The long winter is over, we skipped spring and now we are rolling into summer.  This brings plenty of activities to do both inside and out.  Best of all the summer gives us plenty of ways to challenge ourselves to get better.

Many people use spring as a prep time for swimsuit season.   Gyms have more people in them, boot camps see more enrollments, and kickboxing and martial arts classes are packed with people getting tuned up for summer.  Now that summer is here, it’s time to enjoy it!  One of the best ways to enjoy summer is to continue training and adding in competitions to the mix.

There are plenty of adventure races, challenge courses, fun runs and more that will be going on this summer.  One of the ideas that many athletes and even weekend warriors are having is to SUPPORT LOCAL!  In other words, there are some of the big national races.   You know the same ones that charge $20+ to park after already charging a huge fee for the entry and a bunch of other expenses throughout the event itself.  I don’t begrudge these organizations the right to run a profitable company….but here’s the catch…..where does all that money go?  It’s not staying in Nebraska.  It’s not supporting local vendors.  It’s not supporting local businesses.

So many around Nebraska are realizing that while it’s good to jump into some of these mega races, it’s even better to support some of the LOCAL challenge races and adventure type courses here in Nebraska.  A quick check on the internet reveals quite a few races going on this year that are in fact local.  And by doing just a little bit of checking, you can find out how to support the local businesses and economies that support YOU!  “Buying local” is always a great idea.

Also, be sure to check out events that offer more than day care for the kids—many of the local events offer activities and mini-races for the kids to have fun and enjoy!  It can be a whole family outing.  You don’t have to be an Olympic athlete to enter most of these races.   You will see everything from the supper fit to the “I’ve been sitting on a couch for 10 years”  competitors.  And that’s what  makes these events fun!   Everyone can be a part of it and push themselves.  At the end of the day YOU are your own biggest competition and as long as you keep pushing yourself to be active and healthy—then you win!

Three keys for getting ready for challenges:
1.    Up your exercise routine prior to the challenge—even if it’s just walking a little more to stretch out those legs!

2.    Drink tons of water!  Hydrating days ahead of the event helps reduce chance of injury or fatigue.

3.    The day of the event, warm up a little before the race and stretch—your body will thank you!

One of the local organizations that will be running several courses this year is WAYMO Challenge.   WAYMO stands for “What Are You Made Of?”   And in addition to supporting the local organization and businesses, a portion of all WAYMO Challenge proceeds go to local veterans charities.  To find out when the next WAYMO Challenge is, simply go to www.WAYMOchallenge.com  and be sure to check out other events going on this summer all over Nebraska!

For more information on health, safety and fitness, contact Jeff Dousharm at Jeff@paradigmimpactgroup.com