May 2026 Athletes of the Month: Don & Sarah Morrow

“Life isn’t about getting there, it is about the journey.”

Don and Sarah Morrow recently completed the Camino de Santiago, walking about 240 kilometers (150 miles) from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago, Spain over the course of 18 days. It was a physical challenge, a spiritual experience, and a reminder of what can happen when preparation, support, and determination come together.

For Don, this journey reflects years of commitment to staying active and capable. “I am a 66 year old who is in better shape today than I was 30 years ago!” Don is an outdoorsman who loves “hunting, long range shooting, fishing and camping along with an overall love of animals and the outdoors. I also really, really like food, like to cook and consider myself a foodie.”

Sarah, 48, was born and raised in Kansas, loves to travel, loves music, loves animals, and, like Don, is always up for good food and new experiences.

Together, they took on an adventure that became much more than a trip.

Building toward the Camino

Don’s connection with Natural Wellness started years ago, back when the office was still at Optimal Performance. He shared that he came in because he was struggling with pain while lifting and had difficulty lifting his arms above his head without pain. After treatment and follow-up work, he was able to train again, but that process also uncovered deeper issues involving his back, hips, and an old ankle injury from decades earlier.

He credits that long-term work for helping make the Camino possible.  “Without proper training (thank you Willy Lucero at OP) and the structured exercises from Courtney and Kiersten coordinated through our Share app this would have been impossible.”

Sarah’s road back to movement looked different, but was no less significant.

“I used to exercise regularly to keep healthy. Once perimenopause, insomnia and soft tissue pain kicked in, I gave up on it. I was exhausted, in pain and depressed.” But this trip helped change that. “The Camino has helped motivate me to do something again," she said.

That’s part of what makes this accomplishment so meaningful. Sarah said it plainly: “It wasn’t that long ago that it was too painful to even walk for 10 minutes.”

Why they do hard things

Don doesn’t exercise just to stay busy. He exercises because he wants to stay fully engaged in life.

“I exercise to extend my life. I want to participate in my Grandson's Scouting.” He knows the years ahead will require him to keep showing up for his health. He also knows movement helps him manage stress: “Without regular exercise, I become overly stressed and eat too much. Stress within my job needs an outlet.”

His favorite activity is lifting weights, but the Camino shifted his focus toward endurance hiking. And somewhere along the way, it became about even more than that. Don wrote, “Long range hiking seems to stimulate all three legs of being: the spiritual, physical and mental.”

For Sarah, the Camino became both a goal and a reset. When asked about her proudest fitness accomplishment, she didn’t hesitate: “I’d have to say completing the Camino.”

What the Camino was really like

Their conversation made one thing clear: the Camino was beautiful, but it was not easy.

“Consider this. You’re doing a half marathon every day for two weeks… with something on your back," Don said.

There were long days, hills, cobblestones, unpredictable routes, and the kind of fatigue that changes your relationship with discomfort.

“Day number eight, and you just kind of get to the place, and it’s like you become accepting of the pain. Everything hurt all the time," he said.

And strangely enough, stopping wasn’t always the answer: “It hurt to sit down. It hurt to lay down. Better just keep going.”

But their story wasn’t just about pain. It was also full of delight.

They talked about ancient chapels, mountain views, roadside cafés, musicians on the trail, and unforgettable meals like paella.  “It was probably the best commercial seafood that I’ve ever had.”

Sarah loved the daily food rhythms too: coffee, toast, olive oil, tomato, and meals that felt simple and satisfying.

And then there was the hospitality.

“The Portuguese and the Spanish towards the pilgrims… they have got a grace and hospitality that you would not imagine. We are truly blessed and give thanks," Don said.

More than a vacation

For Don, the Camino was also spiritual. "I am a lay preacher at St Andrew’s Episcopal Church and have taken seminary courses at Bishop Kemper School for Ministry in Topeka. The Camino was also a discernment sabbatical.”

Reflecting on what they wanted to carry home from the trip, Don said he kept thinking about “the moments of reverence” – times to slow down, take in beauty, and be fully present.

That perspective shaped one of his strongest pieces of advice:

“Relax and don’t take yourself so seriously. Life isn’t about getting there, it is about the journey. Take one day at a time.”

Sarah’s advice carries that same spirit of patience and grace: “Be patient with yourself. Take the time you need to progress in your journey. Everyone’s path looks different.”

Reaching Santiago

When they finally reached Santiago, the emotion hit all at once.

“When we get to Santiago and we’re standing in the square with everybody else, we’re crying,” Don said. Sarah added, “I cried for an hour.”

Why? Because this wasn’t just about finishing a hike. It was about everything it took to get there.

“It was exciting to get there and see it, but we didn’t want it to end,” Sarah said. 

Hard things were happening at home, too

Part of what makes their story especially powerful is that real life did not pause while they were gone.

Don said they experienced “Spiritual Warfare” during the trip. A water leak was discovered by their house sitter. They had to deal with demands about moving their travel trailer while they were in Spain. Sarah’s mother’s cancer had returned. Their daughter Amy’s house caught fire and was a total loss—though thankfully everyone was okay.

“Any one of these things could have ruined our trip if we had let it,” Don said.

Instead, they kept walking.

What they hope others take from it

If there’s one thread that runs through Don and Sarah’s story, it’s this: adventure is still possible.

Don says it best: 

“Adventure is possible even as we age. Don’t become part of the furniture. Life is fragile, but to treat it like a resource not a liability. Lose the fear.”

Sarah puts it simply: “More adventures!”

That’s also what comes next. When asked about future goals, Sarah said, “To do it again!” 

Don echoed that feeling too. “Might do another Camino. It would really be fun to bring the family on an adventure like we just had.”

After everything they experienced, that makes perfect sense. This journey may have ended in Santiago, but it also opened the door to whatever comes next.

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Don and Sarah’s story is about much more than miles walked. It’s about staying curious, capable, and open to growth. 

They trained for it. They worked through pain. They adapted. They kept going. And they came home with a deeper appreciation for what their bodies can do, what support makes possible, and what it means to fully participate in life.

We’re proud of them, inspired by them, and grateful to share their story!

Congratulations, to our May Athletes of the Month, Don and Sarah!

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