With more than 1,500 registered participants, Ramblin’ Rose Charlotte is one of the largest women’s triathlons in the country. On September 25th, women of all ages will converge on the Huntersville Family Fitness and Aquatic Center to celebrate the empowerment of what will be for many, their very first triathlon, if not first athletic event ever! During the past few months, despite their responsibilities as wives, moms, cooks, shrinks, tutors, and health care decision-makers, these women have made the commitment to create a healthier and happier life for themselves and their families.
In this issue, we feature one such woman, Caitlin Boyle, who has done that not just for herself, but for scores of woman around the world with her book, Operation Beautiful. During the past few years, Caitlin has been helping women and girls boost their self-esteem through her book and also her work with Girls on The Run. Even before the photo shoot, our photographer Jessi Blakely had seen some Operation Beautiful-inspired Sticky notes around town.
In addition to boosting self-esteem, we also hope to help you reduce stress with tips Jeffrey Brantley, the author of Calming Your Anxious Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You From Anxiety, Fear, and Panic, provides in his article “Live Mindfully, Live Fully”. Personally, I learned to employ many of Jeffrey’s tips during my recovery from my first-ever running injury. Sidelined from my usual stress-busting trail runs in Umstead or Durant Park, those tips were invaluable in keeping me sane during my hectic life as a dad, editor, sales person, triathlete, writer and event help at the many great events produced by Endurance Magazine.
Whatever your job, work-related stress can prove a difficult hurdle that often leads to seeking refuge in poor dietary choices and other unhealthy habits. According to the NC Prevention Partners, a nationally recognized leader in prevention and wellness and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Chapel Hill, NC, nearly three-fourths of preventable illness and premature death in NC are caused by three behaviors: tobacco use, poor nutrition and physical inactivity. The health care costs to both employers and the state in regards to unhealthy employees is staggering. So, in this issue, we highlight two superstar companies who shine in corporate wellness plans. Both these companies, Quintiles and American Airlines, take a comprehensive and effective approach to wellness that produce significant cost savings over time.
One thing is for sure, physical activity is good for you and the power of training with friends is evident in the thousands of women who train together to participate in our Ramblin’ Rose events, or many other events that can be found on SPORToften.com. If you haven’t already started, September 16th, RUN@WORK Day is a great day to start training for one of our events like the Ramblin’ Rose Women’s Half Marathon or the Tar Heel 10 Miler set for April 2012.
Inspire. Perform. Endure.
