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

BayState Build Up on My Mark

“I believe in a philosophy that says to win is actually not important. To be successful is not even important. How to plan and prepare is critical and crucial.”

~Eliud Kipchoge

After I raced Best Damn Race half marathon I took an active two-week recovery to decompress both physically and mentally. I wanted to soak in the experience and results from BDR and to work on key points that will improve my running, my strength and my mental approach to marathon training.

Mentally I was getting burnt out just by thinking about it how I was going to tackle marathon training. The magnitude of the task really hit me then – the distance, the time I want to aim for, the amount of hours of training, how to balance out personal, professional and family time – it all seem so overwhelming. I started to feel a bit sick and off balance. My left quad/hammy were not too happy after my two-week active recovery post BDR; I guess I was not fully recovered from the race, so I spent another easy week making sure I could start Baystate marathon build up healthy enough.

 

The Strategy

After analyzing Baytate course, reading the reviews and trying to get a feel for the race, I realized that my strategy was to make Baystate as manageable as possible. The 10-mile Clay Loop in the middle of nowhere in Clermont is the ideal training route for my long runs. The elevation is a little more challenging than Baystate; at least based on the data I’ve obtained, the terrain is tough because there’s no shade nowhere in sight, obviously it’s a clay road, rolling hills, and the atmosphere feeds my mental stimulation as I pretend to be that I am in Eldoret, Kenya, being tough like Eliud Kipchoge and the rest of the #badassery Kenyan runnahs. Hey, gotta do what works for the brain and you! #noshame

Baystate Marathon Elevation Information

Minimum Elevation: 36 feet (10m)
Maximum Elevation: 136 feet (41m)

The Build Up

Based on my current fitness, on-going improvement and on what has been working for me, Coach Victoria decided that we should play around with a 30-35 mile per week as build up phase, some quality speed workouts, focus on recovery, and yes, my favorite thing to focus on – FOCUSING ON FEELING GOOD!

We ended up doing a eight-week marathon training build up, and with only three days left on the eigth week of build up, I was about having a mini-mental breakdown – which I detected it was due to heat and humidity. The weeks followed like this:

1. WEEK 1 – April 9-14 …..………………. 32 miles
2. WEEK 2 – April 16 – 21 ……………….. 31 miles
3. WEEK 3 – April 23-28 …………………. 30 miles
4. WEEK 4 – April 30 – May 5 …………… 30 miles
5. WEEK 5 – May 7 – 12 ………………….. 30 miles
6. WEEK 6 – May 14 – 19 ………………… 35 miles
7. WEEK 7 – May 21 – 25 ………………… 35 miles
8. WEEK 8 – May 28 – June 2 ……………. 35 miles

TOTAL MILES for build up cycle …………………………………….. 258 Miles

APRIL MILES………………………………………………………………….. 112 Miles

MAY MILES ……………………………………………………………………..152 Miles (PR MONTH)

So grateful for hubby’s support and for always capturing the best pics!

JUNE MILES ……………………………………………………………………………………125 Miles

10-Mile Clay Loop aka “my Eldoret, Kenya”

This is my first time ever executing weeks of consistent high mileage. Towards the last week of May, it was very tough. I set the goal based on how I felt that I could end the month with a 150 miles. Since I was feeling strong and recovering well, I pushed for a PR month – that  demanded a 4-day streak run and I totaled 21 miles just on the treadmill. By the fourth day, I had to take it outside for a 7 miler making it for a total of 27 miles in 4 consecutive days! Yes, I was having a little mental breakdown!

The Foundation

However, with higher mileage on a consistent basis, I was fully aware that I needed to be extremely diligent with strength training, physical therapy workouts and with my recovery methods routine. My body likes everything in moderation. It’s very receptive of everything I do; thus it prevails on quality versus quantity. Based on how I know how to take care of my body, I decided to experiment by doing strength training before all my runs. Over a four-week period, I noticed a remarkable difference in my runs. I felt my muscles being more engaged, relaxed and stronger to push paces. Yes, I noticed some soreness here and there but the strength and power I felt exceeded the soreness feeling. I also think that my runs were working in conjunction with recovery from strength training – more blood circulation on those area, speedier recovery time. This method has also helped me to be accountable for strength training sesh, even if it was for just 10-15 minute worth of strength training. My rule is: if I am going to run, I better do strength training, or I know exactly what means if I lack on it. Those runs has to happen, and so does strength training.

Nutrition

Let’s talk about nutrition. Eat. Eat. And eat. I am constantly snacking, don’t skip a meal and snack again. I feel hungry just about all the time. I mean it. All. The. Time. However, what I eat is quality food that has substance to assist my body with recovery and fuel for the next workout. I don’t eat junk food, unless it’s a Saturday night treat which basically is pizza and wine. For carb loading I tend to concentrate on clean carbs such as potato, sweet potato, butternut squash, oatmeal, gluten-free past, or brown jasmine or basmati rice. Meal prep happens every Sunday afternoon which I allocate time to make my protein smoothie, kale, beet or carrot smoothies and meals for the week. For breakfast, if I have time on a weekday, I will fry an egg and make an egg sandwich with cheese. Or I’ll set aside a small dinner left over portion the night before and that’s my breakfast. For a quick on-the-go, I will grab one of my shaker smoothie bottle and a banana until I get to work and fix my oatmeal.

 

Post LR breakfast

Post Run Kale smoothie

Hydration

Yes, marathon summer training calls for tons of hydration and that better includes electrolytes – not just plain water or you will not be doing your body any favor, I mean, some favor. It takes energy to hydrate and thank goodness I have restrooms accessible at all times throughout the day. Based on my body weight of 104 lbs, the recommended daily water intake is 67 oz of water. But if you’re activity level is high, then it’s recommended to add 12 oz of water to the daily total for every 30 minutes that you work out. In addition to my regular water intake, I set aside a 20 oz shaker bottle and either use Nunn or GenUcan Generation hydration system to helped me out with all the mineral and electrolytes lost. I also add some coconut water intake a couple times a week.

Bottom Line

I feel confident going into this summer marathon training. My primary basis is to rely on “feel” versus pushing for distance and pace. Of course there’s an importance as to mileage build up and faster/harder workouts, but going by feel and seeing what my body can take or not, it is the key element of my training and well-being. My emphasis this training is taking my workout outdoor. If my body allows it, that’s where I am getting it done, and use the treadmill for recovery runs. Again, going by feel is my indicator and if I must do treadmill workout, then so be it. Flexibility while being consistent will take me to where I want and need to be. I need to get there 100% healthy. And that’s the main goal.

I am coming for you Baystate!

My fav place to run – Clay Loop

Extremely happy, all the feels!

“When you plan very well, then success can come on your way.

Then winning can come on your way.”

~Eliud Kipchoge

 

And the Winner is….

“That thing we call intuition?

It’s your soul.

You can trust it.”

~Unknown

I thought hard and cautiously as to which marathon race I’d like to be my third, and one that will give me the best chance to come close to a BQ or possibly a BQ.

I was aiming to run Revel Series Mt. Lemmon in Tucson, AZ. It’s in mid-November, temperatures could be favorable and it’s gradually downhill. I’d have to focus on some hill/downhill training, which I could get some done here in Clermont, FL.

But then I started doing a little bit of more of research and I came to read a Runner’s World article which listed the top 10 great marathons that will help to BQ. Surprisingly, a runner I know, suggested the one I was more inclined to consider. At number 5 of the Runner’s World list, and out of gut instinct and intuition, I chose Baystate Marathon in Lowell, MA.

The more I read about it, the reviews, the course, the location, the scheduled time of the year, the average temperature; and yessssss, did I mention the location?? How could I not fall in love with a marathon raced in the state of Massachusetts! It’s my dear state and place. I cannot help but to think that the stars might be aligning just right that I actually earn a BQ (dreaming is allowed) in the state of MA to run Boston!

It’s a midsized marathon that features two loops along the Merrimack River. It is described as “mostly flat”, but with enough variation that will not overtax one muscle group. From some of the reviews I’ve read, it is not really a “flat” course. Also, from my analysis of the course elevation, it compares to an elevation similar to Clay Loop. Yes, the 10-mile of rolling hills loop that I’ve came to love since I first ran in Clermont. Actually, Clay Loop is slightly more challenging than the elevation displayed on the website. So here I am thinking, Clay Loop will be the bread-and-butter of my training!

So far, this is one of my favorite review of Baystate marathon from marathon Guide:

Great Race to Qualify for Boston (about: 2015)
Course: 5 Organization: 5 Fans: 3
K. L. from Needham, MA (10/21/15)
11-50 previous marathons

This was my 37th marathon and 1st Baystate. If you want to qualify for Boston, this is the race for you. Course if flat but has enough rolling hills to mix it up a little and give certain muscle groups a break. Water/Gatorade stops were great with fantastic volunteers. I was worried about the traffic before the start so got there in the recommended 90 minutes before and was able to find plenty of parking super close. They even let you in the Tsongas Center which was great since the start was 30 degrees. All in all one of my top 5 favorite marathons!

I allowed all of this information sink-in for a few weeks before actually making the commitment. On Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 16, and Boston Marathon day, this was the day I registered for Baystate. The registration day was no coincidence. It was purposely orchestrated. I knew this had to be the day to register for Baystate. And how fun was that to have Desi Linden winning the Boston marathon!! All the feels, babe!

I will do my very best, as I always do, to make this my “beautiful race”.

#keepshowingup

“Intuition does not come to an unprepared mind.

~Albert Einstein

“When your intuition is roaring loud,

Follow it.”

~Unknown

 

Keep Calm and Get Your Nitrogen On

‘You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

~ Brian Tracy

 My first cryotherapy sesh was just as exciting as it was intimidating. At the time, I was in training for my second marathon, the Tomoka Marathon in 2016.  I was investing a lot of energy, time and resources to take on Tomoka; therefore, I was open to any recovery method to help me get through training and run Tomoka in one piece.

Thankfully, Orlando Sports Chiropractor is equipped with a state-of-the-art cryosauna chamber – this one is a partial body cooling where my head was out of the chamber. I usually get into the chamber wearing a sports bra, shorts, socks and the gloves and sleepers that OSC provides. That’s it! I did one session during training, one session three days prior to the race and another session two days after the race. I believe it offered great benefits to my performance and recovery time as I did not sustain any injury besides the expected soreness from running or training for a marathon.

I’m currently training my body to run a sub-2 half marathon, and eventually, get down to 1:45; subsequently to work on a full marathon and BQ time. As my training and mileage have intensified, it has taken a toll on my body and time to adapt. Since suffering an Adductor strain on my left leg mid-March, I have taken a more proactive and consistent approach to recovery methods. I see my chiropractor once a month and I do a sesh of cryotherapy once a month.

So far the concept of once a month cryotherapy has been productive. I tend to schedule my sessions in the first week of the month. This way my body will recovery from the month that has passed and receives a boost for the new month ahead. I started with this approach in May and I have been doing since then and seeing great results for the past months. The month of my injury I was only able to log in 40 miles. April was still a recovery month and I logged even less than March with only 34.2 miles. In May, I closed the month with 60.4 miles – a huge difference in improvement, healing and recovery from the past two months.

In order to keep the rhythm going strong and steady, I continued with my recovery methods on the first week of June. The weather was getting hotter and more humid by the day and missing a cryotherapy session on the first week of June was not an option. At the end of month, I hit my first 100 mile for the month and over with 102.1 miles. I have never felt so strong and my recovery period from one workout to the next were a lot steadier. So if you ask me if it works, I’d have to say:  it is working for me! But I’d say it is also a compilation of many other things that I do as part of my recovery process and methods as I mentioned in my previous blog entry.

So, what is cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy was originally developed in Japan in 1978 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and it is a hyper-cooling process using liquid nitrogen that lowers a person’s skin temperature to approximately 30 to 50 degrees F for a period of up to three minutes by enveloping the body with extremely cold air at temperatures ranging from -100 to -274 F.

Thermoreceptors in the skin send signals to the brain to send the blood to the core to maintain body temperature with a process called vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels). At this point, toxins are flushed from peripheral tissues and blood is enriched with oxygen, enzymes, and nutrients. The body activates all of its natural healing abilities and releases endorphins for further benefit. As the body warms up again, the enriched blood flows through the body through a process called vasodilation (the widening of blood vessels as a result from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessels walls). Thus, cryotherapy is very effective for athletic recovery and muscle repair, reduction of chronic pain and inflammation, and overall enhancement of health and wellness.

Some of the benefits from cryotherapy include:

• Faster Recovery from Exercises – because of better blood flow, joint and muscle strength is increased and cryotherapy is effective against delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). And unlike ice baths, muscles don’t need time to recover after cryotherapy. I feel that it is the biggest benefit for me. After suffering an adductor muscle strain, I have been able to go over rehab and strength training with great recovery while slowly building up my mileage. In June I ran 102.1 miles – that’s my record for the month, and I have to give credits to my body’s acceptance to several methods of recovery, especially stretching and cryotherapy.
• Happiness Boost – that’s because the procedure releases endorphins into the bloodstream. Immediately after a session, I feel a sense of well-being and happiness. I feel at easy and relaxed. It truly feels like I spent an entire day at a spa.
• Decreases Inflammation – it’s known that ice when applied to a specific area of the body, reduces inflammation. Cryotherapy is helpful in a sense that targets the entire body not just a specific area. I found that cryotherapy has helped me a lot with body aches and with limiting the feeling of body tiredness and increasing the feeling of being fresh again.
• Increased metabolism – a two to three minute session of cryotherapy takes a lot of energy to reheat the body which burn approximately 500 to 800 calories; therefore, when the skin is cooled to around 35 degrees F, it requires a lot of energy to reheat it to our regular body temperature. Immediately after a cryo session, I have to wear a light cardigan and I feel that it takes about 12 hours until my body temperature is less sensitive to the cold. However, I feel refreshed.

I am sure there are articles out there pointing out the “not-so-good” or risks of cryotherapy. After some readings, I found that as long as you don’t go into the chamber with damp/wet clothing (risk of frostbite) or decide to get into the chamber when nobody is around, the “risks” are very minimum.

The most I have been able to handle is -245 F for the whole period allowed of 3 minutes! But within 2 minutes, I started to feel pinches on my skin, especially the legs. How long you’re able to stay in really depends on the level of relaxation you are in and the number of times you’ve experienced cryotherapy. Mental preparation throughout the week also plays a big part on the length of time you are able to endure. Overall, I’d say it really comes down to how relaxed you are during the sesh.

And if you are skeptical about doing your first sesh of cryo, be brave and do it! You only stay in the chamber for as long as you can handle. Remember, baby steps!

It is now July and guess what? It is time for another monthly sesh. So, let’s go and give it a try!

“Stepping out of your comfort zone is a great catalyst for success.”

~Leslie Cassidy

 

Run Rest Recover Rehab Prehab Repeat

 

“Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do.”

~ Oprah Winfrey

 Many times we do tasks that doesn’t bold well with our likes. They are necessary in order to get from point A to B; that is, if we really want to get to point(s) B, C, D and further. Bottom line is, whether we want to get from one point to another based on want or need, the tasks still need to get done, especially if such tasks are for a dream we chase.

Every day I am reminded that training to one day become a BQ it is not easy. The struggle is real – and it is not just the physical struggle, it is the mental struggle too. There are days that lacks motivation and energy, but when injury is added to the equation, it is even more challenging. It is then a time to really think and reflect, how bad do you really want it? Are you willing to do the extra work?

I came to a point once in which I doubted myself and wondered if my body was even made for this. At that time, I was starting to think that my body was not made for going single-digit paces because every time I pushed it hard or amplified mileage, something would set me back. And there I was, back in square one, only more frustrated than the previous time.

After taking time off from running, some meditation and an encouraging conversation with my physical therapist at the time I was injured, I picked myself up again. I was brave enough to try another half marathon and find out what I had left in the tank before I committed to working with a Coach again. Coach Victoria continues to train and teaches me that I can reach faster single-digit paces. She continues to work with me on my mental game and showing me ways to slowly get where I need to get.

Easy run with my furbaby R2-D2 on a Saturday morning at the West Orange Trail

But none of this support will make a difference if I don’t apply it myself. Yes, I do want it really bad to BQ and run the Boston Marathon; therefore, there’s no doing half way training or recovery. As my PT said, “you just have to stretch more than other runners”. Okay then. That’s what I will do and more.

The strained Adductor injury was really tough to get over with. It took more time than any other injury I’ve experienced. The pain was initially located on the left groin, then it was experienced on the hamstrings, quads, glutes and hip. It took about 4 weeks without running with the exception of some test-runs here and there at the end of week 2. This injury has taught me that my body needs constant help with recovery from a workout to the next. The best way to do it is through strength training, PT workouts, stretching, rolling and a sessions of AIS (active isolate stretch by a LMT). Also, icing, heat, tens units, Epson salt baths, ice baths, cryotherapy and chiropractor adjustments therapy are a must.

Cross training on spin bike and rowing was what helped me stayed in somewhat cardio shape.

So here’s my plan to a steady rehab/prehab routine:

*Disclosure: I am not a doctor or physical therapist and this is not to serve as an advice to anyone’s medical treatment or condition.

MONTHLY First week of the month	cryotherapy session chiropractor adjustments, graston and ART
WEEKLY	Once or more per week: Epson salt baths and/or dry sauna Pool therapy, ice and heat therapy, Tens Units
BI-WEEKLY	Massage Sports Therapy AIS (active isolated stretch) therapy by a LMT Ice baths  (as needed) Yoga
DAILY	Active Isolated Stretch with resistance band or yoga band Static stretch –free or with yoga block PT workouts (Bosu, stability ball, resistance band)
3 or 4 TIMES PER WEEK	Strength Training – weights, body weight (TRS), HIIT Cross Training – spinning, rowing, walk, elliptical, swim
REST DAY (Sundays or when needed on weekday)	PT resistance band workout Stretching

 

That’s it! I’ve been on the plan for the entire month of May and it has been working for me so far. This is not to say that I will never get injured again, but I believe that it will help me to continue to build my body for stronger runs and perhaps lessen the time of injury. During injury month of April, I was only able to log in 34.20 miles. However, my hours of strength training, recovery methods and cross training increased significantly.

As I started to get stronger and run 98% pain free, my mileage for the month of May increased to 60.45 miles. This time around, my strength training hours spent was just 7 hours less than April, but my recovery methods hours increased to 2 hours more. My goal is to continue the practice of recovery methods to keep my body happy because you know, Summer is coming!

Post run rolling in the parking lot with R8!

And here’s this post’s end quote with a bonus picture!

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

2016 Tomoka Left Over = Recovery

Healing is not an overnight process. It is a daily cleansing of pain, it is a daily healing of your life.  

~Leon Brown

I was amazed that my petite body was handling Tomoka Marathon so well. I ran out of energy, but my discomfort was manageable – or maybe I was just numb that I didn’t even realized how much stress I was subjecting my body to.

Crossing the finish line was so unreal and powerful for me. I felt that with determination, hard work and support from family and friends, anything is possible as long as the flame to do what it takes is burning. I walked around and enjoyed some of the post-race festivities, grabbed a slice of pizza and some beet/orange juice from Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice company. It was delicious!

On our way to the car, my husband even mentioned how surprised he was to see me not limping as much like some runners were. “I’m amazed that I’m not feeling so bad but I know it’s coming; however, the chaffing is bothersome”, I replied back to him with some enthusiasm. He drove us to the hotel and when it was time to get up and move… Oh my goodness! Why did I gloat on feeling ‘almost pain free’?

From the parking lot to the hotel entrance, to the elevator, to the room and to the shower, each step was becoming slower and slower. Not only was my left shin getting sore by the minute with each step taken, but the damn chaffing inward my right tight burned like hell with the contact of the cool-warm water from the shower. Yet, I was still running really high on ‘runners high’ – and it was worth it!

Marathon training has taught me to be in the present more than anything else I’ve done. Of course every now and then, I glimpse on what’s ahead, but I refocus right where I am. Here’s what I’ve been doing for the past two weeks of recovery-mode.

• Enjoy the moment: I got up at 3:15 a.m. on race day to get going with my pre-race routine and get everything ready for the 6:30 a.m. race. From this time forward, I did not stop (nap? what nap?) for one minute. We headed to the hotel to check-out, grabbed something to eat, drove 1 hour ½ to get home, stopped by Kurt’s dad to pick up our pooch, R2-D2, and then we got home around 3:45 p.m. We immediately started to unpack and organize stuff and I headed out to meet my running family for dinner at Coach Chris’ favorite restaurant – Don Julios. I didn’t get back home until close to 7:00 p.m., took a shower, and ate some more, called my mom and caught up on social media updates. By the time I went to bed, it was around 11:00 p.m. It’s amazing the energy you can find and create when you love what you do and have fun with it. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

• Stretching/Foam Rolling: I cannot imagine not stretching or using the foam roller during recovery phase or training. The benefits are tremendous in promoting circulation, flushing out lactic acid and regaining flexibility and range of motion.

• Spinning Workout: Any cardiovascular activity is a great activity mainly the ones that have low impact on joints, muscles, tendons and bones. A 30-minute or 6 miles on the bike has worked out well for me and I’ve noticed steady healing and decrease on soreness.

• Ice bath: I’m a big fan of ice baths because I feel so refreshed afterwards. Throughout summer long runs training, I made ice baths a priority, but I don’t overdo. There’s still a big debate on whether ice baths impact the benefits of a hard workout in a sense that it precludes the body from adapting to inflammation; therefore, getting stronger. It’s debated that it’s more beneficial in closing the gap between a hard workout recovery to the next hard workout or race. I use my own judgment on that and tune-in to my body. I just finished listening to Meb Keflezighi’s audiobook, Run to Overcome, and he makes ice baths part of his recovery so I’m not going to argue with that – and do what works for you! I make ice baths less intimidating by filling out the bath tub with cold water to my waist, dropping the 10 lbs bag of ice, wearing a hoodie, sipping some hot ginger tea and catching up on some reading. You will not even notice when the ice starts to melt and the water gets colder!

• Diet: Fueling the body properly after a strenuous workout deserves attention just as the same as doing any physical recovery methods. I’m a vegetarian, but the only animal-derived foods I consume are eggs, honey and occasionally cheese. I try to keep it simple by avoiding acidic-producing food (animal protein (meat), grain, sugar, fish, processed food, refined carb) and consuming more alkaline-producing food (fruits and vegetables). Lately, I’ve been craving my homemade kale juice and beet juice. I also have supplemented my diet with more chia seeds. Drink water, water and more water!

I’m addicted to Kale juice!

• Yoga/mediation: Years ago, I started to attend Kundalini Yoga, but got side-tracked with other things. After being more involved with running and reading Running With The Mind of Meditation – Lessons for Training the Body and Mind by Sakyong Mipham, it has given me a different perspective – a positive approach in being aligned with the body, mind and all things surround. Just as meditation presents different phases of learning and evolution, running is the same, and I’m grasping the interchangeable energy of physical activity and spiritual alignment.

• Warm Epson Salt baths and Massage Therapy: When massage therapy is not available, Epson salt bath is the answer. After a stretching and foam rolling session, I find Epson salt baths to be the most beneficial for me. Here’s a cool link on the benefits of Epson salt baths. Foam rolling is really good, but a massage therapist’s help in finding those tight knots where you had no idea it existed; it’s like winning the jackpot.

• Chiropractor adjustments, graston, compression and hot therapy: I see my chiropractor as needed. I don’t like to overdo on adjustments, so I usually have one done before my longest run of training, four days before a major race and after a race. The combination of graston, compression boots and hot therapy is a remarkable tool to aid the healing process.

Ahhh yes! These compression boots are awesome! 🙂

These recovery methods have been very helpful, but the recovery progress is not as fast I’d like to be. Meb’s recovery time after running the Olympics qualification trials this past February took three weeks. The effort I put into this past race was a high level for me so I guess I can chill out because three weeks is about the average time for recovery. I didn’t get to run until one week after Tomoka; my calves and shins were sore still – a slow 4-miler was all I could do for the day. I decided to rest more and focus on active recovery for the following week. A week later, I ran an easy 1.5-miler as a warm up and a 3.1-miler run with more effort. In terms of soreness I felt better, but the itchy on my tights (lactic acid) and sluggish feeling could not have been more evident.

Patience and patience. That’s what I need to keep in mind and be grateful for the small and big things. Thanks for reading, awesome people!

“Pain is nothing compared to what it feels like to quit.”

~ seen on marathon spectator sign

 

 

2016 Tomoka Marathon: Is this it?!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined.” ~Henry David Thoreau

“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

  ~ T.S. Eliot

It has been many months, many training runs and many mornings of anticipation for one morning of running. I was ready for Tomoka and nothing was going to stop me from finishing it – not even the weather.

The typical Florida weather did its thing as usual – toying with us on whether it was going to rain or not and on whether it was going to get hot like furnace or not. Considering its unpredictability, it could have been worse. At the start of the race at 6:30 a.m. and still dark, it was a stuffy 66°F and 94% humidity. I didn’t take chances in relying on water stops every other 1.5 mile so I carried my own fluids. I was stocked with nutrition – my favorite Sweet Potato & Sea Salt Cliff nutrition, Mango Huma gel and Chia peanut butter chocolate bar. I also had two electrolyte and two ibuprofen pills – just in case.

Huma gels are my favs – and it’s 100% vegan!

Yummy stuff!

The 1-miler mark came pretty quick, actually, and I was greeted by a faint, and yet, a powerful tone of voice saying: “25 more miles to go!” It was my husband. It was great seeing him, but not being reminded of the mileage ahead of me. I was getting hot already, and the fact that the sun was not out, wasn’t very optimistic. I stopped to remove my running top. It felt better and lighter, but I was still hot and my heart rate higher than I wanted. On the next water stop, I made sure to grab the half-filled-tiny-cup-of-water and poured it over my head.

The beauty of the Tomoka course filled with mature trees, beautiful architecture, and the fragrance of water from the marsh and the Halifax River helped distract my mind from the heat. I decided that the weather and my body would serve as a guide towards the best way to approach this journey. I did my best to cover as many miles as I could before the sunlight was full out. I was grateful that my body was somewhat okay with that strategy since calves and shin discomfort had been an issue.

By the 10-miler, I felt an unusual right knee discomfort, and by then, day light was out, but a little cloudy with possibility of rain. I acknowledged the discomfort while asking my knee to stay strong and let go of the pain. Again, the beauty of the course grabbed my attention to the nature surround me. The anticipation of meeting my husband at the 13-miler helped me to refocus and the information on the Pose Method of Running book kept me mindful of my running form. The pain went away and I felt like I could run strong.

At mile 10ish

At about the 11-miler, raindrops started to fall. It felt refreshing while I wished to stay that way instead of becoming a heavy rainfall. Having it finished my sweet potato/sea salt Cliff nutrition, I decided to take the two ibuprofen pills and one electrolyte pill at the 12-miler. I wanted to be pro-active and assure that it was a fun race.

I mistaken my husband thinking he was one of the race personnel camera guy taking my picture at the 13-miler water/Gatorade stop – all I noticed was the camera. I kept going and only slowed down when I heard him calling my name. It was encouraging to see him. He provided me with my during-activity drink and ice. It was so hot that I used the ice to put it inside my sports bra. Whether it was the sports drink placebo effect or not, I felt confident and reenergize. Knowing that I would see my husband again at the 16, 19 and 21-miler was also exciting. His support helped breakdown the long distance and solitude.

My husband’s support and encouragement made a HUGE difference!

Despite of having the luxury of such support (not everyone is as lucky as I am); the truth of the matter was that my pace was all over the place. The best pace came at the 17-miler as 10:19 min/mi, the medium pace at the 23-miler as 11:38 min/mi and the worst pace at the 26-miler a “yippee” 13:41 min/mi. Right off the start, I felt this race was going to be one that I had to do everything I could that was under my control not to go sour.

I wished for a sub-5 marathon, but the “wall” raised up around mile 23ish with the sight of the bridge on W. Granada Blvd. I kept pushing through. When I made the turn to climb the bridge, the will power to move my legs was non-existent. I only had the energy to walk through the highest point of the bridge. I picked up pace again at the top of the bridge only to take a quick walk at the end of the bridge. I decided to just go ahead and finish it, and somehow, I found the power to run towards the finish line.

Ugh!

I wanted nothing more than to finish and to put an end to my husband’s and my coach’s wait. When I saw the rug that covered the timer and crossed the finished line, a quick thought came to mind: “is this it?” It felt unreal. I saw my husband on the side line and in a split of a second, I saw Coach Chris holding my medal. She gracefully put it around my neck. I started crying immediately; gave her a “sweaty” hug (she didn’t mind), and soon after, my husband as he made his way through the volunteers giving out medals to other marathoners. I was hugging my husband in tears. Coach Chris’ husband, Steve, was there too. He had the thoughtful idea of suggesting that she award me with the medal. For that, I am very grateful. It was so unexpected and the days of training came all together in that moment.

Is this it? – that’s the thought it came to mind as I saw the blue rug on the finish line.

Six years ago I struggled to finish my first marathon at 6:46:48. This time, I finished with a little more grace, smiles and relatively pain free with a timing of 5:01:48. I only had a one-stop potty break at mile 15ish – and that was a real bathroom (no lines) inside the state park. Yippee!

Kurt was exhausted! 🙂

Coach Chris PR’ed!

It’s a big step forward for which I am grateful. This accomplishment would not be possible without the caring and support of my husband, my family, my running family and friends. The journey has only began. I am so happy!

“A marathoner is a marathoner regardless of time. Virtually everyone who tries the marathon has put in training over months, and it is that exercise and that commitment, physical and mental that gives meaning to the medal, not just the day’s effort, be it fast or slow. It’s all in conquering the challenge.”

~Mary R. Wittenberg

Road to Tomoka Marathon

“Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?”

~ Peter Maher

For the past ten months I’ve been laying the foundation to run Tomoka marathon. With t-minus two weeks, the anxiety is kicking-in, but the excitement and anticipation are more predominant. It’s clear now how much work and time it takes for the body and mind to be ready for it.

As this realization has triggered my awareness for the past weeks, I couldn’t help but to ask my husband for his recollection of our “training” to run the 2010 Disney marathon. It has only been six years since then (make it seven to count a year for training), but his recollection is weak. I re-read my blog entry 26.2 Miles of… but there wasn’t much there to remember. It’s more probable than not that we didn’t train much. I remember a few runs at the West Orange Trail, but do I remember how many miles I (we) ran at___ pace? Hell NO! I probably didn’t even know exactly what this was all about other than covering a distance of 26.2 miles by foot!

However, I remember this: we had a crappy watch (it did tell time), some short of running shoes, no running log, no running apps, no nutrition plan, no injury prevention plan (why bother, we weren’t running that many of miles) but we were stretching a bit, no consistence, and no 4:30 a.m. morning runs. Why plan when you’re just going to “run” through the most magical place on Earth, right? As my coach mentioned during our runs, “most people really don’t take Disney races serious because of the all fun things you do when at Disney.”  Running is fun, but if you lack preparation it’s torture.

As it turns out, she is so right! In conversation with my husband, he reminded me that we even forgot our damn WATCH on race day. We asked our friend who planned on cheering for us at half way point to bring some short of a watch from Walgreens. We saw her in the middle of the crowd and she got us a watch. By then, time accuracy didn’t matter. The only thing that matter was not getting slower and being picked up by the pace car. Let me tell you… we were terrified by the sight of the pace car. It felt like we were living a ManTracker episode.

After running six half marathons, investing more time, resources and energy into training, I can say that my body is addicted to the runner’s high. It’s my desire to run more efficient, diminish body trauma, be smarter about it and achieve my ultimate dream. Here’s what I’ve been doing to keep my body running strong.

1. Eat well – Just because calories will be burned, it doesn’t mean that you should consume whatever you see and expect a happy run. Selecting what I feed my body has been important to me for the past fourteen years (I stopped consuming red meat and pork) and for the past nine years I gave up meat (every living flesh) for good. I experimented a plant-based diet (vegan) for four years, but since joining MarathonFest in June of last year, by August, my body craved eggs and selective cheeses after runs. These two items are my only exception. Grains, veggies, fruits, coconut water, whole wheat bread or pasta, root vegetables, smoothies, goji berries, chia, nuts, lots of water are a must in my kitchen. During training after my long runs which are done usually by 9:00 a.m., I always crave scrambled eggs with veggies. However, after my races which are usually done by 10:30 a.m. and after enjoying the after-race party festivities, by 11:30 a.m., I crave a huge superfood salad and some yummy soup.

Post 2015 OUC Half Marathon meal at Infusion Tea: Superfood salad, ginger & carrot soup and water. The Sweet Potatoes burrito belongs to my husband!

2. Sleep well – I make sleep a priority. My body needs meaningful food and quality sleep time. I remember getting up at 3:40 a.m. for a weekday run, and during warm-up, my body totally rejected moving. I felt a sharp pain on my left shin. Despite that, I finished the workout with miles repeat but my performance was poor and I knew it was because of sleep deprivation. I refuse to workout or run if my body is tired due to lack of sleep; it’s just not worth risking injury. Sleeping is a major part of the recovery process between workouts, work and the daily challenges life throws at us. It helps the body recover from damage and protect itself against illness. Make it a priority!

3. Do Stretch/Strengthening/Conditioning/Weights – Some runners can get away by skipping this homework; I simply cannot. Even if I were to run three times a week for a total of 9 miles per week, I’d be a miserable runner. I’m fortunate to have a husband who is a sports massage therapist specializing in Active Isolate Stretching. He taught me how to stretch and it helps a lot. I do my best to incorporate stretching in my daily routine. As for conditioning and weigh training, I keep it simple with some upper body, core and lower body workouts. Lunges, squats and single leg deadlift is a must. With the increasing of mileage, I’ve being going to the gym twice a week – always on the days I run in order to really give my body a full rest on the days I don’t run. My pre-day run routines consists of doing a 20-minute Iron Strength Workout created my marathoner and ironman Dr. Jordan D. Metzl. Yes, I’m doing the abbreviated version for now because this is a killer workout – that’s why it’s called Iron Strength! I also allocate 20-minute for foam rolling and 30-minute for stretching. Sundays are rest day, but I either do Pilates or Kundalini Yoga – it’s an amazing practice for breathing and mind-balance.

Foam Rolling is a MUST! R2-D2 makes sure I get it done!

4. Be consistent – Whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish, it takes time and adaptation for the body and mind to adjust. In 1960, Dr. Maxwell Maltz published a book called Psycho-Cybernetics and from that emerged a quote “…it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to jell.” As years went by, people created their own interpretation by assuming that it takes 21-days for a new habit to form. Further research by Phillipa Lally a health psychology researcher at University College of London, showed that on average it takes more than two months before a new behavior becomes automatic. It takes anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for people to form a new habit which depends on the person, behavior and circumstances. Bottom line: it’s not easy to initiate or maintain consistency while doing what it takes to train for a marathon. I’m lucky to be part of an amazing group of runners in MarathonFest through Track Shack that supports one another. Our level of integrity, camaraderie and accountability is very special. Join a running group or whatever group supports your interests and pursue your happiness. It’s much easier and fun this way!

5. Stop Complaining – Seriously. Stop complaining. I remember going on a few runs with my husband and complaining for every single pain I felt during the process and afterwards. He told me he was in pain too, but he wasn’t telling me so. I noticed that I was dragging him with my complaining, so I learned to keep it to myself. After I listened to the audiobook A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen a few years ago, it became clear that complaining is a tiresome negative energy in all aspects of life. Bowen mentions in his book to either stop complaining, change the situation or complain to who has the power to make a change. This is not to serve as an advice that you should not share the fact that you might be injured. Any lingering discomfort should be addressed to your physical, massage therapist or doctor. There’s a big difference between being concerned about something and being a complainer about something.

6. Explore – Running is a journey which is an access to self-empowerment and self-discovery. I know how demanding running can be and I’m learning what my body is asking of me so that my running experience is joyful. With that in mind, I’m open to explore and learn new ways to nourish my body. During the summer, I made ice baths a priority after long runs – anything over 6 miles at the 80’s and 90’s with 90% humidity was a must for a lower body ice bath. I also visited my physical therapist a couple of times to analyze my running form and to focus on strengthening exercises since I was dealing with hamstring/quads injury. He’s a marathoner which gave me enough confidence that he knew exactly what the problem was and what I needed to do to heal and prevent injuries. Weeks before marathon training started at full throttle, I sought Dr. Bradley Golden’s expertise at the Orlando Sports Chiropractic. I got a few adjustments, explored hot, compression, and gastron therapeutic alternatives. Three days before my longest training run – a 20-miler, I had my first cryotherapy session.

-214F was all I could take for 2.5 minutes out of the maximum time of a 3-minute session

Find your passion and go for it. Discover what works for you in order to facilitate the process. The key is preparing to receive it.

“Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.”

~ Oprah Winfrey

On To OUC Half Marathon

#OnToMyFifthHalfMarathon

“The two things you have control of is your attitude and your effort.”

~Kurt Westbrook

It’s only my second consecutive OUC race, but it’s starting to feel like a tradition. The only dislike is the heat in the first week of December. It was a cloudy 68°F morning with specs of rain mist for a couple of seconds and a tough 88% humidity in the air. Although the past 2-days had been very challenging for me, I still had put a bit of high expectations on myself in achieving another PR. I believed on my training and I was confident since I felt no lingering pain.

My first mile was relatively strong at a 10:01 pace. It would be nice if I could have maintained this pace from start to finish. I started to feel the humidity and heat very soon, and at every water stop, I poured some of the water on my head to cool me off. I guess I started to train in the summer just so I could have a comfortable OUC race in December.

At the 2-miler, my pace dropped to a ridiculous 11:17, but I know that it usually takes the first 3 miles for my body to truly get going. Miles 4 and 5, my pace stayed at 10:24 and 10:22, respectively; went up to 10:41 at mile 6 and down to 10:27 at mile 7.

Right then, I felt it was going to be a long 13.1 miles; even though, I had no discomfort and was more mentally ready for the challenge ahead. At the 8-miler my pace went up to 10:45 and down to 10:42 at the 9-miler with 1:35:19 into the race. I couldn’t hide the panic on my face neither could my body ignore that I was running out of energy.

I supplied my body with the rest of dry pineapple bits and walnuts I had (my favorite nutrition during my runs). My stomach didn’t reject it, but at the same time it was telling me it had enough. At the 10-miler, my pace was a horrible 11:06; but dropped to a 10:36 at mile 11, and when I though it couldn’t get any worse, I was running an 11:11 pace at the 12-miler with 2:08:13 on the clock. Bummer! No PR today.

I was grateful for not dealing with an injury. I simply didn’t have enough power-energy to maintain the pace I wanted. It’s frustrating to say that I pushed so hard for 2:20:43 (top 45.8% in my division place) while I ran the JAX Marine Corps Half Marathon kind of injured (hamstring/quads) on a tougher course in 2:19:05 time.

Nevertheless, I was happy to start and to finish another race. My husband wasn’t as fortunate and I missed racing with him today. I’m always thankful for his support, care and services as my support crew. This year’s OUC was special to be part of as most of my running friends from Track Shack also ran it and did an amazing job. Some ran the Space Coast (half or full) the week before OUC, and I got to chat with Jesse (the Tomoka Boston Strong guy) as he also ran the race.

This race marks my 5^th half marathon, and like every race, it conveys an enlightening and profound message. Gratitude continues to be the focus message in today’s 13.1 mile journey. My goal is to get better, but when the result is below my expectation, practicing gratitude feels like running hills. I accept what my body was able to give me for this race and I love it for allowing me to run. I feel in peace and ready for what’s ahead as I look forward to dedicate on track work while continuing to strength my body.

I’m thankful for my husband, family and friends, who encourage me and through their wisdom show me that finishing a race, effort and dedication are also factors of merit and pride.

“You were born to run. Maybe not that fast, maybe not that far, maybe not as efficiently as others.  But to get up and move, to fire up that entire energy-producing, oxygen-delivering, bone-strengthening process we call running. 

~ Florence Griffith-Joyner

#Gratitude #OnToTheNextRace

Week 1 of 32-Weeks of Wicked Brutal Training

“People ask why I run. I say, “if you have to ask, you’ll never understand.” It is something only those select few know. Those who put themselves through pain, but know, deep down, how good it really feels.”

~Erin Leonard

It’s time to get out of bed! Get up! Let’s Go!

It’s Tuesday, day one of training at 4:03 a.m. and we’re slightly rushing because we slept in (we should really had got up at 3:45 a.m.). After grasping the reality that I’m up at 4:00 a.m., getting dressed, making sure that I have all my stuff, snacks, water, Gatorate and my inseparable companion, MAsshole, (my GARMIN Forerunner 610), I was so ready to go. Kurt’s facial expression looked sleepy and confused, but I was wicked excited about it.

We arrived right on time thanks to zero traffic. At 5:00 a.m., all blips of GARMINs went off as if it was the sound of a horn or a gun going off on race day. About 400-something “crazy runners” signed up for the training program that offers a morning and evening workout – from super-experienced to somewhat-experienced runners, it appeared that everyone had a good reason to be there. It really felt like it was race day with so many people present and ready to run at 5:00 a.m. on a hot and humid summer morning.

Kurt and I had been warming up for the past 3 weeks leading up to training’s commencement by logging in at least 9 miles per week. On our first day of training, we were scheduled to run 4 miles and that’s what we did. Considering the 94% humidity and 72°F degree weather, we were pleased with our 4.06 miles in 42:27, a 10:28 pace, for being our first run and at an unusual time (5:00 a.m.) for us since most of our training had been after 5:00 p.m. or around 8:00 a.m. in the weekends. But who would want to run after 7:00 a.m. during summer season in Florida? I will take the 5:00 a.m.

Being a participant in the marathon training program has proved that adjustments not only happen in getting the body ready for the increasing mileage, running under high temperatures and humidity levels, and adapting to getting up at 3:45 a.m.; plus heading right to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, in my case. It has proved that somehow I must adapt and maneuver my schedule to make sure that I create time and energy to do the required homework, chores and enjoy life. That is, going to the gym for cross training, stretching, meditating, sleeping, finding the time to cook, doing house work, running errands, socializing, being a wife and a pet-mom to my awesome dog R2-D2. Yes, prep-time does not happen only the day before training. It’s a continuing effort of getting things done well with a big smile on the face.

Of the several adjustments I’m learning to master, nutrition has been the least challenging. Nutrition has been an important part of my life style for the past 13 years as I have transitioned to a vegetarian diet; consequently, to a plant-based diet for the past 4 years. My nutrition consists of absolutely no meat of any kind but I’m incorporating a strict-limited selection of cheese and organic/cage free/vegetarian feed eggs within hours after my runs.

It’s my intention to adapt to this high-intensity training solely on a plant-based nutrition. After all, animal byproduct food contains no fiber and it’s acidic. Going to the farmers market on Saturday’s mornings is a necessity; the price and freshness of produce is unbeatable. Making time for cooking has become a bigger part of planning for the week. I’m a lucky wife to have a husband that shares the same nutritional ideals and style as I do. Kurt helps me out with the cooking of our meals when I’m super-busy doing other chores in the house.

Another way in which I (we) have revamped a healthier nutritional habit is turning into a smoothieaholic. Kurt makes the best goji berries smoothie. Here’s his “secret” recipe. (Be aware that I’m not crazy for recipe measurements. I just go by feel based on the serving portion I intend to make. Also, I’m obviously not a doctor and I’m just sharing what works for me. You know your body better than anyone else; do what works for you.)

• Goji berries: it’s my favorite superfruit containing all essential amino acids, the highest concentration of protein of any fruit, loaded with vitamin C, carotenoids, loaded with trace of minerals, high on fiber, and boasting 15 times the amount of iron found in spinach, as well as calcium, zinc, selenium, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents.
• Pea protein powder: my favorite pea protein powder is from Source Naturals. It’s all vegan, Non-GMO and dense without a weird-funny after taste.
• Ginger
• Silk Coconut milk
• Organic Extra Virgin Coconut oil (okay, here’s my measurement for this one: 1 tablespoon per serving)
• Avocado seed: yes, avocado seed! It’s a superfood that contains tons of phytochemical that are only present in live food. I usually use a quarter size of a hass avocado seed per serving
• Mint
• Honey
• Ice

Goji Berries Smoothie! Yes to health!

We blend everything in our super-amazing 1,560-watt with 3HP direct-drive motor countertop Blendtec Blender. Cheers!

I must say that the week has been intense. On training day-2 of Week 1, I just crashed on the bed after getting back home from work. Waking up on Saturday morning after an already long week was not easy either. But we did it. It felt that getting up to go to work on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:30 a.m. is a sleeping in day. On Sunday, well, my eyes were wide open at 5:40 a.m. Kurt, on the other hand, is making sure to enjoy every minute he can sleep in on the mornings he is allowed to sleep in.

Happy Training! Happy Journey! Happy Run!

“Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must move faster than the lion or it will not survive. Every morning a lion wakes up and it knows it must move faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn’t matter if you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better be moving.”

~Maurice Greene