Powerful at 91 - Olga Kotelko

Shame, shame to listen to all those negative aging stories, here is a fabulous story about Olga Kotelko at 91 years old still competing.  And not that she has done this her whole life, many of her skills and talents were not attempted until she was 77. 

PS -I have a head start!!!!

And Olga is very resourceful- choosing to switch up what she focus her training on since her current world marks in many events are safe!!!


So, serious strength training and cardiovascular challenges can effect mitochondria (your cells energy or power pack) and can be our 'fountain of youth'.

Read the article, set a new plan and put it into motion.

Call me Olga - I have a 30 year plan!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/magazine/28athletes-t.html

"Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength."

               ~Betty Friedan

T'was the day after Thanksgiving....

and ...........??????

how would you finish that ? 

are you still giving thanks and appreciation for family, friends and good food?

are  you stressing about the shopping holiday closing in on us?

are you jotting down thoughts for the 'new you' resolutions and goals?

are you out there in the hustle bustle and enjoying it?

are you happy with your food choices yesterday or going to the gym and burning them off?

just reflect for a minute.....

However you chose to finish that statement - remember you are the master of your destiny, so choose wisely,

set a goal

make a plan...

and follow it through one step at a time....

***

Each one of us has to find his peace from within. And peace, to be real, must be unaffected by outside circumstances. ~ Gandhi

Happy Healthy Thanksgiving to All......

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Initial Feedback on the Evelyn Knapp Memorial Run

"I truly hope it will become an annual event. My niece was part of the Greenvale "Pacers" Group and invited me to join. It was a beautiful run, a great tribute to Evelyn and the event was extremely well organized. Congratulations to you and all involved!" ~Patricia B

*

"It was great.
I have one suggestion, as the race grows the crisscrossing will get more dangerous. For HS sports all the athletes are fast and the X is not so much an issue. For the ordinary people, this X is dangerous for all. We had to intersect twice during the race. Could this be avoided next year?" Thanks, M

*

"It was an honor and privilege to participate in the inaugural run Evelyn's memory. I worked with Evelyn at PTI Huntington Station in the mid-90s and she was a woman who, as beautiful as she was outside, was even more beautiful inside.
Congratulations on your great work and thanks for all you do for the community. I look forward to supporting you again next year."
~Karen S.

*

"This was a great event, looking forward to the next one." Thank you, Frank F.

*

"A pleasure and an honor to be a part of this event. My wife, sister-in-law, and nephew all enjoyed the event and had a great time.

Well organized and see this event growing and growing, given its location and when it is held. Even if it is a tough tough 5k, it plays into the message of the organization and lends to enduring just like she did and taught.

Well done." ~ Mark C.

*

"The reward of a thing well done is having done it. "

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Photos of Evelyn Knapp 5K Memorial Run

The Evelyn Knapp Memorial Run 11.21.10

"Run to Remember"

Start Line of the Evelyn Knapp Memorial Run 11.21.10

(this is a very exciting picture for Strength for Life)

         Brian Coyle, 19 Bayport, NY    (Overall  Male Winner)    

       

Laura Cummings 23, Bay Shore, NY (Overall Female Winner)

The Trails

Jess Swanson

Dee Mullin

Debbie with the bullhorn and one lost glove :(

A Tribute to Donal P. Hughes for the Fun Run

presented to Mary Hughes

Good times!!!!

A glorious day!

***

Special acknowledgements to

Lindsey Campbell 7, Oyster Bay - our 'youngest' finisher

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Robert Carr 75, Saint James - our 'oldest' finisher

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Ginny Guichard 73, Melville - our  'oldest' cancer survivor finisher

***

For a complete list of runners visit http://www.start2finish.com/

Visit us on Facebook - Group - Strength for Life for more photos

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=22152029665

***

Thank you all for your support and CONGRATULATIONS!!!

"If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just to finish the race - it's up to you." ~ Dave Scott                                        

Race Day Success

The first of anything has got to be the hardest - unpredictable even with the best of planning. So we can sit back and reflect and ...damn we did good! Not to say it went without a hitch - but all in all - we got the job done well!
A last minute change of place of registration from bath house  (which was decided on because it was covered and the weather could have been inclement).... prompted a series of 'less than pefect' decisions. 

However:

• the race started on time - very important aspect of a run;
• everyone,  but one- just one runner was able to register and participate.

On Friday we had 325 registered runners, at the day prior to race and pick up we added 10 more - and then on race day 180 additional runners showed up.  For those of you who have not participated in a run - and we  who have not held one  - thought perhaps 100 - so 180 blew us out of the water.

Now all my number fans out there - we had 4 -5 people collecting money and registering these 180 people; we had two plastic pouches for the cash and checks - so what are the chances of money-in to registered people equalling? 

Really - 4 - 5 individual volunteers - unknown to each other and the the tally was $10 off - and then we found it.  It was exact!!!  Balanced in less than 15 minutes!  YESSS!!!! Success!

So the day went - a beautiful day for a race, great competent people helping in many ways, great runners across the board, - a perfect tribute to a strong, beautiful woman - Evelyn Knapp.  Many of Evelyn's family attended, many of Martin's huge family attended - Julia, Natalie and Isabella were all apart of this inaugural run. And Martin, we couldn't have done it without you!

The buzz is to expect double the turnout next year - I am sure that is they day I am going on vacation!

Can't say enough - it was fabulous, everyone pitched in, there were happy faces - Life is good!

"Make today a great one!" ~ Evelyn Knapp

The Insomnia Blog....and reasons to...

....listen to Dr. Michael Breus on Health Media LIVE, Tuesday 6:30 - 7:00 Radio AM 1240 WGBB

When my father was diagnosed with colon cancer my doctor told me that this is one cancer that is preventable with the proper screening - "colonoscopy". 

Let's hear it for COLONOSCOPY!!! -  not a pleasant prep, not a pleasant discussion - but definitely a pleasant outcome when we can get those polyps before they get us!

Now this study (with the links below via Dr. Breus' blog ) connects sleep and cancer.  There are so many things we can't change and there are as many that we do have control over.  You may accept the lack of sleep and deal with the consequences - but you best not when the consequences can be so severe.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.25507/abstract

"In multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, race, smoking, family history of colorectal cancer, and waist-to-hip ratio, individuals averaging less than 6 hours per night had an almost 50% increase in risk of colorectal adenomas (OR = 1.47; CI = 1.05-2.06, P for trend = .02) as compared with individuals sleeping at least 7 hours per night."

http://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/guide/colorectal-polyps-cancer

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book."

                                            ~Irish Proverb

Raw food - continued............

Yuri Elkaim hosts "Raw Food 101"  are you aware that you need to soak nuts and seeds to make them 'live' foods...so much information I was missing ...... let Yuri explain to you. 

17 video lessons - 5 minutes each - worth the listen.

I like Yuri - he is not fanatical - simply kindly persuasive.


Eatingforenergy.ca/rawfood101

"When you know better, you do better..."    

~Maya Angelou

Images....which move us to action.....

I asked in one of the last blogs what question would motivate you to change your life...now I wonder what image is necessary to do the same thing. 

Prompted by the repeated ad for throat cancer where the man has a tracheostomy.......and people can still smoke???? .....or the child left at the airport...........these were powerful ads yet we still have an enormous amount of individuals who risk their lives daily by smoking.

What will it take for you to make the changes you need to adopt a life of optimal wellness? 

I really would like you to think about it because as the year comes to a close - a new year is about to enter, a new you can be the focus......one small change is all you need to adopt today - to achieve your goals tomorrow.

"You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change. "            ~Les Brown

Do food manufacturers really think we are stupid?

15 Shocking Food Industry Secrets by David Zinczenko.................

What really resonated was an extra 500 calories of available food in our day - which equates to 3500 calories for the week which is 1 pound gained........this is exactly the formula we use to help people lose weight.  If you cut out 250 calories a day and burn an additional 250 calories you will lose a pound a week!

Packaging, sodium, labeling, sugar......ammonia and maggots - surely you will want to read this now!!

Good read!

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/15-shocking-food-industry-secrets

"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are."   ~Adelle Davis

 

Raw for Thirty.....May not be sexy but worth listening to....

The Center for Disease Control predicts that by 2050 1 in 3 will be diagnosed with diabetes - now we are at 1 in 10.  Digest that fact!

The following link is a 20 minute video on the benefits of eating well and why we have come to be where we are as a society. Dr. Joel Fuhrman admits that making the change will take some time, you need to begin with a few great recipes and learn to appreciate the taste of pure foods. 

"Don't underestimate the miraculous self healing power of the human body when you set the ideal nutrition into motion."

Dr. Fuhrman shared some incredible reversals of disease - that surprised everyone including those in the medical profession.

www.rawfor30days.com/Dr_Fuhrman

If you would like a recipe or two - we can start you off on the road to a healthier you, just send us a comment to this blog or write strengthforlife@optonline.net.

And don't forget about NAVEL EXPO on Sunday, November 7 at the Huntington Hilton - you can begin the change this Sunday armed with incredible information!

What one question will change your journey???

As I drove to see my daughter participate in her first full marathon the thought occurred to me  - that one question can change your journey.  Can you think of the one question that would motivate you to make necessary changes to way you are living?

In January, I posted a blog about making goals for the year,  I followed up once or twice to ask how you were doing achieving these goals...it is now November  - how did you do?  What are you thinking about for the next goal - there must be one - you must have a goal. 

I shared a story  about a dear friend who when asked what her goals were - mulled it over and then decided to enter a triathlon - she did a rookie triathlon (good baby step) and then a full triathlon after nine months.  Incredible what we can accomplish when we set a goal, and put the plan into motion.

In 1990 I started jogging - a Catholic school girl for 16 years - no sports in my history.  In May 1991 I ran my first 5 miles non stop - OMG - I now knew what it felt like to release endorphins.  A trainer in the gym asked me if I wanted to run in the NYC marathon that year...I laughed at her - said I was too old - and immediately hated hearing that.  So I trained, I submitted an application and trained - and lo and behold I was selected to run in the NYC Marathon in November.  Six months of training - only one race prior (a half marathon in Staten Island) and I finished.  But it was that one question - that changed the path of my life in many ways.  Running that marathon was my greatest physical accomplishment - but much more than that too.

So I ask you - what one question will prompt such a desire that you will change the way you are doing things,  and the road you will choose to travel?  Let me know - you can respond to these blogs or simply write to strengthforlife@optonline.net - be careful though Debbie and I share that email you may have to deal with both of us. 

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."          ~Zig Ziglar