Park Journeys = Life Lessons

Thursday, August 9 I embarked on a Journey to Yellowstone National Park. No words can express the amount of gratitude I feel when I look back over the last week. I was gifted with an amazing camera to use while I was there. My first attempt at photography! I was amazed at how I saw things differently through a camera's eye. The big and the small of Yellowstone seemed to pop in a way that I never appreciated before. My mother was an exceptional artist and I was lucky enough to have this door opened for me to finally appreciate what came so naturally to her. On September 9, 2003 my mother made a journal entry addressed to her two oldest grandchildren and "all to come for today", it read:

"Message to Joshua &Nathanael & all to come for today, don't be superficial. Take time to really listen, to store away, to really hear. Don't be so eager to speak, to draw attention to yourself that you don't savor the moment with the person you're with. Moments are few and pass quickly. Take time - make time - to be real."

Yellowstone and the company I kept while there....that was REAL. The silence that surrounded us gave us the ability to really hear and learn from one another. Along life's journey, we are faced with blessings. My blessings last week came in the form of ten amazing kids who allowed me to be a part of their lives for five days during the Park Journey's Yellowstone trip. They made an impact on my life in a way that I'm not sure they can fully understand. They are all amazing, smart, talented kids who possess the power to do anything they want. In the majestic backdrop of Yellowstone National Park, they have renewed my spirit to become a lifeling learner. This is just a short note to them.

**********************************************************

Brianna, Lauren, Lateeka, Latrice, Mikayla,

Sean, Cortney, Xavier, Khalil and Jacques:

Throughout your life you will be faced with challenges. Those challenges are all merely steps that mold you and make you who you are. Some days are amazing, like that photo that is perfect on the first take. The lighting, the depth of field, all of it just seems to fall into place effortlessly. Other days, regardless of what you do, you still don't get the photo you want. The key is to never stop working for it or believing that you can achieve it. Never be ashamed to ask those who have more experience than you for help. (Thanks to Sean and Xavier I finally got the picture I wanted. It was one of 600+, but it's mine and it's perfect to me.)

Work, endurance, and humility breed success. Each of you has an amazing gift that you possess and you have the opportunity to make a difference in your lives and the lives of those you touch. You have the ability to impact people, always keep that in the back of your mind with the words you speak and the actions you exhibit. Much love to all of you. You have contributed to my life and my Yellowstone memories and I will be forever grateful to you.

Yellowstone is a part of all of us now and we too have left our mark there "STEEEEVE". When things get tough, and they will, be reminded of this time and realize that prior to Yellowstone, you were strong enough to endure the string of events that brought you to that peaceful and grand place. You will endure again and your Yellowstone will be waiting. Recognize that you have NO boundaries, you have NO walls. You have the choice to make the life you want. Be mindful in your choices and you'll see your skies open up!

Finally, don't be afraid to take the road less traveled. It is down those roads that you find the stillness of Trout Lake, the majesty of Yellowstone Falls, or the vivid colors of the Grand Prismatic.

 "There is pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society, where none intrudes,

By the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love not man the less, but Nature more,

From these our interviews, in which I steal

From all I may be, or have been before,

To mingle with the Universe, and feel

What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal."

- Lord Byron

Take a moment to check out their blog at www.parkjourneys.blogspot.com.

Has Anyone Seen My Point2?

Pittsburgh Marathon Race Day – what an exciting time. Over the last few years I have had the pleasure of running one of the first two legs of the marathon relay and then heading to the finish line to cheer on the field of runners. This year was pretty much the same with just one exception – I PR'd; Nope....not a Personal Record but a Personal Revelation. Standing amidst the crowd at Relay Exchange 1, I realized that somewhere along the way, I lost my Point2.

Just stick with me; I'll get to that later.

As I took off to complete my leg of the run, I was determined to do something I hadn't done in a while; I was going to pay attention to the people and places along the way. It started out like a typical run, people lining the streets and runners weaving their way through those around them. I settled into my pace and my eyes fell on two women running together. They stood out because I usually see these two ladies in the front row of my spin class lost in the moment of the ride. Today I saw two friends running together, covering the miles effortlessly. (Nice job Denise & Lynn!) As I made my way across the West End bridge, a road I'm usually driving at 40 MPH in my car, I slowed down to look to my left at the beautiful city where I was raised. Rounding the corner in the West End, I noticed a sign that said "Today is NO EXCUSES SUNDAY." I started to chuckle and then I realized the sign was being held by a coach who has inspired many people, myself included. Thankful for my coach, I began to reflect on the people I know and how each one brings different dimension to my life.

My short distance flew by as I made my way to my finish line and passed off the duties of our team to Jill, Dave and Erin who easily ran the next three legs (Go Team!). Smiling, I walked across the Smithfield Street Bridge and realized that I had actually enjoyed the miles I just covered! Then it hit me like a ton of bricks....that is what it’s all about right?

Before 2000, I was never really into fitness and I had NEVER considered myself an athlete. I ran my first marathon when I was 30 and it was the first REAL "athletic" thing I'd done! I signed up and trained just like the rest of the crew. I woke up race day a little more nervous than the experienced runners around me. They were talking bagels and carb loading, electrolyte replacements and fuel for the run. I was completely out of my element because all I wanted to do was throw up! I did make it to the start line however and when the gun sounded signaling the start of the race, my feet started to move! The miles flew by and I was totally consumed with what it was I was doing.

I remember something from almost every mile in that race. A blue sign at Mile 1 held by a proud husband that read "my wife rocks", a flock of geese settling onto the lake at mile 12, the lady from Kansas who paced me through miles 17-22 when I thought I was going to die. All of those things are as clear as day in my mind, but the one thing I remember the most about that day is my Point2. Passing the 26 mile marker and starting up that last hill, my eyes filled with tears as I realized "holy crap, this is it, Point2 and I'm done! I can do Point2!" These were the last moments before I could call myself a marathoner. There was one hill and 385 yards between me and the finish line. I began to think of myself differently. With commitment and training, I could do anything! This was MY marathon. The miles behind me were MY miles. I went into this race because I wanted it, not because I was trying to impress someone. My teary eyes opened wide to take in all of the people lining the streets to cheer us all across the finish line. I waved and smiled, grateful that they were sharing this with me. As I crossed the finish line and the announcer called out my name I yelled, "That's me!" Damn I was proud of myself and what I had accomplished. I didn't look back and say, "Well it wasn't my best effort but...." I was there....in my moment.

The marathon training changed my body, the event changed my life.

Over the next 11 years, I morphed into the person that I am today but along the way, I somehow forgot how to pay attention. I forgot what it felt like to pass that 26 mile marker and experience my first Point2. This "life changing event" turned into something that I needed to beat, something that I needed to do better. The competitive nature of my spirit took over and I began to lose sight of the goodness in endurance events. Yesterday, when I asked some of my friends about their experience for the day, I heard, "Well I didn't PR but..." "It wasn't my best showing but..." "I only did the relay but..." and so on. When did stepping up to participate in an endurance event of any distance become not good enough?

Am I saying to offer less than your best at every turn? COME ON…..you know me better than that! Don't misunderstand me; this is not a suggestion to settle for less. It is merely a suggestion to not allow the endless pursuit of another PR to take the joy of the event away from you. Maybe you're running slower today because you're training for another event. Maybe you ran the relay or couldn't participate because you're injured and just can't do the distance. Maybe you didn't PR because you just didn’t have it today!

Work hard, train hard and stop making excuses. If you don’t hold back your effort, you can be proud of your race. Enjoy your Point2 and crossing the finish line, but don't forget about the miles leading up to the finish line! Once those seconds are gone and the miles are covered, there are no do-overs so stop to smell the Biofreeze along the way!

Ride on!

Your 100%

As I sat this evening finishing up Hard Core Part 4, I decided to take a small detour and focus a little on something that's on my mind. You know the old saying, "You gotta crawl before you walk." Well wiser words were never spoken.

This morning I had the pleasure of spending a little one on one Cardio Core time with one of my favorite peeps. She and I have been working together for about seven months now and her fitness level has improved considerably from when we first met. I love her determined spirit. It's that spirit that has led her to do great things. It's also what is holding her back.

"Never despise small beginnings, and don't belittle your own accomplishments. Remember them and use them as inspiration as you go on to the next thing. When you venture outside your comfort zone, wherever the starting point may be, it's kind of a big deal."
- Chris Guillebeau

Kind of a big deal? ABSOLUTELY! The mere thought of making changes and leaving your comfort zone can be intimidating. Even worse, when we leave our comfort zone and things don't go as planned, it can be devastating.

It can also be empowering. You make the choice.

Recognizing that you have a weakness is actually a beautiful step in the right direction. It's in that moment that you can really hone in on the change that your body needs. Each body is different and, for that reason, everybody will begin their journey in a different place and progress at different speeds. Only you can determine what you need and the speed at which you fulfill those needs. Come into each day with your game face on and, most importantly, IDENTIFY YOUR 100%. Don't benchmark yourself against someone else because they, most likely, are not in the same position as you. Doing this will only discourage you and derail your progression. The key to turning devastation into empowerment is to celebrate the small victories.

I’ve come to think of high performance as showing off. Showing off isn’t about bragging or arrogance. Showing off simply means bringing your best to everything that you do. It’s about being focused and working with the intention of creating results that benefit you in any given situation. Showing off means creating value through accomplishment and finding your "TA-DA" moment.

Take a minute after every workout to focus on what you DID accomplish, not what you didn't. Celebrate the victory that you did five full push-ups before dropping to your knees (2 more than last week)! Then, knowing that you CAN be successful, button down, get outside of your comfort zone, and get ready for next week's celebration. 

Ride on!
MP

I'm Just Sayin....

So check this out.....I got the coolest email today from one of my peeps sharing with me a complement she got from one of her co-workers.

We started working together about 5 months ago. I had always invited her to come to one of my Psycle Indoor Cycle classes and, while she said she would, she never did. I figured I would ask one last time and finally, somewhat apprehensively, she took her first IC class on Labor Day (Sept 5) - 6 weeks ago. After class she said it was "ok" but that she would return.

She has come to 19 Indoor Cycle classes since that time. She rides heavy, she rides fast. She rides like she means it. She never walks out wondering if she gave enough. She rides the kind of ride that will sometimes push you to tears because you have virtually NOTHING LEFT but those tears. That is something everyone should experience (thanks RTB). She doesn't compromise her workouts. Not ever. To her it's not just a class, it means something.

She has since lost eight inches. EIGHT INCHES!

To all of you haters - stop hating. My friend is 54 years old with tight hamstrings and she has earned every single one of those inches! I cannot begin to describe how proud I am of her. She is a strong athlete who doesn't just attend the class - she shows up determined to ride like a champion. She takes control of every one of those 3600 seconds in that hour and makes them work for her.

I guess my point is.....if you want something bad enough, you'll make the effort. How badly do you want it? Bad enough to get really, really uncomfortable? Bad enough to say NO to the stuff you know is sabotaging you reaching your goal?

It is totally your call. Stop wondering and start living!

I'm just sayin.......

In Living Memory of......

I finished up my latest post a couple of days ago with all intention of uploading it tonight before I laid my head down to sleep. I fired up the laptop and logged on to Blogger. That's when I decided to take 15 minutes to read and watch Steve Jobs' 2005 Commencement address at Stanford University. I'd watched it a while back but reading it today, at this time in my life, something was different. With tears in my eyes, all of a sudden everything I wrote was a blur and seemed completely inadequate.

I'm going to sign off and encourage all of you to take 15 minutes, click on the above link "In Living Memory of", and read or watch.

Treat yourself and those you meet daily with respect and love. Your actions and how you live do make a difference.
"Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."
                        ~ Steve Jobs

Snooze or Cruise?

Yeah yeah I know, we've all been there. You set the alarm before heading off to bed with every intention of rising early and getting in that "killer" workout. You're excited as you drift off to sleep and look forward to the early morning wake-up.

Then it happens...the alarm starts buzzing and as you reach over to silence it, you begin to reason with yourself as to why you should stay in bed. It's way too early. It's way too cold. You're way too tired. You find that glorious little snooze button, and press it down hard. Silence returns to your bedroom and as you close your eyes and feel that comfortable sleep come over you again, you tell yourself "five more minutes".

After a few minutes, the alarm sounds and again you hit snooze. You repeat this a couple more times until finally you give in and turn it off all together. It's too late to get up and exercise now but there's always tomorrow.

At the time, hitting the snooze sure feels like a good idea. After all there are some mornings where all you need is just another 30 minutes of sleep. But I'm going to urge you to start to look at your snooze button differently. Think about it this way - every time you hit "snooze", you delay action. You stay in the same place, in the same moment and make the statement that you're not ready to move forward. All good intentions and good planning are wiped away with one sweep of the hand and press of that little button.

Dramatic? OK - maybe a little.

Take a second and write down one thing that you would do if you knew that you could not fail. Now look at what you wrote and imagine how quickly you'd get there if you hit snooze every time you started on your journey. Any successful person will tell you that there is one constant in realizing success and that is ACTION. When we force ourselves to take action, especially in those instances when we really just don't feel like it, we call on ourselves at a higher level and THAT is where great things start to happen. Just think about the massive initial push that it takes to get a stalled car moving again. Once the wheels are put into motion, the pushing gets a lot easier.

I challenge you to commit to find YOUR power through action. Tomorrow morning, as the alarm rings loud to wake you out of your slumber, throw back the cover, put your feet fast to the floor, stand up and take charge of the day. Don't give yourself a second to think about it. Silence the voice that is begging you for just five more minutes and just make it happen. Don't wait until you "feel like it" to take action - that time may never come. Attack the day with a warriors heart. It is with that heart, my friends, that you will discover how great you can really be.

Catch you in the cycle room!
Ride on!

Visit http://www.psyclefitness.com/ to register for your next Indoor Cycle Class. I mean who wouldn't want to burn 500 - 800 calories before breakfast?

Labor Day Weekend is Here!

OK - I know you guys have all been DYING to check out Psycle Fitness! Well, you're in luck - we will finally be having our grand opening on September 16 & 17, BUT that's not the reason for this post. I wanted to give you a heads up to a special Labor Day ride.

Monday, September 5

9:45 - 10:45 am

Psycle Fitness - 16087 Perry Highway, Warrendale

www.psyclefitness.com <---where you can sign up

Here's the deal, there are 26 bikes (really really nice smooth bikes). I would just LOVE to get them all filled and get a wait list going. It's a great facility and I would love it if you guys could join me. I will also be doing a couple of raffles and numerous give-aways so don't miss out! You get a raffle ticket for just showing up - if you can coax someone into signing up with you....you get another ticket!

Class sign-up is open. Visit www.psyclefitness.com and click on "Register for Classes". Go to 09/05/2011 and click the "Sign Up Now" link. If you've never been there before it will ask you to create a log-in. It's very simple and will take about 3 minutes from start to finish. The best part is....you get to hang with me in the coolest Cycle Studio in Western PA and your first class is free!

By registering, you are reserving a bike so PLEASE don't register unless you plan on coming. If you do plan on coming - PLEASE don't forget to register!! As long as you are on the list, you will have a bike for sure!!

OK - that's all for now.
 
See you in the Cycle Room!

Michelle

Michelle Parolini "Likes" This

Take a minute to stop and think about your last workout. It does not matter what it was, when it was or where it was. What matters is HOW it was. Did you barely hit the mark or did you blow it away? Was it the kind of workout that you would post on Facebook allowing all of your friends to hit the "like" button? Nobody is looking and nobody knows what you're thinking so be honest with yourself. I would venture the guess that there's a good bit of us would try it a little differently if we could hit rewind.

We don't usually get second chances....but today is your lucky day.

Make the decision right now to change the way you determine how good you really are. What would you do at this moment in your life, if you knew that you could not fail? Would you complete a marathon, cycle a century, compete in an endurance challenge or complete your first Spinning class? Would you do something so outrageous that your Facebook page would literally blow up with "likes" after you posted your status along with the photos?

Take the challenge and don't let your mind stop your body from making it happen.

**********************************
MONSTER "LIKES"

• New Schedule at Psycle starting July 1:
• Monday - Friday 6:00 - 7:00 am class will now be 5:30 - 6:30 am
• Monday - Friday 5:30 - 6:30 pm class will now be 6:00 - 7:00 pm
• Shower rooms are up and running and looking great! Join us before you head to work! Shower towels are available for $1.
• July 4  TWO great one hour rides - 8:30 am with Tom and 9:45 am with Michelle. Don't miss out burning off a few calories before we celebrate our independence!

Does More Saddle Time Equate to Faster Bike Splits

If you're looking for a good article about balancing life and training on the bike....check it out.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=2283

Ride on!

Kind of A Big Deal

So Friday morning we said goodbye to another one of our Boot Camp family members heading (back) to Philly for work. This blog post is dedicated to her. I'm proud of the progress she experienced throughout the course of her time here in Pittsburgh. I'm also excited that Emily has decided to step outside of her comfort zone and start down a new road. Good luck in all that you do Emily and we will miss you at 6:00 am!

Chris Guillebeau said, "Never despise small beginnings, and don't belittle your own accomplishments. Remember them and use them as inspiration as you go on to the next thing. When you venture outside your comfort zone, wherever the starting point may be, it's kind of a big deal."

Kind of a big deal? ABSOLUTELY! The mere thought of making changes and leaving your comfort zone can be intimidating. However, it is the commitment to those changes when the REAL fear factor enters in! I hear from a lot of people how they wish they could be more fit. Regardless of the physical differences of each individual, the myraid of excuses they put forth does not vary much from one person to the next.

"I'm just so tired."
"I just don't have the time."
"I don't know how or where to start."
"I can't do it because I'm so out of shape." (one of my personal favorites)

So how do you get from point A to point B and do it successfully? YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN.

Riddle me this. You've always wanted to visit Italy. How do you get there? (Humor me) I would imagine that you would take a few steps that are pretty blatantly obvious but below is how I'd go about it.

• Get the brochure. At the beginning of every experience, you need a mental picture of the end point. What is it that you would ultimately like to accomplish? Where is it that you would ultimately like to be? There are a lot of cities to visit. Identify which ones are most important right now and focus solely on them.
• Buy the ticket and commit. You have got to understand that unless you really want it, it will not hold enough importance to you. If you want something bad enough, you'll pay the freight and make it happen.
• Plan your trip. Setting goals is an integral component of success. Would you seriously fly to another country without a plan? The key to progressing from one goal to the next is to stay focused. Know the plan for any given day and stick to it!
• Find a travel buddy. Share your goals with someone. Writing them down is the first step but it's not until the spoken word comes out of your mouth that you actually put yourself in a position to be held accountable. Sometimes all it takes is a little accountability!

Now with all of that being said (or written in this case), take it and put it to work for you in the health and fitness field. You've already got the starting point covered. That is where you are today. Now take the time to map out your success route.

• Only YOU can determine what it is that YOU want.
• Find a good personal trainer that can work with you to outline specific and reasonable goals. If you do not know of any, let me know and I can offer a little direction to find one.
• Who gets to be your travel buddy? If you're in need - I'm always up for the task! Feel free to share your goals with me. I promise you that we will celebrate every accomplishment!

Just writing it down and uttering the words don't make the commitment happen. You have to come into each day with your game face on and Identify YOUR 100%. I’ve come to think of high performance as showing off. Showing off isn’t about bragging or arrogance. Showing off simply means bringing your best to everything that you do. It’s about being focused and working with the intention of creating results that benefit you in any given situation. Showing off means creating value through accomplishment and finding your "TA-DA" moment.

Can you remember the last thing you did that was wildly outside your comfort zone? Now is the time! Never underestimate yourself!!

************************************************************************
Stay tuned! What's in store for May:

• Follow my training for the Rachel Carson Challenge
• HIIT training - what can it do for you?
• New Clean Eating recipes (Posted the second Sunday of each month!)
• Core move of the month (Posted the third Sunday of each month!)

Thanks for hanging in there with me.
Follow me on Twitter @misfitspin