The last time that I did a cartwheel must have been in elementary school. Maybe 4th grade?

I used to love doing cartwheels on the fields at school and in the grass in our front yard. I could never do a roundoff though. That always seemed to elude me.

I don’t remember really “learning” how to do a cartwheel. Maybe my sister taught me? Maybe I just watched her and figured it out on my own? In either case, my body just moved and it felt natural in that movement.

As I’ve been playing with inversions more over the past couple of months, I started thinking about cartwheels again. In many ways, it’s similar to a handstand. Actually, some people cartwheel up into a handstand.

I really wanted to do a cartwheel but I didn’t because I was scared and I wasn’t sure if my body would remember how to do it. I was also afraid of making a fool of myself.

As I have gotten older, I don’t feel as comfortable or as free to move in my own body. As an adult, you don’t often run out into the grass and turn cartwheels. You don’t feel as free to play. I overthink things now, allowing fear and doubt to creep in – there’s no way I could do that now!

With my kids, I sometimes feel like there’s a bit of a role reversal. Kids are the ones who are supposed to be fearless and leap headfirst into things without thinking. But with my kids? They are more apt to sit on the sidelines, watch and evaluate the situation before doing some sort of complicated calculation in their head to determine whether or not they are going to dip their toe into the activity at hand.

I want to encourage them to try things that they might not think they would like to try but that often means that I have to go first. While this frustrates me to no end at times, I also realize that they are teaching ME to release my fears and to learn how to play again. They are teaching me to let go of the strict guidelines and expectations I have about how I should act and behave.

In May, I found myself lining up during the Sunday morning bootcamp with GPP Fitness at Blend and preparing myself to do my first cartwheel in 25ish years. I was nervous and anxious and giddy. It.Was.So.Fun.

Then, on Sunday, we spent Father’s Day at the circus. During intermission, we had a picnic lunch and I asked Jasper if he wanted to learn how to do a cartwheel. (He had asked about it before.) Without hesitation, I started doing cartwheels in the grass. He laid there and watched me, calculating in his head whether or not he would join me.

While he didn’t join me (this time). I’m hoping that he will next time. In the meantime, I’m just going to keep practicing my cartwheels and maybe I’ll finally figure out that elusive roundoff.

When was the last time you did a cartwheel?

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Over the past week – OK, the past couple of weeks – my workouts haven’t been all that great. Part of it is because I’ve been sick (again) and haven’t been getting enough rest. The other part of it? I haven’t been entirely motivated to workout. It seems like my guest blogger today – Amanda – read my mind. 

Amanda is a trainer in Milwaukee who works with my cousin. My cousin raves about her and I was hoping to train with her the last time I was in Milwaukee. Her post definitely resonates with me and I hope that it does with you too. It’s nice to have friends to help motivate you. 

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The truth? Even though I’m a personal trainer with a full schedule of clients, I sometimes lack motivation to be active. Sure I’ve experienced the results and witnessed the same with other people. I’ve made it a part of my lifestyle. But there are still days (maybe even a week) that I don’t have the desire to exercise as a result of busyness, tiredness, laziness, etc. Do you want to know what I do to stay on track, stay moving forward, and get rid of excuses? Read on!

Make Exercise a Priority

This is number one! You can fit in anything if you plan for it. I have exercise written in my schedule. I get specific–4 mile run with hills, 15 mile bike ride, yoga class, strength training with the TRX, hike with my family. My aim is to be active everyday. Some days I only have 15 minutes to workout, so those workouts are intense and quick. Other days I have the time to go longer and I take advantage of it.

Always remember that something is better than nothing at all. For general health, consistency is more important that duration.

After I complete a planned workout I like to cross it off my calendar. But if you’re into stickers, I won’t judge.

Remember that Good Feeling

If there’s a day I’m considering nixing exercise in favor of completing more of my to-do list, I remind myself of how great I feel when I finish a workout. Those endorphins do a number on my brain and put me on top of the world. Tired muscles but an energized body are the most accomplished feeling I know.

Go to a Friend/Trainer/Class

This is the way to make a commitment to yourself and someone else. During biking season, my friend Amy and I meet up for a bike ride once a week. We both have kids in tow. We get to catch up while riding and the kids get to play at the requisite playground stop.

But you don’t have to meet up in person, there are tons of online communities to find running buddies, walking friends, or your exercise of choice.

Seeing a trainer or going to a class also provides a level of commitment. You’re less likely to skip out if someone is waiting for you. As an added bonus, you don’t have to think about what you should do for a workout. The trainer or instructor will push you harder than you would push yourself alone. And you’ll probably get some new ideas for the times you work out by yourself.

Try New Workouts

Speaking of new ideas, if your mind is interested, it will keep your body and muscles interested. Variation is important to seeing continued results.

If I’m running with the stroller with my daughter, I might run to a playground. While she plays, I’ll use the equipment to do push ups, step ups, dips, pull ups, and planks. I’ve been known to bring my bands with me too. Sometimes I’ll try running my usual route in the reverse direction. Crazy, I know.

Other days the only time I have to workout might be when I’m at home. Those days I’ll use the TRX in our basement or choose a workout I’ve pinned on Pinterest.

Maybe you’ve been interested in tennis, paddle boarding, rock climbing, or mountain biking. No time like the present to try it. If you really enjoy a new sport, now you have more reasons to exercise during the week to support it.

Read Articles and Listen to Podcasts

When I’m looking for something to get me pumped up to go out there and achieve my exercise goals, I turn to Runners World magazine, adventure/exploration books, and Another Mother Runner podcast. Surrounding myself with inspiring and positive stories never fails to get me moving. Sometimes it’s out of guilt, but in the short term that can be a great motivator too.

Just like you adopt the habits of your friends. The same goes for what you read and listen to. Find articles that play to your interests. Follow blogs or Twitter accounts of active people that inspire you. Often you’ll find they are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Reward Yourself

I can’t count the number of times I’ve told myself to just get out there for 10 minutes and if you can’t go on when that time is up, then you can go home. Can you guess how many times I’ve headed for home after 10 minutes? Never.

Sometimes I’m running and I’m just not feeling the good vibes. The promise of a hot shower and maybe some recovery chocolate milk gets me to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

This past winter’s icy sidewalks forced me to use the treadmill for half marathon training. I told myself I could only watch House of Cards if I was on the treadmill. For goals that take weeks to achieve, I promise myself a new workout outfit, a pedicure, or a new kitchen item I’ve been lusting over.

For your own rewards, swap out mine and insert the things you like to have after a job well done.

In the end being consistent with exercise comes down to internal motivation. No one can make you get fit. But you can play games with yourself to make it happen. Take it one workout at a time. Enlist the accountability of someone else.  Keep workouts interesting with variety. Find inspiration from fitness books, magazines, and websites. And reward yourself for rewarding yourself with an active body. With a little planning and a lot of sweat, you can be as active as you hope to be.  That’s no lie.

How do you stay motivated to move?

Amanda Tikalsky is an ACE certified Personal Trainer and Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist at the Wisconsin Athletic Club in Milwaukee. She earned her degree in Fitness Management from Carroll University in Waukesha, WI.  In her 10 years of experience she has trained young, old, athletic, beginner, and many people in between.  She is a runner, road cyclist, home cook, crafter, wife, yoga class attendee, hiker, mother of a toddler, home baker, gardener, and always up for a great adventure.

She can be contacted at atikalsky@thewac.com.

Holding hands before the last day of pre-school.

Holding hands before the Kindergarten celebration

I feel like I haven’t written a Friday Round-Up in a while. OK, maybe I just skipped one week but I love this time of the week where I get to share some great writing and great blogs.

This week has been all about the end of the school year. Everett finished another year of pre-school on Wednesday and Jasper had his Kindergarten celebration yesterday (even though they are in school for another two weeks). I have to say, it was bittersweet and I may have gotten a little choked up when Jasper received his Kindergarten certificate and read his poem out-loud.

There’s so much possibility open ahead of them. They could be anything when they grow up. That’s kind of what today’s Friday Round-Up is all about – the journey to find our dreams and pursue them.

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To Your Own Heart
This is a beautiful post from Caren at Happy Momentum about finding the way back to our own heart and finding our path to what we want for our life. Seriously, I love Caren’s writing. Can’t get enough of it.

Dreams
Speaking of finding our life paths, this post from Tracy at Sellabitmum pretty much plays out like a dream or a movie. Last week, Tracy’s nephew Trey was drafted as the 7th all-round draft pick in the MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox. 7th all-round like the 7th person to be picked. And he seems like a really great person. But this post isn’t just about becoming a major league ball player, it’s about dreams and how we can and should do more to build up our teenagers and support their dreams.

What’s Your Spark
But what if you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up? What if you don’t have the natural abilities to be a professional ballplayer? Laura from Mommy Run Fast talks about finding your spark and how you can use your emotion and anger to help fuel your work and your desire for change.

What am I rebelling against?
As some of you may know, I’ve been seriously considering Yoga Teacher Training but lately, I’ve been feeling a bit insecure and frankly scared (subject for a longer post). I really loved this post from Tara Stiles. For those of you who may not be familiar, Tara is kind of a rockstar yoga instructor and founder of Strala Yoga in New York City. She’s been called a Rebel because she tries to make yoga accessible to everyone  - she doesn’t refer to poses by their Sanskrit names, there’s no chanting, etc. Her belief that yoga is inside all of us was something that I needed to hear.

Let’s be serious, if we’re talking about what I want to be when I grow up, it would be a professional surfer. I kid. I kid. Kind of…

The Love Electric
On Wednesday, Kelly Slater won the Volcom Fiji Pro, stop number 4 out of 10 on the World Tour. He beat Mick Fanning at Couldbreak. Slater scored a 19.80 out of 20 points in the heat to Fanning’s 15.87. As a result of the win, Kelly took the lead in the World Tour.

Actually, I wasn’t even sure that Kelly was going to surf this contest. Well after the other surfers had arrived, Kelly was still missing. Given the swell forecast, he decided to stay home for a few extra days, hoping that his new nephew would make his appearance. In the end, he had to depart for Fiji before meeting his newest family member. His brother told him that if he missed the birth then he had better win the event. Done.

Kelly surfed incredibly well during the event. In the Quarterfinals, he surfed a perfect heat against Sebastian Zietz – only the fourth perfect 20-point score on ASP record and Slater’s second. Then, in the Semifinals, he went on to beat John John Florence, his first competition since injuring his food earlier this year.

Kelly seriously is in completely different realm. Even the other surfers say so in this article from Stab Magazine.

So, I guess I want to be Kelly Slater when I grow up?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

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I’ve been thinking a lot about connections lately – with my family, with the running community, and with my fellow bloggers. These connections have been nourishing and have supported me through the ups and downs and ebbs and flows of life. These connections remind me to live joyfully – they make me feel alive. I made some of the strongest connections with a group of women about six years ago. We all recently had babies which, living in our Brooklyn neighborhood, isn’t an uncommon occurrence. Our Mommy’s Group was huge – like over 100 people huge but within that large group, we found each other.

We used to get together at least once a week for playmates with our kids and once a month (or more) for a night out and drinks. We laughed together and sometimes cried together as we tried to figure out this thing called parenting. As our kids grew up, our time together has become more sporadic.

We have been in desperate need of a get-together – to catch up and celebrate the end of another school year. I invited a few of my friends over for some food and drink. We caught up on life, amazed that we’ve known each other for six years now while noshing on chips and guacamole, cheese and fruit.  It was a chance for us to relax, have a little fun and focus on the brighter side of life – maybe even daydream about beach vacations in the Caribbean.

If we’re going to daydream about the Caribbean, then we definitely needed some Malibu Island Spiced. We made a couple of different fun cocktails with this new product which offers a bolder taste of Caribbean rum infused with coconut, vanilla and a hint of cinnamon. What’s a girls’ night without cocktails?? One of my friends prefers her spiced rum straight up so I made her a Spiced on Ice which is Malibu Island Spiced served over crushed ice and garnished with an orange twist. It was a simple way to taste the spiced rum flavors and the vanilla and coconut shined through.

We also combined it with Diet Cola and served with a lime wedge for a Malibu Spiced and Diet Cola and with soda water and orange wedge for a Sparking Spiced. The rum added a depth and dimension to the mixer. The drinks weren’t overly sweet and Malibu Island Spiced is sweetened with Truvia®, an all-natural sweetener, and is only 70 calories per serving (which was also great because I didn’t feel as guilty partaking in the cheese and guacamole!).

My favorite was the Malibu Coconut Spiced - Malibu Island Spiced and coconut water served over ice and garnished with a lime wedge. I am admittedly smitten with all things coconut right now so I loved the combination enhanced the coconut flavor.

More than anything, it was a great night with my friends. These are a group of women who have seen me with spit up on my shoulder and have witnessed my children having epic meltdowns. These are women who I know don’t judge me but instead lend a hand or an ear, support me and help me focus on all the joyous moments in life.  

So now it’s your turn to tell me; which of the above Malibu Island Spiced inspired cocktails would you like to try? Tell me in the comments below for your chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner  will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 6/13/13 – 6/30/13.

Visit Malibu Island Spiced Rum on Facebook to get more drink recipes and join the brighter side of spiced rum!

And be sure to visit the Malibu Island Spiced brand page on BlogHer.com to read other bloggers’ posts!

SIP EASY. ENJOY MALIBU RESPONSIBLY.

MALIBU ® Caribbean Rum with Coconut Liqueur & Natural Spices, with Truvia® Sweetener. 30% Alc./Vol. (60 Proof) ©2013 Imported by Pernod Ricard USA, Purchase, NY

Truvia® and the Truvia®  logo are registered trademarks of the Truvia Company LLC.

PER 1.5 FL. OZ. SERVING. AVERAGE ANALYSIS: CALORIES 70; CARBOHYDRATES less than 1 gram; PROTEIN 0 grams; FAT 0 grams.

*when mixed with your favorite zero calorie mixer. Limes and other garnishes may add calories

Remember back in junior high when friends would pass around a survey in class that you had to fill out? And they would ask you all these different questions about random things (mostly about the boys that you liked in school)?

Well, this is kind of along the same lines. It’s Old School Blogging with Elaine and Jennifer and this month is a fun alphabet edition. My friend Kristen tagged me in her post so here goes.

A. Attached or Single? Attached. We’ll be married for 10 years in October (whoa) and we’ve been together for 13 years.

Geez, we look so young! And yes, I took a photo of a photo.

B. Best Friend? My friend Erin from high school. We’ve known each other since we were 15 years old and has kind of seen me through it all.

C. Cake or pie? Pie. I mean, I like and enjoy cake but if I had to chose, I would chose pie. Fruit pies. Not the custardy kind.

D. Day of choice? Thursday. The hustle of the start of the week has passed but it’s not quite the weekend yet. There’s still a lot of possibility out there for what the week might have in store.

E. Essential Item? Contacts. Can’t see otherwise.

F. Favorite color? Purple but I think that I own a lot of blue clothing.

G. Gummy bears or worms? Gummy bears. Gummy worms kind of freak me out.

H. Home town? Trumbull, CT

I. Favorite Indulgence? Ice cream and/or scones. Ice cream scones?

J. January or July? July because I generally like warm weather over cold and the sun shines more regularly in July. However, if it’s a crisp, sunny, blue sky day in January? I love it.

K. Kids? Two boys – Jasper age 6 and Everett turning 4 in August. I love having two boys.

L. Life isn’t complete without? Iced coffee. I need it to function.

M. Marriage date? October 4, 2003

N. Number of brothers/sisters? 1 older brother and 1 older sister. Yup, I’m the youngest of three.

O. Oranges or Apples? Oranges but I don’t eat them as often as I would like because they are messy.

P. Phobias? Hands down spiders. Heights is close behind but that was an adult-onset phobia and it’s more like vertigo than a strict fear of heights. I just hate spiders.

Q. Quotes? I recently came across this one from Kristin Armstrong

R. Reasons to smile? My boys. Their chubby cheeks. Their mischievous grins. Their silly games and songs. Their love for each other.

S. Season of choice? Autumn.

T. Tag 5 People. Ilene, Martha, Angela, Laura and Michele.

U. Unknown fact about me? Geez, I feel like I share a lot on this blog and through posts like this and this. Let’s see, I’m currently obsessed with the show Scandal and can’t wait for the next season.

V. Vegetable? Right now, asparagus. Just simply roasted.

W. Worst habit? Right now, according to my husband, it’s that I don’t wash the dishes.

X. Xray or Ultrasound? Xray? I’ve had more of them?

Y. Your favorite food? Avocado. I adore avocados. Sadly, my children are allergic which means that we don’t have them in the house that often (although that rule seems to be less rigid these days). It wouldn’t surprise me if it was my addiction to avocados that might have caused the food allergies.

Z. Zodiac sign? Cancer. Yup, crabby like a crab.

Your Turn! Come play along. Answer one or more of these questions or write your own post!

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I’m so excited that Alison and Galit have brought back Memories Captured this month. I love this link-up because it allows me to step back for a moment and remember the memories at hand. We all complain that times moves too quickly, right? Especially as parents? Well, here’s one chance that I have to slow things down.

I decided to do this post in the same format that I wrote in October. Much of it still holds true.

The two of you are finishing another year of school.
One of you will be graduating from Kindergarten.
One of you will be entering pre-K.

The two of you have grown so much over the past year yet your proportions have remained the same with
One of you only reaching the shoulders of the other.
Only one of you can still fit in my lap.

One of you has become a virtual chatterbox over the past year.
One of you has remained a kind hearted friend.

One of you wants to be a teacher, pilot, train conductor or mailman when you grow up.
One of you wants to be a musician on the stage – with a microphone and a guitar.

Both of you love creating art.
One of you prefers meticulous maps and family portraits.
One of you prefers scribble scrabble and collages.
Both of you like building mega cities and airports around the house until
One of your decides to knock it down.

Both of you love singing at the top of your lungs.
Both of you know all the words to Bryan Adams’ Summer of ’69.
Both of you sing it over and over (and over and over).
Good thing it’s summer because I think that we’ve found our summer anthem.

What memories are you capturing?

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Here’s a workout that you can do anywhere in about 25 minutes. It doesn’t require much equipment. It’s also a great workout to use with your Gymboss Interval Timer (read my review of the Gymboss).

Here are some videos/tutorials on the moves used in the workout if you’re not familiar with them:

• Plank Knee-Pull
  
• Single-Leg Deadlift
• Offset Push-Up (if you don’t have a medicine ball, you could do a regular push-up)
• Goblet Squat
• Plank Walk
• Donkey Kicks
• Inchworm
• Bridge on a ball with a hamstring curl

Interested in other workouts like this? Check out these posts:

• 5 Favorite 30-Minutes or Less Workouts
• Upper Body Torcher
• Hotel Room Workout
• Three’s a Charm Workout

{Disclaimer: Go at your own pace and take additional rest if needed. I do not have any official training, certifications, or degrees in fitness. The views I express are mine alone, based on my own experiences. Always talk to your doctor or a trained professional before starting a new diet or fitness plan.}

One of the fun things about blogging is that I get to hear about (and sometimes try samples of) some really cool fitness gear.I wanted to share with you five fitness accessories that I’ve been loving lately – and two giveaways!!

Swim Speed Workouts for Swimmers and Triathletes

I posted this picture the other day and got a few questions about it. It’s written by Olympian Sheila Taormina and draws her personal experience as a athlete and coach. It’s designed to build freestyle speed one step at a time.

What I love about this? These are actually waterproof workout cards that you can bring to the pool. She breaks down all the details of stroke technique and drills so you understand exactly what you are doing and how you’re supposed to be doing it. She puts it all together a 16-week workout plan. It can be used by beginning to advanced swimmers and triathletes. OK, probably not a very beginning swimmer but it would be a great resource so you can start your swimming with good technique.

Handful Bra 

OK. This isn’t exactly a new product and I’ve previously expressed my love for Handful Bras. They are incredibly comfortable to wear and fit just right. Handful is also an approved mastectomy bra, supporting breast cancer survivors during treatment and their return to health and fitness.

Why am I bringing them up again? Because Handful is trying to bring is manufacturing to the U.S.A. and they need our help. They are 38% funded and have 24 days left to raise the rest of the money. You can support them by making a donation or ordering products and accessories (like a week full of Handful)! I can’t wait to receive my new green bra!

Rock Tape 

After experiencing a few injury setbacks before my 10-mile race in May, I decided to experiment with some kinesiology tape. Basically, I figured that it couldn’t hurt, right?

Well, I’ve fallen in love with Rock Tape. Basically, it helps to support my stabilize my knee and my patella. I haven’t felt any pain since I’ve started using it. It has allowed me to continue to run without pain. I tried another brand but found that Rock Tape stayed on better.

Trailheads

I met Michelle at the Mini Bloggy Bootcamp back in April. Turns out that Michelle does some social media work for Trailheads and offered to send me one of their Goodbye Girl Ponytail Running Caps to try out. It’s lightweight and breathable and provides great coverage in the sun. I usually hate wearing hats (just ask my husband) but this was super comfortable. And the back has a special loop that works great with ponytails!

Trailheads also donates 3% of annual sales to charitable partners including the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, National Sports Center for the Disabled, and Guiding Eyes for the Blind. They were nice enough to offer one Ponytail hat for me to giveaway to a reader! Just enter through the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gymboss Interval Timer  I was also recently sent a Gymboss Interval Timer to review. I was somewhat skeptical as to why I would need an interval timer when I could just use my watch or an app on my iPhone. Well, after the first time I used it, I was convinced that I needed this timer. It’s not as clunky to fiddle with at the gym as my phone and it allows me to set multiple time intervals at once unlike my watch. It keeps track of my intervals and rest periods and how many rounds I’ve completed so I don’t have to try to keep track of them during my workout. But the best reason? It keeps me honest. How many of you take a little longer rest period than you’re supposed to? You know, the 10 seconds that turns into two minutes? Yeah, can’t really do that with this little timer. I’ve been using it with workouts like this one. It’s a workout that you can do anywhere in 25-minutes.

Here are some videos/tutorials on the moves used in the workout if you’re not familiar with them:

• Plank Knee-Pull
• Single-Leg Deadlift
• Offset Push-Up (if you don’t have a medicine ball, you could do a regular push-up)
• Goblet Squat
• Plank Walk
• Donkey Kicks
• Inchworm
• Bridge on a ball with a hamstring curl

{Disclaimer: Go at your own pace and take additional rest if needed. I do not have any official training, certifications, or degrees in fitness. The views I express are mine alone, based on my own experiences. Always talk to your doctor or a trained professional before starting a new diet or fitness plan.}

The folks at Gymboss were also kind enough to offer to giveaway a Gymboss Timer to one reader! Enter using the Rafflecopter form below.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What are some of your favorite fitness gear and accessories?

{Disclosure: I was provided a Ponytail Running Cap and a Gymboss Interval Timer free for review. I am also an affiliate partner with Gymboss. I received no other compensation and all thoughts and opinions are my own. I purchased the other products mentioned in this post.)

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It’s Back!! Another installment of the Pin It Party. My friend Lindsay from the Lean Green Bean is hosting another party where we share some of our favorite posts that we’d love to see on Pinterest.

Previously, I shared some of my favorite recipes and workouts. This time, I’m sharing some more inspirational/motivational blog posts.

Memories Captured: The Run

In honor of National Running Day yesterday, I wanted to share this post reminds me why I run and why running means so much to me. It’s been a long journey back but I’m so glad to be back.

5 Lessons on Injury

So what exactly has that long journey back been like? It’s involved knee surgery and recovery, physical therapy and setbacks, progress and ego checks. Along the way, I’ve learned some important lessons from injury.

Always Expecting Great

I’ve been reading a bit about the impact of social media and blogging on our expectations as well as the (un)healthy images and expectations we may be setting for ourselves by constantly sharing our latest and greatest workouts. But I think that the awesome workouts AND the lackluster ones are equally important.

How to Watch a Surf Contest

I love surfing and watching surf contests. But to someone who’s unfamiliar, surf contests are confusing! Here are some basic tips for how to watch a surf contest. And hey look! The Volcom Fiji Pro contest is running now so you can put your new found skills to use!

What Everyone Should Know About Lap Swimming

Swimming is a great workout but I know that getting in the pool during lap swim hours can be intimidating. It may seem like swimmers have their own code of conduct and rules. Well, we do. Here are some basic etiquette tips for lap swimming.

What kinds of things to you pin on Pinterest?

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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post to help get the word out about the MoonWalk NYC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

New York City at night

During my last semester of college at Columbia University, I took a course called The History of the City of New York with Professor Kenneth T. Jackson. Professor Jackson is an urban history scholar and a preeminent authority on all things New York City. His class was one of those classes that everyone wanted to get into.

I think that his class was one reason that I fell in love with New York City. We went on walking tours and field trips and learned all these amazing facts about the city. The best part was an all-night bike tour from Morningside Heights in Upper Manhattan to the Brooklyn Promenade. He has been doing the all-night bike tour for almost 40 years now.

I rented a bike with my sister and we took off with at least a 100 or more people from Columbia’s campus around 11pm and made our way through the city. We stopped at various sights along the way and Professor Jackson shared stories with us. We rode down along the Hudson River bike path (before it became the very nice Hudson River Park) and made a pit stop for some beers at the Ear Inn - the oldest working bar in New York City. Then we made our way to Fulton Fish Market (when it still thrived by South Street Seaport) and across the Brooklyn Bridge.

I got to see my city at night – lit up, shut down, moving to a rhythm different than the hustle and bustle of the work day. It was such a fun experience and not one that’s easily recreated.

So when I was asked me if I wanted to power walk through the streets of New York overnight as part of Walk the Walk America‘s inaugural MoonWalk NYC, I said yes.

On July 20th, I’ll be embarking on an incredible overnight walk to raise money to ensure that everyone affected by breast cancer gets the care they need, no matter what.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancers. Approximately 1 in 8 or 12% of women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. But not everyone has the same access to care.

Money raised through the MoonWalk NYC will go to support Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Breast Examination Center of Harlem where over 80% of patients are uninsured.

17 years ago, a handful of women decided to power walk the New York City Marathon in their bras to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. Since then, over 300,000 people have participated in annual MoonWalks in London, Edinburgh and Iceland, raising over $126 million for breast cancer causes.

The MoonWalk NYC brings the event back to the city where it all started. In July, I will join thousands of women and men and we’ll all be completing the event wearing decorated bras. Yup, that’s right. Won’t you join me?

• You can register to walk either the marathon or half marathon distance. Registration closes for the full marathon on June 17th.
• If you can’t participate, please consider making a donation through my page.

You can also follow Walk the Walk on Facebook and Twitter.

Let me know if you are going to participate. I’d love to meet up!

Have you ever walked all night long?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post to help get the word out about the MoonWalk NYC. I was asked to participate in this event and received a complimentary entry. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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