SEDONA MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL
A little adventure in life can definitely be good for your health. If you’re in the mood to shake things up in 2019, mark your calendar for the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival happening March 1-3 at Posse Grounds Park. Novices will have the chance to learn more about gear and take several skills clinics including one geared toward women. “I’ve met too many women who’ve tried to learn to ride from their boyfriends,” says Michael Raney, event organizer and co-owner of Over the Edge bike shop. “It just isn’t the same as taking a class that is for women and taught by women.” Michael knows a thing or two about mountain biking – he’s been doing it since he was 15. He says cycling kept him motivated and physically fit throughout college, and it was the entire reason why he moved to Sedona, which is a worldrenowned biking location. “Cycling is a lifestyle sport,” says Michael. “It’s something a lot of people do for the rest of their lives, and it informs other decisions you make in life. How often do you call five of your friends and ask them to go to the gym with you and then go out for dinner? Probably never. But that’s what you do when you ride.” In 2018, 4,000 people attended the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival, and not all of them were expert riders. Michael says it’s a great place to get an introduction to the sport in a non-intimidating environment. The festival includes live music, a beer garden featuring local breweries, a vendor fair, group rides, demonstrations and camping opportunities. Aside from the clinics mentioned above, experienced riders will want to sign up for a coaching session taught by legendary rider Ryan Leech. It’s free to wander the festival grounds, but if you want to participate in clinics or group rides, you’ll need a ticket. Three-day passes cost $100 if purchased before Feb. 1. After Feb. 1, the passes are $120. Single-day passes are $50 (taxes and fees are extra). Camping passes can be purchased separately. Mountain bikers are encouraged to ride their bikes to the festival where there will be a bike valet and bike-washing services. For everyone else, a free shuttle to the festival departs from various locations in West Sedona and along AZ-179. Check the website for details.
INFO: SEDONAMTBFESTIVAL.COM
14TH ANNUAL RUNSEDONA
Maybe you’re the type of person who is at his/her best when you have a goal you want to achieve. The 14th Annual RunSedona event (formerly the Sedona Marathon) returns Feb. 2, and running a half-marathon sounds like a pretty admirable goal to us. More than 3,000 runners and walkers are expected to participate in the 5K, 10K and half-marathon races. The race begins on Navoti Drive between Bristlecone and So. Foothills near the Sedona Medical Center. It traverses the Coconino National Forest, providing plenty of inspiring red rock views along the way. The races have staggered start times from 8 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. Avoid the traffic and park at the Sedona Cultural Park or Sedona Red Rock High School, and take the free shuttle to the race. Afterward, enjoy a massage tent, beer garden and awards presentation. On the day before the race, the entire community is invited to the Pre-Race Expo at Posse Grounds Park in West Sedona from 2 to 8 p.m. Runners can pick up their packets at the expo, which will include exhibitors and vendors, food trucks and a beer garden. The registration fee for RunSedona is $70 for the halfmarathon, $60 for the 10K and $50 for the 5K when purchased before Jan. 30. The fees increase by $10 if purchased after Jan. 30.
INFO: SEDONAMARATHON.COM
SEDONA YOGA FESTIVAL
More than 2,000 people of all ages and from all walks of life are expected to turn out for the Sedona Yoga Festival, now in its seventh year. The festival takes place March 14-17 at Sedona Performing Arts Center. With as many as 108 presenters, music, vendors, pre- and post-conference immersions and meditation sessions, the festival is a choose-your-own-adventure type of experience. (One attendee reportedly joked that you could earn a Ph.D. just by creating your schedule.) This means that a seasoned yogi and someone who’s never even heard of a downwardfacing dog can both still walk away from the festival feeling like they’ve expanded their awareness of the practice. The festival offers programs for kids ages 6 to 13, making it a family-friendly event. If you’re a yoga teacher, you’ll be interested in educational sessions such as the one geared toward working with people suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder. You’d be hard pressed to find a more comprehensive yoga festival in the U.S. But the best part? Many of the sessions are taught in the red rocks. “I think yoga continues to increase in popularity as people become more aware of its physical and mental-health benefits,” says Heather Shereé Titus, the festival’s director. “But beyond that, yoga also affects how you show up in the world. It helps you participate in your community with patience, compassion and love.” Heather says that it’s possible to have a great time at the festival without ever doing any yoga, but for those curious about its benefits, the festival offers a “judgement-free zone where attendees will feel accepted and encouraged by the presenters.” Tickets to the festival range from $55 to $697 when purchased before Jan. 20 (taxes and fees are extra). Prices increase after that date. If you’re interested in trying yoga but unable to attend the festival, Aumbase Sedona, presenters of the festival, has a studio in West Sedona with daily classes. It also offers On the Land excursions (think hiking and yoga combined) in the red rocks throughout the year. Visit aumbasesedona.com or call 928-793-2777.
INFO: 928-451-6337 OR SEDONAYOGAFESTIVAL.COM
HEALTHY OUTCOMES AZ
When it comes to wellness in Sedona, the experts all agree on one thing: It’s a lifestyle. It isn’t a fad diet or fad exercise, and it certainly isn’t a New Year’s resolution that winds up causing you frustration. And there are frequently multiple ways to meet the same goal, says Devi Anderson, co-owner of Healthy Outcomes AZ in West Sedona. Healthy Outcomes AZ is not a traditional spa or doctor’s office but a little of both. “We offer services that have synergy with each other and help patients age gracefully and in a healthy way,” she says. The practice offers BioTE Hormone Replacement for men and women; fat-loss programs using CoolSculpting (a noninvasive, fat-freezing technique) and Ideal Protein Weight Management; and skincare including facials, skin tightening and fillers. Devi says the services Healthy Outcomes AZ offers often complement each other. “Sometimes we have patients who struggle to lose weight only to discover they have a hormone imbalance,” she says. “The same can be true of skin concerns.” The staff at Healthy Outcomes AZ includes physician and medical director Jason Wesley along with a registered nurse, medical aesthetician, medical assistant and Ideal Protein coach. The practice opened its doors in August 2017. Devi’s background is in hospital administration (she’s a medical assistant, too). Her husband is a pharmacist. After 30-plus years in the business, including several years where they owned their own durable medical equipment supply company, the couple discovered that their passion was helping doctors and patients forge personal relationships in order to educate patients about their body’s unique needs. The boutique-type experience means each patient at Healthy Outcomes AZ has a chart that is reviewed by Jason. He also reviews all lab results and consults with patients. (While Healthy Outcomes AZ doesn’t accept insurance, lab work and prescriptions are generally covered by a patient’s insurance.) “Our goal is to address issues from different perspectives to achieve a compounded outcome,” says Devi. “Our services are scientific, healthy and produce real changes. We love what we do because we are helping people change their lives for the better.”
INFO: 928-662-9503 OR MYHEALTHYOUTCOMESAZ.COM
SEDONA VEGFEST 2019 AND SEDONA HEALTH AND NUTRITION CONFERENCE 2019
The organizers of Sedona VegFest and its companion Sedona Health and Nutrition Conference are on a mission to change how people eat, or at the very least make them more educated about what they put in their bodies. Sedona VegFest 2019, now in its third year, takes place at the Sedona Performing Arts Center Jan. 19 and 20. The festival is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Don Fries and Bev Bow. The couple moved to Sedona from Oregon in 2013, and they knew they wanted to be part of the community. Passionate about plant-based eating, Don and Bev modeled the Sedona event after a similar event that takes place each year in Portland. VegFest and the conference are part of Healthy World Sedona, a 501(c)3 organization. At VegFest, you can take seminars on the benefits of plant-based diets, enjoy several feature films and watch cooking demonstrations. In addition, there will be book signings, meet and greets with the various speakers and an exhibitor’s area featuring food, personal-care products, clothing and more. Ticket prices range from $20 to $50. “Anyone who wants to improve their health care, learn about the environment or who has a love of animals and is open to learning should come to this event,” says Bev. “It’s educational, but it’s also fun.” The Sedona Health and Nutrition Conference 2019 takes place Jan. 17 and 18 at L’Auberge de Sedona. While the conference mainly attracts health care professionals (from as far away as South Korea), attendance is open to anyone. The conference maxes out at 120 attendees and sells out each year. It’s presented by Healthy Word Sedona, Northern Arizona University’s Health Sciences Department and Northern Arizona Healthcare. Registration fees range from $55 to $275. “Our goal with these events is to improve human, planet and animal welfare through a plant-based, whole-foods lifestyle,” says Don. “Sedona is already such a healthy destination, and these events fit into the tapestry of hiking and yoga. Now we have a nutrition component, too.”
INFO: 928-821-6754 OR HEALTHYWORLDSEDONA.COM
THE WARRIOR PIT
CrossFit training has taken the exercise world by storm, and the best place to experience the craze is in the Warrior Pit at Sedona Athletic Club at Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. The pit is an outdoor playground filled with pull-up bars; TRX Suspension Trainer stations; a sled that can be loaded with weights and pushed or pulled; giant tires to flip; sledgehammers; battle ropes; hang ups and free weights. Train in the pit with a coach during the HIIT Pit classes on Wednesdays at 7:45 a.m. or try your hand at the TRX stations with RIP Fit classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 a.m. Not the class type? Then just go out and play. “CrossFit began in 2003 but didn’t turn mainstream until 2008 and 2009,” says Andrew Ettinger, director of spa, fitness and wellness at Hilton Sedona. “With CrossFit, you train at a high intensity using functional movements. Professional athletes and even the military are training this way nowadays. When you train using functional movements, it mimics how you move in real life. You wind up gaining strength, endurance, range of motion and flexibility.” Aside from the health benefits, working out in the Warrior Pit is just fun. The classes switch up the routines so you don’t get bored, and the fact that you’re outdoors doesn’t make it feel like a stale gym environment. Look for personal coaching sessions offered in the Warrior Pit later this year. The pit is open to Sedona Athletic Club members and guests at Hilton Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. (Day passes are also available.) For those looking to kick-start their fitness regimen in the New Year, check out the resort’s Wellness Warrior package, which includes a private, 45-minute training session in the pit, a spa credit and access to the resort’s adventure guides. The best part of working out in the pit? Afterward, you can take advantage of the 25,000-square-foot club. Swim in a heated outdoor lap pool or soak in the hot tub. There are also men’s and women’s saunas and steam rooms, and don’t forget the full roster of massages, facials and nail services (we’ve always been big fans of the Full Circle treatment). After kicking butt in the warrior pit, a massage isn’t indulgent – it’s necessary.
INFO: 928-284-6975 OR HILTONSEDONARESORT.COM
SEDONA WESTERNERS
There seems to be a general consensus on what Sedona does best and that’s hiking. But if you don’t have a partner who hikes, hitting the trails solo can be daunting – or just plain lonely. That’s where Sedona Westerners hiking club comes in. The club was founded in 1961 by a group of horse owners who provided Western-style entertainment – think square dances and hay rides. Hiking was added to the group’s list of activities in 1964. The Westerners – in conjunction with the Coconino National Forest – are credited with establishing many of Sedona’s favorite hiking trails. Today, the group hikes six or seven times a week from September through May. It also boasts about 400 members. The hikes are classified into seven different groups depending on skill level. Looking for a leisurely jaunt? Hike with the Amblers or the Rustlers. Want to challenge yourself? Check out the Mustangs or the Rough Riders. Are you more interested in archaeology and geology? The Trackers are the group for you. You can find descriptions of all of the groups on the Westerners website. The Westerners don’t just hike in Sedona, either, says Tom Yager, this year’s trail boss (AKA club president). The group makes it to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon several times a season. There are also cookouts and a holiday party. All that for a membership fee of $30 a year. “We’ll have people who are coming to Sedona for a week and join the club just to hike with people who know the trails,” says Tom. “We tend to stick to trails that aren’t as popular but are scenic and interesting.” When you hike with the Westerners, it’s a social experience, but the hiking groups are all limited to 12 people so it’s still intimate. If more than 12 hikers show up, they are divided into groups. Tom says club members skew toward retirees, but people from all walks of life make each hike an interesting experience. “There’s such a diversity of backgrounds,” says Tom. “We have people who are wealthy and people who aren’t. We have engineers, lawyers, accountants, doctors, volunteers. It’s a very stimulating environment, and it’s very social. It can form the center of your entire social life if you let it. Many people wind up going out for lunch or dinner together after the hikes. I’ve learned a lot from the people in this group.”
INFO: SEDONAWESTERNERS.ORG
