THE POWER OF DETACHMENT

de·tach·ment

/dəˈtaCHmənt/

noun

the state of being objective or aloof.

For every setback, there is a comeback. How you define and learn from it to make it useful, it is totally up to you. The setback I dealt with in August 2018 during Baystate marathon, has taught me be to patient, to be present, to have fun no matter what, to appreciate what I can do instead of what I can’t, and detachment from results. Yes, detachment from results. This practice has allowed me to be present in my running and life. It has allowed me to focus on task at a time and one day at a time. In Running, detachment has transpired like this:

2019 running year was a year of deep self-discovery, on-going enlightenment, fun, pushing physical and mental limits, learning to adapt, finding courage above fear, embracing discomfort, knowing exactly what I want and doing it regardless of the outcome; PRs and Podiums, focusing on the task at hand with full mindfulness, releasing distractions and DETACHMENT.

DETACHMENT of pace, miles per week, month, year… It didn’t matter whether I ran XYZ. I see the numbers as a reference point to my learning/adaptation curve, but it is not my worth for I am enough; being in the present moment and practicing gratitude are my reward.

DETACHMENT has allowed me to run free, to love the process more than I could ever had imagine, especially when the process gets painful because for me, it is through suffering and discomfort that gratitude and respect impact growth rate the most.

DETACHMENT has allowed me to realize how powerful my body and mind can be; that I have nothing to lose but to gain, that I am already living the dream; and most importantly, realizing that I don’t need easy. I just need POSSIBLE.

Everything else will happen when it happens as I get to experience what is happening right now.  And for ego’s sake but detach from it asap, here are the numbers:

Park Ave 5K: 25:20 (20 sec PR)

BDR 5K: 25:56 2nd AG

ORC 5K: 24:05 (1:15 PR) 2nd AG

Baby Goat 5K: 25 min and a big ass puddle

Track Shack 5K: 23:57 (8 sec PR)

Craft Classic ATL 1/2 mary: 1:49:31 (1:23 PR) 1st AG

Baystate Mary: 4:09:01 (52:47 PR) + mental grit

2019 yearly miles: 1,264

Highest mileage month: August 176

Highest weekly mileage: 50

I finished 2019 logging miles in my native hometown in São Paulo, Brazil. For years, I have dreamt of running in the neighborhood and streets where I grew up. I wanted to feel what was like to run there, to feel the sun, the air, the humidity and the hills of my town. I ran with a heart full of gratitude like I normally do. But the last eleven days of the year running in Brazil were more special than I could ever had imagined. I will always have this experience with me.

2020 is off to a great start, and yet, no strings attached only detachment. I am still working on the best version of myself, and yet, satisfied with the person and athlete I already have become.

“I don’t know where the limits are, but I would like to go there.”

~Eliud Kipchoge

 

A Two-Year Love Affair with BAE

“I don’t know where the limits are, but I would like to go there.”

~Eliud Kipchoge

Marathon WR holder, First sub-2-hour marathoner

It has been a long time preparing for Baystate Marathon in Lowell, MA. I felt in love with BAE from the moment I knew of its existence. I dreamt of racing it, feeling the cool brisk air of this picturesque-cozy town of Lowell, MA, and crossing the finish line with the biggest smile I could possibly give. I was in love with it. I would do anything to make this dream come true.

I was preparing to race BAE in 2018. But training got derailed due to a tibia stress fracture. I was devastated, of course. But the temporary setback only fueled the fire inside. I learned so much about myself and about running. I value running more than ever before and my WHY is more meaningful than any race or medal. Nevertheless, I will push myself with care.

After 12 weeks of rehab, I started working with Ame For It run coach Dave Ames. Dave is a phenomenal coach. Because of him, I had the best workouts I ever dreamt of, hit paces I thought it was never possible, became ballzy enough to race in the middle of marathon training, trained the entire summer hitting the pavement under extreme heat and humidity levels, and I felt the thrill of earning AGs awards. My training was on point, and most importantly, my mental game has transformed tremendously. I knew I had the fire in me, but it was Dave who added wood to the fire.

My mindset was ready for BAE, my body was gearing up and adapting well to training. I had outside motivational energy that I like to tap-in but don’t necessarily depend on it. The reason is because I believe it is important to have my own WHY.  As much as I prepared my body for BAE, I invested just as much, if not more, in mental fitness. I listened to podcast, audiobooks, watched races, practiced visualization, meditation, yoga, and worked with a sports psychologist Adrienne Langelier – a contributor to Kara Goucher’s book Strong and sports psychologist to many other Olympic athletes.

Listening to audiobook Atomic Habits by James Clear (a must if you ask me), he said: “We imitate the habits of three groups in particular: The close. The many. The powerful.”. This is exactly one of the main components of my mental training and one that made the biggest difference on whether I was mentally ready for BAE or not.

In my sport, one of the athletes I look up to is Eliud Kipchoge. Eliud is the whole package in the sport of running and in my opinion, on the realm of sports and life. Period. He is the zen master of running and living. He is the world record holder in the marathon set in the Berlin 2018 at 2:01:39. He is also the first man to ever run a marathon under two hours with a time of 1:59:40 a pace of 4:34 per mile. It is beyond incredible and hard to comprehend how this is even possible. Eliud accomplished this challenge on October 12. It was a week before my race day. In my heart, I felt that I was training with Eliud. The time frame could not had been more perfect, and as James Clear mentioned, I imitated Eliud. I imitated his mannerism, his attitude towards life and training, his body language and calmness on the face of such pressure.

Every run and every workout were a mental challenge which I had to bring a different mental attitude every single time. However, the bottom line of every run and workout was to do the best I could for that workout or run on that specific day. The process was about eliminating distractions and learning how to handle them. That was the epitome of my mental fitness – one that separated a breakthrough from a breakdown.

As the law of gravity does not lie, everything that goes up must come down at some point. I felt riding the high for a great portion of my training. My mentality was dealing with the problem when the problem happens but doing the best to prevent such by paying close attention to my body’s recovery turnover. I raised a concern that a 50-miler week after racing Craft Classic Atlanta half was pushing my limits. I was naive enough to allow the ego to take control on that choice, doubted my intuition and disrespected running. I proceeded with training focusing on a run at a time as I preached throughout this training cycle. All the miles were easy miles up to Saturday’s freakin 22 miler.  Let me be clear that it was not “just” a 22 miler. It was a 6-mile warm up and 16 at MRP to close the week at 50; something I had never done it before. EVER.

It got it done and I paid the price. I proceeded with intense recovery, taper week (which was a joke!) and upkeep runs while paying close attention to how my body felt; needless to say, horrible.  As intuitively as I am, I should had known better that my left quad – the one that literally spoke to me during that massive downhill at mile 11 of Craft Classic Atlanta, was the one that would get angry.

My attitude and mental fortitude towards running and training cycle has been to focus on the positive, be mindful of potential problems AND eliminate drama. I hate drama just as much as I hate laziness. Instead, I worked with the problem I was facing with only 20 days to go to Baystate. I can never thank my husband enough, who is a sports massage therapist specializing in Muscle Release Technique and Active Isolated Stretching, for bringing me back to health as fast as it was possible in such short time. Of all the recovery methods I did (cupping, tens units, stretch, ice bath, Epson salt bath, physical therapy and ibuprofens) my husband’s WORK was what allowed me to run Baystate.

I don’t think there is anything worse than toeing line knowing that your leg might not hold up and having  to consider to the possibility of earning a DNF. My legs would either cooperate or breakdown BUT mentally I was ready for either scenario. I know better that as an athlete my attention must go to focusing my energy on a positive outcome. That was all I had in mind. ONE. DAY. AT. A. TIME. ONE. MILE. AT. A. TIME.

The morning of October 20^th was magical. It was 36 degrees, sunny, no wind, no humidity just a beautiful day to run or race. Although in my case the opportunity turned out to run and race if my leg permitted. I remembered crossing the start line with a big smile already. It was surreal to be there and feel the entire Universe’s energy coming together for this moment for me.

In my mind, I had all figured out to as much perfection as I could. I coated my skin with Vaseline to protect me from the environment and keep me warm. I wore shorts, a singlet, arm sleeves, gloves, headband, a throw away hoodie and my #badass attitude sunglass. I didn’t throw away my hoodie until the halfway marker. My pre-race nutrition was on point with extra servings of mash potatoes, oatmeal, bread, a donut, and fruits. I fueled on Maurteen 320, Gel 100 and Caf Gel 100.

I was lucky enough that my husband was able to cheer me on and provide me with my bottles at miles 3, 13 and 22. I used my energy well and was being patient with the process. There were a few miles that my legs wanted to pick up the pace to the high 8’s but could not sustained. It was all about going by feel and let it happen. Entering miles 18 forward, I started to feel the heaviness of my legs. Trying to pick up pace was not possible; trying to maintain the 9’s pace was becoming a challenge. At one point, I felt my legs wanting to buckle and I had to give in into walking. The monotony of the continuous movement of one foot in front of the other was getting exhausting and hard. I could see my goal of a sub-4 slipping away second by second. It was just another distraction which I needed to Recognize, Release, Refocus. (thanks to Adrienne for teaching how to work with distractions).

I continued to run and take some walk breaks along the way as I tried to speed up the process to see my hubby at mile 22 and get a spray of biofreeze. As I got near him, I cried and frantically yelled biofreeze as he desperately took it out of his backpack. I stopped and he sprayed it on my left hip/glute/back and quad area. I moved on forward and regained by #badass runner attitude for as long as I could disguise it.

I felt stuck at mile 24 and that’s where everything really felt apart. It was not an energy crash, but legs were done here and the only thing moving me forward was the will to see that finish line and guts. Time didn’t matter but it did because I still wanted that huge PR and end this exhaustion. I literally had a conversation with my legs and begged for them to please hold on for a little longer. I promised to give them rest but that we needed to get this done first.

Once again, I switched my mental fitness gear but to the maximum this time. I remembered how Eliud draws the energy from the crowd when the tough gets tougher. I remembered my coaches and friends telling me to get the crowd involved. I remembered all the loving and supporting messages from my husband, friends; especially the IG friends. I’ve been remembering them all along this journey; however, it was from mile 24 to the finish that they became more vivid and stronger. There was no stopping me.

I felt strong as I engaged with the crowd. I felt an immense sense of gratitude for being able to do what was about to become another dream come true. The suffering ended when gratitude became the light and closure of this chapter. This is what I wanted. This is the opportunity I’ve been working so hard for. This is my pure effort, sweat, tears, pain, joy and energy manifesting into a reality for me to see, feel, experience, and for others to see it too.

At the finish line of my second marathon, the Tomoka marathon, the first thought that came to mind was, “that’s it?”. Who thinks that? I clearly did. But as I was approaching the finish line of Baystate, I couldn’t help but have the biggest smile I could possibly give. The feeling was overwhelming and contradictory in itself. I remember feeling a transitioning moment, if ever there’s a way of explaining something I haven’t practically  experienced.

I was happy to cross the finish line and I was sad to put a close to this hard-fought and beautiful journey at the same time. If there is way to explain life and transitioning but still be here, I’d say this was as close to the transitioning moment I got. I was born at the start line,  lived through the 26.2 miles, transitioned at the finish line, and reborned again from the moment my feet passed that line. I left everything behind me and I gained so much as I head forward.  The cycle continues if I choose so. I choose to continue.

 

My husband missed seeing me crossing the finish line due to parking issues. It took almost thirty minutes for us to meet. When he found me wandering around by the post-race food stands, I walked as fast as I could to give him a hug. I cried. He cried. I said as I sobbed: “it was so hard.”

Marathon training reality hits when one takes on the distance against time. It is only when the element of time is added to the distance that growth can truly takes its transform. As Bobby Doyle said: “You can’t teach guts.”

Final Score:

4:09:01 – PR’ed by 0:52:47

And this quote by Geoffrey Kamworor, sums up EVERYTHING!

“Work Hard. But not everyday.”
~ Geoffrey Kamworor

Half Marathon WR holder, 58:01, 2019 NYC Marathon Winner 2:08:13

Craft Classic Atlanta Half Mary Bang!

“Being specific about what you want and how you will achieve it helps you say no to things that derail progress, distract your attention, and pull you off course”.

~James Clear, Atomic Habits

After a year and a half drought from racing half marys, I was ready to race Craft Classic in Atlanta. I was ready to put into a test the fitness buildup I’ve worked on so hard with Coach Dave and to have a glimpse of what was possible for Baystate in the upcoming month.

Every race has a purpose and I chose them carefully. There’s the analytical approach of selecting a race, and most importantly, an energy connection of why I choose a certain race. Craft Classic Atlanta was the perfect race for my timing. It was an out of state race, it lined up well with my marathon date and training schedule; the weather was slightly manageable to race, and the course appeared to be hilly. It was hard to detect how challenging the course was on paper or from the images of the course preview. However, it still provided an idea that I would have to work. How much work? Well, that became clear only on my way to Atlanta and while touring Atlanta with a runner’s eye.

Months after months I have been putting in the work on the track, pavement and on the dirt roads of the Serengeti (Clermont Clay Loop). The amount of physical effort I have worked on can be seen through my data. However, the amount of mental effort and work I have been developing is still a work-in-progress and yet, cannot be quantified. In anticipation of Craft Classic and Baystate, I worked with sports psychologist, Adrienne Langelier, a contributor to Kara Goucher’s book Strong, who has also worked with many other athletes and Olympians. I wanted to work with the best and do my very best on this journey. I was ready to play hard.

I did the work. I studied the course to the best of my abilities with what I had. I was ready to play and have fun. It was party-on-the-pavement day, as my friend Leah says. As every race goes, peeing minutes before the gun goes off is a must. It isn’t a surprise that the potty line was a mile long; therefore, I crossed the start line by myself. No biggy.

From the get-go I was faced with a downhill, and of course, the uphill is right around the corner. Perhaps with half mile in, I saw my hubby cheering me on which helped me a little bit to remain calm. But the enthusiasm was short lived because right after waving at him, I was faced with another uphill. It was steep and I was analyzing how to maintain the pace my coach assigned for this race. This is where MENTAL FITNESS started to payoff and getting put into practice. As my coach said, the first 5K is about feeling it and getting into the flow. My psych coach said to be aware of distractions and work with them, while my philosophical and gut instinct is to breathe, stay calm, work with the problem to find a solution.

After 3.1 miles of feeling it out and seeing nothing but hills and downhills, and cuts after cuts, I realized that, THAT IS IT! THAT IS IT, Celia. This is what you got. The entire course will be composed of uphill, downhill, curves and cuts. There was a sense of tranquility after acknowledging this distraction. I knew what I needed to do, and that is, work with the course. This has been the staple of my runs, daily trainings and life. I work with what I have; I take pride on that, I don’t force anything; I’ll take what is given to me, and I will find a way to get it done to the best of my abilities given a particular circumstance.

At the 10K mark, the goal still had not changed. My focus was still on managing my energy, my race and focusing on a PR. However, another distraction showed up and now I was facing the “pace chart” distraction. I was off the pace that my coach assigned. I start to feel concerned and noticed my breathing trying to get out of control. So, guess, what? I worked with it and I eliminated it. I stopped looking at my watch for the pace. I had to precisely focus on feel while knowing that I had to push and embrace discomfort a little kinder.

By mile 10, the pounding, the cuts, the ups and downs started to take its toll. By mile 11 my left quad was feeling the pounding of the massive downhill I was running on. I looked at it and I could sense that there could be consequences. It was then that my mental fitness shifted to the next gear. The power of meditation practice and visualization techniques were being presented to me. I could hear my coach telling me how great it would be to race a hilly course. At this point, I felt an immense sense of gratitude and the struggle shifted to enjoyment instead of pain. This next level of gratitude allowed me to relate and visualize my favorite athlete’s struggle while doing the same thing I was doing. I imagined Eliud Kipchoge’s mannerism and eloquent form at the 40km marker of his race. I felt fortitude in his strength and created the same for me.

I carried this feeling with me to the finish line and crossing it strong as if I had done this before. This race is so special to me on so many levels. It is the first race I have ever won a first place in AG. However, it is the mental strength I brought in today and how I handled distractions that made extra special.  I was mesmerized by the hills and its difficulty. Hills are a matter of perception. It is subjective from person to person. Love or hate them, I choose to love them.

Final Score:

1:49:31 – PR – 1^st AG – my very first AG on any race!

“Strength does not come from physical capacity.  It comes from an indomitable will.”

~Mahatma Gandhi

Yes to Maurten!

Eliud Kipchoge runs a 2:00:25 marathon as part of the Nike Breaking 2 Project and fuels with Maurten

“In May 2017, the world watched Eliud Kipchoge making history in Monza – when he ran the fastest marathon ever. And there is one thing that Kipchoge has in common with the winners of the twelve latest major marathons – they all grabbed a Maurten bottle at the drink stations.”

Maurten.com

Have you ever wonder what elite runners fuel and hydrate on training and race day? We always see them grabbing their personalized bottles at the drink stations, but we have no idea what exactly they were drinking, much less, have the opportunity to try whatever that is ourselves. BUT FINALLY, we now know what most of elite runners fuel and hydrate AND it is available on the market to the blue-collar runners like myself. Ladies and gentlemen behold for the revolutionary hydrogel fuel for endurance athletes, Maurten 160 and 320.

YES, FINALLY!!!! And it’s the same fuel Eliud Kipchoge uses! And may I add, 2018 Boston Marathon Desi Linden!! But hey, don’t take my word for it! Check out Maurten and see why Maurten is the world’s fastest sports drink!

Here’s my intake about Maurten 160 and 320 and what I think it works best for me. I base my hydration/fuel systems based on three factors:

1)     Length of the run,

2)     Type (intensity) of the run, and,

3)     Weather condition

• The first time I used Maurten was for the 10-mile Clay Loop training run. It was an easy run; meaning not focused on paced, just relaxed and going by feel. However, I took into consideration that the route consists of rolling hills, the terrain is clay (soft sand patches), and the sun would be blasting by 6:30 a.m. with no shaded areas in sight. In addition, I was planning on going non-stop. The weather was around 73 degrees and 96% humidity. In that sense, I figured that I’d be getting a good workout of at least 1:36:00. I took the 160 mixture for this run and I sipped at every mile. I never felt a crash, energy was steady and  with a slight increase of pace throughout, with a good kick on the last 4 miles. The mixture blends really well and presents a a slight density to the water, but I really can’t pin-point an after taste.

Feeling strong and picking up the pace

My biggest fan – my hubby!

• Weeks later I had a LR (long run) workout. The weather was 75 degrees, 99% humidity and 75 dew point (between 5 & 7:00 a.m.) I had a 1 mile warm up, 9 miles at steady state (nonstop) pace between 8:45-8:30, and 1 mile cool down. This day the weather was ridiculous tough to run in it. Within 1.40 mile of my steady state interval I had to stop because my heart rate and breathing were getting out of control and I was overheating. I consumed the entire bottle of the 160 mixture before I finished the 9-mile interval. For this workout, I should have taken the 320 mixture. The 160 was not enough because the weather was so brutal and I felt running out of the energy at mile 7 of my interval – by then I had already ran 8 miles and still had 3 more to go. But thanks to Maurten, I was able to finish this run workout. Had I had used a different product, I don’t think that my body would be able to complete the entire 11 miles scheduled on this day. For an intense workout and intense weather, definitely got to fuel with Maurten 320. This was rough!

• But in contrast, a week later for a 12-miler run, the weather was 73 degrees, 97% humidity and 72 dew point. This was not a workout run; just a relaxed, easy pace, going by feel run. The importance of this run was to cover the distance. I only had a 4-minute worth of stopping due to traffic (total of 1h54min at 9:33 pace), the weather was manageable, and I actually hydrated and fueled on a 10 oz of Generation Ucan tropical orange drink mix. I felt well throughout the run, but I felt that anything more than 12, this serving of GenUcan would not be enough. In my opinion, for this run, I would be wasting a mixture of 160 for something that it did not demand so much out of me. Because let’s be honest, Maurten products are not that cheap to be using for just about every run, at least not for me.

• The following week my LR was a workout – an 10-miler out & back, pick up pace at the turn around point. The weather was 77 degrees, 93% humidity but 75 dew point. It really reminded me of my previous LR workout under those weather conditions. So this time was a little bit more prepared with extra hydration leading up the run, more carbs loading throughout the week and hours before LR, and of course, I fueled with Maurten 320. Yes, gimme all the carbs!!! The 320 contains nearly 14 per cent or 80 grams of carbohydrates when mixed. That’s about twice as much carbs as was previously thought possible for the body to tolerate – according to Maurten website. I mixed the 320 in the Maurten bottle with cold distilled water, shook it really well, and started to sip as I ate my pre LR mini-meal. All of the sudden I tasted a jolt of energy rush. Bam, that’s wicked! It really tasted super sweet and the density of the water a lot more potent.

However, my LR workout was success. As always, my goal is to run non-stop to build that endurance and running economy. I also take the weather and how my body feels into consideration so that I can adjust my expectations. In order words, I work with the weather, the route and with what my body can give me at a certain day and time. I sipped Maurten throughout the run, probably close to every .75 mile; ran relaxed, controlled, but strong in the first 5 miles – 9:57/9:26 – (mile 3 was at 10:05 because I joined some friends) 9:25/9:18. The last 5 miles were conservatively strong at 9:00/8:47/8:47/8:35/8:26. This type of hydrogel fuel is certainly strong and kicks ass, so I totally felt my body trying to adjust to it based on my effort on the run (faster pace, different digestion adaptation) and weather condition. Overall, Maurten has nailed it with this product!

Out & Back was a success despite the ridiculous heat and humidity!              Fuled like a Pro!

Keep in mind that for all my outdoor runs under this Florida heat and humidity, I take one electrolyte stamina pill by Trace Minerals before the run to help with minerals, avoid cramps and boost my hydration.

So far my experience with Maurten hydrogel fuel has been excellent. I am glad for the opportunity to fuel with the best product on the market as I will need all the help I can get my hands on for this year’s summer marathon training.

I hope you enjoy as much as I do, because, it works!

Cheers to a happy training cycle! #fuellikeapro

A Thousand Miles Year

“Once you make the decision that you will not fail, the heart and the body will follow.”

~Kara Goucher

What a year 2017 was!!! It was a great year, it was a majestic year, it was a PR year – and if you had ever told me that I could run the massive miles I did, I’d have a hard time believing it. The good news is, I made the decision that I CAN run all the miles. I CAN and I WILL succeed!

There’s no short cut to BQ. I have to face the distance and time challenge, and I am doing it with love, grace, perseverance and with a wicked smaht attitude! Without further ado, let’s get to the point!!

• December 2016 – I made the smaht-a$$ decision to work with Run4Prs, Coach Victoria. The best decision evah!
• Trimmed down Race Schedule – Coach V knows what’s best! I had a bunch of races scheduled for 2017 and she recommended that I let go of many. In January, Shark Bite half marathon became a 5K; in March, Swamp House half marathon became another 5K, and the scheduled March’s Tomoka half marathon was still on the menu.
• Turns out that I totally forgot how difficult a 5K can be. I had never trained for a 5K before, and I noticed how excruciating and glorious a 5K can be. But I got it done in 26:20 and I took a bite of the third place AG award. Not too shabby!!

JANUARY MILES = 75.8

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• The training continued in February – building up mileage, working on speed and heading to a PR month on a short month!

FEBRUARY MILES = 90.1

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• After building up some mileage and speed work, I was gearing up for my second 5K of the year. My legs were feeling trashy, but I knew I could get Swamp House 5K done. Sure enough, 25:40, and I missed first place AG by 1 freaking second! Or should I say, by 1 freaking stride!
• And here comes the good stuff when a PR is crushed: THERE’S NO PAIN WITHOUT A PR! Got it??
• I pushed my body like never before, and unfortunately, I got to experience what most football players go through at some point in their career: GROIN injury. It is a pain in the butt. It is not to be taken lightly. It does not forgive! It took me a good 6 weeks to start to feel normal again. It was hard to do anything and don’t get me started trying to get weight workouts done – just not a good idea.

• I felt the pinch right after the race, but it didn’t really flared up until two weeks later when I was gearing up to race Tomoka half during a 7 miler run and it only got worst within hours. Tomoka was a no go.  Want to know what my rehab routine was? Check it out my blog entry.

MARCH MILES = 40

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• By end of April, I was starting to feel a lot better. Easy runs, low mileage and a lot of strength training going. I was heading on my way up even though the mileage does not seem to reflect so. And Christmas arrived in April for me as my husband surprised me with an awesome treadmill. YES!!!

APRIL MILES = 34.2

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• The month of May was all about building up again in a much healthier and smarter way. I started doing cryotherapy and chiropractor adjustments which later became a mandatory thing once a month. PT and strength training was part of the routine and the Roll Recovery, aka R8, was my life saver rolling on that groin area, glutes, hammies and quads.

MAY MILES = 60.4

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• With the month of June comes the hot and humid days and running in tough conditions required a more strategic approach – treadmill miles! It was the best purchase evah!!! I was able to increase mileage without beating up my body. Training for a BQ and running Boston had become more real than I could have ever imagined as I reach my first evah 100+ miles for the month!

JUNE MILES = 102.1

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• June Miles got me really high, and entering my birthday month, I really had to make a splash and celebrate all month long. July was hot and humid as hell. Cryotherapy never felt so good – and don’t get me started with the ice baths! From June forward, the build-up for half marathon training was on full gear.

JULY MILES = 107.39

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• Oh August…. such a long and hot month! I continued to do the work, strength training, mileage logged, and all shorts of recovery methods with special attention to meal-prep, anti-inflammatory diet and naps after runs over 10 miles. Say YES to Gluten free, ginger and turmeric people!! AND for a second sesh of Cryo for the month! BAM!!! AND for a 4-hour nap after a LR (6 miles) during my cut-back week! Yes, I was drained.

AUGUST MILES = 120 (58 MILES ON TREADMILL)

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• September was just as hot as June, July and August, but the work still needed to get done. By now, I was already starting to feel the drain of training for so long, even though cut-back weeks was a big part of my training scheduled. My debut half marathon with Coach Victoria was the Jacksonville Marine Corps half marathon on October 14. I knew there was a chance the weather would be very hot for me, so my expectation for a sub-2 was dependentable on the weather conditions.

SEPTEMBER MILES = 121.3

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• It’s finally October and time to race. I was a nervous wreck and I strategized every detail of this race to help increase my chances of a sub-2. I could not have done it without my loving husband’s support. JAX Marine Corps was pure grit and determination like no other! Time: 1:59:35 – down to the wire.

            OCTOBER MILES = 78.3

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• I was excited for November. First of all, there is hope that the weather will cool off down here in FL. Second, it’s Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season which I love! Thank goodness I have the OUC half marathon right after Thanksgiving to keep me trained by eating healthier. This month was simply a rollover from JAX Marine Corps training – just 6 weeks between these two races.

            NOVEMBER MILES = 118

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• Bring it on December! I love this month and I love running OUC half marathon. What I don’t love is the 2.5 miles of brick road. I was distracted with so many things that I totally forgot about it. I found the perfect shoes in Asics DS Trainer 22 for tempo, speed and race. I didn’t think or trained with it on brick roads. I just wanted to PR and PR big because OUC is my fav race and it is the last race of the year for me. The race was a success. I PR’d by 8:41 and crossed the finished line at 1:50:54. That’s exactly a 10:00 PR from previous year. As I told you, THERE’S NO PR WITHOUT PAIN! My left foot didn’t like the beating and it responded with the worst tendinitis I’ve ever felt. Anti-inflammatory, a MRI and two weeks of no running was my rehab. AND…. I was back in business to finish the year strong!

DECEMBER MILES = 81.1

And just like that…. 1,028 MILES for 2017!

The joy and gratitude I feel is immense. These numbers were hard to get and I could not have done it without my husband’s love and support. I’m grateful for the team behind my success in this journey: my coach, my podiatrist, my chiropractor, my massage therapist, my physical therapist, my run squad, my friends, my family and my IG friends. I feel so grateful for all of you.

I am so ready for 2018. It will be a big year!

“Be unrelenting. If you don’t believe, then who will”.

~Kara Goucher

There’s NO PR Without Pain

“Someone once told me not to bite off more than I can chew. I told them I would rather choke on greatness than nibble on mediocrity”.

~Unknown

There’s no doubt I ran OUC half hard with grit and pleasure on pursuing a big-time PR. I ran strong and everything felt in sync, except that my foot got tired of the 2.5 miles of brick road and wearing race/tempo shoes. As they say, there is NO PR without pain. So here’s how it went.

20-minute Post Race:

Just about 20-minutes after the race as my body is starting to cool off but still running high on runner’s high, I felt a flare on the lateral of my left foot. I told my husband I felt something sharp on my foot and I thought that perhaps it was from the edge of my Superfeet insole. I stretched and putting on my flip flops. The pain went away and I proceeded with the post-race festivities, visiting vendors’ tents, meeting IG friends and searching for some running friends until it was time to go home.

At Home:

At home I got to stretch a little bit before it was time to take a shower and head out with my husband to an introductory sesh of Transcendental Meditation course we wanted to sign up. I feeling very good, nothing really bothered me at all. After the course, we headed back home and I was finally able to relax, wear my compression socks while sipping on ginger latte to diminish any inflammation I might had.

By the evening time, my foot was starting to ache. I massaged and iced. By the time I started to settle-in in bed, the pain was intense. It did not stop. I had to take pain medicine to be able to fall asleep. By morning, my foot was really swallowed up, the pain was still sharp and localized in one spot. I was scared. I limped to the homegym for a stretching sesh and I barely could wrap the stretch wrap on my foot, much less use R3. All I could do was to massage my foot.

I spent the entire day on the couch watching football while my foot was wrapped in a towel with ice packs. During that time, my foot seemed to feel better, but as soon as I needed to walk, the pain was right back. At night time, the pain usually got worse, especially when I laid down in bed. I just could not fall sleep as the pain tended to become intense. I had my foot elevated and wrapped with ice pack. It was another sleepless and painful night. By now I was petrified that perhaps I suffered a stress fracture; just because the way the pain was manifesting and intensifying without much relief.

I make my own Doctor’s Appointment:

Comes Monday morning and I was up at 6:00 a.m. with eyes wide open. I was on a mission to be seen by Dr. Mason, my podiatrist, and NO I did not had an appointment. I am an athlete and I just could not take a NO for an answer, so I went there, checked-in and waited to be seen. I said that I could wait for as long as I had to. I’m grateful that Dr. Mason is a kind doctor who is also a runner and cyclist. He knows me well, and if I was there, it was because it was a serious situation.

After a 90-minute wait, my name was called. I actually double-checked if Brian had called my name. I was thrilled. Dr. Mason entered the examination room surprised to see me, and for a moment, I was apologetic for showing up without an appointment. But he immediately started to take care of my foot and directed me straight to the X-Ray room. Thank you Heavens the X-Ray didn’t show anything, but because my pain was so unbearable, he ordered an MRI with a follow up appointment in 7-days. I was prescribed with anti-inflammatory meds but no cortisone shot because he wanted to make sure I was being treated for inflammation and not an actual stress fracture.

I left his office feeling a little more relieved. I was still worried because the pain was still present and strong, but at least I had something to take care of the inflammation. At home, I was still icing it and drinking ginger tea and tart cherry juice to help out with my healing. Mentally, I was trying to stay as positive and calm as possible. Three-days after the race, and I was still limping pretty bad but it was only Day-2 on anti-inflammatory meds, which Dr. Mason predicted that I should be feeling better my Day-4. Day-4 after the race I was starting to walk normal. The pain was dissipating and my hopes were blighting up. On this same day, I had my MRI scheduled and I was happy to get it done. The week progressed with great results, inflammation and pain was fading and healing was at full-force.

Dr. Mason’s Follow Up Visit:

It was great to go back to see Dr. Mason without any pain this time. As he went over my MRI results, he was glad to have it ordered because the report mentioned “suspicious stress reaction”. I was happy to hear no stress fracture, but at the same time, I realized how close it was from actually being one or a stress reaction. He recommended no-running for another four days. Of course I cried by telling I was feeling better and that I was already on no-running for the past 9 days. He then changed his mind and allowed me to run easy on the next day. However, I was still uncomfortable with the idea.

Reporting to the Coach:

Well after receiving some good news, I had to share with my coach to have some running back on the schedule. To my surprise, Coach Victoria’s reply wasn’t what I was expecting. She didn’t schedule or clear me to run just yet. She wanted me to give more time for healing. I was emotional and worried that going on a 15-day streak without running, I was going to have to start everything from scratch like I did before. After some pep-talk and uplifting feedback, I came to realize that it was for the best. It was best to give more time for healing. If I were to lose some fitness, it would not be by much because I know I am strong and I do have untapped speed in me.

Focus on Recovery:

Recovery. Recovery. Recovery. It was not different this time; keep doing what needs to be done. I am glad that I scheduled my monthly chiropractor appointment with Dr. Sabrina a day after seeing Dr. Mason. I reported to her what happened, Dr. Mason’s and MRI’s findings and my coach’s recommendations. Dr. Sabrina did her usual thing of adjusting my body and providing incredible guidance on body mechanics and strength methods to work properly with my body mechanics. She concluded that my injury simply was a “circumstantial injury”. There was nothing I could have done based on the circumstances of the race and how hard I ran. The only difference perhaps was not wearing a race/tempo shoe on brick road, but that was too late. Moving forward, I will be focusing on strength routine for my beautiful peroneus muscles. Having graston technique done on my feet was something to be remembered for sure!

Do What You can So You Can Do What You Want to Do:

There is not a boring moment if you are runner. Even if running is not an option, there was plenty of other things to do that will supplement running. Stretch and roll is a must do every day whether I’m actively running or not. So on the days I wasn’t running, I was working to get ready for running. I did some yoga, core work, some weight work, rowing, sauna and I walked for 10 miles on Disney Day. Kurt and I have our annual Disney Day and between visiting Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot, I’m pretty sure I logged 10 miles easily for the day. Too bad that my Garmin died at mile 6.65.

Get Back in Business 100% Healthy

I was so excited to get back into running again and very grateful that Krista didn’t mind going for a 3-mile run on Saturday. I felt good throughout my run, but at times, I noticed that my body was still trying to figure out what was happening after 15-days of no running. Krista acted as if I was on taper for 15-days and this run was my “race day” as she picked up the pace at mile 2 at 8:46 pace. It was a great run and I was still “on observation” as I was mindful on how my foot would feel after this run.

First Run Post OUC Half Marathon

The following week started to look like a normal training schedule and I was gradually picking up where I left off. My husband and I made sure that Transcendental Meditation is now part of our lives and routine with two 20-minute sesh daily. I am in love with Transcendental Meditation! It’s the simplest thing ever. I was never able to dig into meditation and follow through, but practicing TM technique it is possible to follow through. I feel centered, grounded, focused, positive and calm. My running is becoming more relaxed, focused and breathing is more settled which helps me with my performance.

This week’s fartlek was fun and emotional at the same time. I exceeded the recommended pace and I felt that my body was ready to give me these paces; otherwise, I wouldn’t never pushed this much. I was watching Breaking 2 Special (again), but this time it felt different. I felt more alert and more connected with Kipchoge. I felt his moment of distress as he was pushing his limit, and yet, he appeared so calm and relaxed. And so I cried, as I was finishing up my 6 miles for the day with so much gratitude and humbleness. It is a beautiful thing to watch and feel someone chasing their dreams; knowing and feeling how hard it is. All of the sudden, I didn’t feel so alone chasing mine because it is just a matter of time until it becomes real.

2 mile warm up; 6 minutes @ 9:00 pace; 4 minutes @ 8:30 pace; 2 minutes @ 8:00 pace
2 minute jog in between; Cool down to mileage

I am enthusiastic for the new year and to find out what my body and mind can do; where running will take me this time. But first, respecting the body and mind is a priority. Recover well, I must. That’s rule # 1 in chasing dreams.

Cheers!

“Hope is a waking dream.”

~Aristotle

Chasing Mental Strength: Post Race Recovery and the Beginning of a New Training Cycle

“No human is limited. It’s not about the legs. It’s about the heart and mind. With a strong heart and good mind you can do it. If you don’t rule your mind it can rule you.”

~Eliud Kipchoge

There’s no doubt racing JAX Marine Corps half marathon under 2 hours demanded a great deal of energy – pre, during and post-race. I was running on runner’s high for a week and excited to turn down a notch with training because I had a valid justification to do little and simple recovery work such as PT workouts, stretching, rolling and spinning. The only issue I had to address were my sore calves which after 4 days of no running I was good to go. It felt good to run 5 miles on the treadmill with no pressure or discomfort. It was also nice to run 8 miles on Saturday as my LR and feeling that I was well-recovered.

Great run with my friend Krista

One week recovery was enough, so that meant that I was easing right back into training for another 13.1, the OUC half marathon on December 2 in my neighborhood downtown Orlando.  Coach Victoria didn’t waste time planning my training calendar, and there it was, WEEK 1 Training OUC starting with 3 easy miles on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 8 mile on Saturday.

Physically I did very well completing all my weekday runs. But then when Saturday hit, I wanted nothing to do with running. I was tired of getting up early and getting runs done. All of the sudden, I felt my mind and body wanting to shut it down. I could sense my mind sending signals to my body that all the hard work I had done for JAX Marine Corps would have to restart all over again and harder!

I got up at 5:00 a.m. and it was a no go. Got up at 7:00 a.m. and nope! Finally decided to get up whatever the time I wanted and run whatever miles my body felt okay running. Thankfully, the weather was somewhat fresh that I was able to get out the door at 10:20 a.m., which for me is as if I were running at 3:00 p.m.. My mind thought about getting 3 miles in, then it turned to 4 miles, but I was happy and peaceful with just 5 miles out of the 8 scheduled.

WEEK 2 Training OUC arrived fast like a laser, but I was not ready for a Monday run. To that end, I wasn’t ready for a tempo run scheduled on Tuesday either. So I decided on 4 easy on Tuesday and pushed my tempo for Wednesday. The sad thing is, I wasn’t ready for a tempo period. Feeling anxious and overwhelmed, I reached out to Coach Victoria and asked for a pass on that tempo run so that I could regroup and move on forward with week. I am glad I did because my LR+tempo on Saturday was a great run which I exceeded the recommended paces.

5 mi up = 9:26 pace 

20 minutes @ HMP (8:45-9:05) = 8:28 pace

5 minute recovery jog

20 minutes @ HMP (8:40 – 9:00) = 8:19 pace

Cool down to mileage 1 mi @ 9:06  – 11 miles total

WEEK 3 Training OUC came along and the fact that I was now going on my second week without Newton (my treadmill) was simply miserable and mentally hard to keep going. During a software update, the treadmill iFit software froze. There was nothing to be done but to wait for Pro Form’s slow process of sending me a SD card with the software update. It took them 6 days to process my claim and another 6 days to receive the SD card via UPS. I was going crazy!

But eventually it arrived, my husband fixed the treadmill and I was back in business – just in time for my fartleks and more tempo runs. At this point, I was more mentally ready to keep moving forward but I still felt that I needed to be fed with lots of inspirational methods such as TB12 Method audiobook, watching Kenyan runners’ documentaries and marathons while I got my run on Newton.

My breakthrough workout came in a few days later in Week 4, and it was worth the wait! I had a 7-miler strength run on the plan. I wanted to get it done early in the morning, but I really lacked energy and decided to get it done after work.

2 mi easy warm up

3 x 1 miles @ 7:55 – 8:10 pace

With .25 jog recovery in between

Cool Down to mileage – 7 miles total

And here’s what I got:

2 mi up @ 10:14

3 x 1 mile = 8:04 / 7:56 / 7:49

1.27 mi cd @ 9:04

Seriously! This was the best feeling so far! I could not believe I was able to reach 7:49 pace and still feel wonderful while running it and not grasping for air as much. This was such a confidence boost – just what I needed it. Next, I had another tempo run for Week 5 which was taper week. I was very happy with this run – a 1 mile warm up with a 4-mile tempo @ 8:10-8:30 which I managed an 8:28 avg. run for a total of 7 miles and an 8:54 avg pace.

Until then, it was all about banking the mileage, staying healthy and enjoying Thanksgiving weekend. But for Week 6 I had a 4-mile pace work just to tune up for race. Although I didn’t like the 94% humidity that morning, I was glad to exceed the recommended pace.

1 mi up = 9:56

1 mi @ 9:00 = 8:56

1 mi @ 8:45 = 8:32

1 mi cd = 9:14

 

There’s no doubt that this short training cycle of just 6 weeks was tough as well. JAX Marine Corps cycle was different in a sense that I was dealing with summer temperatures and still getting acclimated to speed work. OUC on the other hand, my brain already had an idea of what was coming which required a lot more of mental strength and discipline to get me moving forward. I must say that a cooler weather in Florida lately has helped a great deal. For that reason, I don’t feel so intimated for a speed workout like I used to. And I know that I’m capable of pushing the pace.

I’m grateful to close this training cycle with 141 miles and to go into another race 100% healthy.  I am ready for OUC and I’m confident that I will reach another big PR. With that, I close November strong for a total of 118 miles.

With gratitude, let’s do this!

“Passion is a choice. You need to choose to be great. It’s not a chance, it’s a choice.”

~Eliud Kipchoge

It Takes Guts to Build Mental Strength

 

“It’s hard to beat a person who never GIVES UP.”

~Babe Ruth

September was another hectic month; add Hurricane Irma’s stress to the occasion and you’ve got some real stress and some tight muscles as a result of it. Since surpassing 100 miles for the month, I started to get hooked and excited to find out how many more miles I can accumulate in a month. However, I kept in mind that a healthy month was and is more important than the accumulation of miles, especially in the final stretch of training cycle.

My awareness towards my body’s well-being was in higher frequency this month. I paid attention to every detail and unusual discomfort my body was feeling. This time my left calf and shin area was more than I wanted to. However, it is was not a surprise as I was exiting August with 120 miles for the month.

Two days after Labor Day weekend, the news were blasting us with updates on the fast approaching arrival of Hurricane Irma and its deadly force of a Category 5 hurricane. Seeing the catastrophe caused by Hurricane Matthew in Texas, Florida wasn’t going to be the one state to play with its strength, and a state of emergency was then effective. The prediction of the storm’s arrival in Central Florida was for Sunday evening, so up to Thursday, I was able to log in my miles. But my right calf wasn’t too happy.

After my husband examined my left calf, he found a dense knot and it hurt. I took a rest day from running on Friday, rolled, iced and stretched, but I was not 100% sure if it was in the best interest to run my 11-miler on Saturday. I knew it was due to stress and I know that when I run on a tight muscle, nothing good happens. The entire week was about Hurricane Irma prep – going to the store to stock up on water and food, maneuvering through hectic traffic frenzy, arranging for a tree company to come over and cut tree branches hanging on top of our roof, helping my father-in-law remove flying debris from his backyard, removing our patio and yard furniture out of harm way, and really doing the best we could given the situation and time we had was exhausting.

All of that added up and my body felt unrested. It was no brainer that I’d be better off sacrificing 11 miles out of training than to run the risk of losing the entire cycle and possibly missing another race. My Coach could not had agreed with me more!

Opted for a 10-mile spin sesh instead of running

Going through the storm on Sunday evening was one of the scariest experience I’ve ever had. The storm started around 8:00 p.m. and it lasted for a good 12 hours. The rain and wind intensified around midnight as the eye of the hurricane passed through. For most part,  it was a steady rain fall with an occasional 10-minute break between gusty winds. At 2:30 a.m. I could not take it anymore and had to go to bed, not that I really feel sleep. Kurt came to bed around 4:00 a.m. when the storm appeared to be lessen. When we got up around 8:00 a.m., the rain was gone but the wind gust and tree branches were all over the place. We were very grateful that all we had to do was clean up. Many people lost electricity, we did too, but we only lost for 16 hours whereas many people in Central Florida didn’t have electricity as much as two weeks.

The before, during and after Hurricane Irma left me drained for days. It was exhausting, bust I used the non-running time to rehab my tight calf with icing, tens-unit sesh, rolling and lots of stretching. By the time I got back into the running routine again was on Tuesday after the hurricane. It felt good, but I was still lacking on energy. After that, the rest was history as I kept moving along with training and tackling one speed workout after another. The mental strength training this time was even tougher, especially preparing and executing what I’d say was one of the toughest run yet.

8 Mi Speed Workout   2 mi easy warm up 6 x .5 mile @ 7:45-8:00 pace with .25 jog between Cool down to mileage

2 mi up @  10:31 .50 @ 7:38 (death pace for me!) .50 @ 8:00 (yep, slow down a bit, Celia!) .50 @ 7:49 (crank up a notch, you can do it!) .50 @ 7:48 (steady and fast, find a sweet spot) .50 @ 7:48 .50 @ 7:49 1.50 cool down @ 9:20   TOTAL: 8.0 / 1:23:23 / AVG 10:25

I did it!

The mental strength and toughness I had to dig for this month was no joke! I constantly used watching Breaking 2, Breaking 2 Special edition, the 2016 London Marathon, part of the 2016 Berlin Marathon, the New England Patriots post games press conferences as part of mental training as I logged another massive 57 miles just on the treadmill. In addition, I’ve been listening to Peak Performance audiobook and the fascinating TB12 Method by Tom Brady audiobook.

The heat and humidity in September was still intense. It seems that such weather conditions do play tricks in your head as I started to feel unsettled on whether I could run a slightly faster pace under these conditions. My Coach had a 13-miler on the schedule, and I saw that as a great opportunity for a trial race training; however, its success was possible to my husband’s assistance. On a Saturday, I headed to the trail with the intention of completing 13.1 without stopping. Kurt rode the bike and followed me with water and nutrition. I felt like I was having Kipchoge’s special treatment throughout the run. And that, made a huge difference! That Saturday was a 6-day running streak, so my legs were tired, and unfortunately due to heat, humidity and a late start (6:50 a.m.), I started to feel the crash in the last 5K. Completing this 13.1 training run gave me a huge confidence boost – just what I needed to finish the month strong.

Thanks to my hubby for helping me 🙂

Even after losing the 11-miler LR, I was still able to close the month with a PR – a PR by just one mile, but nevertheless it’s hard earned miles that I am proud of because I managed to close the last week of September with my highest weekly mileage at 35 miles to bring to a total of 121 miles. Yes, I did it! And I still managed to take a day off from running during this week to respect my body and be cautious as I’d be entering taper week on the following week.

And as if you already didn’t know, to celebrate the month and to keep my body healthy, I had my monthly chiropractor adjustment, therapy and cryotherapy sesh as the week and month closed. And to my surprise, Saq was there doing cryo too! That was an interesting experience as I met the former Orlando Magic and LA Lakers basketball player in the same place I do cryo.

Whether you are 5’3” or 7’1”, athletes do cryo! That’s a wrap for September guys!

3-minute, temps as low as -255F

(P.S. I also hit my cryo sesh PR at 3-minute as temps went as low as -255F = take that to the mental strength bank!

“Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly.”

~Shaquille O’Neal

It Doesn’t Get Easier, but Let’s Go!

“With a strong heart and a good mind, you can do it.”

~Eliud Kipchoge

To say that August was a great month, it’s an understatement! A PR month of 120 miles, 58 of these miles were on treadmill, it’s a moment for jumping sky-high! I am so proud of the hard work and time invested to reach this month’s goal. It was very tough to get these miles in, especially when August has been the most mentally challenging month by far.

Considering that I closed the month of July with 107 miles, I gave myself a challenge to cover 120 miles for the month of August. However, I didn’t anticipate that the tempo runs and speed work would be so mentally draining and challenging. The desire to run was less intense and the anticipation of a tempo or speed workout was daunting. I had to switch mental gear quickly to preclude the negativity and fear from running the show. After all, it is my show and I run this thing!

On another note, August was a busy month with other things not related to running. Right off the bat, we had Tom Brady’s 40th b-day on the 3rd, and of course, a 4-miler was on the menu to celebrate the Greatest of All Times,  aka GOAT. Football was right on the face with the conclusion of training camp and start of preseason games – everything feels so much better when football exists! And, we had a one of a kind eclipse!

The hot and humid days were still intense just like June and July; there was no much of a break. Except for one interesting Saturday morning which I had a 12-miler on the schedule. Krista, my neighbor, and I had one of the most enjoyable LR in a while. The fact that she needed to be done by 7:00 a.m. helped speed up the process a little bit, but none of that would had matter if the weather had not cooperate to the slightest drop in temperature. This run helped me get the positive boost I needed to keep my monthly goal alive.

Splits: 10:35, 10:09, 10:08, 10:05, 10:08, 10:06, 10:08, 10:11, 10:16, 10:08, 9:49 & 9:19

Much of this month’s credit goes to my husband for showing the support and kindness in giving me a treadmill which I’ve named, “Newton”. I can train hard and cover the miles without beating up my body so much in the heat and humidity. Not only it provides me more flexibility in my training, but it allows my body to properly recover, even though, my mileage keeps increasing on a monthly-basis so far.

What’s in for September? Another PR month would be great, but I think that my focus is really on keeping a strong mental strength foundation, staying healthy and decompress from the everyday routine by relaxing by the pool or taking a quick trip to the beach. As of September, I will be only 4 week out until Jacksonville Marine Corps Half marathon and I must do everything possible to stay strong and healthy. I haven’t toe line since March 5 at the SwampHouse 5K event which I PR’d by 20 seconds with 25:40 finish time AND got myself a groin injury as I crossed the finish line. No regrets here because I’ve learned a great deal on how to be a proactive runner and focus on my body’s recovery process.

To a strong September and a October PR! Let’s Go!!

“Run Epically
~unknown

July Miles: Hot Humid and Sweaty

“Every Mile Earned, Never Given.”

~ unknown

Yes to July!!! Independence Day and my birthday month!! As matter of fact, America and I share fireworks. How fun is that!!

If anyone thought that June was hot and humid, one haven’t experienced July in Florida! At one point I simply stopped looking at the weather app to check on how hot and humid the day was predicted to be. What’s the point? If one is to adventure in the outdoor sauna, one better be ready for it.

• Hydrate every single day
• Never run without a bottle of water
• Start your run early and dark
• If anything longer than 5 miles, consider taking an electrolyte/salt pill
• Go for shaded areas
• Sunglasses (and a hand-towel in my case)
• Lace up and go

 

Going into the second week of July, my body started to feel the impact of the heat, humidity and intensity of the workouts. It was telling me that I needed to rest, amplify my vitamins, minerals and supplements intake; go to my doctor and order a blood test. And while at the doctor’s office, go ahead and take a shot of B12.

Blood work day, yipe!

It took weeks for my body to start to normalize into a more steady routine. The lack of energy, especially in the morning as I do suffer from the occasional adrenal fatigue attack was at its full force this time. Three unplanned rest days (a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday) were needed until I started to feel somewhat better to do some of the workouts. I listened to my body 100% and I did everything I could to make sure my immune system remained strong and focused on processing my energy level back up instead of fighting some other weakness such as a flu symptom.

To give myself a break from this crazy-hot weather, I started doing a lot of my runs on the treadmill. Outdoor runs were becoming harder and harder on my body and very difficult to maintain the duration of a run. Running a faster pace or some speed work outdoor was getting impossible to hit the suggested paces. Although a treadmill run offers a controlled environment (AC on and turbo fan blowing at me), it still gets freaking hot. It is not easy either, but it is more doable. Going into my longest treadmill run of 12 miles; there were times I wished I had just taken it outside. It was one of the hardest treadmill run to date. The mental and physical drain was nothing I had experienced before, and I believe this was the turning-point of my energy level and adrenal fatigue kick off.

By mid-third week of July, I started to feel and sleep better. I can’t focus enough on how important rest it is for me. In one of the days that my energy was extremely low, I went to bed at 7:30 p.m. On the next day, my body was ready to wake up and get up at 5:00 a.m. and I had one of the best steady run.

I also decided to schedule a second cryotherapy session before the end of the month. Usually a once a month session is enough, but this time I saw no harm in doing it a second time. To my “luck” at the time of cryo sesh, the nitrogen tank was about to get empty, but Dr. Sabrina Atkins estimated that it would be enough for my 3-minute top sesh. I entered at -111F and I held on for the entire 3-minute; however, the temps only reached to -211F.

Hold on for the entire 3-minute max down to -245F first sesh of July

This cryotherapy session was a great energy boost to kick off the last week of July with the start of the Jacksonville Marine Corps half marathon training. As a bonus, football training camp was also on tap, which motivates me a great deal, even if the workout calls for a fartlek = 2 mi warm up / 10 min @ 9:10 pace / 4x2min @ 8:45-8:30 w/ 2min recovery in between / easy cool down to 7!

2 mi up 10:42 / 10 min @ 9:07 / 4×2 min @ 8:37, 8:43, 8:39, 8:38 & extra 8:36 / 2.28 mi cool down  @ 10:01

After all the ups-and-downs, I am learning to manage mental and physical breakdown a lot better. I try to stay calm and let it run its course while not giving it too much power. Negative thoughts will creep in every now and then, but it is so important to not to give them power or they will eat you alive. Simply acknowledge it and put a positive thought and action to nullify them. Also, beating myself up for being on the funk wave is pointless. Do not beat yourself up! It is part of the process of training hard and we are only humans.

I’m also constantly working on mental training just as I work on my physical training everyday. I read motivational/sports quotes, I read books, listen to audiobooks (my favorite so far is The Champion’s Mind: How Great Athletes Think , Train, and Thrive by Jim Afremow), I watch word majors marathons while running on the treadmill, and of course, watching Breaking 2 the Nike Project never gets old! All of this positive intakes adds up. I have noticed that when a mental breakdown happens, its intensity is usually less or tends to linger less time. This time for me, I think it was more of a physical breakdown. Whatever it is, I’m sure it will change as training becomes harder and harder, but I know that I’m more mentally tough that I was yesterday.

So, thank you my dear legs, body and mind for taking me a little further this month for a month PR of 107.39 miles! I love you dearly.

Cheers to you and Happy August!!

“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.”

~Alan Cohen

Breath In Breath Out and Let Qi Flow

 

“To be inflexible to the change around you is to live in fear. Qigong is a useful tool to improve your flexibility, both mental and physical.” 

~Garri Garripoli

 Since my husband is a licensed massage therapist, I try to absorb all the different modalities he comes across with to enhance his life, health and practice. As I’m growing wiser, I’ve been more open to learn and be involved with relaxation methods, practices and overall methods that contributes to a healthy physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

My husband introduced me to Qigong ten years ago. At the time, I went along with him and even did the instructor certification course. I loved learned about different breathing methods, Qigong movements and food healing. But all the information did not sink in much and the exposure to such training started to fade away.

My husband retook the course several times later to refresh his mind and to earn CEU credits. I stopped by in one or two of these occasions but my mind wasn’t into it. After getting back into steady running for the past three years and with bigger dreams in mind, I decided to go with my husband and be fully engaged in the 3-day Qigong seminar; however, I was not able to attend the first day (Friday) due to work schedule.

Running has taught me a different side of gratitude. It has also taught me to connect more with my environment, nature, body, mind and spirit. I thought that Qigong would open doors that I left unopen since last time I participated in the seminar. Part of got me more curious this time is because I heard of a running technique called Qi Running in which it teaches to focus on breathing, body alignment and foot placement. It also helps prevent the most common running injuries. I discovered a Qi Running coach in the proximity of Orlando area, made the appointment, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the appointment got cancelled and I have never made connection again. That has been almost 2 years ago.

Jeff Primack is the pioneer of Qigong Revolution in the USA. He is amazing and so knowledgeable. He brings simplicity to a complicated world of self-made chaos, and the answer is actually within ourselves and within the plant-based realm. That’s when food healing, breathing methods and movement of energy flow comes along.

During Qigong seminar break. It’s a very laid back atmosphere and setting. Everyone brings their yoga mat. 

As Qi Revolution’s website states, “GiGong is about Strength and Building Energy. Breath, Mediation and Movement are combined in a seamless practice.” Days leading up to the event, I started to focus on my breathing while running. I noticed that I was able to help keep my heart rate close the 150-155 under range (zone 3) during my easy runs. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it did not, but I believe that on hotter days there was a major contribution to spiking up my heart rate.

For two-days straight we practiced on the 9 Breath Technique, Qigong movements, walking Qigong and meditation. In all aspects of Qigong there is a higher sense of gratitude, especially when we discussed food healing.

My favorite part of food healing was when a smoothie recipe called for beets. Yes!!! I love beets! Energy, movement, flow and breathing are part of the realm of well-being. Therefore, it does starts with what we eat. Does the food nourishes our bodies or does it cause to clog with toxins?

As a runner, I know exactly what kind of food helps me perform better and which kind makes my performance go down the drain. Qi Revolution Food Healing has made me even more aware of the importance of nourishing my body with the highest phytochemicals foods in order to expedite recovery and healing from one workout to the next. Jeff highly emphasizes on the power of food healing to reverse diseases and certain forms of cancer. I could not pass on this opportunity to own the most recent Food Healing SmoothiesFormula book that Jeff has updated, and this time, I even got it autographed.

I highly recommend checking out Qi Revolution’s web site to see if a tour is near you. Jeff travels all over the country to share this valuable information that I have never heard anywhere else.

To better health and runs!

“Eat from the TREE of Life Avoid the Surgeon’s knife.”

~Jeff Primack

One of a Runner’s Dream

“The Future is Bright.”

~ Kurt Westbrook, my husband

Nobody said that conditioning and training to one day BQ was going to be easy. The truth is, it doesn’t get easier, you get stronger. I can certainly feel stronger than I was yesterday, but it doesn’t mean that I should make it harder on myself. And what a best way to make training look easier than owning my own treadmill?

I feel like the luckiest girl on earth for having a caring and supportive husband. He loves me, he supports me and he cheers me up. He will go above and beyond to make life easier, accessible and fun to our family. I’ve been talking for quite a while about getting a treadmill, and he told me that we will get one at the right time.

After his back surgery 11 months ago and months of physical therapy, he found out that walking has been a tremendous help to getting his body strong again. It is beyond happiness to know that he is starting to feel much better and stronger, and that perhaps, later this year he will be strong enough to do a 5K walk.

After taking care of our priorities, the time has come. I searched for a treadmill, I did the research and I knew exactly what specifications I needed the machine to have in order to last me for a long time, and yet, not surpass my needs. It needed to have a strong horsepower of at least 4.0 CHP; a complete lower-body workout of 15% incline and -3% decline; an expansive running deck of at least 22”x60” tread beld; iFit Coach Ready; smart touchscreen display; workout apps; digital quick speed; incline and decline; great warranty; and of course, ProShox Cushioning.

After all of that, the Pro Form Pro 2000 seems to be the most fit for our needs and right on affordability. After showing the product to my husband, he was more interested in the Pro Form Pro 5000 – same tread belt, incline/decline, but the motor was better 4.0 CHP instead of 3.5 CHP. Hey, I am not going to argue with that!

And in a blink of an eye, the treadmill was ordered and purchased over the phone. That moment felt so dreamlike. I was feeling a bunch of emotions all at the same time. I felt so happy, so grateful and a sense of “pressure”, but on a good way. It felt like, “this is real as it gets” – you are now really training to qualify for Boston!

Now what was left to do was to prepare the home gym for the treadmill’s arrival. I had two weeks to get it ready, and with my husband’s help, we got the room ready. In less than two weeks, I received the phone call informing on the day and time of delivery. I was thrilled! It was sooner than expected and I could not wait.

Because of its massive size, it was delivered via a freight company and truck. When I saw the truck parking on my street I could not believe its size. But wait, the size of the box in which the treadmill was wrapped was gigantic! To my amaze, the truck driver was doing the moving of the treadmill all by himself, I know right?! My concern was making sure it didn’t get hit and damaged in the process of placing it on a dolly and moving the thing out of the truck to my home.

Thankfully, everything went well. My husband had a 4×4 handmade dolly which was very helpful in placing the treadmill on it in order to get it inside the house. I was very appreciative of the delivery guy’s assisting us in actually bringing the treadmill inside the house, as opposed to, living it on side curb.

My husband immediately started to dismantle the box and putting the treadmill together piece by piece. The entire process took 3 hours. It was exhausting but so thrilling. After reanalyzing the room, we decided where to best place the treadmill and I’m ready to roll. There’s no doubt I am the luckiest girl and have the most wonderful husband. He’s so kind and attentive.

My first run on Newton (yes I do name my most valuable running gears – Garmins, shoes, and now my very own treadmill) was on a Saturday for a quick and easy 4-miler. I decided to name my treadmill Newton after the Newtown Hills on the Boston Marathon course. I immediately felt a strong connection to its name and meaning. I mean, how I cannot love hills if all I focus on now is the day I run the Boston Marathon? The fun really starts in Newton Hills, right?!

So yes, my mental game is to love Newton whereas most runners called it “dreadmill” and show some dislike to treadmills. Newton will help me get there and I do show much gratitude and appreciation to my running “things”.

And of course, my husband is loving doing his fast walk every day and even walking on Newton Hills through iFit technology!

Without further ado, lace up, Celia. The chase just got real!

“Surround yourself with people who know your worth. You don’t need too many people in your life, just the real ones who appreciate you for exactly who you are.”

~Steve Maraboli

Cheers to Beet Smoothie

“No matter how much it gets abused, the body can restore balance. The first rule is to stop interfering with nature.”

 ~Deepak Chopra

Who doesn’t love beet roots? Seriously, this is not a trick question. Well, I am sure a few hands will go up to represent the dislike for beets. On the other hand,  I can’t live without beets. I remember when my mom used to make us beet salad; it was the first item I served myself to make sure I got my fair share. My mom used to cook beets, but never would cut it before cooking so that the red color and nutrients would not fade away in the boiling water.  As time passed and I had to take care of my own cooking, I learned not to cook beets to preserve its nutrients to the maximum.

When I started to learn more about nutrition in order to help me become a more efficient runner and assist my body with the healing process due to the demands of training, I was very intrigued to know that beet roots is rich in betalains, a class of potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that battle free radicals and inflammation-related chronic disease. Beets are also valuable in providing the body with the everyday nutrients like B vitamins, iron, manganese (good for bones, liver, kidneys and pancreas), copper, magnesium and potassium (essential for healthy nerve and muscle function).

In addition, beet roots is known to contain rich nutrients that may help lower blood pressure, fight cancer and inflammation, boost stamina and support detoxification (supports phase 2 of the body’s detoxification helping purify the blood and liver). Beet greens is also rich in nutrients and it should not be thrown away. It helps strengthen the immune system, support brain and bone health and it can be eaten as much as one wants. Beet roots on the other hand, it is recommended with moderation because of its high content level of sugar, the most of all vegetables.

It turns out that my favorite veggie is full of nitrates, which the body converts to nitric oxide – a compound that relaxes and dilates blood vessels, turning them into superhighways for nutrient and oxygen-rich blood. That is, it improves circulation and possibly lower blood pressure. On top of that, because nitrates turn into nitric oxide, it helps with stamina if you drink beet juice prior to a workout. I can it is so true to that, and apparently, the fastest man on the planet, Eliud Kipchoge,  does it too!

Beet contains many phytonutrients that have been shown to function as anti-inflammatory and presents a unique source of betaine which helps protect cells, proteins and enzymes from environmental stress fighting inflammation, protecting internal organs and improving vascular risk factors.

Now that we have a healthy idea of the benefits of beet roots, here’s my beet smoothie recipe.

The same can be followed if you choose to substitute beet for kale or spinach.

• 2 small  or 1 large beet – cut into small pieces to better blend
• 2 or 3 cups of water or milk alternative (depending on how soupy or thick you prefer)
• ½ cup of frozen blueberries
• ½ cup of frozen pineapple
• ½ cup of frozen dark cherries
• ½ cup of chopped dates
• ½ cup fresh papaya
• ½ red bell pepper
• ½ cucumber
• ½ of a hass avocado seed (seriously, this little thing is full of phytochemicals)
• ½ thumb size of ginger root – this will help gives an extra kick to help with inflammation and balance out the taste of beet. It also helps off-set the rich taste of spinach or kale when making these smoothies
• Thumb size of turmeric root
• 1 table spoon of olive oil
• A pinch of black pepper – pepper and olive oil will help activate the fighting nutrients contained in the turmeric root that helps with inflammation
• Add protein if you would like (I use plant-based protein)
• Blend well in a power blender – my favorite blender is Blendtec blender

Cheers and enjoy!

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

 ~Hippocrates

Shark Bite 5K: A PR and a Bite in the AG Award

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”

  ~ Steve Prefontaine

I am so glad for Coach Victoria’s suggestion in focusing on training and forgo of Shark Bite Half Marathon scheduled just six weeks after the OUC Half marathon. Making this decision allowed me to easy the mind, body and to focus on parts of training that I never thought about it, but that has made a significant difference physiologically.

It had been two years since I had ran a 5K race. It was the Treasure Chest Bucs 5K in Tampa, FL in 2015; six days after running Jacksonville Marine Corps Half marathon. As you can imagine, my legs were still super tired, but my husband and I could not pass on running a 5K with a complimentary Bucs football game ticket and halftime on-field experience. No way! So running Shark Bite 5K after all those months seemed like a very good idea.

Coach Victoria planned the week of the Shark Bite 5K like any race deserve its respect. I had a taper week, made sure to rest and Coach Christina with Strength2Run focused on upper body strength training. I was assigned a rest day on Friday and Saturday, but because at this time of year it is NFL football playoffs time, there was no way I could sit down Saturday and wait for Sunday’s game day and race day. Besides, it’s customary for me to run a shake out run no matter what. So I went for a nice and easy 1-miler shake out run at 9:16 pace. As if it wasn’t enough, I headed to LA Fitness for a 20-minute core workout and 10-minute dry sauna session. I felt ready – both for the game and for the race.

It was a busy pre-race day and I didn’t get to really chill out as much as I wanted to, but I did the best I could to stay calm, positive and to have fun. Because of the playoff game, I didn’t go to bed until 11:55 p.m. and my alarm was set for 4:15 a.m., yikes! But I got up, went on with my pre-race routine as usual, and focused a little more than usual on stretching and foam rolling. To my surprise, I found a tight spot on my right calf, and that, got me a little nervous. With such a short time, there wasn’t much to be done. I applied Bengay on the location, massaged and put on my CEP compression sleeves.

A few days earlier in the week, Kurt and I watched the movie Prefontaine on Netflix. I had never heard about Steve Prefontaine and his success on 5,000 meters and some long-distance running. The story brought me tears and it really stuck with me. Since Kurt was driving this time, I took the time to get myself in the zone and read some information on Pre. I also remembered what Coach Victoria had said that the harder I pushed, the more uncomfortable it would get. But I was ready to embrace the discomfort. I was ready to bring my two goals into materialization with pain or no pain.

In honor of the legend, Happy Birthday, Pre!  January 25, 1951

The weather was somewhat a comfortable 63 degrees, but humidity was high at 100% which is hot enough not to question whether I’d wear a running top or flat out sports bra. The 5K field had 525 runners which 333 consisted of women runners and 32 women in my age group of 35-39 years old. This time I made sure to be on the front line with all the other faster runners. I set myself on the left corner of the start line with maybe two or three other runners in front of me and there I went.

Unfortunately, I started the pace way too fast. After Coach Victoria brought to my attention and looking the data on TrainingPeaks training application, I ran the first two minutes at 6:58 pace – yeah, a 6:xx pace!!! Never in my mind I thought I’d be running this fast. The first mile of the race ended up at 7:57 pace – my fastest mile so far!

As it comes to no surprise, my second mile wasn’t as fast, but it still was fast enough for me at 8:43 pace. At mile 2 water stop, I walked for a couple of seconds to drink some water and picked up the pace right back. At this point in the race, I was feeling very hot and sweating like I was in the sauna. The intensity of my discomfort was growing with each step forward, the feeling of lack of leg power was starting to show, my breathing and heart rate (180 AVG HR) felt like they were going through the roof, and yes, challenging thoughts started to creeping in.

I was present to the distance and to the discomfort. All of the sudden an innocent 5K distance felt longer than 3.10 miles. So I started to focus on the distance left and telling myself I just needed another track lap and that 0.25 was nothing, and another one, and so forth. I thought about Prefontaine and believe it or not, I asked him for strength to get me through because I really wanted to earn an age group award that day. I was pushing myself so hard, and yet, there were so many people in front of me. I was analyzing the field and trying to get a glance of how many women could be within my age group range. It was hard to tell, but I still had some hope that crossing at the finish line with a 26:00’ish minute would give me an opportunity to take a bite at the third place.

I kept pushing myself and put in some strides and pickups towards the end because I just didn’t have much of energy for a steady burst. I saw the finish line banner, but it seemed like a mirage. I wish I had managed by running economy and speed better to give the fast push towards the end. I crossed the finish line at 26:20 with a PR! I finished my last mile at 8:36 pace and 7:43 for the last .14 miles (these are Garmin splits stats. Per race stats it’s an 8:29 avg pace for this race)

I walked from the moment I crossed the finish line trying to grasp as much air as I could and bring my heart rate to a comfortable bpm. In the final mile, my heart rate average was a 184 bpm and the last .14 mile was a 191 bpm. I didn’t see my husband and R2-D2 waiting for me so I kept walking a straight line to a nearby palm tree to stretch. They soon found me and I hugged and kissed my husband as he said, “good job, Babe! You’re getting faster!” I was still getting myself to a normal and rest state, but I was so happy to have it done and accomplishing my goal of a sub-27:00 5K. The only question was on whether my time was enough for the age group award.

The age group award ceremony was scheduled for 9:15 a.m., but got postponed until 9:30 a.m. I was really hoping to bring something home besides my PR. In addition, the race organizers didn’t get the finisher medal to arrive on-time for the race due to some release issue in Customs. When I looked at the results, I saw my name in third place out of the 32 female runners in my age group. I was stunned so asked my husband to double-check my results. I waited and as he started to come towards me, I saw his face lighten up as he said that I got third place. I was so happy! My time placed me at 69^th of 525 overall and 28^th of 333 all female. Not too shabby!

The award ceremony was very simple and they started with the older groups first, so I had to wait even longer. I thought they would have a podium, but there was nothing like that. They simply announced the age group and called the winners’ name starting with the third place. R2-D2 barked almost every time for each time that people’s name were called and applauses were clapped. It took a while until my name was called and by then, R2-D2 got accustomed to it and didn’t bark anymore. When I stepped forward as my name was called, it felt like my own Olympic moment. I was happy and proud of my hard work. And for the first time, I posed for an award picture showing off my plaque award.

I never really cared to earn any race award other than earning a finisher medal. However, I do have other ambitions now and an award confirms that my hard work to become a faster runner is paying off. There’s a lot more work to be done, but each day I am getting a step closer to my ultimate goal and with Coach Victoria’s with Run4PRS professional guidance, knowledge and strategy,  I know that I can do it. And like my husband says, “the future is bright”.

“I run best when I run free.”
~Steve Prefontraine

 

 

Run Pack Rest Repeat

“Happiness doesn’t have just one address.”

~unknown

We can all relate to the saying ‘when it rains it pours’ at some point in our lives. I’d say that we got soaked this summer, but in a good way.

Before my husband’s unexpected surgery, we knew and were in the process of moving from our old place and buying a new place. We just didn’t expect that a lot of events were going to happen almost at the same time. Weeks prior to finding out that he needed surgery, we got a signed offer to sell our place. We were thrilled as we’ve been waiting for that moment for quite a while. But the excitement took second place when we found out that he needed surgery. All the “what ifs” and anxiety started to loom around our minds. We decided that we would not let fear dictate our fate and choice. Three weeks after the surgery, we were practically homeless and living with my father-in-law.

I was running like a chicken-without-a-head in the midst of this messy transition. It would not have been so challenging if my husband wasn’t recovering from surgery and if were to have some family or friends’ help. Packing, packing and more packing – it felt like a never ending process. He did help as much as he could when it was time for him to stand up and take a walk break. I’d put some items on the counter for him to box or he would help me holding a box for taping.

Ahhh yes, you must be wondering, how my training was moving along? It amazes me how I was able to manage most of the scheduled workout and runs during these weeks. If I didn’t make the time for a run at 5:30 a.m. or to go to a 6:00 a.m. gym session, it would not had happen! And to tell you the truth, there were some days that it was impossible trying to get workout done, packing, cooking, being a caretaker and having enough time for rest. Rest… what is rest?

These are personal matters that one might think that it has nothing to do with running or blogging about running. I will defer on that. It was one of the most challenging moments in our lives. The stress of dealing with health care bureaucracy, his recovery, selling and buying negotiations, figuring out where our two cats would live in the meantime, looking for a new place (yes, thank goodness we had already found our dream house and we were in the process of placing an offer) – everything takes tons of energy and running performance does diminish.

Having ran two marathons (my husband ran one), it helped give me some mental toughness edge that otherwise would have been difficult to keep focus during trying times. As a runner, we commit to crossing that finish line not matter how hard and painful the path becomes. I (we) just could not stop now at half-way point of our own special marathon event.

We kept moving and packing forward. And when it was time to move out, we were out the door ready for our next adventure, even though some uncertainty was still in the air of where life would take us. It was a fine line of being in control and not having control of a situation. It was like riding a rollercoaster – it will stop when the ride is over. Running is like that. Every time we lace up our shoes, we never know what will be ahead of us, but we know to keep going until we cross the finish line or arrive at our desired destination. What happens in between, it’s up to us to choose on how to handle and adapt.

“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.” 

~Unknown

 

 

 

Running Through Obstacles: Stay Focus Stay Positive

“No matter what life throws at you, keep smiling no matter what!”
~Celia Westbrook

Declaring that “I will run the Boston Marathon” was not an easy declaration to make, just like it is not easy to register for a marathon if you have never ran a marathon before. The uneasy part of such declaration is due to the amount of time, energy and effort required. It’s also challenging because now I owe to myself the respect of being true to such declaration and to keep its integrity. If you say you will do something then do it; if you can’t then you must have a very good excuse for lacking such integrity. I learned this perspective on Integrity in one of the many three-day inspirational/self-help course called Landmark Education. You won’t see much advertisement about it because Landmark Education believes in sharing, that is, a participant will share about his/her life transformation to a friend or a stranger in such a way that the person will feel empowered and inspired to find out what’s possible to them by taking action. However, such transformation has to be visible and experienced otherwise that person doesn’t became enrolled or inspired. I mean, if one is going to brag such, the least he/she can do is to walk-the-talk and live by example!

It’s a big declaration to make and I’m excited about all the opportunities it will bring (it has already brought me many) in order to make it a reality. Number one on the list was seeking the professional help of a running coach. I found that in Coach Kristen with Strong Finish Running Coach & Sports Nutrition. She is a rock-solid foundation to my running journey. Of course, my husband, family and friends also keep me motivated in this journey. But the challenges that come along are not easy!

Ending Week 2 and half way through Week 3 of my training (going onto week 9 as of this writing) with Coach Kristen, my husband started to feel back pain and the discomfort started to increase as the day went by. Turns out that he needs intense medical help, and on top of that, life keeps throwing some fun challenges all at once! So maneuvering through these challenges on a normal situation can be like a “piece-of-cake”, but not so much when your loved one is less than 100% healthy, ugh! And as the weeks go by, training has not become easy either. My body is taking some time to adjust to the new regime and intensity of tough workouts that includes strength training (three times a week), runs (short and long) with speed training (three times a week), and cross training once a week. I get one rest day, but sometimes two which I still use as yoga day or as an extra session of active isolate stretching and/or foam rolling.

I’ll tell you this: running is constantly teaching me to be a tougher person both physically and mentally. Without running, I probably would have approached these challenges with a less positive mindset and less focus. Just like running, the focus is one mile at time until the set mileage is done. It’s not different when facing our personal challenges and obstacles. The important concept is staying focused and positive. It’s impossible to get everything done – it just won’t happen. However, we are in control of the amount of effort and quality we invest in getting done what can be done, whether it’s mileage, accomplishments or other unexpected things that show up. We’re also in charge and responsible for keeping a positive mindset, focus and humor in the midst of “organized chaos”. And, don’t dwell on the bad runs or bad days!

This weeks’ life challenge has put me on a tough test, and unfortunately, I had to miss my Saturday’s run due to lack of rest, preparation and because my husband’s well-being was depending on me. Priorities are priorities and there’s a time for everything. Hopefully, things will start to get back on track soon, my husband’s health will be 100% and my training will have the attention it requires. In the meantime, I will keep doing what I can, displaying my best effort and practicing a positive mindset. The best path to practice a positive mindset is through the practice of gratitude. No matter what you’re going through, someone is going through worst and whatever the situation is, always remember that it could be much worse. Be grateful and give thanks for the small and big miracles in life. Being able to get up from our bed and lace up our running shoes is enough to be grateful for. Logging in some mileage…gee it’s a true miracle.

So, let’s not forget to keep smiling no matter what! (and be grateful too!)

“The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow.        Don’t give up” 

~Robert Tew

To Chase a Unicorn One Must First Seek a Running Coach

 

“If it’s still in your mind, it is worth taking the risk.” 

~Paulo Coelho

The days leading up to the 120^th Boston Marathon were very intriguing and exciting for me. For one, I was taking the day-off from work to observe Patriot’s Day holiday, and of course, to watch the live coverage of the Boston marathon. I just could not miss live commentaries from Meb Keflezighi, Amy Cragg, Desiree Linden, and Shalane Flanagan. But that was just the icing on the cake!

Witnessing the hype for the upcoming Boston marathon on social media (and who does it better than IG!) was a decisive moment that if I were to have a shot in one day making running the Boston marathon a reality, I had to focus my energy and resources wisely. I sought a running coach’s help.

I thank the IG runners’ community for inspiring me even more with their hard work, training and now finally getting to make their dream a reality. It was through IG that I found a runner who happens to live in Orlando. She’s a strength coach and a very good runner. I DM her and she mentioned about an awesome running coach living in the Orlando area that perhaps could guide me in making my dream come true. Her name is Kristen and she is the owner of Strong Finish Run Coaching & Sports Nutrition. She’s also a RRCA Running Coach, a Sports Nutrition Specialist, a Boston marathon qualifier and a 120^th Boston marathoner finisher! She is such an amazing runner that she got to re-qualify for next year’s Boston marathon!

Through a few e-mails exchanges with Kristen prior to the Boston marathon, I just knew I was running in the right course by seeking out her guidance. With her professional leadership and knowledge, and her upmost dedication to help other runners accomplish their dreams, I feel that the time is now to put 110% of all energy I got to become an efficient runner. I desire to one day in the near future line-up with incredible runners in Hopkinton and follow the steps of many historical and elite runners who makes the Boston marathon the holy grail of all marathons. I love running and I want to experience the Boston Marathon in my life time.

It was not by coincidence that Coach scheduled my first week of training to start on April 18^th. I’m super excited and nervous at the same time. Never in my life I thought of having the professional assistance of a running coach; much less, being referred to as an “athlete”. This week’s weekday runs were full of ups-and-downs with thoughts of ‘I can do this!’ 🙂 to ‘how am going to get there’ 😦 to ‘ughh’ 😦 At least this Saturday’s easy 8-miler was a lot more enjoyable. Week 1 of BBG’s workouts planned by Kristen, has been super fun and has helped me to feel strong when I need the most. Her welcoming me to the Team has meant so much – more than words could possibly describe. And her reminder that everything is a “working in progress”, gives me some sense of peace with my training and learning curve.

I just have to remind myself that everyone goes through pain during training and that the pain I’m feeling now is part of the process of getting stronger. Besides, it’s only week 1; I will get better and soon I’ll have a bunch of 1:1 sessions that will cement my running foundation. Focus on the positive, believe that the better is yet to come and materialize dreams. Whatever your dreams are, go for it! Have a great day awesome people! 😀

“Don’t just chase your dreams. Run them down!

~The Fresh Quotes

Perspectives from the 120th Boston Marathon

“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.”

~Bethany Hamilton

Happy Patriots’ Day! Happy Boston Marathon Day!!

Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts and Wisconsin and Patriot’s Day in Maine is an official state holiday celebrating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. Massachusetts and Maine have observed this civic holiday on the third Monday in April. While these three states seriously observe Patriots’ Day, Florida law simply encourages people to celebrate it, but it is not treated as a public holiday.

Well… this year I made my own observance of Patriots’ Day by taking a vacation day! Also, there was no way I would miss watching the live coverage of the 120^th Boston Marathon. It would be extremely nice to run it instead of watching on TV, but I know that one day my time to line-up in Hopkinton will come. For now, I enjoyed every minute of the live coverage with tons of appreciation for what these elite runners and all other runners deserving of running the most prestigious marathon race there is: The One and Only One – The Boston Marathon!

#BostonStrong Go Runners!

Running a marathon is a life transformation. I thank my husband for awakening the runner inside of me when he first registered both of us to run the 2010 Disney Marathon. Even with all the pain and poor training preparation, I never thought it would be my last. The running flames inside of me rekindled back in August 2014, and I have never stopped since then. The 2016 Tomoka marathon, my second, is serving as a guide of how much more training and preparation I must follow.

You are never the same after you have run a marathon. There’s a sense and inspiration that anything is possible. For me it feels like a bridge connecting visualization and reality where the Universe conspires to help you if you know what you want and do accept its help. Watching the perseverance of dedicated human beings whether running on their own feet or on a wheelchair, handcycles; or being visually or mobility impaired (as listed by B.A.A. website), is beyond amazing. If they can find ways to prevail whatever challenges life throws at them, then be my guess – where there’s a will there’s a way! No excuse. Data below provided by B.A.A.

Wheelchairs
(M) 1 Marcel Hug	1:24:06
(F) Tatyana McFadden	1:42:16
Handcyles
(M) Freddie DeloSantos	1:15:10
(F) no data available
Women
Atsede Baysa	2:29:19
Men
Lemi Berhanu Hayle	2:12:45

It’s always fun watching a marathon race, but this time watching the Boston Marathon was super exciting because there were three people (one not associate with the group) I know who were running the race and some other runners that I’m yet to meet that are part of the Track Shack MarathonFest group. It’s nice to know and to be part of a running community that produces BQs – show up and put the work in and some more. One of the runners is Rose, who I had the privilege of running with in one of my long training run as she was training for Boston and I was training for Tomoka. Also a member of MarathonFest and now my running coach, Kristen, ran her first Boston Marathon and finished at an amazing time of 3:28. Following her track on the B.A.A. website was so inspiring and I’m fired up that she is my coach and I’ll be learning from a BQ on how to get there.

A runner doesn’t only get a runner’s high from running and finishing a race. A runner at heart gets his/her dose of runner’s high by also being a spectator and supporter. A runner respects another runner’s pain and appreciates their happiness – and that is so inspirational. Thanks for reading this post, awesome people 🙂 and stay tuned because in June I’ll be going on a vacation to Boston and I’ll be running all over the place XD

One of many early mornings of running. I felt an unique sense of gratitude on this day. It’s one of my favorite pictures. ❤

“Success will be within your reach only when you start reaching out for it.”

 ~Stephen Richards