Relay for Life – Santa Monica

Photo courtesy of www.relayforlife.org/relay/

What an amazing experience! This past weekend, I had the honor of participating in Santa Monica’s Relay for Life, benefiting the American Cancer Society. It is a relay walk that spans 24 hours, with walkers representing their teams on the track for every minute of the 24 hours, since “cancer never sleeps.” This year’s event participants raised $97,000. We have until August 31 to raise the additional $3000 to meet Santa Monica’s goal of $100,000.

I had so much fun being a part of the activities planning committee, which meant making sure that all of the participants and their families had fun games to participate in. It seemed that everybody there was able to join in the fun of potato sack races, the obstacle course, tug-of-war, flag football, volleyball, veggie relay race, disco dance, yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, and so much more! It was so amazing to be a part of a community event such as this, where thousands of locals come together and share how they have been affected and mentally strengthened by cancer, want to help find a cure, and take the time to educate their children about the importance of helping the community and taking care of their own health.

The tradition luminaria at 9 pm was a remembrance and commemoration of loved ones who had been lost and the amazing survivors. At that time, all lights were flipped off and the glow of hundreds of singly lit luminaries lit up the track.

Photo courtesy of www.relayforlife.org.

At that time the hundreds of participants walked on the track with only the sound of Amazing Grace played by a single bag piper, who lead a procession around the track to honor every person who had been touched by cancer.

Photo courtesy of www.relayforlife.org

Throughout the 24 hours, everybody in attendance were encouraged to make a Fight Back pledge. This pledge is a personal commitment that we make to “fight back” against cancer. I pledge to educate and encourage action in the people around me in using healthy diet, exercise, organic living, and mindful action to prevent cancer.

What is your pledge?

To Spray or Not to Spray?

This is a question I am asking my readers who participate in outdoor physical activities.The reason why I’m asking is because I was bitten by a large dog (pit bull) a few months ago. I have, since, been advised by many people to carry pepper spray with me while on my runs, hikes, and bike rides in order to fend off menacing animals.

My apprehension stems from a few concerns: 1) in the heat of the moment, will I know to spray downwind? 2) can the owner of the attacking pet take legal action against me for launching the counter-attack, and is that a valid case? 3) how effective is the pepper spray after being kept against an exercising body, will this regular over-heating affect its efficacy? 4) is it realistic to think that I’d be able to pull out the spray and defend myself with it? and 5) is there a greater danger than benefit if the spray falls out of my pocket or holster, onto the hard pavement, while I’m exercising-is it combustible? 6) I don’t want people to have the impression that I am anti-canine, just anti-aggressive-animal-off-leash, and want to prevent my own untimely incapacitation…

I still love dogs and play with the companions of my family and friends. Also, probability tells me that it is unlikely that I will be attacked by another dog very soon. Still, I would love to read your thoughts. Please comment!

Top Tech Tabu for the Fitness Enthusiast

Royalty-free photo found on www.corbis.com

I was on a peaceful hike, in the Santa Monica mountains, when I heard echoes of a telephone conversation. I enjoy chit-chat with friends when I hike with company, but find it a bit perturbing that people would have loud telephone conversations while on their hikes. There are feelings of relief in the reassurance that where we once were unable to get a cell phone signal, we can now reach emergency services if necessary. However, what is a blessing is also a nuisance, since people can now use their phones in the most secluded and peaceful areas to have conversations about their drunken excursions the evening before, which celebrity should not have been wearing a two-piece bathing suit, or how horribly a date went earlier in the week.

In honor of National Cell Phone Etiquette month, my response is to offer you this list of tech tabu in regard to fitness etiquette.

1. When at the gym, do not talk on your cell phones on the fitness floor. After all, you ought to be focusing on your own workout. If absolutely necessary, take your call outdoors.

2. Do not have your phone conversations in the locker room, either. It is disconcerting for others that you are having conversations with other people in the same area that are showering, changing, or in post-exercise bliss.

3. Following up #2, it is especially considerate to leave camera phones inside your bag when in the locker room, as well. There are many people who are incredibly self-conscious and have fear of being photographed at the gym. You may not have this fear, but please be considerate of the people around you who might.

4. Avoid texting and holding phone conversations while on a bike ride or a group workout. It is annoying and unsafe for you and the people around you when you are not attentive to your surroundings.

5. Make sure all of your devices are on silent or turned off when in a group fitness class, especially in yoga or meditation.

6. Also, avoid texting during these classes. Although texting seems silent, it is still distracting to the instructor and the participants around you.

7. When at the spa, leave your phone off or on silent, and inside your locker. The spa is a place for serenity; enjoy it.

8. When exercising outdoors, whether in the mountains, on the track, at the park, please keep your phone conversations very brief and at a minimum, only when necessary. It is very disruptive to those people around you who are trying to exercise. Encourage the person on the other line to join you and become your workout buddy!

Wellness enjoys company. Instead of feeling the need to be in contact, via telephone, while you are exercising, invite these friends, family, and colleagues to join you on your workouts and you can have those conversations while you are both journeying to good health.

If you have any other suggestions for gym etiquette, please feel free to post below.

P.S. This is the first in a series of blog posts dedicated to workout etiquette.