Cecilia Lee
My Love for Meditation and Trail Running
Am I going to make it out alive? Sweat is pouring out of every orifice of my body, and my face feels like it is melting off. My leg muscles are cramping up, and I am close to running out of hydration. I am only 30 kms in. Why did I even sign up for the Squamish 80 km ultra-marathon? My fitness level is sub-optimal, and I am definitely not in the peak condition of the olympian-like athletes at the start line. Why am I not currently eating delicious vegan tempeh tacos, sitting peacefully by a beautiful waterfall in Bali? My heart feels like it is exploding out of my chest. I wish I were a piece of tempeh. If I can get through this race, I promise myself to never complain about anything else for the next five years. Can I actually finish this? Who am I?
These were thoughts that raced through my mind as I was running up, yet again, another gigantic mountain as part of the Squamish 80 km ultra-marathon in the fall of 2019. This was the moment when I knew that my physical preparation for the race wasn’t enough. I needed to focus on changing my approach, and wishing to be a piece of delicious tempeh was not exactly the way to improve my performance in this ultra. To get through the next 50 kms, I used breath awareness and visualization techniques to finish the race within 15 hours. Yes, I ran for 15 hours straight with much of that time forcing bread down my throat for fuel. This pivotal moment was when I recognized how powerful meditation was for me.
Possibility is endless in life. Meditation pushes me past my limiting beliefs to accomplish things that I thought were impossible. It has also helped me gain mental strength, compassion and love for myself. Meditation has truly enabled me to believe in my highest potential.
Cecilia’s Bio
Cecilia has completed over 500 hours of Yoga Teacher Training and Meditation Teacher Training at Yoga Barn in Ubud, Bali (Indonesia), and at Yoga Nova Studio in Calgary, Alberta (Canada).
Her yoga and meditation teachers and mentors include Leah Santa Cruz (Balance Meditation app and Yoga Barn’s Master Meditation Teacher), Paul Teodo (Elements of Power Yoga and Yoga Barn’s Senior Yoga Teacher), Byron DeMarse (Elements of Power Yoga and Yoga Barn’s Senior Yoga Teacher), and Natalie St. Hilaire (Yoga Nova Studio Owner and Baptiste Yoga Teacher).
Cecilia teaches yoga and meditation for:
Pediatric healthcare workers at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
Yoga Nova Studio in Calgary, Alberta.
University of Calgary Dino's Women's Varsity hockey team.
A lifelong learner, Cecilia has also completed an Executive MBA at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, and a Master’s in Public Health at the University of Alberta. She is also passionate about her role as the Department Manager of Pediatrics at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
Cecilia is committed to bringing mindfulness and meditation practices to individuals, athletes, businesses and any group that is interested in creating more empathy and compassion with oneself and others, decreasing stress and anxiety levels, and increasing focus and productivity.