FAIRFIELD WINS SFC II (SOFITCITY II, SOLANO COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP)

FAIRFIELD — The city of Fairfield is fit.

The city took first place in the second annual SoFitCity challenge Saturday, with more than 800 registered participants competing in 5K or 10K runs, respectively.

Both runs and a family fun mile began near the Solano Town Center mall with both the 5K and 10K runs sending participants into Fairfield.

For John Milne, 81, of American Canyon, the day was a celebration of being fit.

Milne completed the 10K run, which required runners and walkers to utilize the Linear Park pathway as they weaved their way through Fairfield. 

After completing the 6.2 miles, Milne found time to dance with his wife, Billie, to the live music provided.

Milne said that he did have fun competing in the 10K and felt that the hardest part was the last mile.

“I’m proud of him,” Billie Milne said.

“I told him that he is going to use up every part of his body before he leaves this place,” Billie Milne said with a laugh.

Fairfield resident Claudia Wilde said that she decided to participate in the 5K race for one special reason: to receive the after-race medal.

“I really wanted the medal,” Wilde said with a laugh, after competing in her first SoFitCity challenge. “But I also wanted to help support the great things that are happening here.”

“I see a lot of kids here and it’s great to get them active,” Wilde said.

As competitors finished their respective races, they were cheered on by spectators and race volunteers alike at the finish line, which was located near the Sports Authority store in the mall.

The Salvation Army was on hand to provide after-race energy food for the competitors.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Solano County Library Foundation and area other nonprofits, according to a pre-race press release. 

Suisun City slipped to third place after winning last year’s inaugural challenge. Vacaville claimed second place.

Each participant who crossed the finish line earned one point for his/her city of residence and a race medal.

Reach John Glidden at 427-6981 or jglidden@dailyrepublic.net. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/glid24.

SOLANO TOWN CENTER and KUIC HOST FAIRFIELD CITY RALLY FOR COUNTY RUN

Fairfield, CA – On Saturday, September 21, 2013 KUIC Radio and the Solano Town Center are hosting an all-city team rally for the upcoming Fittest City Challenge event later this month.

The event is free to the public and will include Zumba workouts, a Body Combat class with 24hr Fitness, and a ton of free prizes with the KUIC prize wheel!

“These city rally events are so important,” says Elicia Stewart, SOFITCITY organizer. We are striving to re define what our county thinks about fitness and health. True health is matter of heart and not a matter of looks.”

DETAILS               

• ·         Totally FREE
• ·         From 1p – 3p: Solano Town Center (Formerly Westfield Mall, 1350 Travis Blvd, Fairfield, CA)
• ·         Pre-party for SOFIT’s Run This Town 5K

·         Register online for the 5K walk/run at www.SOFITCITY.com

SOFITCITY presented by Kaiser Permanente is scheduled for September 28, 2013, National Family Health & Fitness Day.  The event will be held in Fairfield, CA and will include a Mayor’s Cup, Police vs Fire, and Armed Services challenge. 

For more information visit SOFITCITY.com.

                                    

SALVATION ARMY’s KROC CENTER RALLIES CITY FOR LOCAL CHAMPIONSHIP

On Saturday, September 14, 2013 the Salvation Army Kroc Center is motivating Suisun City to #DEFENDSUISUN, a rally cry to encourage Suisun City residents to participate in the annual SOFITCITY 5K/10K Championship for health, and the distinction of being named the ‘Fittest City’ in Solano.

In 2012, Suisun City bested the other six Solano County cities and became the SOFITCITY Challenge Champion by having the greatest number of finishers present.  The Kroc Center is leading the charge to help the community repeat the performance. The rally event features outdoor fitness classes, a fun Kroc-Stacle course, music, team photos and more!

DETAILS               

         ·  FREE

         ·  10 a.m to Noon

         ·  Kroc Center, 586 E. Wigeon Way, Suisun City

         ·    Pre-party for SOFIT’s Run This Town 5K

         ·    Or Register online www.SOFITCITY.com

SOFITCITY presented by Kaiser Permanente is scheduled for September 28, 2013, National Family Health & Fitness Day.  The event will be held in Fairfield, CA and will include a Mayor’s Cup, Police vs Fire, and Armed Services challenge. For more information visit SOFITCITY.com.

SOFITCITY 5K 10K CHAMPIONSHIP

County wide run unites region for health

Organizers of the SOFITCITY 5K/10K, presented by Kaiser Permanente, have launched new challenges for an even bigger celebration at the annual county competition walk/run event held at the Solano Town Center in Fairfield, CA on Saturday, September 28, 2013.

SOFITCITY welcomes rival cities to compete for the largest number of finishers to win the county trophy in the name of health, civic pride and fun. Last year’s inaugural event saw approximately one thousand runners, with Suisun City winning the trophy with the largest percentage of residents participating. “This event is about citizens coming together in a grass roots effort to build a healthier community,” says event organizer Jessica Adele. “A healthier community is not only physically active, but also civically active in meeting the concerns of the community.” Two major concerns for the region are the obesity and diabetes statistics. Solano County has the highest rate of adult diabetes in California at 9.8%, while Napa obesity statistics outrank the nine bay area counties, according to recent study conducted by UCLA Center for Health Policy & Research. “SOFITCITY is just one part of a grand community initiative to change these numbers,” says Adele. No easy task, the SOFTICTY event is bolstered with the support of several organizations and all three healthcare providers including Sutter Health, NorthBay Healthcare and Kaiser Permanente. 

 “SOFITCITY was so much fun last year,” said Dilenna Harris, Kaiser Permanente Public Affairs Manager. “And we are proud to support the SOFITCITY mission to build a fitter Solano. We believe community-partnerships are the essence of a fitter community, and SOFITCITY is one of many local prevention-driven programs that we support.” New this year is an Armed Services Challenge, Police versus Fire Department Challenge, a Mayor’s Cup award and a costume contest. In addition to live music, 5K and 10K Finishers can look forward to finisher medals at the conclusion of the race. Sutter Health is sponsoring the Health & Fitness expo at the event, while NorthBay Healthcare is honoring new runners with finisher medals. "We understand how daunting a first timed event can be," says Brett Johnson, president of NorthBay Healthcare Foundation. "By celebrating new runners and walkers in their first 5K, we hope to motivate residents everywhere to even greater health and fitness success."

Fleet Feet Vacaville is providing a beginners runners course and several prizes, while other sponsors like the Salvation Army Kroc Center are sponsoring a massive kid zone play area.“What’s great about this concept is that it’s inclusive,” says race director, Todd Rewick. “It’s a party for folks who like live music and dancing, it’s a kid’s event for children fundraising for their schools, and it’s a championship event for runners here for the medal or seeking a title.” Funds raised from registration benefit the Solano County Library Foundation and other area nonprofits that promote fit minds and fit bodies for a fitter community. Who will win the title for 2013 fittest city? Well, the city that puts their best foot forward. See you there!

For more information on this year's event, visit WWW.SOFITCITY.COM

2013 SOFITCITY POSTER RELEASED

AMERICA'S ONLY ANNUAL HEALTH COMPETITION

     REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR AMERICA'S ONLY ANNUAL HEALTH COMPETITION

KAISER PRESENTS 2nd ANNUAL CITY VERSUS CITY COMPETITION FOR HEALTH

SOFITCITY BUILDS A FITTER CITY

Kaiser Permanente Presents 2nd Annual County Race

Registration Now Open CLICK HERE

(Solano County, CA - September 28, 2013) Fitness challenges are hardly original, but a city versus city concept, just might be. Organizers of the SOFITCITY 5K/10K, presented by Kaiser Permanente, have launched new challenges for an even bigger celebration at the annual county competition walk/run event held in Fairfield, CA on Saturday, September 28, 2013.

SOFITCITY welcomes rival cities to compete for the largest number of finishers to win.  New this year is an Armed Services Challenge, Police versus Fire Department Challenge, a Mayor’s Cup award and a costume contest. In addition to live music, 5K and 10K Finishers can look forward to finisher medals at the conclusion of the race.

“What’s great about this concept is that it’s inclusive,” says race director, Todd Rewick. “It’s a party for folks who like live music and dancing, it’s a kid’s event for children fundraising for their schools, and it’s a championship event for runners here for the medal or seeking a title.”

“SOFITCITY was so much fun last year,” said Dilenna Harris, Kaiser Permanente Public Affairs Manager. “And we are proud to support the SOFITCITY mission to build a fitter Solano. We believe community-partnerships are the essence of a fitter community, and SOFITCITY is one of many local prevention-driven programs that we support.”

Funds raised from registration benefit the Solano County Library Foundation and other area nonprofits that promote fit minds and fit bodies for a fitter community.

For more information on this year's event, visit WWW.SOFITCITY.COM

MEDIA CONTACT

Elicia Stewart

SOFITCITY Captain

elicia@sofitcity.com

707.929.3565

FREE TALK ON TRAINING, BIOMECHANICS AND FOOTWEAR

FREE TALK ON TRAINING, BIOMECHANICS AND FOOTWEAR

Date: Wednesday July 31, 2013 at 5:30 PM

Location:  Fleet Feet, 354 Merchant Street, Vacaville, CA

FLEET FEET VACAVILLE PRESENTS SOFITCITY TRAINING CENTER

The countywide SOFITCITY 5K/10K Run. Walk. Party! presented by Kaiser Permanente,  is set for Saturday, September 28, 2013. The event is part of a strategy to create more walkers and runners throughout the county in order to build community habits around health.

REGISTER NOW AT WWW.SOFITCITY.COM

Wednesday, July 31, Fleet Feet Vacaville and New Balance will host a free shoe talk clinic, educating residents on the launch the SOFITCITY NO BOUNDARIES Training Program.  

The program will guide runners through an 8-week orientation and 5K training program in preparation for a fun and confident finish at the SOFITCITY 5K/10K Run. Walk. Party! this fall.

Vacaville team captain, Carol Gilpin, owner of Fleet Feet Sports in Vacaville, will conduct the trainings, starting in two Solano locations, with hopes of expanding throughout the county.  Carol, who is also a Registered Dietitian, wrote the program for New Balance in 2006 and has since seen the program expanded throughout the nation.

Carol Gilpin, Fleet Feet Vacaville

“We strongly believe in specific programs that guide new and current runners to a healthy lifestyle,” says Carol. “Fleet Feet Vacaville has been in the business of educating and inspiring runners for a long time, and we are excited about helping everybody get ready for SOFITCITY.”

You are invited to Carol’s free clinic to learn about the SOFITCITY NO BOUNDARIES Training Program, Wednesday, July 31, 2013, at 5:30pm, at the Vacaville store. 

SOFITCITY NO BOUNDARIES begins August 5, 2013. 

SAVE $10 on the Training with the code "SOFIT"
             
CLICK HERE to Register for the 8-Week Program today at www.Fitvil.com!  

For more information on locations and times, please call Fleet Feet Vacaville at (707) 449-9266.

 

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NEW RUNNERS START HERE

SOFITCITY encourages first-time 5K'ers

BY REPORTER STAFF

Original Posted:   07/15/2013 01:03:19 AM PDT

Those new to running 5-kilometer races will be honored during the 2nd Annual SOFITCITY Challenge, a 5K/10K Championship for Health presented by Kaiser Permanente, that will be held Sept. 28 at the Solano Town Center shopping mall in Fairfield. NorthBay Healthcare will honor the new runners by bestowing them with finisher medals. To be eligible, select the "new runner" designation on the registration form at www.sofitcity.com.


"NorthBay Healthcare believes in compassionate care close to home, and we understand how daunting a first timed event can be," said Brett Johnson, president of NorthBay Healthcare Foundation. "By celebrating new runners and walkers in their first 5K, we hope to motivate residents everywhere to even greater health and fitness success."


Event organizer Jessica Adele echoed the sentiment, remembering her first 5K. "I was nervous and excited. ... I didn't feel fit enough, or even ready, but I did it!," she said. "It would have been nice to receive a medal, but many of these events award only the half or full marathoners, so we are incredibly grateful to our 2013 sponsors and NorthBay Healthcare for celebrating brand-new runners with us!"


Along with crowning one Solano County city as the "Fittest City," the competition will feature challenges for first responders, the Armed Services, and a new Mayor's Cup Challenge.


Funds raised from registration benefit the Solano County Library Foundation and other area nonprofits that

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promote for fit minds and fit bodies for a fitter community.

For more information on this year's event, visit WWW.SOFITCITY.COM

TALE OF TWO COUNTIES: NAPA AND SOLANO

Solano and Napa high in obesity rate

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen Times-Herald staff writer

Originally Posted:   04/03/2012 01:01:18 AM PDT

Statistically, more smokers and binge drinkers live in Solano and Napa counties, respectively, than the rest of the state, according to a new report.

The newly released UCLA Center for Health Policy Research's Adults Health Profiles also reveals that Napa County's obesity rate is the highest in the nine Bay Area counties, and that obesity is also significantly higher in Solano County than in the rest of California.

The center compiled the report, providing data on key health topics on all California counties, including on the estimated 301,000 Solano County adults and the 97,000 or so in Napa County, center officials said. The information is based on the 2009 California Health Interview Survey, they said.


The report shows, for instance, that fewer adults live in poverty in Solano (33 percent) and Napa counties than the 34 percent state average. The data shows that nearly 33 percent of Solano County adults and nearly 26 percent of those in Napa County earn an income less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.


On the other hand, fewer people are uninsured here than statewide (just over 19 percent for Solano and about 23 percent in Napa, compared to more than 26 percent statewide).


It also shows that a higher percentage of people in Solano County (21.6 percent) delayed seeing a doctor or getting needed medication in the past year, than the state average of just over 20 percent. Napa County's figure nearly matches the state's.

                                                                                                                   Health officials

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in both counties expressed no surprise at the report's findings.
"We know, for instance, that we have a higher rate of smoking and that reflects our socioeconomic and demographic mix in the county," Solano County public health officer Bela Matyas said. "Solano is the only county in the country where all four major racial/ethnic groups are represented by more than 10 percent of the population."


In other words, more minorities and poor people smoke and have more limited access to healthier foods. They therefore, have correspondingly higher rates of obesity, diabetes and other chronic health conditions, he said.


"Smoking is more prevalent among African Americans and Hispanics than among Asians and Whites," Matyas said. "But we're working on these issues."

County health officials focusing on more specifically targeted outreach he said.


"People have a lot of other things to worry about in this economy than eating right and exercising," he said. "We feel it's more effective to target messages specifically -- like to focus nutrition on children and hopefully develop life-long habits."


Napa County health officer Karen Smith said that while comparing a smaller, rural county like Napa to the rest of the Bay Area can produce misleading statistics, the problems the data reveals are well known to local health officials.


"We've known for some time our obesity rates are higher than we like them to be and the binge drinking issue has come up before," Smith said. "We've been working on underage drinking with some success, and we passed a social host ordinance law last year."


Napa County is also set to launch a new strategic plan that includes addressing these issues, including childhood obesity, which she said is growing here.


"We have a project with public health and our social services division and with CalFresh, which is what the food stamps program is called now," Smith said. "It's a large endeavor we're rolling out, that covers things like how to cook well on a low income. And we have a local food advisory council that's working on a variety of strategies so that every one in Napa has access to local healthy foods."


Napa County is also launching a community nutrition action plan, hopefully by September, she said.

The Difference Between Fit and Healthy

Looking “Fit” Doesn’t Mean Being Healthy 

Jen Comas Keck

Follow Jen

What is healthy?

The word “healthy” is a lofty one. Ask 10 people what being healthy means to them, and I can guarantee that you’ll get 10 different answers, ranging anywhere from blood work data, to inflammation, to the ability to run a mile in under 8 minutes. So what exactly does healthy mean? Spoiler: I’m not entirely sure either, and my definition admittedly changes frequently. However, I am certain of one thing: Looking fit doesn’t always mean that you are healthy, and being healthy doesn’t always mean that you will look fit. 

Huh?

Never Judge a Book by it’s (Pretty) Cover

A few years ago I prepped for my first Figure show. When I started out, I was sort of skinny-fat. Nothing extreme, but not lean by any stretch of the imagination. However, I was a pretty happy camper. I was always laughing (anybody that knows me can attest that I am a gigglebox) and bouncing off the walls. Once I embarked on an 18 week show diet, that all changed. Granted, my body had never looked better and it got more ridiculous with every day that passed. People kept commenting on how amazing I looked, asking what I was doing to make such great progress, and could I help them do that, too? 

But what they didn’t know was that I felt like total shit. Day in and day out, I was miserable. I was so tired that I could barely handle life. I was the grumpiest chick on the planet, and I still feel bad to this day for some of the people that had to endure my mood swings for those 4+ months. I was weak, tired, and irritable. My skin was dry, I was always freezing, and simply put, I never felt good. My digestive system was in shambles and I was an emotional wreck, however I persevered, chalking it all up to the “prep experience” and telling myself that these are sacrifices we have to make in order to get to our goals. 

So yes, my body? Bangin’. But I am pretty sure that no matter what your definition of “healthy” is, what I listed above sure as hell ain’t it. 

Careful What You Wish For

One day a friend of mine was talking about a Figure competitor that trained at our gym, and she said, “Whoa. I’m so jealous! I wish I could be as healthy as she is.” What this girl didn’t know was that I happened to be friends with the Figure competitor and the extremes she went to for dieting for her shows were insane and typically involved huge rebounds and battles with severe depression after each show. My girlfriend deemed the Figure competitor healthy based only on physical appearance and was envious, even though she had no idea what was going on under the surface, which I dare bet was a deluge of hormonal and metabolic issues that were only exacerbated with each prep. Nevertheless, the competitor’s smoking hot body had women flocking to her for dietary and training advice, saying that they’d give anything for that body. 

Healthy > Super Lean.

What about the people that train consistently, eat a balanced diet, and are genuinely happy, but don’t possess the genetics that allow them to get really lean (for the sake of this post, lets say sub 15% for a woman, and sub 8% for a man) without going to extreme dieting and supplementation measures? They aren’t ripped, shredded, diced, or any other silly word that evokes visible abdominal definition or muscle striations, but they feel good - move well, sleep well, enjoy life, strong, happy - and I dare say are healthy. 

I believe the majority of the population that trains hard and eats right falls into this group. While getting insanely lean isn’t impossible, the lengths that most of us (including yours truly) have to go to in order to get there are pretty hairball, and they most certainly are not maintainable unless we choose to live, eat, and breathe our diet/training/supplement routine. 

Healthy Isn’t Always Lean, and Lean Isn’t Always Healthy 

When do we come to peace with the fact that being healthy doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be really lean, and being really lean doesn’t mean we’re healthy? The majority of the people that love to train and work hard to eat right seem to be forever chasing the dream of being really lean when in reality, it’s typically not conducive with a healthy body for most of us (myself included). And even if your body is able to stay really lean, a lot of people become a mess mentally (again, myself included), obsessing over everything we eat or don’t eat, and end up developing some downright spooky self-esteem issues, even though we’ve never looked better. Is it worth it to chase that unicorn? My friend JC Deen wrote about this topic today in, "When is it Ever Enough?"  and it really spoke to me. Been there, done all of that!

I get emails from women all the time that state their goals are to "have visible abs". Visible abs may be gorgeous - though I'm more of a legs girl myself ;) - but they are downright unattainable bymost females. My girl Molly Galbraith explains why perfectly in this post, and I will tell you that Molly is an anomaly in this regard. Most women, in my experience, have to be rockin' a really low bodyfat percentage in order to show any abdominal definition, while Molly has said her abs show even when her bodyfat sits around 20%. 

As a nutrition coach, trainer, and health & fitness writer, this industry is a crazy world to play in. It’s a place where, unfortunately, most people’s expertise on nutrition and training isn’t based on how many clients we’ve worked with or the experiences that we’ve had, but rather on that person’s outward appearance.

I will be the first person to admit that I feel the pressure to look a certain way, because people put so much stock in our physical appearance, and I admittedly struggle with this topic. As Basilio just told me yesterday on Twitter:

Basilio Montilla ‏@BMquietPK@JenComasKeck It's becoming all too common to rely on aesthetics to judge a person's level of fitness.

If you knew you could be really lean, but knew there was a good chance that you'd feel awful and potentially cause some health problems, would you still be willing to do it? 

Drop me a comment below and lets discuss! 

5 REASONS TO RUN IN COSTUME

by Chantelle/SolanoFit

Loosen up and Party! Here are 5 reasons why every runner should be in costume!

1. Inspire Your Community

Fun is contagious! When people see you running in costume, they smile, and everybody knows smiling is infectious! What used to be strange is now a great way to have fun with friends and other fun people just like you!

2. Make Minutes Fly By

Who cares about mile markers, when Scooby-Doo and the Mystery gang is running right beside you? Time flies when you’re having fun. Soak up the waves, honks and high fives!

3. Run Faster!

It’s a known phenomenon that we tend to speed up when the attention is on us. How about a cape, large wig, or props to draw maximum attention and speed!

4. Feel Like A Child

Most of us haven’t dressed up in costume in years ... in public that is. Embrace your inner child, or wear a costume with your child! Throw on a ridiculous outfit, and hit the streets!

5. It’s called a Party for a reason! Live it up!