I CAN.

Greetings,

I've been feeling pretty overwhelmed lately with all the school work and work work I have ahead of me. I've just finished writing my history paper and was looking for some motivation to continue onto the next one, when I came across a site called "I feel unmotivated." Jackpot. It provided me everything I need to continue working hard, not only in class but also in training! Here are some of my favorites:

Hercules - I Can Go the Distance!

Will Smith - Running & Reading (The Key To Life)

Billy Mills - 1964 Olympics Upset; 10,000 meters 

 Now here's the one the got me. This next video was absolutely heartbreaking to watch....the FIRST TIME. Yes, I've actually already seen it before, which is why it's pretty humiliating to admit I completely bawled my eyes out while watching today. I think the reason it caught me so off guard was because I knew what it felt like to be in that marathon setting. I feel so much inspiration from this father and son and most importantly, so much love. This is one of the best videos I think I have seen in my life, something that is extremely worthwhile in sharing. Crap. I just watched it again and couldn't help crying.....Excuse me while I grab myself a tissue! (Mom, you might as well go grab the box).

Team Hoyt - I CAN

 

I hope these provided you all with some motivation to get out there and pursue whatever it is that makes you happy. YOU CAN.

Cheers,

Kelsey

Click here for more information on TEAM HOYT.

The College Girl's Guide to Stress

Hello folks,

It seems that the day has finally come, the day in which my anatomy project is due. I'm not sharing this information with you in regards to my blog being over, oh no, I plan on continuing this little bit, (mainly because I've come to thoroughly enjoy it). That was not the point; the point I wanted to share with you is that my final work has been published. We, meaning Kate Jones, Jackie Uribe, and I, have finalized our website: The College Girl's Guide to Stress! 

It's been a work in progress, but finally, the site accurately shows all of the hard work we have put in throughout these past couple months in producing our final product. Looking back I know that I, for one, have learned so much throughout this experience. When I think about the goals we were trying to accomplish, I have to say we obtained them and so much more. One of the main things I was concerned about when we started this project was it having the opposite effect that we intended, one in which we became more stressed than ever trying to "de-stress" our lives. This was not the case; I feel as though I got my happy, active self back through this assignment and that I learned a lot more about what stress means to me. For all my followers out there (Sorry I'm so popular), thank you for reading and supporting my blog thus far, I hope you continue to check in on me every once in a while! (Mom & Dad). For everyone else, cheers!

Till next time,

Kelsey

I run to be ... educated.

Greetings friends!

It's been way too long. MY BAD. I'm going to spare you my heart felt apology and delve right in to what I came here to say.....I'M OFFICIALLY REGISTERED FOR THE NIKE WOMEN'S MARATHON! Woohoo! Sorry, I'm just really excited about it :)

So the NIKE Women's Marathon will be October 16th, 2011. That means I have approximately six months to train and get my butt in shape. I've been going periodically to the gym, doing my weights and strength routine and then running on average 4 miles. It's a hell of a better start than I had last year, but I got to stick with it!

I just took my last regular anatomy exam yesterday (tear) and would like to enlighten you on how your body gets the energy to do things! So basically your body has 3 main ways of making the energy (ATP) necessary to do work. The first way, most easily accessible way is through your ATP stores, which consist of all the ATP your cells have already made. Although this is a fast method of obtaining energy, these stores run out in 2 seconds of activity. After 2 seconds, your body starts making ATP most dominantly through your ATP-PC (Phosphagen) system. This just means your body is creating ATP through the catabolism of creatine phosphate which allows ADP to become ATP. Although this is another easy and efficient way for your body to obtain energy, it only lasts 10 seconds!! What's up with that? Once that runs out, your body turns to anaerobic FAST glycolysis, which is a process that turns glucose into pyruvates and then into lactic acid. This provides your body with energy for up to 1 minute. After 1 minute, your body relies on aerobic, slow glycolysis, the Krebs Cycle, and the Electron Transport Chain to make enough ATP to run that marathon! The way in which it does this is first through slow glycolysis: one glucose molecule is turned into two pyruvic acid molecules. Then these two molecules undergo a change to become Acetyl-CoA, which then enters the Krebs Cycle to form 1 ATP each along with some additional products! Finally, the coenzymes NADH+H+ and FADH2 are taken to the membrane of the mitochondria and the hydrogens that they have pass through via enzymes number one and number two; the electrons are transferred along the chain and are not allowed through the membrane, however they eventually wind up making metabolic water! (super cool). Now back to the hydrogens that passed through the membrane....these guys are going to pass BACK through an enzyme called ATP synthase, and in doing this, they are each going to be making an ATP. One crank of the Krebs Cycle ultimately produces roughly 34-36 ATP, and the best part is, this system is indefinite, meaning it never stops! This is going to be the most dominate form of energy production after 1 minute of work. However, it's important to keep in mind that all of these systems work in conjunction with one another. They all contribute to your body's ability to produce ATP, and that is such a wonderful thing because without them, we wouldn't be able to move!

Here's a graph that visually embodies everything I've been telling you!

I hope you learned a little something from that VERY brief synopsis (it gets much more in depth). I enjoyed telling you. I'm off for a run on this beautiful, sunny day. Cheers to you!

Till next time,

Kelsey 

P.S. here's my anatomy study group & I with our beautiful depiction of the Krebs Cycle! :)

She Runs LA

She Runs LA: Powered by Nike+

Finally, something to train for again :)

If you live in the LA area, you should definitely join me! Use ambassador's code 741.

Cheers,

Kelsey

Free your mind.

Today marks the the beginning of what may, in fact, be the most stressful week I've had in a long time. (Sigh). However, something that gave me such inspiration and peace of mind yesterday was my yoga class, taught by the lovely Jenna Knickerbocker. Since I ran 5 miles the day before, I decided to treat myself with this class because I was feeling in dire need of a spiritual lift; my mind was so cluttered that I needed to just dedicate an hour of my time to not only physical exercise, but also meditation, or as I like to call it, mental exercise. I've been doing yoga off and on for about 4 years now (oh how I fondly I remember my first class...) and I have to say it never fails to surprise me. Each class is totally different, yet the feeling I have leaving the room is always one of immense spirituality and peacefulness. It never fails to relax and focus my mind, something I highly recommend to those feeling tense or uneasy. It's a different kind of workout, yet even though you may not be gaining all the physical benefits that say running provides, you gain so much more mentally. It's a very appealing alternative to me and I highly suggest giving it a try if you haven't already.

A little background:

The core components of yoga are Poses and Breathing. Yoga poses, also called postures, are a series of movements designed to increase strength and flexibility. Poses range from lying on the floor while completely relaxed to difficult postures that may have you stretching your physical limits. Controlling your breathing is an important part of yoga. In yoga, breath signifies your vital energy. Yoga teaches that controlling your breathing can help you control your body and quiet your mind.

Some pointers for first timers:

You may want to laugh. It's normal, but it can come off as offensive to not only the instructor but also the other yogi's. Try to be respectful, but if you can't hold it in, you can always cover it with a cough!

Everyone can experience the class/session in their own way. There is no "correct" way to do yoga in the sense that no matter what level you are, the class is yours for the taking; don't let others dictate your experience. 

Bring your own mat. Unless you are broke (like me) and don't have one, in which case, BRING A TOWEL!
Have fun with it. Get into it. What you put in is what you get out, quite literally. 

How yoga can benefit you:

Stress reduction. With its quiet, precise movements, yoga draws your focus away from your busy, chaotic day and toward calm as you move your body through poses that require balance and concentration.

Increased fitness. As you learn and refine new poses, you may enjoy improved balance, flexibility, range of motion and strength. And this means you're less likely to injure yourself in other physical endeavors or in your daily activities.

Management of chronic health conditions. Yoga might help with a variety of health conditions, such as cancer, depression, pain, anxiety and insomnia, by helping with sleep problems, fatigue and mood. Yoga also can help reduce heart rate and blood pressure.

Weight loss. If you're overweight or have binge-eating disorder, yoga may help you make the healthy lifestyle changes necessary to gain control of your eating and drop those extra pounds.

In conclusion, yoga is great for you. 

Namaste. 

(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/yoga/CM00004)

To tread or not to tread?

Yesterday was my first day back in the swing of things; the Monday after Spring Break is always a rough one. Regardless, you'll be proud of me! I went to the gym and pushed myself to get a nice long work out. My arms are paying for it today, but it felt so good to run. Although I didn't go home over spring break, I went to a lot of different places and it felt good to finally be back on a schedule. 

My distance: 4 miles (eh, I'll take it)

Time: 45 minutes

Location: Treadmill

Considering I hadn't run in a couple of days, I was pretty happy. As I was working out, I got to thinking (as I often do when running long distances) about why I run longer and faster on the treadmill than I do outside. I did some research and generally, this is what I've found:

Running on a treadmill actually develops imbalances in your running style and muscular development, which will lead to improper form and increased risk of injury. If you place a foot on a moving treadmill it gets thrown back along the line in which the treadmill is moving – the treadmill is moving your foot back, not the foot moving itself back…

(I couldn't help myself)

As you run on a treadmill, the main difference your body experiences is related to the moving belt beneath you feet. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that running on a treadmill might seem easier since you don't have to deal with weather conditions, such as wind resistance, extreme heat and cold weather. 

Basically what I've been finding is, RUN OUTSIDE IF YOU CAN :)

Now that we've covered that, I want to share some exciting news with you! I am hoping to do another half (possibly full) marathon in the near future. I've been discussing it with my parents, and I've told my dad that if he does a half marathon, I would do a full. Seems pretty crazy. I think I would have a long road ahead of me if this were the case.....

Nothing set in stone yet, but I'll keep you posted.

That's all for now!

(http://jamieatlas.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/treadmill-running-vs-outdoor-running-which-is-better-the-debate-continues/ )

What are you gonna do about it?

Greetings friends,

After watching this incredible woman speak, I'm reminded of a saying frequently exercised in my home: "What are you gonna do about it?" Recently I've been feeling down about some unfortunate circumstances happening in my life, and today I was reminded that no matter what obstacles I encounter, I have the capabilities and the strength to overcome, persevere, and thrive in whatever situation life presents me with. What's happening to you isn't the priority, it's how you handle and react in that situation what will define your success and happiness. We alone have the power to control our lives, and simply hearing this woman's story is enough to get me out of bed and head on out to the gym.

So you watch, and excuse me while I go for a run:

 

"It's important to focus on a goal I think, but also recognize the progression on the way there, and how you've grown as a person. That's the achievement I think."

Aimee Mullins is a record-breaking paralympic athlete that has built a career as a model, actor and activist for women, sports and the next generation of prosthetics. She was born without fibular bones, and had both of her legs amputated below the knee when she was an infant. She learned to walk on prosthetics, then to run -- competing at the national and international level as a champion sprinter, and setting world records at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta. At Georgetown, where she double-majored in history and diplomacy, she became the first double amputee to compete in NCAA Division 1 track and field. She is an amazing woman who has gained my utmost respect.

P.S. HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!!!!!

Do what you love.

Hello readers,

I'm currently posted in my dorm room, enjoying my early spring break! Yet it's raining outside, (sunny California my ass), providing me with ample opportunity to fill you in. So here goes.

Last week I slacked on the running, yet I made up for it by playing basketball almost every day. Basketball is something that without a doubt always clears my head. It's my absolute favorite sport and I'll always associate it with good memories because it makes me so happy.

My advice to you is to find something you love, more then anything, whether it be a physical exercise, a creative hobby, or any other passion. Figure out what it is. If you can do that, you'll be golden. I know I talk a lot about sports and running, yet any healthy way you can relieve stress is a good way. We all feel pressure at times and to me, basketball is my escape. It's my way of venting my emotions and simply getting away from it all. Figure out what it is that you love, and do it. Don't settle for anything less then what makes you happy, because it's your responsibility to make it happen.


We work so hard sometimes that we forgot about what's important: our happiness.

Take a look at this short clip of Gary Vaynerchuk, via TED talks. FEEL INSPIRED :)

Location, Location, Location!

Back again, so soon! I know I'm shocked too....

So since YESTERDAY, I have kept my promise! I ran 4 miles today and it was magical, mainly because I ran on the bluff trail at LMU. Usually I run on the treadmill, so this was quite a change, yet I'm so glad I did it. I've never ran on the bluff before, and it was actually such a stress-relieving experience. Simply being outside, soaking up the sunshine and taking in all my surroundings was really cleansing. I felt like I truly was running away from my problems.

If you have the opportunity, I would suggest running on the Bluff trail at LMU. If you don't live in the area, I would suggest trying to run outside should the weather permit. It is such a different experience than running inside on a treadmill. You may even find that you're able to go farther/run faster simply because of all the stimuli. (Yes, I just said stimuli). Okay, well that's my advice for the day.

Hope ya'll are staying stress free with me!

Cheers,

Kels

I stress, therefore I run.

Hello world;

First off, I want apologize for neglecting you. You might find comfort in knowing you weren't the only thing I neglected to do this week.... yet there's no point in dwelling in the past!

So, here's the good news: I just got back from the gym and I feel EUPHORIC. After a stressful week of dealing with school shenanigans, I started feeling really crappy on Tuesday which lasted throughout the week. I therefore did not make my promise to run (or at least exercise) every day since last post. Shocker. I know this is going to be hard and that it's going to take time for me to adjust my schedule properly, but I promise,  I'm going to work on that. I suppose you'll just have to trust me :)

I'm going to give you a little background on my running history, because I feel it's important for you to understand our love, and very much hate relationship. So I'm just going to give it to you straight: for most of my life, I've despised running. Don't get me wrong, I've played sports my entire life (basketball and tennis being my fortes), yet running was always a punishment to me. Running, simply for the sake of running, always seemed like such a stupid, boring waste of time. I held this philosophy for most of my life, up until I came to college. 

I started picking up the habit of running when I began to feel the pressure to avoid the "freshman fifteen." Being an athlete my entire life has always provided me with the motivation for working out, simply because practices and games were mandatory. I loved the sports, therefore I didn't mind putting in the hard work. I've always been familiar with the gym, and since coming to college I've become even more familiar. It's sort of what the kids do here. Everyone goes to the freaking gym. You could say it's one of the many meccas here on campus.

SO, back to my story. Going to the gym. Yes. Okay, so in the spring of my freshman year, I was asked by one of the girls in my service org, Marians (shout out!), if I was interested in running the Nike Women's Marathon in SF. I looked at her like she was crazy. I could not fathom running more than to my fridge and back. (Okay so I wasn't that lazy, but you get the point). Long story short, I decided to sign up for the damn thing, thinking it would help motivate me in getting back in shape like I was when I was playing sports. Another thing that I forgot to mention that is PROBABLY important to include here, is that I've had two knee reconstructive surgeries. I blew out both of my knees playing varsity basketball, once in sophomore year and once as a senior. Having to start from scratch was something I was very, very used to. My physical therapist used to always say that anyone can stay in shape, it's the starting over from scratch part that's difficult.  

I decided that since coming to college and never having gotten back in the same shape I was while playing ball, I wanted to do this to prove that I could. Well, that and the fact that a bunch of my friends signed up! It was a challenge, one of the biggest challenges I have ever had to overcome. I ended up training really hard that summer and came back in the fall to complete the marathon (I actually only ran the half marathon, but still, 13.2 miles!!) I felt so proud of myself; crossing that finish line is a moment I will never forget. 

Which brings us back to today, the present. Ever since the marathon I've been lazy! I've lost my ability to run really long distances, and miss feeling the best high I've ever felt, that of the runners high. I guess you could say that throughout training this past summer, I fell in love with running. (hence, love/hate relationship).

So I'm slowly making my way. Today was a success - I ran 5 miles in about 50 minutes. I did this in intervals, however (jogging and running), and felt that really made it worth my while. I also did strength work for about 45 minutes, making my workout a good one! I really needed this after my week, and already I feel the stress lifted. I need to MAKE the time to run every day, because it relaxes me. It gives me the opportunity to be with my thoughts, and to be at peace with myself. Sometimes I can get so caught up in the stresses life provides, and running just for 50 minutes has proven to be extremely therapeutic for today.

Let's hope this optimism continues. I'm thinking it will.

More long, boring posts later. Till then....

Cheers!

Kelsey

This project is stressing me out.

Hello! I'm knew at this, so bear with me.

As you may have figured out already, this is my very first blog post. As I mentioned briefly before, my name is Kelsey and I'm a sophomore, physical therapy major at Loyola Marymount University. I'm interested in stress, and all the mechanisms that are involved with it. I'm also interested in fitness, and figuring out ultimately if running (something I've dreaded my entire life) will actually lead to a healthier, more stress-free life. My goal is to try to run every day, and I'm going to try my hardest to stick to that goal. Along the way, I'm going to be researching and telling you all how running actually affects the body and how it helps keep stress at bay.

Considering my group and I (Kate Jones and Jackie Uribe!!) have been working since 3 today, I'm going to call it a night.

Till next time,

Kelsey

P.S. Running commences....tomorrow!