Category Archives: Motivational

Do you have a backup plan?

Stuff happens. Slipping and falling or unexpected surgery, these are just a couple examples of situations that may make an athlete have to come to an unexpected and sudden stop in training. How, as an athlete, do you adjust mentally and physically to this?

Now is the time to focus on the positive, and refocus your energy. The sudden stop has been described as post-race blues on steroids. You do not want to go down a potential downward spiral that will be very difficult to battle up from.

Here are some ideas of some things you can do to help you refocus (or distract) and remain positive:

• Hone in on proper nutrition

• Sleep

• Read some good books

• Watch a movie

• Get caught up on past seasons of The Walking Dead (or other shows you have always wanted to see)

• Take up a new hobby. Coach Christina swears by knitting

• Get a massage

• If physically capable, embrace, and practice Yoga.

• Meditate

These are just some ideas to get the wheels turning in your head for backup.

Plan for it, have a backup plan in place so you can embrace the sudden stop if the unexpected happens.

What if this happens and you have signed up for a race you can no longer do? Contact the Race Director, ask for deferral. You never know until you ask. Many races are becoming more open to this, but don’t expect it, most do not. Some races now offer “race cancellation insurance” for a small fee $5-$7. You can purchase insurance that will offer you a registration refund and/or guaranteed deferral in the event of the unexpected prevents you from racing.

If the inevitable happens and you can’t defer or get a referral, write it off in your head. It’s a race, a medal, and a t-shirt. There will be others. Easier said than done, but if you accept that, you will make your “time off” easier to bear.

Start looking forward to and get excited for your “come back”.

I say this a lot: If you don’t plan for it, it will happen. If you do plan, it won’t. One can only hope.

One this is for certain, if you take care of yourself, you will come back from your sudden stop stronger than ever before.

So, all this being said…what is your backup plan?

Be Healthy, Train Smart, Have Fun

Coach Kristie

I wrote this 3 weeks ago, little did I know (as I post this) I would be day 6 into mandatory rest due to unexpected surgery. Now…I practice what I preach.

This post can be seen in it’s original form: http://prsfit.com/articles/have-a-backup-plan/

I dare you. RIGHT NOW.

This is not your typical blog post one would expect. But at PRS FIT we have our motto “Be Healthy, Train Smart, Have Fun”. This could fall into the “Have Fun” category. We are also a Lifestyle Company. That too would fit. Or even our motto our fearless leader Coach Jeff has coined for 2013 “Commitment to Consistency”.

I am daring anyone who reads this post to commit yourself to the consistency to have fun and turn this world from a “If it bleeds it leads” world to a “If it deeds it leads” world.

I want the “copycat killer” to not be the person who tries to kill more than the last to make the headlines; I want the “copycat do-gooder” to make headlines.

I want to see social media FLOODED with the positive, motivations, accolades, high fives, humor and praise. I want those moments shared, retweeted, reposted. I want to see everyone try to out good each other. Unselfishly.

I did this once in a former workplace years ago. For 1 week I dared my staff to pay it forward once a day. The good deeds were tiny in nature to huge. From filling all the printers before leaving for work so oddly no one ever ran out of paper mid print, to sneaking out and filling a coworker’s car with gas that just had an unexpected medical bill pop up. It became a game and ended up, normal. Habit. This group to this day still does these things. I am a proud mama bear that they carried this on (Dream Team you know who you are).

Seems simple really? Remember the movie “Pay it Forward”? It was filmed here in Las Vegas where I currently live. While it had a tragic ending (of course it did, that is what gets ratings), it had a simple message. Do good for the simple fact of doing good, good breeds, good.

I challenge everyone every day to commit yourself to the consistency of doing something good for someone for the unselfish reason of just, doing good. Think about it, if we all did it, would the world not be a better place?

The athletic community is the perfect community that I hope will embrace this. We inspire and motivate others to change their lives to healthy ones. At PRS FIT that is our mission, a lifestyle company. Being happy and having fun is one of the healthiest things a person can be.

I know this is a little dream world, and maybe a little preachy, but wouldn’t it be nice for all of us to live in our dream world?

I dare you. Do something randomly good…RIGHT NOW

Be Healthy, Train Smart, Have Fun

Coach Kristie

*This post was originally published and can be found on the http://www.prsfit.com articles page

Resolve, to Evolve

nyrEvery year it is the same thing. I hear people state their New Year’s resolutions. Next year I am going to lose weight, I am going to quit drinking sodas, I am going to cut back on processed foods.

I ask you this question: Why wait? Why? Millions of people do it every year. Lofty intentions to ring in the New Year with “Resolutions”.

I challenge you, act now. You know what you want to do! Don’t give yourself an excuse to hold off what you know you need to do. Basically you are giving yourself an excuse not to exercise, drink more sodas, binge on processed foods. Respect yourself enough to make that change, change that habit, and evolve, now.

There are 5 stages in change: Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, and Maintenance.

Precontemplation: A change may be passing through your mind, past failures holding you back from past changes that didn’t last. You have no intention of making a change any time soon even though you are thinking about it.

Contemplation: The need is there, you know you have to do it. You need a swift kick to get you going and to keep you committed. Typically you will make a change within 6 months.

Preparation: You know what you need to do and start putting a plan into place. Joining a gym, planning weekly meals….you are ready to get started, and soon. Typically when you are in the preparation stage you are ready to make a change in about a month.

Action: It is go time. You have started back at the gym, removed the sodas from your home, set up support to help you stick to your guns. You may even have little rewards planned along the way to celebrate your successes.

Maintenance: Congratulations. You have evolved. The change is now normal, your lifestyle. The maintenance stage should be consistent for at least 6 months to remain successful.

What is your New Year’s Resolution? I challenge you to evolve instead. I hereby am giving you a swift kick from stage 1 to 4. Time to take control of your life and take Action. I also challenge you that throughout the year, when you see you need to make a change, do it then. No more “I’ll start on Monday” or “I’ll wait until after the holiday”. Start Now.

Be Healthy, Train Smart, Have Fun

Coach Kristie

*This post can also be seen on the PRSFit Nation blog where it was originally published

Marathon Preparation Tips

A marathon is not only a physical feat, but a mental one. The best way to have a great race is not just to train, but to prepare.

  • Train within your ability. There are a numerous training plans available.  Find one that fits you.  Don’t be afraid to consult with a Coach.  No matter your ability, it never hurts to have a professional help you along the way.
  • Train at race time. Plan your long runs the same time and same day of the week as your race. Your body has a memory and will learn to run the distance at that time.
  • Experiment. Try energy gels, sports drinks, try it all. Get it down to a science and find out what works for you.  Train with what sports drink and energy gels will be provided at the aid stations on the race course. If while experimenting you find they do not work for you, plan a way to carry your own.
  • Train for the course. If it is a hilly course, don’t do all your training on flat surfaces. Even better if you can train on the actual race course.
  • 18 Mile training runs will drive you batty. Ask anyone. 17 miles, 19 miles, even 22 miles, no problem.  18 will drive you bonkers.  Just accept it, tackle it and run 18.1 if you have to.
  • Have a dress rehearsal. On a training run wear what you plan to wear in the race, fuel and hydrate like you plan to race day. If something isn’t right, you’ll have time to make changes before race day.
  • You will go crazy. There will be a time when your training tapers down that you will experience what has been called: Taper Madness, Taper Crazies, or Taper Tantrums.  Whatever you call it, all your nervous pent up energy will make you a little looney and edgy to say the least. Having a good friend to talk to will really help during this time.
  • Carb load does not equal a car load of food. While experimenting, you should have figured out your best meal for the night before a long run.  Eat what you know is tried and true the night before the race. You do not want to be searching for a porta potty on the race course like a heat seeking missile.
  • It’s code.  Call it superstition, or an unwritten rule, NEVER wear the race shirt in the race.
  • Relax. Race day you know what to do. You’ve trained, experimented, prepared. So relax and enjoy the marathon. When you’ve finished put on that race shirt, slap a 26.2 sticker on your car, and wear your medal with pride. You ARE a marathoner.

 

*This artical was originally published and can be seen in Health Your Way Online Magazine

 

Cancerversary Part 4. My Message to You

Cancerversary-n. – 1._______________ 2. The anniversary of my first Cancer diagnosis

Part 4. My Message to You

Some things never change. Only a select few were aware that as I was writing Part 3. of this series, I had gone to yet “just another doctor’s appointment”. I was awaiting test results, again. I am happy and lucky to say, everything turned out ok.  This has become a pattern of how I personally have come to cope with each test, biopsy, etc. There is no wrong or right with how someone reacts to Cancer. There is no instruction manual on how to support someone with cancer, or to support the loved one who is affected as well.

My Message to those fighting and surviving Cancer:

It is ok to be scared, angry, bitter, sad, overwhelmed. Whatever your feelings, they are valid. They are your feelings. Period.  Your life matters. You matter.

My Message to those who know someone affected by Cancer:

You may be the spouse, child, friend, or coworker of someone affected by Cancer. You may know them socially or may be the one who will have to help care for them.  Like I mentioned above it is okay for you too to be scared, angry, bitter, sad, overwhelmed. Whatever your feelings, they are valid too.

Here are some tips on how you can offer support to someone affected by Cancer:

  • Don’t sing songs to the heavy heart.  Phrases that discredit a person’s feelings of fear, despair, sadness: “cheer up”, “it’s no big deal”, “you’ll be fine” while they may have good intentions, they only throw salt on the wound.
  • Listen. Don’t talk. Don’t feel the need to fill silence. Let the person talk, or be silent. Be a sounding board. People’s emotions are all over the place. I am a talker, I think out loud. Sometimes I just need to get it out.  It may be gibberish, but it’s a way I cope and many others do.
  • Don’t try to solve or fix the situation. Many people dive in “you need to do this, you need to do that”.  Again, listen, don’t try to solve anything, unless you are asked.
  • When in doubt, ask. Ask the person “what can I do to support you?” They may want you to listen, help them research treatment options. They may say they need to be distracted. They may not even know.
  • Don’t offer tissues. In my Stephen Ministry training this was one of the best examples used in how in a situation people rush to make it “all better” and don’t allow a person to feel their emotions. Example: If tissues are on a table and someone is crying, don’t pick up the tissues and hand them to them. Some people need the cleansing of the tears. Tissues handed to someone signal it’s time to quit crying and dry up the tears. The tissues are there, they will reach for them if they want them. Let people cry.
  • If you love them, tell them. People need to know they matter, that they are loved. The feelings of being alone and invisible can be overpowering.
  • Touch them. Cancer is not contagious. Hug them. Simply place your hand on their hand, shoulder, etc. There is nothing more comforting than human touch.

 

I could list 100’s of 1000’s of tips. I really could. Bottom line, let people feel and cope the way they need to. Everyone reacts a different way. No two people and no two cancers are alike.  One thing is for certain, Cancer is Cancer. No matter the type or severity. It’s Cancer.

My last message to everyone:

BE HEALTHY. You owe it to yourself and those who love you. Take care of yourself. Eat right. Exercise. Wear Sunscreen. Get regular checkups. Early detection is the key to survival.

For me, I have come to accept that it’s not if I have Cancer again, but when. I choose to be as healthy as possible due to the fact if Cancer knocks on my door again; it is in for a HUGE fight. I have a husband who loves me and little boy who I WILL be there for him as he grows up.

To everyone who followed this series, thank you for taking the time to stop and read. It was painful and scary to share my story. I still have kept some things private. My life with Cancer has too many painful memories, so those details didn’t and may never come out.

As always, like we say at PRSFit Nation:

Be Healthy, Train Smart, Have Fun…and one more thing…FIGHT CANCER

 

*Special thanks to Lori Hauck and Krista Greaves who were my sounding boards while writing this series. I cannot express how much I appreciate you both.

Cancerversary Part. 3 Time to Get Healthy

Cancerversary-n. – 1._______________ 2. The anniversary of my first Cancer diagnosis

Part 3. Time to get healthy

I hadn’t felt right. Things were just weird. My spidey senses were going off and I had called my doctor to schedule an appointment.  I wasn’t to see him for a few days. I just remember his words echoing in my head that I had been reversing the damages of the cancer with some of my new healthy habits.

On my way home from work one day on a whim I decided to stop at the drug store. Something told me to. Now I stood in the bathroom staring at the little white stick on the counter.  The word “PREGNANT” was plain as day.

I remember going to the doctor’s office scared out of my mind. What if I was pregnant and had cervical cancer again? What would I do? After a battery of tests it was official. I still had no trace of cancer, but I did have something new. A miracle. I was going to have a baby.

Weeks later as my belly began to grow. I did as every woman does. I went to the mirror and pulled up my shirt to look at my growing belly. Then I saw them. Tan lines. Up until I found out I was pregnant I was still going to tanning beds.  Yes, the multiple skin cancer survivor was still using tanning beds. Not unlike the lung cancer survivor who still smokes. It’s not right, it’s awful, don’t judge, but it happens.

The tan lines made me furious. How could I jeopardize my health?  I now was bringing a baby into this world. I lost my father to a heart attack when I was 10, a heart attack that could have been prevented if he had taken care of his health. I refused to think of leaving my child without a mother.   I got in the car and took my tanning bed membership card and returned it to the business. I walked in, handed it to them, and never went back.

Some people are blessed with what I call “pretty pregnant”.  They look the same, have the nice round belly. No complications. They have the baby and walk out of the hospital in their pre-baby clothes. Then there was me. My body went on strike. It could fight cancer left and right with the gusto of Rocky, but pregnancy? Nope, my body decided it didn’t want any part of it. I was a high risk pregnancy, and I had a multitude of complications. My body swelled up. I looked like a long lost cousin of Jabba the Hut.  Eventually I was put on bed rest.  All through this miserable pregnancy, the part that mattered the most…I was carrying a healthy baby, boy.

Then after a long, painful attempt at vaginal delivery just shy of a scene from a horror movie where I practically grabbed my doctor by the shirt and said (well, yelled) “get him OUT OF ME” I was wheeled in for a C-section. My son was not coming out on his own, a C-section was now necessary.  My doctor was prepping me for the C-section and noticed a very large scar on my lower abdomen.  It was from one of my previous melanomas (remember? the one where the sun didn’t shine?). My doctor looked at me and said “I am going back in through this scar”.  My beautiful, miracle of a healthy baby boy…was born via an opening made from an existing scar left by cancer.  Something that could have killed me, was now giving life.

I made a private vow to God when I kissed my son for the first time. I vowed to be healthy, from now on. If not for me, but for this precious gift I was given. My son.

When I finally cleared the fog of postpartum depression (that’s a blog post for another time) and given the green light to resume exercise, I had a big mess to work with. My body was nowhere near what it once was. Pregnancy and childbirth took a toll on me. I needed help. I contacted a personal trainer. I could not do this on my own.

With her help I took my body and my health back. I made serious lifestyle changes. I hate the word “diet”. It’s lifestyle, not “diet”. You choose to eat healthy or you don’t. Calories in, calories out, garbage in, garbage out. You truly ARE what you eat. I started devouring all the information I could get on eating healthy, exercise and how the body works.  My trainer put a bug in my ear to consider looking into becoming a personal trainer myself. I thank her for this, I would never be where I am today without her. Thank you Fatima Valeras.

Fast forward a few years. I am now a competitive athlete. I am sponsored by the great folks at Coolibar Sun Protective Clothing. I am an ambassador for Raw Elements Sunscreen. I have a feature by Runner’s World under my belt. I am a Certified Personal Trainer and Triathlon Coach and now work with my Coach Jeff Kline and the best team at PRSFit Nation.  Most importantly I am on a mission to spread awareness and compassion for those affected by all cancers, but especially the one that won’t leave me alone, skin cancer.

I am haunted by what many have termed “Survivor Guilt”. Why have I survived and others haven’t? Why have I not had chemotherapy and others have? Cancer has no rhyme or reason and no two cases are the same. I raise money and donate to cancer research when I can.  I became a Stephen Minister so I can provide support to others so they do not have to go through what I did. Cancer is cancer no matter what type or how severe.

I am living breathing proof early detection is the key to survival. So please…be healthy, and get regular checkups, if not for yourself, for those who love you. Your life matters.  You matter.

Previous Posts:

Part 1. The Diagnosis

Part 2. Fighting the Demons

Still to come:

Part 4. My message to you

 

Melanoma

Melanoma-n. 1.  –mas also –mata: a usu. malignant tumor containing dark pigment. 2. Deadly Skin Cancer. The one that won’t leave me alone.

When you get up in the morning, you get dressed, right? Shirt, pants, shoes?  You wouldn’t leave the house naked, would you? But sadly many do. Many leave the house without sunscreen. Sunscreen should be an essential part of your wardrobe.

I am a multiple melanoma (skin cancer) survivor. You never think you will ever hear the words “You have cancer” once in your life, let alone time, after time, after time, like I have. My first and most advanced was discovered during a routine annual exam. It was in the center of my back. I had no way to knowing it was there. Undetected, it would have killed me, I was only 27. I had an area the size of a small nerf football removed from my back because of a mole the size of a pencil eraser. Melanoma  is the most deadly form of skin cancer. 

Here are some statistics:

  • In 2012 more than 116,000 people will be diagnosed with the disease
  • By 2012, it is estimated that one in 50 people will be diagnosed with melanoma
  • One person dies nearly EVERY HOUR from melanoma
  • Melanoma affects people of every age and every race
  • The incidence rate for children 18 and under INCREASED by 84% from 1975 to 2005

Many cases of skin cancer can be prevented and detected early.  Here are the ABCDEs of melanoma:

Asymmetry:  One half of the mole does not match the other half

Border:  The borders of the mole are irregular, ragged, blurred, or a notch

Color:  The color of the mole is not the same throughout. There may be brown, black, red, blue, or white.

Diameter:  The mole is larger than 6 millimeters (roughly ¼”, roughly the size of a pencil eraser)

Evolution:  The mole has been growing or changed its shape and color.

Protect yourself anytime when outdoors, rain or shine. Don’t just avoid peak sun exposure hours between 10am and 4pm. Water, Sand and Snow reflect the sun’s rays. Wear sunscreen with an SPF factor of 30 or higher, remember to reapply. My favorite is Raw Elements USA. The Eco Stick can be easily applied under water and over sweat. Smaller than an energy gel, it’s easy to carry.  Look for sun protective clothing like Coolibar. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from ocular melanoma. AVOID TANNING BEDS.  Apply sunscreen before placing your hands under the UV rays at the nail salon (bet you NEVER thought about that). Visit a trained dermatologist annually for a complete, head-to-toe exam.

I used to be bitter and angry with Melanoma. I was angry that it was determined to kill me. Then I realized. It saved me. I took back my health. Over time I started eating right, running, and having routine exams and screenings. I credit Melanoma for saving my life. Without it, I would not have detected my breast and cervical cancers in the early stages. I am living breathing proof that early detection is the key to survival.

As athletes we train and compete outdoors. We take precautions to train smart and eat right to prevent illness and injury. Please, don’t forget your skin.

Information, statistics, and ABCDE’s obtained via  http://www.OutruntheSun.org

Mantra

Mantra- n:  1. a mystical formula of invocation or incantation.  2. crazy voices that say the darndest things in your head to keep you from quitting

One day I did a quick #CoachPoll on Twitter and asked if anyone had a mantra, if so, what was it?  Here are the ones I received in reply:

@johnepcondon :  “When I’m at my weakest, I must be at my strongest”

@Woodstock_Tris:  “I don’t have to swim 1.2, bike 56, or run 13.1, this is the only thing I have to do today”

@junk1600s: “Find a way”

@Eddie12Tri:  “Keep on keepin on”

@deeFSU:  “Fast hands, slooooow slide” (Get your mind out of the gutter, this is for rowing)

@runningohma:  “I am free to run like the wind”

@Hunter_Loyd:  “All it takes is all you got”

@laurawherry:  “There will come a day when I can no longer do this, today is not that day”

@JeannieMGilbert:  “Finish Strong”

@PelsRenovation:  “inspire someone today”

@RunningJoeInJax:  “You need this”

Mantras are uniquely ours or we may hear it and make it ours.  I never had a mantra, or so I thought, until I was interviewed by http://WhoHasTheRuns.blogspot.com  and in the interview I said something that he pulled out and used as the title.  At that moment I knew what it was, and that it had been for the better part of my life.

“Tell me what I can’t do, I’ll show you what I can”

She may only survive a few hours.  That was 1970.

You will have to have extensive chemotherapy and radiation.  It was all contained in surgery, no further treatment needed.

Your chances of living 5-10 years, slim.  That was 1997.

You’ll never meet a man who will love you with all your medical issues and scars.  Married were we, in 2003.

Chances of conceiving a child and carrying to term, slim.  He starts Kindergarten this year.

You gained 100lbs, you’ll never get your pre-baby body back.  True, didn’t get it back, it’s better.

You’ll never run a Half Marathon.  2:43:28 and 2:08:54

You’ll never finish a Full Marathon.  4:36:36

Don’t try so hard to make a difference. No one will ever notice you.  They did: 

 
Coming into 2012 I have been told I won’t make an impact on Skin Cancer Education and Research, become a USATF Certified Running Coach, qualify for USATF Masters All American, and finish an Ultra Marathon. 

I may not be able to do these exactly, but I will certainly show what I can do.