Sasha Yazzie Is a Native On The Run With Big Goals In Her Future

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My guest on the show today is a woman that I first connected with a couple of months ago on Instagram.

Aside from being a runner, she is also a United States Air Force Veteran, mom, and proud member of the Navajo Nation.

I am going a few easy miles with Sasha Yazzie and am looking forward to finding out more about her.

Foundation Built On 1 Mile

Sasha grew up in the Navajo nation and that is where her first memories of running began.

As a child her father woke her before the sun rose and she ran a mile to and from the table rock.

This mile distance would come to eventually have meaning to her and remind her of her roots.

As an adult Sasha appreciates being able to greet the morning on a positive note with a run.

The mile distance popped up again in her life while she was in the Air Force since the PT test was 1.5 miles.

Sasha also ran track and cross country while in middle school and high school.

Running gradually disappeared from her life and before she knew it 10 years had passed.

Even with a decade of not running, Sasha had a goal to run a marathon.

Perseverance

Perseverance is what has allowed Sasha to not give up on her goal of completing a marathon even when presented with obstacles.

Her first marathon completion is only a couple months away, but her journey to train for one began many years earlier.

In 2004 the idea to complete a marathon was planted in her head while she was stationed in South Korea.

She began training for the Seoul Marathon without a plan in place and never signed up.

Attempt number 2 to complete a marathon came in 2012 when she signed up for a race in New Mexico.

With a plan in place she was more prepared, but 5 weeks in she sprained her arm derailing her training.

Last year Sasha signed up for the Shiprock Marathon and with 2 weeks to go she suffered from knee issues that prevented her from getting to the start line.

Personal challenges and bouts with depression interfered with her previous training, but Sasha made the choice to keep getting up and trying.

Interconnected Goals

Sasha is currently 2 months away from completing her first marathon and has a big goal to eventually compete on American Ninja Warrior.

Those 2 goals require different skills, but Sasha has found some commonalities between the two.

Having a plan in place and goals that excite her are critical to maintaining the motivation when days are hard.

Her past marathon attempts have made her more mindful of the whole picture such as nutrition and listening to her body.

Losing weight and strength training are two areas that will help Sasha progress towards achieving both goals.

Sasha has also learned that big goals don’t happen overnight.

Patience is a key component to achieving any goal.

Native On The Run

Sasha’s passion for health and fitness began long before her blog.

A career as a Physical Therapist in the Air Force was something she strongly considered.

Her career route took a different direction, but her interest in the field only grew stronger.

In 2011 Sasha graduated with a degree in business and shortly after also got a certificate in Whole Health and Wellness.

The idea for her blog developed slowly over the years as her knowledge and experiences expanded.

Her mission for the blog is to fuel spirits and inspire others through a shared journey that whole health is gained.

The process of changing behavior requires patience and a willingness to learn and listen.

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Mentioned In This Episode:

• American Ninja Warrior
• Duke City Marathon
• Seoul Marathon
• Shiprock Marathon
• Verna Volker (Diz Runs Episode 662)

Stay connected with Sasha by checking out her blog Native On The Run and following her on Instagram.

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As Always, I’d Love to Know What Stood Out to You From this Episode! Let Me Know Your Takeaway in the Comments Below!

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