West Michigan Woman In Running For Ms. Health and Fitness 2024

Runners are a breed of people that never fail to amaze me. I ran cross country in middle school and have tried to get back into running over the years, but ultimately, it is just not for me. But that doesn't stop me from being wildly impressed with people who just casually run 10+ miles for fun.

One of those wildly impressive people can be found right here in West Michigan, and she is in the running to become the face of Muscle & Fitness HERS magazine.

Ms. Health and Fitness Contest

Since 2017, Muscle and Fitness Magazine has hosted a yearly competition to find and showcase incredible women who are putting in the work to be in great shape and who are passionate about fitness. The winner of the competition will win $20,000 and will be on the cover of Muscle & Fitness HERS. 

 
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Meet Amber Powell

Amber Powell, 35, has run most of her life starting in 6th grade, ran competitively in college at Saginaw Valley State University, and has continued running ever since (even 5 months after giving birth to her kids, she completed the Riverbank 25k). Her love for running has brought her to countless races and marathons around the country, all the way to this year's Boston Marathon.

When she isn't running, she works as a hospice nurse. Yes, outside of her stressful job and being a mother to two boys, she still makes time to run. That's what I call inspiring. In fact, inspiring others is the main reason why she runs.

"I really want to inspire women on their journey of establishing a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and exercise."

 

If she were to win this competition, she already knows exactly what she'll do with the $20,000 prize money. Amber runs on team Stellafly, which started in 2011 and consists of over 100 athletes of all ages and backgrounds, everyday people like her who enjoy running. Were she to win, she'd like to give back to the team.

Outside of the team, she wants to give back to the community by donating to local races, providing support to Girls on the Run, and creating a race in her hometown of Middleville.

The contest is decided on votes from the public, so if you want to help her win, you can vote here.