Blog Archives
One Strange October
Highlights of Octobers past… Boston, 2017
And so we turn the calendar to a Breast Cancer Awareness Month like no other.
As we kick off October, I find myself feeling more out of sorts than usual because I’m not gearing up for what’s been a favorite fall highlight since 2014. There’s no breast cancer awareness walk on my calendar. I completely understand why fundraising walks around the country for all types of causes have been put on hold until at least 2021, but this absence only punctuates another aspect of “normal” that no longer exists thanks to COVID-19.
My repeat readers probably recall my journey in the fight against breast cancer started as a tribute to my Mom, a warrior survivor; and my dear high school friend Elizabeth, who sadly lost her battle with the disease in 2016. The experience changed dramatically in 2018 when the annual 39.3-mile trek as part of Avon39 Walk to End Breast Cancer morphed into a much shorter walk through Central Park as Avon began a new partnership with the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides campaign. The mission, however, remained the same: to raise awareness about a disease that is still the leading cancer-killer of women worldwide and support patients and their families through the fight. This year, the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer initiative has made changes for less crowd-centric fundraising efforts and the main push kicks off today.
2016
Like so many people, I’m trying to navigate a much different October path this year. My passion for helping in this fight remains, but there comes a point when each of us has to step back and acknowledge “I can’t do it all.” I would have loved to join the Pink Forward Step Challenge, but between my new job in the contact tracing world; caring for my elderly parents; planning for an upcoming move and trying to stay healthy – physically and emotionally – well, sometimes you just have to say no.
What I can do is make a donation to this year’s Making Strides of Central park 2020 campaign. However, I encourage those only with the means to do so to consider doing the same. I realize it’s been an extremely difficult year for so many people, especially on the financial front. I hear about these hardships almost daily as I reach out to COVID cases and contacts around my beloved city.
2015
While everything looks very different, the passions that drive our heart and soul can remain strong and steadfast. Finding a different way to channel that energy will continue to be a challenge as we push forward through these difficult days. All we can do is try our best each and every day and not give up hope for better times ahead and more chances to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Keep On Keepin’ On…
Three of nine albums made during quarantine….so far!
On this Workout Wednesday, we’ve reached the middle of May and day number who-knows-what in this fight against COVID-19. States around the country are starting to re-open, but things here in New York City remain the same. As the monotony continues, I thought I’d share one thing that’s helped maintain my mental health in addition to my near-daily power walks through Central Park: Snapfish.
I don’t know about you, but while I’ve loved the simplicity of taking pictures on my iPhones for the past several years, I hate the fact those photos usually end up in a sea of disorganization on my laptop. So, I decided to tackle the tedious task of creating some actual “old-school” albums to be placed on a bookshelf. While I still have plenty to tackle, I’ve used Snapfish.com to slowly assemble memories from various vacations; four Avon39 Walks; highlights from last year’s NPC Brooklyn Grand Prix along with images captures during the 15 weeks of prep time leading up to the main event; and finally, two year-in-review compilations for 2014 and 2015. (James and I met in 2014, so I thought that was a happy place to start.) It’s been wonderful to receive the finished products in the mail, sit with a big glass of wine and re-live some happy memories. (Bonus: Snapfish has been offering great deals on albums and other photo creations almost daily since these quarantine days began.)
If there’s a creative project you’ve kept on the back burner because of all the normal chaos of life, maybe now’s the time to give it a whirl. Working on a crafty project can also provide a feeling of accomplishment on days when much of life has stood still. Speaking of getting things done, one of my besties texted me earlier this week to say she felt unproductive because the “only” things she got done that day were laundry, bills and some other paperwork. I reminded her completing any kind of chore on days when many of us would like to just pull the covers over our head and stay in bed is something to feel good about. Whether you get one or five things crossed off your to-do list today, give yourself the kudos you deserve. Things are hard right now, and we can only do our best each day we’re lucky enough to start anew.
If you’ve worked on a project that’s given you some joy during these challenging times, I’d love to hear about it! In the meantime, stay safe, soak up the warmer temperatures that are starting to creep into this otherwise unprecedented spring and do the best you can to stick with your plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Thank You, Walkers!
Thank you to Michelle & all the amazing Avon39 Warriors!
On this Motivation Monday, I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to the more than 2,400 warriors who spent their weekend walking 39.3 miles around the streets of Manhattan in the Avon 39 Walk to end Breast Cancer.
As my repeat readers may remember, this marked the first time since 2014 I couldn’t participate in the New York City event. That’s because my Goddaughter Lauren gave me the honor of being her sponsor for Confirmation. However, you may also recall my good friend and four-time Avon39 walking buddy Sue and I earned our 39 in Boston back in June. In addition to knowing I’d walk the walk somewhere in the country this year, I also decided to get out on Sunday and cheer on the men and women who pounded the pavement in an effort to raise $6.4 million in the fight against a disease that still affects too many people.
Being a spectator was a truly moving experience. I saw so much strength, determination and tenacity on the faces of the walkers of all ages and races as they pushed their way to the finish line – blisters and all! Even more powerful was the chance to hug my new friend, Michelle, and the rest of her “Team Awesome” crew. Michelle is a two-time cancer survivor and she was the lone speaker at this year’s closing ceremonies. Knowing survivors like Michelle and of course, my beloved Mom, is a constant reminder that we all have a fight in us, even when life throws you a serious curve ball.
Of course I also couldn’t help but think of my dear friend Liz, who lost her brave battle with breast cancer less than a month after last year’s Walk. However, I had to smile remembering how she met me, Sue and Molly along the route armed with supportive hugs and signs of encouragement. Her fierce spirit will forever be a source of energy in my life – on future walks and on all the twists and turns I encounter on this road called life.
I close with a simple thought: Wherever you live, I encourage you to jump on any opportunity to get out and support people putting their hearts into a good cause. It is amazing the power a high-five or shout of “you rock!” can have on a weary body or mind. Whether we’re walking, running, donating some dollars or standing on the sidelines screaming a heartfelt thank you, each of us can play a powerful part in the fight against breast cancer and other diseases as part of our never-ending journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Pulling Out All the Stops
Thanks for all the support along my training walks!
We made it to the first Motivation Monday of June! It’s hard to believe we’re quickly marching toward the halfway mark of 2017. What’s even harder for my brain to comprehend is at this time in three weeks, I’ll be recovering from the Avon 39 Walk to End Breast Cancer in Boston.
As the days leading up to the weekend-long, 39.3-mile journey wind down, I’m pulling out all the stops and asking more of my wonderful readers to join the fight against this devastating disease. Every two minutes, someone in America is diagnosed with breast cancer. As most of you know, my mom was one of them. So was my dear high school friend, Liz. My mom beat the disease, but sadly, Liz did not. We lost Liz less than one month after the New York City Walk last October. A true warrior to the end, Liz’s spirit will no doubt guide me and my friend Sue as we take to the Boston streets for our fourth Avon 39 experience together.
While the ultimate goal of Avon 39 is to wipe breast cancer from the face of the earth, funds raised will immediately assist the local and national organizations that help women and men – regardless of their ability to pay- get the care they need. These programs provide everything from food and financial help to transportation and childcare assistance for patients going to treatment sessions.
I’m beyond grateful to the family and friends who’ve donated so far. Thanks to your generous spirit, I’m on the verge of breaking the $5,000 mark. For anyone who’s put off donating until later, well, later is now. It takes just a few dollars and a few minutes to make a difference. All you have to do is click here and you’ll be taken to my fundraising page. If you happen to live in the Boston area, I also hope you’ll consider supporting Sue, me and all the other pink warriors from the sidelines. A few cheers and high-fives can really make a difference!
Thank you again for all the support here and on my social media channels. It’s another reminder about the power of teamwork when it comes to our efforts to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
A Shot of Presidential-Sized Motivation
Guess what? Remember those health and fitness resolutions you made at the start of the year? Well, you’ve reached a major milestone as this Motivation Monday brings us seven weeks into 2017! As I mentioned in previous posts, it takes about six weeks for new behaviors to take root as official habits. So, if packing your gym bag has become as routine as brushing your teeth before going to bed and you find yourself craving your daily dose of celery sticks – kudos to you!
To keep the momentum going, I encourage you to pat yourself on the back for all your hard work. I also offer this important reminder: success is never just about a number on the scale. Think about how many of these non-scale wins you’ve scored:
- Do you have more energy throughout the day?
- Are you sleeping better at night?
- Do you find yourself craving healthy snacks and meals?
- Do you feel more confident stepping out in that favorite pair of jeans?
Whatever you’ve accomplished, now’s the perfect time to set some new goals. Think about something that will keep you pushing through your weight training circuits; getting to that group exercise class on time and chopping veggies or prepping other healthy food for the work week. Maybe there’s a spring break trip, wedding, reunion or other special occasion in the not-so-distant future that you’d like to show up for feeling your best. Of course, your motivation could stem from the desire to gear up for a new season of new activities. This could be the spring you start training for your first 5K or Avon39 Walk to End Breast Cancer. Maybe you’d like to be able to play a sport with your son or daughter or simply have more energy for outdoor activities like hiking or cycling when the weather gets nicer.
In honor of President’s Day, I thought it would be fitting to wrap things up with some words of wisdom from some of our country’s notable leaders. As in years past, this is a non-partisan group of quotes. I simply chose words that inspired me. As we all set our sights on the health goals ahead, isn’t it great to think some motivational words from the past can inspire us on our current quest to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous?
“We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience.”–George Washington
Special Saturday Edition: Happy October!
Getting Pumped for Walk #3!
- This is the month the most important woman in my life, my mom, came into the world and
- It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month
In exactly two weeks from the moment you’re reading this, I’ll be making strides in my third Avon39 Walk to End Breast Cancer. Thanks to a generous group of friends and family, this looks to be my biggest fundraising year yet. Now I’m pulling out the stops to bring in as many dollars as I can in the fight against breast cancer.
The money raised will help fund research, awareness and education while also providing assistance for those affected by breast cancer and their loved ones. My beloved mom is a breast cancer survivor and one of my high school friends continues to wage her own war against the disease, so I can tell you from experience how each and every dollar really does count. I hope you’ll consider joining the fight. All you need to do is click here to make your tax-deductible donation. In case you’re wondering, more than 3,500 people participated in Avon39 here in New York City and raised more than $8.7 million. Since 2003, Avon39 walks around the country have raised nearly $590 million.
Aside from fundraising, I’ve been busy breaking in my sneakers on 10- and 13-mile training walks with my amazingly supportive boyfriend. I have at least two more training “sessions” in my future before the October 15th start. Soon, I’ll be buying my moisture-wicking socks, Band-Aid Friction Stick and other Walk “tools” for the 39.3-mile journey around Manhattan. Each day, I’m getting more and more excited to join fellow St. Mary’s Gael Sue for our third walk together. This year, we’re excited to have Molly, another high school gal pal, join in the fun! While Avon39 has become one of my new favorite fall traditions, my hope is that one day we won’t have to walk anymore.
One final note before you go off and enjoy some well-deserved weekend fun: thank you to all my readers for supporting all my adventures on this never-ending road to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
lauralovesfitness 