Jogging Iona Beach Jetty | My Wellness Journey | Richmond, BC, Canada

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The Sun Finally Arrived

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As we get older, we need to work harder at maintaining our health. Entering my 4th decade on this planet, I am determined to finish off 2022 feeling better than ever; even better than my 20's or 30's. This may sound outlandish to some, but I believe it is possible. Given that I spent many of those years in nightclubs and partying, feeling better at 40 just might be easier than one would think!

With a serious motorcycle accident, heart troubles, traumatic losses, my father passing away suddenly, and neurological issues along with the stress that accompanies that, my 30's were faced with significant challenges. In my mid 30's my mind and body were telling me that more self-care was needed as it was obvious that my stresses were affecting my health situation. I made the decision to start taking my well-being with more seriousness. Less alcohol, a better diet, removing toxic people, as well as using more time for just me.

Fast forward to today, the gradual effects of those changes morphed into extreme changes that I have made in the past 6 months.

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The reason that I am saying this is not to write an autobiography on my past. The message that I would like to deliver is that no matter how old, how sore, tired or inflamed you may feel, you have the control to change it all. Giving your body the right combination of food, exercise and supplements can help your mindset a great deal.

Getting serious about your diet will remove much of the stress in your life. You will react to negative situations as a different individual. Getting serious about your physical activity will take care of another significant portion of your stress. What I have been learning is how much your mind actually plays into all of this. Cliches aside, it has been an awakening to realize the extent of the saying "you are your thoughts".

You can eat the healthiest foods, and you can run the furthest distances, but if your mind is constantly consumed with stress and looping a cycle of negative thoughts into your days, your body will fail you. Leave it for too long, you will be well on your way to a diagnosis.

We are wired genetically to react to certain things. Our experiences program us to react to certain things. At any point, we can reprogram our mind to change our beliefs, change our habits and change our lives regardless of what pre-programming we have in us.

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Iona Beach Jetty

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Now that we have gotten the motivational speech out of the way, let's dive into what the Iona Beach Jetty is all about!

The Jetty runs out 4 km's directly into the Strait Of Georgia towards Galiano Island In beautiful British Columbia, Canada. The pathway is popular with joggers, cyclists, dog walkers, and bird watchers. The entire trip can take up to 3 hours return.

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Once you hit the straightaway it is all business from there. Part of the popularity of this location as such a desirable place to run is the constant ocean breeze keeping you cool, not to mention the amazing views from all angles.

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Today, I was lucky to have this Eagle perched at the side of the trail for the way out and the way back in. He was a pleasing reminder that we live on the edge of some of the most spectacular wild settings in the world.

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I was lucky to get up close and personal with this feathery friend without disturbing him. I spent nearly 10 minutes with him just sitting on a rock staring at each other. The trail was quite empty so I had the place mostly to myself.

Something that I was not aware of with these birds, is that they can rotate their head pretty much all the way around their body without moving their bodies. Such a range of motion that gives them a near robotic moving head.

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Birds are not the only spectacle to see around here. Sometimes when living in a large city, you do not get the feeling of open areas often. Thankfully, the greater Vancouver area provides many areas of wilderness.

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Towards the north you can see the mountains in West and North Vancouver with the UBC campus grounds at the forefront.

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Here is when you get to the end of the 4km jetty. There is a nice little platform to get your selfies and soak in the views of the Strait Of Georgia.

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After sitting at the water for a few minutes and enjoying the scenery, it is time to head back. This little trip is sure to put a smile on anybody's face.

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Thankfully, there is an outhouse washroom at the end to handle any business before the 4kms back. Time to get those legs moving!

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The run back towards land offers views of the planes taking off at YVR Vancouver International Airport. Also to the left Iona Beach runs down the shoreline.

This is such a great way to spend 2 hours of your life. It is almost as if you are a battery and the jetty is a charger. The entire time you are jogging, the elements and surroundings are filling you up with something you need. All variables of your well-being are getting nurtured.

Looks like my phone battery needs to be recharged as well!

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Next time, I am hoping to shave off 10 minutes!

Have a happy healthy summer everybody. Get outside!