Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/701910
2 4 | PULSE S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 H E A LT H I E ST P E R S O N I K N OW T racey Mullan, PT, is Torrance Memorial Medical Center's director of Turpanjan Rehabilitation Services; she spends her days overseeing the hospital's programs that increase the fitness and functionality of pa- tients recovering from illness, injury or surgery. Tracey's been with the 95-person department since 1986, but she also knows—from her own experience—how difficult it can be to sustain a healthy lifestyle. "I was a person who really strug- gled with my weight all of my life," she explains. "It always went up and down. But about 10 years ago, I really got exercise 'hardwired' in. Before that, I'd get into a pattern, but then I'd fall off. I started running again, and I don't know what snapped for me, but now it's hardwired for me. If I don't exercise enough times a week, I feel awful." What's your routine? Tracey Mullan: I'm a morning exerciser, and my favorite exercise is running, but I'm a huge wimp: I don't like running in the dark, so during the winter I exercise in the g ym a lot—a combination of running on the treadmill, and riding the cycle and the elliptical. My usual run is about 6 1/4 miles. What is it about running? TM: I ran cross-country in high school, so it was familiar. Plus I think I get the most bang for my buck; I burn the most calories. You don't need a lot of equipment and you can do it anywhere. If I go on vacation I can always find a trail to run on. It's nice to be outside too. I run along the esplanade at Torrance Beach; it's a beautiful run down there. ere's some kind of li I get when I see dolphins swimming along, and sometimes there's a flock of pelicans. I just love seeing them. Running is a boost. It's great stress relief before I get in to work. It's funny how many people I see from the hospital at the beach. ere's the same group down at the beach with their dogs, and there's another group at the g ym. What's kept you running? TM: When I started running again, I also started journaling my exercise. Now I have little notebooks at home that go back about eight "WHEN I STARTED RUNNING AGAIN, I ALSO STARTED JOURNALING MY EXERCISE. JUST KEEPING TRACK OF EVERYTHING IS ITS OWN REWARD. I SET A GOAL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR FOR HOW MANY MILES I WANT TO RUN OVER THE ENTIRE YEAR."