Its a sunny, autumn September day. Lines of small orange cones and strings of red flags line the trees surrounding the soccer stadium at Saint Martins University. Slowly, but surely, parents, coaches and event officials meander toward the finish line and clock set up on a red-tinted track, their shadows continuing to elongate in the evening sun.

Everyone waits for the first runner from the Ramrock Classics boys 5-kilometer race to appear.

Some know exactly who will lead going into the final stretch.

Across the facility, ribbons lead a rugged path from a meadow onto the track. From the finish lines flank, Bryce Cerkowniak, standing 5-foot-10, places a foot onto the track. He has about 300 meters to go until the finish line.

For the first 200 meters, its just him and the track. His short strides increase as his arms continue to pump and his strides get longer.

The small crowd begins cheering.

With a final push, Cerkowniak leans through the finish line and the timer, his legs slowing his body from the sprint 15 minutes, 36 seconds and first place.

Yelm junior Bryce Cerkowniak leads the pack by a lengthy amount at the 3A South Sound Conference Championship. For the first time, Cerkowniak placed first at the league race.

Not bad at all.

Just as Cerkowniak begins catching his breath, a North Thurston runner enters into the final stretch. With a final push from his deep strides, Samir Amin brushes through the finish line, high-fiving Cerkowniak and moving off the track in the process.

Both are juniors at their respective schools and have forged a friendly rivalry as the South Sound Conferences top runners. Amin joins Cerkowniak on the side of the track and the two commence a casual conversation, each of them congratulating Yelms Ryan Lange, then Kelan Herness as they pass through the finish line. The four young athletes smile, recounting the course.

They stay on the side of the finish line, cheering on runners as they enter onto the track and throwing high fives out toward finishing runners. The 20th man finishes, and the boys keep the cheering strong. Cerkowniak may have finished first, but it was the talk of sportsmanship that lingered on as the crowd of young men grew.

Its a scene that has been repeated again and again this year as hard work and dedication have propelled Cerkowniak to the front of the pack and title contention.

An eager Bryce Cerkowniak runs on a cleared path after last winters snow storm.

The road that brought Bryce Cerkowniak to the forefront of Yelm cross country running isnt one explained by natural talent and physique alone.

If youve driven around downtown Yelm at all within the last two years, youve probably seen him either early in the morning or in the afternoon; a scrawny, short-haired boy running the sidewalks that grid the small town.

His focus is forward. His shoulders are broad. His strides are short but consistent.

People drive past. Angie Cerkowniak, Bryces mother, said this is something hes kind of known for around town.

Hes almost a local celebrity, she said, noting that people will often tell her I saw Bryce running today.

And while many have seen Bryce Cerkowniaks entranced glare in transit, you cant help but believe his stature as a local celebrity might be true. Just a few years ago, Cerkowniak was a talented, impressionable freshman at Yelm High School. Now, hes possibly one of the best runners in the schools history.

A junior this year at Yelm High School, Cerkowniak is competing for the state 3A cross country championship title after placing first at both the 3A South Sound Conference league and West Central District championship meets.

While he may not be the favorite to take state this year, he, his coaches, fellow athletes and a small support group disagree. They believe he has what it takes to go for gold and clinch a massive upset on the course this November in Pasco.

Yelm Middle School track and field coaches Art VanVeen, right, and Laurel Robillard talk with a young Bryce Cerkowniak during a track meet. Cerkowniaks parents say the two were instrumental in encouraging him to run cross country in high school.

Last year, Cerkowniak placed eighth at state and is currently the third fastest 3A runner in Washington.

Cerkowniak twice broke the schools 5-kilometer boys record as a sophomore and this year as a junior, lowering it down to 15:22, which still remains his best time. Last spring for track and field, Cerkowniak twice broke the boys 3,200-meter school record.

Most recently, Cerkowniak clinched a first-place finish at the West Central District 3A Cross Country Championships 5K race last Saturday, Nov. 2. Cerkowniaks eyebrow-raising finish helped propel the Tornados to a fourth-place finish, qualifying them for state.

For a program like Yelm, coaches say runners like Cerkowniak only come around once in a blue moon.

Dan Baker, who coaches the girls cross country and track and field teams, discussed Cerkowniaks success last year after first breaking that 38-year-old 3,200-meter record during track season.

This is my 21st year coaching track here. There have not been a lot of kids at his caliber, Baker told the Nisqually Valley News last spring. Its not a surprise that hes doing well Hes got natural racing smarts.

Over a slice of pizza and surrounded by cross country athletes during an after-practice team get together at Bertoglios Pizza, head boys coach Alex McIntire and Justin and Angie Cerkowniak, Bryces parents, explain why his story is an important one to tell. Simply put, great things follow when you put in consistent, focus-driven work.

In previous interviews with the Nisqually Valley News, top Yelm runners such as senior Jacob Barnert and junior Kelan Herness have highlighted Cerkowniaks will to lead by example and his dedication to make the team tighter as a group shorten the teams spread.

Earlier this season, Herness said he believed it was Cerkowniaks leadership that would propel Yelm into its best season yet.

McIntire said Cerkowniak is a hard worker, but isnt one to showboat despite his success.

He came into my room the other day and he put all these lines up on the white board and says Guess what this is? Thats a map of the state course. He has it memorized, he visualizes it every single day; what its going to look like, feel like to win state, McIntire said. Hes got his goals written above his toilet seat so its the first thing he sees when he wakes up and the last thing he sees when he goes to bed.

In the restaurant, Cerkowniak is quiet but doesnt mince words.

Recounting the story, Cerkowniak, sporting a medal from the last track and field season and with pizza in hand, smirked at the claim.

Its actually on my desk. He just wishes I put it on my bathroom wall, Cerkowniak said. I wanna have the state championship. I sit at my desk every day and do homework, basically. So I see it every day, so it keeps it in my head, keeps it fresh so I remember what my goals are.

Stringent routine drives Cerkowniaks day-to-day.

The Yelm junior wakes up every day around 5:30 a.m. After bagging up his lunch that he prepared the night before, he heads out to the high school parking lot to meet McIntire for a 2 and a half mile run.

After school, he heads to practice where more workouts ensue. This is where Cerkowniaks friends are. Over the years the team has become closer, he said, if not for the countless hours they spend every season running than because of the frequent team dinners and activities their parents will host.

After practice, Cerkowniak gets home, takes his dog Krypto out, and then hits the books. On the weekends, hell usually take it easy, but hell make sure to run every day.

More important than the runners routine is the diet. Cerkowniak, like many of his friends on the team, keeps a consistent diet on most days, including leading up to a meet. Before class, the Yelm junior will usually down an egg, meat and cheese burrito to cap off his run. For lunch, its usually a black-forest ham sandwich with pretzels.

Even while driving across the country during vacation this summer, Cerkowniak wouldnt give up on his daily running routine. Hed constantly be looking for routes to run during downtime.

I think it was kind of cool because it gave me something to do. I run in Yelm every day, its the same loop every day and on the weekends and the offseason. Its nice to get out, find something new, Cerkowniak said.

To say hes dedicated could be an understatement. But running, as a sport, is something thats developed into an addictive passion. Last summer, it was reported that he ran upwards of 640 miles in preparation of the 2019 season.

Im just proud of his dedication to it. We never tell him, Hey, you better get out and run. Its him. Hes self motivated with it, father Justin Cerkowniak added.

McIntire didnt believe in the hype Yelm Middle School track and field coach Art VanVeen and other athletes were trying to feed him on Cerkowniak.

As a freshman new to cross country, Cerkowniak showed potential but didnt blow anyone away when he finished 75th in state.

I didnt realize fully the type of runner that Bryce could be until his track season freshman year, McIntire said. Bryce really worked toward being good. I wouldnt say its totally talent. I mean, he has a lot of talent but he really put in a lot of work right away.

In the months following the 2017 cross country season, Yelm lost one of its top runners, then-sophomore Logan Miller.

In Millers absence, Cerkowniak worked a tough training regiment going into the track and field season. McIntire said Millers departure left something of a hole for Cerkowniak to fill as the Tornados top runner.

He came out and he ran 10 seconds off the school record as a freshman. So thats where you start thinking, OK. Theres some real talent here, McIntire recalled. He works hard. He ran every single day that winter, did not miss a day. And hes got his journal to prove it.

As McIntire took the helm of head boys cross country coach, he began to refocus what he wanted his athletes to take away from running a love for it.

In the summer of 2018, as school let out, McIntire took a group of six boys to Glacier National Park to work out goals and teach his boys, especially young Bryce, how to love the sport of running and work through the pain.

I think Bryce loved to win, he loved to be competitive. I dont know if hed learned how to love to run at that point yet. So, we just got out in the mountains and ran for four days. And that really, I think, was the kind of spark he needed to say, I actually like doing this, McIntire recalled. He just has a really good fundamental understanding of the bigger picture. I think a lot of athletes kind of struggle to see the why of doing everything. And he got it pretty quick.

McIntire said he knew Cerkowniak was a different breed of runner after that summer.

Going into last years cross country season, McIntire said he wanted to build off of Cerkowniaks confidence and turn to competing fiercely at the state cross country meet. McIntire said he also wanted to make sure that he was building a solid foundation for Cerkowniak to look to his junior and senior years for the state title.

Cerkowniak ran about 50 to 60 miles a week going into the season.

After a record-breaking season and taking eighth at state, McIntire said he began to visualize Cerkowniak taking state his junior year.

Going into state this year, Cerkowniak is ranked in at third in the state. McIntire said the beauty of the sport is that even the best runners can have tumultuous days.

Nobodys shooting for 3rd. Nobody says I want to be 3rd at state. No, you want to win. So thats what we were geared towards after that sophomore year. It was now we need to start training like a state champion, McIntire said.

Cerkowniak will find challenge in two superb eastside runners this weekend; North Central junior runner Leif Swanson and 3A state champ favorite Stanford Smith, a senior from Kamiakin who will undoubtedly be leaving everything he has on the Pasco course as he finishes out his high school career.

The Yelm boys cross country team will run in the 3A Washington Interscholastic Activities Association State Cross Country Meet Saturday, Nov. 9, at Sun WIllows Golf Course in Pasco.

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Hard Work and Dedication: The Road That Brought Yelm's Bryce Cerkowniak to the Top - Nisqually Valley News

Asbjrn Flling, the biochemist who originally discovered the disease in the 1930s, was Norwegian, and Reynolds, who grew up skiing, knew she wanted to do something physical to raise awareness about PKU. Traversing across the country on skis seemed like a way to pay homage both to Flling and to push herself mentally and physically. (Reynolds and her husband are fronting the costs for the trip themselves, and all funds raised will go towards research.)

This had been such a journey for us over the years and this need to do a physical journey as part of this endurance run for a cure was just calling me, she says. I need [it] as a cathartic [way] of processing this disease.

While Reynolds played soccer in college and has always been active, this journey has required taking her fitness to another level. In February, shell be skiing 16 miles a day for nine days in temperatures that can reach negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit. And shell also be pulling a sled holding around 80 pounds of gear. By the time its done, shell basically have completed the equivalent of eight marathons, Reynolds says.

Some of the biggest dangers of the trip will be hypothermia and severe dehydration, she says. Cross-country skiing is a highly aerobic exercise, so Reynolds will have to stop every hour-and-a-half to drink water, but she can only pause for a minute, or else her sweat will begin to cool and put her at risk of hypothermia.

To train for this, shes taken on a workout routine of epic proportions. Working with Tiffany Nesfield of Nesfield Performance, she does strength training three days a week and endurance training almost every day. A sample day might include a 90-minute Peloton ride followed by a 45-minute run; hiking seven miles with a weighted backpack; or pulling a tire on the C&O Canal for 100 minutes. (The looks I get on the C&O canal are so funny, says Reynolds. Its mostly thumbs-ups.)

Its really changed my life, says Reynolds of her training, which has left her feeling happier and her clothes fitting better. This has gotten me in the best shape of my life, and at 45, you feel like youre turning back the clock a bit.

On the last day of her journey, Reynolds will be joined by her family and other members of the PKU community who will ski to the finish line with her. And while it will certainly be the journey of a lifetime, Reynolds ultimate focus is still on finding a cure for the disease.

Its a hard road, she says. Every morning youre reminded of the quest youre on. Were on a mission, and I think well get there.

Tia is currently trying a new drug recently approved by the FDA, says Reynolds. Shes injecting it once a week as of now, but when she progresses to daily injections, theyll know if its increasing her protein tolerance and eliminating some of the PKU side effects. What it hopefully means for her is a healthier brain and freedom from tight restrictions, says Reynolds.

As of now, Reynolds is most excited about the research surrounding the gene-editing tool CRISPR, which she says shows the biggest promise in the fight against PKU.

I dont think were decades away, were years away from a cure. We just have to keep the funds coming, she says.

When Tia was born, there was only one project aimed at fighting PKU in the works. Today theres over 25, says Reynolds. So its happening. I kind of cant believe it, she says. Theres a drug my daughter is taking because we beat everybody over the head and saidwe have to do this.

To learn more about Alison Reynolds upcoming journey, including how to be a sponsor or donate, visit crossingnorway.com.

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Meet the DC Mom Who's Cross-Country Skiing Across Norway in Freezing Temperatures to Raise Money for Her Daughter's Rare Disease - Washingtonian

Every year millions of women use botox to tighten and firm their skin on the face and neck. Many women also take advantage of the best skin tightening machine for home use.

However, there are many little-known natural methods that can help prevent sagging skin.

It takes time, dedication and sacrifice, but when you use these methods, not only will you see your skin tightened, but you will also boost your overall health.

We learn every day about the harmful effects of sugar on our health in general. When it comes to our skin, it does more harm than good. Indeed, the regular consumption of sugar initiates a process in our digestive system, which causes the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

These AGEs break down the collagen that keeps your skin tight. This causes sagging of the skin and the appearance of wrinkles. When you eliminate sugar from your diet, collagen production rebalances, which has a positive effect on your skin.

Coconut oil is the moisturizer par excellence. Thanks to its consistency, when applied to the skin, it fills the enlarged pores and wrinkles, while ensuring softness and hydration.

In addition, fatty acids found in coconut oil can easily penetrate the epidermis due to their low molecular weight and protect proteins in the skin. According to a study, this oil can effectively treat dryness and reduce wrinkles.

You can apply a small amount of coconut oil on your skin in the morning and double the amount in the evening just before going to bed.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and is, therefore, the most exposed to oxidation, which means daily damage to your skin. Foods rich in antioxidants can help fight the damage that oxidative stress inflicts on your skin.

There are moisturizing creams that can help revitalize your skin. But in reality, when it comes to antioxidants, everything starts inside your body. Instead of spending a fortune on an overpriced moisturizer, start by eating foods that will bring your skin back to normal and reduce the signs of aging.

Try to eat a lot of blueberries, grapes, strawberries, blackberries, red beans, spinach, and kale.

Many women go to bed with their makeup because they are too tired or too lazy to remove it. But it is very important to take a few minutes to wash your face. Makeup is slowly absorbed by the skin pores throughout the day and almost all our cosmetics contain aggressive chemicals. Needless to say, they contribute to the oxidative stress that damages the cells of the skin daily.

According to a recent study, combining beta-carotene, present in many foods, and vitamin A prevent and repairs aging skin. It has been shown that beta-carotene prevents the suns ultraviolet rays from damaging and aging the skin, while vitamin A stimulates the production of collagen and elastin fibers in the epidermis.

Beta-carotene and vitamin A are found in foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, melon, and apricots.

With age, the production of skin elasticity proteins (such as collagen and elastin) decreases by 1% every year from our 20s. The epidermis then begins to thin and slowly subside in areas such as the face, neck, and chest. Therefore, it is important to take care of it more often than other parts of the body.

Cucumbers and their juice work wonder when it comes to skincare. This is because they are rich in the mineral silica and ascorbic acid that are essential components of healthy skin.

Both coconut oil and baking soda have great anti-aging properties. Sodium bicarbonate is a natural ingredient used to scrub the skin and remove dead skin cells, tighten dilated pores and promote collagen production when the skin is massaged. Coconut oil, as we have already explained, is excellent for deeply moisturizing and treating wrinkles and fine lines.

By combining these two ingredients, you can make a scrub, moisturize and massage your skin, which will promote blood circulation under the epidermis and stimulate the production of collagen.

Egg whites and honey have many health benefits to the skin when applied topically. According to a study, egg white reduces wrinkles and fine lines. The study examined the various components of egg white and discovered 69 proteins that revitalize and firm skin when applied locally.

Honey is rich in antioxidants. In addition, it is hygroscopic, like glycerine, which means it hydrates the skin and absorbs water from the environment.

By combining honey and egg white, you get a powerful treatment for your skin.

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Chronic pelvic pain syndrome can be treated safely with Dr Allens device - The Hear UP

The buzzy Planetary Health Diet cant work for the vulnerable populations who need it most.

Earlier this year, a groundbreaking study from the EAT-Lancet Commission outlined a climate-friendly path to feeding 10 billion people within planetary boundaries. Its recommendations included limiting meat consumption to about an ounce per day, or roughly two chicken nuggets, and bulking up on low-impact foods like beans.

The backlash was swift. Critics argued that scaling back on meat would devastate smallholder farmers who rely on animals for income. Others claimed the report was based on outdated nutritional science. Some thought the diet was just too hard to follow; our writer Sam Bloch agreed after trying it for a week. Public launch events were controversial, or sparsely attended. Almost a year later, the negative press coverage refuses to die: As recently as this week, the president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association pointed to reports that one of the studys backers had invested in an airline, saying the move exposes complete hypocrisy and hidden agendas. (He has a point: By some calculations, the carbon footprint of a single transatlantic flight is larger than a year of meat consumption.)

That would mean rich people eating less animal-sourced food and poor people eating more.

A new study from researchers at Tufts University and the International Food Policy Research Institute adds a wrinkle to the debate: the diet recommended by the EAT-Lancet commission is simply unaffordable for an estimated 1.58 billion people, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

To get these numbers, the researchers cross-referenced local income data with the retail prices of 744 foods in 159 countries. They based their model on the lowest-cost diet that conformed to the recommendations made in the report and found that following the EAT-Lancet diet would cost a median of $2.84 per day globally. It was also about 60 percent more expensive than a diet that met minimum nutritional requirements, largely because it includes high-cost meat and dairy.

The original EAT-Lancet Commission, and the reference diet that they published, was intended to provide a bulls eye, if you will, or a focus point of attention, towards which global diets could converge, says Will Masters, a professor of nutrition and economics at Tufts University who worked on the report. They recognized from the start that, if the world were to converge on the EAT-Lancet reference diet, that would mean rich people eating less animal-sourced food and poor people eating more. What weve done is just to quantify how much more expensive and out of reach that reference diet is for the poorest.

The Green Revolution gave us enough starches to survive; if we want to sustain a growing population, we have to invest in other food groups.

So what will it take to make this diet more affordable? The researchers write that such a change would require some combination of higher incomes and lower prices. This could mean revamping existing social safety nets to provide better coverage or supporting specific programs that aim to bring down the cost of healthy foods. The Green Revolution gave us enough starches to survive; if we want to sustain a growing population, we have to invest in other food groups.

Masters cites eggs as an example. Crops, he says, are produced efficiently by small-scale farmers. But foods like eggs, which are rich in protein and other nutrients, are much cheaper to produce at a large scale. Having chickens that lay eggs is a much lower cost per egg if you can put the chickens in a bigger coop and manage them in a more efficient way, he says. If you want low-cost eggs, youre going to need some specialized egg producers, and then a distribution system around that Backyard chickens are very important. But theyre not a good source of eggs.

Of course, higher incomes and lower food costs are just one step in the process. Once people have enough money to buy foods that match the diet recommended by the EAT-Lancet Commission, theres no guarantee that they will (or even necessarily should) make choices that conform to it.

But no one ever really expected the EAT-Lancet Commission to dictate the contents of the worlds shopping cart. Its report is more of a jumping-off point for further discussion about how our planet can feed 10 billion people. And, given the debate the diet continues to generate nearly a year after its release, it seems to have succeeded.

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New study shows the EAT-Lancet diet is unaffordable for at least 1.6 billion people - The New Food Economy