The Science Behind Sunlight and Mental Health The Sun does more than light up our world—it plays a powerful role in our mental well-being. One of the main ways it does this is by triggering the production of vitamin D in our skin. When ultraviolet B (UVB) rays from sunlight hit the skin, they stimulate the production of this essential nutrient. Vitamin D is closely linked to mood regulation, and low levels have been associated with depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Sunlight also influences the production of key brain chemicals: Serotonin: Exposure to sunlight increases the brain’s release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that boosts mood and helps you feel calm and focused. This is one reason people often feel
By: Kinley Polnasek My name is Kinley Polnasek and I am 11 years old and currently in 5th grade at St. Joseph Elementary in Battle Creek. This is my second year participating with Team Athletic Mentors. I love all things sports and currently play basketball and soccer in addition to triathlons. I completed my first kids triathlon when I was 7 years old at the Cereal City Triathlon. No one in my family or extended family has ever participated in the sport so I thought it would be cool if I was the first one! While I was nervous at first, I loved how fast and competitive it was. The final sprint through the finish line is always my favorite part. It gives
An interview with program director: Terry Ritter What were some highlights of year four for the program? We were able to win a number of local road races in the Elite class, on both the west and the east side of the state (Waterford and Grattan), with multiple juniors. 3 of them did the 2023 Iceman in the PRO class, with Jonathan Meyer getting 13th overall. Jon also raced in his first PRO criterium field at Tour of America’s Dairyland (ToAD). Charlotte raced up a junior class at ToAD and took 2nd in the 17-18 field for the 5 day omnium. Jack Kozlowski took 3rd in his Cat. 4 omnium as well. We also took a few wins in the
By: Briony Dean Hi, my name is Briony Dean! I am 14 years old and a freshman in high school. I see myself as an athlete and try to be my best. I am currently pursuing track where I hope to run the 800 and the mile. My favorite athletic activity has got to be swimming. Something that makes me very proud of myself is that this year, I went to the Division 2 state meet as an alternate for Portage Northern. I’ve wanted to be in the water for as long as I can remember. Now, I’ve been a competitive swimmer for almost 7 years! The part about competitive swimming that I love the most is mainly the environment.
By: Kellen Siems One thing to consider when preparing for a cold weather run is what clothes you’re going to wear. The temperature should be taken into account, especially in fall and winter. To start, it’s highly recommended that you wear a base layer which would include any type of shirt, mainly something that will keep you warm and keep sweat off your skin. Cotton should be avoided because it absorbs moisture. Next you will need either a mid layer, outer layer, or both. A mid layer would be something like a vest, hoodie, or even a long sleeve shirt. An outer layer might be a light jacket like a wind breaker that protects you from the wind and keeps
By: Jay Campbell A recent Scientific Triathlon podcast argued that the best predictor of average bike-speed on a flat course is watts per CdA. If your watts per CdA is higher than the rider next to you, you will beat that rider in a flat time-trial. [This is in contrast to watts/kg, which is the best predictor of climbing speed. See my blog on the Tron Bike for a discussion on watts/kg.] Most of us triathletes do power-based workouts on the bike. We work on increasing our Functional Threshold Power (ftp) and have a good feel for the average wattage we can produce during a race. But do any of us have a handle on what our CdA is? And how do we reduce it?
Athletic Mentors