I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.
Og Mandino
student of life, runner, & total nerd
I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.
Finally one of the cool kids.
Way easier than blogging when I want to simply share a photo or video. Plus, way more conveniently organized.
Also read that it could be used to help flesh out your personality to potential employers through showing what you're interested in without Facebook.
Definitely growing on me, quickly.
Check it out:
http://pinterest.com/kaitvinson/
Distance: 5 mi
Terrain: Mountain roads
Weather: Freezing, Sunset
Attitude: Strong
Music: "Young, Wild & Free" by Wiz Khalifa & Snoop Dogg & "International Love" by Pitbull feat. Chris Brown
As a skier and a runner, my knees have always plagued me. It started when I was in middle school and playing soccer, when I would have to wrap my knees just to support them enough so they wouldn’t hurt. Then when I was in high school, I broke my kneecap in a biking accident. I’ve also always had ankle problems stemming from multiple twisting and strains when I was dancing. To top it all off, I am naturally flat-footed. In fact, my feet are so flat that if I leave a footprint you can see the whole outline of my foot, and no arch.
Needless to say, that triple threat has made my sports less than comfortable for me. I’ve tried different shoes, custom inserts and various other tactics to try to decrease the pain that impact-heavy running and skiing always causes.
But recently, I actually found a solution. At first, I thought it was too good to be true, but after a few months of consistent runs, I am pleased to say that I have almost completely eliminated the pain in my knees, ankles and feet.
What is my secret? I started using GelThotics inserts.
They are essentially an S-shaped piece of gel that fits in your shoe under the manufacturer’s insole that cradles your heel and supports your arch (or lack of one). They are just soft enough to give on high impact sports like running but solid enough to give support on others like biking and the elliptical.
(Click here to see how they work.)
At first, they made my feet ache after long periods because of my flat-footedness but when I would run, it would absorb some of the pressure of my knees, so I stuck with them. After a little while and my feet adjusted, the inserts have improved my spring step allowing me to correct my stride so that I can run faster easier without feeling like my feet are slapping the pavement and my heels are taking the brunt of the pressure.
The only correction I would have for the developers is some way to extend the gel thinly in the full shape of the shoe so that it can be cut down to fit the shoe. The reason for this is that when I run long distances, the inserts slide out of optimal position so I have to readjust. Either that or find a way to secure the insert to the shoe or insoles to prevent movement.
I just wanted to share with you all how pleased I am to finally be running pain-free after all these years. And hopefully, my knees will last longer than the usual lifespan of a typical runner/skier.
(Check out their site and the insert here.)
What do you use to alleviate knee, ankle or foot pain?
A post from before the Dirty Girl Mud Run 9/24/11
The time is finally here. A couple months have turned into a couple of weeks and now only a few days until the coolest thing I will do this summer: the Dirty Girl Mud Run. All the running and training the past few months my sister and I have been doing will finally pay off… Or will it?
Can I be honest? I’ve let life get the best of me the last week or so, and we haven’t been running or training like we had originally intended. So needless to say, I’m a little nervous about how I’ll do, and with my active imagination, I’ve envisioned every possible situation in which I fall flat on my face during some important obstacle and let my team down. My sister on the other hand, appears completely fearless, and when there was a slight possibility she wouldn’t be able to run because of a figure skating competition, she begged my mom to let her run with me.
Because she is a competition pro, I thought I could probably stand to learn a few things from her when it comes to turning jitters into excitement. So, I asked her what she was thinking about the race and being nervous and she looked at me like I was crazy. She’s not nervous, duh. However, I was able to get a few words of wisdom from her and here’s what she said:
“It’s only a race, so if you don’t finish first it’s not the end of the world.”
“You won’t die by running a 5K, so just do it.”
And, “If you’re confident you can do it, you can, so don’t worry about it.”
Pretty smart for a 14 year old huh? Oh and she “maybe, kinda” wants to beat her big sister. —————————————-
Since I’m running with my baby sister, I also asked her what she wants to do when she’s finished the race. Of course, she wants to try a virgin Cosmo – I hope they have them! – and see what other cool stuff is there. As for me, I’m going to give her the biggest, muddiest, bear hug ever, whether she likes it or not! (Shh! Don’t tell her I said that!)
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Here are some photos from the Dirty Girl Mud Run. Best time I've had my sister :)
I am currently working with the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver in developing a Masters program in Entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship is close to my heart as it has allowed me to become who I want to be and continues to be my everyday passion. Not only that but entrepreneurs create jobs. Whether new or continuing education, providing resources for our community fosters success as a result of superior business planning.
So all I am asking is if you are interested in entrepreneurship, own your own business or would like to find out more, if you could take this quick survey for me?
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DUMSE
Everyone who participates can enter to win a $25 Starbucks gift card by random drawing.
Preliminary results will be collected this week but your input will be welcomed on a continual basis as we develop the program.
Thank you all!
Blast from the past - totally for fun lol
