Dedication

Las Vegas Athletic Club

Quote of the day:
"HA! Obsession? It's called dedication."


It's 5:30a.m. when the  buzzer on my phone starts to go off. Aahhh!!! I turn and kick in bed, 10 more minutes turns into 1/2 an hour. Okay, Okay, I say to myself. I jump off bed get my training gear on, pull my hair up in a pony tail and before I have time to think about the chilly mornings in Las Vegas, I am out the door.

Cycling class starts at 6:00a.m. and with about 5 minutes left I assemble my bike. I begin to peddle and am amazed at the full class. With the deemed lights it is still possible to see all the morning faces, people who probably had to slap themselves here and there to get themselves off their bed lol also known as, dedicated individuals.


                                 "Discipline means doing what needs to be done, even when you don't want to."
                                                -Anonymous

The music starts with a steady tempo, you know an old school song usually and then it gradually turns into a faster paste. "Add resistance," you hear the instructor say and with everyone doing it you have no choice but to follow along.

The sweat starts to pour down, I can taste its saltiness on the tips of my lips. "Add more resistance", the instructor demands. Forty minutes into the class and my legs feel like they are gonna fall off. I complain to myself and say I had enough! Then my instructor says that the last 20 minutes in class we are going to do intervals of speed drills. I wonder why we couldn't do the hard thing first and get it over with. Fine, I'll cooperate but if I pass out it is not my fault, I complain to myself.

Push, Push, Push!!! 10,9,8.....2,1!! "Good job guys, start to bring your heart rate down by pedaling slower and come to a complete stop," says the instructor. Wow! that's it, am done?

I stretch a little with my peers and thank my instructor for helping me break a good sweat. I am alert, awake, and ready to go boxing now!

Some say I train a lot or that am obsess with the gym. I just turn and say, " The best way to predict the future is to create it and in my future I look fit, toned and healthy."

The Better You

When all the weight of the world is on your shoulders and it feels as if YOU can't overcome the challenge
Inhale a big breath in and push off all that mess once, twice, as many reps as it takes to achieve your goal
Because what once use to weigh YOU down
YOU can use to your advantage to build a better YOU
An individual who is stronger, braver, and greater now than what YOU were yesterday.

-Ideco F.

"Sweat Everyday"

Wow! Has it really been that long since I've written? Okay to catch you up to date...I haven't been running as much as I've been going to the boxing gym but I have been keeping up with the goal, "Sweat Every Day", Under Armor. There are days I have to change it up a bit, like last night. I didn't run or go to the gym but I did run up and down a flight of stairs for an 1hr. Here is the math... 110steps x 20=2,200steps (no breaks). Pretty good workout, nice and simple with the company of the cool pouring rain.

Remember: To get out there and do at least an hour of physical activity a day. Challenge your body and your mind.


                                                            Quote for the Day:

                                    " The first and best victory is to conquer Self".
                                                               -Plato

Just The Right Timing

Verse of the day:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own[so focus on achieving the goals for that day]. 

-Matthew 6:23

I always tell myself that everyday/life is a learning process in itself and trying to make the best of every decision I am confronted with is my goal.

After about two months with a different working schedule I have been struggling to find a good routine that allows me to work, workout, study, and find time to fellowship with others. Let me say this hasen't been easy at all but I finally feel comfterable with my weirded out schedule. I figured since it takes me a while to actully come "alive" in the mornings even when my eyes are alert of my sourroundings,but my body seems to be glued to the bed. So my new routine  actually includes getting up when the alarm rings and pulling myself with my blanket to the living room were the sofa is to watch some Joyce Meyer or Country Top Hits. After about 10minutes my brain starts to work. After those ten minutes passes am ready to start the day. However, I find it really hard to not start of the day with coffee and a little reading of the Word and whatever novel I am readying at the time. I can't remember who said this once but someone has said that, " if you know you have to do something do it, even when your feelings tell you otherwise because most likely your brain is smarter than your emotions." This has been what I've been reminding myself every-time I get off of work and debate between going to the gym or going home and taking a BIG nap. Sometimes you just got to do what you got to do or as better said by Nike, " Just do it!"

One thing I am thankful for is that I have awesome co-workers and managers. This totally makes the day better and worth the time, well other than the fact that bills have to be paid lol.

My advice for the day, month, or even year is to set your priorities straight. This might sound cheese but grab a pice of paper and pen go on over to Starbucks (okay it doesn't have to be Starbucks lol but a quit place) and wright down the things you most value. Then write them in order of importance and try to work them into your schedule. You might have to do this a couple of times as you start to realize that somethings just don't fit well. This is what I call the Real World, when you have to sometimes sacrifice somethings for others or just have patience while being persistent to accomplish many goals. The last thing I can say is to pray above all. No one can do things alone but our heavenly Father can give us the strength and confidence to make it through those "not so good" days. :)

K, I'll write later have to go to work

Fighting+Faith+Friends= Fun Day

Quote of the day:
1 Timothy 6:12
 "Fight the good fight of faith."

I always tell people that running is my favorite hobby but boxing is my favorite sport. Today was the first day in about a year and 1/2 since I had the opportunity to hit those bags. Let me tell you that, it felt great. No easy thing training for two hours but doing it again and having coach consitantily nagging besides me kinda reminded me of the earlier years when I initially grew to love boxing in Las Vegas.

Why I love boxing? For many reasons. I love the adrenalin rush you get from hitting the mitts or "expecting the unexpected [punches]." But I always tell people that when I hear that bell ring it's like hearing the firefighting sirens, I get super excited and focus. The sport is not only a challenge in its-self but its a very tactical sport that takes practice, patience, persistence.

My favorite part of the day was inviting two other individuals to share the rush of boxing with me. I met the first individual from a campus group called core (i believe) who go out to different campuses and share the gospel with various individuals. I owed this kid (okay his older than me but I like the term kid) after having the courage to take the time to encourage a stranger after a really hard day and pray for me. I truly believe God puts certain people in your life at perfect timing. So I thank this person for that. The other individual was a friend of his from the same group. They both enjoyed boxing so it was totally worth the time, even after being lost and making a big loop to find this place lol.

Yes boxing is my favorite sport but I can't abandon running. I feel like running is the core of all sports just as having faith is the core value of my walk with God. Overall, today was a good day... even when I have to fight through those hectic days.

Hiking w/ Friends

I have never been a big hicker, not because I disliked the idea but because the opportunity has never arrived. Being in Alaska however,hiking is a common thing to do and sooner or later I knew the opportunity would arrive.

Finally, today was the day to go hiking with my peers/co-workers from an EMT volunteer group. Let me say that after running those 15miles on Monday, hiking the Bird Ridge trail seemed way harder. My concious told me if I didn't keep up with my usual running routine I would of probably not made it  far on that trail. However, all the sweat, tripping over rocks, and exhaustion was worth the shot.

The view once we reached the the top (a top) was priceless. I had the opportunity to see a large body of water that tourist kill to see. Instead of joining my other two companions who wanted to hike alllllllll the way to the top, my partner and I decided to sit an enjoy the beautiful view. Something about the refelection of the sun and the tides was just so peacful. Not only did I get a great workout but I had the opportunity to appreciate the wonders of outdoor activities and wildlife with a group of people that had all the knowledge of outdoors; like what to do if you stumble across a bear DON'T RUN. I now see why people enjoy outdoors. The outdoors in Alaska with its summer weather is just perfect.

After our three hour hiking adventure my friends and I decided to hit subway. I was totally craving a six inch flat bread with tuna and avocado, oh yeah and bannana peppers and lots of spintch (i love spinach). WOW! That sandwich never tasted so good!

 So this is the exact view I got to see but since I do not have a camera or i-phone YET (I know sad day lol) I found this picture on-line. What a beauty!


Later in the evening:
Even though I enjoyed the hiking workout  with my friends, it  is always nice to give my self solotiary time by taking a run or going to the gym. I decided to do just that and after a short nap went to the guy. I spend the time biking for 20min. and running on the treadmil for 40 min. I feel that after a long week,  giving myself the time to enjoy outdoors or a long work out totally makes up for all the stressful times I would want to pull out my hair lol.

My Partner In Crime

Want a good work out? Chase a child on their bike. You will get a kick out of it. This whole week I've had to babysit my little niece and finding time to workout in between that and work has been a challenging task. Then I had an epiphany. I would take my "partner in crime" to the track and have her ride her  bike while I run besides her. This would allow me to keep a close eye on her for sure. She loved seeing me chase her and the faster she went the more I wondered if this was a good idea lol. 

It was fun over all but  it only lasted about 25minutes  then the complaining about the heat began. It was worth the shot and I got 2 miles in and a couple of ropes (jump roping). 

To Kill Some Miles

To Kill Some Miles
"Some people take there anger out on family
Others take it out on friends
Then there are those that indulge in negative activities
But I take my anger out by killing some miles."
-Ideco F.

Today was one of those days where infinite thoughts kept popping up in my cerebrum, at the speed of light. Even though work was very calm I felt drained by all the future activities I had and still have left to do. I knew this called for a long run, a hobby that drifts my thoughts towards the ache in my legs and the beauty of trails. I decided to run on the Glenn Hwy from Eagle River to Muldoon which is approximately 15miles (there and back). I was excited for the first 5 miles then something in my tummy did not feel right. I knew the coffee I had drank earlier was beginning to hit me. Gosh!! The closet restroom was about 2 extra miles down. So I had two extra chooses to make, to run Da-two extra miles or 5miles back. Can you guess what I chose? I ran the extra 2 miles; I knew I would whine about the 7 miles back.

Okay, Seven miles back to Eagle River I could do it. Well...I kinda had no chose unless I decided to camp out on the highway. I remember leaving home upset but running back robbed my attention in hopes that I would make it back home, longing to sit in that comfy sofa, and having a drink of an ice cold orange juice.

Finally! Once I reached the car I felt relieved to be done and  great to have had put 15 miles in one day. So next time when your angry go for a run, you may be surprised at how many miles you can "kill" over anger. :)

Doing it All Over Agian

Quote of the Day:

He who fails to plan is planning to fail."

-Winston Chruchill

You know when you are working out for a about two weeks and you feel pumped and in shape. Then your schedule piles up with various tasks which you had already anticipated but failed to prepare? Yup! That was me last week. I started off well, doing my usual runs then I got of track for just a little and I let that one mistake, on that one day dictate the rest of my week. Kinda suXs because I can tell it is going to take this week to discipline myself mentally and physically to jump back on schedule. I dislike having to start of slow and work  my way up again but that is what you got to do sometimes. Hopefully this is a lesson learned so I do not make the same mistake again. Let me give you some advice that we all have heard, "it is better to  plan ahead then to try to do everything at once and better to take a day or two off from running then getting burned out."

What a Quote

I love this quote by John C. Maxwell, " Life is 10% what we make it and 90% how we take it."

An Inspirational Co-worker

Auntie on call, really means you have to be prepared for the unexpected. Workout for the day as scheduled is six miles. The goal was to get my workout done early in the morning before work but sometimes when you stay up late with your older sister- like younger kids do, you take the consequences because it's totally worth it. We stood up late laughing at past memories which, by the way was a good ab workout. However, I paid the price today when I missed my workout in the morning because I was too tired to get up. I figured I would do the run after work(11pm).


My sister being a military mom also faces her own challenges. Sometimes she has what's called PTs (physical training's) one weekend per month and with my brother-in-law being deployed it can be difficult to locate a babysitter. So that is where Tia to the rescue comes in the picture.

I was thinking I would save my workout for tomorrow but after a co-worker mentioned how she was inspired by me and that she went on a 5mile early run, I was then inspired by her and willing to complete my run for the day even if it means running at midnight. The good thing about Alaska is that the sun hardly ever goes down in the summers, but then again the sun hardly ever works because it is usually always chilly. Okay, this is coming for a Vegas girl who is used to the 100 degree heat.
The thing is that we will always have challenges and even the little ones can look big and scary when confronted with it. But we have to be reminded that, " [challenges] in life [are] inevitable, being defeated is optional," as stated by Eric Bates. I guess what  my co-worker told me today really gave me the spark to complete my run later on in the day.

If running means I can inspire others to do the same, any challenge is totally worth it!

Tasty Advice

Happy Fourth of July!!!!
Hope you are having a great day with your close loved ones. 

So earlier today when I was eating lunch with my family before work, my nephew gave me a great advice. He is crazy about ketchup on everything he eats and since we didn't have any dressing that really suited my appetite, he adviced to try ketchup on my salad. What the heck, I tried it and to my surprise it was pretty savory.
So guess what's for dinner lol? A nice mix garden salad with ketchup and blue cheese. Mmmm... yummy in my tummy. :)

Work-out for the day: It only makes since to do a four mile run for the fourth of July (after work). :)

Run or Stay in Bed?

Both yesterday and today were melancholy days. Those type of days where you don't want to do anything but stay in bed, read a book, and drink some ice coffee (i have to emphases the ice  because I dislike warm drinks). Running wasn't really the goal for the day but good thing I am not governed by my feelings alone. Thank God that human beings have brains that when my emotions tell me one thing I can fall back on the frontal lobe of my brain that tells me to stick to my running regime.
Before I could give myself enough time to think about whether I wanted to run or stay in bed, I quickly maneuvered towards my running gear. Already dressed for a run I had no choice but to walk out the door and take a short run. It feels good to be part of the 5% population who could run a mile non-stop, according to Runner's World Magazine.
As I ran non-stop down a hill I caught a glimpse of three other runners and a biker. The first runner was a  young teen dressed in her bright neon green socks and New Balance gear. The other two were a couple who ran side by side in a synchronized paste. Then there was the biker, an older gentle men that looked like he was in his late 30s or early 40s. Taking a look at all these individuals I was reminded how runners/bikers come in all different shapes, sizes, genders, and ages. Conclusion,  there are no excuses for not hitting the road for a good workout so get out there and do it, you'll be glad you did!

Runners Don't Get Lost, We Just Find New Trails

Today's run was adventurous. I decided to take a different path than the usual when at my sister's place. There are these mysterious trails in peoples' back yards that split into various directions. Bored with the usual routine, I decided to take a different path.
Mile one through two:
I was surrounded by a little stream and bright green trees. The area looked like a tropical scenery: very bright and beautiful with flowers of various colors. The only annoying part was the ugly mosquitoes.
Mile three through four:
I guess this is where you can say I got lost, in a way. The trail looked like it ended in a residential area that I did not recognize. I thought about turning back, but since I still had extra miles to kill, I kept running. Exploring these new running sites was entertaining, though I had to stop to ask for directions. Eventually, the paved path turned into a trail again that went under a tunnel, and once again I was in the tropics. This time I recognized the direction the trail was heading. It lead me down a small hill with a stairway of 100 steps that ended at my nephew's elementary school. This was so exciting! I have been looking for a good set of stairs to train on. Putting my i-pod aside, I ran the stairway nine times.
Boy was this exhausting,but I figured its never to early to train as if today was the day. To better explain, my goal is to become a firefighter, and if you didn't already know firefighters need the stamina to run up a flight of stairs with gear that weigh 75lbs. I didn't have the 75lbs on, and the stairs alone was a challenge. This was going to become a new part of my routine. I will run up these flight of stairs no matter how much my thigh's cry, they will become accustomed to this type of training.
There were times I wanted to stop running up and down those stairs but there is a quote by Anatole France that saysso the only way to get better is to keep practicing.  Then again there is my other favorite quote I like to repeat over and over again, " these steps are bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S," sometimes it reads, "this run is bananas...or this class is bananas..." you get the idea, right? Once I was done running up and down the flight of stairs I headed home.
Mile 5-6:
I thought I was done when I got home but I had something left on my agenda. My seven year old nephew and three year old niece wanted to run as well. Who can say no to that? How many times do you get to hear a young child ask to go on a run with their Tia? I took their request and ran up the road for my baby niece and continued the last two miles with my nephew.
Waiting at home for us was a yummy Spanish dish made by my sister. We all ate together as a close family does and after dinner I quickly bathed and hit the hay for a good three hour nap before my swing shift.
WOW. Today was a good day. :)

Racing to work... what a rush!

"I'll do it tomorrow," so I said. It was 9:30P.M. and I would be clocking in for work in a hour and thirty minutes. Should I run, should I not run? Gosh!! I had to do it. One because I made a commitment to myself, two for my bloggers and three because some miles is better than no miles. My sister( a mother of two now) once said that the older you get, the busier your agenda gets as well. So I figured I would get used to the hectic schedule. I would run even if I had to sprint and sprinting I did. :(

I made it to work...oH yeAh...and three minutes earlier too. Boy was that a rush. But the run was so worth it. I am totally alert and ready for my swing shift. :) I LOVE RUNNING

Movie Night

College can become a distraction if one does not set their priorities right. I have come to learn, not to become too busy where you can't look after your health. I experienced what George Fuechesl better describes as, "“Garbage in garbage out”. 
I stayed up late with a friend watching a chick-flick movie and eating pizza knowing I would regret it later and boy I did! I woke up today 20min. before class began, could barely run with an upset stomach, and now at work super tired (and have a 16hr shift). I know better next time! 
I have to say that no matter how crappy I felt today, running through the bright, green, trails was the best part of the day.

How it All Began

It was my freshmen year in college and everything was a learning process. The biggest fear I faced was gaining the, "freshmen fifteen". I was determined not to gain that weight but I didn't know how at the time. Back at home I was able to stay in good shape by attending the boxing gym I had gone to for the past four years but now I had new challenges. School and work was a load in itself and I knew I didn't have time to visit a gym with an inflexible schedule. Fusterated with my busy routine I made every effort to go to the school's gym. One day I decided to get away from the crowd by taking a jog in a big beautiful field with trees and streaming rivers. Okay, Okay, am lying. I decided to get away from the crowd by taking a jog on the patchy soccer field that was still undergoing construction. This was a place that people hardly visited but that I enjoyed. The soccer field became my running site. I would go on runs as often as three days a week and after a month my runs became longer and more frequent. I guess I picked up the running bug or running high because it became my healthy addiction and antidote for the stressful days. Trust me their were days I draded the idea of getting up early in the mornings but it was a sacrifice well worth it. The time alone on the field allowed me to plan my day, to contemplate on certain things, and was a time of prayer...

So I can keep going on about my freshmen year in college but believe the stories will unfold on their own. The point is that running is by favorite hobby. It is a stress reliever, a good trainer that keeps me in shape, and an awesome personalized sport.