Being Healthy...

Whew...I made it through a five week physical whirlwind. On August 4th my body stopped working efficiently. Immediately, I knew there was something wrong, but I had no clue what it was and why it was happening to me. I consider myself pretty darn healthy, that's why this was so strange. Since that day, I've been to some sort of medical facility 12 times, I've had a blood test, a urine test, five x-rays, four ultrasounds, a CT scan with a barium milkshake and an iodine IV. Plus, I was prescribed a variety of pharmaceuticals, none of which I took. I saw three doctors, two specialists, and at least 10 medical assistance. I spoke to a retired kidney specialist, a nurse practitioner, an oncologist and other specialists. In less than two weeks, I had lost nine pounds, had no appetite for two weeks and spent hours staring at the ceiling. But, I made it, and I must say, even if it sounds cliche, I'm better off for it. I am living proof our mind has a lot to do with what happens throughout our bodies. Over these last 35 days I have learned many things about who I am, how I live my life and what I need to do to stay healthy and strong. My body has come back remarkably, but even more importantly my heart has healed. I have finally let go of past hurts and pain in my life. I'd like to go a bit deeper here, but some people couldn't understand or may not believe. Let's just say this...thanks to a number of different entities I am clear, mind and body. It took a few weeks of time alone, inactivity and self awareness to figure out who I am, who I want to be, and how I want to treat people, including myself. I haven't been sick in over 13 years, guess it was the only way I would really truly rest. And rest I did. For the first time in a long time, I couldn't exercise my way out of a challenge. The moral of my story...you can go hard day in and day out, but you MUST take a break once in a while or else, your body and mind will GIVE you a break. Up until now I thought I was healthy and taking great care of myself, the only problem was, I didn't know how to really rest. My first activity was yesterday running in the No Mo Cancer 10K in San Luis Obispo, CA. It was the perfect time and place to return to exercise! I ran the race in honor of my nephew who passed away at age 11 in May of 2013. I want this on the record...I know how to chill out now. I don't want to ever go through that much pain again, and I don't plan on it.

Farewell Robin Williams...

Wow, my heart has been so sad since hearing about Robin Williams tragic death. It brings up a variety of emotions in all of us. Whether you were a fan or not, everyone has been touched by this story. For all of us, there seems to always be unanswered questions. I feel great sadness knowing there will never ever be another RW. He was a true entertainer! The grief has caused me take a good long look at my own life; who I am, who I love, how I love, what I give back to the world and how I honor those closest to me. We all have inner turmoil, demons, and issues we battle on a daily basis. Seeing someone who was such a brilliant and beloved talent lose the fight with himself is a horrible tragedy. It makes my heart hurt. After this past weekends moon and my own personal process, I plan to use this melancholy time as a reminder to myself to live each day in peace, give more time to others and take better care of my heart & mind. A recent theme on my own journey has been living for the now, and being in the moment...This Is It! Make it the best you can each day, because we never know what our own tomorrows will bring.

You want the truth?

The Ray Rice story has been generating a bunch of conversations in my business this past week. The situation leads me to believe all too often we women are being miss-represented. I've been working in sports media since the spring of 1988. I've run into a lot of people - hundreds who have supported a woman in sports and thousands who have not. My dreams and goals are still in place; they've been adjusted at times, but they're mine and alive. Over the last 25+ years witnessing the way women have been treated in this business has been interesting and thought provoking. You may or may not agree with my theories. For sooooooo many years, boys are brought up in society to be stronger, more physical and tougher than girls. In sports, it's been the same with a disturbing and underlying twist. When boys begin sports they are given female examples, moms, sisters, grandmas, aunts, teachers and cousins. As boys get to a certain age those females are still there, but then you bring in the cheerleaders, which are 95% female. Then as the boys grow into their chosen sports, add into the equation girlfriends, then groupies, strippers, prostitutes and wives. For a majority of their athletic careers the male species doesn't see females in coaching unless it's in girls’ sports. The examples we're offering boys along the way from middle school forward are already programmed into their brains to be female family members or cheerleaders. TV, magazines, print ads, billboards, commercials, etc. for the most part, use women as sexy selling points for products and lifestyles. Let's be straight and honest...sex sells! The Ray Rice story and his little two game suspension illustrates the NFL's ideas that drug violations are more severe than the physical abuse of women. This is outrageous and a total joke! You may not agree with me, but until we teach young male athletes that women are more than cheerleaders, groupies, strippers, or waitresses wearing tight tank tops and tiny orange shorts, women will still find it difficult to truly, consistently and legitimately be accepted into the world of sports. Don't get me wrong; I realize women are "okay" on the TV sidelines and in the studios. This is acceptable because we, the viewing public can "see" them. But, that doesn't mean the majority of the sports viewing population (men) want to hear what these females have to say. As long as we "sell" and objectify women as a commodity - sexy, thin, or perfect on the outside, we'll never have a level playing field. We women are not mad at society; we're not resentful, we'd just like to see our representation evolve into a better place for all of us to excel, fulfill our goals and attain our dreams. I'm pretty sure most major sports leagues in this country have rookie symposiums teaching the 20-22 year old athletes about finances, behavior, and media training. I'm curious if there's anything in these seminars about how to respect women. I hope so. Is that asking too much? Of course, when we do create the life we want and make progress we can still be sexy and beautiful, and we'd like to be. We just don't want that to be the reason we succeed. Let's stop objectifying females. I assure you, things will change for the better. It's a visual world, but that's not all it is.

Coming down after a Triathlon...

Oh man, what an experience. I dedicated my world to a short triathlon over the past seven months and it was AWESOME! If you do triathlons on a regular basis, a) you're a rock star, b) you're a rock star and c) you're a rock star! I so admire people that can give that much time to a sport. I am extremely competitive whenever I compete. But being a triathlete, that's a completely different animal. I think if I had focused only on the three events, swimming, biking and running it would have been easier to handle. But, I didn't want to take Roller Derby, hiking or CrossFit out of my routine. Those activities did help my cross training and success in the race, but man was I tired from the rush after I finally competed. The adrenaline took me a long way, but I certainly crashed about 48 hours after the event. I swam 1/4 mile, biked 10 miles and ran 3 miles...seems small, but it was big to this girl. Thanks to Chad Franco of CrossFit Five Cities, Massage Therapist Michelle Miller, Amy Kueffler @ Avila Bay Athletic Club & Spa and Physical Therapist Jeff Miller. These are the folks that supported me and made this competition a reality. I even came in 4th woman in my age group. Will I do another one myself? Probably not, but I feel accomplished, it's something I'd always wanted to do. Whew, now it's done and I can get to planning my physical challenge for 2015. Plus, we have three more Roller Derby bouts this season. I'm glad I have time to think about next years challenge while I skate in circles getting my butt kicked!...while CELEBRATING doing my first triathlon!

It's here...Swim, Bike, Run!

Exercising has always been just part of my life, an automatic in my everyday routine, to stay healthy, youthful and agile. But, this triathlon stuff is much different, it takes a lot of planning and time, for sure! I have a couple friends who do triathlons on a regular basis. The amount of training that goes into just one has altered my daily routine and completely changed my life. If I took Roller Derby practice and CrossFit out of the equation, maybe it would have been more reasonable. But, I wasn't willing to do that. I sure do admire those that commit to Tri's more than once in their lives. I have dedicated the last seven months to being comfortable swimming, lasting on a bike and having something left for the running portion. Really, my true goal is to just finish without drowning, getting a flat tire or falling on my face in my running shoes. I'm looking at it like this...it's going to be as if I'm doing a three part CrossFit WOD. But, unfortunately, there's no rest in between. Whatever happens, I've always wanted to do a triathlon and completing it is the most important thing. I'll swim, I'll bike and I'll run, finishing with the knowledge I set a goal, dedicated 1/2 a year in preparation and made it happen. Just being in a pool two or three times a week for this long has been an accomplishment. Another lesson for all of us;

if we put the time, energy and work into getting something done and focusing on it, we CAN do anything. But, it takes some serious effort and commitment. I did learn one big thing, no a HUGE thing, I enjoy team sports way more. There's something fulfilling about having teammates, rooting for them, encouraging them and energizing them. For this triathlon it was just me, constantly pushing myself through each workout, always alone in my thoughts and training. I guess I needed some time to myself. Now, after this weekend let's put together a team for a Mud Run?

A triathlon...my first

It might have been the kickboxing, but it definitely was happening once I started playing Roller Derby. My shoulder mobility declined at a rapid pace. A torn labrum years ago, a broken collarbone in college and a broken clavicle from derby didn't help the situation. I found CrossFit in spring last year and began working with Chad Franco @ CrossFit Five Cities. Pretty quickly he noticed I couldn't straighten my arms over my head. Instead of pushing me through, he modified my workouts and sent me to an awesome physical therapist, Jeff Miller in Grover Beach, CA. Jeff mentioned getting into a pool would really help me get back my mobility and able to use my shoulders for normal everyday tasks. Swimming? Yuck! I hadn't done much but frolic in a pool in years and I mean years, at least 20. I resisted, but I did it. I got into the pool and detested it at first. It was a few months ago when I began to notice the differences in my body, my core especially. Between CrossFit and getting in the pool, things were improving! I decided, if I'm going to be doing this swim therapy, I might as well get the Triathlon off of my bucket list. That's where it all began, January 2014 in the pools at Pismo Beach Athletic Club and Avila Bay Athletic Club & Spa. Five months later that same physical therapist showed up at my house one day and gifted me an awesome triathlon bike. It took me a good three weeks before I actually got on the bike. I just looked at it for a while sitting in my living room. I was TOTALLY intimidated, not just by being on a road bike for the first time in 25 years. But, even worse, was being on the roads on that bike. I don't know what bikers did before bike lanes. And even with bike lanes it's scary as can be out there. I've been on that bike now consistently for four weeks, I actually know how to use the gears now. Riding from Shell Beach to Avila in one gear, wasn't much fun! But then, drum roll please, I got my first flat tire, that sucked! Now, the swim is easy, I'm slow, but I can now go without stopping for a good amount of time. The bike is more comfortable too. But, the deep pile fear I'm sitting in right now: will I get a flat while I'm out there on the road, during my race? And let's be honest, this girl AIN'T changing a flat tire. So, I'm putting it out there now universe, god, higher power, angels, fairies, please, NO FLAT TIRE on my first and only triathlon of my life. I know you're busy with real issues on the planet, but is that too much to ask?

Ladies & Gentlemen your Big West Champion Cal Poly Mustangs...Woot Woot!!!

I remember, it was January 2002, I walked into Baggett Stadium for my first game as the Mustangs Stadium Announcer. Man, was I nervous. I had done Public Address for two minor league baseball teams in Syracuse and Albany, A-League soccer in Seattle and semi-pro football in Syracuse. But, 2002 was a special year, because I was back in California, my home state, three hours from my home town; and doing what I love, baseball PA. Little did I know, 12 years later Cal Poly would win the Big West Season Championship. This week Cal Poly earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Regional Baseball playoffs by winning the Conference. The crowd noise in the stadium this season has gradually escalated from cheering to a loud & crazy roar each game. It's taken five years to get the crowd to repeat "Hoooooooo" after me when either Chris or Michael Hoo come up to the plate. It took 12 years for the fans to stand up and cheer when there's two outs with one needed to end the game and seal a win for the Mustangs. It took 12 years for the Tuesday night attendance to go from a few hundred to 1,552 vs. Pepperdine this year. It took 12 years for Mustang Concessions to fill the concourse with extra food vendors. It took 12 years for the stadium to expand to over 3,000 seats. And for this Public Address Announcer it was well worth the wait. The energy and excitement surrounding the Poly baseball team has been awesome as the season has progressed this year. But, it's not over yet. We'll find out on Sunday if Poly will host a regional. On Monday morning the Mustangs find out where they'll play as they try to improve on their two and out appearance last year in the UCLA region. Wouldn't it be nice if I could turn on the mike, for the very first time, next weekend and say "Welcome to Baggett Stadium home of the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo NCAA baseball regional playoffs..." this time around. Ride High and enjoy it fans. I know I sure will.