NATURE'S PLAYGROUND

My workout yesterday consisted of a bike-run that took me to one of the most beautiful places our area has to offer. Headed south down 64th Ave on my bike, I turned west on 138th and cruised into one of my favorite places to get lost in thought (but hopefully not literally lost!) - the trails of Saugatuck Dunes State Park! I LOVE this place! I strapped on my running shoes and attempted to attack those hill climbs up and down - some parts ended up in a walk, but that was ok with me. The beauty was breathtaking!

Where else can you be on wooded, packed trail dusted with pine needles and 42 steps later (seriously, I counted!) :) be stepping in the pillowy soft sand of the beach?! The terrain was challenging but fun - it's worth the run, walk or hike to watch the sun glisten over the vast waters while standing on top of the dune - despite my pounding heartbeat and tired legs, I couldn't help but feel peaceful and blessed for the moments of solitude and calm.

42 steps later....

If anyone is interested in joining me for an adventure like this in place of their strength workout one of these days, let me know. Ted....you're first in line! See you outside! :)

OLYMPIC FEVER!

I'm officially addicted to the greatest games in the history of the world! Ok, that might be a little hyper-excited, but I am LOVING the Olympics this year. As someone who is involved in muscle development and performance training, I am in awe each time I see the athletes. The amount of strength, control and power in every ounce of their bodies is something to marvel at - my favorites have been SWIMMING (of course, Michael Phelps - wow!), GYMNASTICS (you think doing planks are difficult - try it in the air on unstable rings!), BEACH VOLLEYBALL (tough chicks), and something close to my heart, TRACK and FIELD (funny to think, with my best times, I'd only be about 3 seconds from a gold medal in the 100m race, 10 seconds from gold in the 400m and 14 seconds from gold in the 800m...Ok, that's a lot in Track & Field time, but still... fun to think about) :)

Check out this cool video describing the perfect blend of GENETICS and TRAINING that make Michael Phelps speedier than any other...

Another thing I love about the games is how much unity it seems to bring - at a home-level (I love sitting watching the games with my family and Mike and his family - it's been a lot of fun!) and globally. Pretty cool.

What's been your favorite part of the Olympics?

R.E.S.T.

Thanks to Juan Carlos Santana, renowned functional training expert, personal trainer to professional sport teams and general fitness populations, sought-after consultant and dynamic speaker, founder and owner of the Institute of Human Performance...and my teacher and previous boss!

Check out the Institute of Human Performance site here - and read below for a reminder that a LIL' rest can make a BIG difference.

Good rest time

(49-56 hours per week).

Enough can’t be said about getting good rest. If you have to sacrifice time for work or family, rest time is usually the first to go. If you make that mistake, you will surely suffer. However, the price you pay when you give up your rest is difficult to detect because it happens so slowly and over such a long time. Most Americans are sleep deprived even though they spend many hours in bed or watching TV, playing video games, surfing the Internet, and so on. If your mind is flying, you are not resting. Imagery (i.e., perception) is everything; if you are sitting down and imagining you are running, you are not resting—you are running. Go to bed early and take naps even if you can do so only on the weekends. View naps and good rest time as a miniature vacation from the chaos we all call life.