2018 Inspiring People of the Year Andrew Escobar

He's a 10 year -old Ultra Marathoner Meet "Drewco"

Andrew Escobar AKA “Drewco” is a high energy, trail running, 10 year-old who started running at the age of 6 to spend time with his dad Frankie Escobar who was running first to lose weight, then to participate in ultra-marathons.  In May 2016 at a local race held in Riverside, CA called Nanny Goat 12/24/100, Drewco got the opportunity to run with one of his heroes, Patrick Sweeney and proceeded to run 9 miles for a PR that day. 

Drew and Patrick Sweeney 

After that day Drewco fell in love with setting high-mileage running goals such as 21 miles at Across the Years that same year.  A year later in 2017 at Nanny Goat, Drewco completed 31 miles to become an ultramarathon runner.  Recently Drewco ran 40 miles at Boundiful Endurance race in Hemet, CA as a gauge to find out if he was ready for his upcoming goals of 54 and 100k.  

Bountiful Endurance Race

These days Drewco is running on behalf of those that aren’t able to like his mother Melissa who suffers from chronic arthritis, as well as to bring awareness to the 100 mile club founded by Kara Lubin which promotes fitness through the “challenge of running, walking, or jogging 100 miles over the course of a school year.”   

                                                      https://100mileclub.com/welcome/

Drewco would like to encourage and inspire more kids to participate in enjoying the outdoors and exercising regularly.  Moving forward, Drewco will be raising money for the 100 mile club and attempting to run 54 miles at Across the Years multiday event on New Year’s Eve this year as a tribute to James Bonnett’s record at 10 years old of 53 miles and 100k at the upcoming Run for Kids 24 Hour ultra, held March 15, 2019 in Corona California.  

His running heroes include Bill Dickey, George Velasco, Chris Rios, Patrick Sweeney, Jim Walmsley, and James Bonnett.
-Drewco

The 100 Mile Club engaging and empowering kids and families to achieve a healthy lifestyle through physical activity nationwide; preventing childhood inactivity and obesity, one child, one school, and one community at a time. 

For more info https://100mileclub.com/welcome/

2018 Inspiring People of the Year Pamela Marino

Ultra Marathoner and Mom of 8

My name is Pam Marino I’m a mother of 8 children ages 9 to 23 that’s 8 kids in 14 years!!! I’m originally from Argentina I’ve been living here in America for over 20 years.  I’ve been homeschooling my kids for about 20 years a true gift!

My family

I’ve simply loved and still enjoy every minute I get to spend with them.  All those years that I was either pregnant or nursing a baby, I walked every day 3 miles on the treadmill it was very hard to go outside with so many little ones.  I always looked for a way to stay healthy.  When my youngest was about 4 I discovered running outside.  The moment I stepped outside there was no way I was going back on the treadmill.  My first run was 3 miles on a trail I literally thought I was going to die.  Next, I ran 6 miles and I haven’t stopped since that day.

Three months after I started running I did my first full marathon it was an amazing experience.  Two months later I ran my first ultra, 31 miles.  Two months later I ran 40 miles, next 50 miles and that was hard!  Then two months after that 100K and finally 2 months later I ran my first 100 miles.  Now that was an experience that changed me it’s hard to explain how but it did.  I ran 3 more 100 mile races, and a few 75 miles.  

Running with Ed "The Jester" World Champion Ultra Marathoner

Running is a gift from God!  I still continue to run daily.  It's my time with God...to think, listen to music...time for me to get the energy I need to take on my busy day.  While I work on being and staying healthy I've been able to work from home which allows me to spend time with my children.

 my beautiful daughter Mary Catherine

When I was expecting my 8th baby, I was introduced to an amazing business.  I was able to build this business from my home while homeschooling.  Our oldest at the time was 13 that's 8 kids under 13 years old.  Wow!  I was blessed to be able to stay home with my kids, home school them while building an international business.  We participated in the opening of the Argentina market in 2011 where we have had the pleasure of working with some amazing people for many years.  It is my goal to help any and all mothers who would like to stay home with their children to do so.  I know how important it is to be able to spend time with them time flies, those precious years go by so fast.

If you are one of those busy men or women who would love to have more freedom of time and generate an income from home while staying active and healthy, I can help you achieve that.  I can teach you how I always say..."if I can do it, anyone can!".  Nu Skin Enterprises is a great business!  

Success Summit Team Building & Training in Argentina 

You can reach me on Facebook Pamela Ganly Marion or visit my page Pam's Health and Wellness page https://www.facebook.com/pamela.g.marino.9  

or email me pammarino08@gmail.com 

Look forward to hearing from you!

-Pamela- 

2018 Inspiring People of the Year Chris Jones

Chris is Serving in Afghanistan

Chris a ultra marathoner is stationed in Afghanistan.  While on a training run, he found and rescued some puppies.  Here is his story.

Ghar Dogs

(Ghar means “Mountain” in Pashto.)

17 years after 9-11, I finally got my opportunity to serve in Afghanistan. The country is beautiful, the people are very generous and kind, and the mountains are spectacular. Day after day and week after week, I would go running through the barren landscape, climbing big mountains, passing by old destroyed Soviet tanks, and getting to know the many packs of stray dogs that live off food scraps from the military base. After four months of running, I came upon this litter of four puppies living in a hole on the side of a fairly busy road. Every day or two we would look at each other and just kind of acknowledge each other’s existence. After several days, I started giving them water. Boy were they thirsty! Shortly after that, I started sneaking out some food scraps from the chow hall. Boy were they hungry! In a matter of weeks, we built a level of trust where the puppies (and the mother and father) would let me walk right up to their hole to feed them and give them water.

This went on for weeks as the puppies began to grow and start running around a bit. As I got to know the pups, I gave them nicknames; Blackie, Patches, Calico, and White Stripe. All of the puppies appeared to be in pretty good health, except for Blackie who has a severe eye infection. Days later, I realized that he was also deaf (or partially deaf) as he could never hear me walk up behind him. After sending home some pictures, a few friends urged me to find a way to save the pups. I was introduced to an organization called Nowzad.com – Winning the War for Animals. Nowzad is the only official animal shelter in the entire country of Afghanistan. When I reached out to them, they said their shelter was full, but they would see what they could do. The staff at Nowzad said, if we could find homes for the pups and raise money to cover the medical treatment and transportation cost to the US, they could take them in. Immediately, myself and a few friends created a Facebook donation page and the word began to spread. Caring friends raised over $1,100 in 2 days to get the ball rolling.

Days later Dr. Majtaba, Farid, Basir, and Juma came out to my base to rescue the puppies. It took 3 days, a bulldozer, and many hours with shovels and picks to dig into the 40-foot tunnel system the puppies were hiding in. But in the end, all four puppies were safely captured and taken back to the shelter to begin human socialization and medical care.

All four puppies have already been given homes in Northern and Southern California to people I know and trust. Now we just need to raise the money to cover the costs of their medical care, food, supplies, and transportation to the United States.

We need to raise approximately $10,000 to cover the costs. Please consider donating whatever you can spare to this fundraising cause. Many of you will get to meet and see these very same dogs living full healthy lives in California through the four people who are adopting them.

If any donations are left over, they will be passed on to the general Nowzad fund so the staff can help other abandoned animals. Furthermore, if there is additional interest in finding homes for more Afghan puppies, I will work with Nowzad to help facilitate the effort.

The shelter and clinic is solely funded by donations. The average shelter worker makes $350-$400 per month to take care of 130 dogs, 40 cats, and several donkeys. Please consider making a donation that will truly make a difference in this war-torn country.

Thank you for caring,

-Chris Jones

If you would like to physically mail packages of dog food, treats, heartworm medication, flashlights, batteries, protective eyewear, shampoo, headlamps, etc… please contact me at december20th@yahoo.com for my domestic APO address and I will arrange for the items to be picked up by the Nowzad staff in Kabul. Shipping usually takes 10-15 days to arrive from the States to my base.

To purchase items that will ship to the Nowzad shelter, go to the Nowzad Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/3Z69H1TUE259  

Additional information can be found at https://www.nowzad.com/? 

2018 Inspiring People of the Year Robert Manon

Single Father Finds Peacetime Though Running

So who am I? What got me to start running? What made me reaching for goals that at the time seemed unattainable or impossible? As the Talking Heads once sang, “How did I get here?”

Well to simplify things and not bore anyone with too many details, here are quick details about me:

My name is Robert Manon. I’m a soon to be 48 year old (soon to be 49) father to 4 children and grandfather to 3. I’ve been divorced for a little less thana decade and have been raising my kids full time. Just one final minor to raise because 3 of my kids are now adults. It has definitely been a struggle and stressful at times to play the role of both parents but I wouldn’t change anything about it at all if I could. 

So back in 2005, I attended the expo for the L.A. Marathon. As I was walking around, I met a few people who were Legacy runners for the L.A. Marathon and I thought that was amazingly cool. I thought to myself I wonder if I could ever do that. Well as luck would have it, a racing company named Devine was attended the expo and selling entries to the Inaugural Las Vegas marathon. The excitement got to me and I signed up then and there. I also found a RunDisney expo that was selling entries into the Disneyland Half Marathon. I signed up for that too. I must of gone crazy because I also signed up for L.A. 2006 while I was there. So my Legacy running dream began that day. 

Fast forward to the Inaugural Las Vegas marathon in December 2005, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was about 240 pounds, had been very inactive for decades and my training consisted of running 6 miles the week before this marathon. It was cold day and by mile 12 I cramped up bad. I ended up walking (limping) for the remaining 14 miles. I chafed up everywhere and by the time I crossed the finish line it was a little under 7 hours. I vowed never to run a marathon again.  

Well, since I had signed up for L.A. I figured I might as well try again. Still went in with minimal training and pretty much had the same results, okay 6 minutes faster but it was horrible. I also ran the Disneyland Half later that year and while it wasn’t a fast time, it was much less miserable and entertaining to me.

Unfortunately sometimes life gets in the way and my Legacy dream in Las Vegas came to a halt when my marriage went bad and eventually I got a divorce. 


It took me years to find a way to juggle my job and raising the kids. One day it hit me all of a sudden, the realization that I’m the only parent around and my kids need me to live a long life. I started to work less and actually started training. I would eventually date my girlfriend who was a runner and she wrote up a training plan for me. I eventually decided to sign up for a marathon again and shaved off almost 2 hours. While she helped a lot, I always had trouble following her plan to a tee and she eventually fired me from being her pupil.

I continued racing and she had introduced me to a couple of running clubs, the Marathon Maniacs and the Half Fanatics. She also introduced me to me people that I like to call extreme runners. These people run every single weekend and achieve insane goals. Running a race every weekend seemed insane. Well, I eventually took on the challenge and in 2013 I tried to run a race every weekend. I mainly focused on the Half marathon distance and when that year ended I completed about 120 half marathon races, 5 marathons and I signed up for my 1^st 24 hours race with Across the Years. At Across the years I ended up with over 100 miles and achieved my 1^st buckle. 

That was an epic year for me and as the years progressed I would step out of my comfort zone and drop about 60 pounds. My running clubs and had different levels of achievements so I set out to hit those goals. I was now running marathon and ultras every weekend. I eventually became faster too while running all these races and qualified for Boston and attended and ran Boston this year in what was one of the worst weather conditions in a long time. I enjoyed every second of that race. 

I run into many people throughout the state of California and even the country that come up to me and know me because of social media. They always tell me that they love my goofiness and that I’ve inspired many of them. Many of them know me as Robert or my running alias “Latino Heat”. I think I have been very fortunate in this sport of running. I’ve met many people, that have been at this for years and decades, they have inspired me. Talking to them made me realize that what had held me back for so many years was the lack of believing in myself. Many things in this sport are possible but we have to break out of the prison in our mind. I’ve told many people that the hardest part about becoming a better runner is lacing up those shoes on a daily basis. Once you get that down and step out the door, amazing things will follow. Your only competition is you and no one else.

I wish I believed in myself sooner but I have been racking up the races the last few years. Here is my current lifetime race count as of me typing this and a couple of stats:

Marathon/ultras - 205
Half Marathons – 236

My 1^st marathon: 6:49:40
My fastest  marathon: 3:18:50

If you are still reading this thank you! I hope it wasn’t too boring and I do hope to meet many of you on the roads or trails. We can do it anything!
-Robert

 

Health Benefits of Eating Avocado

Proven Health Benefits of Eating Avocado

The avocado is a rather unique type of fruit. Most fruit consists primarily of carbohydrate, while avocado is high in healthy fats. Numerous studies show that it has powerful beneficial effects on health. Here are 12 health benefits of avocado, that are supported by scientific research.  

Avocado is Incredibly Nutritious

       They Contain More Potassium Than Bananas

       Avocado is Loaded With Heart-Healthy Monounsaturated Fatty Acids

       Avocados Are Loaded With Fiber

        Eating Avocados Can Lower Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels

       People Who Eat Avocados Tend to be Healthier

        The Fat in Them Can Help You Absorb Nutrients From Plant Foods

      Avocados Are Loaded With Powerful Antioxidants That Can Protect The Eyes

       Avocado May Help Prevent Cancer

        Avocado Extract May Help Relieve Symptoms of Arthritis

    Eating Avocado May Help You Lose Weight

     Avocado is Delicious and Easy to Incorporate in The Diet

   Read more here:  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado

    

I love these hot winter days here in Southern California headstand day 31!

I have to say today's workout was hard but I got it done.  10 mile power walk with some squats and abs.  

I like to end my workout in the sauna to relax my muscles and sweat out the toxins in my body.  You can follow my training and train with me.  Take the Extreme Walk 4 Diabetes 52 Days Challenge!  www.yolandaholder.com   

-Walking Diva-

Athletes Eat and Train

Walkers Eat and Train like Athletes

First you must stop telling yourself your too old then you must train like a athlete.  My day started at 6am with a beautiful sunrise and a 6 mile power walk.  I took it easy today yesterday's workout has me a little sore.  

We all have it in us, step up your fitness game!!!  Daily Headstand Day 30 of 365 on my journey to the 3100 Mile Race.  Daily headstands helps strengthens your back, arms, shoulders and abs.  My friend Teresa Jordan introduced me to headstanding in 2016 I took her challenge to do a headstand daily for 365 days and I did it and loved it.  This year Teresa brought back the 365 Days Headstand Challenge and what I like about this challenge is it keep you accountable and focus and it has many great health benefits.   

Nutrition is very important especially for me because I don't like to eat when I'm racing.  At Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 3100 Mile Race last year I lost close to 20 pounds.  I'm trying different foods and supplements.  

Training is not one of my favorite things to do however, one must train to be successful.  I worked my back and chest with a few reps of pectoral fly and push ups between each set of reps which total to 70 push ups.  My upper body is weak I was able to do 8 assisted dip/chin pull ups and believe me when I say it was hard!

A few weeks ago I was disqualified at the USATF Race Walk Nationals at mile 17.  I view failures as stepping stones to something amazingly awesome that God has planned for me.  I also use them as training tools and now I'm taking my race walking serious by practicing the race walk form and technique.  I think I did pretty well.

I like to end my gym workout relaxing in the sauna and sometimes I break out a headstand.  

Remember you're never too old to set a new fitness goal or to dream a new fitness goal.  I'm training for the 3100 Mile Race and you can train with me and join the 2018 Virtual Extreme Walk 4 Diabetes 52 Days Challenge.  Sign up here and Train Baby Train!

https://www.active.com/virtual-ca/walking/virtual-events/extreme-walk-4-diabetes-52-days-challenge-2018 

Keep moving and smiling!

-Walking Diva-

Walking is a Sport

Walking is a Sport and I train like a Athlete!

Walking is a sport and I train like an athlete.  I'm honored and excited to get an invitation to power walk the Sri Chinmoy Self Transcendence 3100 Mile Race again.  The 3100 Mile Race is the Longest Certified Footrace in the WORLD!  This year I will try many things different and my nutrition will be one of them.

My day started at 4:30am with a ten mile power walk at a 14-15 minute mile pace.  I enjoy walking in the early mornings I can get most of the miles in before the morning traffic.  Even when I have the right-away I still must watch for cars and most of the time I give them the right-away.

It was a beautiful warm morning here in Southern California.  I'm doing the 365 Days Headstand Challenge and today was Day 29 of 365.  I love doing headstands and there are many benefits of doing a daily headstand.  One benefit is headstands help strengthen your back.  When I'm racing sometimes my lower back starts to hurt and I develop a lean.  

Training for the 3100 Mile Race is intense not only do I put in high daily mileage but I also workout at the gym.  Today I worked my legs and abs along with some speed drills on the treadmill.

You can follow my training to the 3100 Mile Race and be apart of the journey by taking the Extreme Walk 4 Diabetes 52 Days Challenge.  You decide how extreme and challenging you want by run, walk, bike, hike a mile or more daily for 52 straight days.  Sign up here https://www.active.com/virtual-ca/walking/virtual-events/extreme-walk-4-diabetes-52-days-challenge-2018

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Live Life Healthy and Smile!  

-Walking Diva-