Telski: Icon Diana Nyad Brings Everwalk Initiative to Telluride

06 Aug Telski: Icon Diana Nyad Brings Everwalk Initiative to Telluride

Set within the spectacular beauty of the San Juan Mountains and hosted by the Telluride Ski & Golf Resort, attendees will learn how they can become part of an initiative to change current negative health trends in the U.S.

The event, EverWalk, takes place in Telluride from September 21-23, 2018. Tickets can be purchased at tel.ski/everwalk. Also visit tel.ski/everwalk for a complete list of preferred lodging in Mountain Village.

For further information about this EverWalk Retreat in Telluride, CO, please contact Holli Owen, howen@tellurideskiresort.com.

Seated meditation not your thing? YES Magazine suggests a walk in the woods.

There are times when I don’t know what to do with myself. I feel at odds with the world, irritated by the people in it, in a funk about myself and what I’m achieving or, rather, not achieving, overwhelmed by the obstacles and complications of life. Happiness seems like an entirely elusive state of being.

At such moments, my friends know exactly what I should do. “When’s the last time you’ve been on a hike?” they inquire gently, and it’s time for a head smack. Of course, that’s the answer. I might not feel like pulling on my hiking boots; my mood is more in line with reclining on the couch and streaming Breaking Bad for the billionth time. But what I need is the trail.

To say that I return in a better mood would be damning nature with faint praise. I’m wholly restored, optimistic, energized, almost euphoric. I sleep soundly that night.

For a long time, hiking felt like my personal mental health elixir, a magical relationship just between me and nature. The truth is that I was experiencing phenomena well known to science. Hiking is a near-perfect combination of elements known to relax us, raise our alertness, elevate our self-esteem, and physically prepare us for true rest afterward. It exposes us to sunlight, outdoors, the color green, the sound of water, physical activity, social interaction. All of these have been shown in research to have beneficial effects on our mental well-being…

Science says it’s both the walking and the nature that make powerful medicine together.

There’s plenty of evidence in favor of exercise, which improves mood and reduces anxiety, releasing endorphins and raising serotonin levels. But a 2016 study in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity specifically found that bouts of outdoor exercise were significantly better at lifting the mood of people with mild to moderate depression than indoor activity. Previous studies found that so-called “green exercise“—and they didn’t mean golf courses—raised self-esteem, especially among those with mental illness.

Exposure to sunlight alone improves cognitive function, according to a 2009 study in the journal Environmental Health. For that matter, outdoor exercise has been shown to lead to more vigorous workouts; people walk faster and longer but perceive their workouts as easier.

Other aspects of nature have a calming rather than stimulating effect; studies have found that the colors green and blue—the hues that make up most nature scenery—are relaxing, as well as the sound of flowing water…

Read the inspiring story in full here.

Or simply pull on your hiking shoes and, this fall, join iconic endurance athlete and motivational speaker Diana Nyad and become part of a walking initiative that has been spreading across the country.

Famous for her 110-mile swim from Cuba to Key West, Nyad – in partnership with her world-class trainer, Bonnie Stoll, who headed Nyad’s swim expedition from Cuba to Key West – will introduce EverWalk to participants in Telluride on September 21-23, 2018. After hosting successful EverWalk events in bustling cities across the country, the Telluride event provides an opportunity to experience the unspoiled charm and unmatched scenery the surrounds the Telluride Ski Resort.

Hosted in the heart of Mountain Village, attendees will enjoy invigorating morning yoga sessions with Stoll and participate in two 10-mile hikes along trails that boast breathtaking views of the San Juan Mountains.

“As we walk through the majestic nature of Telluride, we will breathe that pristine air, we will gaze at those magical trees, and we will all imagine who we can be, what we want to do with our precious lives,” said Nyad.

Participants can select from four packages based upon the level of immersion they want to experience during the three-day weekend retreat.

There is a Regional Pass ($150 per person) for guests looking to attend the Saturday and Sunday walks, as well as the lunch, a swim demo and a keynote presentation on Saturday.

Silver ($315 per person) and Platinum Passes ($450 per person) include additional events with Nyad and Stoll such as specially-crafted breakfasts, lunches and cocktails to keep participants fueled and even more inspired.

Highlights of the Platinum Pass are an intimate welcome dinner on Friday evening and a farewell brunch with Nyad and Stoll on Sunday morning.

For those looking to spend more one-on-one time with Nyad and Stoll during the weekend organizers will help craft a customized VIP Retreat Experience.

As for the star of the show, Nyad will offer the Telluride community a freestyle swimming demo at The Spa at The Peaks Resort, the largest spa in Colorado, as well as provide motivational ideas throughout the weekend.

Nyad will close the retreat with a rousing keynote presentation Saturday evening.

Nyad and Stoll believe guests will find the “epic” within themselves as “we stride along the curvature of the earth, feeling the self-empowerment of covering miles on our own steam, inspired by the grandeur under our blue skies, connecting and caring about our community as we walk together. EverWalk has brought joy and meaning to thousands of walkers, from Maine to Key West to Seattle…and next up is the breathtaking town of Telluride. The mission aims to inspire a million Americans to leave their screens, head out to the great outdoors and adventure. EverWalk is galvanizing Americans toward becoming a nation of walkers.”

“When we leave our September Telluride retreat, we expect our new friends there to establish walking as a worthwhile part of their everyday lives,” said Stoll.

Area resorts and hotels, including Lumière Hotel, Madeline Hotel & Residences, Franz Klammer Lodge, and The Peaks Resort & Spa, will be offering preferred rates and personalized accommodations around EverWalk.

About Diana Nyad:

On September 2, 2013, at the age of 64, Diana Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the aid of a shark cage, swimming 110 miles in 53 hours from Havana to Key West. In the 1970s, Nyad became known as the world’s greatest long distance swimmer with her open-water achievements, including a record-breaking swim around Manhattan. For the next 30 years, Nyad worked as a prominent sports broadcaster and journalist, filing compelling stories for National Public Radio, ABC’S Wide World of Sports, and others. She is the author of the upcoming memoir, “Find a Way,” and three other books. Nyad is also a national fitness icon, a talented linguist, and one of today’s most powerful and engaging public speakers.

About EVERWALK:

Created by Diana Nyad and Bonnie Stoll, EverWalk is a vision to inspire a million people to get up, get out into the magnificent outdoors, talk with each other and adventure along new corridors through walking. EverWalk events have been held in Key West, Los Angeles and across New England—where participants walked 134 miles from Boston to Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Next up, they will host EverWalk events in the Pacific Northwest—walking from White Rock, Canada to Seattle—and Telluride, Colorado, against the scenic backdrop of the iconic San Juan Mountains.