TAC Board: The Alaska Club Blog

I am a mother to three children, who were all born within three years (2006-2009). I was in “advanced maternal age” when I had my first baby, so my husband and I went for it and had two more without thinking about it because we didn’t have time to waste. Parenthood is amazing in all the ways everyone promised it would be, except it isn’t always amazing for the workout routine! I am happy to share some strategies I employed to survive and stay in sort-of “good” shape and sane…. And also share some of my favorite moments doing events with my kids.

When mentioning yoga, for many, a series of uncomfortable twisted poses (arsana) comes to mind, but yoga is much more than handstands and touching your feet to your head. Yoga is a 5,000-year-old Indian practice that connects the mind, body and breath through meditation. There are many different variations of yoga, including yoga flow, aerial yoga, hot yoga, yin yoga, hatha yoga, lyengar yoga, and the list goes on. While we won’t go into the details of each, the important thing to know is that yoga serves as a way to strengthen the mind and the body simultaneously, as they learn to move fluidly together.

By CLARA MILLER JUNEAU EMPIRE

Member Don Kiely took part in the 2015 National Senior Games held this month. Athletes competing in the National Senior Games must first qualify at a state level and Don was one of several Fairbanks runners selected to take part. Don, whose running resume includes age division honors in numerous local races, found the National Senior Games experience "really interesting, amazing to have 10,000 athletes come and compete at some surprisingly high levels." In addition to his own running in the road races, Don got to cheer on triathletes and saw the archery competition, finding it really impressive that competitors could consistently hit the center from 80 yards out. "People were so nice" said Kiely "competitive but fun. The key thing was everyone was so supportive and just there to have a good time."

Jeff Dusenbury, whose life was stolen way too early in 2014, was a beloved athlete in the Anchorage community, taking part in countless organized races over the last 20 years. The over 1,500 people that attended his memorial service was a reflection of how he lived his life and what type of man he was – he was the epitome of kindness, generous to all who knew him and to many who didn’t. Because Jeff was so well-known in the biking and racing community in Anchorage, many local race directors, along with his widow and daughter, have organized the Jeff Dusenbury SweatFest Memorial Run, a running race in his honor with net proceeds benefitting charities of which he would approve.

Congratulations to all the participants of the Biggest Mover Challenge. Whether you hit 15, eighty-five or only a few classes, we know you experienced and enjoyed the energy of a group fitness class!

On Monday, Feb. 23, 2015, The Alaska Club a fundraiser for Augie’s Quest featuring a brand new group fitness format of P90X. The class was led by Master Trainer Steve Dunn, along with his wife, Tammy Dunn and the ever-popular Russell Jackson.

The Alaska Club will be hosting special guest Ali Vincent, winner of the Biggest Loser Season 5, on March 2nd at 6PM at the West Club located at 1400 W Northern Lights Blvd in Anchorage. Throughout the years, since Ali won The Biggest Loser and became the first female winner of the NBC hit series, she has made it a top priority to use her celebrity status to do as much as she can to support causes dear to her heart. As we celebrate American Heart Month, The Alaska Club is committed to changing lives by providing healthy choices for men, women and children to stay motivated, active and fit. Ali shares in this commitment with a dedication to working with organizations across the US, to bring awareness, as well as educate on how to stay fit and take action in all areas of life.

Here at The Alaska Club, our employees are committed to the communities they live and work in, providing support through both member and employee involvement, something we never take for granted! But once in a while, we have to take a moment to spotlight those that make an extraordinary difference. We want to share the story of Nathaniel Guderian (right), a fifth grader and son of the VP of Operations, Mike Guderian, a 15-year employee of The Alaska Club, who recently topped all fellow fifth-graders at the Eagle River Christian Academy jog-a-thon. Rather than accept the award, Nathaniel gave it to friend and classmate Glenna Peyton, who he said deserved it more.