Alvina begay autobiography

I felt like I took the news pretty seriously at the beginning. With my mom being the director of nursing, she was already talking about how they were in meetings to prepare. We started getting training at my job for what we needed to do to protect ourselves and our patients. With the Native American population being high risk because of heart disease and diabetes and kidney disease, we knew that if the virus came to the Reservation it was going to be a difficult situation.

Just knowing that, we took precautions seriously early on. I had gone to the hospital to get bloodwork done and they were preparing for people to show up with signs and symptoms of the virus. We had heard that the first case showed up at the facility where my mom works—just talking to her over the phone, you could hear the anxiety and emotions.

Then we found out that it was in the Chilchinbeto community [near the Four Corners area] and the majority of the people there go to the Kayenta hospital. We also have two Australian shepherds and they keep us in the moment. We have to take them out running and long walks. Doing those things has really helped us keep clear-headed. AB: I come from a Navajo traditional family.

We are turning to our traditional herbs and our traditional prayers and songs at this time. We use the herbs and the trees to protect us and keep us safe and strong, especially our immune systems. All of those things are helpful in keeping us okay. AB: As Navajos, it is a huge part of our tradition. You are taught how to work hard and how to take care of your mind, your body, your spirit.

You run three times a day to the east and you yell so that the holy people can hear you. The purpose of that running is to teach young women to take care of their bodies, to keep their bodies and immune systems strong and physically prepare for whatever you might go through. Running has always done that for me—it helps me stay fit and healthy.

And I feel like that time has come right now. They had to be prepared for the unexpected. AB: For sure. I was exposed to the virus and I was lucky to get tested right away. After the test I had to wait about a week for the results. I was scared, but I ran every day and felt fine. I had really good runs, but I was alvina begay autobiography attention to my breathing.

I was grateful that my body could run that long without any issues. Throughout the day I was taking my temperature, just being super aware of how I felt. I was alvina begay autobiography foods to make sure I could still smell. I was paying attention to the little details. That was reassuring. Being an athlete, you can feel the tiniest changes your body.

AB: The Navajo culture has the clan system—everybody is related to each other in one way or another. Growing up in a small town on the Navajo Reservation. Life as a new mother to a baby girl. Just about getting enough sleep. The naming of her child with a traditional Navajo name. Being a high risk pregnancy. Sharing more about the Navajo Culture.

What her childhood was like and her connection to nature. Growing up in a running family. Having a coming of age ceremony. Having a female mentor and being taught how to be a strong Navajo Woman. The importance of running to the East every morning. Thoughts while running and enjoying her run time. Knowing that she wanted to be a runner from a young age.

Making the transition from running for pleasure to being more competitive. The Olympic Trials in Not being a super start in college. Working with a Native American running coach Mike Daney. Focusing on the Olympic Trials. The importance of a coach. Being a small town girl. What a typical training week would look like miles weeks, speed work, hills.

Doing more strength training and helping to reduce injury. Diet, fuelling and nutrition while training. Making sure she got enough iron.

Alvina begay autobiography

Getting blood work done every 3 months. The hardest aspect of training and how she approached it. Changing her mindset and how her mindset evolved as she got older. Working with a sports psychologist. Running while pregnant. Having a difficult labour and needing to take 6 weeks off. Increasing her milage gradually and getting back into shape.

Working on rebuilding her ab strength. The hardest challenge mentally with running and pregnancy.