What I love most about the holidays is the reminder for people to be giving, thinking less of themselves and more of others. I certainly don't think that this is the only time of year that you should give to others, but if you need a reminder to carry you into the New Year, than this time of year is the perfect time to jolt the giving into action.
Today on the this Tuesday afternoon I will be headed to Sliver Pizzeria in Berkeley, www.sliverpizzeria.com.
First off, I love Sliver Pizzeria for its year round giving nature and of course it's amazing pizza. Sliver is unique in it's kind because they are a pizzeria whose mission statement is as follows: " To use the freshest and finest quality ingredients on our pizza as a means to promoting human health and empowering the fight against human trafficking around the world." How could you not get on board with this company!
Meet Willy (above.)
What I am doing to help them out: Today December 3, 2013 from 2-5pm, I will be volunteering to make pizza pies with the help of the expert himself and the owner, Willy Perez. Hopefully I prove to be a good pizza maker. What makes today even more special is that we will be hand delivering the pizza to the Boys and Girls Club of Oakland. I grew up going to the Boys and Girls Club, where my dad headed the Sports program before I, myself worked there as one of my first jobs in High School. This is very near and dear to my heart. TIME TO GO MAKE SOME PIZZA! I will update with photos and maybe a recap after the event! HOPE TO SEE ANYONE WHO IS LOCAL!!
Thanksgiving has passed and December has finally arrived. In our normal fashion, my husband and I were up first thing on the morning of December 1st retrieving our Christmas boxes from the attic. Accompanying our hustle to set up our house in to an acceptable Winter Wonderland was Pandoras Holiday Station to which I am singing at the top of my lungs. With Holiday music blaring my mood is at the top end of joyful. I am a holiday freak, and I like for all of the holidays to stay in their lane, I have to admit I was some what disappointed with the über early Christmas shelving displays at select stores, mainly because I like the build up to the Christmas BOOM! Regardless, we kept our Christmas decorations sealed up until we felt was appropriate, we wanted to let Thanksgiving have it's time too. This year we were going to celebrate Chanukah (Hanukkah) , but with leaving town and all, we couldn't get those decorations up since Chanukah and Thanksgiving shared time this year, next year!
Here is how we set up our home thus far, this will be about a week long ordeal!
It's just the beginning!
Dinner table is set up… (trying not to be anal about messing it up for 25 days will be a challenge!)
Time to let her loose!
Free Willamina!
Isn't she lovely?!
Now to dress her, she's naked! Sorry for the indecent exposure.
Today was the High School Footlocker Cross Country NE Regionals also powered by Asics, to which I had the most honorable opportunity to partake in congratulating and encouraging these athletes. This meet was a race that qualified the top 10 athletes a bid to race at the Footlocker Cross Country National Meet held in San Diego, CA on December 14, 2013.
They had to conquer this 5,000 meter course (200meters over 3 miles) for their spots.
There were amazing wins, fights for the first 10 spots in the championship race, there was the devastating 11th place finish and there were the athletes that were fighting their own battles and celebrating the small victories. What I love so much about youth sports in general is the sheer innocence that is involved in competition.
While these youngsters were asking me to give a few inspiring words as they asked advice, I sat steadily learning from them being inspired by them myself.
A mentor of mine, once told me: "The teacher learns more in the process of teaching."
After these interactions, I always remember what he means. I always find myself inspired and eager to sit down at my own personal drawing board.
The people I met and the corresponding advice I gave;
(The advice I give comes as I put myself in their shoes having worn them all myself in varying sizes.)
1. The "I'm happy with the win, but I feel so nervous of the expectation of winning next time." Advice 1. Focus on your accomplishment right now, don't let this victory pass you by, appreciate it. The truth is, it may not happen again, but you now know that it CAN happen. Don't worry about tomorrow, you have no control over it. When you get to that bridge to cross it, fear not, you are the one who has built that structure laying down all the planks yourself so you can cross it. That does not mean you will be guaranteed to be the first person to cross it, but you can do everything in your power to lay your own planks to get to other side. Yes, it is a fact that there is another person that is building a bridge to get to a similar point as you, dwelling on the "what if's" disables you from seeing the "what is".
2. The "I used to win all the time, but I can't quite fight the mental demons and the pressure, how do I make it fun again, I worry about everyone else's times and who might beat me." Advice 2. Truth is you can't win all the time, but you can certainly try! Try and get back to the basics, set aside a positive for every negative thought that comes to mind. If worrying about other athletes, whose in the race and what time they have run before throws you off, DO NOT LOOK AT THE ENTRIES, get off of forums that direct you to links about your upcoming events or past ones that might throw you off. Let family and friends in on how you feel about it, so they know that it effects (you won't be able to stop everyone from infiltrating your thought process, but who cares because those people don't matter, and what do they know anyway, the truth is "Haters or gonna hate" and they should probably be worrying about themselves.
Remember all stats are just recordings of events on paper, you can't record heart and courage. All favorites are just predictions and no body can predict the future. Anything can happen on any day, no one is immune to fortune, disparity, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and so on! Encourage yourself by focusing on the HERE and NOW. Don't blame yourself for not winning, it really isn't what it is about at the end of the day. In life things will often pan out differently as YOU planned, the best you can do is take it in, think it out, move it on. In, out, on… repeat that. Before you know it you will have taken the pressure off of yourself and will allow yourself the opportunity to have fun again, these feelings may return on and off, but it is a practice, keep at it!
3. The "I'm just so happy to be here!" Advice 3. Um… GREAT!!! (HUGS!!)
4. The "I'm just not good enough." Advice 4. What does "good enough" mean. Never tell yourself you are not "good enough" for anything. You are your own entity, therefore you write your own standard of what is "good enough". Maybe you are not a 5K runner, at the end of the day, it's what your doing now, but it may not be your future. That is OK, but the truth is YOU FINISHED THE RACE, you are GOOD ENOUGH. Be a team leader, be the inspirational guru. If you feel like you lack in the physical ability at the moment, but you still want to be on the team, don't worry you don't have to miss out on the fun of being on a team in High School because you are not one of the top scoring runners, everyone on the team has an important role… including YOU!!! Cross Country is important to build overall strength and fitness, so don't give up, ask you coach if he thinks there any other events you can try for the track season, but please don't give up on cross country.
Cheer up, you are somebody!
5. The "But, I'm a middle distance runner…" Advice 5. Great you are already ahead of the game, the longer distances and training you are getting now in Cross Country will give you a better base of strength endurance as you move towards track season. You will thank me later. Stick with it.
6. The "I'm trying, but I just can't seem to get better" Advice 6. Sit back and look at your training from the outside. Talk to your coach, is it a training issue why you are not getting better or are you being impatient. Sometimes improvements come very quickly and then we ride a plataeu for a little bit until we get better OR sometimes we ride a plateau, drop drastically or gradually before climbing back up again. It is all apart of the process and everybody goes through it. Again, don't give up and know that you are building tremendous character.
7. The "I was so close, and and… I don't know, I just missed it (sobs)" Advice 7. Ah, I knew this would come up, I know how you feel. This one race does not define you. You are great, you know it's there inside of you. Maybe there is a piece of your race you can tighten up for the next time you give it a go. But there is a possibility that everyone else ran out of their minds too, don't discount the ability of the other runners. Don't over think what could have been or what wasn't, your sure to get another chance in another area at another time. Don't let this put you in a funk or a depression… Don't kill me when I say the words I dread to hear myself, but it is "JUST A RACE", one that you put in a lot of time dedication and passion, that's why you feel the way you do, but at the same time the reason I mention it is "JUST A RACE" is so that you see that there is a much bigger picture to this race. Who you are isn't based on what place you finished, but in the fact that you cared, you tried, you want to be better, you set a goal and went after it, whether you hit the exact goal you were working towards doesn't matter to the character you built in that process. Now, sit down at your drawing board and make a plan. This race has made you hungrier than ever, and the hunger of an ambitious being, is a force to be reckoned with.. USE IT!!! It' is not about the destination, it is about the journey.
I get it, I know it, I've been there and it is all so familiar when I am talking with the athletes that are searching for answers. I am thankful to have these questions come my way, as I was able to remind myself.
BIGGEST TAKE AWAYS:
Build your own bridge, know others may be building one to get to a similar spot, don't tear others bridges down and don't take short cuts to building your bridge.
You can't win all the time. (If, you're anything like me, you are probably thinking WHY NOT!) Good thing is…
You can always TRY! "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
Remember the basics "Take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves."
Don't worry about other people. When it comes to affecting your performance and something that may be hurting you mentally, forget em… And really they should most likely be worrying about themselves, don't listen to the "Haters". If you can't figure out a polite way to tell them, "my coach and I got it"… send them this video link.
Be happy
You write your own standard for greatness, don't try to fit in someone else's box of "good enough"
Anything can happen on any day!
It is not about the destination, it's about the journey.
IN, OUT, ON- Take it in, Think it out, Move it on.
To... Exorbitant amounts of food for making you feel guilty about your fitness progression or goals.
Ok, thanksgiving is about more than food, right? But isn't it? Let's face it… You can't deny that being around family and friends, enjoying their presence and the food they have prepared for you to scarf at your leisure is very much apart of the Thanksgiving equation…
For your convenience: I've put together a method of how to enjoy yourself on this day with all the pleasure and less of the guilt.
I just can't take the day off...
Set aside a time in the morning for you to sneak away. Maybe normally on Thursdays you do a 2 hour gym session or a 3 hour bike ride or a kickboxing routine that was meant to shame the likes of Jackie Chan. But this year, you've been asked to contribute a dish or you are somewhere you can't continue your normal routine. My advice is to… shall I say it… relax. There are several ways to go about this depending on your demands. 1.You are a fitness lover or just started your path to reach your fitness goals and you don't want to lose your streak- Join in on your local Turkey Trot. 2.You are a Professional athlete or someone who has been training for an upcoming event- Plan to wake up earlier to get your workout done. (in the future see if it is possible to regiment your workout week to have an easier day on Thursday.) 3.You are not competing in an event any time soon- Maybe you can plan to have only a 1hour gym session or run an easy 30 minutes instead of an hour and add core and strength to the last half hour, or perhaps going on an hour ride. Try your best to limit that endorphin flow to 1hour to allow time to be giving on this day. I know it sounds easier than it really is, but try to remember BALANCE. It's really simple, and I wouldn't freak out about not getting in the whole kit and caboodle of your normal routine. But if you are one of those lucky few that can wake up to their alarm set earlier than usual, then... resume as usual, the holidays shouldn't handicap you, but enhance you.
But I want to enjoy ALL the food!
Do IT!
Be more of a taste tester than a gorger. For instance, you see.... Potato salad, Macaroni and cheese, tuna salad, mashed potatoes, stuffing (my mouth is watering), then you see.... ham, and of course that beautiful stuffed turkey. To top it off on the dessert table it seems like 'Mr. Spoil Your Hard Work' himself has come to bury you in a world of mouth watering insanity.
Just remember your plate clock.
Plate clock n.: A method used to remember how to properly portion your food groups for more healthful eating at meal times.
How to structure a plate clock:
Using a side plate load half your plate with veggies, and eat that first... This will help satiate your hunger and add some substance to your tummy so that the juicy stuff doesn't even have room to infiltrate your system and your only choice really will be to enjoy it in moderation. 1/4 of the clock should be your protein and if that means instead of eating a whole 1/4 side of turkey because you want some ham then have an 1/8 of ham and 1/8 of Turkey (you get it?) For the carbs do the same thing… 1/4 total of Mash potatoes and Macoroni and cheese or its relatives. Make it a rule that just a little of each and your 1/4 should serve you just fine.
Look at it this way:
Taste it all, but keep the size of your food groups in the clock the same.
Ah now for dessert…
If you are one of those people that must try all, Imagine one slice of pie and treat your dessert portions as such. If you're not …Find your "to die for" dessert and stick to it.
Most of all don't let the food part stress you out, socialize and focus in on the people you are with, that'll be sure to burn some time and should distract your brain from gorging and exploding your tummy. ...You never know it could happen.
A few years back, in 2011 I married my longtime friend from the 8th grade, Louis Montano. Life has been a bit different, but in the best way possible. Going through my day to day life with work and spending good quality time with my man has been a very fine balancing act.
How do I do it?
I focus on the here and now, the present, and I make sure to be certain I am present with Louis when I am off of duty… still a work in progress, but it’s coming. I make sure that the time away from my job/passion, isn’t still so stuck on ME, ME, ME.
On a day to day basis when working hard towards any goal and morphing your YOU to your needs as life keeps moving and changing ever so slightly. A degree of self-time, often misinterpreted as selfishness, to say the least, is important. When it comes to putting in the grunt work, nothing else seems to matter when you spike up, hit the pavement, sweat your blood, whatever it is that you do… It can not be denied that it has to be you, squeezing every ounce out of your physical and mental capacity on any given day. For me, now that I have another half, doing that and then coming home to warmth and love requires both parties. I therefore, put off anything that may hinder me from taking that ME first attitude home, because the second I walk up to the door and take off my work shoes its US.
Methods used to be less selfish in times where selfishness is prohibited/ frowned upon (i.e with your loved ones, husband, wife or children… this also includes good friends) you may want to call this after hours. There is a time and a place for everything, or so they say… I miss the boat on other areas of my life, but I try very hard to catch this ship as it sails.
1. We turn off our work phones after 6pm (it's really just our cell phones, but we don't do work calls), from dinner time on, anything work related after this time is now tomorrow related… sorry, we are closed, its MONTAÑO time.
2. We also turn off all forms of technology that are separators rather than bonders, unless we do it together… like video games, movies, sporting events.
3. We find things that we both like to do and do it together. Working out together, hiking, biking, running.
4. We spend a lot of time with our friends, playing board games, going to the beach, watching movies… and best of all READING, sometimes even out loud to each other before bed. (embarrassing? maybe… but its true.) Enjoy! Alysia Montaño
Truly… I want to share my what I am involved in and what I am wanting to get involved in.
Truth is…
I have a hard time sitting and posting what I feel when I am feeling it, and for some reason having a blog on my website that involved me encoding and embedding and all of the stuff I am not good at made sharing a lot less fun for me.
Sure…
I can write.
Truth is…
I really am not a blogger.
Funny…
I have signed up for a "blogger" Blog Spot.
Truth is…
I am more of a performer, a creative being, an aspiring entertainer of sorts.
(Live the life you've always dreamed of, be fearless in the face of adversity, never stop learning, be true to who you are, recognize, the beauty that surrounds you, be the architect of your own destiny, this life is yours to CREATE.)
One day…
I would love to have a regular video blog or be involved in some sort of series whether it be acting on the big screen or a reality show on www.YouTube.com.
Truth is…
I felt this was a better route for me.
Also…
The way I have my website now makes the blog a MAIN STAGE.Not to worry though, I have transferred previous blogs.
Truth is…
It really is not.
Really...
it's more of an additive.
Truth is...
I want for my blogging experience to be more of an informative place to read about all the pieces of me I choose to share... if you so choose to click on my blog spot, rather than it be a space on my website, www.alysiamontano.com ,where I feel like a blog is really expected to be there (No duh), rather than it be more of a bonus.
Honestly…
It might not make sense, but I feel like I can hide not posting regularly or posting very regularly if I want to.
Truth is…
It feels more about "ME" on this blog spot than it does on my website, which is weird, and again, might not make sense logistically, but that is how it feels to me. I think it might have to do with the fact that I feel like everyone else, a normal person who talks about whatever, and isn't always talking about one subject that is a part of their life, but is very much apart of their life.
Maybe…
It has to do with having to leave my page (I dunno) but I hope this is a start of opening up on a real person that exists behind the mask of "a runner", because there is more to know about me than that..
Truth is…
I have actually never really been "a runner".
My hope…
To show the multi-faceted pieces of my life that make me….
