Woman Crush Wednesday-Meet Mirna

Meet Mirna Valerio.

You may have seen Mirna on the NBC news, or in a viral post on Facebook. Oh, wait, or maybe you saw her on the latest issue of Women's Running, or under the pen name, Fat Girl Running, or in this awesome Lane Bryant Campaign (which includes a 4 week program written by Mirna)!  

If you didn't catch on so far, Mirna is a runner, and not just any runner, she's one of those people that love to just run and run and run and run... she does the crazy long, ultra races.... kinda like former #wcw and WMC Project presenter, Sarah Scozzaro. 

We asked Mirna to be a #wcw a while back and wow is she blowing it up and being oh, so crushable!! Go Mirna!  

So awesome to see Mirna making such a solid impact on women all around the globe and we're over here crossing our fingers that we'll get to meet Mirna in person sometime soon! 

Alright, get ready to crush as we introduce you more to Mirna Valerio... aka. The Mirnavator! 

Oh, and you'll want to check these out:

 TWITTER   -  INSTAGRAM  

 fatgirlrunning-fatrunner.blogspot.com 

What do you do?

I am an educator: Director of Equity and Inclusion/Spanish/Cross Country Coach

What else do you do?

I also blog at fatgirlrunning-fatrunner.blogspot.com; I am a contributing writer for Women's Runner Magazine, and am an author of the forthcoming book A Beautiful Work in Progress, due out October 1, 2017

How do you define the word 'strength'?

Strength is that which emanates from you mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It counteracts all forces of life gravities and allows you to stand on your own two feet, and withstand that which attempts to knock you down.

How did you discover your passion/work/niche?

I have always been a educator and writer, and since high-school a runner. I discovered running as a means of becoming a better field hockey and lacrosse athlete, and fell in love with the sport as well.

How do you incorporate movement into your daily lifestyle?

I'm always training for something: races, Tough Mudders, life and longevity....so it's a vital part of my day, that is scheduled in.

Where would be a good starting point for someone who is looking to add more movements into their life like what you do?

Schedule it in and really make it an essential part of your lifestyle.

“You can’t wait for your body to be perfect. ”

Think of it as a way to help prevent disease and chronic illness, and most importantly as a way to make sure your body is functionally strong and able to do the things it was meant to do.

How do you define 'fitness'?

Fitness is the ability to move about freely and unencumbered most of the time, and at high intensities without persistent pain (soreness notwithstanding).

The ability to run, walk briskly, swim, exercise, without hurting yourself--the ability to do these things for long periods of time. The ability to recover fairly quickly from these activities.

The ability to depend on your strong body to be functionally healthy. This applies to differently abled bodies too.

Where do you see the future of the fitness?

Fitness will be for everyone, and it won't be limited to a certain aspirational body type.

Does movement increase your self-confidence? If yes, how?

Absolutely. When movement is a constant in your daily routine, you constantly discover how physically and mentally strong you are. You are constantly confronted with your own humanity and this creates a connection with self that is unlike any other activity.

What motivates the crap out of you? (quote, music, people, sport, etc)

I am motivated by the possibilities of discovering how far, how fast, how long my body can go, move, be.

What advice do you wish you could have given your former self?

Well, there really is no former self--isn't it the same self but on a different place in the life continuum? I have no regrets.

THANKS MIRNA! We are now changing this question to your 'younger' self! :) 

Anything else you'd like to share with us or a bunch of women out there?

You are enough, and this has always been the truth whether you believe it or not.

Support Mirna further and read more from her in her new book, Beautiful Work In Progress... Which already sounds awesome!

Woman Crush Wednesday- Meet Patti

Meet Peiting (Patti) Lien.  

Patti is one of those women you meet and you feel like  you instantly get smarter just when you hear her speak... but not the kind that makes you feel kinda dumb... she's a great teacher and has a way of explaining things.  She is seriously intelligent you guys... and she is passionate about the power of movement. Not just for herself, but with her patients.  Patti is a physical therapist at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD.  

Always up for learning something new, which is how she got herself into racing an Olympic Distance Triathlon, makes her adventurous and humble (a great combo, we think!).  Random facts, Patti was born in Taiwan and also lived in New Zealand before moving to the United States. Working at Hopkins also had her flying back and forth to the UAE for a few years to care of high ranking officials, which is pretty awesome. 

You can connect with Patti on Facebook! Alrighty, now let's get to know Patti a little bit and see why she is this week's #WCW.

Q: What do you do?

A: Physical Therapist that specializes in working with neurologic conditions as well as adolescent scoliosis.

Q: What else do you do?

A: Come up ways to challenge myself outdoors- from whitewater kayaking, doing triathlons, backpacking and dream up of more adventures.

Q: How do you define the word 'strength'?

A: "Strength" is having the ability to do life in ways you're called to live it - from ability to trim hedges to changing lightbulbs to hauling dog food and bags of groceries in all at the same time.

Q: How did you discover your passion/work/niche?

A: I was inspired with the privilege to work with people where their life has changed dramatically due to a neurologic condition - be it stroke, brain tumor, traumatic brain injury or a long term degenerative condition. It gives me the greatest joy to be able to see them get back to doing what they have loved before their diagnosis.

This can be as simple as sitting to standing and to walk from A to B without falling or run after their child to cross the road safely to hiking with their family again or travel the world. All these movements are often taken for granted and it takes a lot of tenacity to regain these activities with efficiency. These patients are have to work just as hard as an athlete, actually harder, in many ways and it's inspiring and emotionally moving. 

Personally I love learning how to move - from learning to kayak to swim and to run or bike with more efficiency and how we learn to move is also what fascinates me.

Q: How do you incorporate movement into your daily lifestyle?

A: I have a dog named Jobi that I walk on a daily basis. I analyze movements at work by watching people move and then figure out how to make that movement more fluid - often using principles of OS - so when my patients are rolling, crawling or marching, i'm also joining them as much as possible. I train for triathlons so there's usually a swim, bike or run workout waiting for me after work.

Q: Where would be a good starting point for someone who is looking to add more movements into their life like what you do?

A: Simple answers are:

1. Get a dog or a walking buddy and start walking around the neighborhood!
2. Aim to walk 5-10 minutes with rest breaks as needed and then build.

“Trying new things reminds me of how amazing our body really is and how fascinating it is to explore and even overcome some fear and uncertainties about the task or activity. ”

Not everyone can just run out and get a dog (actually you can volunteer at a local shelter realistically) so it's good to keep an open mind to trying all sorts of new things.

Trying new things makes me appreciate the reality of some barriers to why some patient don't want to go to try something harder. Trying new things reminds me of how amazing our body really is and how fascinating it is to explore and even overcome some fear and uncertainties about the task or activity.

I know learning to swim and whitewater kayaking was all of that. It made me realize how hard it can be to learn a new movement sometimes.

Q: How do you recommend people get into trying something new?

Be adventurous.... yet gracious to ourselves of the outcome.  You have to embrace whatever it may be, and understand that often it probably won't look that pretty or fluid-- but just keep trying!

Oh, and keep having fun. The best part is to find others to join you in the activity. A lot of times the experience is more special because of the people that you experienced it with! 

“The best part is to find others to join you in the activity. A lot of times the experience is more special because of the people that you experienced it with!”

Q: How do you define 'fitness'?

A: Fitness to me is the ability to do the daily tasks of life when demanded without getting injured - like shoveling snow, putting a kayak on a roof rack or carrying groceries up steps.

 I hope the future of fitness shows 'fitness = living life to its fullest'

Q: Does movement increase your self-confidence? If yes, how?

A: I think it isn't just movement itself but perhaps the ability to learn the movement and be changed by that new found ability to move that empowers me.  This then increases my confidence.

There's nothing like overcoming the fear of drowning whether it is open water swim or whitewater kayaking, but practicing the techniques build that confidence in knowing my ability to not drown!

“Who you become while you are waiting is as important as what you are waiting for” ”

— Louie Giglio

Q: What motivates the crap out of you? (quote, music, people, sport, etc)

A: "Who you become while you are waiting is as important as what you are waiting for" - Louie Giglio

Q: What advice would you give to your younger self and anyone out there?

A: Enjoy and trust the process -there's more of you inside than you think there is.