Running
to the next stage
“Our
dream, our journey, our work for 2018”
After having crossed through many stages of life with lots
of ups and downs, going from one place to another, knocking on many doors – some
of which opened and some did not – I realized that understanding the social and
professional customs in the United
States was the key to making my dreams come true. I came to Chicago with $5 in my pocket and I
had to decide: am I staying here or am I going back to Monterrey. I adapted to
change and I have lived here for almost 12 years now, working in the food
industry while acquiring an MBA classes from Robert Morris University. I was
able to study there through a scholarship I received from my employer – a
company I worked for more than six years. During my time in Chicago, I have
also continued participating in what I love most: running ultramarathon races.
Above all, I love living life as it is. My daily mantra before heading out to
work each day is: "God give me health, strength and wisdom."
I am convinced that taking risks and the desire to move
forward has pushed me to continue facing any adversity that comes my way. In
2016, once I finished crossing the four fiercest deserts on the planet through Racing
the Planet’s 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Race Series, I understood that the human
capacity is infinitely wonderful and it is the most perfect instrument to
achieve any dream. More than anything, it is the method through which to reach
fullness and happy living. The 4 Deserts consist of crossing 250k of rugged
terrain in each of the following: the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Gobi Desert
in China, the Namib Desert in Africa and cold, icy Antarctica.
In February of 2017, while being recognized as one of
Negocios Now’s “40 under 40,” I told my husband: “I'm ready, we’re ready. Let's
go for the next big journey!” This time it was not an ultra-distance race, but
something more wonderful and electrifying – something that moves me every day:
the creation of a space for our community where we can share our experiences
and knowledge while also helping and serving the community so people lead
healthy lives through physical activity and healthy lifestyle education. Thus
we created "Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition.”
Currently I can see that our society is looking for places
where people can participate in community, where they can socialize and be
recognized and accepted while being healthy and happy. I am convinced that ViveHealthy Sport and Nutrition is the place that Pilsen is looking for to meet those
communal needs while also developing a culture of well-being.
I have always believed that I am a blessed woman, first
because I am alive and healthy, but even more so because I have my husband, JeffLung – a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, ultramarathon runner and
boxer and who developed his first business, Iron Lung Fitness, a service of
personalized training programs in Chicago that has been successfully running
for 5 years now. He also had vision and the desire to educate others on healthy
living. So together we put forth our dream to create this space for our
community.
Our foundation
Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition was founded in earnest in June of
2017. That is when Jeff and I began putting all our efforts into this project.
Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition is located at 965 W. 18th Street in
the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois.
My husband, Jeff, is an expert in the fitness service industry, so we
have designed classes based on his knowledge and the design of the nutrition
workshops are based on my experiences in the food industry.
In addition to work, I am also taking a humanities course on Monday and
Thursday evenings as I am sure the information I learn will help me moving
forward. Besides that, I am also working on developing a new project that will
launch in the summer of 2018 based on my own personal story. Through it all I
continue training for my new goals on 2018 in the ultra marathon discipline.
Once we move into the Vive Healthy building I will begin to adjust my
activities accordingly to our new schedule.
The inspiration for Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition
In the short term, we wish to establish Vive Healthy Sport and
Nutrition as a place where we provide value to our customers through
innovation, integration and inspiration towards a healthy lifestyle. Our main
goal is to offer our clients the right instruments and tools to help them
achieve their personal goals and also to form a healthy and strong community
based on sports and nutrition.
Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition is a business model that is designed
to establish an operation that leads the consumer to have a healthy life. This
ideology pushes me to perhaps someday execute a franchise strategy, where each
neighborhood can have the experience of living healthy alongside a recreational
and educational space that includes healthy lifestyle workshops.
Currently, the fitness and wellness industry is in a process of
development and growth because we all want to feel good. We all want to be
healthy. We want to socialize in spaces where everyone is focused on like minded
activities.
My Love for racing long distances is an inspiration for Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition
Yes, ultrarunning has been a great metaphor for life giving me the
ability to meditate and tackle my dreams with optimism despite any hardships
that may be around me. I believe that business and ultras are both very hard
and challenging and both require a lot of concentration. I am convinced that
ultras and business both require taking risks, perseverance, strength,
endurance, hard work, concentration, dedication, faith, hope and the audacity
to move forward, one step at a time. Running for more than 24 hours or crossing
250k worth of desert pushes you to all your limits. Being successful in
something that difficult makes me think optimistically about what we can do
with our business.
Come and enjoy this journey with us at
Vive Healthy Sport and Nutrition in Pilsen Chicago, IL starting January 29, 2018!
