Miles Across MedStar Health 200-Mile Run Launches In Southern Maryland, Spans DC To Baltimore

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Ultramarathoner Michael Wardian, MedStar Health physical therapist Chris Heydrick, and physician assistant Chris Wilde set off Monday morning from MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, launching a four-day, nearly 200-mile run across the region to promote movement and long-term health.

Wardian was joined by Heydrick, Wilde and a small sendoff group of runners from MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital as the three departed the Leonardtown campus Monday shortly after 6 a.m., marking the first stop in the “Miles Across MedStar Health” initiative.

The four-day effort will take the runners to approximately 15 MedStar Health locations, including 10 hospitals and multiple ambulatory sites, as they highlight research showing regular physical activity can significantly improve long-term health outcomes.

MedStar Health Marks First Stop For 200 Miles Of Awareness

Dr. Mimi Novello, president of MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, said the Miles Across MedStar Health initiative highlights the importance of daily movement and wellness for the community, while reinforcing MedStar Health’s commitment to preventative health and long-term well-being.

Novello said launching the four-day, 200-mile run from St. Mary’s Hospital reflects the organization’s focus on promoting both mental and physical health, particularly as spring encourages outdoor activity. She said that initiatives like this help demonstrate MedStar’s support for athletes, patients and employees, while emphasizing the role of movement in preventing chronic health conditions.

“I think it’s a great time to get out there and show awareness to the importance of movement. It helps our mental health, it helps our physical health, and we’re excited to be at the start of this run,” Novello said. “We want to spread awareness across all of our access points across MedStar Health to show that we’re here for our community.”

Novello, who has served as president of MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital for more than four years and has been with MedStar Health since 2000, said even moderate daily movement or exercise plays an important role in improving both physical health and emotional well-being.

“Daily movement is a part of good health. It helps to prevent and improve chronic conditions like diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome,” Novello said. “When you exercise, it releases endorphins, and that is a positive thing for us.”

Movement Is Medicine

MedStar Health officials said the initiative also draws attention to findings from the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study, which showed that even basic lifestyle changes reduced diabetes cases by 58%.

Raj Ratwani, vice president of scientific affairs at the MedStar Health Research Institute, said the Miles Across MedStar Health run is designed to highlight movement as a key component of overall health, emphasizing both prevention and recovery.

“The whole point of this is really to raise awareness of the importance of movement for all of us, for our communities, for our patients, and for our associates that work at MedStar Health,” Ratwani said. “Movement is medicine. In many ways, it keeps us healthy and helps prevent those chronic conditions.”

Ratwani said the four-day, 200-mile run serves as a visible demonstration of how physical activity supports long-term wellness. He said that 150 minutes of weekly exercise and modest weight loss can change lives. 

“Any movement at all is going to help us. Everybody has busy lives, and sometimes we get too focused on whether it’s 20 minutes or 30 minutes. Any movement is good,” Ratwani said. “It helps keep us healthy, but when something does happen, movement at the right time can actually make us better.”

Ratwani also pointed to emerging research linking regular physical activity to improved mental health and reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, adding that movement plays a role in both physical and cognitive well-being. He said that while the runners are completing an ultramarathon-level challenge, the broader message is that any level of movement can provide health benefits, including reducing the risk of chronic disease, improving recovery after medical events and supporting cognitive health.

“We’ve had studies showing after stroke, if you introduce movement with a care team, you can actually get faster gains and recover more quickly,” Ratwani said. 

The MedStar Health Research Institute, which has been involved in the study for more than three decades, is now examining how lifestyle interventions may also influence healthy aging, including cognition, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

“There are several studies showing the importance of movement for preventing things like dementia and Alzheimer’s. It helps our minds stay sharp,” Ratwani said.

Miles With A Mission

Hospital staff gathered Monday morning to send off the runners, who will continue north toward additional stops throughout the region. The team is expected to arrive at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton later Monday evening, with the initiative expected to finish at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore on Thursday.

Wardian, a well-known endurance athlete, is leading the effort alongside clinical team members from MedStar Harbor Hospital, combining endurance running with employee engagement and wellness outreach events at each location. He said the 200-mile Health MedStar run is designed to inspire people to incorporate movement into their daily lives — regardless of fitness level or activity type — and to demonstrate what consistent movement can achieve while encouraging people to find physical activities that work best for them.

“Miles Across MedStar is an opportunity to showcase what is possible with daily movement and hopefully get people to find something they’re interested in,” Wardian said. “We love running, so for us it’s running, but for somebody else it could be cycling, walking, CrossFit, swimming — whatever it is — just a way to move your body that helps keep you healthy.”

Wardian emphasized that the initiative is less about endurance running and more about promoting everyday movement as a foundation for long-term health.

Heydrick, a physical therapist and running program specialist at MedStar Harbor Hospital, said the Miles Across MedStar Health initiative highlights how movement supports everyday life, from routine activities to major endurance challenges.

“Body movement is what allows us to do everything we want to do — whether that’s grabbing something from a top shelf, getting through the grocery store, or being at your kid’s soccer game,” Heydrick said. “If you have body movement, all those things are just so much more enjoyable, so much easier, and life just feels a little bit more fluent.”

Heydrick said the 200-mile run demonstrates how consistent movement and long-term fitness can build toward larger goals, noting that the effort reflects years of training and a commitment to maintaining physical activity over time.

Heydrick emphasized that movement improves quality of life, making daily tasks easier and allowing people to stay active in their communities and with their families.

“Getting out here and doing this today is a good example of where body movement can take you,” Heydrick said.

Wilde, a physician assistant at MedStar Harbor Hospital, said the Miles Across MedStar Health run is intended to promote wellness by encouraging people to incorporate movement into their daily routines, regardless of activity level.

“Any type of movement — it doesn’t have to be running or walking — it can be rowing, biking, anything,” Wilde said. “This is just a way for MedStar to showcase wellness and get the community involved.”

Wilde emphasized that movement does not need to be intense or time-consuming, noting that even small amounts of daily activity can help improve overall well-being and reduce the risk of chronic conditions.

“Anybody that can move and is able to move should be moving. It helps promote wellness and overall well-being,” Wilde said. “Movement can help decrease some chronic diseases, especially for people living more sedentary lifestyles.”

Local Support For A Regional Cause

Sarah Potter, director of food and nutrition at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, helped kick off the Miles Across MedStar Health run by joining a group of hospital staff who ran the first mile alongside the athletes before sending them off on their 200-mile journey.

“Today kicks off Miles Across MedStar, and this is the starting point. We thought we’d send them off with some celebration,” Potter said. “We have a support crew that’s going to be cheering them on, and a few of us from St. Mary’s are going to run the first mile with them and then wish them luck.”

A longtime runner herself, Potter said she was motivated to participate both by her personal interest in running and her desire to support the runners and the broader wellness message behind the event. 

“I love running. That’s one of my favorite things to do, and I love supporting others who do it,” Potter said. “I ran my fourth marathon a couple weeks ago, and when I heard about this, I thought, yeah, this is something I’d love to be part of.”

The run is scheduled to continue through Thursday, April 16, and will finish at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore. More stops and community engagement events are planned throughout the four-day route.

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