ROCKPORT — ”Who wants to do a 5K with me,” asked Pen Bay Healthcare’s Chief Operating Officer Erik Frederick, sending out a group email last winter. The response was healthy; ‘sure, I’ll do it,’ came a bunch of replies. That’s when he added, ‘uhhmm, yeah, it’s an adventure obstacle race up and down a mountain, with crazy things like crawling under barbed wire and jumping over fire.’

Still, enthusiasm remained high, and there are now two Pen Bay Healthcare teams, one with six members, the other with 11, who will be running in the second annual Run For Your Life Emergency Service Challenge on Saturday, May 24. The 5K Challenge, which begins at 9 a.m. with three consecutive heats (9, 10 and 11 a.m.), consists of 13 obstacles that runners encounter, obstacles such as Blazing Forearms, where runners hoist cinder blocks 15 feet into the air with a rope and pulley, or the Maiden Cliff Rescue, where they climb 15 feet up on a rope, or swing across raging streams, crawl 15 meters under barbed wire, while smoke pours overhead, and jump over fire — situations that actual first responders might encounter themselves while on the job.

Besides creating a fun and competitive adventure race, firefighters of Camden and Hope fire departments, along with EMTS of North East Mobile Health Services, held the first Challenge in 2013, with the goal of raising awareness of the need for more involvement of volunteers and career-path first responders. The response was strong, and this year’s Challenge is filling fast with even more competitors.

A community event, the Challenge appeals to both the seasoned triathalete and the novice runner, and attracts a range of participants, from high school students to business owners, mothers and cops.

On May 24, a number of agencies, including Maine foresters, wardens, state police, Knox County Sheriff’s deputies, marine patrol, Knox County Emergency Management Agency and Regional Communications Center (dispatch) and LifeFlight will be at the Camden Snow Bowl to talk about public service. If weather permits and there are no other emergencies around the state, there may be mission helicopters there, as well.

The Run For Your Life theme naturally resonates with Pen Bay Healthcare, whose doctors, nurses and staff work directly with first responders. Their mission is shared, at its most basic intent of saving humans. Strong prehospital care, such as tending to stroke and heart attack victims, makes the hospital transition smoother and safer, said Frederick.

“Anything they are doing to build that strength and community care is important,” he said.

Pen Bay Healthcare includes Pen Bay Medical Center, Pen Bay Physicians and Associates, Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice, Quarry Hill Retirement Community and the Knox Center for Long Term Care. The nonprofit is a member of the larger Portland-based MaineHealth system.

Pen Bay’s spirits are running high in advance of this unique challenge, with two teams have training through the late winter and spring, albeit a little differently. The organization is sponsoring employees’ participation in the event, as it is with several other outdoor, athletic competitions. The organization’s goal is to build morale from within.

The Employee Team consists of “active, athletic people,” said Frederick. On that team are Bob Augustine, Bonnie Augustine, Katy Genthner, Katie Holm, Gary Carleton, Kelly O’Brien Ball, Patrick Johndro, Kathy Smith (with her husband, Connor), April Totman and Irene McGonagle.

“And they are young!” said Tom Girard, a vice president with Pen Bay Healthcare’s human resources department.

The Executive Team, on the other hand, is, well.... not so young.

But they are determined. Doctors Julie White and Mark Eggena are  joining Girard and Frederick, as well Mike Rich and Rachael McCormick, on that team.

“We try to cover all the things that might happen to us out on the Run For Your Life Course course,” said Frederick — surgery, infectious disease, insurance.... “And I’ll sign checks for whatever breaks.”

Those on the Employee Team are training individually, or, as in the case of Bonnie and Bob Augustine, together at times.

“We’re married,” said Bob.

“That’s its own form of training,” said Bonnie.

While Bonnie works in Rockland, Bob works at the Pen Bay Medical Center campus. He runs during lunch break, sometimes three to five miles. Meanwhile, Bonnie might be out running the streets of Rockland during his lunch. Sometimes on weekends, when they have a chance (they have two young children, three and five years old, they will run together. Besides the Run For Your Life Challenge, they want to participate in the upcoming Tough Mudder race in Windham, this coming August.

“When she’s running, she’ll be moving,” said Bob. “I run, and she will be moving up and back, running backwards while she talks with me. If I can talk.”

Bob also does CrossFit, checking in on the program of the day, and finding time to exercise; likewise, Bonnie will move from her desk at work and onto a yoga mat, maybe for 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups and 100 squats. It’s not unusual at Pen Bay Healthcare these days to find employees working out wherever they can.

What is the Executive Team’s work-out regimen?

“We’re emailing very well,” said Rachel McCormick.

A former competitive runner herself, and mother of two young children, she circulated to the Executive Team a six-week training program. It includes a combination of several days of cardio work with one to two days of Boot Camp workouts. She advised the duration of the workouts to increase in duration over the six-week period, with the same holding true for the boot camp routine.

”Boot camp workouts are designed to simulate what we will see in the obstacles on the course,” she said. “There are bodyweight exercises (push-ups and get-up, lunges, etc), weighted exercises (walk/jog carrying 25- or 35-pound weights) and ‘old school’ sports camp training drills (ladder drills, tire runs, etc.).”

Some of the team has been getting together every Saturday morning, meeting at the track at Camden Hills Regional High School.

“It has been a lot of fun,” said Rachel. “We even made it a family event bringing our young kids to watch and participate in the training.”

Frederick has four children: five, four and twins, ages three years-old. It is a household, and for the former member of the U.S. Army, another workout in itself. He remembers the boot camp drills, and despite the joking about fitness, it is fundamental to the mission of Pen Bay Healthcare.

“It’s all about teamwork and raising the level of the organization,” he said. “We support our employees who are supporting the promotion of health and fitness.”

Online registration for Run For Your Life closes at noon, Friday, May 23. There will be an opportunity for walk-in registration for the 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. start times on Saturday morning. Anyone interested in that should plan to register at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Sponsors of the 2014 Run For Your Life challenge include Pen Bay Healthcare, Allen Agency, Apartments on Elm, Cappy’s, Rankin's Hardware, Penobscot Bay Pilot, Maine Lobster Festival, French & Brawn, Camden National Bank, Union Farm Equipment and Hammond Tractor. The Emergency Service Challenge welcomes volunteers to help stage the event and sponsor on a variety of levels. To learn more, and to get involved, visit the Challenge website; friend them on Facebook; email: info@emergencychallenge.org, or call 207-236-7950.

Obstacles for the course include:

Blazing Forearms - Hoist cinder blocks 15 feet into the air with a rope and pulley, hand-over-hand.

Bucket Brigade –Fill two 5-gallon buckets with gravel and carry them to the dumping location. 

Maiden Cliff Rescue- Climb 15 feet up a rope.

Rescue Sandy - Using teamwork, carry Poor Sandy on a stretcher over a wall and to her destination.

The Burning Building - Crawl 15 meters under barbed wire with smoke pouring over your head.

Abigail's Alibi - Use your brain to solve the puzzle and get Abigail's Alibi. You will be quizzed about Abigail's Alibi before the Get Wet! Obstacle.

High-Rise Hell - Carry a hose pack on your back up and down a steep ski slope. 

Mighty River Jump - Using a rope, swing like Tarzan over a a mighty stream.

Who Put These Here? - Run through a sea of tires, just like football players.

Just Add Water - Crawl through a culvert that is partially filled with water.

Fire Jump- Need we say more?

Editorial Director Lynda Clancy can be reached at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657.