On the Run: fitness made simple

Yosemite, where you can hike under a rainbow. 

http://www.runlikeadiva.com/ Half Marathon Series

I stumbled upon the Run Like a Diva half marathon race today in San Francisco and the whole time people were confused if I was part of the race or not. Since I was separated from the pack, people looked at me pondering if I was the first…or just the last runner lol! One of the photographers was going crazy when I ran by because he thought I was the leader HA yeah right not at my long-run slow pace and not-so-hardcore looking running clothes. Volunteers asked me if I was a “diva” and I was like…Noo.. Looks like a fun race though!

Hi everyone, I just wanted to share with you something that makes me smile everyday. This is my favorite tree in the world which I admire everyday on my walk to class. There’s more patches of orange day after day. Seeing this once a day is enough to lift my spirits. Doesn’t take much. 

Sometimes the person we want to be seems so far out of reach. But really, you don’t have to wait at all to be that person. From the minute you wake up, do things that this stronger, healthier version of yourself would do. Then, you already are who you want to be defined as.

Peter Bregman, author of popular time-management book “18 Minutes Find Your Focus,” suggests to “Identify five broad areas of focus that add value to your life. That way, when your focus on one task starts to slip, you’ve got four other valuable and productive areas waiting to take its place.” People find that this technique helps them from distracting activities which add little or no change to our lives.

Bregman’s steps:

• Identify 5 broad goals you want to work on throughout the year.
• Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day to plan your activities which will advance your goals. 
• Take 1 minute out of ever working hour to re-focus yourself on your task. 
• Spend 5 minutes at the end of each day reflecting on your day’s work and think about tomorrow. 
• Make a daily schedule with 6 columns: one for each goal, and one for all the other random things you are interested in 

Book: http://www.amazon.com/18-Minutes-Master-Distraction-Things/dp/0446583413

Bregman Blog Post: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903703604576588661267929514.html

My mother once told me a story where a father told his son, “No matter what you do…even if you sweep the leaves off the road, do it to the point where people driving down the road may notice how clean your road is. In anything you do, if you can look back and truthfully say that ‘That was a job well done,’ then you have succeeded, my son.” 

2011 was a job well done. 

Each day deserves a moment of reflection. For me, that’s during my morning prayer, daily runs, and as I drift to sleep. I think of what I want to accomplish today, tomorrow, this week, and in life. I think of the people I need to treat better. It’s a time to be completely honest with myself and to learn from your experiences. 

Do you take the time to reflect? 

Setting: on the edge of the University of Madison-Wisconsin

Today is 11/11/11, a symbolic day filled with weddings, wishes, and Adam Sandler movies. But remember that each day only exists once in history. Therefore, everyday is special. What is tomorrow? To me, its another chance, another opportunity, another test. No matter what your struggles are, I believe that if you push on until tomorrow, there’s always the chance that you will overcome your greatest obstacles. As long as there’s tomorrow, there’s hope. 

Enjoy the rest of the warm/moderate weather while you can! Wow, fall outside of California is breathtaking. 

Madison, Wisconsin 

(I have to stop taking stalking pictures…) 

“Fitness” is more than what your body looks like. It’s about how your body is working. Improving our level of fitness not only means going to the gym, running, and eating right, but it includes: 

• Finding activities which make us happy
• …and then keeping up with them <3
• Reducing our anxiety and stress
• Reaffirming time management skills (so we all have time to work-out & cook!) 
• Accomplishing small goals each day (which add up to big ones!) 
• Believing in the significance of your work

There are so many different components of fitness. Reflect on your progress in each category and which you have made the most improvement in. You’ll realize that you’ve made more progress than the scale can say. 

Bloggin’ from Boulder, CO! (The Grand American Tour continues…) 

Geri

Run for a Healthy World Labor Day 5k/10K

Running is something you can do for your entire life! One of my greatest inspirations is seeing children excited to be active and seniors keeping up with their fitness. Eating healthy, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight are the keys to longevity. 

Running in Tanzania…jk! It’s just California…

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?…We are all meant to shine, as children do… It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

The racing mentality is completely different than when training alone. Some of my thoughts during the race and reflections are: 

• I was constantly thinking about which side of the trail was least rocky and flattest. Switching sides and trying to compare the trail was mentally taxing and confusing making me even more tired. It was better to just not worry about the small differences and just run! 
• Sounds of heavy breathers and foot-stompers were so distracting at first! There was another girl in my age group running at my pace for a while who stomped heavily and was pressuring me to keep up my pace. Focus on your breathing and do not get discouraged. Think “Go…Go…Go!” 

My friendship bracelets are reminders for me to work towards living a balanced, mindful, healthy life, and to help others whenever possible. 

Thick blue, red, purple (Dec 23 2010): At the end of our volunteer mission in Peru last December, my friends and I purchased these bracelets as a souvenir of our time together and to remember the orphans and underserved communities we had met. For me, it is a reminder of how much suffering there is in the world and how fortunate I am to live in California with the capability to not only nourish my body with healthy foods, but to have a bright future. When I look at my bracelet, I remember eating mindfully and minimally at our homestay, Elena’s home, and also of the hungry children in the rundown hospitals. Looking at the bracelets helps me not consume things in excess as a tribute to people who are struggling to just feed themselves. 

Thin, green, blue, orange, brown (June 20th 2011): I made this during Diabetes Camp last week where I was a camp counselor for kids with Type 1 Diabetes. They inspired me to take responsibility for my health and think about how everything I eat contributes to my health. These children all counted their carbs, ate when they needed to raise their blood sugar, and chose healthy protein filled snacks when their sugar was too high. They maintained active lifestyles and had so much energy! I loved helping them have fun and also to manage their diabetes. When I look at this bracelet, I will think to myself, “My campers think about how everything affects their health and so will I!” 

Thank you for touching my life and for motivating me to make changes. I’ll be the best I can be so I can one day give back to you!