A Fit & Able Life

25 years ago Fit & Able Productions began as a just Team Fit & Able, a youth triathlon team. Now it has evolved to a multi-season, multi-discipline, all-ages training program and its still going strong.  Learn all about Team Fit & Able!

The competition doesn't end at the finish line with the Free-for-All Race Series! Learn how you can earn points throughout the year at all Fit & Able events and win prizes at the end!

Today I want to go over the special offers we have available at most of our events to help get you to the start line and to invite your friends and family to join you. With these offers you can sign up for all Fit & Able races and save!  Learn about: - Multi-race Bundles - Referral Rewards - Team Rewards - Fundraising Rewards  PLUS our new Spotify playlists for each race!  Here are the great deals we have for you!

Summer is her and we are all taking time off from racing but the fall season is coming up fast and we want to make sure you are ready! Here is a quick overview of what the rest of 2021 has in store for Fit & Able and YOU!

Congratulations!   You’ve followed the plan you laid out and achieved the goal you were training for. There may have been ups and downs along the way - maybe you were injured and had to downshift the exercise for a bit, or burned out and had to fight yourself to get back on the wagon - but, no matter what, you didn’t quit and you reached the finish line.  Feels great, doesn’t it? It should! You did a great job.   What if you didn’t fully get to the goal you set? Well, how close did you get? Whatever the answer is its certainly a lot closer than you were when you began, which is something too.   But what now? Whatever this goal brought you can’t be the only thing you want in life, right? Let’s talk about what’s next. Short answer is you’re going to set a new and greater goal and craft your plan to achieve it. But now you’re beyond the basics of a simple beginner plan. There are a few steps you need to follow first to make your next one as successful as possible.   But before you do anything else celebrate! You just did something incredible. It doesn’t matter whether you feel that your goal was big or small you still did it. Unfortunately, that’s a feeling many people will never get to feel. Pat yourself on the back, tell a friend and get a high five, go out to dinner, eat some cake, whatever it may be do something special to mark the occasion!  Obviously, don’t go overboard but have a good time. If you go big on finishing this first training plan it will be even harder to celebrate in a meaningful way when you tackle your next one. Plus, since you’ve been taking better care of yourself for the best few months whatever you eat, drink, or otherwise gorge on will hit a lot harder and you’ll feel pretty bad the next day. After your celebration you want to be saying “I can’t wait for my next big win!” rather than “I’m never doing that again.”  Alright, back to the serious stuff.  First, while it’s all still fresh in your mind, you need to look back at the program you just completed and debrief yourself. You now have some experience with training plans and can start to improve on your original plan or craft an entirely new one that’s more advanced.   Second, you need to take a break!   Yes, you heard me. While it feels great to have accomplished your goal and you want to ride that high into your next project, you do need to give yourself time to rest, reset, and recharge. That high won’t last forever and you don’t want to go hard charging into your next training plan and burnout when the buzz wears off.   Finally, it’s time to set your sights on you next goal. You need to raise the bar.   When you’re ready to get started on your next goal-oriented journey all you need to do is go back to step one. Define your new goal. Write it down on a piece of paper and hang it next to the last one. That way you can see where you want to go next to how far you’ve come already.   Again, the main goal is to complete the training plan, remain healthy, and have fun. You must remember that if you start out going too hard you can injure yourself and fail. If you take the rest period, as you should, you will in fact need some time to build back up again. You can’t just start cold where your previous training plan ended; you won’t quite be at that level anymore. The good news is that you won’t have far to go and will be back up to speed in a few weeks.   As you intensify your training or extend the time period of your training plan, such as from 3 months to 9 months, you are going to start running into issues that novice athletes or shorter training cycles won’t encounter.

Alright, welcome back for the next part of this series on training plans for beginners. Just to recap, first, you determined your starting point, or current fitness level, and then you set the goal you are going to work for. Now it’s time to fill in the middle with all the incremental steps you need to take to go from start to finish. This is the most detailed and technical part of creating the plan.   If you simply search “5k training plans” you will not have to look very hard to find results.  From beginner level Couch to 5k programs to Jeff Galloway’s elite training plan, you can find a calendar that lists what to run, when to run, and how much to run. But have you ever wondered, “How do they come up with this?”  Experience? Yes, in most cases a coach knows how to develop a quality training plan through years of competing as a runner before becoming a coach themselves. But you don’t have to be that elite athlete to know how to construct a training plan.  All training plans for distance running events will be comprised of the same basic elements  These basic elements are periodization, safe workload progression, and goal specific workouts. If this is your first training plan you don’t necessarily need to build out a plan with all of these details but it will help you understand the general structure and progression of the plan.   Periodization refers to the systematic planning of training. The idea behind periodization is to reach “peak” performance at the most important point in time; usually this is a competition but it can also just be the personal goal line you set for yourself. It is a progressive cycle that divides the conditioning program into different phases of training, each with their own goal. You can adjust the timeline for these based on the duration of the plan you are creating. There are 3 different cycles:    • macrocycle  • mesocycle  • microcycle  A macrocycle is usually a year-long plan made up of three phases: preparation, competitive, and transition. The preparation phase usually lasts 2/3 to 3/4 of the macrocycle and is where the majority of the training takes place. The competitive phase is the period of time where the main event or goal race takes place. And finally, you have the transition phase. This is where rest and time off come in to play.  The athlete is getting ready to “transition” to the next macrocycle by resting and healing their body.  A mesocycle represents a phase of training that last anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks.  It is a period of time with a specific focus on the same type of physical adaptation. For example, building an aerobic base or increasing muscle mass would be considered a mesocycle. These different mesocycles are then combined to form the macrocycle.  The microcycle cycle refers to the individual and daily activities that work towards the goal of the mesocycle. The microcycle typically last a week and would include elements like a long run or hill workout.  Your daily workouts are the individual sessions that make up each week’s microcycle. Each session will have one or more physical activities that addresses something you need to move forward, such as strength, endurance, speed, power, etc. Looping back to the introduction, all of these cycles combine to constitute the process that you are committing yourself to. These are the paving stones on the road to achieving your goal.   You will see that these cycles slowly add more and more to the workload. If done correctly the body will adapt to the increased workload and you will see an improvement in performance.

Are you ready for the fun part of creating your first training plan? In this video we are going to go over exactly how you can set your goal in the best way possible for you to achieve it.  Do you remember making outlines? You know, those bulleted lists that helped you plan and organize your papers in high school or college.   They’re like the paper’s skeleton. The outline holds up the paper and keeps it in proper form. More importantly, outlines helped you get from the introduction to the conclusion in the best way possible. They helped make you a better writer. Better writers got better grades.  A training plan has the same value for athletes of all ages, abilities, and skill levels. It doesn’t matter if you’re about to go out for your first run or getting ready for the Olympics. You need one. The plan will get you from your current state to your desired state in the best way possible. They will help make you a better athlete. Better athletes get better outcomes.   In the last video we covered how to find your current fitness level or Point A. Now you need to figure out what Point B is so that you can plot the course between them.   You can’t achieve a goal if you aren’t perfectly clear on what that goal is. For better or for worse, goals are like dreams. They can be as big as your imagination allows. But that can mean you set a goal way beyond what you can reasonably achieve. You can keep it realistic by taking that goal out of your head and putting it on paper. That simple act helps bring it into the real world and allows you to look at it objectively.   Writing it down also reinforces that goal in your mind. You can look at that piece of paper every morning and every night. Read it to yourself. Read it out loud. Read it a thousand times.  If you gave yourself a manageable goal and laid out a doable plan, one day you will reach the end. All you will need to have done is follow the plan and do the work. You will have achieved your goal!  A study published in the American Psychological Association found that when someone set specific and challenging goals it led to a higher performance 90% of the time when compared to someone who set easy goals, "do your best" goals, or no goals at all.    Goals affect performance by directing attention, mobilizing effort, increasing persistence, and motivating strategy development.  Setting goals gives you long term vision and short term motivation.  But from the start one of the most important pieces to a training plan is that it requires you to write down your goal. It’s not truly a plan if its only in your head; that’s just an idea. Written goals are 39.5% more likely to succeed than the wishful thinking we keep inside. BUT the benefits don’t stop there! Written goals PLUS weekly accountability are 76.7% more likely to succeed. Your plan is your accountability control. Each day you can check off a small piece of your progress; or not check off workout sessions you missed or skipped. You will have instant feedback on whether you are doing the work or letting your dream slip away.   Families are the perfect teams for making lifelong health and fitness changes. Your family is already a team in so many ways. We are just so accustomed to it we don’t even recognize it. But think about it. When a kid says, “Hey, I need something,” who’s there to help him? Siblings and parents! When a parent says, “Hey, can you help me?, who’s lands a hand? The spouse and kids. The support network is there. All you need is to set the goal.

Alright, I hope from yesterday’s video you understand the value of establishing a training plan. Having a plan will help you filter out distractions, break down a monumental task into bitesize chunks, and help you a commit to a process rather than hoping for a goal.  BUT before we start laying out a plan for achieving a newer, faster, stronger, better self we need to determine where we stand today. This won’t only help you develop a plan that will actually meet your needs it will help keep you safe along the way too.  So, SAFETY FIRST! But that’s all just for figuring out what may or may not kill you. You also need to ask yourself, “What is my current fitness level?” Good? Bad? Superior? Abysmal? The answer doesn’t matter because it’s only going up from here.    The point of answering the question is to provide you with a baseline figure that will help you plan a workout program tailored to your individual needs. This will help avoid overtraining, under-training, and decrease the risk of injuries. You can either have a coach or trainer guide you through a fitness screening or do some fairly simple tests yourself.   There are 4 categories that determine a person’s physical fitness level:   • Body composition  • Flexibility  • Muscular strength and endurance  • Aerobic endurance  After you have completed each fitness test take some time to see where you are at. The tables in the attached document categorize results and will help determine your current fitness level.  Remember, don’t be discouraged if your results are not what you were expecting. The whole point of this training plan thing is to get you where you want to go.  Alright, with that out of the way, we can finally start developing your first training plan.

We are now halfway through the year but there’s still a long way to go before we’re clinking champagne glasses and toasting the new year. The good news for all of us is that there's still time to do the work and make progress on whatever we hoped to gain this year. If you need to take another shot at achieving your goals - whatever they may be - then today is the day to get going.   Almost everyone sets goals for the year, whether its as a new year’s resolution or something more formal, but very few people actually accomplish those goals. Goals should be something that we set, accomplish, and then leave in our dust as we pick new ones that will take us even further. If we have the same annual goal each year it just becomes perennial wishful thinking.  So, what’s holding so many people back from actually achieving the goals they set for themselves? The fact that they don’t actually create a plan to achieve that goal.   A month ago we discussed commitment and what that does towards helping us actually achieve the goals we set. We can set all the goals we want but if we don’t make a personal commitment to the goal, and the process of achieving that goal, then the odds of us getting to that finish line are almost zero.   But it is actually pretty hard to commit ourselves to a goal that’s far out in the future. It can be difficult for us to hold on to that vision for the entire time it takes us to achieve that goal. When we lose sight of that finish line we often also lose our motivation to keep moving forward. We often don’t see the progress we have made in ourselves: just think of losing weight but not seeing the change in the mirror. But we are very aware of the daily struggle as we keep doing the hard work.   When the work seems to outweigh the results we become discouraged. Being discouraged allows the nagging little fears and doubts to get in our heads and weaken our resolve to keep going. Then we are at serious risk of quitting.    We can instead commit ourselves to the process of achieving the goal rather than the goal itself. The process is something we can hold in our minds day in and day out. The daily progress may be imperceptible but intellectually we know we are moving forward as we complete the small tasks that will add up over time.   Success isn’t found in the goal but rather in the process. And the process is laid out in the plan.   For the purposes of this series we are going to just focus on developing an exercise training plan. But you can use these tools to create a plan to accomplish any kind of goal, whether its related to health, wealth, relationships, or whatever. If there is sufficient interest I would like to cover those topics as well.   For novices though, both young and old, creating a new training plan can seem really complicated. Yes, training plans can get super complicated - for Olympic athletes. But yours doesn’t need to be. After all, you just want to get from Point A to Point B, not each and every step to Point Z.   Do you remember those “Choose Your Own Story” books? The end of each chapter gave you a few options for where the story could go next. You can mix and match the choices to get different overall stories; sometimes you might get the same endings but the story paths there were different. These are fun for kids but most adults enjoy books that clearly walk them from the front cover to the back cover. Well, same goes for exercise with many people, except most people go with the self-guiding story option and find they don’t get the happy ending they hoped for. If you don’t know what you really want for the end of the story you don’t know how to order the chapters.

Happy World UFO Day!  It's Friday before a long holiday weekend so let's have some fun!  UFOs used to just be the stuff of the silver screen, conspiracy theorists, and guys with extra hubcaps and a camera. But if you've been paying attention to the news the past 9 months or so you'll have heard that the Pentagon has finally admitted to decades of UFO sightings by naval aviators all around the world.   The guy next door with the tinfoil hat doesn't seem so crazy now, right? Who knows: maybe the CIA has been reading your brainwaves all this time too.  Anyway, World UFO Day was organized in 2001, and was put together to bring together enthusiasts of UFO’s and the evidence they’ve all gathered to support their existence. Knowing that the possibility that we’ll one day encounter other intelligent life in the universe is practically 100%, they knew it was vital that people started having the dialogue about their arrival long before there was accepted proof that they arrived.  If you're looking for something to do this evening - and none of your friends are calling - why not celebrate World UFO Day? Go watch some sci-fi movies and some out-of-this-world treats like neon green punch and ice-cream shaped like the head of little green men. You'll know you celebrated this day to the fullest if you can't go to sleep tonight because you're worried about abductions and probes.   Even if you aren't a hardcore believer like Mulder and Scully, you may enjoy the idea of UFOs and aliens is fun because it makes our universe a bit more fun. Most of our days are spent doing the exact same thing day in and day out: get up, go to work, eat some leftovers, scroll through Netflix indecisively, and go to bed. We almost crave something that breaks us out of the monotony of the mundane.   Just look at the major IPs and franchises from the past 25 years that have had worldwide success. We are like kids in a candy store for stories - whether that's books, movies, games, whatever - where someone ordinary like us has something happen that moves them into a more extraordinary world. Whether that's Peter Parker getting bit by a radioactive spider, Harry Potter getting an invitation to Hogwarts, or Bilbo Baggins getting a knock on his door. Yes, these are fictional characters in already extraordinary worlds. BUT in those worlds they were ordinary people who became aware of the extraordinary.   Same applies for us here in our perceived reality. UFOs are a tease that there's something out there that makes our world more extraordinary than we currently experience it. The same thing goes for ghosts, zombies, angels, demons, magicians, and superheroes. Whether inspiring or terrifying they are all things we can imagine existing in the same world we do. And that gives us a thrill. The possibility of it simply makes the world we inhabit feel more fun. The actuality of it may be a different matter entirely though. So be careful what you wish for!  Anyway, just over a month ago I made a video about commitment and stated I was making a commitment to doing a daily video each week. Well at least for this past month I'd say I succeeded. I hope you also made a commitment to yourself to do something for June and that you are now able to celebrate that accomplishment.   It's been fun doing a Happy Day topic each day and they've been a nice summer treat. But as we start heading towards our fall running season I'm going to be structuring these videos differently to hopefully provide you with more information that will help you perform your best starting next week.

Happy Joke Day!  And Happy July too! Yes, the year is officially half-way through, which is hard to believe. But while it's time to get serious and buckle down on what we want to get our of 2021, today is an opportunity to sit back and have a laugh at everything so far.   Jokes have likely been told since man first looked at himself in a pool of water and passed judgment on his own complexion. We definitely have jokes from Ancient Greece and Rome even if the punchline doesn't really hit as hard as it used to.   Do you think you’re funny? Do you like to make other people laugh? Laughter is a universally recognized expression of amusement and you can learn a lot about other people and cultures by their humor. We all know that jokes don't always translate well and have seen some go right over the listener's head even when in the same language. But we aren't going to let that stop us and Joke Day is the perfect day to tell a joke to friends, family, or anyone whose attention you can grab to make them guffaw, groan, or giggle.  Telling a good joke doesn't just put a smile on other people's faces but also your own. There's really no shame in laughing at your own jokes. They say that laughter is the best medicine, and a lot of people would agree with this! After all, there are actually a lot of health benefits that are associated with laughing. Laughter doesn't just bring people together but also triggers healthy emotional and physical changes in the body.  Laughter can help to protect you from the damaging impact of stress, diminish physical and mental pain, boost your mood, and strengthen your immune system. Nothing workers more dependably or quicker to bring your body and mind back into balance than a good old laugh. Humor also keeps you alert, focused, and grounded, as well as connecting you to others, inspiring hope, and lightening your burden. Believe it or not, it can also help you to forgive sooner and release anger too.   You may have also heard that laughter is a good way to burn calories, and this is true too! Of course, this does not mean that you should replace going to the gym with laying on the sofa and watching your favorite comedian. However, one study concluded that you can burn around 40 calories if you laugh for between 10 and 15 minutes each day. Over the year, this could be enough to lose around four pounds!  So, if you're worried about how to land the best jokes we have some tips to help you deliver like a pro.  - Have fun! If you are not having fun, how do you expect your audience to laugh and enjoy themselves as well? - Communication and personality are critical. Comics light up the room before even telling a joke because they are emotive and present.  - Know your audience. After all, different people find different things funny so keep this in mind when you are thinking about the sort of joke to tell.  - Confidence is key. Your stage presence, even if you are not on a stage, can be the difference as to whether your joke lands or not. - Get the timing right. This is something that is linked to confidence. Some people rush through jokes when they are nervous, and this can throw everything off.  Anyway, go out and do your best to make the world laugh. You might not get everyone rolling on the floor laughing out loud but I bet you can at least crack a few smiles.  If you have any questions or topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]! And, if you don't mind, please share this with your friends and family; they might hear something that helps them out. t!   Thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy Social Media Day!  Depending on who you're talking to social media is either the best way to stay connected with everyone you know or the destroyer of civility, productivity, and attention spans. Let's just call it somewhere in the middle and recognize that it's here to stay. So, let's put on our rose colored glasses and celebrate it! Or delete all your profiles and get off the grid!  Either way social media is everywhere these days. Though the days of Myspace are long gone, we’re constantly hearing about what's currently trending, the latest viral craze, and new scandals erupting and being forgotten every day on new and innovative platforms. No doubt you have as many discontinued social apps on your phone as you have old styles in your closet. But just as you'll dive into the next fad because 'you can't find anything to wear' you can bet you're going to sign up for the next thing that lets you filter, share, and like your way across the internet.    For better or worse, social media has a major impact on the world. For many of us, it is how we keep up with what our friends are up to, even if they’re on the other side of the planet. It has also played a big part in world events. Twitter was used to organize protests and report on events during the Arab Spring, for example. On a more shallow note, Twitter is a great way to keep up with what your favorite celebrities are up to – as long as they don’t just use it to Instagram pictures of their lunch!  If we’re honest, most of us use social media for less than upright purposes ourselves. We use it to show off our holidays and what adventures we have planned for the weekend. We know everyone presents an idealized version of themselves on social media, whether by de-tagging unflattering photos or implying their life is more exciting and glamorous than it really is. But that doesn't stop us from comparing ourselves negatively to what we are seeing even when we know we are only seeing a carefully curated narrative. It's like going to an art museum: you don't see the thrown out sketches, mess ups, and failures, you only see the final masterpiece.   But there are also lots of reasons to love Social Media Day. It gives everyone the ability to have a voice where they can document their daily activities, share their opinions, and showcase their talents. It's also a great way for people to discover new things that they may not have been exposed to before naturally. Social media opens up a world of possibilities for people, and that is something very exciting!  Frankly, there's not much to say about social media that you haven't already heard before... likely on social media. But the "special day" pickings were slim for today. But long story short, social media is a tool like any other; it's what you make of it. If you spend all day scrolling through endless posts of vanity, engaging in trolling arguments over nothing, and generally avoiding taking advantage of your own life, then social media will indeed rot you from the inside out. However, if you use it to build a business to give yourself the life you want, reach out to people you can genuinely help and inspire, and generally provide things of value than consume trash, then social media can be an effective and meaningful tool on your belt to do great things.   If you have any questions or topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]! And, if you don't mind, please share this with your friends and family; they might hear something that helps them out. t!   Thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy International Mud Day!  Mud. It often seems like a nuisance, doesn’t it? As soon as it rains, mud is everywhere, and it literally gets all over everything - especially those things we desperately tried to avoid getting it on too. There are definitely no benefits this slippery, sticky dirty substance could offer, right?   Wrong. And the creators of International Mud Day are out to prove it! After all, mud is quintessential to the outdoors, and the outdoors mean fresh air and exercise, two of the best things for people. And so what if we get a little dirty? Plenty of research has shown that coming into contact with a certain amount of bacteria is good for us, as it helps build up immunity, as opposed to living in a virtually sterile environment, which makes our bodies very vulnerable. Not to mention how many minerals mud contains. There’s a reason why people pay hundreds of dollars for mud masks and baths at spas.  Plus it's just plain fun to get outside and get dirty. How else do you explain the popularity of Spartan races and mud runs? Sure there's a great feeling of accomplishment for conquering those physical challenges and obstacles, but there's also something to just letting go and getting down and dirty in all the great mud. It makes for some great photos at the finish line when all you can see of the person are bright eyes and smiles. And it demonstrates to many people that you are willing to do things most others won't. You aren't going to let mud, sweat, and tears stop you!  If you have ever been off-roading you know you always need to come home with a bit of mud on the fenders. It shows you've been on an adventure and that you aren't just driving around a Pavement Princess. You've added a bit of character to your vehicle, proven that it has a stout heart, and probably have some great stories to tell too!  Maybe its because we spend so much of our lives buttoned up and looking the part we are supposed to play; or maybe it's just a yearning to get back to the carefree joys of our childhoods. Either way there's a natural draw to the stuff that's almost irresistible. So go find some mud to enjoy! You don't have to get covered head to toe but you can find a modest little puddle, take off your shoes, kick off your socks, roll up your pants, and take glee in the luxurious gooey feel of the mud on your feet.  It's a short one today but its a nice little reminder that you're never too old to enjoy some good clean(ish) fun.    If you have any questions or topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]! And, if you don't mind, please share this with your friends and family; they might hear something that helps them out!   Thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy Heart Hugs Day!  If a 'heart handshake' is what a surgeon does to manually keep your heart beating what could a heart hug possibly be? Well, it means it’s time to get super snuggly and lovey dovey with the people you really love.  If you’re a bit of a humbug, you probably won’t be up for celebrating this super squishy day. But if you like hugs and cuddles, fist bumps and high fives, and telling people how much they really mean to you, then this day is all about you and those wonderful people in your life! Anybody who you love, anyone who you think deserves some love, anyone you see as being a bit of an inspiration, or anyone you are just thankful to have in your life but you maybe don’t see as often as you would like. These are all people that could benefit from your happy heart hugs on Happy Heart Hugs Day!  Surprisingly this holiday was created by, or at least for, a dog. Archie Brindleton, a super happy French bulldog inspired this day, presumably because as a dog he is full of happy hugs himself. Why celebrate this on June 28th? Because that's the day Archie's owners brought him home.   Anyway, while that's a cute story for the owners, its a pretty lame foundation upon which to establish a holiday. BUT the good news is that if a happy little dog from one of the most inbred breeds on the planet can create a special day, then anyone can! And that includes you too!  Why don't you start a special day yourself? We all basically celebrate the same holidays each year: New Year's, Valentines Day, Christmas, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and so on and so forth. The calendar tells us when and what to celebrate and we follow the plan without question. Naturally, there is some variation for special holidays of religious or cultural groups or celebrations and more personally meaningful days, such as birthdays and anniversaries we share with friends and family. But why not get creative and start coloring outside the lines?  Find something that's really special to you and make a day to celebrate your enjoyment and appreciation for it? Pretty much all the 'Happy Days' you've heard about this past month were started just that way. Someone had a passion, or hobby, or special food and wanted to share the joy it brings them with the world. Some of these days started locally and grew in popularity and scope; others began on the national stage and trickled down to have unique activities in many locations. But they all started because someone or some group took action to share their passion.   But you don't need to start a movement to get local, national, or global recognition to create a special day. Why not just have something that's special just to you or your closest friends and family?   Anyway, over the past month we have explored a wide variety of cool things that get celebrated and if you look up the calendars of holidays, celebrations, and other special days you'll see quite a list. But as long as that list is it isn't exhaustive; that list is growing and you can be one to add to it too. So reflect on all the great things you've had in life, the people, places, and things you've seen, and experiences or activities, big or small, that have brought you joy. Pick the one that is the most meaningful to you - and isn't already recognized by another day - and then find a date that bears some strong tie to that thing. Or just find a date that doesn't have anything else going on already and go with that. Who cares?! It's your special day!  At the very least enjoy it just for you or share it with friends and family. If its something that is more widely shared you can expand it to your community or try to get it recognized on a great scale. Either way, create it, put it on the calendar, and enjoy it every year!

Happy Strawberry Parfait Day!  Like it's distance cousin - the Strawberry Short Cake - I'm going to keep this one brief.   Strawberry Parfait Day, dedicated to that delicious treat that is so welcome during the hot summer months, and craved even in the face of the biting cold of winter by the true connoisseur. The exotic sounding name brings to mind the quaint little street-side cafes of Paris, where the treat so many of us are familiar with found its origin. With everything opening up again you may soon be able to get over there with a direct flight and actually enjoy it in one of those cafes.   It’s name describes the treat to a tee, Parfait simply means, “Perfect”. But a perfect what? The word parfait has actually been used to describe quite a number of different things, and not all of them are delicious layered deserts.  Such was the dedication to making this the perfect treat, that special glasses were designed solely for the purpose of showing off the artistically layered designs made during the treats creation. Parfaits can include any combination of ingredients, from creams and fruits, nuts, liquor, even gelatin, or granola. They’ve crossed the line from being merely a dessert food, to being deemed appropriate for any time of day. All you need to do is shake up what's included!   But we need a moral lesson for today too, right? Just like ogres and onions, parfaits have layers too. If you dump all the ingredients in and mix it up that's a clear sign you're a psychopath. But if you coordinate and delicately layer in each ingredient you can create a little work of art. If you are serving them for brunch or dessert you can extend the pleasure of the dish with its presentation and instill a great anticipation in your dining guests long before they dip their spoon in and get that first bite.   Parfaits are really simple to put together so give it a shot the next time you have people over, such as family brunch this coming Sunday. You can even lay out a build-your-own parfait bar with a wide variety of ingredients. Everyone will likely build a unique creation and you can play a game of guessing what that says about them as a person. There's no reason parfaits need to be fun only for your taste buds!  If you have any questions or topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]! And, if you don't mind, please share this with your friends and family; they might hear something that helps them out. t!   Thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

most popular forms of physical activity, even among otherwise sedentary individuals. Throughout the centuries swimming has also been a vital skill for many people and cultures to provide for themselves, whether for fishing, pearl diving, and other activities to reap the bounties of the sea.  Swimming is a great way of getting exercise, especially for those who have health problems that make traditional exercise difficult due to weaknesses, arthritis, difficulty moving, degenerative diseases. The buoyant nature of water makes it much easier on those with physical limitations to get out and have a good time, and the act of coursing through the water is often described as feeling a bit like flying! Furthermore, its low impact nature allows those whose movement would otherwise be restricted to engage in a full body workout without causing further damage. Even those who are of advanced age can find an ability to remain active in this sport for a long time!  Swimmers tend to engage in the activity for longer than other forms of exercise, and the act of swimming often engages the entire body while moving through the water. This results in the body drawing on large supplies of oxygen during almost all stages of the activity. Other benefits include a reduction in stress related illnesses and it can even improve posture! Due to its full body nature, this sport is also excellent for building cardiovascular and respiratory health, increasing how much oxygen the body is able to take advantage, as well as how much blood the heart is able to move with each stroke.  Swim a Lap Day reminds us that any activity is better than remaining sedentary, and a single lap is a great way to get a start on a healthful and engaging exercise that can involve the whole family.  More importantly in many ways, swimming is not just a good life skill to have but it can also be a life-saving skill too. Even if you aren't a member of the local neighborhood pool at some point in your life you will find yourself on a pool deck or on a lake or at the beach. Tragically, all too often we hear stories about people, and especially kids, playing around the water carefree and drowning. This happens for many reasons but mainly because (1) they are not mindful - and may not even know of - the potential dangers around them and (2) do not have the skills needed to get themselves out of them. Often times kids who don't know how to swim have parents who also don't know how to swim. So when the kid begins to struggle the parents have no way to help them; many times those parents die in the attempt as well.   With the number of community pools in our area and our proximity to so many great lakes, beaches, and rivers it's easy to assume that everyone learns how to swim. However, that is far from true. It's a sad fact that minority and under-privileged populations are at most risk of drowning by a large margin because they do not have access to aquatic centers with training programs. Fortunately, there are national programs with local branches run by the YMCA and Triangle Aquatic Center that are dedicated to providing swim lessons to both kids and adults for either low-cost or no-cost so we can start turning that terrible trend around. The adult programs are especially important because it can be an awkward skill to learn later in life but it gives them greater confidence in themselves and allows them to help others, especially their kids, when needed.

Happy Let it Go Day!  No, this isn't a day to dress like Elsa and go sing in the snow. But if that's your thing I'm not one to judge, especially if you're able to find snow in North Carolina in June.   Everyone has probably experienced those nagging regrets and grudges that tug at their souls for weeks, months, or even years. It doesn’t even matter how much time has passed after the people, jobs, or situations which once made those negative feelings important ceased to be part of their life. It's an unfortunate part of human nature that it can still be so very hard to let go of these things. This is an experience we all share at one point or another in our lives. Most people never manage to move past it and the few that do almost seem to have superpowers.   We have all had times in our lives when it felt important to take every opportunity to demonstrate to that ex, former coworker, or classmate how well things were going without them, or at least had a strong temptation to do so. But isn’t it finally time to move on and let go of all of those negative emotions that tend to drag everything down? Even a temptation not acted upon chews up your precious time and emotional resources.   And for what? There's certainly no material gain to that. And whatever pleasure it gives you is short lived and ultimately hollow. Whatever the original problem was isn't solved, the emotional wounds aren't healed, and if that person didn't care enough to treat you better in the first place they certainly don't care enough about you now to think "Oh, yeah. You got me now!" In fact, you're probably going to feel even worse because you know deep down that you're now the one being the dick. At best, you've now lowered yourself to their level; at worst, you've given them the moral high-ground.   Regrets are not particularly useful to anyone. They tend to weigh on people’s consciences and leave them with a deficit of joy, often at a time when those who have been wronged have long since forgotten them. Even if the other person hasn’t offered forgiveness, it is an important step toward healing for people to learn to forgive themselves. If we are honest with ourselves we can admit that we aren't always upstanding with other people too. This helps with the process of moving forward without guilt or bitterness and allows people to endeavor to live a better life in the future.   But how do you do this?  Write down a list of the things that are regrettable, such as fear, holding grudges, guilt, regrets, the past, excuses, and toxic people who just make life miserable, and spend some time letting them go. To do this, simply work on trying to relax and let that guilt and fear vanish from the moment and, eventually from the whole of life. One example of a way to symbolize this is by throwing that list into a fire to watch them burn. Let the smoke and embers carry those worries to the sky and wind, where they’ll be erased.  Since these things can be easily forgotten, go ahead and use Let It Go Day to create some reminders that will move forward throughout the other days of the year. Whether it’s something as simple as hanging a poster of Disney’s Elsa singing the song, or painting a canvas filled with inspirational ideas, use this day to set those reminders.

Happy Onion Rings Day!  Its about time we had another tasty day to celebrate. It's also been a long time since I've had onion rings so it is fortuitous to celebrate them today since they've been on my mind anyway.   In the hierarchy of less-than-healthy sides French fries are the baseline, then come tater tots, and then the king of them all - onion rings. Sauces and seasonings may nudge this ranking a bit but this is basically how the universe has ordered things. I think we can all agree that Mac & Cheese is in a category of its own though.   Onion rings are rich and crisp and delicious, surprisingly sweet for a flavor so often related to being spicy and the source of tears. But something about the process of breading them in a flavorful coating and deep-frying them in a vat of oil brings out the delicious flavors hidden inside. Onion rings come in towers and flowers, giant-sized and tiny, and they’re a fan favorite all around the world. There isn't a creature with taste buds on this planet that doesn't enjoy onion rings and fewer still who can abstain from eating themselves sick on these greasy treats.   Given their association with fairs and burger joints, you may be surprised to learn that onion rings aren’t just an invention of the western world. There’s also evidence that people experimented with the idea of covering strips of onion with batter and deep-frying them in developing countries too. Historians have even found examples of onion ring-like recipes that date back as far as 1802 in John Mollard's cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined. Imagine onion rings being considered fine dining. Kind of makes you want to wear your best t-shirt the next time you go to Chili's, right?  Despite their long cultural culinary history there are still restaurants all across the US in operation today that claim to be the originators of the idea. But that kind of claim is on par with hanging a "world's best coffee" sign in your window. Everyone knows its marketing BS but we can't help ourselves from suspending disbelief to feel that what we are stuffing ourselves with is somehow special.   Anyway, Onion Rings Day is your opportunity to get out there and enjoy your favorite deep-fried savory treat. Your treat-of-choice need not be made of onions or even ring-shaped. Remember, onion rings were just the inspiration for many of the fried snacks and sides that we enjoy today. French fries, deep-fried brie, and fried chicken are all delicious alternatives that you can try if you fancy something different.  And if you don't want a gut bomb that will make you take a two-hour nap later, you can always find healthier versions of those treats too. You can use a cleaner oil rather than lard; or bake them in the oven. Try a lighter batter or find something not bread-based to coat them in. There are so many options out there to try and enjoy that you can probably go the rest of your life without ever having the same things twice. I'm not going to say that there are as many or more combinations of friable foods, batters, seasonings, and sauces as there are possible chess moves, of which there are more than the all the atoms in the observable universe,...... But, it's close.   But, as a reminder we are called Fit & Able here, and while we genuinely believe that anyone of any age, ability, or skill level can be fit and able, and while we certainly enjoy tasty, greasy treats on occasion, you do need to be mindful of what you're putting in your body.

Happy World Music Day!  There’s nothing in the world like the sound of your favorite song coming on, it just gets right into your head and your body and makes you move. Some of our favorite songs can lift us up out of depression and worry, and make an otherwise horrible day suddenly seem like it’s not so bad. World Music Day celebrates music in all its forms and the impact it’s had on the world and the human spirit.  Music has existed for as long as mankind has found its voice, and quite possibly before. Every culture of the world has its own form of music, as distinct and unique to its area as language, cuisine, and clothing. Whether it's just bashing a couple rocks together or full symphony orchestras, every culture and people has found away to express itself musically.   Many of you can remember having to wait for your favorite songs to come on the radio or needing to swap out records, cassettes, 8-tracks, or CDs as your musical moods changed. Today we're spoiled with new tunes just a tap away or even letting an algorithm figure out what we want to listen to next. With the proliferation of music streaming services that allow artists of all kinds to be discovered worldwide we are now longer spoon-fed what the traditional recording label taste-makers think will sell best and we are able to fill out our playlists with a greater diversity of beautiful sound. Fun fact: in 2020 one of the fastest growing music genres on Spotify in the US was actually new styles of rap coming out of Africa. If we were still relying on Carson Daly and Total Request Live, then avant garde American teens would probably still be listening to the latest boy band clone.   Music is not only a fantastic creative outlet, but it can also have many health benefits - both just by listening to it and the many things it can help you do while listening to it. Studies suggest that listening to music can have a number of positive effects on your health and mental wellbeing. Actually playing the music yourself has even greater benefits too. When you listen to a particular song it can help you feel more energized with the happy memories it triggers and relaxing music can even reduce anxiety and stress levels. You can even use music to help you focus on important tasks.   But there are also physical benefits as well. When was the last time you worked out in dead silence? Probably never, right? The motivational benefits of music while exercising is so ingrained that you can't imagine a gym without blaring speakers or going for a run without your headphones. Having the right kind of music playing can help you keep your pace, pump out a few extra reps, and let you push a little harder than you did yesterday. Plus, it's like having your own soundtrack to your personal training montage.   Music can also serve as our own personal time machine. Given the emotional relationship we have with music, certain songs can take us back to particular moments in our lives, whether good or bad. No doubt you can remember a song that you listened to on repeat while feeling down after a rough breakup or the song that you and your spouse danced to at your wedding. Hearing these songs, even decades later or in very different contexts, can immediately bring back those memories and we can momentarily tap into the emotions we felt then. But you have to be careful not to go down the emotional memory rabbit hole so make sure you have an unrelated hard-driving beat to pull you back into the present!  I know I personally have wide-ranging tastes in music and definitely have go-to songs, albums, or playlists for any mood or activity. Things got really wild last year when YouTube's suggestion algorithms went into overdrive to keep people entertained and I was able to 'discover' a lot of new and cool music I wouldn't have come across before. Who knew that Mongolian heavy metal was a thing but its apparently pretty awesome.

Happy Sauntering Day!  No, I did't just mumble "Happy Saturday" but I hope yours is off to a great start. I know you've got tons of great stuff planned for the day so I will keep this short.  The world around us is moving at such a hectic pace that we often forget to slow down and smell the proverbial roses. We are even walking faster, putting every ounce of haste we can into what is otherwise the most leisurely mode of locomotion. How frustrating is it to get stuck behind someone you feel could be dusted by a turtle?  But this day isn’t just an opportunity for us to remember to walk. It is, more importantly, an opportunity for us to take a genuinely relaxed tack to the day, and choose to saunter through it rather than sprint.  Oddly enough we have speed craze to thank for this day. This holiday was formed by W.T. Rabe in 1979 as a response to the sworn enemy of the Saunter, jogging, which was starting to take off. The whole thinking behind the day was to get people to slow down a little and take more note of the world around them.   To ‘saunter’ is ‘to walk along in a slow and relaxed manner.’ Jogging, in his view, was a grueling attack on the body. Rapidity and effort drained all the joy out of movement by making each step as painful as possible. Sauntering was, in his view, unquestionably superior.   Rabe’s son once said, ‘Sauntering, as my father would say, is going from point X to point Z, which means you don’t care where you’re going, how you’re going, or when you might get there.’ The idea, he said, was to smell the roses and to pay attention to the world around you.  You may be asking why a company called "Fit & Able" is promoting an activity that is the antithesis of jogging. BUT there's far more to this than just avoiding strenuous exercise.   Taking it easy so you can be present in the moment, without concern for what lays ahead, will help you feel that the weight of the world has been lifted from your shoulders. You walk free from stress and strain and can focus on the pure joy of the act. It is more meditative and contemplative. You have the opportunity to experience life to the fullest instead of feeling puffed out and tired. Not only will you feel invigorated, but you may spot things you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise – the birds singing, the flowers blooming, or the unexpected love of your life brushing past you in the street.   It is the antithesis of jogging – a painful act that robs you of your experience of the outside world, where you are focused on keeping up the face and your senses dulled by the repetitive pounding feet and heavy breathing. Your mind is so intent on reaching the end so that you can finally stop that you get tunnel vision that blocks out everything around you.   That's not to say that jogging is bad for you by any means. But if it's all you do, especially when you are outside, then you very well may miss out on some of the wonderful things that enrich our world.  As Henry David Thoreau said: “I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits unless I spend four hours a day at least – and it is commonly more than that – sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements.”  What better day is there to go for a good saunter or even a meandering bike ride than a Saturday? Let the stresses of your week go and get primed for a great weekend.   If you have any questions or topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]! And, if you don't mind, please share this with your friends and family; they might hear something that helps them out. t!   Thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy Go Fishing Day!  Picture this. The sun is just beginning to rise over the horizon, painting the sky a vivid palette of reds and oranges. The quiet buzz of insects can be heard as they dance over the water’s surface, punctuated occasionally by the splash of a fish breaking the surface for its morning meal, unknowing that it is destined to become a meal itself. Go Fishing Day celebrates quiet, meditative moments like this and those individuals who find solace in the pursuit of this elusive prey.  But we aren't here today to talk about the fish themselves. I'm more interested in the positive benefits activities like fishing have on us, both mentally and physically, based on the skill and diligence they require.   So often these days we get caught up in the fast-moving, instant gratification activities of life that we become almost allergic to anything that requires us to slow down and progress at what feels like a glacial pace towards competence, let alone even mastery. Activities that require deliberate and intentional work over long periods of time can have real and meaningful benefits for us.    Some of the biggest physical benefits include boosting the immune system! Yes that’s a fact, if you’re doing something that you love, then your body is healing and strengthening itself constantly. Add this to the muscular strength you need to reel in that big one on the line and you’re really working your cardiovascular system also. Good start isn’t it? Plus just being out in nature with some fresh air and vitamin-D dosing sunshine does the body good in so many ways too. After all, we're still just animals and our bodies reward us for getting up from our desks and immersing ourselves back in our natural roots.   All those bodily feel-goods transfer internally too. Being outside doing something you love, even when you aren't making any catches, will help you relax. For those who have a little bit of a short temper, you could choose fishing as a way to tame that fiery temperament and learn to chill the eff out. Practicing patience promotes a calm nature, which is beneficial for you mentally and physically; it can lower blood pressure and allow you to feel more calm and ready to tackle life long after you get home! It will help promote self-reliance and the ability to learn for yourself, and it’s a sport that can be enjoyed individually or with family.   As you can guess you guess you can enjoy these benefits with many activities, not just fishing. But you have to find activities that meet at least some of these criteria.  First, you need to get out of your regular habitat, which means either home or work. You need to get some place where you aren't (1) surrounded by all the regular stressors of daily life and (2) surrounded by all the things we use to distract ourselves. When we put ourselves in an unfamiliar environment our brains are scientifically proven to get primed to absorb new experiences, focus, and learn better. You don't even need to go out to the middle of nowhere; even just going to a new coffee shop is enough to trigger that reaction.   Next, these activities shouldn't be something you can master in a weekend. You want something that you can go both broad and deep on so there is plenty for you to explore over time. You want something that will require patience and diligence to progress to greater levels of competency and skill. These are the kinds of activities that will give you those mental and emotional boosts.

Happy Garbage Man Day!  This may sound like a strange one but just imagine what the world would be like if you had to live without the services of your local, friendly garbage professional. There would be mountains of trash piled up outside every home and business, and the smell alone would put us back into lockdown.   Fortunately, there is a group of tenacious and dedicated people with large payload trucks out there who periodically collect and dispose of your refuse. Although the modern garbage day pretty much looks like a guy playing a mobile arcade claw machine, some of you may remember when it was a guy hanging off the back of the truck who actually had to actually pick up those old school steel cans.   Garbage Man Day, therefore, is a chance for everyone to stop whatever they are doing and spend a little time appreciating the hard work of these diligent souls. And it's not just the guys on the trucks but everyone throughout the entire disposal process, from collections to recycling, to landfills. With their help, cities can safely rid themselves of potentially dangerous and hazardous waste products and maintain public health. Plus a lot of that stuff can be safely recycled for use in new products or used for alternative energy sources, which helps the environment too.   But it's not just about garbage men or other civil servants who keep our communities clean. Today has a broader opportunity to appreciate all those people who do things for us - whether we see them or not, or even know they exist - that help make our lives better.   Without diminishing any of us individually, I think it's fair in many ways to say that we are all just tiny cogs of a giant machine. Let's call this machine society. Some of our cogs may be relatively bigger or smaller than others but without the wide variety of cogs doing their part the whole machine would grind to a halt. There are many things we enjoy in our lives each day, week, or month that we take for granted and pay little mind too, even if we peripherally catch a glimpse of them in action.   When you walk into a grocery store those shelves were not fully stocked by themselves; your mail and packages don't just magically appear at your house; even turning on the tap to fill a glass of water has a lot more behind it than you may think. We gladly reap these benefits and rarely reflect on everything that goes into what it takes to make it all happen.  Even when we do see a store clerk stocking shelves, or the postal jeeps zipping around, or a road getting torn up to lay new utilities we more often than not just take them as a matter of course or dismiss it as just someone doing their job or even get upset for having traffic delays due to the construction. But these people are all provided valuable services to us, both large and small, and it's worth taking a moment to appreciate that.   Consider how hard it would be to make a simple ham and cheese sandwich if you had to do it all yourself: grow the wheat, raise the  pigs and cows, grow the vegetables; harvest the wheat, mill the flour, slaughter the pigs, milk the cows, make the cheese, pick the vegetables, bake the bread, make yourself a plate, pump water to wash that plate, walking to and from the farm, the miller, the garden, your house, etc., etc., etc.  It's exhausting just typing out the tasks and I'm sure I forgot a few. After all that hard work, not to mention the months it would take, you'd be too tired to even eat that sandwich. In fact, you might even resent it. Instead with a 15 minute dash to the store you can pickup your bread, meat, and cheese, or just order it all online for same-day delivery, and have clean running water to wash up afterwards. If you take some time to think about it its all pretty amazing what we enjoy today. And there's are thousands and thousands of people behind the scenes that make it all possible.

Happy Fresh Veggie Day!  Fresh Veggies Day is celebrated in early summer when the tastiest new-season vegetables start to become plentiful. It’s a great kickoff to the rest of the summer, acting as a reminder to look out for fresh, local vegetables to add to the table all throughout the season. Fresh vegetables are a great way to enjoy unique delights each season of the year to keep your dinners interesting and festive.   Unless you're vegetarian, eating enough fruits and vegetables is probably something most of us struggle with every day. According to the (WHO), individuals should eat a minimum of 400 grams of vegetables and fruit each day (super starchy ones like FRENCH FRIES don't count!). I am certainly no example to follow as I've got over 10 lbs. of ground chuck in my fridge to make a ton of chili later today. But, please, take this opportunity to be better than me! Maybe instead of tortilla chips I'll pick up some kale chips instead. That sounds good, right?  If the produce section at the grocery story is too close to the cookie aisle for you to avoid temptation, there are many other ways you can get down with the veggies.   First, you can take a trip to a local farmers’ market and stock up on whatever happens to be ripe. You might be able to bag some free recipe ideas too. Also, it’s super fun to actually speak to the person who grew those vegetables! You will be able to learn about all the great things you can do with the produce and get suggestions for other great foods you can pair them with. Plus there will likely be other local businesses represented at a farmers’ market, such as bakers, honey harvesters, jam makers, local coffee roasters, and much more. It’s a fun way to support local businesses and be healthy in the process. I would highly recommend the one by NC State, which has tons of variety and an amazing country breakfast place.   It may even be possible to go to a farm and pick your own produce directly. Why not get some friends together and plan a day out? Go pick some berries, take a picnic, maybe even pet a goat. The possibilities are endless. Depending on the particular location, you-pick farms may have seasonal offerings that include fresh fruit and vegetables. For many of us who are of age, the last "farm" we went to was likely a vineyard with a wine tasting at the end. But there are lots of farms just outside the Triangle where you can pick all kinds of other goodies to make tasty treats too.   If you aren't up for some adventure though you can also get fresh produce delivered right to your door. With just a few clicks on your phone you can get great food brought to you so you can be the healthiest hermit on your block! If this sounds like a good option for you I would recommend The Produce Box, a local company that sources produce from local farmers. PLUS The Produce Box has provided lots of delicious bananas for many Fit & Able races, which we greatly appreciate, so you've likely already sampled their wares before.    Of course, if you really want the most hands-on approach to your food you can start your own garden. Just make sure you give yourself some time because this is not as fast as a dash to the store. Most gardeners will confess that nothing beats the pride, satisfaction, and taste of home-grown vegetables. Seed clubs and gardening forums make it easy, and affordable for a person to cultivate their own weird and wonderful varieties of fresh vegetables. Gardeners always love to share their knowledge with others.  But be careful because green-thumbs can be contagious and a hobby that starts in a humble pot on the porch may soon grow to a greenhouse and hydroponic system taking the whole back yard. There is hardly anything tastier than eating a vegetable or fruit from a garden that you have personally grown!

Happy Smile Power Day!  A smile a day keeps so many bad things away. We can't possibly list them all here. But we do have a few minutes to talk about all the benefits!  Smile Power Day is the perfect excuse to shine your pearly whites, show off those dimples, and make your eyes sparkle. And no, you can't just text a smiley face or an emoticon! That's cold and cheating. The smile is a symbol of happiness and vitality, a beacon of hope, and an expression of emotion. So take advantage of this one day where it's ok to spam your friends, family, and Facebook with selfies!   Just make sure you brush your teeth first though!  What is in the power of a smile, you might ask. Well there are physical and mental benefits for both the giver and receiver of a lovely smile. No doubt we have all been told to smile more before - I certainly have! - and it's true! So here's why smiling isn't just good for you but for everyone else too.   When we smile we automatically trigger our own autonomic nervous system, which releases endorphins to trigger happy hormones. BUT smiling at someone else offers a chance for them too to feel that same happy hormone too! It's hard to imagine an easier and more uplifting win/win situation, right? Smiling is one of the fastest ways to form a bond and connection between two people. Hugs might cement that connection but would you hug someone who you haven't at least shared a smile with first? I don't think so.  Showing off your going also makes you more attractive. Have you ever wanted to walk up to someone who was scowling? Not if you didn't have to, I'd bet. Smiling is attractive to both sexes and highlights both your personality and radiates warmth to others. AND the best part is smiling is contagious; the only time that something contagious is good for you – it encourages and promotes a happy and healthy atmosphere and brings a sense of community.   So just start everyday with a smile and share that smile with strangers. You never know when it will bring a little cheer to an otherwise dismal day or help you meet someone special or bring those around you together.   Smiling also has plenty of physical benefits for you as well, including boosting your immune system, lowering your blood pressure, relieving stress, and can ease pain; again this is mostly due to releasing that happy hormone we spoke about before. So smiling more often can improve your health and keep you in a more relaxed state. I'm sure that alone will keep you smiling for a long time.   On the outside, smiling can and will make you look younger. Don't worry about those laugh lines! What you don't want are those frown lines, which can make us look tired, withdrawn, and perpetually grumpy. Smiling works all those facial muscles to keep them supple and all our beautiful mugs looking sweet and sanguine. Practice smiling as part of your skincare routine - what's under the skin is an important part of your face too! - and you can instantly cut that botox bill.  And you know this is true too! We can all think of someone we know whose face is never without a smile and who lights up the room when they enter. Immediately everyone else is at ease and spirits are lifted. We also know those people who can't possibly be bothered to look happy. Their faces are constantly twisted into a scowl and they bring gloom everywhere they go. And they are about as miserable to be around as they look.

Happy International Bath Day!  It may seem strange that something so routine is honored with its own day so let's just start by saying that International Bath Day isn’t the only day of the year you should take a bath. It is not in the spirit of this holiday to make everyone else try to keep upwind of you. You can either use some Dove and a loofah on your own or they will help you with Clorox and a Brillo pad.   Special days like this are what you make of them. It's not about baths or showers themselves; it's about doing something that makes you feel happiest to be alive, something that is just for you and nobody else. And you don't even need to take the whole day to celebrate it; all you need is an hour to make this sudsy escape from the world.   But how did this day come about? Well because one day very long ago a nerd took a bath who was none other than the legendary mathematician, scientist, and scholar, Archimedes. While settling his bum in the basin he noticed that an object’s volume could be accurately measured by being submerged in water! Upon this discovery he leaped out of the bathtub and yelled, “Eureka, Eureka!” as he ran through the streets of Syracuse. All of his neighbors were yelling back "put some damn clothes on!" The legend says this day was exactly one week before the beginning of summer, which is June 21st, so we get June 14th. Awesome, right?  So what does a Greek on a streak mean for you today?   With our constantly connected world it can be hard to find ways to escape the noise and find solitude with our own thoughts. While you may never have any profound moments in the bathtub or shower like Archimedes you can still use it as an opportunity to disconnect with everyone else and reconnect with yourself. Phones aren't water-friendly and unless you're in a locker room its not hard to get the bathroom to yourself for a bit.   More often than not, showers are treated as just a utilitarian act that takes time away from more important things and make us run late for work. We rush through them mainly trying to keep the soap out of our eyes. Or we completely zone out into the depths of our anxieties in anticipation of "just needing to get through another day" and 45 minutes disappears and the water bill skyrockets.   Rather than waste it on morning ennui, take this time for you. There are so many ways you can enjoy it and make it a beneficial part of your day apart from just smelling good afterwards. If it's in the morning you can build in a few minutes for meditation and mindfulness to help prepare you for the day to come. You'll step out into the world feeling like a million bucks. If it's in the evening reflect on the day you've had, plan how you can take action on things you learned, or resolve things you might have done better. Wash off the day's grit so you can begin anew tomorrow. Many of you will just use this time as your personal American Idol performance. But that's fine too! Sometimes you just have to let it all out, even if it's in the wrong key or off the beat. With the water flowing you won't even be able to tell that you're making the shower tiles cry. If that helps you get pumped for the day or unwind at the end, do it! If you can't be yourself in the shower, then where can you be?

Happy Superman Day!  Yep, today is the day to celebrate the Man of Steel. As a goody-two-shoes he has never personally been a favorite character of mine  but there is still plenty to look up to with the globally-recognized icon of "Truth, Justice, and the American way."  In case you didn't know, Superman was first created in 1933 by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel and was originally - and surprisingly - a villain! But all that was swept under the rug and good guy career started in Action Comics #1, published on April 18, 1938 and he got his own comic in 1939.  But this isn't just a comics history lesson. You don't need to be Superman, Clark Kent, or Henry Cavill to be a force for good in the world. In fact, we are surrounded by people who can't jump over buildings, don't play catch with bullets, and prefer wearing their underwear inside their pants. They are heroes who create meaningful change around them by the little things they do for others and the community each and every day. You don't need superpowers to do that.   And, it's rarely mentioned but those common everyday heroes don't have city-destroying arch nemeses, which is nice too.   So, while you're out and about today, don't be weird; leave your cape at home. But say a kind word, give a high-five, or lend a helping hand. It will make you feel absolutely jacked with warm-and-fuzzies and maybe you too will make someone swoon and say "My hero!"  Anyway, that's our Saturday Short for this weekend so I appreciate you tuning in and hope you have a great weekend!  If you have any questions about today's topic or have suggestions for any topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]!   As always, thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy Yarn Bombing Day!  And a Happy Friday too! You're just hours away from the weekend but don't let that distract you from finishing your week strong so you don't have to think about what's waiting for you on Monday.  Anyway, we've got a fun one for you today and you're probably going to need to google this to see what I'm talking about.   Yes, it's been a long wait but its' finally Yarn Bombing Day. A day when fiber-freaks from around the world go on a knitting rampage to embrace the world in warm fuzzy comfort. Some call it "guerrilla knitting" or others "yarnstorming". No matter what you call it, it is simply the practice of adding knitted works of art to public places. To show how knitting can add meaning and color to urban locations. It’s neither graffiti or vandalism - these aren't gangs of grannies marking their territory. It's simply a celebration of this tradition, raising awareness of the art of crochet and knitting while having a lot of fun in the process.   There's no limit to how much beauty and creativity you can share with the world. I'm sure at one point or another we have all enjoyed some kind of crafting hobby, whether when it was when we were kids or more recently with your own kids or just things we enjoy doing with friends or in the quiet hours of our evenings. These hobbies do a lot to stimulate us mentally, provide great opportunities to learn new skills, and, as we observe today, allow us to share the beautiful and interesting things we create with the world to brighten it up just that much more.   If you knit, crochet, sew, cross-stitch, or craft and have some beautiful work you want to show off, please drop a comment with a pic of your creation below. We'd love to see what cool or comfy things you have made.   If you have any questions about today's topic or have suggestions for any topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]!   As always, thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy Ball Point Pen Day!  Of all the things we are surrounded by who would have thought the humble and ubiquitous ballpoint pen would have its own day? Well it just goes to show that the little things we take for granted today were a big deal to some one at some point.   A quick little history lesson, in June of 1943 the brothers, László and György Bíró, became owners of US Patent 2,390,636 – better known around the world as the ball point pen. Ball Point Pen Day is a time to appreciate this rarest of things: a design classic that is accessible to everyone.  Although they were once a revolutionary little invention to put ease of use and quick drying ink in the palm of your hand, and replace the not much older fountain pen, today ball point pens come in an incredible array of options. Not only can you get them in all colors of ink but you can find pens in any style that perfectly fits your particular grip, has the size point you desire, and you can get in boxes of 20 for $5 or a single pen in an inlaid wood case for several hundred.   Simply put there is a pen for everyone and you will be hard pressed to find another way to express yourself that so perfectly fits you. If nothing else, its something to chew on while you hack your next email out on your keyboard.   And that's the lesson for today. You have the tools at hand so take some time to express yourself.   So much of what we offer of ourselves to others is limited to Tweets, Texts, and Tik Toks. Emojis only exist to help make these media less cold and emotionless and dumb. We all know how little they convey relative to a good face-to-face conversation. We have all just had a year in lessons of how awkward even face-to-face conversations can be when on screens. If you can't talk in-person, then the next best thing is to actually write out your message. There's something about writing things out by hand - and this has been studied - that allows us to put much more of ourselves and our intention into a hand-written message.   There's also great value in writing things out just for ourselves. It helps get things we keep bottled up inside out in front of us so we can look at it differently. If you are into journaling take a few minutes every day or once a week to put your thoughts on paper that you can look back on in the future to reflect on your journey. If you're having troubles with someone or something in your life, then write out a letter to them that you will never send; say everything you want to say without repercussion and then throw that letter away and move on. You'll be surprised how well that works. If you're feeling lost in the direction you want to take in life, or your career, or relationships then write that all down. Written goals are much more likely to be achieved and seeing them in front of you lets you think about them in a more objective way. You can then post them where you will see them every day and you can even share them with others to help keep you accountable.   Putting things on paper gets it out of your head. It can help move you from confusion to clarity. And you can do that with nothing more than a piece of paper and a ballpoint pen.    Just as a heads up, Letter Writing Day is September 1st. So why don't you pick up a pen and start writing notes to your friends or loved ones. Following hugs and handshakes there are few more effective means for making connections with others than sending handwritten notes and in our digital age they are increasingly rare. After so long apart sending notes is a great way to reconnect with those we haven't seen in a long time and begin to renew those bonds.

Happy Rose Day!  I am doing a Dry June challenge so I won't be celebrating this one with you but Rosé Wine Day is the perfect excuse to not only enjoy a glass of their favorite wine but to unite with others to enjoy it with.   I don't have much to say on Rose itself but I can't say enough about the value of gathering with friends and family to enjoy each others company. Whether it's a family gathering round the dinner table, or some buddies drawing up to play cards, or many generations of fans tailgating before a big game we all benefit from being together in so many ways. This is doubly true after being kept apart so much over the past year.   There's a saying from who knows where that "if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." Wherever you started you know you got to where you are today with many other people at your side and you were at theirs helping them on their journey too. And at many places along the way you likely paused to toast each other's success and friendship with your favorite drink. The quality of the relationships we have will take our lives from good to great.   So if sometime after watching this you're hanging out with friends and loved ones who enrich your life, whether you're drinking Rose or not , please take a group selfie and drop it below. A picture gets better the more smiles that are in it.   If you have any questions about today's topic or have suggestions for any topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]!   As always, thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy Upsy Daisy Day!  Upsy Daisy Day is an opportunity to reset, reenergize, and reap the rewards of a great day.   Your bed is about the coziest thing you can think of ever being in. Trust me, I know; I've got a fleece comforter on top of a foam mattress with performance tech sheets. Getting up and getting going can be a challenge, but with a fresh attitude and a positive outlook on the day, it can make getting up a whole lot easier. A great attitude gets you off to a smooth start, with none of the grumble and drag that normally accompanies your mornings.   We all have those days where we wake up with dread rather than joy. When I was in law school I had whole semesters of them. Each morning after a long night of studying the alarm would go off and the first words out of my mouth were "Oh f....." The rest of the day would usually follow the way I started it; but that was my fault. Upsy Daisy Day is your reminder to greet the day bright and cheerful, and be an Upsy Daisy!  So to celebrate this day you just need to assume that everything is going to go your way. Sure you are going to have some bumps on the way but when they happen you’ll shrug them off and take a moment to appreciate how little those little setbacks really matter. Just think of it like getting a rock in your shoe. Don't let it stop you in your tracks; just take it out and keep going on your way.  For one, that little rock certainly isn't thinking about you after you move on so why pay it any more mind than it takes to flick it away? Plus, hat little rock may not have meant to get in your shoe in the first place. Live and let live, turn the other cheek, or whatever it takes but put that smile back on your face and try to light up that little rock's day instead.   But that's not all. A bright attitude also makes hard tasks easier, it makes things that were once difficult and seemingly impossible become a breeze to manage. It really is all on how you treat the day, and treating it as a glorious, amazing gift rather than a burden you have to make it through is a great start.  Celebrating Upsy Daisy Day starts when you first wake up, rather than grumbling about waking up, take a chance to be cheerful and bright. As the famous Zig Ziglar said: "Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude."   So, just let go of whatever is holding you down and fly high today. I can assure you the view will be spectacular.   If you have any questions about today's topic or have suggestions for any topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]!   As always, thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy VCR Day!  I'm sure it's been a very long time since you've thought about the noble VCR, let alone seen one unless you tripped on the VCR you've been storing in your basement "just in case you need it someday." No doubt there are many people who visit our page who never learned the virtue of "Be Kind, Rewind."  VCR Day comes each year to remind us to take some time to appreciate the nostalgia of the tech of yesteryear. From family holidays to weddings and funerals everything was recorded and then recorded over to those book-size cassettes. And the greatest cause of stress between 1983 and 1998 was figuring out how to program the damn thing to record a program on TV so you didn't have to wait for the rerun.   It's also a great reminder for us all that we ourselves do not stand still in time. Just as our viewing pleasure has evolved from videocassette to DVD to streaming, you too must evolve. Just like the VCR you too are aging but that doesn't mean you need to become obsolete and consigned to the back corner of a thrift shop!  This may sound trite but what worked for you when you were watching Goonies on Betamax won't work for you now when you're watching Tiger King on your phone. You are fundamentally a different person today. Your mental, physical, and spiritual needs have changed and you need to update what you're doing to address them, whether that's changing your diet, amending your exercise routine, adding more stretching, building better relationships with your oldest friends or family, getting more involved in your church or community, or even starting to do all the things you always said you never had time for.  Hopefully whatever you were doing before in your younger years has made sure you are in a good place today. But you should still always be trying new things now to make sure your future self is in a great place too. This may start with getting a physical to find problem areas with your health, or hiring a trainer to find weak points and refresh your routine, or checking in with a therapist, pastor, or joining a support group to help you sort out whatever is going on inside. Everyone has something they can improve on and it's easier to identify those areas with help. And definitely way easier to fix them too. If you don't take care of yourself you risk your mind and body hitting the fast forward button on you.   Long story short, Disney has finally opened the vault for good so its time for you to take a Scrooge McDuck dive into the wealth of options available to you to keep you going strong mentally, physically, and spiritually for decades to come. You may not be able to Rewind the clock, but you can certainly Be Kind to yourself.   Just as a heads up, we are announcing and opening registration for a BRAND NEW event this coming weekend. We have always wanted to do an evening race and we finally got our wish. So save the date for Saturday August 14th at Bond Park to enjoy a sunset run amongst the fireflies on the trails you love! More details coming soon.   If you have any questions about today's topic or have suggestions for any topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]!   As always, thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

HAPPY SATURDAY!   Good morning Team Fit & Able! I hope your weekends are off to a great start already.   Well after nearly a full week of asking, begging, and pleading for someone to email me a question I FINALLY GOT ONE! Here it is:  "Why are all the video titles about 'Happy Days'?"  The answer is simple, short, and sweet. Every day is a good day . . . . . if you let it be.   Don't let things or people get in the way of you having a great day. Each morning you wake up you have one less day ahead of you. Why let people take away the pleasure in your most finite resource? It's entirely within your power to go to sleep each night with another great day in the books.   Obviously, not every day will be as great as others but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it to the extent you can. If you keep your eyes, minds, and hearts open you will see that good things happen every day, even if you have to brush off some bad things to find it.   Anyway, that's all I've got for you this morning. Time to get on to the fun stuff and enjoy my day!  If you have any questions about today's topic or have suggestions for any topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]!   As always, thank you for racing with Fit & Able and have a great weekend!

Happy National Doughnut Day!  Or is it is National 'Donut' Day? I'm sure there are some strong, regional opinions on that but it's beside the point today. So what is the point then? With the weekend just hours away I'm going to keep this short.  Today is a great example - and opportunity! - for picking your future. Do you eat the donut or do you refuse the donut? Which choice gets you closer to a goal you have committed yourself to working hard to achieve.  Sure that donut will be delicious. Maybe its Boston cream or a glazed blueberry or one with lots of lovely sprinkles. But what will that get you? Most likely a few moments of sugary pleasure and an afternoon with it sitting like a brick in your stomach. That in turn will decrease your productivity during the work day and add to what you need to work off at the gym.   Your present self is being really selfish at your future self's expense.   For those of you Anthony Hopkins fans who remember the movie The Edge from 1997 (so perhaps that's you older Anthony Hopkins fans, like me), when Alex Baldwin is wingeing and crying about how can they possibly kill the bear, Anthony Hopkins simply responds:  "What one man can do, another can do."   Obviously "what one woman can do, another can do" applies as well. We aren't going to get into the nitty gritty of "what one man can do, another woman can do" or visa versa, but when it comes to deciding to commit to success it is most certainly true.   If one man can say no to the doughnut, then so can you. If one woman can keep her eyes on the prize, then so can you. Many won't but you can. It's not a question of ability; it's a question of choice. One last quote from Tim Ferris:  "Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life"  If you have any questions about today's topic or have suggestions for any topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]!   As always, thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy National Repeat Day!  I hope none of you are actually suffering through anyone taking this "special observance" too literally. But don't fault me if I sound like a broken record myself today because we are circling back around to our topic from yesterday.   But, first I want to make a correction. Yesterday I said "be an acorn". I was wrong. Acorns don't do anything. YOU need to do something.  Rather, be the squirrel. Squirrels are hardworking little creatures that know if they don't do the work to collect and bury the acorns today that they will be absolutely screwed at some point in the future. They have a goal and they don't let hawks, cars, and other perils stop them. They don't let fear get in their way.  Be the squirrel.   Naturally, as we know from Ice Age, squirrels have fairly simple single-focused minds (Be a squirrel, but don't be Scrat). We, the cognitively advanced beings that we are, have lots of things around us that junk up our headspace and throw us off track. It's not even 'shiny object syndrome' at this point and in our massively distracted modern world even goldfish aren't envious of our attention spans.   In many cases it doesn't even take one fell blow from fear itself to hold us back; rather our dreams die by a thousand tiny cuts of dings, buzzes, notifications, and alerts constantly pulling our eyes from the prize. Let's leave focus and distraction for another day though.   So how do you get to the place where fear doesn't stop you in your tracks? It's easy to just say "Don't be afraid" but we know that's not enough. Fear is a natural emotion that we often don't have much control over. So we need to do something more.   First, we need to recognize that it's ok to be afraid. Being afraid doesn't necessarily need to be a bad thing. It's not bad to fear losing someone important to you. Part of the thrill of rollercoasters is the fear of the big drop. Fear is simply part of our lived experience. We might fear death but the dead don't fear anything.   The problem is that we more often than not we let the wrong things cause us to be afraid. Like looking stupid for asking a question in class or trying something new. If anyone says they haven't experienced either of those at some point I would have no problem calling them a liar or just think they skipped middle school somehow.  If you can see where I'm going with this, then you'll know what we need to do is shift what we are afraid of. Instead of letting fear hold us back we need to use fear to drive us forward. This shift can be as simple as turning that thing we are emotionally afraid around to instead be intellectually afraid of its converse.   For example, many people don't start exercising or eating right because they are afraid it won't work, that they won't lose the weight they hope to, that they will look bad at the gym, and (very importantly) that they will fail to follow through as they have many times before. These are emotional fears. Very understandable ones to be sure (I've felt these too) but these are just the animal instinct to run from anxiety and discomfort.  Instead, think about it for a bit and realize that what you should really be afraid of is not giving the health and wellness journey a shot and missing out on having a healthier body, suffering from poor health, not having the confidence in yourself that you can achieve your goals, being limited in the kinds of activities you can do, potentially not meeting new people at the gym or in those activities who could become great friends or even more.   When you can reframe the situation more intellectually than emotionally you can escape the fears that hold you back and tap into the fears that drive you forward. You may have seen this before but to put this shift more simply - F.E.AR. has two meanings:

Happy Global Running Day!   It's absolutely pouring outside right now so rather than recommending that you all go for run, as we often do here, I'm just going to recommend taking a few minutes to listen to this special message. Rumor has it that resisting the urge to click away to something more entertaining on YouTube actually burns more calories than running anyway.   Anyway, in yesterday's video I stated that I was committed to showing up here each day to share on a topic I believe will be helpful to the Fit & Able community. Well, here I am, so for today at least I have honored my commitment but I have a question for you.   What commitment did you make to yourself that you would take action on today? If you're willing to share, please leave a comment below. It's always helpful to know that there are others out there who share our struggles.   I hope you did take a few minutes to think about what you wanted to get out of the rest of 2021 and started think about what steps you need to take to achieve that. No amount of planning, resources, wishful thinking, etc. will take you farther than making that commitment to yourself upfront.  If in the past you have felt that you've failed in your commitments or even have never fully been committed to yourself, here is a simple trick to help get you started.   Imagine two versions of your future - however far out: 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, whatever - where in one you made the commitment to face the struggle and do the work and in the other where you didn't. Imagine the difference not just between those two futures but, more importantly, between those two versions of YOUR FUTURE SELF.   If the goal, or goals, you are striving for are so important to your FUTURE health, happiness, or wellbeing then you should be able to feel NOW the emotional impact that difference will have on you. One future should make you feel proud and fulfilled and looking for your next mountain to climb. The other should shake you to your core like a bad nightmare.  When you make, or renew, your commitment to yourself today think about those feelings. And every day after when you are doing the hard work and hitting obstacles along the way, try to tap into those feelings as fully as you felt them now. Ideally, one future will draw you to it and the other will make you run from it as hard as you can.   One of those futures is inevitable through inaction. The other is most certainly achievable but requires struggle.   I've heard this so many places that I don't even know who said it originally but a quote I always try to keep in mind is this:  "A year from now you'll wish you had started today."  Which of those futures you make happen is entirely up to you. Starting today you will be heading towards one or the other anyway so why not make the choice of which path you follow? Don't just be a disappointed little leaf in the wind; be the strong, proud oak tree instead.   Oak trees are hidden in acorns; and it may take many years for that tree to grow tall and majestic. BUT that tree will never grow unless that acorn is planted TODAY.  So, to all the little acorns watching this, go discover that rich, fertile soil of the future where you have made the commitment to yourself and bury yourself deep in it. One day you'll get to enjoy the shade.   If you have any questions about today's topic or have suggestions for any topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]!   As always, thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Happy June!  June as arrived and for many of you that means SUMMER, FUN, and VACATION!   For others, that means  it's the final stretch on the first half of 2021. For them this isn't a time to relax but to take stock of their progress so far on their goals this year and to start planning what they need to do to be able to celebrate success on New Years Eve.  Where do things stand for you? Maybe you're on pace; maybe you're doing fine on some but behind on others; and maybe you're still at the start line.   If you aren't as far along as you had hoped to be it's not the end of the World. In fact, I'm in the same boat as you. I set goals in January but I didn't do the work to properly plan for them and no surprise they didn't happen.   One goal I had for 2021 was to do a daily video on here. Well.... the last video I did was on January 4th. And it was about setting goals and doing the work so you could enjoy that success. This is pretty embarrassing. So you don't have to go hunting you can find that video here: https://www.facebook.com/569423099778597/videos/229092885343820   The good news for all of us is  that there's still time to do the work and make progress. If you need to take another shot at achieving your goals - whatever they may be - then today is the day to get going. Spend June thinking ahead and creating your plan. But don't wait until July to start the actually work. Start taking those baby steps today!  Anyway, please stay tuned here. I am not just hoping, but am committed, dropping a daily video here. And this month we are going to talk a lot of about getting back on the horse with making progress on our goals. Plus, if you keep coming back you won't miss the day I finally do one of these videos smoothly.   If you have any questions or topics you would like me to talk about in future videos, please drop a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected]!   Thank you for racing with Fit & Able.

Travis Wright Colopy is Fit & Able's Executive Director and the showrunner for the Fit & Able Life podcast network. Travis earned a dual degree in History and Philosophy at the College of William & Mary and his juris doctor cum laude at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. But before all that he grew up working Fit & Able's earliest races and is now a co-race director and head race timer. In 2014, Travis became a Certified Race Director and Youth Race Director through USA Triathlon. In the three years he has led Fit & Able, Travis has organized and staged over 50 events in Cary and around the Triangle.  We all have goals. Big or small, everyone has a goal. But not everyone has a clear plan on how to achieve their goal. In this episode we are going to talk about how to achieve you goal. I hope you like races, because we are going to talk about them too!  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1530  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Travis Wright Colopy is Fit & Able's Executive Director and the showrunner for the Fit & Able Life podcast network. Travis earned a dual degree in History and Philosophy at the College of William & Mary and his juris doctor cum laude at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. But before all that he grew up working Fit & Able's earliest races and is now a co-race director and head race timer. In 2014, Travis became a Certified Race Director and Youth Race Director through USA Triathlon. In the three years he has led Fit & Able, Travis has organized and staged over 50 events in Cary and around the Triangle.  Choosing the right race is a big deal. You want to support a good cause. You want to makes sure you and your family have a great time. There are so many great races, how can you possible choose? Well, we are here to help? Choosing the right race may be difficult but it doesn't need to be impossible. If you can answer these ten questions, you should be able to narrow down your options pretty quickly. And, when you've picked your race, good luck!  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1532  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Leslie Covington is the new Executive Director of the Carying Place, a Cary-based nonprofit organization. Leslie obtained her Social Work degree at North Carolina State University and further developed a love for outreach through her local church. Inspired with empowering at-risk and low income families, she continued her experience through her service as a Youth Director, Director of Outreach, and Senior Youth Director for the YMCA of the Triangle. Leslie soon felt the need "to go deeper" with serving families and returned to NCSU for her Master of Social Work degree where she focused on mental health, clinical social work, and substance abuse counseling. However, while striving to serve the needs of other, Leslie discovered she was not serving her own needs. Fortunately, she had the resolve to make the change and was open with us about how she is doing it.  One of the secrets to Leslie's success is her use of little strategies that keep moving her forward. No one, big thing is doing all the work. She's just doing all those little things we all know we need to do. Through her faith, support of friends and family, and just simply her own determination to take back control of her health, Leslie has made incredible process. And the journey continues.  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1536  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

As athletes, coaches, and race directors we have been involved in dozens, if not hundreds, of races. That's given us a front row seat to see a wide variety of runners hit the road. But of all the athletes we have watched race - no matter their age, body type, or experience - the one thing that sets the best runners apart from the rest of the pack was that they prepared for the race. That doesn't mean they won the race. Only that they achieved the goal they set for themselves. In this episode we have laid out the things you need to do to properly train for a race. This is the same advice for both novice athletes and the experienced. Following these tips will set you on the right path to success. Good luck at your race!  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1538  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Kristin Pirigyi, RD, LDN is a Performance Dietitian with EXOS @ Raleigh Orthopaedic. She graduated from North Carolina Central University in 2014 with a degree in Family & Consumer Sciences and previously worked as a Nutrition Intern for UNC Sports medicine. In 2015, Kristin completed her dietetic internship at UNC Wellness Centers and Duke Regional Hospital. Prior to starting a career in nutrition, Kristin worked as a chemical engineer in the petroleum and refining industry for 5 years. Kristin provides nutrition services to our Professional, Elite, Tactical, Collegiate, High School/ Youth Athletes, and Corporate Wellness clients.  The key principle to Kristin's strategy is for her clients to take what they learn and then make it fit them. They do this by calculating their needs, assessing their performance goals, and focusing on where they need to improve. The best part is that whether you are a novice athlete or an elite athlete, you will get the same level of advice. The goal is to help clients upgrade their lives and perform at their absolute best.  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1540  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Ashley Grace Twichell Wall is an American competition swimmer who specializes in long-distance freestyle and open-water events. Twichell earned the first international medals of her career at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, China, winning gold in the 5 km team and bronze in the 5 km open water events. Later in 2011, she earned a silver medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the 2011 Pan American Games. At the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, she placed 10th in the 800-meter freestyle and 18th in the 400-meter freestyle, missing the Olympic team. In 2013, Twichell won gold in the 10 km open water event at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia. Later this year Ashely will be competing for a spot on Team USA for the upcoming summer Olympics.   You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1542  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Angie Ceroli's background has always been in health care. Before she became a Green Tea promoter she was in the pharmaceutical industry for 14 years as a rep for disease management, cardiovascular, and respiratory drugs. She had always been a green tea drinker and realized it was playing a big part in her good health. The main benefit green tea offers is its incredible amount of antioxidants. It is also a good, healthy alternative to other drinks because it is low calorie, low caffeine, and low sugar. That makes it a great substitute for things like soda. 2 Cups Green Tea Hawaii also comes with its own unique advantage: you can get it in a variety of flavors! Many people avoid green tea because they don't like the taste, but now you can get all the benefits while enjoying it too. Angie's mission is to educate both health and fitness professionals and the general public about the role green tea and essential oils can play in a healthy life.enjoys empowering her clients to take charge of their own health.  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1544  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Maggie Thibodeau, ND completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. She obtained her premedical requisites from NC State University before attending the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto where she graduated as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. Maggie holds professional memberships with the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors, and the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians.  Naturopathic medicine is a primary health care profession emphasizing prevention and treatment of disease with the use of natural non-toxic therapies. The naturopathic perspective views each person as a whole and recognizes the healing force within each individual. Natural therapies are used to support and stimulate that vital healing force. A naturopathic doctor addresses the underlying cause or imbalance within a person rather than simply treating one’s problem symptomatically. Naturopathic therapies include clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, physical medicine and lifestyle counseling.  Maggie is trained in Bowen Therapy and has additional training in thyroid conditions, environmental medicine & detoxification. She has a special interest in thyroid disorders, womens health, gastrointestinal disturbances, and detoxification. In 2006, Maggie established Cary Holistic Health in Cary, North Carolina. She enjoys empowering her clients to take charge of their own health.  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1546  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

This week we have a double interview with two of the best runners from the Triangle. We've seen them perform at the different levels of their careers and are very happy to hear about how they've achieved their level of running mastery and how they plan to keep running over the years. If you're looking for how you can maintain an activity you love for your entire life and keep at it when life changes, then here is some great advice for you.  Bobby Mack is from Winston-Salembut but ran for North Carolina State University '07, masters '09. While at NC State, Bobby earned All-American accolades in cross country and was later a graduate assistant coach from 2009-2010 and a volunteer coach for the past four years. Post college, Bobby won two USA National Championships for Cross Country and the 8K, securing professional sponsorship with Reebok, and has represented Team USA internationally on nine separate occasions.  Sandy Roberts is a Raleigh guy and was a multiple time state champion while at Broughton, even qualifying for Foot Locker Nationals twice. He ran for Georgetown University for undergrad and then came back to run for NC State University while in grad school. However, he has always maintained a loyal, die-hard, love affair with his childhood team, The University of the People (UNC). For Sandy, running and faith go hand in hand and is one of his continuing inspirations for his running.  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1438  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

The Poe Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to positively impacting the lives of North Carolina youth through health education. Since opening in Raleigh in 1991, the Poe Center has educated more than 850,000 participants from 76 counties using innovative teaching theaters, exhibits and offsite programs. By engaging in fun, highly interactive lessons, preschoolers through twelfth graders receive information that follows the NC DPI Essential Standards for Healthful Living Education on a variety of health topics, including nutrition, dental health, general health, family life and drug prevention.  Maggie Perkins is a Registered Dietitian with a focus in health promotion and family wellness. She has been a Health Educator with the Poe Center for over three years and enjoys empowering youth to live healthfully. If Maggie is not at Poe, you will most likely find her studying to receive a Master's in Nutrition from East Carolina University and volunteering in the community.  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1440  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Max McGee is the manager of TITLE Boxing Club's Cary location. TITLE Boxing is a club you don't want to judge by its name alone. Their motto is "Getting Fit without Getting Hit" and it's true. Training at TITLE Boxing isn't about getting in the ring and sparring with a partner. You actually get your own bag to work on in a group fitness setting. AND it's not just for guys wanting to beef up! In fact, 70% of their members are women and ages range from 5 to 75.   You don't get hit, you don't bulk up, and you can burn 1000 calories in an hour! If you have to see it to believe it that's great! TITLE Boxing invites you to come watch a class so you can see all the different types of people who enjoy this unique training class.   You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1442  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Glen Wright Colopy has always been on the go. In fact, as a kid his nickname was "Sport" because he was quick to get on his feet and get on the move. Glen's participated in his first race - the Houston Dino Dash - when he was just 2 years old. Running has been his passion  since he was in middle school at Cary Academy. That passion has carried him through state championships in high school, a Top 15 NCAA Varsity team in college at William & Mary, and competing internationally for Oxford University in the UK.   Glen shares his experience as a competitive runner, especially as he's gotten older. With time he has experienced natural physical changes and new priorities now that he's in graduate school. We all know that things change. But Glen is a perfect example that just because there is a change that doesn't mean we need to completely give up or passions. He is currently preparing to compete for Oxford at the BUCS Championship and the London Marathon.   You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1445  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Happy New Year! Fit & Able has been hard at work bring new and exciting fitness and health opportunities to the community for almost 20 years now. In this episode, we wanted to give you all a quick recap of 2015: what new things we introduced, our successes, and our favorite moments. In short, it was a amazing! We hope you enjoyed it too. Here's the good news though. 2016 is going to be even bigger and better! We are introducing new and unique races to our event portfolio, expanding our training and educational offerings, and developing more online products in order to reach greater audiences.   Thank you for a great 2015. We are excited for the new year and look forward to see you all out there!  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1447  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com

Carla Nowicki is one of the longest standing members of the Fit & Able family. She joined Team Fit & Able when she was just 9 or 10 and now she has come full circle and is helping other athletes be there best. Carla is your all-around fitness and performance expert. She has a Masters in Sports Nutrition from Florida State University and is now a performance dietician. She is also a fitness and performance trainer, formerly with EXOS but now trains at CrossFit F-V (Fuqua Varina) located at Club Worx. But not only does she train other athletes to compete, she competes herself. Watch the video and you can see her in action!  Her advice to new athletes or anyone wanting to get back in shape this New year is to not only find something you love to do but also learn new ways to keep loving it. Find a new challenge so that it doesn't get old.  You can get the full show notes here: http://afitandablelife.com/?p=1449  Download your FREE ebook 101 Healthy Living Tips: https://fitandable.leadpages.co/fit-able-life-101-tips/  Join our FaceBook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitandAble Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FitandAbleInc  Learn about our Events and Teams: http://fitandable.net Follow our Podcast: http://afitandablelife.com