More than 100 Slocum Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine team members participated in the 2023 Eugene Marathon, the Pacific Northwest’s largest marathon on Saturday, April 29th. Runners and walkers of all levels, ages, and abilities crossed their prospective finish lines in honor of the Eugene community and its long-standing history as TrackTown USA. The Slocum team proudly sported custom-designed “Live In Motion” t-shirts in support of the Slocum mission to provide advanced, comprehensive, and integrated orthopedic care for all patients in the Pacific Northwest.

As spring rolled in, the Slocum team hit the pavement together to “Run in the Footsteps of Legends” on a course graced by some of the world’s top runners for over 50 years. Starting just outside Hayward Field and weaving through Eugene and Springfield with stretches aside the Willamette River, the Eugene Marathon concluded back at Hayward Field where celebrations took place.

“Slocum has a lot of diverse employees with a lot of different backgrounds and interests, and sometimes we don’t get the chance to interact outside of work,” said Slocum MD, Dr. Mildren. “The Eugene marathon was a chance for Slocum employees to do something outside of our day-to-day…and see just how big of a team Slocum is and how many people we have behind the scenes taking the best care of patients.”

As the official orthopedic sports medicine team physicians for the University of Oregon Athletics since 1967, the Slocum team knows and understands the importance of sports within the daily lives of both patients and providers. From CrossFit to hiking, biking to marathon-running, basketball to soccer, coaching and much more, the Slocum team includes a variety of sports enthusiasts who take pride in staying active and healthy throughout the year.

“Staying active can take on a lot of different shapes,” said Mildren. “Training for anything from a 5k to a marathon can be beneficial for both the physical body as well as from a mental health aspect. It has health benefits ranging from increased glucose tolerance, lower rate of injury, weight loss, and better cardiovascular health.”

The Slocum team won first place in the large corporate division as part of the Eugene Marathon’s Corporate Challenge, an employee recruitment competition that awards the team with the most combined miles with one $1,000 prize to be donated to the company’s charity of choice. Through patient experience, excellence, teamwork, community, professional leadership, and independence, and culture, Slocum strives to enhance health and knowledge within the local community.

“[Slocum] had several employees who said this was their first 5k. They had goals of running one someday, but never got around to it, or never had a supportive group,” said Mildren. “It was powerful seeing what’s possible when people come together to better themselves and each other. It was an honor for Slocum to be a part of those goals becoming a reality.”

Dr. Mildren specializes in Primary & Revision Total Joint Replacement of the Hip and Knee at Slocum, and believes in a “whole-person approach.” Dr. Mildren utilizes the latest technologies to allow patients direct access to quality patient-centered care.