Upcoming Events June 6th and June 7th

If you have been thinking about getting on the water and have the desire to test your skills on a river The Great Castell Race is an excellent place to start. The race begins at the RV park off highway 87 between Mason and Fredricksburg and ends at Riversounds campground, home of singer songwriter Jerialice Arsenault. The event benefits the Lance Armstrong foundation. We will cover 12 miles of the Llano and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of music and dance at the finish.

http://www.castelltexas.com/race.html

Sunday we will cheer on the ladies as they swim, ride and run at the 2009 Austin Danskin Triathlon. Participants will cover .8K (.5 mile) swim, 19K (12 mile) bike, 5K (3.1 mile) run. For many women this is their first triathlon and to that we say "You GO GIRL!" If you are not ready to do your first triathlon make that a goal to work toward and come out to cheer on this years participants. Attending a triathlon will show you that if you put in some training and make the decision to do a triathlon you can do it. I am so proud of the women who take the time to live an active lifestyle and train for this event. Active Life Goals and The Expedition School will be there keeping the ladies safe in the water and cheering on their efforts. You can find information about the Danskin at http://www.danskinwomenstri.com/Austin-TX.html

We would love to hear about your experience! If you are competing in the Danskin tell us about your training successes and let ALG know how you do in the race.

Staying active kept Ms. Mathews going well past 100

On Wednesday morning I attended the free yoga session at Ruta Maya Coffee House. Toward the end of the session we heard a loud clasp of thunder and about five minutes later the sky opened up and we had a torrential downpour. It was the kind of rain storm that gives you a new appreciation for nature. As the rain poured over the gutters and down the street we all stood around and watched basking in the glory of how fast things can change. One minute it was pouring down rain and a few minutes later the sky was blue again and everything was calm and peaceful. We did not have a choice to change the weather, mother nature gave us rain and rain is what we got. In our lives, however, we do have the choice to decide our activities and our daily routine.

As the rain finished I started talking to a classmate who lives in my old neighborhood. In the conversation we somehow began discussing a neighbor who I remembered from the area. When I lived in the area Ms. Mathews could be found walking down the street everyday in her red jacket, red shoes and red hat. She would venture out from her house and go approximately 3 miles to the local community center. A three mile walk isn't that far but in Ms. Mathew's case it is amazing because at the time that I lived in the neighborhood she was 102 years old. I learned today that Ms. Mathew's is now 108 and is currently in a local hospital. Her neighbor said that she attributes some of her longevity to the fact that she walked daily and she said that Ms. Mathew's loved to eat oranges. I wonder if she would have had the same longevity if she was not as active?

So the next time you think you are too tired, too old, or too out of shape to go out and get some exercise think about this amazing woman walking 3 miles each day, crossing South Congress avenue and traveling to the local community center. It really goes to show us that we can accomplish more than we think if we stay healthy and exercise. Our choice to be active can really boost our chances of a long active life.

Set Your Direction

Today is the first day of launching the blog site and moving forward as we grow and expand the Active Life Goals community. Coming soon we will have a place for you to set your goals and chat with other members through our forum.

In the mean time we want to know...

What is your Active Life Goal?

Add a comment at the end of this post and let us know what you are currently working on.

Real Ale Ride, Blanco TX

This week Co-founder of www.activelifegoals.com, Melissa Odom will branch out in her cross training to conquer the Real Ale Ride in Blanco, TX. The ride will take participants through the rolling hills of Texas on course lengths of 15, 30, 50, 65 or 80 miles. Missy has chosen the 50 mile route for this ride. This will be her first road ride on her new Cannondale Carbon 6 bike. To get ready for the race we spent some time this weekend at the Veloway and toured around the neighborhood streets to get a feel for traffic and road signs. Missy is training for the Crater Lake Marathon in Oregon and using road cycling as a way to cross-train and keep her legs strong and active.

While I wish I could complete the ride I will be on hand working with The Expedition School as medical support for the event. We are looking forward to a great day in the Hill Country with many miles of rolling hills.

Round Rock REI Clinics and Events

Paddling Basics
6/11/2009 7:00 PM
Everything you need to know to get started kayaking or canoeing. In this clinic we will cover information on how to choose the different types of boats, paddles and pfds used for various paddling experiences.We will also talk about making boat adjustments, launching the boat and basic paddle strokes for kayakng and canoeing.To get you on the water as soon as possible REI staff member Kim Sorensen will also share with you her favorite local paddling destinations.Kim has over 15 years of experience on the water in various kayaks and canoes including the successful completion of the 260 mile Texas Water Safari Canoe race from San Marcos to the Gulf of Mexico in 2008.

Location:REI Round Rock Community Space
Contact:Daniel Grillo/Kim Sorensen

Our Mission

At Active Life Goals our mission is:

To inspire, motivate, and educate members of the community to achieve active life goals by providing an online forum to set your direction, plan your route and reach your final destination.

What is your Active Life Goal?

Oh the places your goals will take you!

Last year I set a goal to get my Wilderness First Responder certification in 2009. I wanted the first aid and CPR skills for my personal trips and I was hoping to use my WFR certification to lead trips in 2009. In January I attended a WFR class at University of Texas in Austin and 10 days later it was official. I knew that I could use my certification to lead trips and work in outdoor programs but I had no idea the path that this new certification would take me on. Over the last 3 weeks I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with The Expedition School founded by Wilderness EMT director Kimery Duda. We provide the medical support for events such as Adventure races, triathlons, and trail runs. This experience is really helping the knowledge sink in from my Wilderness First Responder class. It is such a pleasure to work with such wonderful people who are willing to help you learn and grow. If you get a chance check out the website at www.expeditionschool.org to find out more about safety classes and expedition adventures that you can go on. By setting a simple goal to get my certification I was able to open up new doors of opportunity and adventure. Where will your goals lead you?

Setting Fitness Goals

We are almost half way through 2009, how are you doing with your fitness goals? Did you keep your resolutions? No time like the present to reset your goals and kick off your spring and summer fitness program.

Why not start now! Take out a pen or pencil and write down your fitness goals.

It sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? Just pick a goal and write it down. What is keeping you? Stop reading, take out a pen or pencil and write down your goal.
Are you still reading? Did you struggle to figure out what to write down? Are you making the process of writing a goal harder than it really is? Do you have the same mental block when it comes to working out? The same resistance we feel when attempting to write goals is the same resistance we must overcome to accomplish fitness goals.

Using SMART goals we can remove the obstacles in our way and measure our success. A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. When we overcome the resistance in our mind and accomplish a great workout, we feel great.

To begin, focus on the feeling of accomplishment and exhilaration you feel at the end of a great workout. Set both long term and working goals. Maybe you want to run a marathon. It would be crazy to walk out the door and run 26.2 miles if you have never run a mile. Start by setting small working goals. I will run 3 miles on Monday and 4 miles on Wednesday this week. Keep track of your progress and take notes of how you feel when you make it through your workout. By documenting your goals and fitness accomplishments you will overcome the same obstacles that keep you off of the trail and cause you to avoid workouts.

Set your direction

1) What do you want to accomplish

2) Why do you want to accomplish this goal?

3) Why is this goal important to you? Community?

Plan your route

1) How much time are you willing to dedicate to your goal?

2) Create a weekly schedule

Set your Destination

1) Is your goal related to a specific event i.e. finish Austin Marathon?

2) List the event

Follow your path

1) Track progress – using planning calendar mark training days, and tasks completed

Reach your destination

1) How do you know you accomplished your goal?

2) Create a positive reward for yourself once you accomplish the goal and then go out and set another Active Goal!

About Us

Active Life Goals is a social network and web application designed to help individuals live an active life by achieving personal goals. The site is set up to help you run your first marathon or shave time off your 10th marathon. It all starts with the power of writing down the steps and making a commitment to achieve your personal goals. We provide you with a simple 3 step process for documenting your goals. First, you will set your direction and decide where you want to go, second you will plan your route by creating steps to get to your goal and third you will follow your route to reach your final destination.
You do not have to be a top athlete to finish a triathlon, half marathon or marathon you simply have to decide you want to do it and take the steps to prepare and train for the event. We will give you the road map to follow you simply provide the energy and fuel to get it done.
Whatever your dreams and ambitions are we know that Active Life Goals can help you push yourself beyond your limits!

About our Staff

Melissa Odom, Co-founder Active Life Goals


When you meet Missy you will see a spark in her eyes from the first moment you talk. She always has a smile on her face and she is always looking for the next big activity or event to challenge her skills and push her limits. She has completed marathons in 3 different sports, running, rollerblading and rowing! Missy is very passionate about setting goals, creating training plans and successfully finishing her long distance events. Missy is an avid runner and she is currently planning on completing marathons in 3 different states by January 2010. She will run the Crater Lake Marathon in Oregon, the Nike Women’s marathon in San Francisco, CA and the “Goofy Challenge” half marathon followed by a full marathon the next day at Walt Disney world. Missy’s experience in training for events and meeting people who are new to an activity has been that newbie’s and experienced athletes all need a little help from time to time. Her passion for doing her own activities has led her to Active Life Goals with an interest in helping others while continuing to participate in her personal activities.

Kim Sorensen, Co-founder Active Life Goals

When faced with the challenge of paddling 260 miles non-stop down the San Marcos and Guadalupe rivers last summer Kim simply put her paddle in the water and pulled. After 86 hours with only 6 hours of sleep Kim and her paddling partner Joy reached the coveted flagpole in Seadrift, Texas. The event proved to be one of the best outdoor experiences of her life and it has fueled her passion for helping other people set goals and push themselves beyond their limits. After completing the Texas Water Safari, Kim truly believes that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. With proper training and a specific goal the likelihood of you achieving the goal increases significantly. Kim remembers the first 25 mile training run like it happened yesterday. By the end of the paddle her arms ached and she questioned how she would ever paddle 260 miles. After 2 Months of training the same 25 mile stretch seemed like an easy paddle on Town Lake. One of Kim’s favorite quote is “The Journey is the Destination” and the process of setting small goals, doing the training runs and then completing the race proved to be extremely rewarding. We hope that you will find a challenge and go after your dreams using our tools to help you along the way. Go out and get active today!

Building a dream one Goal at a time

We are going to kick this off with some information about how to get started documenting an Active Life Goal. This blog will start to detail out some of the steps that will help thousands of people achieve their goals this year. Take some time to think about your goals, your dreams and your desires now and stay tuned for the launch of Active Life Goals.

You can visit us at www.activelifegoals.com and provide your email address to get updates on our future launch.
Things to consider when setting Active Goals

1) Training is essential to your success. You cannot expect to ride the MS 150 bike ride if you have never pedaled more than 10 miles. Take some time to work up to the 150 miles your body will appreciate you and you will experience a much more enjoyable event.

2) Learn from experts what you need to succeed. What gear do you need? How long do you need to train? What type of nutrition should I consider for this event?

3) Have fun! We are our own worst enemies when it comes to motivation. Being fit and active is one of the best things we can do for ourselves. Don't look at a workout as work when it is really play! Go Play and have fun!

Our site will provide you with guidelines and expert advice to get you started. All you need to do is provide the energy and enthusiasm to go after your dreams.