ran the Donut 5K in December. Her return to endurance sports happened early in 2024 with two half marathons on the books, including the Carmel Half- Marathon.
hMany things keep us from realizing our true fitness potential. With so much stacked against her, it would have been easy for Scovel to give up on herself and her health. But with the MCC by her side, Scovel has a true partner in fitness and she’s feeling stronger than ever.
Written By: Grace Fishback
Grace is the Marketing Coordinator for Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation. Grace has written the creative for numerous marketing publications and campaigns.
