**07/10/2010 – YMCA 5K Run – Jacksonville, FL

**07/10/2010 – 24th Annual Montoya BFAST Triathlon… – Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

**07/17/2010 – Bridge of Lions 5K – St. Augustine, Florida

**07/17/2010 – JAX Triathlon Series Sprint #2 – Fernandina Beach, FL

**07/17/2010 – Jekyll Island Adult Summer Open (Level… – Jekyll Island, GA)

**07/25/2010 – XTERRA FIRST COAST OFF-ROAD TRIATHLON – Atlantic Beach(Jacksonville), Florida

Kids Hip Hop Spring semester begins in the San Marco studio on March 20th for Six Saturdays.  Classes are scheduled from 12:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M.

A variety of Dance Trance Exercise Classes are offered at Dance Trance San Marco for kids and adults.  Try Boot Camp, Flexx-it, Yoga, Jazz and more unique fitness programs in a fun studio atmosphere.

Starting this Saturday, Dance Trance will be offering M Body Yoga. A special introductory class will be held the Saturday at 8:30 a.m. for a $5 donation. Regularly scheduled classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00 pm. – 1:00 pm.for $15 per class.

Founded in 2005 by Mark White, M Body Yoga follows the teachings of leading yoga pragmatist, Baron Baptiste.Unlike traditional yoga classes, Baptiste’s style of yoga offers a way to face life with a renewed personal strength in addition to traditional yoga poses and breathing techniques. M Body Yoga is the only Baptiste Power Yoga Affiliate Studio in north and central Florida.

Time to work out. Go to Dance Trance and try out their new classes – for Free – until January 17th. Classes are typically $15 – so not only are you getting in shape, you are also saving money. It will be hard to come up with an excuse not to go. If you do come up with a good excuse, please let us know.
Free classes include:
Flexx-It: a resistance-training program for strength and core training. The class focuses on a different muscle group with different exercises each class. Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 a.m. Sundays 4:00 p.m.
Cardio Blowout/Absolute Abs: a thirty-minute cardio classes that gets your heart rate up followed by thirty minutes of core abdominal exercises. The thirty minute classes are scheduled back to back so you can do both or just one. Cardio Blowout: Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Absolutely Abs: Tuesday and Thursdays 5:30 p.m. – 6:00 pm.

Focus on Health and Beauty

Thai Foot Reflexology is the ultimate full mind/body experience. After experiencing this massage technique, I was amazed by the full body effect. Thai Foot Reflexology is an ancient art form of healing that is an integral part of traditional Thai massage. It is a treatment for the lower legs and feet that utilizes stretching, massage and thumb-walking to stimulate reflex points.

I have always been drawn to holistic approaches to human health and psyche.  As I learned about and experienced Thai Foot Reflexology, I became intrigued by its origins and theoretical premise.  Medical tradition in the Asian culture asserts that reflex or response points on and within the soles of the feet are aligned with the overall well-being of the entire human body.  Eastern cultures believe that the legs act as a second heart. Increased muscle movement and stimulation of feet and legs increases essential circulation of the blood, thereby maintaining and improving overall health.

After experiencing a 70 minute session of Thai Foot Reflexology from Amber Parrish, licensed massage therapist at MAC Hair Studio, I could feel the immediate therapeutic value, which seemed to intrinsically confirm the physiology benefits. It is truly a body, mind and spirit experience.

 A typical session begins with a warm foot bath, in my case it was a warm foot bath of lemongrass sea salt.  The subtle aroma of lemon and the ambiance of the studio were immediately comforting. Amber recommends wearing appropriate clothing so the therapist has easy access to the lower leg and knee. As the massage techniques were applied to each foot in a methodical and almost rhythmic manner, I experienced an immediate sense of calm.  At the end of the session, I felt that my entire body was physically recharged. 

 For more information on Thai Foot Reflexology and other massage techniques, contact Amber Parrish at 904-399-2280 or www.machairstudio.com.

It’s two months away that leaves plenty of time to dust off your running shoes and sign-up for the Children’s Way 5K. This annual race benefits the Ronald McDonald House of Jacksonville. The 5K (only 3.1 miles) winds through San Marco, beginning at Children’s Way, down San Marco Boulevard to River Oaks Road and back up River Road to Children’s Way. You can run it or walk it and once you complete the race, you can enjoy a family fun day with face painting, arts and crafts and food! The race is part of the Jacksonville Grand Prix Series, which represents the 16 best running courses in Jacksonville. All racers will be timed with ChampionChip Timing System. You can register online or at First Place Sports conveniently located in San Marco Square. Not only is it a good cause, you can tell everyone you have been in a Grand Prix.

If you have wondering how the human body works, go by MOSH and take a tour of the human body. The new The Body Within Exhibit, sponsored by Baptist Health, is composed of an enormous human body you can wonder through. Follow the road map of organs through the brain, neurons, an eye, heart, skin wall and much more. The fart and belch machines are a must see.  Baptist Health has provided displays of cutting edge surgical procedures and Southeast Tissue Alliance has provided a display of human organs. The exhibit is educational and light-hearted. Even the squeamish will enjoy the tour of the body.

Our friends at Cross Training San Marco  are looking out for our healthy life habits even when we are not in the gym. Their site offers a running stream of relevant/do-able health tip as well as a new healthy (and delicious) recipe everyday. If you are up for it try a workout with the trainers at Cross Training San Marco. No matter how in shape you think you are, they will challenge your fitness in ways you never imagined possible. They are also offering boot camp just for the ladies.

If you have not been to Roberts’ Southbank Pharmacy you need to stop in. Roberts’ Southbank Pharmacy is located on 1625 Atlantic Boulevard, at the corner of Atlantic and Arcadia. Not only is it a full-service pharmacy owned and operated by a tenured pharmacist, Roberts, but also stocks a wide range of over the counter medicines, vitamins, first aid supplies and toiletries. Some of the services found at Roberts’ that you won’t find at your run of the mill CVS include personal service from the same pharmacist every time you stop in, prescription delivery and you can set up an account at Roberts’ with your credit card.

Roberts’ accept most insurance plans and if they do not accept yours they will work to set it up. Roberts’ is open Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Roberts’ is closed on Sundays but does have an after hours service in case of emergencies. The level of caring personal care at Roberts’ is a wonderful comfort and hands down beats waiting in line with all the other sick people at CVS.

Bike Commuter

Wikipedia describes going green, much like environmentalism, as “a broad philosophy and social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the natural environment.”  Put in layman’s terms, it’s the importance of protecting our beloved mother nature.  So, in the land of sprawling marshes and orange groves (we’re talking Florida), what can we do to keep our rivers (the St. Johns especially!) clean, our air unpolluted and our minds uncluttered?  It all starts with baby steps….or baby tracks.

            It’s no new news that our great country is going through a gas crisis.  Prices at the pump soar, while our daily commute is unchanged. The easiest way to keep a little money in your pocket?  Why not jump on a bicycle for daily commuting, shopping and recreation.  San Marco is the perfect arena for such a thing!  Our friendly community has the best of both worlds, a feeling of being “away from it all”, while only being within a 5 minute ride to downtown.

            Miramar’s own Open Road Bicycles has been serving and servicing our areas’ bikes for 15 years.  Having sold 700-1,000 bikes yearly, Open Road is a leader in top quality service, developing hearty relationships in our community.  Scott Summey, the owner and a San Marco resident, says that he’s noticed an increase in old bike repairs within the last few months. 

            “You can’t drive for recreation anymore,” says Scott, “so now people are bringing in their old bikes to be serviced…ones that haven’t seen the light of day in years.”

            So, as the old bikes come out of the garage, do the gas-guzzling cars go back in?  Well, it depends.  We’re lucky to have bike lanes that lead all the way from our neighborhood to University Boulevard – so grocery shopping wouldn’t be a problem.  The square is always within a short bike ride, so good exercise can come at no cost.  There’s no need to drive to the gum; cycling is easy and free.  Some may think that riding a bike to work is impractical, but the reality is, it’s not!  It’s true, Jacksonville is a big city, so using a bike for every commuting need might seem unfeasible.  But, it’s all in a matter of mindset.  Bike lanes are becoming more prolific, and the need for alternate transportation is following that lead.

            “If every person rode a bike just once a day you could see big savings in our fuel state,” says Scott, “It’s not up to the government to change this problem; it’s up to us.  You’ve got to start somewhere.”

            Anthony Catanese is a San Marco resident, born and raised in Jacksonville.  He’s a recent graduate from UNF and finds that being green isn’t that easy.

            “It’s extremely hard at this point in my life,” he says, “Green products come with a price tag that is just unaffordable in parts of my life.”
            So, in an effort to be “green” he purchased a motorcycle, traded in his 350hp Trans-am for a smaller, more fuel efficient vehicle, and bought a new bicycle.
           
            “I bought a bike for recreation and transportation,” says Catanese, “My night job and my parent’s house are only a few miles from me.  How can I pass up an opportunity to enjoy this beautiful weather?

            At Open Road Bicycles their motto is that “cycling is a way of life.”  And “going green” is much the same.  It’s not necessarily about buying “green products”, but more about being conscious of what you’re doing.  Why drive when you can walk or bike ride somewhere?  Or carpool if you really need the car?  Along with higher gas prices come higher milk and bread prices.  Now’s as good a time as any to get yourself into a “green” mindset.

            For more information visit:  www.openroadbicycles.com