FN Magazine - Competitor Issue

+

M A Y

Big

+ J U N E 2 0 1 5

Relief

Life after the Majors is

looking pretty sweet for former MLB-er Chris Resop

M A Y

+

J U N E

2 0 1 5

Cross Purpose

Elite local CrossFitters give us the scoop on what it takes to be Games-worthy

Leaps +Bounds

All Fired Up North Naples YMCA bounces back after a crippling lightning strike

readers digest An athlete's input directly affects their... ouput

Balance your body—and your mind— with a new way to dance it out

Stretch Out Your Runs Whatever your level, we’ve got a running + stretching plan for you

Bone IN

The latest food trend has seriously solid backing from science

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2015

CONTENTS | MAY/JUNE

28 32 36 Get Your Games On

For some, like our featured local CrossFit Games veterans, CrossFit is not only an elite sport for the ultimate competitor, it’s a way of life.

Lightning Never Strikes Twice

Covering All the Bases

Retired MLB relief pitcher and hometown hero Chris Resop is in the Naples real estate game and still swinging for the fences.

Devastated by a 2013 Labor Day fire, the North Naples YMCA is back—bigger and better than before.

12 GEAR - What’s in His Gym Bag? Ironman All World Athlete Mike Horn shares his triathlon training and race day must-haves.

28

14 GEAR - Fit Tech Innovative Biostamp technology is smaller than a Band-Aid, but a huge breakthrough for real-time physiological monitoring.

32

16 FUEL - Try This Are you a bonehead? You should be. Bone broth is today’s hottest food trend, and it’s got the science to back it up.

18 FUEL - Dine Smart Local farm-to-market grocery and café Food and Thought is organic heaven for health-minded folk craving good vibes and delicious fare.

22 HEALTH - Go with Your Gut If you’re not heeding what your gut tells you, your performance could go right down the toilet. Um, literally.

36

38 TRAIN - Monthly Workout Ready to get serious about your running regimen?

Speedsters Running Club President Perry Small will have you off to the races in no time.

40 TRAIN - Trending Now Dance your troubles away with Movement 4 Life, where body and mind meet in a perfectly balanced choreography.

42 FITBOOK Photos from Southwest Florida’s best races and events.

44 CALENDAR Races, rides, and more upcoming events.

16

ON THE COVER CrossFit elite athlete Lauren Brooks talks training, motherhood, and her proudest accomplishment at the 2014 CrossFit Games. Full story on Page 28.

4 fitnationmag.com

publisher'S LETTER FIT NATION / southwest florida

Publisher/CEO Stan Dougé

PRODUCTION FN Media Group

Chief Operating Officer Alfredo Escobar

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Robert Carlson

Managing Editor Erika Gilbrech

Associate Editor Earlier this month, I took my son to see Insurgent, a movie set in a post-apocalyptic Chicago where the population is fragmented into various social groups. The heroine of the story is what’s known as a “Divergent,” someone who spans these different factions and cannot be lumped into just one category.

Dana Kimmelman

Leaving the theater, I began to think about how Fit Nation has grown into something of a “Divergent” in the fitness magazine world, because we pride ourselves on respecting and celebrating every faction of the health and fitness community, from endurance athletes to yogis to CrossFitters. We understand the hours of sweat and grit athletes commit to their chosen sport and we love the devotion with which they pursue their goals. Not to mention our wide array of delicious recipes and restaurant reviews, sure to satisfy any palate, whether you’re a foodie, a vegetarian, have food sensitivities, or are just plain picky.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

This issue in particular has a great range of athletes spotlighted for their competitive spirit and unique success stories in their chosen sport; FN was lucky enough to sit down with a former MLB pitcher, two amazing female pro CrossFit athletes, an elite runner, a unique dance studio that helps students achieve a body/mind balance, and more. We celebrate these diverse athletes and, truth be told, EVERY athlete — novice, pro, and everyone in between — from all branches of fitness, because we believe that our differences and passions are what connect our wonderful Southwest Florida community.

I hope the following issue encourages and excites you enough to join the FN “divergent revolution” as we embrace and adventure through everything the health and fitness world has to offer us.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Melody Tarver

Katie Westbrook

Events

Chelsea Garlock

Advertising Sales Brett Richard 239.330.3924 ads@fitnationmag.com

Contributing writers

Emily Alford, Jamie Shane, Jess Novak, Kathy A. Feinstein, MS, Liza Rhima, Mary Ann Green, Nicole Rheiner, Perry Small and R.J. Youngblood

Contributing photographers

Erik Kellar and Samantha Duffy COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Erik Kellar Stan Douge

I hope the following issue encourages and excites you enough to join the FN “divergent revolution” as we embrace and adventure through everything the health and fitness world has to offer us.

Connnect

fitnationmag.com

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Erik Kellar “Get Your Games On” (pg. 28) Contributing Photographer

Erika Gilbrech “Get Your Games On” (pg. 28) Managing Editor

Emily Alford “Go With Your Gut” (pg. 22) Contributing Writer

Howard Kelley “Go With Your Gut” (pg. 22) Contributing Illustrator

Jamie Shane “Lightning Never Strikes Twice” (pg. 36)

Jess Novak “Covering All the Bases” (pg. 32) Contributing Writer

Kathy M. Feinstein, MS “Mind-Mending” (pg. 24) Contributing Writer

Liza Rhima “What’s in His Gym Bag?” (pg. 12) Contributing Writer

Melody Tarver Creative Director

Nicole Rheiner “Nourish the Thought” (pg. 18) Contributing Writer

R.J. Youngblood “Sticker Shock (pg. 14) Contributing Writer

Mary Ann Green “Life in Motion” (pg. 40) Contributing Writer

Samantha Duffy “What’s in His Gym Bag?” (pg. 12) “Get a Plan and Run With it” (pg. 38) “Covering All the Bases” (pg. 32) “Lightning Never Strikes Twice” (pg. 36) “Life in Motion” (pg. 40) FitBook (pg. 42-43) Contributing Photographer 1485 Pine Ridge Road | Unit 1 Naples, Fl 34109

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GEAR

FUEL

HEALTH

TRAIN

What’s in His Gym Bag?

Mike Horn Moxie Multisport team member and Ironman All World Athlete Mike Horn shares the triathlon must-haves that help him go the distance.

GQ-6: Hydration system

Part of a pre-, during-, and post-workout hydration system. “It’s a new product line for really enhanced cycling performance and thorough hydration,” Horn says.

By Liza Rhima

When you talk to Mike Horn, it becomes obvious within minutes where his passion lies: in triathlons. Horn’s dedication to multisport races began just a few short years ago, when he started competing in local sprint triathlons.

He was immediately hooked, but he really got serious about training after working with USA Triathlon-certified coach Blake Upton, under whose guidance his endurance and power soared. Next, he joined national triathlon team Moxie Multisport, which placed second in their last Ironman team competition. Horn also earned the coveted Ironman All World Athlete Gold status, meaning he’s now in the top one percent for his age division in the world — a pretty astounding feat for someone who’s only been in serious training for a couple of years.

This year, he adds a fourth half Ironman as well as the full Ironman Cozumel (in support of Cancer Alliance of Naples) to his roster. With such a busy race schedule, Horn relies on some essential tools in his gym bag to keep himself in peak condition at all times.

BASE Performance Electrolyte Salt “This stuff is great because you just lick your finger, stick it into the canister while you’re running or exercising, and put it on your tongue … it absorbs in one to two minutes,” Horn says. BASE Performance Electrolyte Salt works much faster than salt pills, and is especially important for endurance athletes to prevent cramping.

Compex Sport Elite Muscle Stimulator

Donkey Label Premium Chamois Balm

Not only does this handy tool aid in active recovery and building strength, it also keeps muscles firing by activating them with a small shock. “I use it for ten minutes to warm up,” says Horn.

Prevent nasty saddle sores and uncomfortable chafing with this balm for your more, erm, delicate bits.

Trigger Point Grid Foam Roller Rolling out tired muscles to aid in workout recovery is essential, and nothing beats the Trigger Point Grid Foam Roller. “You feel awkward when you’re doing it,” Horn admits, “but it really helps … It’s a must after every workout. The camo one is awesome!”

Mike Horn is sporting Lululemon. lululemon.com 10 fitnationmag.com

Swiftwick Socks Horn swears they are “[the] best socks ever!” They dry fast by wicking moisture away, which is especially important when you’re running 26.2 miles drenched in Southwest Florida’s unforgiving humidity.

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GEAR

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HEALTH

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Sticker Shock

By R.J. Youngblood

A new breakthrough technology from MC10 allows athletes to better monitor biofeedback — even alerting them to potential trauma.

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s athletes, we know our bodies are capable of extraordinary things. In our quest to excel and compete, we train harder and longer, pushing our paces and refusing to acknowledge the telltale signs of fatigue.

Most of the time, this competitive fire is beneficial. It helps us break through, set new PRs, and accomplish goals we had previously only dreamed possible.

Sometimes, however, the line between what our bodies can and can’t do under great stress becomes blurred, resulting in over-training and injury.

Luckily, startup tech company MC10 is set to revolutionize the way we work out and play sports by employing an innovative technology that gives

12 fitnationmag.com

athletes real-time information about what is going on inside their bodies. Their ultimate goal? To adapt electronics to human bodies by producing a wearable device called a Biostamp that can be placed directly on the skin, much like a Band-Aid or sticker. This thin, flexible electronic will monitor physiological activity such as heart rate and movement, then transmit it to a user-friendly app.

To date, the most realized application of this Biostamp technology is MC10’s partnership with Reebok. Together, they have designed the Reebok CHECKLIGHT, a mesh-like cap lined with sensors that can monitor and log impact to the head during any contact sport. The CHECKLIGHT records

real-time information visually through an attached sensor and measures what level of impact the head has received. That means athletes, coaches, and trainers can quickly gauge the severity of the impact and can choose either to continue to play or seek medical attention. As described on Reebok. com, “[CHECKLIGHT] provides an objective measurement of impact force and is designed to lead athletes on a pathway to assessment.”

By pioneering advanced, cutting-edge technology to help athletes record and understand their metabolic levels in order to learn when to recover and when to push forward, MC10 is transforming how we do sports. Which, in turn, is helping us evolve into better, stronger, and healthier lifelong athletes.

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GEAR

FUEL

HEALTH

TRAIN

By Nichole Rheiner

So, what are the drawbacks? Mainly the inconvenience. Bone broth cannot be purchased at the local supermarket, unfortunately. And, contrary to what you might believe, store-bought “broth” is really just meat-flavored product, full of MSG, sodium, and other “natural flavors.” Real, whole, honest-togoodness broth takes a full 48 hours to make, and requires a slow cooker, your entire house smelling like a kitchen for a few days, and lots and lots of patience.

Now that you know that there was some science behind grandma’s greatest homemade remedy after all, how do you make your own? See the recipe below, and, dare I say it, ”bone” appétit!

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Bone broth is quickly becoming today’s hottest new food trend. But is it really a magic elixir or simply fantastical hype? here is always spirited debate among athletes about the best components of supplementation and recovery. Should you go with something organic and homemade? Or will a scientifically engineered pill, vitamin, or powder suit your body better? One thing’s for certain: there are enough strong arguments on both sides to fill a playbook.

But what if grandma was right, and chicken soup really is all you needed to help your body heal, because of its natural goodness and chemical effects on your body?

Turns out, science is on her side, too. According to nutrition experts and medical professionals, chicken soup — or, more accurately, mineral-rich bone broth or stock — has many healing and recovery properties, along with performance-enhancing benefits ranging from short-circuiting a cold or flu virus to helping sports injuries heal.

But is there really science stirred in with the hype, or is it yet another fanatically doted-upon trend among fickle foodies and enthusiastic elites?

First, let’s break it down by first addressing what we know about the animal bones: Bone broth can be made from the bones of any animal, including cow, chicken, bison, wild game, or fish, which are very high in the amino acids proline and glycine when in liquid form, vital for healthy connective tissues.

Along with amino acids, the bones of healthy, free-range, and grass-fed animals are rich in collagen and gelatin, both of which soothe the intestinal tract and ease digestive issues. And collagen itself, the protein found in connective tissue of vertebrate animals, is abundant in bone, marrow, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. And guess what? The breakdown of collagen in bone broths is what produces gelatin. Additionally, anti-inflammatories glucosamine and chondroitin — usually sold as expensive joint support supplements — are found in great supply in the marrow of these bones.

Basically, by making your own homemade bone broth, you’re saving yourself a trip to the pharmacy counter and saving some — wait for it — serious bones.

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➔

Homemade Bone Broth

Ingredients: • 2 pounds (or more) bones from a healthy source (most organic foods stores will have whole, free-range, roasted chicken or grass-fed, bone-in beef) • 2 chicken feet for extra gelatin (optional) • 1 onion • 2 carrots, rough chopped • 2 stalks of celery, rough chopped • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar • Optional: 1 bunch parsley, 1 tablespoon or more sea salt, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, additional herbs or spices to taste (I also add 2 cloves of garlic for the last 30 minutes of cooking).

You’ll also need a large stockpot to cook the broth in, and a strainer to remove the pieces when it is done. I usually aim for 2 pounds of bones per gallon of water I’m using to make broth. This usually works out to 2-3 full chicken carcasses. If possible I’ll also add 2 chicken feet per gallon of water (completely optional!).

Instructions: If you are using raw bones, especially beef bones, roast them in the oven first to improve flavor (I place them in a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes at 350 degrees). Then, place the bones in a large stockpot (I use a 5-gallon).

Pour filtered water over the bones and add the vinegar. Let sit for 20-30 minutes in the cool water. The acid helps make the nutrients in the bones more available. Add the vegetables (except the parsley and garlic, if using) to the pot. Vegetables are actually optional too, but I find they add extra flavor and nutrition. Add any salt, pepper, spices, or herbs, if using. Bring the broth to a boil. Once it has reached a vigorous boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer until done. These are the times I simmer for: • Beef broth/stock: 48 hours • Chicken or poultry broth/stock: 24 hours • Fish broth: 8 hours During the first few hours of simmering, you’ll need to remove the impurities that float to the surface. A frothy/foamy layer will form and it can be easily skimmed off with a big spoon. Throw this part away. I typically check it every 20 minutes for the first 2 hours to remove this. Grass-fed and healthy animals will produce much less foam than conventionally raised animals.

During the last 30 minutes, add the garlic and parsley, if using. Then, remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain, using a fine metal strainer to remove all bone and vegetable bits. When cool enough, store in a gallon-sized glass jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.

Nichole Rheiner is a full-time surgical RN to a progressive women's health physician, mother of seven children, paleo blogger at CaveMomma.com, author, life coach, and speaker.

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GEAR

FUEL

HEALTH

TRAIN

By Nichole Rheiner

Nourish the

Thought At Food and Thought’s farm-fresh market and café, you might find yourself questioning all you thought you knew about going organic.

Y

ou know the place. Your personal haven, where you feel absolutely at peace, calm, happy, serene; a place where time just seems to stop, better known as your “happy place.” Ring any bells? NO? Geez, maybe you should slow down for a sec and say a few “namastes” (oh wait, that’s another article).

Well, for now, you can borrow my happy place: Naples’ very own Food and Thought.

Ahh… I remember my first time there like it was yesterday.

As we walked through the front garden into the grocery area, taking in the scent of fresh rosemary commingled with coffee, patchouli, oranges, and eau de hippie, I already felt healthier. There was an unmistakable essence of organic freshness everywhere. Walking slowly up and down the aisles was like being given a tour of (a much less processed version of) Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. I kept grabbing every interesting thing in sight to show my husband: “Oh my gawwd, honey, LOCAL. VEGGIES. And lookie, Kombucha! Local grass-fed beef!

Organic coconut-rolled dates! Staaaahhhp it! I. Can’t. Even.” Okay, so I might’ve gotten a little

16 fitnationmag.com

carried away. And, bonus for me, he isn’t easily embarrassed.

Signs posted throughout the store very plainly read, “100% organic. No need to worry,” and it’s true: Food and Thought is a place where sustainability-conscious folk, vegans, paleoliths, and real food junkies can come together in harmony and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they’ll be eating only local, fresh, pesticideand GMO-free food. Did I mention that even the cookies and brownies are freshly made and organic, with sprouted, vegan, and gluten-free options, too? They even have an organic clothing section filled to the brim with cotton, hemp, and sustainable blended garments that are as cute as they are good for the earth. Was I dreaming, or had I truly found nirvana, right here in Southwest Florida?

After going on an impromptu shopping spree and grabbing everything from free-range organic eggs and nitrate-free bacon to raw butter and sulfate-free wine, then gushing on and on to the knowing cashier about how divine the place was, we had naturally worked up a major appetite (there may have been a little drool). Luckily for

us, the café was but a few steps away. Now, as a gluten-intolerant nutrition specialist (read: picky health nut with a bad tummy), finding something I can and will eat at a restaurant is like setting out to find definitive proof of the Loch Ness Monster. However, as we walked past the raw juice and coffee bar, which serves organic, made-to-order juices from fresh local produce, organic coffee drinks, smoothies, and milkshakes made with almond, coconut, soy, or whole milk or water, along with the option to add in clean protein sources, I had the sneaking suspicion that perhaps this place was a bit different from other restaurants. Later, as I pored over the menu itself, I realized I could eat ANYTHING ON IT. Um. That sound? Was me dropping the mic and ordering everything in sight.

So how does the fare, well, fare? For starters, the café offers different seasonal, local, organic options such as Mahi Bites (Mahi and homemade bread crumbs tossed with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, garlic and paprika), Spanish chicken, summer squash quiche, and rosemary salmon, along with a soup du jour and green salads with or without protein. There are also vegan options for soups, salads, and even pizza. My per-

“It’s as if you’ve stepped out of the hustle and bustle and crazy snowbird traffic right into a Zen retreat.”

sonal favorite is a Food and Thought staple: the “Cranberry Fields” salad, made with raw spinach, romaine, onion, tomato, dried cranberries, and oranges with a scoop of chicken salad and/or egg salad. But the real coup d'état? The juice from the oranges is the perfect light, tangy “dressing” — no creamy or drippy drizzling required!

Because I’m a bit of an awkward nut who likes to know who is preparing her food, I asked to speak to the chef. I learned that her name is Freedom (it doesn’t get any more awesome than that), and that she’s been with Food and Thought for over 10 years. So how does she decide what goes on the menu? “I get creative and use whatever seasonally available things they bring me in fresh that day,” she explains. I don’t know about you, but for me, it just doesn’t get any fresher than the “seed-to-table” concept, especially when much of the produce is sourced straight from Food and Thought’s very own farm in east Collier County!

Straight-from-the-farm fresh food aside, let’s get to one of my very favorite parts of the Food and Thought experience: the outdoor café seating area. It was like entering another world; I felt a sudden peace wash over me. The ambience was

absolutely breathtaking — people greet you with huge, welcoming smiles, and the lovely brick patio with picnic table seating is built around big, gorgeous, flowering trees and surrounded by organic plants from their farm. It’s truly awe-inspiring, and the good vibes and energy at work here are something special. The outside operations manager agreed, and told me, “I love watching people enjoy this place.”

It’s as if you’ve stepped out of the hustle and bustle and crazy snowbird traffic right into a Zen retreat. The trees provide shade and cover from the city noise. The staff is smiling and happy, and the diners are downright pleased as organic punch to be there. It’s like a little slice of the charming bohemian hospitality you’d find in Austin, Texas, right here in Naples.

If you’re attempting to win the heart of a natural foodie and sustainability-conscious hippie like myself, take him or her to lunch or dinner at Food and Thought. Fresh, local, quirky, friendly, healthy, and light-hearted, it’s pretty much perfect — not to mention, pretty organically delicious.

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Scent-sational Ways to Relax, Recharge and Ease Those Workout Blues

Y

our nose knows! It’s why realtors bake cookies at the homes they’re showing and animals, including humans, are attracted to each other: SCENT! We bipeds have been capitalizing on this fact for thousands of years, using aromatic plants as perfumery, incense, medicine, and delight.

Most texts say that we can thank the Egyptians for first distilling and creating infused oils for rituals, medicine, cosmetics, and perfumery.

things! First, smell is subjective – we tend to agree on “foul” and “fragrant,” but describe things differently.

Second, this “imprinting” of odors means that certain scents trigger memories of people, places, events, and things for you, but not necessarily someone else (think your grandmother’s perfume).

Also, scents influence the body – essential oils help “well” the body, mind, and spirit, making them a natural for our gym bags.

However, it was the Greeks who were the olfactory experts. Physician Marestheus’ books discussed the positive and negative effects of wearing garlands of leaves and flowers while surgeon Dioscorides took things to another level.

Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils are natural extracts from plants and free from most serious side-effects of modern/synthetic medicines (although you could have allergies). They’re easily attainable, cost-effective measures to address the aches and pains of our high-stress lives (physically and psychologically) as warriors on the field and in life.

In 78 AD, Dioscorides penned a five-volume text known as Materia Medica that became THE standard on various uses of some 600 plants for the next 1,000 years!

So, the next time you’re congested, have ripped callouses or bruises, suffer from aching joints, bones, or sore muscles after crushing your WOD, consider essential oils.

Even Hippocrates – you know, the Father of Modern Medicine – used essential oils medicinally after studying their effects on health.

Caveat: not all oils are the same. Be sure to check and see if the essential oils you are using can be ingested, applied to the body, or both!

However, the term aromatherapy wasn’t coined until the late 1920s by French chemist René-Maurice Gattefossé, who suffered a severe lab burn. Reflexively, he doused his arm in a vat of lavender oil.

Rapid, scar-free healing piqued his interest in oils further and he published Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essentielles hormones végétales (Gattefossé’s Aromatherapy) in 1937.

Now, here are a few scent-sational suggestions to get you started:

Over time, the science of scent has revealed amazing

FYI – you’ll definitely want to keep this essential

18 fitnationmag.com

Peppermint oil – you know the drill, you’re nearing the end of your WOD and your lungs feel like they’re on fire. A drop of oil sniffed off your hand, or a sip of water with a drop of oil, can clear your respiratory pathway.

oil away from “sensitive” body parts, especially your eyes! The full effect of a couple dozen cups of peppermint tea per oil drop will cause a burn you won’t forget for a while. If you do feel a burn using oils, dilute the area with fractionated coconut oil instead of water for fast relief.

Lavender oil – when the gym tends to beat us up a little – ripped callouses, bruised legs, rope burns, or even pre-workout jitters – lavender can help.

A drop on your wrist quells anxiety or nausea while applying this anti-bacterial/viral oil directly to a skin condition, including a burn, aids healing.

Deep Blue – this product, by dõTERRA, is a blend of several plant oils for soothing and comforting sore muscles and achy joints without harsh chemicals.

Place a drop or two on the affected area or massage into the bottom of your feet (all this and a foot massage, too - oy) to enjoy its warming/cooling sensation.

Aroma Touch – this blend is great for addressing the stress we put on our muscles when in “beast mode”… soreness, cramping, Charlie horses and pulled muscles! Simply massage a drop or two on sore spots or on the bottoms of your feet to relax, calm, relieve muscle tension, soothe irritated tissue, and increase circulation.

Let’s be bold! I highly recommend having your significant other assist with the application of Aroma Touch… you know, to enjoy all the medicinal and delightful benefits of these essential oils.

To learn more about daily use of essential oils, including dõTERRA products, please contact Peter and Susie Bagwell, dõTERRA Essential Oil Wellness Advocates and Crossfit Estero members: 586.604.3500 susie@iloveoils.com. They’ll be happy to help your nose know which scents to add to your bag.

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Your Gut The healthiest relationship athletes ever form isn’t with a trainer, coach, or fellow athletes. It’s with their gut.

By Emily Alford. Illustrations by howard kelley

I

t might not be written into the training plan, but a key part of an athlete’s regimen should be his or her performance in, well, the bathroom. That’s right, we’re talking about that — the often-off-limits, icky-to-think-about number two.

All snickering aside, most serious athletes know that the food they consume has a direct impact on their performance. But what scientists are discovering now is that the way we digest our food is also influential. Right now, billions of microorganisms are working together in your intestines to break down food and convert it into energy. However, sometimes our “gut bugs” fall down on the job, leaving us open to problems like fatigue and inflammation.

Until recently, no one thought much about the intestines when it came to training regimens.

Sure, athletes were told to eat right and drink plenty of water to stay regular and fit, but that’s

about it. Scientists have discovered what they’ve termed the “microbiome,” a collection of microorganisms unique to each human’s gut that aid in digestion and can significantly affect an individual’s health. Maintaining a healthy relationship with one’s gut bugs is key to an athlete’s performance, says Dr. Luigi Gratton, former track and field athlete at UCLA and current vice president of marketing at Herbalife. That’s good news for your overall gut health; simply paying attention to what’s happening in the bathroom can help you self-diagnose and correct your diet and intake accordingly.

“The importance of gut health is just recently being recognized as essential to good health, especially for athletes,” Dr. Gratton says. “For years, the gut was simply seen as a tube running through the body where food passes for digestion and elimination. With the relatively recent discovery of the human microbiome, everything has changed. For athletes, microbes play a key role in inflammation throughout the body, and self-

regulating gut health can reduce inflammation throughout [the body] — in the muscles, joints, liver, and the brain.”

So, how do you know if your microbes are doing their job? Well, the answer often lies in — yes — the toilet bowl. You could very well be flushing away the evidence of a digestive imbalance or intestinal inflammation. According to Dr. Robert Pomahac, founder of MaxHealth LA, an ideal stool is a solid, soft log that passes easily.

“Your body is approximately 75 percent water, and so is your stool,” Dr. Pomahac says. “The remaining 25 percent is a mixture of fiber, live and dead bacteria, other cells, and mucus. Look for imbalances to know if there’s a problem in your stomach. A healthy stool should be medium to light brown, it should be soft and formed into one long piece, about one to two inches in diameter, and up to 18 inches long. Your stool should be S-shaped, which is the same shape as your lower intestine.”

“For athletes, microbes play a key role in inflammation throughout the body, and self-regulating gut health can reduce inflammation throughout [the body ] — in the muscles, joints, liver, and the brain.”

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If your stool isn’t measuring up, here are some common problems and tips for self-diagnosis from Dr. Jennifer Burns, gastrointestinal specialist at The Bienetre Center in Phoenix, Arizona :

Loose stool can be just slightly runny or full-blown diarrhea. It means that there is malabsorption of nutrients, inflammation, or infection in the gut. If loose stool is greenish in color, it means it hasn’t sat in the intestine long enough to absorb nutrients, meaning you could be malnourished. Loose stool is usually accompanied by gas and bloating.

Dr. Burns says very thin stool is often a product of heavy stress on the body, either by too much physical strain or even mental anxiety. Other symptoms could be fatigue, gas, bloating, foggy brain, or undigested stool, which means seeing chunks of food either embedded in the stool or floating in the toilet.

Best Probiotic Supplements for Optimizing Gut Health Feel like your guts are working at near-optimal capacity?

Then you probably only need a daily cup of plain yogurt to maintain a healthy schedule and minimize occasional discomfort.

Hard-to-pass, short chunks are usually a symptom of constipation, which is product of inflammation, dehydration, or fiber deficiency in the gut. According to Dr. Burns, you should be going number two at least once a day. “To know what your bowel retention time is, eat raisins, beets, or something that will make your stool a different color, then see how long it takes for the stool to change color,” Dr. Burns says. “If it’s more then a day, [then] you may need to add in some extra fiber to your diet.”

If you don’t have diarrhea, but your stool is dark green to yellowish over a period of time, you might need to see a doctor, as these colors sometimes indicate that the lining of the colon is so irritated that it’s coming out during bowel movements.

Chronic mucosal stool could be symptomatic of serious gut problems, such as irritable bowl syndrome (IBS), or even Celiac disease.

If you’re straining on the toilet and getting rounded pellets in response, you could be overdoing it on the protein. To fix the problem, up your water and fiber intake to match the increase in protein.

According to Dr. Burns, “sinkers” are better than floaters. If your stool is floating to the top of the water, your stool is too fatty. Ease up on the meat and switch to fruits and veggies instead.

However, if you commonly experience abdominal pain or irregularity after intense exercise, you should probably supplement your diet with a probiotic pill. A recent study by the National Institute of Health found that probiotic supplements reduced the frequency and severity of intestinal problems in athletes who participated in frequent, exhausting physical activity.

Dr. Burns recommends several supplement brands, including Primal Defense, Pure Encapsulation Probiotics, Integrative Therapeutics Probiotics, and Jigsaw Probiotics for athletes looking for relief during high-intensity training.“I like these because, from personal experience and with my patients, they work really well,” Dr. Burns says. “The athletes I work with usually notice an increase in energy, decrease in gas and bloating, and better-formed stools within a week or so of beginning these supplements.”

The bottom line? According to all the doctors we spoke with, a healthy diet is the key to a healthy gut.

Proper hydration, fiber, and a probiotic supplement or food (such as Kefir or plain yogurt), should keep you happy, healthy, and, most importantly, regular.

May/June 2015

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By Kathy A. Feinstein, MS

MindMending Mentally recouping from an injury can sometimes be more challenging than physical recovery. We’ve got some surefire strategies to help you cope.

Y

ou’ve got everything going in your favor. You’re getting better, faster, stronger — consistently winning.

Then, the unthinkable happens: you get injured. Now, you’re suddenly faced with a myriad of new physical challenges and uncertain what the future holds for your recovery and workout regimen. Perhaps most importantly, you’re in pain, and not just physical pain; the psychological pain of an injury can actually be more difficult to deal with than the injury itself, since there are countless negative emotions that can threaten to overwhelm you, including frustration, anger, helplessness, and despair. Left untreated, this serious mental trauma can lead to delayed recovery, increased anxiety, and depression.

I remember my daughter’s riding coach saying that you are not a real equestrian until you’ve fallen off the horse 100 times. Although there’s some hyperbole in that exact number, the sentiment rings true, since athletes who train hard risk falling off the proverbial horse and incurring injury every day. However, athletes in the optimal frame of mind bear that risk with the confidence that if they get hurt, they will be able to handle it.

If you’re nursing an injury — no matter how minor — there are some surefire psychological strategies you can implement to mentally recover from your injuries and come back even stronger.

Be Proactive

Research everything about your injury and the various treatments to mend it. Consult with health and sports professionals to understand

22 fitnationmag.com

the pros and cons of available treatments so you know what to expect during rehab and recovery.

As you heal, concentrate on maintaining and improving other elements of your sport. For instance, a runner mending a knee injury might perform a modified regimen to gain core strength during the recovery period. Once you’re healed and have been cleared to resume normal workouts, you might even find yourself performing better than before because of the time you put in cross-training.

Stay Positive

circumstances like these, the brain doesn’t distinguish between what’s real and what’s imagined. That means that mere visualization can help create neural pathways that prepare the athlete for real-life action. To increase the effectiveness of your imagery, incorporate all your senses, including the high level of confidence you feel when you’re performing at your best. Additionally, try to do the visualization during a time of day when you’re most relaxed so that you’re at peak concentration, such as right before bed or when you first wake up.

Prepare to answer questions about your injury in a positive frame of mind. Your story should always include a confident “but.” For instance, “Yes, I sprained my ankle, but I’m really getting caught up on other work while I heal.” Or, “I strained my back, but I’ve been swimming so I already feel stronger.” Remember, your emotional response to injury is directly related to your recovery, so focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t.

In certain cases, self-help tools might not be enough for an athlete to mentally manage a devastating injury. If this occurs, rely on the services of a sport performance consultant, particularly if you experience any of the following:

Set Goals

• Hesitating in situations similar to ones where you were hurt

In recovery, accept where you are instead of where you think you should be. Set weekly goals and celebrate your successes; even small accomplishments can mean a lot. Recognize them.

Relish them. The act of setting and reaching goals provides a sense of control and begets a positive mindset for recovery.

Use Mental Imagery

Visualizing an optimal performance is a powerful tool for injury recovery. Research in mental imagery (as outlined in Applied Sports Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance) indicates that, in

• Feeling unmotivated or doubting your ability to return to your sport • Feeling unmotivated to train or work out

• Holding back even when you’ve been cleared to play • Experiencing excessive worry and/or fear of re-injury Using the active and proactive strategies outlined above (and sport performance consultants when necessary), you’ll be back on that proverbial horse in no time.

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I like that it encourages females to be strong — maybe it’s not a social norm of beauty, but [it makes me] feel healthy and good about myself.”

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26 fitnationmag.com

ato

by Erika Gilbrech. Photography: erik kellar

Get Your Games On For CrossFit Games elite athletes like Southwest Florida’s own Talayna Fortunato and Lauren Brooks, CrossFit is a full-time sport, where living and breathing competitive training is the name of the game.

U

nless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you already know that CrossFit has exploded in popularity not just in Southwest Florida, but around the world as well. In fact, here are some pretty staggering statistics to put that into perspective: According to social listening and online brand analysis company Channel Signal, by early 2014, the year-over-year growth rate of the CrossFit Games alone was 166%, and there were 7,000 affiliate gyms (compared to just 13 in 2005). Speaking of the Games, when the CrossFit Games Open premiered in 2011, over 26,000 athletes signed up.

By 2013, that number had ballooned to 168,000, with women’s participation increase outstripping men’s 129% to 109%, respectively.

Though casual athletes are drawn to the variation of the daily workouts — from aerobic exercise to gymnastics to Olympic weightlifting — and the camaraderie inherent to the fitness program, devotees view it (and treat it) as a serious sport, where the ultimate goal is the much-coveted title of “Fittest on Earth.”

No one knows the kind of dedication it takes to get to the Games better than two of Southwest Florida’s own most successful CrossFitters, Talayna Fortunato and Lauren Brooks. Both women have not only made it there, but finished in the top 10, garnered sponsorships with major brands, and earned celebrity status both in the CrossFit world and right here at home.

Here, Fit Nation takes a closer look at what the sport means to them, what it really takes to get to the Games, and what a day in the life of a professional CrossFitter looks like.

Talayna Fortunato With a surname that sounds as if it is destined to bring good luck, Talayna Fortunato has had astounding success as an elite CrossFitter since she started at a local Naples gym back in 2009.

After going to Regionals for two years in a row, she hit her stride in 2012, qualifying for the Games and then landing a spot at the podium when she placed third in overall competition. The next year, she was back at the Games again, taking fifth overall.

While she’s been sidelined with an ankle injury this year, that hasn’t stopped her fan base (14,969 Facebook fans and growing) from being inspired by what this Tennessee native has already accomplished.

Fit Nation: What was your athletic background like before CrossFit? Talayna Fortunato: I started gymnastics at age 4, and did it all throughout high school and on a scholarship for my last two years of college at Southern Utah University, where I competed

in the All Around. I also did track and field in high school, and after my final gymnastics season joined the SUU track team, [where] I did the heptathlon and pole vault.

FN: What was your proudest accomplishment at the Games?

Fortunato: I would say there’s two moments. [The first was in] 2012, where I had to beat Kristin Clever on the last event, which was Fran. Whoever beat her would go to the podium. On the last set of pull-ups, she couldn’t hold on and I did; I came down unbroken [Fortunato ended up placing third overall]. The second was in 2013 — I ended the Games on back-to-back events and I was in the top heat and won the heat for both of them.

FN: How has training for the Games changed since you first got into the sport six years ago?

Fortunato: It’s so much more competitive, it’s insane. Now, if you’re thinking of being a Games athlete, you have to do endurance work, too, [like] running and swimming. An athlete can’t [just] follow a CrossFit gym’s program because it won’t be enough. [Some even] hire a coach. Most people get in shape eight weeks out from the Open, which is two months of ramping up your cardiovascular training. And before that, you have to [keep up your] strength training all year long. After the Open is over, you up the volume for Regional competition, [which means] two to three workouts a day.

FN: What’s your diet like when you’re in training for the Games? Do you follow paleo like many CrossFitters do?

Fortunato: Well, paleo has gone by the wayside a little [among serious CrossFitters], and if you’re a competitive athlete, it’s not going to give you enough carbs or calories. I mainly follow a clean eating diet; a typical breakfast might be eggs, spinach, chicken sausage, protein powder, oatmeal, and coffee. Usually my meals consist mostly of veggies and protein, but I’ll also throw in [healthy carbs like] sweet potatoes or quinoa.

FN: What do you like most about CrossFit? Fortunato: I like that it’s all about performance; there’s nothing subjective [about it], like what you look like. It’s about what you can do. I like that it encourages females to be strong — maybe it’s not a social norm of beauty, but [it makes me] feel healthy and good about myself. I [also] like the variety — I’m always doing something different!

FN: You’re sitting out this year because of an ankle injury. Do you have plans to eventually try to get back to the Games?

Fortunato: I want to try to get back, but I don’t know yet. I’m not sure how my ankle will be after surgery, so I have to [wait to] see how I feel. This is a rebuilding year, so we’ll see — but I’m not putting pressure on myself.

May/June 2015

27

Lauren brooks Lauren Brooks isn’t your typical CrossFit athlete. For starters, this 2014 seventh-place Games finisher, unlike many CrossFit elite-level athletes, came into the sport with no background in weightlifting or gymnastics at all. And though she has been an athlete her whole life — she played soccer and Junior Olympic volleyball in high school — her CrossFit training was all self-made. From teaching herself how to lift to opening up CrossFit Salvation, Cape Coral’s first CrossFit affiliate gym, Brooks has followed the path less traveled to reach the upper echelons of CrossFit preeminence.

And as the mother of a 5- and 8-year-old, even her training schedule isn’t typical. Fitting in sessions before, during, and sometimes after their school day is par for the course for her, and she’s perfectly fine with that. As she states in a recent interview with Box Life Magazine, “at the end of the day, when I decide I can’t be a competitor anymore, I’m still going to be a mom.”

Luckily for her fans, Brooks’ competitive future as one of CrossFit’s finest looks to be long, bright, and filled with many more wins.

FN: How did you get started in CrossFit? Lauren Brooks: I started CrossFitting in 2010 — 12 weeks after I had my daughter — because I was looking to get my competitiveness back, and my dad is a Division coach. It was really difficult [at first] because I had no athleticism. [After that], I wanted to coach, so I opened CrossFit Salvation.

It started out of a garage, then grew into a larger facility.

FN: What kind of diet do you follow?

Brooks: I work with a really awesome diet coach, Jeff Delaney, and he gave me a plan I could follow that also gave me some wiggle room. What has been key for me is getting my body fat low enough to have better endurance [in training]. I’m not paleo, [but] I do have cheat days; I believe in a healthy balance. Inconsistency in my diet and overeating have always been my weaknesses, [because] I love food and I love to eat. So for me, I have to stop and ask myself, how badly do I really want this?

FN: As a mother of two young children, how do you balance mom duties with CrossFit training?

Brooks: Many serious CrossFitters eat, sleep, and breathe training, but I can’t do that. [A typical day] of training for might be, wake up, ride the air bike, take the kids to school, get some lifting or conditioning in, pick them back up from school. As a mother, my situation is different from other athletes.

FN: Do you look to anyone for help or inspiration when you’re in training?

Brooks: Well, I’m a Christian, so my help comes from above. Also, a lot of what I do is for my kids. And, I do it because I really enjoy the fact that I can positively encourage women to be better versions of themselves.

CrossFit gave me back my confidence and self-worth, and if I can encourage women to head down the same road I did, that’s great.

FN: What was your biggest accomplishment at the Games?

Brooks: Every year at the Games, there’s a really long [open water] swim.

I can’t train too hard because I get chronic ear infections, so I thought [the swim] would set me back. My only goal was to finish under the time cap, and I did, so that was a big victory for me.

FN: What would your advice be for someone wanting to seriously compete?

Brooks: Be patient with yourself and trust the process. Understand [that] it’s small victories and sometimes it’s defeat that brings success — we go through so much defeat before we see the light at the end of the tunnel.

And, attitude is everything, so if you keep your hopes and eyes set on a goal, you can achieve it.

CrossFit is made [up] of so many different workouts, so you have to figure out a way to pace yourself and do your best. You can’t be better than everyone, and you don’t have to be great at every single event, so approach every workout as specific to you.

“

CrossFit gave me back my confidence and self-worth, and if I can encourage women to head down the same road I did, that’s great.”

N E R U A L rooks

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAMANTHA DUFFY

Covering the Bases Life after the big leagues may be a difficult transition for some pros, but former MLB relief pitcher Chris Resop knocks it out of the park with a thriving real estate business and charity work.

By Jess Novak

It’s logical to assume that when you interview a professional athlete, his chosen sport might be a major topic of discussion. But what happens when that athlete retires, moving into his next phase of life and possible second career? Where does all that competitive fire go — does he remain active in the sport as a commentator or analyst, or play charity events? Or, does he return to a lifelong passion, now fully able to devote himself to a field that has nothing to do with, well, a field, court, or arena?

The answers to these questions can vary widely, depending on the individual — what inspires him off the field, what kind of family life he leads, and what led him to retire in the first place.

When it comes to former MLB relief pitcher Chris Resop, whose 14-year professional baseball career included time with the Marlins, Braves, Pirates, Angels, A’s, and Red Sox, what may surprise you the most isn’t his post-retirement career choice, but rather his love of charity work and giving back to the community. Perhaps it wouldn’t surprise you as much if you knew that the "Roberto Clemente Award" Resop won in 2012 (while still playing professionally) for his charity involvement with The Pediatric Cancer Foundation is something he still considers his greatest career accomplishment.

These days, Resop is still competitively pitching— albeit in a completely different way— as a real estate agent for Premier Sotheby’s International Realty right here in Naples, securing the best homes for his clients in a booming Southwest Florida market. His love of his hometown, his family, and his community are what ground him

30 fitnationmag.com

here the most, helping him keep his eye on the ball in all aspects of this newfound life after the pros.

We were fortunate enough to speak with Resop about everything from his workout regimen to his real estate business, charity work, and why he will never be considered a “baseball dad.”

Fit Nation: Now that you’ve moved on to the next stage of your life and career, how does your competitive fire get channeled?

Chris Resop: I retired from baseball, but I like to think of myself as changing professions rather than retiring. I played for 14 years professionally and started to just get tired — I had opportunities to continue playing, but I got a little burned out, and really wanted to spend more time with my family.

My family has been in the real estate business for 70 years — my grandfather became involved in real estate and development when he was in his late 20s, and my dad’s brothers do a lot of commercial development up in the St. Pete area.

I’ve always loved the business, so I had a really strong idea as to what I wanted to do when I left the game.

I can still be highly competitive with real estate — real estate is a highly competitive business down here in Naples, and this is such a great place to be in this field. I was born and raised in Naples, and have watched the small town grow. I think my connection to this city has helped me leave the game, transition, and avoid what some guys go through when they leave. My new career has really

helped me stay focused on what’s important.

FN: Players who pitch for a long time tend to incur some pretty serious injuries in their throwing arms. Have you sustained any major injuries, and if so, what has this meant in terms of post-retirement daily life?

CR: I was blessed and very, very fortunate to have a healthy career. I had a bone spur removed in 2007, which was really just a six- to eight-week recovery. Injuries are part of the nature of the game; they happen to some players, and I don’t think there’s any rhyme or reason to it. That said, I did everything I could to prevent injuries, in terms of diet and training. I took care of my body as best I could. I’m not going to say that there’s one reason I never got hurt, but taking care of myself and staying healthy was absolutely a focus for me, and I gave it 120% of my effort [even] in the off season.

FN: What did training in a healthy, safe way look like for you?

CR: I grew up weightlifting, so I would lift heavier than most pitchers typically do because my body was just used to it. When you’re lifting a lot of weight, it’s just a matter of being safe. I preferred Olympic-style lifting — so doing the clean, the jerk, the snatch — I think it’s a good and effective workout when done with proper form. Every off-season, I’d come home and I’d get back with my strength coach to get my form back. I’d spend two or three weeks just getting re-acclimated, and it was just as simple as a bar some days, but to start with, it was just about getting that form back before you start adding weight to it, which is super important.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most importantly, just follow your dreams, and commit to them.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

May/June 2015

31

CHRIS RESOP

“ It’s so great that this is something I’ve

gotten the opportunity to do now: bring this charity work back to Naples.”

As far as diet, everybody has their different ways.

Personally, I’m not a big protein shake guy — I didn’t do supplements or creatine, [so] the protein just came naturally from my diet. I would eat a ton of chicken, but I didn’t go on a low-carb diet or anything; I didn’t want to get as lean as possible, I just found my comfort level where my body felt the best, and stuck with that. I had a playing weight of about 225 pounds — and that was my ideal. When you’re playing professionally, you’re working out so hard, and you’re eating at such different times — often you’ll have dinner at 11 o’clock at night. But I’d been working out from 7 to 11 too, so you just ate when you were able to.

Now that I’m on a routine, I can eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner like normal, not at 11 p.m. anymore, and I’m so busy with my kids and everything else in life, that my diet has become just about overall health.

FN: It’s great that you get to spend so much more time with your family these days. How old are your kids, and are they baseball fans?

CR: My kids are ages 5 and 2, and they’re a workout in themselves. My 5-year-old doesn’t have so much of a desire for baseball — he currently loves art and piano. So if he ends up going for baseball, it’s baseball, and if it’s art, it’s art.

I’m not interested in pushing him to like what I like — I’ll support him all the way no matter what. I’d be excited for him to be a golfer so we can play together.

FN: How do you stay fit these days? What is your workout schedule like, and what is it like compared with your training regimen when you were a pro ball player?

CR: I get in three days a week these days. When I was playing, I would work out five or six days a week, so it felt like that’s all I’d ever done my whole life. When I got home, I just wanted a bit of a vacation, to do what I wanted to do, and have a change of pace.

FN: Do you still remain active in the world of baseball?

32 fitnationmag.com

CR: I keep up with my best friends through the game, mostly through my charity involvement, like Cut for a Cure, which supports the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Half of the proceeds go to developing less abrasive ways to treat the disease.

It’s devastating — some of the current treatments make the kids so sick. If they go through chemo, of course, they lose their hair and feel insecure about their looks, so with Cut for a Cure, we shave our heads in support of them, to show them that we’re no different. It gives the kids a thrill, and it gets people talking about the charity.

I’ve shaved my head for them four times before, and now I’m starting my own team — this is my first time heading my own event, now that I have the time to really devote to it, which is wonderful. This is the first time anybody’s ever done Cut for a Cure in Naples, as the organization is based out of Tampa.

This was one aspect of being involved in the game that I loved and didn’t want to give up on when I left baseball. In professional sports, there are so many opportunities to be involved and work with [great] charities while playing in different cities, and I really valued that. It’s so great that this is something I’ve gotten the opportunity to do now: bring this charity work back to Naples. The cause I’m focusing on right now is the Golisano Children’s Hospital, a new children’s hospital that they’re building down here in Naples.

FN: What’s the best part of being back in Florida?

CR: Naples is a pretty special place to live, so we’re pretty spoiled here. One of the biggest reasons for me leaving the game was to be a dad, to spend time around my kids, and it’s been awesome.

My son told me that he’s so happy that I’m home with him every night, and that moment just solidified that I made the right decision.

FN: What do you enjoy most about your new career?

CR: I’ve always enjoyed architecture, and paying

special attention to design has been a hobby for a long time. Real estate for me is a way of giving back, too — people have always given time to me helping me in my career, and I know it might sound odd, but I think this is a way of giving back, too. That’s how I like to approach my work: helping a young couple find their first home, aiding a couple in securing their dream home, helping an investor acquire a good asset.

It’s also really wonderful that I can create my own schedule and move my work around, which means spending more time with my wife and my kids.

FN: What would you tell non-professional athletes as we get, well, not exactly old, but not as spry as when we were in our 20s?

CR: Overall health is super important to anybody, whether or not they’re an athlete. It’s important to be healthy for your kids and your own well-being. I really believe that there’s a direct correlation between health and happiness — you don’t see that many healthy people who are very unhappy.

FN: What advice do you have for aspiring or amateur pitchers?

CR: From the time I was 5 or 6 years old, this is what I wanted to do. People laughed at me, like, “Oh, you want to be a professional baseball player? Haha, well, good luck, kid,” but you really have to follow your dreams, and work for them. When other kids were going fishing, or off having fun with their buddies, I was in the batting cages.

Baseball always came first to me, and I always said that I got my work in before I played. Get a good coach who can train you properly, and in a healthy way, because that should start young.

Some coaches are going to have you doing bench presses and curls, but that’s not going to help you in the world of baseball. Most importantly, just follow your dreams, and commit to them.

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BONITA SPRINGS YMCA 27200 Kent Road Bonita Springs, FL 34135 239.221.7560 www.BonitaSpringsYMCA.org

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Lightning Never Strikes Twice The North Naples YMCA is back, and it’s bigger and better than ever.

By Jamie Shane Photos samantha duffy

“Fundraising efforts popped up all over the city, in the form of everything from lemonade stands to corporate donations — and when all was said and done, Naples had raised almost $4.8 million to help the YMCA rebuild.”

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I

n September 2013, the Naples community was devastated when the local North Naples YMCA was struck by lightning.

The resulting three-alarm fire burned through most of Labor Day, and caused an estimated $2 million in damages. Nearly 70 percent of the main building was destroyed as fire consumed indoor recreation areas, locker rooms, the fitness facility, and on-site daycare rooms. What the fire didn't take was heavily water-damaged from the firefighters’ efforts. This left almost 6,000 members adrift as the organization hurried to relocate most of its service programs and get reconstruction underway.

Happily, the community rallied to help; fitness members were graciously welcomed into the NCH Healthcare Wellness Centers, and the Marco Island and Bonita Springs YMCAs opened their doors as well. Childcare programs were relocated to churches and schools. All around Naples, businesses and organizations came together to support a community institution that had always supported them.

Fundraising efforts popped up all over the city, in the form of everything from lemonade stands to corporate donations — and when all was said and done, Naples had raised almost $4.8 million to help the YMCA rebuild. Thanks to this influx of funds and the vision of the board of directors, members, and volunteers, the community center began constructing a bigger, better, and brighter facility.

This new campus will help to support the YMCA mission of putting community values into practice through programs that build healthy, caring, respectful individuals.

“It’s a blessing in disguise,” director Paul Thein said. “We’re 15 years into the future because of this fire.”

The new YMCA facility, which opened January 14, outstrips the earlier model in every way. The entire campus has been redesigned to make use of all available space, including its grounds — not only will members have access to state-of-the-art indoor fitness facilities, but they will also be able to use more of the campus's 20 acres of outdoor space.

These new outdoor facilities include a running trail and ropes course, as well as a nature preserve and children's nature trails. Canoeing and fishing have been added to the program. The Y hopes that these new areas will inspire the community to take on challenges, learn about teamwork, and strengthen environmental awareness.

Inside, the gymnasium is brand-new, and the locker rooms have been completely renovated. The pool has been updated to a world-class, 25-yard saltwater lap pool. The Naples YMCA will continue to teach water safety, swimming mechanics, and competitive swimming. As the largest aquatics provider in the world, the greater YMCA organization has long known that these activities help children feel more confident and secure — both in the water and on dry land.

The new space goes so far above and beyond expectations. The facility, which is over 60,000 square feet, has expanded its single-story wellness center to two floors, and added a healthy café to boot.

Powered by Wynns, this café will fuel members pre- and post-workout, and for those who cannot get to the gym during regular hours, the Y now includes a 24-hour fitness facility that includes standard equipment and exercise programs that can be followed independently.

The hope for this new space — beyond fitness — is that locals will find a like-minded group of community members, who will help support each other as they strive for health and wellness. Diverse fitness offerings, dance classes, yoga, organized group sports, wellness activities, self defense, and youth sports programs are all on the schedule, helping to develop a sense of camaraderie, sportsmanship, and the foundations of a healthy lifestyle.

“The Y is a place for the whole family,” says Dama Foege, YMCA yoga instructor and YMCA daycare mom. “I find the people that gravitate there are family-oriented and completely diverse. It really helps create a cohesive and healthy community. I am so grateful that we are fortunate enough to have this fabulous new center for the current residents and all the new families that keep coming to Southwest Florida.”

Beyond helping local adults maintain physical health and wellness, the YMCA serves the community's children and youth. The full-time daycare center supports between 60 and 100 children.

After-school programs provide many children with a safe environment to do homework, have a healthy snack, and forge friendships, and they also provide working parents with some peace of mind. Summer camps allow local children to explore new skills, engage in team athletics, and build healthy habits.

Plus, new programs such as the childcare garden enable children in daycare to learn about good nutrition while being in nature, and experience the benefits of growing and eating vegetables firsthand.

The YMCA has long been a place for children of all economic, social, and ethnic backgrounds to come together and develop in an atmosphere of trust and support. While currently attending to all of these needs, the Naples YMCA is still in the process of building a cutting-edge childhood development center. The Gaynor Early Learning center is being built to provide learning services for the Youth Development program, focusing on a childfirst mentality of teaching. The outside campus will include the Ripken Foundation Field, which will allow the Naples YMCA and the Special Olympics to have a facility for children of all abilities to play side by side. Speech therapy, occupational and physical therapy, social behavior, and pediatric neurology will all be available to members of the community.

Over its history in service, the YMCA Youth and Children's programs have had a profound effect on thousands of young lives. The organization focuses on nurturing potential while ensuring the development of healthy relationships and social responsibility, which helps members build confidence and character — the Y's focus on healthy childhood development has created a strong foundation for many of our current community leaders.

For over 75 years Wynn’s has been known for its fresh produce, the best beef, and the finest selection of gourmet items in Naples.

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GEAR

FUEL

HEALTH

TRAIN

exercising at least four times a week for at least two months, averaging at least nine miles a week with a long run of three miles. Before you start this program, you should be able to run 30 minutes without stopping.

Quality workouts: Hills/bridges, Mile Repeats, Fartlek (structured speedwork that can be done on a track, road, or treadmill); Track (400-, 800-, and 1200-meter repeats x 8 or x 12 with 60-90-120 seconds rest).

Plan length: 8 weeks

Mile Repeats: Complete these at 15-20 seconds faster per mile than your target race pace.

Weekly routine: 4 workouts, 1 day rest, 2 days optional cross-training or rest. Each daily run at 2-4 miles to include one day of 2 miles easy pace over a hill/bridge twice or a Fartlek of 1 mile easy, then surging ¼ mile fast, ¼ easy, ¼ fast, ¼ easy, ¼ fast, ¾ easy (never stopping).

Total: 3 miles.

Weekly Mileage: 8-12 miles Long Runs: 3-4 miles (once per week)

By Perry Small

Getand a Plan

Run with It Ready to run? First, make a plan — one that includes stretching. Speedsters Running Club President and elite runner Perry Small shows you how.

Quality workouts: Hills or Fartlek (loosely structured speedwork that can be done on a track, road, or treadmill).

5K Plan for Intermediate Runners Geared toward runners who have at least one 5K race under their belts and want to finish faster.

You should be regularly running four to five times per week with a total weekly mileage of at least 16 miles (including a long run of at least six miles).

Plan length: 8 weeks Weekly routine: 4 workouts, 1 day rest, 2 optional cross-training or rest days with each run consisting of 3-5 miles (including one day of 5 miles easy pace over hills/bridges OR a Fartlek of 1 mile easy, then surging ¼ mile fast, ¼ easy, ¼ fast, ¼ easy, ¼ fast, ¼ easy ¼ fast, 1¼ mile easy, never stopping).

Total: 4 miles.

Weekly Mileage: 18-22 miles Long Runs: 6-8 miles (once per week)

Behind every great runner, there’s a great training plan. And whether you’re a newbie to the sport or an elite athlete, a solid plan is the first step — literally — to improved running.

Quality workouts: Hills or Fartlek (structured speedwork that can be done on a track, road, or treadmill); Track (400- and 800-meter repeats x 8 with 60-90 seconds rest).

I’ve outlined three basic eight-week training plans based on your current level of fitness. Since every runner has a different level of ability and running history, these plans should be used as general guidelines to help you gain consistency in your workouts. Once you’ve established time-specific goals, a more detailed plan with paces can be applied.

5K Plan for Advanced Runners For runners who regularly log at least five to six runs per week, average 30 miles per week, and can complete a long run of at least 10-14 miles.

Common workout terms: Fartlek (Swedish for “speed play”): Sprinting and jogging off and on during a run.

Hills/Bridges: Running at least a ¼ mile up a hill or bridge and over, repeating as necessary.

5K Plan for Beginners This plan is designed for someone who has been

36 fitnationmag.com

Plan length: 8 weeks Weekly routine: 5-6 workouts, 1-2 days rest.

Each run consists of of 4-6 miles daily, including one 6 miles easy pace of Hills/bridges OR Fartlek (first mile easy, ¼ mile fast ¼ mile easy for 3 miles then 1 mile easy).

Total: 5 miles Weekly Mileage: 30-40 miles Long Runs: 10 miles-14 miles (once per week)

S tretching P lan When runners take on a training program, they tend to focus on building up their mileage, adding speed workouts to run faster and longer. Improving their flexibility through stretching oftentimes never makes it into training. Yet, a flexible body is more efficient, helps you gain strength and endurance, enjoy a better range of motion, is less injury-prone, recovers more quickly, and simply feels better.

One reason many runners avoid stretching is because they’ve heard it’s bad or unnecessary. True, when muscle fibers are stretched, they lose their ability to function properly and can create delayed onset muscle soreness. However, the goal of stretching should be to lengthen our muscles.

This fills our legs with blood and oxygen, which rebuilds the neurological pathways, restores muscles that have become torn, and realigns postural imbalances.

Along with training smart and choosing the right shoes, stretching ranks right up there as the most important thing you can do to protect your body from the rigors of the road, at least for me. That’s why I personally make stretching a core part of my training plan following every run or race. In fact, a good, consistent stretching program can actually keep you running when you might otherwise become injured. Also, stretching can help reduce muscle soreness after training runs and races.

One note of caution, however: be careful about how you stretch. If not done properly, stretching can actually cause injury rather than prevent it.

Here are some things to avoid: • Don’t stretch before you start your run. Rather, jog easily for about 10 minutes to warm up your muscles.

• Don’t bounce, since bouncing risks pulling or tearing the muscle you’re trying to stretch and relax. Muscles must be stretched gradually. If a stretch is applied too quickly, the muscle responds with a strong contraction, increasing tension. If the stretch is applied slowly, however, this contraction reflex is avoided, muscle tension falls, and you may stretch the muscle further.

• Don’t stretch beyond the point where you begin to feel tightness in the muscle.

• Don’t stretch to the point of discomfort or pain.

These are the stretches that I do after every time I run. I know it helps me personally to feel better, stay looser, and prevent injury. If you feel sore and tight after your training runs or races, you may want to give stretching a try; it made a believer out of me and I hope it does the same for you.

Note: Be sure to hold each stretch for about 30 seconds.

1 2

Hamstring: Lie down with one leg straight up in the air, the other bent with foot flat on the ground.

Loop a towel over the arch of the lifted foot, then gently pull on the towel as you push against it with your foot. Push only to the point where your muscles contract. Repeat with the other foot.

Quadriceps: Stand on one foot, with one hand on a wall for balance. Hold the other foot with the opposite hand and raise the heel of the lifted foot to the buttocks (or as close as comfortably possible) to stretch your quadriceps. Keep your body upright throughout the stretch. Change legs and repeat.

3

Calves: Stand about three feet from a wall, pole, or car, with feet shoulder-width apart and flat on the ground. Put your hands on the wall with your arms straight for support. Lean your hips forward and bend your knees slightly to stretch your calves.

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Perry Small is an elite runner, RRCA Certified Running Coach, and President of the Speedsters Running Club in Fort Myers. With over 24 years of running and racing experience, he has had many overall wins at Open, Masters, and Grand Masters events. Over the years, he has helped countless runners at all levels to improve their performances and times. For more information on Speedsters Running Club, visit www.SpeedstersRunning.com.

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GEAR

FUEL

HEALTH

Life in

Motion Could your fitness routine and overall approach to wellness use some holistic choreography?

Let’s dance.

By Mary Ann Green Photography by samantha duffy

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TRAIN

As athletes, we know that the lifestyle choices we make directly affect our bodies. Our physical capabilities are determined largely by structure and build, plus diet and conditioning, but those aren’t the only things that we actively monitor in order to achieve peak performance.

In fact, proper monitoring and maintenance might even include a more holistic approach, working with a teacher or coach, practicing meditation, stretching, and practicing yoga, all to better connect mind and body.

But, after decades of repetitive motion and physical and psychological stress imposed upon the body, do we remain truly balanced? Have we lost the joy of movement?

These are just a few of the questions I’m left with after meeting Keith and Lisa Banks, owners of Movement 4 Life: Dance, Fitness & Wellness.

Using dance as a tool to relax the body and mind, they coach students to focus on breathing, alignment, strength training, and flexibility. This unique approach works on a holistic level to reduce stress and minor discomfort, increase range of motion,

ease body mobility, and improve overall performance and well-being.

What sets the Bankses even further apart is that they come to you ¬— to your home, community, or school — to teach an array of innovative classes, such as Basics 4 Health, The Dancer’s Body, Movement for Women, Mind/Body Awareness, Guided Imagery, Connection 4 Partners, and even Care 4 Caregivers. While these programs are delivered in group settings, participants always receive individualized attention according to their current needs — including any necessary modifications, stretching, or kinesiology/energy work — to help them reach their maximum potential.

A lifelong dancer and documentarian, Lisa explains that there is innate wisdom and creativity in the body that’s released during dance. “This is our life’s choreography,” she says, “freeing energy for fitness and daily living.” Indeed, the ultimate goal is releasing the physical, psychological, and even emotional blocks that keep us from peak performance as athletes and dancers on the stage of life. Did I also mention it’s fun?

With over 25 years of experience as a fitness

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trainer and dance coach, as well as degrees in Dance and Pre-Physical Therapy, Keith explains it another way: “Our bodies and brains are stimulated by dance and music. When combined with experienced coaching, dance helps us to redefine experienced coaching, dance helps us to redefine limits, address patterns, and release limiting beliefs, delving into a deeper strength and higher level of wellness.”

Just as Keith and Lisa’s approaches complement one another, dance can complement our crosstraining efforts by creating a more balanced, agile body and mind, which can lead to a more wellrounded life.

A holistic approach is even more crucial as we age and strive to identify activities that are both enjoyable yet won’t do further harm to bodies that may have already logged countless hours at the gym, on the court, or on the pavement.

According to the Bankses, life itself is an improvisational dance to which one is constantly making adjustments. Whether you’re a conditioned athlete or not, Movement 4 Life’s work in the studio can help you learn to embrace what is and what can be,

as well as the dance of life itself.

This April, Movement 4 Life is forging an alliance with CampFit & LeanBox of North Fort Myers for a full spectrum approach to health, wellness, movement, and nutrition. For more information, please call (239) 841-4044 or visit Movement 4 Life’s Facebook page at http://www.Facebook. com/BeCageFree.

Keith holds degrees in Dance and Pre-Physical Therapy from Kansas State University and has coached dancers for movies, Broadway, and TV, including the Season 1 winner of So You Think You Can Dance, Nick Lazzarini. He founded Studio 10 Dance in San Jose, California, which he has been operating for 25 years.

Lisa joined the studio as Co-Owner 10 years later and is a dancer, events planner, and producer of TV shows, web series (such as Caribe Road), films, and commercials. In 1993, she represented the U.S. in the Spain World Expo and brings dance education to special needs and underserved populations. In 2014, the couple relocated to Southwest Florida and launched Movement 4 Life.

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Turtle Trot Run 5K Fort Myers Beach, Fla. ftmyerstrackclub.com

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Helping Post-9/11 Veterans in Southwest Florida heal from the Invisible Wounds of War The Warrior Health and Fitness Program is a complimentary six month program for 30 Southwest Florida Veterans, who have earned this through their selfless service for us all. Warrior Health and Fitness is designed to help Post-9/11 Veterans – men and women – improve their physical health and well being through:

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Participants in Warrior Health and Fitness Challenge have mandatory check-ins at Florida Gulf Coast University and JetBlue Park.

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