If you head down to the La Jolla Cove the third weekend in October, you’ll witness an athletic event that will change your life. Simply watch, listen, and learn.

Experience the start of the swim at La Jolla Shores beach, set against a Pacific backdrop on a chilly fall morning. A few hundred athletes will stand at the edge of the ocean while others wait patiently in wheel chairs. Some have legs. Some don’t. Some have arms. Some don’t. All have determination, courage and the will to complete the task at hand. This is what The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) is all about.

The passion and drive to make lives better for athletes who have been challenged by life’s circumstances is unparalleled in these talented warriors. If you aren’t already familiar, CAF raises money for challenged athletes who still need to be in the game, but may not be able to afford the expensive prosthetics that allow them to run, jump and swim. Beyond that, CAF provides a support system and athletic arena for military men and women who have returned from serving our country and are in need of rehabilitation.

It was important to me that the company I work for, Vitalyte, became a supporter of CAF. Everyone deserves to be able to move with freedom. We all know that children who participate in sports have higher self esteems than those children who do not. At Vitalyte, we proudly support an active, healthy lifestyle - it is our mission to inspire this mantra as everyone deserves it. When we decided to donate a portion of our proceeds to the Challenged Athletes Foundation, I knew that we were directly contributing to a life-changing experience for many athletes. I knew that we were helping the amazing people at CAF change lives “one athlete at a time,” as they say.

One athlete can now complete a triathlon as a result of the proper fitting prosthetic. One child who, although his parents did not have insurance, can now play during recess with his friends. One war veteran can now compete in a 10k race and cross the finish line with pride. CAF helps one athlete at at time to be able to return to the starting line and playing field. In essence, we want to help CAF bring back the sport of life.

So if you have time, come to the La Jolla Cove on October 21st. Watch what sports can do. Watch what giving can do. Watch what competition is really about and help change a life “one athlete at a time.”

During the time leading up to the event, Vitalyte will proudly donate $1 for EVERY jar purchased so please, hydrate, inspire, and support CAF. SHOP NOW

Cool Off

Being continually sore or nursing a slight injury can create a lot of stress and can sometimes cause you to want to take a sabbatical.

Avoid the misery that comes when you aren’t recovered by taking these precautions. Keep the muscle inflammation down by taking an ice bath after your hard workouts or long runs. Fill the bath tub 1/2 full with cold water, throw in a few handfuls of ice and in you go. Soak for 10-15 minutes. Your muscles will thank you.

Also, add Vitalyte’s Complete Recovery to your post-workout regime. The powerful S.O.D is a super potent anti-oxidant that aids in reducing muscle inflammation. Plus the glucosamine in there is great for your joints (and for all of those of you with shellfish allergies, good news. It’s a non-shellfish source of glucosamine). So when you are feeling a little burdened by the bumps and bruises of training, cool off and bring down that inflammation so you can be motivated to get out there the next day.

Pick a Destination

There are so many fantastic road races now to choose from.

Pick a road race in a city or country that you want to visit and take a “racecation” as I call it. You get to pair an adventurous trip with a great race. That’s pretty cool to look forward to.

Doesn’t get much better than that.

#2: Change Your Pace

Your body needs variety in it’s training pace just as much as it needs variety in the type of cardiovascular training you do. Therefore, changing the speed at which you run is important.

One or two days a week don’t forget to throw some speed work into your training. That means running varied distances at faster than your normal steady run pace.

The Swedes coined the phrase “Fartlek.” That translates to “speed play.” So let’s say you are out for a four mile run. Instead of running the entire run at one steady pace, mix up your pace. You don’t even need a watch.

Legendary runner Jim Ryun used to run fast from one telephone pole to another along the straight stretches of road in Kansas. When he got to the next pole, he would jog slowly until he reached the next one and then he would pick up the pace again.

Mix it up. Run fast for thirty seconds, and then easy for two minutes and then moderate for three minutes. You get the idea.

In my last blog I discussed the best ways to train for your first 5k. Well, now that you have conquered that race and are settled into yourtraining program, what do you, as a beginner runner, do to stay motivated?

You asked for it, so here it is…Milena’s Top 5 Tips for Staying Motivated.

In the nature of keeping you on your toes, I thought I’d start with number 1. Stay tuned for the 4 to follow.

Don’t run as much!

No you are not still hung over from the beer garden at yesterday’s 5k. Read it again. Don’t run as much. That’s right. The number one reason people lose interest in something is because they have become burned out by doing it too much. Is this a scientific fact? I don’t know, but trust me I know what I am talking about.

Think of it this way. Remember the time when you were a kid and you over-indulged on Cheetos (or any food…and yes I am speaking from experience)? Tell me if you can even look at Chester the Cheetah the same way. I am right. Anything we over-indulge in eventually makes us sick and we never can stomach it the same way. Running is the same.

So what’s the best compromise? Here’s a little secret…take mini breaks. I’m not saying you have to take a month off from training. Instead, here and there take a weekend off. Or do what I do. I run three to four days a week and the other days I cross-train. And mix that up too. Spin on the bike, jump into the pool for a few laps or grab your tennis racquet and play a few sets. I guarantee you will actually look forward to your runs when you don’t run everyday.

Avoid the running trap of “more is better.” That way Chester gets to remain that undoubtedly cool cat in your mind instead of a little orange gremlin who loves to ruin your seventh birthday.