Events

Tour de Lis is a run, ride and walk that benefits the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans, and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.  It’s not a race – it’s a run/ride/walk with a purpose – to raise funds for and awareness about cancer survival, support, and research-to celebrate survivors and support those still in battle.

When: Saturday, May 08, 2010 @ 8:00 a.m.
Where: City Park, Behind Tad Gormley Stadium

The inaugural Tour de Lis in April 2007 raised $40,000 and featured five riders who cycled 150 miles around Lake Pontchartrain. In 2008, they created a community-wide event and in 2009, Tour de Lis raised over $198,000 for the beneficiary organizations:

The Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans (CAGNO), prides itself in protecting and defending the community against cancer through education, outreach, and research. CAGNO’s patient services program provides vital prescription medications, transportation and other necessities to cancer patients who otherwise would have to do without.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation programs provide financial support and capacity-building to community-centered initiatives that address the physical, emotional and practical challenges of cancer survivorship.

(Click on Image to make a Donation and help Tour de Lis meet their goal)

The goal of the Tour de Lis is to provide a ride, walk or run that is safe, fun, non-competitive and open to all levels of athletic ability, while bringing cancer awareness to the community and raising funds for organizations that are in the forefront of Cancer Survivor Support.

Participants include cancer survivors celebrating life, family and friends who want to honor a loved one affected by cancer, or in memory of a loved one who lost the battle. Tour de Lis unites people who are passionate about cancer survival, knowledge and support. Join us for Tour de Lis to celebrate hope, strength, love and remembrance.

Registration Fees:

Bike Registration: $35
5K Run/Walk Registration: $25
Combo Bike and 5K Run/Walk Registration: $40

Final Date to Register: Thursday, May 06, 2010 @ 11:59 PM

Click here to Register

Transition New Orleans is holding a series of community meetings to gather public input on the opportunities and challenges facing New Orleans.

Chaired by Rod West, CEO, Entergy New Orleans, Inc. and Roy Glapion, Founder and past President, Citywide Testing & Inspections, Inc., the Recreation Task Force will recommend ways for the incoming administration to create a best-in-class and sustainable system of recreational activities in New Orleans.

Please join the Recreation Task Force to provide input on how New Orleans can build a world-class recreation system that enhances the quality of life of all residents. The public’s input will be considered by the Recreation Task Force as they make recommendations to Mayor-elect Landrieu.

Come and share your ideas – last meeting is Thursday, April 15th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Dryades YMCA
2220 Oretha C Haley Boulevard
New Orleans, LA 70113

It almost feels like we are rotating between world class races and music festivals from one weekend to the next.  With French Quarter Fest coming to an end today – it’s time for a race…so next Sunday, New Orleans will host the Ochsner 70.3 Ironman.  Last year, the race broke a world record for being the largest 70.3 in the world. What do we mean by 70.3?!?  Well, this race is definitely not a walk in the park; it’s a grueling combination of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run = 70.3 miles.  The race will start at the UNO Research and Technology Park and end in Jackson Square. The award ceremony will be held at Woldenberg Park.

(Click on images for larger image)

Swim 1.2 Miles

Bike 56 Miles

Run 13.1 Miles

I couldn’t confirm the race was sold out, only 3,000 participants are allowed, but registration for the race is closed. This is the kind of race that requires a lot of preparation.  You don’t wake-up in the morning and decide to run an Ironman.  You need to train properly and invest the money in the right equipment…normally getting a racing bike is the biggest expense.

New Orleans will once again host a list of world class athletes for this event: Last year’s champions, Brent McMahon (a former Canadian Olympian) and Natscha Badmann of Switzerland are returning. Also, Australian Chris McCormack (who has won 11 Ironman titles and been named Triathlete of the Year four times) will make a repeat visit. Other seasoned pros signed on include Rasmus Henning from Denmark and U.S. racers Andy Potts and Joanna Zeiger.

Also, just like the other race events – there is going to be an Expo two days prior to the race.  The Health and Fitness Expo will feature a wide variety of multi-sport products, apparel, as well as healthy lifestyle goods and services. The expo is being held at the Hilton New Orleans on Friday April 16th, 10am-6:30pm and Saturday April 17th, 9am-7pm.

Come out this Saturday for the Sankofa Marketplace; children’s activities, farmers market with fresh produce and wild caught Louisiana shrimp, local entertainment, community resources, health screenings, and health resources. Held on the second Saturday of every month, Sankofa Marketplace takes place from 1pm – 4pm at the corner of Caffin and St. Claude in the Lower Ninth Ward (Parking Lot of All Souls Episcopal Church.)  The upcoming dates for spring and summer months are: April 10 – May 8 – June 12 – July 10 and August 14^th. This is such a great opportunity to get fresh produce in a place where it’s really hard to get them!

The Sankofa Marketplace was created by a coalition of artists, community groups, churches,and small business based in the Lower 9th Ward to stimulate economic development and community revitalization.  Started in August of 2008, the Market was created because of the absence of grocery stores in the neighborhood, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina flooding.  Almost 2 years later, not much has changed – residents still have to travel miles to the nearest grocery store elsewhere in New Orleans, or in Chalmette, or in St. Bernard Parish. Thankfully, the market is still going strong and perhaps once we have our new Mayor, we’ll see proper grocery stores coming to the area.

The Ujamaa Project:  Bring the Kids and Introduce Them to Fruits and Vegetables

The Ujamaa Project provides children with access to, and a positive experience with, fresh fruits and vegetables through visits to our Farmers Market and vegetable grill station. Children meet Sankofa Marketplace produce vendors and learn about the benefits and nutrition of vegetables and fruits through activities such as role play, drawing, printmaking, and imagination games. They also get to create artwork of their favorite vegetables and fruits. Children participating in the project’s activities also get a bag of fresh fruits and vegetables to take home and share with their families!

Introducing kids to fruits and vegetables in a fun, interactive and hands-on approach is a fabulous way to get kids interested and willing to give fruits and vegetables a try.  Getting kids to eat fruits and vegetables is critical for their current and future health.

Some screenings are also available:

• Free private HIV screenings in the NOAIDS Task Force mobile van.
• HIV and STD health information by St John #5 Camp Ace HIV Program

National Kidney Foundation Calls Chronic Kidney Disease Growing Public Health Problem – FREE Screening in Marrero on April 10, 2010

When:           Saturday  -   April 10, 2010 from  8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Where:         St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church *  455 Ames Blvd. * Marrero

A limited number of participants will be screened. You may call (504) 861-4500 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. for pre-registration guidelines and to obtain an appointment time.

Most Americans know that heart disease and cancer can be silent killers and understand that monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol and having regular mammograms are critical to protecting their health. Too few adults and not enough doctors realize, however, that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is another common, life-threatening illness that often goes undetected until very advanced when it could be diagnosed early through simple tests.  Twenty-six million Americans (1 in 9 adults) suffer from CKD and another 20 million are at risk.

Caught early, it can often be managed, and kidney damage can be slowed or stopped. The earlier CKD is detected, the better a person’s chances are of working successfully with his or her doctors to slow the loss of kidney function and avoid health problems. That’s why early testing for people at risk is so important.The National Kidney Foundation of LA will offer a FREE screening through its Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP) for people at risk for CKD.  All participants will receive a series of FREE testing valued at over $320 to determine their kidney function and other health issues.  This includes blood   pressure reading, weight and waist measurements for body index, hemoglobin blood test for anemia, lipid panel for cholesterol and triglycerides, urine analysis for albumin to creatinine ratio, serum creatinine to measure how well kidneys are filtering blood and the estimated glomerular filtration rate  (eGFR) to measure the kidney function.

If you have high blood pressure and/or diabetes; or if your parents or siblings have high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease, then you qualify for a FREE kidney evaluation because you are at risk for developing chronic kidney disease.

For more information contact Julie Gable, Program Services Director National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana (504) 861-4500

What a day!! What a race!! Today was the 32^nd Crescent City Classic – over 20,000 runners and walkers lined up on Decatur to participate in this world class 10K race.  The gun and canon – yes, canon, promptly went off at 8:30 am after the Marine Corps Color Guards and Marine Corps Band finished the National Anthem.

Although at first rain threaten to make an appearance, not a drop came down before, during or after the race…which is good because everyone was enjoying the after the race festivities at City Park. The cloud coverage was welcomed, since you can work up quite a sweat running 6.2 miles.  The mixture of cloud, sun and the low 70s made for a gorgeous day for the race.

The Crescent City Classic attracts world class athletes who come to New Orleans to set world records but to me, the real heroes of the race are the people of all ages, sexes, shapes and sizes that come out to run and walk.  People really do come out in troves to participate…some dressed up, some pushing baby strollers and some pulling coolers filled with beer and jelly shots.

It really is one of the best races in New Orleans.  The course starts off in the Quarter, down to Poydras…around to Rampart and on Esplanade all the way to City Park.  It’s a very scenic route.

At the end of the race many people enjoyed some delicious jambalaya and a ‘few’ folks enjoyed some Abita beer.  Okay…most folks also enjoyed some Abita beer.  I guess they earned it after running 6.2 miles!

Congratulations to everyone who ran and thank you to the Crescent City Fitness Foundation and Times Picayune for putting this event together for the city each year.  You can get your race results here.

Below are the pictures I took. Also, check-out the Times Picayune Slide Shows.

Lets have some fun with learning and revisiting the information on the Be Fit NOLA blog!! This blog contains very important information for your health and wellness – it’s easy for information to end up buried and forgotten on blogs and we don’t want that to happen so we’re going to keep things interesting.

Every week we are going to run a scavenger hunt.  Five questions that will take you from blog post to blog post – the scavenger hunt will be started with a question on Facebook and Twitter. The prizes will vary from week to week.  The people who answer all the questions right will be entered to win and the winner will be selected by a random number generator.  The Scavenger Hunt will run from Monday-Friday.  The winner will be announced on Saturday along with the answers.

Have fun learning more about living a healthy lifestyle!!

(hint, hint…we do have a search box in the right column…)

We are less than two weeks away from the Crescent City Classic which will be taking place on Saturday, April 3^rd at 8:30am. I ran the Crescent City Classic last year – it was without a doubt the biggest race I had ever participated in.  Just like the Rock N’ Roll Mardi Gras ½ & Marathon attracted large crowds and top class athletes…so does the Crescent City Classic.

The CCC 10K is known as one of the world’s greatest 10K races.  It runs on a flat, fast, 6.2 mile course that lends itself to world records, as well as to those who just want to get some exercise.  The run starts at Jackson Square where the Marine Corps Band provides the runners some entertainment (it personally helped settle my stomach, last year). Runners than run to Poydras, up to S.Rampart/N.Rampart to Esplanade and than on to City Park.  In City Park, the runners are welcomed by cheering fans, food and festivities. The weather last year was absolutely perfect.

This is a race for everyone.  I ran it a little under an hour last year and saw people walking, saw military formations, and people in costumes etc.  People were having fun, enjoying the fresh air, and getting some exercise!!

If I didn’t have plantar fasciitis I would be running it again this year. If you are planning to run and have not registered, I HIGHLY recommend you register online. It’s a bit of a mad house the days before the race so it’s best to register ahead of time.  Online registration will close at midnight, Sunday, March 28^th.

Concurrent with the CCC, will be the Crescent City Classic Expo at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, 500 Canal Street in downtown New Orleans. Held on Thursday, April 1 and Friday, April 2, the free expo will feature exhibitors showcasing the latest in running apparel, shoes, exercise equipment, nutritional and wellness products, fitness services, and much more.

Race Day Schedule

6:30 a.m. Buses begin running from City Park to start area near Jackson Square
8:15 a.m. Final Announcements, Dignitary Welcome and the National Anthem
8:30 a.m. The Times-Picayune Crescent City Classic Begins!
9:00 a.m. Post-Race Party and Festival begins near finish in Tad Gormley Stadium
10:00 a.m. Complimentary Bus takes participants back to Canal St.
10:30 a.m. Awards Ceremony and Giveaways from stage in Tad Gormley Stadium
11:00 a.m. Festival Bands resume playing
1:00 p.m. Festival officially ends, Complimentary bus transport to Canal St ends

For more information – visit the Crescent City Classic Website. Let us know if you are running by leaving a comment!!

Spring is almost here and we’re already benefiting from some gorgeous weather – there’s no better time to “Get Active and Get Outdoors!”

One way to do that is by joining the New Orleans Outdoors Meetup Group.  The New Orleans Outdoors Meetup Group is:

“A group for local outdoor enthusiasts of all levels of ability and interests. If you enjoy being out in the wilderness, and appreciate open skies, good food and great company – welcome! Grab a spot around the fire and let’s explore the great outdoors together.”

The group has 642 members and they’ve had 150 meetups so far that varied from camping trips, canoeing trips, bike rides, kayaking, volleyball at Coconut Beach, and climbing excursions. Joining a meetup group is a wonderful way to meet new people who share the same interest(s) has you.

Partaking in outdoor activities with friends, being active, getting some fresh air, and having fun are all great things for your health!!

I did it! I started a Be Fit NOLA Tour de Cure Team!! My grandmother (mom’s side) had diabetes and my aunt also has diabetes – I have to be extra cautious because this is a disease that I’m genetically predisposed to…so I am at risk.  This is a personal quest but obviously it’s also a quest on a much larger level for what we believe-in at Be Fit NOLA. Participating in the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure is a way for us to encourage you to join us in a 25 miles bike ride to raise money for a fabulous cause.

To prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

Now you can make a difference in the lives of more than 23.6 million Americans with diabetes by joining thousands of cyclists around the nation who are riding in Tour de Cure.

Tour de Cure is a series of fundraising cycling events held in 43 states nationwide to benefit the American Diabetes Association. The Tour is a ride, not a race, with routes designed for everyone from the occasional rider to the experienced cyclist.

The event is being held May 23, 2010 at Tammany Trace Trailhead (Koop) Drive in Mandeville.

This is a great opportunity to do something good for yourself and for a good cause…while having fun with us!!

To Register to Ride with Us – On the Be Fit NOLA team click here and for team name put in Be Fit NOLA (we are a Corporate team).  Our goal is to get at least 5 riders together who will raise $150 for a total of $750.  We would of course love to get more!!

If you aren’t interested in riding- please support my fund raising efforts

Aaron and I will start riding and everyone will be invited to join us.