TRAINING TUESDAY: “CAUSE THE EFFECT” KARA'S STORY

A solo mission. Across the country. Forty-eight states on a bike. Riding almost 100 miles per day. 13,500 miles when the journey is over. All to Cause the Effect.

This Training Tuesday I want to highlight the courageous journey of a close friend of mine Kara Borel. She is currently biking across the country in an effort to inspire others to become selfless and cause the effect in someone else's life. Her spirit is remarkable, and a true testament to the fact that most large athletic endeavors are 90% mental.

Kara's journey really began before June 27^th when she started in Augusta, Maine. In 2009 Kara, she lost her godmother and cousin to illness. She began to reflect inward and she realized she had to stop blaming others and begin to be the change she wanted to see. Her journey is not just about her, it is about doing something bigger to effect change. Kara hopes to raise 1 cent for every U.S citizen 3.2 million dollars that will benefit various charities.

She is not a professional cyclist. She is just a girl on a mission. Waking up everyday at 4 a.m to bike anywhere from 75 to 110 miles per day. She carries with her a backpack with her laptop, two ipods and a bible. Everyday I think about what Kara is doing and it brings a tear to my eye. She inspires me to further complete my goals. Words can not express how proud I am of her. She currently has made it to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Paparoxi caught up with Kara to ask her a few questions about her journey:

The loss of your family members was the catalyst for starting your bike ride, how do you anticipate you will be different after this experience is over?

Mentally I will be a much stronger person. Everyone keeps asking how my body is holding up, but honestly that's the easy part. This ride is very trying mentally when you think about where you are, how far you've gone, how far you still have to go all the while it's in the back of your mind that you have to wake up and do it again the next day. This is a prime example of something being 90% mental and 10% physical.

What are some of the things you think about while you are on the road?

When I ride through certain areas whether it be urban or country I often think about the people there and their stories. I often wonder if they had to tell their story, what it would entail. Outside of that I think about my family, my friends and the future.

What is your biggest obstacle/fear that you have being out there and how do you conquer it?

Honestly I can not say that I have been fearful instead I've just been faithful. My faith has kept my thoughts positive. But, my biggest obstacle thus far has been the heat. I planned this route trying to avoid the northern states in the winter but much to my chagrin, the heat has been the killer. To deal with that, some days I have to shorten the amount of miles I ride, I have had alter the time in which I ride, I took your advice and got a water bladder and I just try to stay as hydrated as much as possible.

How do you stay focused and encouraged everyday?

To stay focused I pray a lot and read my bible. I find that whether it was a good day of riding or a bad day, keeping my faith is what refuels me to do it all over again. I find that my encouragement comes constantly reminding myself of the purpose of the ride. I think about my lost loved ones and they are more than enough to remind me that no matter what is going on that I will be alright and get through the day. I also call on two of my best friends to vent as I have found that one can not always carry the load alone.

Ok here is a practical question, how do you get clean clothes? What happens in the rain?

Whatever clothes I have with me at the time, I’ll wash when I stay over with someone, I’ll go to a laundromat or I’ll hand wash some items at times. I'm not able to carry much with me so I'm forced to re-wear my clothes. When it rains, I put on my rain jacket and keep going. I've only got caught in the rain once thus far. But if lightening strikes I will plan to seek shelter as that is one force of mother nature I do not plan to challenge.

 Have you mapped out the whole route?

Yes, I have mapped out every stop from Maine to Washington state. I take it one day at a time, because completing each day is one step closer to the finish line.

Do you ride on the highway?

I can not ride on interstates but some US highways I can ride on. To direct me, I have bike GPS and I honestly just follow where it tells me to go.

Any advice to anyone out there who was like you, and wants to change their lives?

To anyone who wants to change any aspect of their life, my advice is simple...do for others. No good deed goes unnoticed and good karma goes full circle. No matter how big or small that deed may be, I encourage one to remember the sky is NOT the limit, because if it were, there wouldn't be footprints on the moon!

ROX(I)NSPIRATION: SOUL QUEEN

My love for music runs deep. The right song can put on me on cloud nine. I have been known to listen to the same song over and over again. Music is a big inspiration to my daily work. It is only fitting that my favorite genre of music is soul (and I use the term soul loosely). When you hear a really good soul record it sounds as if artist just ripped their heart out and sold a little piece of their joy or pain. There are plenty of wonderful soul artist out there, but today I wanted to share something from these “Soul Queens.”  

TRAINING TUESDAYS: MEET JACQUELYN STEVENSON

Jacquelyn Stevenson, 28

Corporate Auditor Senior

Mountain Top, PA

Endurance Events completed: Steamtown Marathon, Nike Women’s Marathon, Chicago Marathon, New York City Marathon, Ojai 2 Ocean Marathon, Philadelphia Triathlon, SheRox Philadelphia, Steelman Triathlon, Tough Mudder 

What event(s) are you currently training for and what does that include?

My current training focal point is Pocono 70.3 – An inaugural half ironman through the Pocono Mountains which consists of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. This will be my first half ironman! I am participating in this event with Team in Training which benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In addition to training on my own during the week and with the TEAM on the weekends, I have several other races planned to help me prepare. In August I will be doing the Steelman Triathlon at Nockamixon State Park in PA. This is an Olympic distance triathlon. In September I will race in our nation’s capital at the Nations Triathlon, another Olympic distance triathlon.

What are your athletic goals for the year?

My athletic goal for the year is to finish Pocono 70.3 feeling strong and in the best shape of my life! I want to become stronger and faster at all three aspects of the triathlon. In addition, I want to work more strength training into my routine and focus on increasing my core strength. For me though it’s not just about helping myself, other athletic goals include becoming a better coach for Team in Training participants. I am currently a run coach for the Scranton/Wilkes Barre team and work throughout the season to help participants reach their goals of a half or full marathon. By learning more about running and sharing that knowledge with participants, we both can better achieve our goals!

What does your weekly workout out look like?

A weekly work out for me usually consists of 6 days of training and one day of rest. I generally aim for one day a week that I do a longer run of at least eight miles. The rest of the days generally contain a mix of swimming, biking, and running while trying to do two of those each day . Workouts vary and focus on trying to build speed through interval work or focus on endurance through building your base.

What do you think is the hardest part about training and doing an endurance event?

The hardest part of training for an endurance event is staying focused on the goal. It is easy to get sidetracked and miss a few workouts. You need to push yourself to stay on track and stick to your training plan. Another thing that I struggle with sometimes in training for a triathlon is focusing on areas where I need improvement. For example, I’ve completed 5 marathons in my life and more half marathons then I can count. I love to run. I’m good at it. This makes it fun for me and easy to focus on. However, when it comes to swimming, I’m still just learning and continuing to focus on my technique. I’ve gotten better but if I really just dedicated more time to it I could be even better than that! Yet, because I don’t enjoy it I often find myself making excuses not to swim. You need to leave your comfort zone and work hard to improve your weaknesses. This not only goes for training, but life as well.

What benefits/rewards do you get from competing?

Crossing the finish line on event day is one of the biggest rushes you will ever experience! The sense of pride and accomplishment overtakes your body and you cannot wait to sign up for another event. Looking great and feeling healthy is another huge benefit from all of the hard work you put in. Perhaps one of my favorite rewards though is being able to indulge in guilty pleasures without the guilt… Ice Cream!

What advice would you give someone looking to compete?

Do it! You will never look back after you cross the finish line and say you wish you hadn’t. Find a group to train with and meet new people. Having a support system makes training fun and will help with your questions as well. Don’t be intimidated by the distances. Start with something small and work your way up. If you want to start running, sign up for a 5K. Train and finish strong while then selecting a 10K or maybe a half marathon. You will be amazed how fast you are able to build those miles! You will be doing a marathon in no time! Keep challenging yourself a little bit each day and push a little harder. You will surprise yourself at just how much you can achieve! 

SPIRIT: 74 YEAR OLD ATHLETE AND INSPIRATION

Ernestine Shepard. 74 year old body builder and athlete, she currently holds the Guinness book of world records for being the oldest female body builder. I was at a loss for words when I watched Ernestine’s video she is so inspirational. I have my own fitness goals and I complain about achy knees now and after watching this I have zero complaints. She wakes up every morning and at 4am she runs 10 miles. She avidly competes in marathons and body building competitions. She is a fitness instructor and personal trainer there is nothing that this woman doesn’t do. With all the fitness aspirations I have, I have now added looking like Ernestine when I am 74 to my list. Her personality and spirit are so warm and her zeal for life is uplifting. Cheers to you Ernestine! 

 

MALUCA MALA: "YOU CANT TEACH SWAG"

Que Que Feat. Maluca (192) by Maluca Mala

Bronx native and Dominicana Maluca is my ROX(I)nspiration this week. Self taught musician and certified go getter is carving is certainly bringing something unique and different to your ears. I love the energy of her music and her swag is crazy. Two years ago the 29-year-old quit her two jobs and moved back home with her parents to pursue her music career full time. She was fed up with always talking about a music career and went out and got it. In 2007 Maluca met record producer Diplo at a Karoke night on the lower east side, he went on to launch the careers of M.I.A and Santigold and a year later Maluca Mala. I love her story, her style and music. See for yourself why this chica is my inspiration:

MALUCA from V Magazine on Vimeo.