Big Peach 5K

My alarm went off at 4:15 am this morning for the Big Peach 5K. I worked 12 hours yesterday and then squeezed in a bit of homework before falling asleep around midnight. In other words, I am exhausted! However, today was a good day filled with positive energy and running enthusiasm.

I still ate the post running food even though I didn't run!!

Big Peach Running Company (where I work part time) puts on a race in Atlanta every year. This was my first time working a race and it was almost as fun as running. We set up the food piles, shirts and water stations before the sun came up and then cheered on the runners and congratulated them as they celebrated everything from a first race, a winning time, a PR, or just the first step toward a healthier life style. 

The thing about running is that it is not just about physical endurance but also mental toughness. Lately, I have been so busy with my two jobs and school that I haven't been running nearly enough but I feel all of my hard work is just a different form of mental endurance training! And, hopefully in one week I can get back to channeling my energy into running instead of books. Until then, I will just keep soaking up all the good energy around me at Big Peach (and from back home) generated from goal setting and the joy in meeting one's accomplishments(yay Dan and Nate for your hard training!). 

It was early and we were delirious cutting our 1 millionth bagel!

Also, best of luck to all the Minnetonka 1/2 Marathon runners back in Minnesota. I hope you have a great race tomorrow and fun celebrating at the Czerwinski home.

Okay...no more procrastinating and back to work. 

(Kate Burn this was written by your request and hard work today at the race. You embody all the positive running energy and great attitude I mentioned!)

The 5k winner with the white hat.

I think I can, I think I can!

I have 8 more days until my last final and 13 days until my trip to Guatemala. Just a little more to go and then I plan on sleeping in til noon!

Until then... I need to nurse this cold, study harder and stop blogging to avoid homework :)

Peace Corps Fellowship at Kennesaw State

I left my house around 10 am this morning and didn't get home until 10:45 pm tonight. This appears to be a pattern lately and one that is beginning to take a toll on my health. I have a cold and am losing my voice but I know its all going to get a bit easier in a week when finals are over. As for now...my house is a mess, I have NO time to go running and I am so sick of eating peanut butter and peach jam sandwiches!! Finals are not conducive to healthy living.

Luckily, the things that fill my day are all things I really enjoy doing. This morning Kennesaw sponsored an awards and awareness ceremony/event for Peace Corps Fellows (like me). KSU partnered with CARE to discuss the benefits of civic engagement and the power of international experiences. As part of the presentation students also had the opportunity to hear from Chief Operations Officer (COO) of one of the world's leading humanitarian organizations, CARE (Mr. Steve Hollingsworth). I really enjoyed getting together with the other fellows who did Peace Corps in Nicaragua, Suriname, Uzbekistan, Togo, Honduras, Ecuador etc. It was fun sharing stories and below is a link to our video presentation created by Rikki George.

RPCV Kennesaw Fellows (current and alumni)

Afterward I rushed to my Fellowship work where we did some work on translating form English to Spanish to Maya for our healthcare toolkit. Then, I met with a classmate, reviewed our presentation and headed to class. During the last hour of class the weather intensified outside causing the lights to go out. So, instead of sending us home a little early, the last presentation group had to present in the dark with flashlights and lap tops.


And that brings me up to the present...I should be getting to bed but sometimes after a rushed day I just need a moment to process it all and my  Daily Intentions Blog is just the spot for that.


Buenas noches!

Check out our PEACE CORPS KSU video by Rikki George on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsE8jqOBrtU

Process improvement and what it all means...

My Operations Management classmate and I worked on a six sigma process improvement project for KSU's HR new hire paperwork flow. We spent 50-60 hours this semester doing interviews, process maps, data collection, cycle time tracking and industry research. In the end- I think we came up with great solutions!

We found ways to upgrade their applicant tracking system with automatic feeds into their HRIS database which basically means the data won't have to be manually entered twice anymore. Now the front-end HR software can communicate with the back-end systems and create a much smoother process flow. We also eliminated other NVTA (no value time added) smaller steps.

I believe our process improvement recommendations will save time, paper and resources- all things I am proud of. Our presentation to our peers went well and people were impressed with the time savings the project will create. However, the results may mean that Kennesaw State probably won't need as many scanning or date entry employees. Efficiency often times means layoffs just as outsourcing eliminates domestic jobs. Its not that I was naive to this reality before this project but it sure did illustrate the complexity of the offshore-automated- computer generated consequences on U.S employment. I believe we must work in the most lean and efficient manner in order to compete on a global level and hopefully that will lead to macro economic benefits that in the end, fuel more jobs. Right??

Our presentation link if you like nerdy things...
http://prezi.com/omlqzzbyzux6/copy-of-new-hire-paperwork-hr/

Maya Photo Shoot

Over the last 9 months I have been working with the Maya Heritage Community Project as part of my graduate research work and Peace Corps Fellowship. We have created a healthcare toolkit composed of language and cultural tools. We wrote a diabetes and prenatal education script and now we are working on translating it into 4 Maya languages, adding audio as well as several photos of the Maya people. The toolkit also includes key medical terms, herb charts and other various "tools" to help improve patient-provider communication.

Check out my shoes with the Traje!?!? (picture by Chris Smith)

 

Today was the fun part of the work- picture taking! The women and children came dressed in their tradition trajes that back home in Guatemala, they would have worn on a daily basis. The families are soooo beautiful, kind and happy and I think the photos capture a bit of that happiness. It is always such a treat to spend time with the community.

 

My co-worker Mandy and I have been working with one family in particular for months now. Back in November the 2 year old daughter was diagnosed with Leukemia and Mandy and I took turns helping them commute to and from the hospital. The horrible news would be devastating for any family but it is especially hard for immigrant families with dispersed family members and limited income.  Maria (name changed) is doing well now but has lost most of her hair and frequently says she has pain in her legs, hands and belly. "Ya" she often says in K'iche' meaning pain. Maria's father has to drive her to the hospital once a week for 2 years to give Maria chemotherapy and yet despite the difficult diagnosis, the family continues full of optimism. They are gracious and happy people that I truly admire.

  

Maria huddled up in my sweatshirt to shield the wind.

Trail Running!

My Kennesaw sidewalk running route has been getting a little mundane lately so I decided to venture back to Kennesaw Mountain. Last summer I ran a few trails at the park but never lasted very long because I always managed to find only the uphill steep routes. All the runners at Big Peach talk about Cheatham Hill so this morning I got hydrated, slathered on the sunscreen and headed to the mountain (1.5 miles from my house!).


I started my run at Pigeon Hill and was surprised to see horses, goats, and llamas at the field next to the entrance. I think it was some type of small hobby farm that also runs horseback riding lessons. Not sure about the llamas!?!

I followed the trail across a little stream and then up, down, up and down. For those of you who don't know Kennesaw Mt. it was a battlefield so you can still see trenches, cannons and along the way there are signs describing the battles. Its a beautiful park with tall pines, streams and lots of green. It was a perfect setting for a challenging trail run.


I had my new Brooks Adrenaline shoes on which are great for the sidewalks but I stubbed my toe and slipped a bit crossing the stream. I guess my next purchase will be trail shoes! However, the shoes are great for me because they have the posting to keep me from pronating and the cushioning to minimize impact. Plus, Brooks shoes biodegrade 1,000 times faster than other shoes. I don't try and persuade people toward the shoes because a good fit depends on each persons bio-mechanics, however, I have found that many people like the stability, support and light weight material of the shoes.



After my run I hydrated with some Accelrade Hydro which is a low carb, low sugar performance drink with protein added. Its hard to find a protein drink that also hydrates without drinking hundreds of calories. I don't run to loose weight but I sure don't want to gain it from my post-run snacks.

These pictures were post run and pre-shower so just look at the shoes and not me.

So, if your looking for a trail challenge that takes you out of your urban or suburban route- I recommend visiting me and Kennesaw Mountain!!