Physique of the Month

Mona Liza Reyes quest to become "fit" started when she trained for the Honolulu Marathon (her 1st one) in 2002. This came as a surprise to many of her friends and family since she was anything but an athlete, even more so, she was never a runner. What started off as "one of those things to check off your life's to do list" - became a newfound love for a healthier lifestyle. To say the least, when she crossed that finish line in 7 hours ,19 minutes and 22 seconds later she viewed the world and her capabilities in a different light. It was then that Mona decided instead of wishing to look, be and feel a certain way, she would just make it happen. She has continued to run 1/2 & full marathons, as well as local 5 & 10ks. Although she not the fastest, it's all about "completion" for her. In 2003, shortly after completing her 2nd marathon, that July that she entered her first figure competition. Again, it was "one of those things" to check of her list so she didn't anticipate that she would be hooked! She did 5 shows in 2003, 4 shows in 2004 and 4 shows in 2005. Each year, her physique and stage presence have improved and she has placed higher in every show. Without ever intending it, she became an inspiration to other athletes both men and women - at work, at the gym and at random places like the grocery store.

Mona Liza decided to take all this positive energy from her newfound passion for fitness and share it with others In the spring of 2004 she became a volunteer coach for Girls on the Run, while training 8 -11 year old girls to run/walk their first 5k (3.1 miles). .The 3 month program isn't only geared to train these young girls to run and be active, but to also teach them "life skills". They discuss many topics that face these young girls today such as peer pressure, self-acceptance, negative effects of gossip, how to communicate effectively and how to express your emotions. It's amazing how much she learned from coaching these girls and how much they've taken a liking to muscles as being "cool". She continues to coach every spring and has just concluded her 3rd season.