#595 Show Up for Yourself and Take That First Step - Featuring Evelyn Cook

Evelyn Cook was raised in a bustling, multigenerational household in Indianapolis, Indiana, where her grandparents raised 13 children and helped raise 14 grandchildren. As a child, she was a competitive and active tomboy, running, biking, and finding her stride on the track. Known as “Super Cricket” for her long legs, she was encouraged by her coach to take on hurdles. Evelyn attended the University of Utah, where she worked as an athletic trainer for the football team and practiced sports massage.

Later, Evelyn became a mother of five and devoted herself to raising her family, stepping away from her athletic identity for more than two decades. Over time, she lost both confidence and physical health, eventually reaching a point where even stepping off her front porch was painful. When her son was scouted as a runner late in high school, Evelyn made a quiet but powerful decision: to support him, she needed to move too. What began as a short walk to the bottom of her front stairs grew into neighborhood walks, then running again after a 24-year break. At 50, Evelyn set a goal to compete in track and field at the Huntsman World Senior Games. She is now a passionate advocate for movement and credits the Games with saving her life. Her motto: “Successful people do what others won’t.”