Racing

Yesterday I talked about how much fun exercise in general can be. Today I'm advocating for the potential fun competing in a race holds. Now I know some of you are going to say, "I totally sucked at sports all through school. There's no way in hell I'm going to start competing in anything now." Before you completely write this off keep an open mind and read this article and then my take on it. If you still aren't convinced then I guess you're one less person I have to worry about beating in a race!

My take on Su Reid-St. John's 5 reasons to do a race:
1. It gives you a goal: I've always been a goal oriented person. I need something to strive for and accomplish in order to feel like a complete person. Luckily my parents recognized that at an early age and signed me up for little kid track, which turned into soccer and basketball and softball and a million other athletic competitions, not to mention academic competitions. For those of you who aren't naturally this way, signing up and paying those god awful fees to run a probably longer than you've ever run distance should be enough to get you going. It also makes that weight loss/getting into better shape goal more realistic because as Ms. Reid-St. John stated, you need to be at a certain level of physical shape in order to be competitive.

2. It's an excuse to take time for yourself: When I trained for my first marathon it was my last semester of college complete with 21 course units, a senior honors project, applying for real jobs, substitute teaching, and trying to spend as much time with friends I would soon be parting. I was busy enough without tossing 18 mile runs (at one time) into the mix. However, I found that taking that time for myself was the best thing I could have done to cut down on the stress from that semester. And since then I've run a number of marathons while carrying on my still ever busy life and it's only made it easier. There's something meditative about performing the same physical action over and over (once you get past the barely able to breathe or move feeling), not to mention getting out into nature.

3. It allows for built-in girl time: Or guy time. Or more generally friend time. If you're training with others (as I often do) it gives you a significant amount of uninterrupted time to bond. Having to occupy significant amounts of time that can often become quite challenging at times promotes deeper conversations and necessitates encouragement. I'm currently training with the bf for the San Francisco marathon (his first) and it's probably done as much to strengthen our relationship as anything else.

4. It's an excellent way to see the country (or the world): I've mostly ran races in my own backyard but I've never been to San Francisco so I've become really excited about exploring such a neat city in a different way.

5. You come away with an awesome feeling of accomplishment: There is no way you can enter a race and not come away feeling changed. Most of my races have consisted of marathons, which for me is a much more emotional, mental and physical experience than say, a 5K but at the same time has very similar effects on finishers. You cross that line knowing you accomplished that goal you set out to do and that's the feeling that turns you into a racing addict! Los Angeles has a really cool program called Students Run LA, which trains "at risk" students in the Los Angeles area to run the LA Marathon. Now even though I run those crazy races now there's no way I would have even thought about doing it as a teenager so I can only imagine the accomplishment those amazing children must feel crossing the finish line.

And if I still haven't convinced you to run a race there are also many races designed specifically for the fun factor that combine other activities in with the race such as The Great Urban Race or http://warriordash.com/ amongst many others.


Crossing the finish line of my first LA Marathon

Exercise

In my post yesterday I mentioned exercise as a way to improve your mood and up your fun potential. However, I also know that the word "exercise" comes with a stigma for most people. Some associations people have with "exercise" are sweating it out on a treadmill, lifting ever so boring weights, an unused gym membership. I actually googled "percentage of gym memberships that go unused" but was unable to locate any seemingly accurate data. I'm guessing it's huge, though, based on my own unofficial data collection. Myself, I HATE gyms! So I don't go to them. Instead I do "exercise" I enjoy and because of that I stay in great shape (Well, I'm getting back to the great shape... we'll use good for now.). The key to enjoying "exercise" is to only do physical activity you enjoy! Rocket science, I know. I'll be expecting my Nobel Prize next round. Not only will you enjoy the time you spend "exercising" but it's also been shown that a positive attitude improves weight loss. Here's my extensive list of fun "exercise" (I wish I had time for all of these.). I'm sure everyone who really wants to enjoy their workout will find something on here.

Aerobics classes
Baby-sitting (Not exactly a registered "exercise" but you'll get plenty of it chasing kids around playing.)
Backpacking
Basketball
Bicycling
Canoeing/Kayaking
Dancing (Surprise exercise!)
Dodgeball (This might not be for everyone due to gym class nightmares but I believe they're using softer balls these days.)
Gymnastics
Hiking/Walking
Hockey
Hopscotch
Jumping rope
Kickball (Coed kickball leagues are the new bars.)
Paddle boarding
Pilates (Hard as hell!)
Pole Dancing
Rock climbing
Running
Skiing
Snowboarding
Softball (Baseball too for those of you who are more hard core.)
Soccer
Softball
Surfing
Swimming
Tai Chi
Wake boarding
Water skiing
Yoga

Another benefit of many of these activities is that they're team activities so it's a great way to meet new people and/or have a support group while "exercising." There's nothing like sweating it up with others to max the fun potential. One place to find teams/partners for fun "exercise" activities is Meetup.

Any I left off you really enjoy?



Now here are some peeps having a good time "exercising"

Combatting Sadness

It's challenging to have fun when you're sad. I know this because I get sad. We all have our moments. Luckily I don't get sad very often and when I do I have a pretty easy time getting myself out of the funk. Some things I do:

Sing and dance loudly and wildly: There's just something about acting goofy and movement that gets the blood flowing and puts smiles on faces (including others if you don't do this in private).


Me having a dance party with a million other peeps

Exercise: Again, the blood flowing thing. Surfing does it best for me but soccer, running, and yoga are also big winners.


Sometimes ice skating does the trick

Watch TV or a movie: Living vicariously through others can do wonders. Especially if they're funny others.


I've seen this movie more times than I should admit.

Play with animals or babies: Kids can work too if they aren't acting crabby as well. The total joy they express when being with you should even rescue the biggest Scrooge in us all.

Talk to a trusted friend: Luckily I have many of these so I can split up the problems amongst them so no one gets sick of me.


Some of my very bestest friends from back in the MI and their babies that cheer me up!

What do you do to pick yourself up when you're down?

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Baseball's by no means my fav sport but it ranks pretty high as one of my fav sporting events to go to. Whether it's the majors, minors, or little league. And it has absolutely nothing to do with the sport as was pointed out to me at a baseball game this weekend. What's so magical about going to a baseball game is that it screams summer. That's pretty much the main season of the sport so almost every game you go to is accompanied by warm weather, maybe a light breeze, sunshine or the cooler summer night air, beer and tremendous amounts of happiness. Everyone who goes there is having a good time no matter your reasons for attending. And so in honor of the start of the summer (even though technically it's still spring and it hasn't even gotten all that warm here) here's my top ten list of how to have fun at a baseball game:

10. Chat with your neighbor. It's a great way to casually catch up with family and friends.
9. Admire the aesthetics of the stadium. More and more of the new stadiums are incorporating amazing amenities into their stadium and many of the old ones hold a historical appeal as well.


Not my fav team but definitely my fav stadium

8. Check out the players' butts. This probably appeals more to the women (and gay men). I'd also advocate keeping it geared toward the adult baseball players but there is much to appreciate if you can do this.
7. Sing loudly to Take Me Out to the Ball Game
6. Drink beer. This may only be allowed at major and minor league games, check with your local little league prior to intoxicating yourself.
5. Eat the delicious baseball snacks, which reminds me that I've never actually had Crackerjacks at a baseball game.
4. Bring your kids. They may pass out cold before the 5th inning like a little dude I saw on Saturday but they'll never forget going to a game with the 'rents.
3. Take a date. It isn't usually too loud to get in a good conversation, less pressure because you can always talk about the game, and if he/she really sucks you have a game to watch.
2. Keep score yourself. This isn't my cup of tea but it is others'.
1. Watch the game! Duh!

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Sometimes I think I worry too much. But I'm starting to learn that the amount of time I spend worrying is insignificant compared to most. I also have to pat myself on the back because when I do worry it's very rarely over the small stuff. I started thinking about this today at work when some co-workers were freaking out about a detail concerning a special event fundraiser we're putting on. This happens every single time we have a special event. Certain people have mini panic attacks about minute details that in the past have always worked themselves out easily and for the better. Meanwhile I kick back and have a lemonade (occaisionally spiked). This might be due to the fact that I'm not a detail oriented person (Give me at least a week to notice a new haircut or even the shaving of an entire beard.). While in some instances this might be seen as a negative, in this case it works to my advantage since I spend much less time worrying about nothing (And leaving me free to worry more about the big stuff. Not!). As a sidenote, I also think it's wrong for people to try to push their stress onto others. But in honor of it being TGIF and not sweating the small stuff cuz hey, it's the weekend here's all the fun I'll be having this weekend instead of sweating any stuff:

- Celebrating a friend's graduation!
- Going to Dodgers Stadium (one of my fav LA locales) to watch my Tigers whoop on the home team!
- Going to a birthday party!
- Running 10 miles!
- Surfing!

I hope you all have a great weekend and please share what you do to keep from sweating any stuff.

Everyday is a Holiday

In college, my friend (and roommate and PTC sister), Anne, somehow had access to the most random holidays ever (she had CIA access or something).


Here's the magnificent Anne, back and center!

Apparently I'm too far removed from my undergrad days (tear, tear) since I don't remember what any of them were but I do know they were fun. And we made them even more fun. Again, I don't remember what we did but knowing us it had to be fun. And so I found a website called Holidays for Everyday. You know, just in case anyone needs an excuse to party. Today happens to be Blue Jeans Birthday! Yep, Mr. Levi Strauss and Mr. Jacob Davis received the patent to what we all fondly know of as blue jeans. Not sure how Mr. Davis got shafted in the deal ('Course I just might not be cool kid enough to know about Davis jeans?). In honor I am wearing blue jeans to work... and I didn't even know about this holiday until 5 minutes ago. Happy Blue Jeans Day everyone! Oh, and this entire week is National Bike to Work week so I hope everyone is enjoying a bike ride to work (I would be if I had one and didn't need my car for work this week). Tomorrow in particular is Bike to Work Day so if you didn't know about this before you now have enough notice to participate in it.

Heads up: This website isn't updated for the 2010 but you can do the math (or have someone else do it for you).

Best. Game. Ever!

It's called the Question Game. And pretty much if you don't like it you suck at life. It's difficult to describe so I'll make the attempt but if you don't get it you might just wanna ask me to come over and play with you.

Here are the steps:

1. Pass out sheets or scraps of paper and writing utensils to all playas. If you use whole sheets of paper you can simply keep reusing the paper until you run out. If you use scraps you'll probably need one each round. Either way is just as good as the other as long as we're being green about things and not wasting any trees.

2. The first person to start the game chooses someone else in the group and makes up the first half of a question using that person's name. For example, "Why does Bob...?"

3. All players write that on their sheets/scraps of paper and then finish the question so one person might write, "Why does Bob wear his sneakers to bed?" or "Why does Bob have a name with only two letters in it?" The idea is that everyone finishes the question in a different way and the more creative the better.

4. All player then fold their paper up and throw it into a pile in the middle of the table (or floor or grass or whatever surface you're gathered around).

5. When everyone's paper is in the middle everyone then grabs a different one and answers the question as creatively as possible. So for example if you got "Why does Bob have a name with only two letters in it?" you might write, "Because those are the only letters of the alphabet he ever learned." Again, be as creative as possible.

6. All players then once again fold their paper up and throw it into a pile in the middle of the gathering space and when everyone's paper is in the middle everyone then grabs a different one (sometimes you might get one that you've written either the question or answer on but it's okay).

7. At this point everyone reads their questions and answers but there's a technique to this. The person who originally picked the person whose name was used reads his/her question and then the person to the left (or right, it doesn't really matter) of him/her reads his/her answer and this continues on until it comes back around with the original person reading his/her answer.

8. The game continues with the person whose name was used choosing a different person to write about and this goes on until everyone's name has been used.

This game is a guaranteed massive hit! Seriously everyone I've ever played this with has absolutely loved it. It often turns dirty and picks on one another but it's all in good fun. And it's a great way to break the ice and get to know new people. Big shout out to Stephanie who taught me this game and thus, has turned me into the life of the party!