Perspective and Gratitude

From Evans #iamme campaign, photo
by Danielle Levitt

When I was at the gym yesterday, going in on the elliptical, I started to smile.
I looked down at my clothes and realized that with the exception of my big girl panties, everything I was wearing I had not purchased myself:

NYC Marathon long sleeve tech shirt
tech running tights by Merrell
running shoes by Merrell
socks by Swiftwick
and bra by Enell 

When I started my fitness journey, I would run on the treadmill in my office almost every o dark thirty morning and dream. I would imagine that I could do any event I wanted, wear gear that fit and looked good, and that when people watched me in action, they would feel as though maybe they could do that too.


Over the past year, I've had many, many cool opportunities and experiences thrown at me and somehow, with the blessing and support of the Rabun Gap Nacoochee School, my students, my family, and my fitness community in general, I was able to take advantage of many of them.

From Tough Mudder Long Island 2016

I started out the year in January doing the Atlanta Fatass 25K run hosted by the Georgia Ultrarunning and Trailrunning Society in Atlanta

In early March, I did the Naked Bavarian Trail Marathon in Reading, Pennsylvania

Narragansett Beer Half, Easton MA

In April I participated in a photo shoot for Evans, a plus-size fashion company based in the UK.

I did my first Tough Mudder Training event and the Shape Magazine Women's Half Marathon in New York City

At Catamount 25K

In May I did my first ever Tough Mudder in Atlanta

Early June I did the Tortoise and the Hare 12 Hour Run in Canton, Georgia. Oh, I also got a book deal too. I started writing that.

A few weeks later I did the Catamount 25K in Stowe, Vermont. I wrote my book.

A week after that, I did the Finger Lakes 50s 50K. I worked on my book.

I drove up to Massachussetts and did the Naragansett Beer Half mid July. BOOK? Yes! And beer too!
The following week I did my second Tough Mudder in Long Island, NY. I was still writing that book.

Post Marine Corps Marathon with my cuz

In August I got to tape a show of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (which hasn't been aired yet)! Did somebody say book?
In September I got to try out some the (then) top secret new obstacles for Tough Mudder. Book, book, book, book.

October featured the most events:

First, I did the Tri-State Tough Mudder in New Jersey. Escribía mi libro.

Then I did my fourth Tough Mudder in Dallas. J'ai ecrit mon livre.

I met NYRR CEO, Michael Capiraso!
What a cool guy!

My penultimate event was the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC. My cousin and her children gave me VIP treatment before, during, and after the marathon. It was a difficult one (it was extremely hot!) but the hardship paled in comparison to the good times had with family, new and old friends, and new respect for the marathon distance I gained. Ich habe mein Buch geschrieben und I finished the first draft the day before the marathon at 9:28pm the night before Marine Corps.

And finally, to top of an incredible year of running, reading, writing, and doing a little diversity and inclusion at work,

I ran the New York City Marathon in November. To say it was one of the most fantastic experiences ever is an understatement. Also, I got to meet NYRR CEO Michael Capiraso, shook hands with Race Director Peter Ciaccia, went to the Runner's World Party that weekend with my Swiftwick bestie Ashley, hugged Ryan Hall, and heard Kara Goucher, Stephanie Bruce and Sara Hall speak at the NY Custom Physical Therapy pre-race partay! And then to top it off, my family was able to see me run the race of my dreams in their own backyard.

Mom, sis, niece and nephew cheering me on at the NYC Marathon in Brooklyn!

Wow, right? I am so fortunate to have the sponsorship and ambassadorship opportunities I do. I love each of the companies I get to represent as they align with both my lifestyle, mission, and intention. They have allowed me time to learn, grow, prosper and succeed as an athlete, even though those things might look and feel different for other, more traditional athletes.

Check out this podcast that Nicole DeBoom, founder of Skirt Sports, and I did a few weeks ago!

For this incredible and still surreal year, I thank Merrell, Swiftwick, Skirt Sports, the folks at Trail And Ultra Running, my publicist Margaux Nissen Gray, my literary agent Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret, my family, and countless others who have supported, encouraged, and motivated me to keep doing what I'm doing. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Festivus, Happy Holidays, and Happy Winter!

Intentions

Something got me out of bed yesterday.

Maybe it was that I woke up without a deadline looming over my head.

Perhaps it was my excitement about returning to one of my favorite yoga classes at my favorite gym, Lifetime Athletic.

Or that I knew my mother would make me dinner (cuz I'm still a big baby).

All of the above.

Plus, I was excited the fact that I would actually have a minute to sit down and post on the blog today.

I know, it's been a while and what actually inspired me to blog was something that my yoga teacher Erica Sergott said yesterday during practice.

It was really simple.

Morning of NYC Marathon!

At the beginning she said "Set an intention for your practice today" and I immediately thought of my breath. 

I haven't been running regularly since the New York City Marathon because:

     1. I needed and still need a break from running after that back-to-back-marathon-palooza (Marine Corps followed a week later by NYCM) followed by life.


     2. I've had some pretty major breathing problems since the beginning of November, when thick smoke and particulate matter filled the air of Northeast Georgia because of wildfires as close as four miles to our town.

Two doctors visits, one x-ray, one CT scan (clear!), and two different steroid prescriptions later, I'm slowly approaching a state in which I can breathe again without feeling like I'm drowning in peanut butter mixed with molasses and Elmer's glue. Breathing is essential.

Erica Sergott, yogi extraordinaire!

I've also been under a bit of stress lately. If you read my Women's Running Magazine post from last week about my goals and accomplishments from this past year, you'll understand why. And also, if you are new to this blog, you should know that I'm in the midst of writing a book. That's been giving me a little bit of anxiety.

But back to yoga yesterday morning.

I set my intention for my practice. It was--

"Thank you lungs for allowing me to breathe." 

Throughout the practice Erica reminded me several times to call to mind my intention for the practice, and it refocused me in a really powerful way.

My breathing became less labored, and I became less afraid of giving my full self to movement. I gave into quietude of the mind, and to opening myself to the bounty of good that has come my way in the last two years.

I returned to my intention, expressed gratitude for my lungs, and then reminded myself of the intent of everything that I do in the name of fitness, including this blog. I recommitted to health and wellness a few years ago, because I was letting them escape from my life. I started the blog because I wanted to share the journey with others.

So here I am. After a hectic-in-a-good-way year I want to recommit myself to blogging on this platform and continue to share my journey with you.

Thank you to Erica, yogi extraordinaire for helping me to realize this with a simple but incredibly meaningful yoga practice.

Heading to Las Vegas?

Getting your workout on while traveling, EVEN IN LAS VEGAS

I’ve been traveling a lot lately.

When I travel to a new city, even one that’s in my own country I love to explore it by either going for a run or an extended walk with no particular plan in mind, other than to breathe in and experience the city in the most visceral way possible.

In this way I’ve explored Paris, Madrid, Granada, Sevilla, Nice, Chicago, Rome, Florence, Spoleto, Quito, Philly, Orlando, and many other cities and towns around the world. It’s an awesome way to travel and appreciate what a city has to offer.

But what if you’re in a place like, say, Las Vegas in August, the hottest place on earth?

Doing a little T-25 in my hotel room

There’s the food, the shopping, the crepes, the shows, the people-watching, the burgers, the Bellagio, the casinos, the buffets, all the things you've found on the www.vegas.com page, and the throngs and throngs of people milling about and enjoying themselves twenty-four hours a days, seven days a week, 365 a year no matter how hot-as-Hades it is. Is there even space or time for a workout?

When I was in Vegas this past summer to tape Who Wants to be a Millionaire for Teacher’s Appreciation Week it was HOT! Like 107 degrees hot. It was so hot, in fact, that I felt like I was melting every single time I stepped outside of my hotel and I actually like heat. Like, I really LOVE heat. But this was too much.

Did I mention it was hot?

So what do you do when you want to get your run on or do some exercising and it’s a brick oven outside? I’m 100% a fan of exploring the outdoors, but if it’s like you’re on the surface of the sun and your body is not acclimated to the extreme, dry heat of the Mojave Desert, maybe you can go with Plan B or Plan C or Plan D which is stay-in-your-room-until-it-cools-down-and-then-you-can-run-but-it-never-cools-down-and-now-you’re-screwed

If you are dead-set on getting your workout on, you totally can! Here’s what I usually do, wherever I go:

After a session at a swank hotel gym

1. Once I get to my hotel, I drop my stuff of in my room and head immediately for the fitness center, if there is one. I generally exercise early in the morning, so I check out the schedule and make sure I can do what I need to at an insane hour. I also check out the equipment to make sure it’s in working order, because been there, done that.

2. If the fitness center is non-existent or gross, that’s when Plan B comes into play. I work out in my AIR-CONDITIONED room. In Vegas, the rooms are nice and spacious, so I can move around and do what I need to do.
3. To make sure, I don’t miss important workouts, I almost always travel with the following, especially if I’m not sure about a hotel’s fitness offerings:

a yoga mat and strap

running shoes

a running outfit (weather appropriate)

and if I remember, a resistance band

These things are all light, and except for the yoga mat they don’t add a whole lot of bulk in your luggage (unless you have a fancy, expensive, foldable travel yoga mat)

In addition, since I always carry my computer or tablet with me, I can also access exercise videos via Beachbody’s streaming service, Beachbody on Demand. So if I’m not in the mood to make up my own workout, I turn to Chalene or Shaun T and his fine self.

One time, I even tried to put 10lb weights in my carry-on and they were confiscated. Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking either…

So I’m all set. If it’s too hot and the fitness center is not to my liking, I work out in my room. There are many things that I can do to ensure that I get my workout in--especially before I go out and get all sun-tired and Cirque de Soleil’d out…

I can do yoga on my yoga mat. There are tons of videos on Youtube so pick one and go! (My favorite series is Yoga with Adriene. I love her!)

I put together 3-4 sets and do 8-12 reps of the following bodyweight exercises:

• Burpees
• Squats
• Lunges
• Push-ups
• Crunches
• Planks
• Jumping jacks
• Push-ups
• Speed skaters
• Jumping lunges
• Leg lifts
• Mountain-climbers
• V-ups

If I have remembered my resistance band I try to diversify my sets by adding some strength-training to the mix with the following (obviously not a complete list):

• Overhead press
• Bicep curls
• Triceps kickbacks
• Lat pulldowns
• Chest press
• Boxing moves (jabs, crosses, uppercuts, hooks)

You can create cool sets and supersets, or make up your own AMRAPS (As Many Reps As Possible), create stations in your room (or hallway if you’re brave), and/or get your intense cardio in by running up and down the stairs.

There are so many things you can do to keep yourself moving, even when you’re on vacation IN VEGAS. Working out wherever I go makes me a better (and more tolerable) traveler.

Do you exercise while on the road? How do you do it?

Having a negative body image day today? Read this...

I'LL BE BACK

BACK IN NOVEMBER!!!!!!

I am at the point in writing my book, A Beautiful Work in Progress, that requires me to live, eat, and breathe it every single hour of the day...of course, while managing work, being a mom..etc, and doing events. My manuscript is due on November 1, and that is just around the corner!

So I am taking a short break from blogging both here and on my Women's Running Magazine Page. I'll be back though!

In the meantime, come and say hi if you're at either of these events--message me on Insta or on my Facebook page!

October 23: Tough Mudder Dallas

October 30: Marine Corps Marathon

November 6: New York City Marathon

Can't wait to be back blogging regularly! It's been too long....


Mirna

The Fat Activism Conference

I'll be speaking at the ONLINE Fat Activism conference starting TODAY September 23 and ending SUNDAY Sept 25! Please sign up and listen to the great variety of speakers on all different subjects.  

My talk is entitled The FATASS BADASS ATHLETE and will be presented from 8:30-9AM Pacific Time on Saturday September 24.

Really hope you can join in!

Register for this ONLINE conference HERE

Mirna

The Secret is Out

Well it's not really a secret anymore, but this big writing project that I've been working on and alluding to every now and then...I can finally announce! The contracts have been signed and I have already started on the journey.

I'm writing a book.
In none of my wildest dreams did I ever think all the good things could happen all at once.

I've been on TV a few times
I've been written about in a number of publications
I've had the opportunity to participate in a bunch of amazing events all over the country
I did a FASHION PHOTO SHOOT (Remember? Wildest dreams...)
I have a couple of high profile sponsorship/ambassadorship opportunities.

WHAT FAT GIRL GETS TO REPRESENT ATHLETIC APPAREL COMPANIES??? 
This one right hyeah, y'all. RIGHT HERE.

I'm over the moon again and now I get to WRITE MY VERY OWN BOOK. 

I've always been a writer, but I never imagined that I would be writing about my running life, or that ANYONE would ever be interested in it. I always thought I'd be writing a book of personal essays at some point after I had experienced some life. 

FOLKS, in the last half decade, I HAVE DEFINITELY EXPERIENCED SOME LIFE. 

I hope that my experiences, fledgling wisdom and knowledge that I have accumulated over the past few years will be helpful to people considering becoming and embodying the athletes they already are. 

A Beautiful Work in Progress is scheduled to be published in October of 2017 which seems far away, but I know that in the blink of an eye that date will be here, staring me in the face as I await whatever is to come next. It's also my birthday month and the older I get, the shorter the years are so yeah basically this is tomorrow.

I took this title from a talk I gave to some middle school students at the Latin School of Chicago in January and thought that in terms of who I am and what I hope I represent, this phrase best describes all of the things that I endeavor for in my life's work, both in process and product, never allowing myself to forget the progress that I have made, and the fact that our raw humanity is indeed beautiful.

I am forever thankful to my literary agents Jane and Miriam at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management in NYC for believing in my writing and in my story, and for their extraordinarily conscientious and generous editing of the many drafts of my proposal. I am also thankful to Tanya Mckinnon of Mckinnon Mckintyre for having that initial conversation with my completely green self back in September of last year. I am also elated to have on my team, Margaux Nissen Gray, my publicist.who has been at my side since I started not being able to handle all of the requests for interviews, writing, appearances, etc. all by myself.  

And finally, I am grateful for the opportunity to be an author because acquisitions editor, Erin Calligan Mooney at Grand Harbor Press believed that I could actually bring this book to fruition and that it might be remotely interesting to some!

This is so exciting, friends. As I say a lot when I'm having a difficult time on the trail and I forget that I have the exquisite privilege of running that not everyone has, I AM LIVING THE DREAM! I have the exquisite privilege of writing a book This is my dream, and I am living it.