13 days after TNF 50M

Have not written anything post TNF 50M 13 days ago.

How did i do at TNF 50?

What happened?

What did i learn from it?

These are obvious questions that came to mind right after the race was over for me and so i decided to not write anything until i felt it all sink in and was able to digest all of what happened. 

 I didn't finish the race, on mile 12 i was already exhausted and thinking it was going to be a long, wet, and one with a lot of mind games. Like it happens in ultramarathons, you feel crappy most of the time and then there comes a tipping point and you start feeling better. I ran from 12 miles to 28 miles and never found that tipping point and at that point i decided to call it a day. 

My legs, although not injured, started feeling little pinches on the usual knee injury points and also soreness on other points which was evidence of not putting in the miles in preparation to the race. At that point i felt at peace with what i had done up to that point in the race and what i had learned from, not only the race itself, but the preparation i did or did not do for it. At that point i didn't want to risk getting re-injured and having to start over on the healing progress i had made up to that point in the gym and decided to DNF. 

I ran 28 miles at an estimated 8:30 min/mile pace in the conditions of the coarse and got a pretty good understanding of what it is to run TNF 50M. One of the fastest most exciting 50M races in the country which attracts the best of the best both nationally and internationally. 

I started the race behind a "platoon" of about 50 runners all running down the road towards Bunker Road heading to Bob cat trail. Right at Bob Cat the 50 runners somewhat dispersed and became 2 main groups and a bunch of scattered runners. The first group were the fastest runners, the Salomon dudes/girls and the Hal Koerner's etc... And the second group were also fast people but who decided to take it easier at this point and go faster later. Behind them were a bunch of runners scattered running their own race not really worried about staying with a specific group. I was here with these runners running my own race paying close attention at how the race started, what the pace of the fast guys&girls and just learning from these people. At mile 2.5 i already had lost visual with the first 2 groups and i was on my own, running in complete darkness with the fog and rain pouring on my face struggling to see 3 feet in front of me with my head lamp. Anyone who has driven their car on a heavy rain day can relate how difficult it is to see a few feet in front of you. At that point Oswaldo Lopez, who i had first met in person minutes before in the trucks while we waited for start of the race, caught up to me and passed me with a steady pace. It was unusual to see him using a normal flash light and not using a head lamp like EVERYONE else. 

The first 5 mile loop was difficult because it was there that it was raining the hardest. That and the fog made it difficult to see and the snapping back and forth of my headlamp made me freak out at some points where i was in complete darkness as i struggled to put it back on my head. 

From the 5 mile aid station to Tennessee Valley it was business as usual, already sunk in the idea that i was going to run in this rain the entire day made it easier to keep going. I had a good pace at this point and was starting to have my first energy gel and felt great. When i got to Tennessee Valley aid station i was surprised to see so many spectators there, considering the circumstances of the weather. 

From Tennessee Valley to Muir Beach i was still in a pretty good pace and felt ok. Nothing out of the ordinary happened at this point. 

On the turnaround from Muir Beach to Tennessee Valley however i started to feel like i was out of fuel. Weird because at that point i had eaten about 3 to 4 energy gels, started snacking on a protein bar, salt intake was business as usual and not to mention the water and the typical banana dipped in salt on the aid stations. I couldn't figure out what was going on. On the first uphill at Muir Beach i felt like i had nothing in me, i struggled to maintain a slow steady jog on that hill. At some points i had to stop but i made sure if i was hiking, i was going to do it as fast as i could to not fall to behind on my pace. From there to TV i struggled to keep going but put in a good fight and hardly stopped at all.

From Tennessee Valley to Fort Barry was a struggle, it was a constant battle of mind games. I wanted to stop but i didn't want to so i just kept going on a slower pace. When i left TV aid station i was passed by a girl with the most impressive physique i have ever seen. Her back and shoulders were probably a work of envy of the dude from Twilight. Crazy! At this point the idea of DNF was at the back of my mind. I got to Fort Barry with a great effort considering my energy level. I changed shirt, socks, shoes, positive attitude and set off to do the 5 mile loop once again. Two miles into this section and i knew i was done. Half a mile later i had to hike that down hill for a few minutes because i was sore, shivering cold and without a drop of energy. From then on the final 1.5 to 2 miles i slowly jogged, stopped, hiked and did what i could to survive and get to Fort Barry.

What went wrong was a couple things not just one.
1) Did not put in the miles at training. 2 months ago i was injured and ran the Headlands 50M and managed to run 46 miles before i made the decision to DNF. From then on i did a lot of gym work to get my knees healthy and i obviously tried to stay off my knees by avoiding running. I thought that maybe the cardio i did at Boot Camp and Spin was going to be enough to get me through 50M. I also ran 2 15 mile runs 10 days before the race that i thought would get me through. IT DIDN'T! That is a learning lesson i will never forget.
2) Nutrition before the race. I think i didn't eat enough food days before the race. I should have eaten like there was no tomorrow but instead i tried to eat super healthy food that obviously doesn't have nearly the same amount of calories than a burger or a bowl of pasta etc... Sweet potatoes and other vegetables are not enough even to cover the amount of calories i burn training let alone pack extra calories for the race.

At the end of my race i learned so much that i wasn't entirely devastated by my DNF. To see for myself how fast people go at the start line is priceless. Now i know why they do that. I also know that they don't keep that pace for the entire race, they slow down a bit later when their away from the chaotic crowded start line. I learned what kind of pace the fast guys do and i was able to see these amazing runners working their magic. I was able to run one of the fastest races in the country against the best of the sport and i think i did not do too bad. If i finished, it would have been a good result and that keeps me satisfied.
Now i know what i need to do to compete and move to a different level. I want to be able to compete with people and i cannot do that if i'm constantly worried about when my knee is going to blow up. Or not being able to push myself because if i do, my knees are not going to like it. As of the end of the race i made the decision not to race until i'm 100% healthy of any injuries. I will work hard at the gym and do a bit of running but i will focus on getting every injury eradicated and gone.

Monday November 19 - Sunday November 25

Monday: Dynamic workout with a bit of weight training.
Tuesday: Went to the gym at night after work and i had a good workout. Did speedwork on the treadmill (4 x 2min @ 6:35min/mile pace) on my minimalist shoes. Felt great! I had a nice dynamic stretch after with a substantial amount of weight training. I also did a 20 min session of stretching laying down.
Wednesday: Off, Karla's dad was in town.
Thursday: 12 mile run from home to Embarcadero 1:47 total time at 8:57 min/mile. Felt good, just a bit of tightness on the back of my knees. I think is because of not sleeping well and sitting around for too long.
Friday: 12 mile run to Embarcadero from home. 1:45 total time at 8:47 min/mile. Felt ok, not too tired and minimal to no signs of inflamed knee or Plantar Fasciitis. Good news.
Saturday: TRX and spin this morning. Had a good TRX session with Enrique with mostly upper body workouts. Nothing out of the ordinary to elaborate upon. Spin was good as always, tough. Gave it a good shot and did relatively well, competitive. I felt a bit tired due to the heavy training week.
Sunday: Off

Monday November 12 - Sunday November 18

Monday: Road trip to Tijuana
Tuesday: Road trip to Tijuana
Wednesday: NO BOOT OR SPIN! exhausted from lack of sleep from road trip.
Thursday: Full dynamic stretch routine with a bit of weight training.
Friday: Full dynamic stretch with some weight training. Discovered the healing benefits of one legged lunges, felt relief immediately in my usual knee injury. I think i just found the cause of my constant frustrations with 2 weeks to go before TNF 50M. What does this mean? I don't know. I just wish i had more time to do these kinds of exercises and see where they take me physically. Looking on long term basis though, i feel excited and in a way unaware of where this is going to take me. I have never been 100% healthy with the knee problems. I have not yet grasp what it's going to be like running with healthy knees and not inflamed/tense like i always have.
Saturday: Boot camp with Stas and spin with John. Boot camp was tougher than ever, Stas was on the house. We were challenged like he knows best and i think i was on an ok mood and somehow sustained his class well. On every other class i have come across Stas i always have one of those not so good days when i'm feeling weak and wanting to go back to bed. This time i challenged myself well and survived without too much signs of exhaustion/torture, good sign. Spin was like always, challenging. Great effort and nothing interesting to point out.
Sunday: Took Miguel to the park and taught him some basketball drills. Is been 4 sessions i have given him so far and i feel excited for him and all the progress he's making in such a short amount of time.

Monday November 5 - Sunday November 11

Monday: Gym workout, started out with 35 minute speedy run on the treadmill. Felt great, maybe a bit of inflammation but nothing to worry or stress too much about. I followed that with a 20 minute stretch routine with 5 to 6 different stretches a couple sets each. Then i did 20 minutes of spin biking and i followed that with a 15 minute stretch session of about 5 different stretches. Home ice bath at night, 2 sessions of about 20 minutes.
Tuesday: Gym training, started out with a 30 minute bike session targeting my heart rate followed by a session of 4 different stretches. 20 minute barefoot run on the treadmill because i forgot my sneakers at home...moderate speed. Felt great by the way. A session of lower leg workout was followed followed by a great stretching session to wrap things up. Great workout today.
Wednesday: 25 minute run at Noe Valley Hills with Rob...had very little sleep last night and felt like a zombie all day, to my bad luck, it was a busy day all day long. When it was time to go to the gym for boot camp and spin i was so tired and thought about just staying at home and chill. I went to the gym and put in a great effort on boot camp with Tony...tough night but overcame it with a great attitude. Before spin started i was completely wiped out of energy, thought about leaving at that point but i decided to stay and have a chance to get used to feeling like crap to mimic how i'm going  to feel like on dec. 1st on The North Face 50M. In the end I was able to survive spin class without aggravating my injuries more than they really are and i tore down  a big wall by staying through that class feeling like that. Great day, Thursday will be a day of maintenance.
Thursday: Off
Friday: Great foam rolling, stretch, and a bit of weight training. Sometimes you need to take a break from tough weight training, cardio and just listen to your aches and pains and attend them. Stretch the muscles, foam roll the knots on the legs and just follow what feels right. Great session of no specific thing, just attending what felt sore.
Saturday: Boot camp and spin this morning was good. Unlike last Wednesday i was a bit more rested and so i was able to put a bit more muscle. Boot camp with Russ was great because he pushes me a bit more than everyone else. I feel so appreciative for this treatment and a bit embarrassed with everyone in the class for the special treatment. Spin was tough like always but nothing special. Great to be back to great effort.
Sunday: Off

Monday October 29 - Sunday November 4

Monday: Off
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Boot Camp with Tony "the torture chamber" was good, great effort. Spin with John was great also. After 2 weeks off i was not so bad. It will take a couple days to get back to where i was but i feel good.
Thursday: 25 minute spin bike ride with some resistance, great workout. 10 minute run on the treadmill at moderate and high speed and a bit of stretching and core training.
Friday: 15 minute spin bike ride and 10 minute run on the treadmill. One legged small training session and stretching routine.
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Morning gym workout, 20 minute spin biking and 10 minute speedy treadmill run with a good number of great stretches in-between. Looking good. Also had a good weight workout session for the legs. A challenging and energetic workout, solid 5 different workouts 3 sets each with stretches in-between.

2 weeks off

Took 2 weeks off from training, needed some rest.

Monday October 15 - Sunday October 21

Monday: full weight routine at the gym. 2+ hours of anti-patelofemoral pain syndrome exercises. Good effort and feeling good from it.
Tuesday: Off, did 20 minutes of foam rolling and another 20 of work on my shins with the softball.
Wednesday: Boot camp with Tony 'the torture chamber', i was tired and with an upset stomach. The first hour was not good. I managed to pull through with an ok routine. Spin was ok, took an energy gel and picked my energy up the last half an hour. Ok night, i'm happy that i didn't stay at home or leave the classes.
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off

Monday: Off day with Karla at home.
Tuesday: Full weight workout this morning. I did the same routine i did with Tony a couple months ago and a few additional workouts. I also did 2 sometimes 3 different stretches in-between workouts.
Wednesday: TRX and spin tonight. TRX was a bit of the same, Tony 'the torture chamber' gave us a good workout. Nothing worth pointing out, just a good workout. Spin was also a great workout. John mixed it up a bit from what we are used to. We went from hill workouts at 8 or 9 force for 4 minutes to 2 force at full speed ahead. We are not used to doing that and that gave us a slap in the face. Great effort tonight.
Thursday: Workout at the gym, 1.5 hours of leg workouts and 20 minutes of biking targeting my heart rate.
Friday: Started with a 10 minute run on the treadmill and then a 1 hour dynamic stretch at the gym. Felt like something was going to break inside my knee, nothing specific just something was not right. Couldn't tell what it was so i stopped and that is when i decided to do a dynamic stretch routine today instead of a weight training routine. Good stretch after the routine.
Saturday: Great day at the gym for boot camp and spin. Super hard boot camp with Stas giving us a torture session with his distinctive signature. Great effort! Spin was great like always, 4 of us so John decided he was not going to take it easy on us and insisted on making it more challenging than before. Great effort here too.
Sunday: Off

Monday October 1 - Sunday October 7

Monday: 2 cold water tub sessions and a foam rolling session after the ice cold water.
Tuesday:2 mile morning run to Glen Park Bart station and back home. Felt ok, no PFPS pain on any of the knees. Night ice cold water tub session, whole body this time not just legs. It is so hot in San Francisco right now that it felt amazing to jump in head to toe.
Wednesday: TRX & Spin, had a hard time doing both. Spin was so difficult, amazing how much a week of no exercise just slows you down so much. I was able to pull through with a great effort though. I felt great after the sessions and that makes me think i'm going to be ok sooner than i thought.
Thursday: Workout at the gym after work, one hour maybe of leg presses with a lot of stretches in-between each set.
Friday: Off, Hopi Astronaut's debut and a long day at work.
Saturday: Boot & Spin with Russ on boot camp and John on spin. Russ gave me special treatment by challenging me a bit more than everyone else. That is awesome on his part and i feel very grateful and fortunate. John was great like always, we talked for about an hour after the classes with a cup of coffee. I'm amazed at how great everyone has treated me in Valencia Muscle. So grateful to John, Tony, Russ, Enrique, and everyone else on optwinc. Great workout sessions this morning and great to feel so welcomed, that is just pure food for the soul. Thanks John.
Sunday: Worked, off from fitness.

Great start to my recovery, i had days of total recovery with great ice sessions and days of total chaos. Until Thursday my week was intense with great work and recovery/rehab workouts. Friday i felt absolutely exhausted from the moment i got off the bed till i got off from work only to find out i needed to go to Hopi Astronaut's debut at the bar. I will change it up a bit and start taking my bike to work to avoid being on my feet, literally, all day. This will save me a bit more energy i can use at the gym.

Headlands 50M review

Sunday September 15, 2012

I had a good race all day except for the final injury at mile 40 or 41. Throughout the race i was either in 2nd or 3rd place overall and the most important thing in my perspective is that i felt great most of the way. There are a couple theories on why my knees gave in on me:

1) I didn't do enough gym work to give my legs the strength to endure an increase in milage like that and at the end my legs just couldn't sustain. I did a substantial amount of cardio in my spinning and boot camp classes but that is all. I needed to do a whole lot more of weight training especially for the increase in milege i was going to attempt.

2) I don't do enough running for training and my legs just don't develop strength at all. Charley gave me some pointers as to what to do and how much, running of course, i should do to prepare for a race. He suggested i do back to back long runs on weekends, 15 miles on Saturday and 20 miles on Sunday. He says that 8 to 10 weeks of this will prepare me well for a 50 mile run.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/223377605 .

3) Nutrition, in the middle of the race i come to find out that PCTR does not provide energy gels and instead they do the cubed jello like stuff that i am not used to or know anything about. I was counting on having the energy gels and when i noticed i was't going to have them my plan was just upset. Another thing that i learned with 50 mile runs is that i need to have a shake of some sort with protein, coconut water, and other nutrients to replenish. It will be great if i can have it at mile 30something, no longer that mile 33. This will give my body time to replenish and still benefit from it for the race. The guy i ran with the last couple miles did that and he pulled away from me on mile 40 with a great effort. For next race and for every other race after i will have enough energy gels that will last me at least half of the race.


Race started and i stayed in the middle of the pack getting warmed up. I soon noticed Mike, from Golden Gate Race where i finished 6th behind him, running and we talked for 2 miles. He said he was training for Javelina 100M in phoenix and that he might do another 50k race tomorrow in San Jose. I was soon after on my own trying to keep the front pack in sight but not pushing it too hard for myself in the beginning. I past Tennessee Valley and headed to Stinson Beach and after the steps on the long descent off the mountain on Coastal Trail, i noticed a girl who had a good pace and i caught up to her and stayed behind her until past Tennessee Valley where she pulled away from me on the ascent. That was my first obvious sign of me not feeling well. I felt like my knee was not going to have a good day and that it was a matter of time before something bad happens. Of course my hopes were that i was wrong. Up to that point my goal was to stick with Halley's pace (9 min/mile) most of the race and then my knee gave me a sign it will not hold.

I continued to Golden Gate Bridge behind Halley but she disappeared somewhere and didn't see her until Rodeo Beach as i was going off from the Aid Station. After the Golden Gate Bridge we headed to Rodeo beach to complete the first half and turnaround towards Golden Gate Bridge again for the second half and go opposite way and end at Rodeo Beach. At Rodeo Beach i was Received by an enthusiastic Charles and a couple volunteers. Charles asked me if he could look at my pace on his garmin. He then told me that i was first place and that i was on a great pace. I told him that there was a guy on first place and flying through the trails. Someone else confirmed what i said but Charles just ignored that and told me i was doing great. I soon headed on Bunker road and got onto Miwok Trail towards Golden Gate. I put on my earphones and jammed some music for a bit and noticed i did well listening to music. I was running up those hills like a goat. From there to Golden Gate Bridge was a great time. I had lots of energy and i enjoyed the miles. Underneath the Golden Gate Bridge i was caught by a guy from the city who turned out to be pretty cool. Can't remember his name but i ran behind him from there to where i broke down at mile 40. We talked here and there but he smoked me at the start of Bobcat Trail headed towards Tennessee Valley. Before Tennessee Valley at around mile 38 i was trying to keep running but found it hard to keep on. I made a big effort to keep going and managed to keep running until i got to the aid station about mile 39.5 where i was received by Charles again who asked me how i was doing and if i was doing ok mentally. Soon after i was on my way to Stinson Beach and had to stop to stretch because i felt if i didn't, something was going to break. I did and i got a bout a mile of fresh energy as i climbed the two hills to catch u to the guy on second place who was also exhausted but noticed he had a drop bag at Tennessee Valley and had some kind of shake. That soon payed off as he just took off and was going downhill like a goat. I did the best i could to keep running but i soon felt my knee could no longer sustain running and i stopped and hiked for a bit. I tried to run again here and there but it was impossible for long periods of time. On the last hill to Stinson Beach i was passed by the curly blond hair guy from Hawaii. I was later passed by another two guys until i got to Stinson Beach. At Stinson Beach Aid Station i stretched for about 10 minutes and it felt and did a whole lot of good to my legs and was soon thinking about heading out. I eat and talked to the guy at the station who told me i needed to go back to Tennessee Valley via Coyote Ridge and head towards golden Gate Bridge again. I told him i was on mile 40 with 10 miles to go and he was still insisting that was the way to go. When he told me i needed to go to GGB again, i knew he was full of shit and knew nothing about ultrarunning. But of course he was a volunteer and the race director's brother. A minute before i headed out Halley arrived and soon took off. I left after her and ran as much as i could. I ran for about a mile, up-hills mostly, but soon knew it was going to be a long way back to Tennessee Vally and if i was to attempt to go all the way, it was going to be long, painful and risky for my knees. At mile 43 i was done running. I had decided i was going to hike the rest of the way and decide at Tennessee Valley if i wanted to finish or not. As i was descending the big mountains towards Tennessee Valley i decided that i was going to drop at the next Aid Station. It is amazing how bad it feels like when you stop running and your body cools down. As i was hiking all of a sudden everything hurt. I was beginning to walk funny and to make faces with almost every step i took. 100 yards from the Aid Station i was approached by a lady whom, after exchanging a few words, offered me a ride to Rodeo Beach and i was soon reunited with Charles at Rodeo Beach chatting and having a good time. I wish i could have finished the race but i also had no intention to risk the end of the year, The North Face 50M, by completing this race injured. 4 miles is not a long run but running or walking it injured IS a long way to go. I do not regret my decision, i did well, i ran pretty much the whole coarse and that gives me confidence for next race knowing i ran a 50 mile race before. For now i will hit the gym and get a complete rehab, leg press, dead lifts, lots of stretches, and other spots i have in mind while keeping my Boot camp and Spin in my schedule. Next month i will start including some running either at the Headlands or Montara mountains. Don't know how long my rehab will take but considering the time i did last time it will be about 2 months. This time with the experience i have from last time i was injured, i think i can be more efficient with time and more effective workouts.

Patelofemoral Pain Syndrome Rehab & 1 year of Blogger

Yesterday was the first day i did any type physical activity with the intent to be rehab for injury or to get back at my training schedule. I know i still have sharp pain when going down a hill so i will just do short distances to maintain or keep fitness level. I will start gym training later today and will do a good rehab plan i put together from past experiences and plain experience in this i do quite good nowadays. 

A few words about Headlands 50M: 

I must admit that dropping the race at mile 46 gave me a bit of disappointment and it also took a lot from me. First of all, i think i made the right decision on dropping the race. I could have hiked the remaining 4 miles and finish the race but that meant risking a more serious injury and i don't want to do that anymore. I have no intention on spending the least amount of injury time, i have done that in the past and don't want to do it again. Another good reason for my decision is the fact that i am registered for The North Face 50M on December and i want to be healthy for that one.  I don't know how healthy i will be on December first but i will do a strict rehab until then and see what happens. 

Another thing worth mentioning is the fact that around this time last year i began venturing with blogger. It has been so interesting to think that for the past year i have wrote what i do for training nearly every day. There is no doubt that the passion i have developed for ultrarunning has made the time consuming and dedication of writing your everyday activities almost effortless task. 

Headlands 50M week

Monday: Maintenance at home with the foam roll, softball & wine bottle.
Tuesday: 5.5 mile run from home to Noe Valley and back, light 30 min. workout/stretch at home.
Wednesday: Light Boot Camp and Spin
Thursday: 2.5 mile walk to work.
Friday: 5 mile walk to work and back.
Saturday: 46 miles Headlands 50M
Sunday: Off

Cyclist Accident

Monday 3: Marin Headlands 2 mile run at a slow pace w/Karla. Witnessed the most amazing cyclist accident on Coastal road. He was going downhill coming from the direction of the Golden Gate Bridge. He was taking a curb and i guess he was going too fast and slid off his bike and slammed on a wooden post on the side of the curb. His bike hit a side wooden railing and then bounced towards the post where he was folded in half in the abdominals area from the speed he was traveling. He held his stomach for a minute or two after the accident as i stood there frozen and did't know what to do. I didn't want to hurt him even more than what he already was by turning him over on his back. I initially thought the only affected area was the abdominals, but as soon as he turned, i saw a cut across his entire forehead so deep that all his skin layers were cut. Another similar cut on his upper lip. Amazing things i witnessed by this 26 two weeks to be 27 year old's accident: 1) It seems amazing how his forehead didn't bleed as dramatic as his wounds were. There has to be a mechanism, in the body, at work that hits the button when is an emergency. The blood gets clogged temporarily until danger passes.  I think it has to do with adrenaline, i must have read about this somewhere. 2) He remained conscious during the longest 20 minutes until the paramedics got there with the help from his buddy. Of course he asked his friend where he was about 8 times, once or twice he asked 2 seconds after asking as well as asking about his left collard bone. His friend without a doubt and with a calmed voice responded, "you have a bruce, it might be broken". 3) This kid will recover from his wounds in a couple months and he will be ready for more Marin Headlands adventures. That is how amazing the human body is, it will try to repair itself from any injury no matter how bad it is. Not sure if this kid had any internal bleeding from ruptured organs from slamming against the wooden pole. If there wasn't, he will recover soon from his face wounds. If he had internal bleeding, he will need a couple surgeries and he will be in the hospital for a while. Best wishes to you David.
Tuesday 4: 7 mile walk to the shop, Castro for a $25 hair cut in San Francisco!, back to the shop, 16th and Potrero, and back to the video shop on Valencia and 22nd. Great day to have a long walk and stretch my legs a bit after feeling a bit tight legs.
Wednesday 5: Ran to the gym 3.6 miles at 7 minute mile pace and did TRX and Boot Camp at VM tonight. My run was fantastic, i got to the gym 1 hour and 20 minutes before classes begun and i was there not doing much for about 1 hour. 20 minutes into TRX, i felt exhaustion already. Don't know if it had to do with my slight change of diet the last 4 days or if it had to do with that hour in-between my run to the gym and the start of TRX that depressed my body. I did not give my usual effort on the exercises and had to stop repeatedly to avoid complete exhaustion. during spin i experienced similar feelings of exhaustion throughout the time period but at least was able to pull through with a decent effort considering my condition. 7 on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the best effort. 10 days away from my first 50 mile race i need to do my homework by dieting, specific training and proper taping. The next couple days will be of precise thought out workouts, nutrition and recuperation to be in the best shape possible.
Thursday 6: 4 mile slow minimalist run with Karla starting at Whale's Cove. Good enjoyable, quality  run that i know is going to help me a lot as i get closer to race day. Karla was great by the way, great effort on her part.
Friday 7: Walked to and from work (5 miles).
Saturday 8: Boot Camp and spin. Boot camp was ok, had some trouble with some abs workouts and had to stop multiple times. I think it had to do with me not done these exercises in a very long time. Everything else is ok. Spin was great like always, with a great effort. Talked to John about the pain i felt this morning and got a bit worst before boot camp. He said it was plantar fasciitis. Not know what is going to happen with my race next saturday but i will rest a couple days and roll and stretch.
Sunday 9: Maintenance at home after work. Foam rolling with the foam roll and wine bottle.

Monday August 27 - Sunday September 2

Monday: 5 mile smooth run to Japan town and 1.5 mile walk, felt great.
Tuesday: Doctor's appointment, off from workout.
Wednesday: 13 mile hike across the Golden Gate Bridge to Rodeo Beach through the Headlands 50M coarse. Some of the trails are closed for construction so the coarse might be altered for this race. At mile 2 on the trail i felt a sharp pain on the side of my left knee and then 2 miles later on the right knee too. I had my protein shake w/chia seeds and a chocolate pastry and the pain went away.
Thursday: Off, will take a couple days off to alleviate the knee.
Friday: Off
Saturday: Boot camp and spin this morning with Mr Julia on boot, Stas on abdominals and John on spin. Mr Julia made us sweat with a varied routine incorporating not only out typical upper body workouts but, also leg workouts. Stas had no compassion on us and drained every drop of energy we had left over from Mr Julia's workouts. John was there to witness most of the routine and although didn't tell us, he waited about 15 minutes after the boot camp/abdominals. Most of the time we begin right after the workout. John was great like always but his class seemed like a piece of cake considering what we had just experienced. Excellent workout this morning.
Sunday: Off

Monday August 20 - Sunday August 26

Monday: 2 mile walk to Kabuki
Tuesday: 5.5 mile run in Glenn Park Canyon.
Wednesday: Ran to the gym (3.5) and did TRX and Spin tonight. Great sessions and great effort.
Thursday: 2.5 mile walk to the shop.
Friday: 2.7 mile run from the shop 22 minutes at 7:20 min/mile felt great.
Saturday: Ran to the gym and did boot Camp & Spin this morning. Great effort considering the 3.5 mile run to the gym prior. Walked to work after (1.5).
Sunday: 2.5 mile run from the shop.

totals: 
                Run: 15 miles
                Walk/hike: 6 miles
                Gym: 1 TRX, 2 spin, 1 boot camp
                Bike: 2 sessions of both classes.

Monday August 13 - Sunday August 19

Monday: 2 mile run to CCSF Track and a session of dynamic stretches.
Tuesday: 2 mile run at CCSF Track and a dynamic stretch session.
Wednesday: TRX & Spin, excellent workout. Great energy, great people, great effort.
Thursday: Walked to work on my minimalist shoes and worked with them all day (2.5 miles).
Friday: Walked to and from work on my minimalist shoes (5 miles)
Saturday: Boot Camp and spin this morning, EXCELLENT workout. My best effort in months considering my body was not responding well.
Sunday: Off

                   totals:
                                  Running: 4 miles
                                  Walking/Hiking: 7.5 miles
                                  Gym: 2 sessions of both classes
                                  Biking: 45 min. Spin

Monday August 6 - Sunday August 12

Monday: Off
Tuesday: Light run to stretch from the race on sunday.
Wednesday: Off, hanging out with Marcela.
Thursday: Off
Friday: Light run at Glen Park Canyon with Karla and Kat. 2 miles or so.
Saturday: Off
Sunday: 5 mile early walk home from Mike's place on Sunset.

Slow week following Steep Ravine, Recuperating and hosted Kathy this week.

Steep Ravine 50k

Started out as a nice cool foggy morning perfect for running. It was such the pleasant weather that i got in a good flow and left most of the other runners behind, the problem in that however was that i didn't know the trails around the Muir woods or Stinson Beach enough to be on the lead. What happened next is a blessing in disguise, i took a wrong turn about mile 14 and my race was over. I crossed the finish line at 4:46 minutes with 28 or so miles under my belt and a DNF "did not finish". I waited at the finish line for the 50k finishers and they got in at around 5:40, what a bummer for me and great for them.

What i learned from this is that i need to get better at doing my homework about the races as i register for them and not line toe to toe with the big dis-advantage of not knowing squat about the coarse to come.

The following are things to prepare for about a race:

• Study the trail maps weeks before the race if possible.
• Talk to the race directors before the race and confirm the coarse on the website.
• Get familiar with the trails as much as possible before the race and run these trails and especially the different turns and turnarounds. 

This has come at a good time as i would have been disappointed at this happening to me in the middle of say The North Face Endurance Challenge in December or the Mt. Diablo Challenge. Not to talk down about Coastal Trail Runs, Steep Ravine or Wendell and his races, they do a fantastic job at organizing these races for us to enjoy. I just say this because i see these two latter races as a bigger challenge for me at this point in my racing/running. Focusing on these two races this year, what i learned from this event is so valuable and is going to give me that much more experience on executing race strategy. 

The Running was excellent. I felt great, the course was a moderate to tough coarse for the area events and i think i felt very comfortable without experiencing any significant low points at any point on the race. At some points i even pushed-it up a notch because i felt the need for speed but it was a single random isolated time. 

Overall, great event, great coarse, good people. Thanks to Wendell, Coastal Trail Runs Race Director for the free t-shirt and the hot soup after the race. 

Credit to Coastal Trail Runs for the nice finish line picture.

Monday July 30 - Sunday August 5

Monday: 7 mile run from Whales Cove to North Peak of Pedro Mountain. Ran slower than normal on my way up the hill and bit faster on the down-hill. Felt ok, maybe a bit exhausted. For some reason my thyroid or something in my lower neck felt like it was closing up. It felt like sometimes when i drink pills with not enough water and the pill does not go down all the way and stays in the upper esophagus. Like that i felt like i had something i needed to get down with some water or as flem. A whole lot of flem kept coming out of there so i had get it out and spit it.
Tuesday: 5 mile run to and from the coffee shop. Felt good, nothing to point or worry about.
Wednesday: Ran to VM for TRX/Spin classes. 4.5 mile run at moderate speed. Felt great during Tony's TRX and John's spin. 15 minute ad-ductors stretch. Nothing important to point out, just business as usual.
Thursday: Walked to the coffee shop and back on my amphibians minimalist shoes on my way back (5 miles).
Friday: Off from activity, walked to Potrero and 24th st. (2 miles)today and to my surprise i felt a bit of tingling sensations on my VMO's. Never felt this before but due to the intensity of the last two weeks is understandable to feel this way.
Saturday:
Sunday: Steep Ravine 50k race (went off coarse and as a consequence got a DNF, did not finish). Completed 29 miles 

totals:
                             Running: 45.5 miles
                             Walking/hiking: 7 miles
                             Biking: 1 bike session at VM
                             Gym: 1 TRX, 1 spin sessions at VM

Monday July 23 -- Sunday July 29

Monday: 7 mile run from Whale's Cove to North Peak of Pedro Mountain, 1:14 minutes. 4 Mile hike to Coit Tower with sister and cousin.
Tuesday: 2.5 mile walk to the coffee shop.
Wednesday: Ran to Valencia Muscle (4.5 miles), and from bart station on my way home, for TRX & spin tonight. Had two excellent classes with Tony "the torture chamber" on TRX and John on spin. TRX was ok, i feel like i am better able to handle the exercises now unlike the first couple sessions. Tony i think has a lot to do with me pushing myself since he is such a great motivator, the class always goes by so fast with him. Spin with John was like always, challenging. I started off a bit tired with the known lactic acid creeping in my quads the first 10 minutes and then it went away. By 25 minutes i felt great with tons of energy. I feel like i pushed spin like i had not pushed in a couple weeks. Great feeling since i'm still on a no sugar or carb diet. Talked to John about no sugar & carb diet tonight and he advised me not to race on this diet. Just like i expect it, the body uses the stored carbs and fat on the body and when it runs out, it uses muscles tissue. This is where it causes injuries. John once more has proven to be a fantastic resource for my running, thank you John.
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: Ran to the gym for Boot Camp and Spin and back home through a steep mountain at Noe Valley. I think the estimated distance running was about 8 miles with a significantly steep elevation considering the kind of running i do here in the city. Boot camp was ok with Brandon for 30 minutes doing boot camp stuff and David taking over the second half with some core routines that are excellent. Spin was as always, awesome. Great effort and body felt great, no complaints. I just noticed i hardly talk about my knee anymore. That is great news, i want to do a bit more of the weigh training though. I'm 100% sure that was the key element to me getting healthy.
Sunday: 6.5 mile run 1:15 minutes tonight through the Noe Valley hills. These hills are great for training as they are steep and short. Felt great!

totals:
                Running: 25.5 miles
                Walking/Hiking: 6.5 miles
                Biking: 2 spin sessions
                Gym: 1 TRX, 1 boot camp, 2 spin sessions at VM

Monday July 16 - Sunday July 22

Monday: 5.50 mile run to and from work at a high speed. 7:20 min/mile in 42 minutes
Tuesday: 5 mile walk to and from work.
Wednesday: 7.17 mile run through work to the hills. 1hour 17 minutes at 10 min/miles
Thursday: 5 mile walk to and from work. 
Friday: 5 mile walk from home to work. I took my Amphibian shoes to work and worked with them                   all day and walked back home with them.
Saturday: TRX & Spin, David is strong and John i back from vacation.
Sunday: 4 mile walk with the mission protest ending at Dolores Park.


               totals:
                          Running:  12.67 miles
                          Walk/hike: 14 miles
                          Bike:  0 miles
                          Boot&Spin: 1

Monday July 2 - Sunday July 8

Monday: 9.5 mile run to my bank
Tuesday: 5 mile run to and from the coffee shop. No carbs of sugars for 2 weeks today and feeling great. I'm beginning to think that is possible to run without them.
Wednesday: off
Thursday: 5 mile walk to and from work.
Friday: off
Saturday: 5 mile walk to and from work.
Sunday: off

June 25 - June

Monday- 4 mile jog with Karla and Kari at Golden Gate Park. Great day for karla, first five mile run in her life!
Tuesday- off
Wednesday- Boot camp and TRX, thought i was going to struggle more due to the fact that i'm not eating any sugars or carbs at the moment but i did ok. Not the same explosiveness as i had before but enough to give a good effort and go through both with comfort. Happy b-day John.
Thursday- 2.5 mile run home from work.
Friday- 2.5 mile run home from work
Saturday- 4 mile hike with Karla, Raquel and Ale
Sunday- 4 mile run with Karla to Valley T to watch the Spain vs. Italy final and back home.

totals: 
                     Run: 13 miles
                     Bike: 0 miles
                     Hike: 4 miles

June 18 - June 4

Monday: Off
Tuesday: 2.5 mile run home from work
Wednesday: 7 mile awesome run to and from VM. At the gym i did a one hour session of TRX with Tony the torture chamber & Spin with john. Both were great even though i have not had any sugar or carb in two days. Felt great overall at the end of the day.
Thursday: 5 mile run to and from work 48 minutes
Friday: Walked to and from work 5 miles
Saturday: OFF
Sunday: 2.5 miles back home from work.


          totals:
               Running: 17 miles 
               Walk/Hike: 5 miles 

Monday June 11 - Sunday June 17

Monday: Ran to my bank 10 miles, first 5 miles at a 7:30 minute mile pace and finished with an average 9:50 minute mile pace. I also stopped at the gym for a 30 minute stretch before running back home.
Tuesday: Ran to the shop up the top of the hill and back home. 3.5 miles to coffee shop and 2.5 back both at moderate to fast speed. Total 6 miles.
Wednesday: Boot camp, no spin tonight. Boot was an hour long with Tony the torture chamber tonight with lots of burpies, push-ups, and sit-ups to warm up and a circuit to finish. Very challenging but rewarding workout tonight. I must add that i had a 2.5 hour dynamic workout before boot camp tonight. I did some sideway shuffles with the two rubber bands on my legs, lunges from one side of the room to the other, did some leg curls laying on my back legs on a giant ball and curling the ball back and i also did some donkey kicks on a machine. I did a couple sets of each of these and i also did a lot of different dynamic stretches. Good day overall.
Thursday: 3 mile walk home from the coffee shop, i felt a little tired and sore from my workout yesterday. A walk is better than hitting the couch.
Friday: Ran to and from the shop, 5 miles around 25 minutes.
Saturday: Started TRX at VM this morning with a full hour with John. It felt a bit difficult, i felt a lot of pain throughout the class from most of the exercises. Is early to figure out how and if TRX is going to help me in my running. At this point i think that any workout i get at the gym is welcomed. I feel lucky to have found a place where i feel i belong and feel at my element. John and all the staff have been awesome and Veronica, Shirley, and Korina have been an inspiration every day. They all have motivated me in a different way to push myself to the limit. Spin was also a full hour and it felt composed. I don't know if John was taking it easy on us or if i was having one of those days. We did do a set of the 30 second sprints that totally drains me. The sweating was also amazing as i soaked my shirt and a pair of other garment. Great day, and an amazing week. Feel like i will arrive to Marine Ultra Trail in a great form.
Sunday: Off

             totals:
                  Running: 21 miles
                  Biking: 0 miles
                  Gym: 1 boot camp, 1 TRX, 1 spin, 2.5 hour dynamic workout
                  Walk/hike: 3 mile

Monday June 4 - Sunday June 10

Monday: Fasting
Tuesday: Fasting
Wednesday: Boot & spin, struggled. Felt a bit weak.
Thursday: Ran to work 2.5 miles.
Friday: Ran to work, 2.5 miles.
Saturday: Boot & spin, felt a bit fatigued at the beginning with lactic acid on my quads based on the pain the first 15 minutes. After 15 minutes i felt strong and finished strong. Walked to Bernie's, 2 miles.
Sunday: Off

                  totals:
                           Running: 5 miles
                           Biking: 0 miles 
                           Gym: 2 boot camps, 2 spin, 
                           Walk/hike: 2 miles

Monday May 28 - Sunday June 3

Monday: Hike & light run with Karla at Muir Beach, about 3 miles.
Tuesday: Ran to VM, 3.5 miles in 31 minutes, and had a couple of adductors stretches. Afternoon run from Berney's to home, 2.5 miles 22 minutes.
Wednesday: Boot & spin with Tony and his torture chamber. Tony was off his head today, had an intense workout. John was very demanding as well, asked for a minute sprints standing up on the bike but it was actually 2 minutes long. That was so intense but it will get me closer to my potential for my next race.
Thursday: Off
Friday: Ran to VM, 3.5 miles and had a 1.5 hour workout with a 18 minute bike warm-up targeting heart rate, leg press, glut workout on machine, dynamic stretch and a full adductor stretch in between workouts.
Saturday: Off, for some reason i felt exhausted. Don't know if it was from yesterday's workout or from boot camp on Wednesday. I did have an extremely hard boot camp and spin wednesday night and my workout yesterday always drains me out. Met Adan's dad after work for a drink.
Sunday: Off

             totals:
                       Running: 6
                       Biking: 0 miles
                       Gym: 1 Boot camp, 1 spin, 1.5 hour weigh training
                       Walk/hike: 2

Monday May 21 - Sunday May 27

Monday: Ran from home to the coffee shop, 2.5 miles in 26 minutes.
Tuesday: Ran from home to the coffee shop, 2.5 miles in 26 minutes.
Wednesday: Boot camp & spin, felt good. Tony the torture machine was at its best and John was as always, at full speed.
Thursday: Ran from home to the coffee shop, 2.5 miles in 26 minutes.
Friday: Off
Saturday: Boot camp and 45 minute treadmill run at VM. 30 minute in moderate speed, 10 minute high speed and 5 minute marathon pace speed. Made it to yoga stretch after the spin class.
Sunday: Off


               totals:
                          Running: 9.5 miles
                          Biking: 0 Miles
                          Gym: 1 Boot camp, 1 spin
                          Walk/hike: 0 miles

Horseshoe Lake 50k Race Report

Got to the Skyline Ridge about 45 minutes before start time and got registered, got dressed, found a place to drop my bags and 30 minutes of chill time before start.

Start time was in a bit as half & full marathoners and 50k's were asked to line up at the start line. I lined up on the right front side and talked to a guy there who i ran with for quite awhile. His name was Charles from Modesto he said he had run a lot of 50k's, 50M and even 100, including WS.

((Start)) and about 6 or 7 of us were took the lead. There was 5 half & marathoners a 50k guy without a shirt and Charles and i. A couple of these guys went ahead and i decided not to catch them but keeping close distance to the 50k guy. We ran for about 4 miles while i was keeping an eye on the shirtless guy, the others could go as far as they wanted as far as i was concerned. After mile 4 i decided, with Charles' point of view in mind to keep that pace and let the 50k guy go. My water bottle was empty and i was a bit concerned but i knew soon i will get comfortable on the trail. The turnaround came very soon, (6.5 miles) i was comfortable at that point because the 50 k guy was going just a bit faster than Charles and i and i was feeling great at an easy pace. I grabbed a banana dipped it in salt, got a citrus gel and got my bottle filled with water and Charles and i were off. At about mile 9 i started to pull ahead of Charles while still on a comfortable pace and entered into the forest like vegetation. Ran and felt great for a lot of this section. When i got to the next aid station at mile (13.1) i was feeling ok, i filled my bottle with electrolytes, got a banana dipped in salt, PB&J mini, strawberry gel and went off. Charles was 2nd just one minute behind and the shirtless guy was 1st place 50k about 3 or 4 minutes ahead. 2 miles in (15 miles) i opened the strawberry gel and i started to feel my stomach  react to it and immediately stopped eating the gel and decided to drink more to help with that. Don't know if it was the gel or my stomach to blame for this. I thought that until my stomach feels better i will drink more. This became true as in mile 17 when i was able to tolerate the nasty tasting strawberry gel with the extra precaution of downing it with a gulp of electrolytes. At about the same time a guy with a water pack passed me and i noticed that he was also running the 50k race. Before the turnaround to my surprise he had taken the lead from the shirtless guy. I got to the aid station (19.6 miles) and got a citrus gel, banana dipped in salt, electrolytes and went off. Charles was a minute back and told me the two guys were 3 minutes ahead. At that point i took my shades off and i took a wrong turn, ran back freaked out and soon found the way as i noticed Charles climbing the hill ahead. I soon caught up to him and soon passed him still on a comfortable pace climbing strong. I had lost an additional 3 minutes on the leaders and about 6 minutes behind. At about mile 20 to mile 22.5 i was alone on the forest very comfortable. I soon had the shirtless guy on sight about 1 minute ahead on a series of climbs. He noticed me and tried to get away on some down-hills but i was just feeling good and he was burned out. I caught up to him at about mile 25 and he said he was cramping. Got to the marathon finish line (26.2 miles) and got electrolytes and went off as shirtless guy arrived at the aid station.

Final 5 miles ahead at 2nd place with a guy right behind me trying to keep up. There were a series of hills and i powered through them to get away from no shirt guy for good. I put 3 minutes on him on those hills. I ran some flat ground for a bit and then saw a small lake ahead and an indian party with a table fully stocked with food. I thought it was an aid station as i asked one of them and received a stare of confusion. I went on and soon noticed a guy i had never seen before behind me running fast. I tried to run faster but he soon caught up to me and said, "i'm not running, you're ok". Then i saw the guy on 1st place up on the hill having a hard time hiking. At this point i was happy with 2nd place but as i climbed the mountain faster than him i started to entertain the idea of me passing him. Just ahead was the turnaround i noticed that the guy who just passed me was pacing the leader and then the unexpected happened. I was first place with 2.5 miles to go. Ran a couple of down-hills and approached the lake with the indian party again and pressed on the same path back to the finish line. Half a mile later i came across a chain of 50k runners  one by one all expressing their respects as we crossed paths. One of the guys who, later said he was from fresno, said as he saw me, "right on!, go get it!". Then came a series of small climbs that at that point seem enormous and i felt like hiking them to rest for a bit but i knew that if i stopped i will get lazy and people were going to pass me. I ran a couple of them and then came the toughest one and as i took a couple hiking steps, i saw the guy with his pacer around the curve behind the trees and immediately ran out of sight. I thought to myself, "this is my race to loose. Is now or never. I can't let this slip away".  There was no way i was going to stop to rest a mile and a half from the finnish line. Then i powered through the hill and from then on it was flat and down-hill. I increased the pace a bit making sure not to risk injury and then i knew it was mine. 20 feet before the finish line my mind went blank, i could not think of any particular thing in specific for longer than 1 second. Maybe 1 second was a long time at that mental state but i sure was on a different place. Great run, big thanks to Charles for his spot on prediction of the day and race, had an awesome time with him.

Credit to Coastal Trail Runs for the finish line picture.

Monday May 7 - Sunday May 13

Monday: Post b-will b-day
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: 22 mile run from Whales cove to North Peak (3 laps). I went out there to run two laps, 15 miles, but as soon as i was done with that i knew that i could easily do another lap and decided to go for it and be more confident for Woodside 50k in 9 days. The last 1.5 miles of my last ascent were painful and as was my descent. At the end of the day i had an excellent run that has me motivated and confident going to the race.
Thursday: Worked, walkes a few miles.
Friday: Ran to and from the coffee shop (5 miles)
Saturday: Boot camp & spin this morning. New boot camp instructor, tougher than Tony. A lot of different exercises he brought to the table and he actually directs us like a boot camp with quick changes of exercises and pace. Excellent overall. Spin was tough as always, nothing further to point out.
Sunday: Active day off helping Karla at school with the assembly prep.
   
     Totals:
         Running: 27 miles
         Biking:  0
         Boot & Spin: 1

Monday April 30 - Sunday May 6

Monday: 5.5 mile run to and from the coffee shop.
Tuesday: Biked to the gym (5.5 miles) and to work and had a great 1.5 hour dynamic stretch and weight training at VM. 30 minute treadmill run (3 miles) at a 8.5 incline.
Wednesday: 6.4 mile run on Market Street to RCU and back home. Felt good, a little tired but good. I had to run back to the Mission Dolores for Ginger's aunt's funeral and then work.
Thursday: 4.5 mile run to and at Glen Canyon and back home. I was extremely sore from my workout on Tuesday but made an effort to stretch out by running tonight. A light run is good to get rid of the soreness when is tolerable. Everything felt great after warming up and even the soreness disappeared. I was greeted at home by Karla and Kari + Mike for fish tacos and chicken with potatoes and spinach. Great finish to a lazy day.
Friday: Biked to work and back (5 miles).
Saturday: Boot Camp & Spin. Great effort today, Veronica, shirley, tatoo girl and i were boot camp today and Veronica and i were spin. Twenty minutes towards the end Veronica left and i was left with John who pushed me to go beyond where i've been in my fitness.
Sunday: Ballgame today and Ben's birthday, fitness off day.

    Running: 19.4 miles
    Biking: 10.5 miles
    Boot/Spin: 1

Monday April 23 - Sunday April 29

Monday: 15.41 mile run at 2:23 min 9:17 min. miles (Garmin) at TNF 50M first half. I should also include a 40 minute hike trying to find the trails of the start of the race. I felt great out there, great effort and great response by my legs. I started out at the end of Bobcat Trail and begining of Miwok Trail towards Tennessee Valley Trail towards the Coastal Trail ending at Stinson Beach and then Headed back by taking Coastal Fire Road then Fox Trail arriving to Tennessee Valley towards Marincello Trail towards Bobcat Trail leading to Rodeo Valley Trail back to the starting line.
Tuesday: Off, had a caffeine overdose yesterday by drinking a two shot caramel macciatto with almond milk Ola prepared for me. I talked to Erick and he said it was like taking a dose of heroin and that it was a combination of me having low blood pressure from my long run yesterday and that drink which skyrocketed my blood pressure. One hour after i consumed the drink i began to feel light headed and shortness of breath borderline passing out. I then took a coke, due to past experiences with low blood pressure, and i didn't feel worst but i didn't feel any better either. At the end of the night my stomach was bloated and irritated and my ears were a bit swollen and ringed a bit. My injured knee felt like after i have a couple beers, stinging like an open wound. I'm sure there is something in acidic stuff like beer and coffee that triggers my knee problem, maybe an allergy to something. I want to point out that i have not skipped any meals after my long run yesterday, as a matter of fact, all my meals have been fantastic till this morning before work. Chia seed, vega mix, salt, honney, shake right after the run and about half a bottle of gatorade. I had a salmon fillet with rice, green beans, broccoli, udo oil, gatorade 40 minutes after my run and a huge slice of pizza and a corn for dinner. For breakfast today i had a two egg red bell pepper scramble with 2 walnut toast w/jam, fruit salad, side of avocado, and a green tea. Fluids have been ok, drank a 20oz bottle of water while on the run, the shake right after, bit of gatorade, and a 20oz water bottle right after the run. My intake after i got home has been as usual, not the best but not too bad either.
Wednesday: Took the day off, still feel the same symptoms. My ears are clogged and a bit swollen and ringing, my stomach still feels irritated, and my energy is just not in place. I have been eating a lot, mostly healthy stuff though. I won't feel bad from this a week later when i start feeling like myself.
Thursday: Walked to and from work (5 miles), Won't do more than that after that caffeine episode. Started feeling like myself again at the end of the day today, what a trip!
Friday: Finally feel way better and with enough energy to go to the gym but i think i will just go tomorrow or sunday. I woke up at around 5:30am this morning to pick up Karla from SFO and i need to do laundry, tonight is also Mana concert. Too many stuff going on today to have a hard workout and specially for where my body is right now. Feel like these couple days off are affecting my 2 month of hard work but i also need to trust in life and that it will take me to where i need to be. Maybe this episode is my body's way of saying "hang on cowboy, let me catch my breath."
Saturday: Biked to VM for boot camp and spin this morning , felt good.
Sunday: Off

Monday 16 - Sunday 22

Monday: 4.4 mile run from home to the coffee shop to Valencia muscle and a full workout at VM. Felt good, no complaints.

Tuesday: Morning 6.75 mile run to twin peaks, felt good. 

Wednesday: Boot camp and spin tonight. I felt weak and didn't feel like doing anything but i pulled through and finished with a bit of energy. I think the 6+ mile run yesterday squeezed the juice out of me and left me dry. I had a good meal after the run but i feel like it was not enough to re-generate. I had a vegetable soup with lentils. I should have a little more in the future. I'm so glad i pulled through in that condition tonight though. 

Thursday: Ran 5 miles to and from work. Nothing interesting.

Friday: Active day off, bike commute to coffee shop (5 miles). 

Saturday: Rode to gym (5.5 miles) boot camp and spin. During classes i felt ok, nothing out of the ordinary. I have been feeling back pain for about four days now. Might be all the activity throughout the day every day, i will rest tomorrow and maybe Monday too to be 100% for boot/spin on Wednesday next week. 

Sunday: Off, for the last four days or so i have had a lot of back pain. I have not experienced this kind of pain in a long time, or should i say, none that i can remember. I will be conservative and take the safest approach and take today off maybe monday too to be fresh for boot camp and spin on Wednesday.

Week totals:

     Running: 15.6 Miles
     Biking: 15.5 Miles
     Boot/spin: Wednesday & Saturday

Monday 9 - Sunday 15

Monday: Off, first day at Bernie's.
Tuesday: Light stretch and 45 minute run at 3 different paces. Felt great, no complaints.
Wednesday: Boot camp and spin tonight. Tony was mad tonight Beat us up more than ever before, survived though. 30 minute run in the treadmill right after boot camp at moderate and fast pace. Felt great, no complaints. Hopped on the bike for boot camp for the remaining 15 or 20 minutes. I was able to break another sweat after being cooled down at the treadmill. Like last week, i was able to do spin intensely without burning myself completely. Getting in great shape.
Thursday: 1.5 hour morning workout at Valencia Muscle. Full routine with workouts a bit slower, more quality sessions. Felt great, no complaints at all.
Friday: Light stretch at Valencia Muscle and a 20 minute run on the treadmill. 15 minutes moderate speed and 5 minutes high speed.
Saturday: Boot camp and spin on this beautiful morning. Struggled a bit on spin today. I felt like my legs were just too tired. I have a couple theories to justify this. It might have been the hours worked at the coffee shop, the biking commute to work and gym, or the tough workouts on Wednesday and Thursday. Whatever the reason is, i'm still keeping my schedule at the gym the same even though i started working and that is something to celebrate.
Sunday: 90 minute thai massage today, the best way to recover from a couple weeks of hard work.

Monday April 2 - Monday April 8, 2012

Monday: Ran to Haight & Ashburry to pick up my new bike. About 3.5 miles, felt great. No complaints.
Tuesday: Full gym routine that included leg press, dead lifts, and one legged squats each one followed by at least one stretch. Most of the exercises were followed by three different stretch. Great workout today.
Wednesday: Rode my bike to boot camp with Tony and Spin with John tonight. Tony was mean today, he drained everything i had out in just under an hour. Initially i didn't think i had it in me for spin class so i went to run at the treadmill. I must had been running about 23 minutes when John came out looking for someone in the gym. It turns out he was looking for me to tell me there was an extra bike. I was feeling way better by now so i took his invitation. I finished strong, no problem at all. I was telling John after the class that maybe i have gone through that initial point where 10 minutes before the end of the class i was exhausted and looking at the clock and John every minute looking for signs of an ending class. For the last two classes i have been composed and with all my breath at the end of the class. Great sign.
Thursday: Active day off, 1 hour stretch at Valencia Muscle. Used the medicine ball and the foam roll to massage my legs and back and i also did a couple rounds of the stretches i do with Tony in between sessions. I also did a series of calf stretches on the calf machine and with the aerobic step. Good stretch today to regenerate the muscles after an intense workout last night.
Friday: 6.5 mile run to the mission tonight. One hour long at about 9 min/mile. No problem at all mate!
Saturday: Rode my bike to Valencia Muscle for boot camp and spin. Julian stepped it up today at boot camp. A lot of dumb-bell workouts and core stuff. Ab workouts were intense. In the beginning of the class i think i pounded too hard on the high-knees and butt kickers and noticed my knee getting irritated. I should watch that in the future. Spin went good today. I had lots of energy and was able to go through spin with an intensity that i have never done before. I was pedaling so fast i might have freaked out someone a bit in class. I felt really good though and thought this was the perfect opportunity to let all the frustrations of being exhausted all the time out. I was so surprised to see myself working out with way more intensity than most of everyone there. People that i have admired for their intense training at both classes. Excellent news, amazing what hard work and dedication will bring.
Sunday: OFF

Monday March 26- Sunday April 1

Monday: Camping with a bit of hiking at Tennessee valley trail and around.
Tuesday: Got home from camping.
Wednesday: Boot camp with Tony and spin with John. Both brutal. Worked extra hard with Tony pushing a punching bag across the hall, might have drained me for spin. Walked home too. I have pain on my legs and feels a little hot. I will raise my legs for a bit.
Thursday: Went to the gym for a light dynamic stretch and as i walked home from bart i felt tired. 15 minutes later at home i started to feel pain and inflammation on my left leg and had no alternative as to sit in the tub with cold water. Did this twice and inflammation went away and will provably stay off my feet for a couple hours. Is worth mentioning that i got about 6 hours of sleep last night. Must rest well tonight. I feel just like i feel when i work too hard. I feel inflammation, drained of energy, sore, muscle tightness, can't get a good night sleep etc... I feel good when i push myself to the limit but i need to be certain that what i did is safe in the long run. I want to push myself to the limit but i also don't want to risk re-injury and stop for months recovering. Will talk to John about this sometime this week.
Friday: Last rehab session with Tony. Good session with a lot of the same strengthening exercises followed by a lot of different stretches. Good overall. Towards the end he asked me to do some 1 legged squats like i asked him a while ago. I tried to do the exercise he told me but it was impossible. I felt that i did not have the muscle required to do it. I mentioned Tony that i felt like a baby, not being able to do that simple thing while 15 minutes before i lifted twice my weigh on the leg press. He mentioned a couple times how interesting that was. The exercise consisted of sitting on a bench and getting off from it with one leg while extending the other leg straight. As i was un-capable of doing that he was able to think of a variation that involved tying a rope to an apparatus and go backwards getting support from that. Instead of starting sitting down, start on my feet and work my way towards a seated position while grabbing ahold of the rope. The first set was super hard to do, the next two went a little easier. I need to hit that whole routine at least twice a week and for that to happen i need to figure out a schedule that will ideally include boot camp and spin on Wednesday and Saturday. If not, knock a boot camp and spin session off from the week. I need to highlight that Tony is an excellent physical therapist. The individual sessions i have done with him and the boot camp sessions have given me the opportunity to see his work. Good stuff Tony.
Saturday: Cruised through boot camp and spin classes today. I felt great at all times with tons of energy and breathing was not agitated like it has been in the past. Don't know if the workout i did with Tony or the fact that i got good rest and healthy food. Great day, excellent effort and better results.
Sunday: Active day off. Foam roller.

March 19- March 26

Monday: Ran to the gym, 3.6 miles, and did a full "tony" workout session. The workout was great, i did the full routine and aded two hip abductor workouts. It kinda surprises me that i am now able to lift way past my weigh and not be as exhausted as i was the previous sessions. My run on the other hand was great. I was able to run from home to the gym without any problems or dis-confort. This is huge news for me because before i was not able to run for stretches like this on plane ground without feeling my knee problem 15 minutes in the run. This is amazing and i am so excited to get 100% healthy.
Tuesday: Walked 1 mile to bart station to go to the gym and ran back home 3.6 miles. Today i did a session of a "dynamic stretch/core workout" at the gym. After feeling a little low on fuel this past weekend and forcing myself to have a good effort workout yesterday i decided to buy a baby blue color Gatorade today and i was amazed at how much energy it gave me. Is been a long time since i had one of these and it brought back memories on the kind of energy i had in the past. As i got off bart 10 blocks away from the gym and as i was walking there i was feeling like everyone was on my way just blasting past everyone with such a fast stride. At the gym i did a 30 minute dynamic stretch/core workout that incorporated some conventional workouts like jumping jacks, high knees, and but kickers to other nonconventional workouts i picked up at a video from indiana university runners at a sports facility.
My run back home was fantastic. I ran the first 2.5 miles at a comfortable pace and once i saw that it was safe, and since i was feeling fantastic, i gradually increased the pace the last mile. I had no dis-confort in my knee or any sharp pains, i was just gliding like i hadn't done in a long time. Is weird how i had forgotten how it felt like to run without worrying if my knee was ok, or trying my best to run properly to not irritate my knee and get the sharp pinch at the side of my knee. Today was just pure pleasure. I cant wait till i go to Montara or Sausalito for spring break and run a bit. In the mean time, i think i will continue to run to or from the gym. I don't want to run too much right now specially this recent in my recovery and specially in concrete. What a fantastic news!
Wednesday: Boot camp and spin tonight. After having a rough night of not sleeping at all, don't know why, i survived both classes with a great effort. Boot camp tonight was brutal, Tony's torture chamber as Nick says was at full speed. Usual rotation of 7 stations with assorted exercises that just drain you out drop by drop. Spin was as usual, torture. I just can't believe how the girls do so well at that. They seem not to get tired, every time i look towards them i see them doing the workout watching every little detail. I noticed that they also hardly sweat, while i soaked my shirt completely tonight. On the other hand i just fall apart on certain sections and have to retreat a bit to not completely stop. I will get stronger and my endurance will increase. It has been no more than 8 classes since i started these classes and i also need to point out that i had absolutely no quad strength. I should provably say leg strength in general. Great results this week overall.
Thursday: Early morning Whale's cove trail run, 6.7 miles at about 1:20 hours (50 min. up to peak 30 min. down). I felt tired borderline exhausted from boot camp and spin yesterday but i gave it a shot and managed to pull through with about the same effort as i usually do. This morning unlike the last couple runs here i have avoided running down-hill, not today. As i ran up to north peak i felt like, although tired, i wanted to test my knee and see where i was at considering my great effort over the last two weeks in the gym. About a mile down-hill, i noticed a pinch similar to the usual one that bothers me on a different place however. The pinch was a bit below the usual one on the side of my left knee. It was on the lower side of my left knee and only pinched for about two minutes and then it went away for good. The rest of the run was solid and a lot of fun. Good sign but still about two weeks in to the estimated six week rehab at Valencia Muscle. I should point out that i still need to focus on gym work and minimal runs. I noticed that my leg, from feet to hip, tensed up like it usually happened in the past. It happened today after this run. The weird part is that i had come from a couple days of uninterrupted gym workouts and no long runs like this one and no tension on my legs. What i get out of this is that 1) My leg tenses up when i run long runs. 2) My leg seems to be free from tension when i work out at the gym. Why does this happen? I can't be certain of anything in specific. It could be that the heavy lifting is really helping my legs and it could also be that the stretching i do after every workout is also helping. Maybe its the boot camp and spin class responsible. I don't know for sure. And so the solution is going to have to be a mix of about 80% of the gym work i have been doing at the gym and 20% running just to remind my body that it needs to keep strong running form. I would do gym work 100% but then after i would have to start running from scratch when i finnish my treatment.
Friday: Light evening dynamic stretch/core routine at the gym with about 15 min. run in an incline treadmill. The routine was from the U of Indiana program and it consisted mainly of leg stretching exercises while on your feet and some laying down. Routine, nothing interesting to say besides that.
Saturday: Boot camp and spin. Super tough sessions today with Jeff torturing us at boot camp and John at spin. Worked very hard today. Is interesting how on spin i am pushed to the limit and so far can't do the full routines. At some points specially when doing the sprint i need to abandon the sprint 5 seconds before the session finishes. The sprint consists of you standing on your bike and pedaling as fast as you can working your quads for about 30 seconds sometimes a full minute. Towards the end of the 30 seconds i hurt so much that the fight or flight sets in and have to stop. It is important to mention that i still don't have the quad strength that i should have due to my injury and avoiding a lot of leg work. Looking back on the limit thing, it is interesting to constantly, twice a week in my case right now, visit that limit and try to re-write that line that holds me back due to current fitness. To think that that limit is going to be pushed further and further every time i set foot in that class and work hard is motivating me in a different way. I have never looked at my fitness from this perspective before and so i feel in a way supported. I think that is what happens when you have a clear goal in mind, one that is visible and in your face. It is not the same as running where you compete against someone else and have variables that you can't control and in spin where the only opponent is your fitness. Your current fitness, which keeps changing for better or worst, is your only opponent and once you hit that point of intensity you just can't do much about it.
Sunday: Off

Monday March 11-Sunday March 18

Monday: 2nd session of Physical therapy today with tony at Valencia Muscle. Intense workout as i lifted about twice my weigh on the leg press. John noticed Tony and i were working and immediately told us i needed to lift twice my weigh on the leg press and on other areas. I appreciate John looking out for me like that, he is awesome. Other heavy stuff with legs included dead lifts and thighs workouts.

Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Still feel weak from whatever i caught last saturday . It feels like just a sore throat but the weakness i've been feeling the last few days makes it something more serious than a simple sore throat. I made an effort and made it to the gym today and do at least maintenance. With boot camp and spin class today it was hardly maintenance however. Managed to survive both boot camp and spin. Great effort at boot camp today. Spin however was another story. I felt very weak and so 15 minutes in i decided i was not going to push through the ups and downs. Cardio is unforgiving especially when you are not completely present, insight for future races. We usually do a combination of sprints resistance and more resistance at spin class. I instead opted for giving a nice flat effort from start to finish, no ups or downs no easy nor tough for me today. I did and i'm glad i did it. Felt a little stiff at the end for stretching but glad i took and followed through on my decision.
Thursday: Gym weight training today. Worked on the same routine i do with Tony and added 2 hip flexor workouts at the end. I was able to do the leg press with about 95 and 185lbs. of weigh and the rest of the workouts comparable to my last session with Tony. My legs feel great, super strong with less dis-confort due to tightness or weakness. The sharp pain on the side of my left knee however persists. When i feel this pain is mostly when i take days off and sit around for long periods of time. Tuesday i felt this a couple times. Today after my workout i felt no dis-confort whatsoever on this issue. I think time and   consistency at the gym is going to get me where i want to be. I just need to be patient and do what i need to do on a daily basis.
Friday: Ran at one of Valencia Muscle's treadmill today. I felt that the usual pain on the side of my knee that usually bothers me did not appear today. I however felt other stuff going on on my left knee that i had never felt before. I felt a slight quad soreness on the inner quad right above my knee. I feel that is nothing to worry about, i have the feeling is a muscle that was not working in the past and recently activated due to the intensive leg strengthening i've been doing. For the most part, i feel fired-up because for a long time i had not run 30 minutes on a flat surface without feeling the usual pain after 15 to 20 minutes after. Sometimes after 5 minutes i would stop running confused and upset. Now that i think about it, it makes sense that lifting twice your body weigh was going to be the best thing to do to prepare for running. When running you are constantly on one foot at a time and literally jumping on one foot putting all your weigh on a single leg. Great day overall.
Saturday: Off, i am disappointed on missing boot camp and spin today. A morning of cooking with the family is more important. I will feast (or i shall call it, carbo-loading) today and continue with training tomorrow.
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off

MondayMarch 5-Sunday March 11

Monday- AM: Gym workout today, did a session of my rehab routine. Light assisted stretch at PM with Karla.
Tuesday- AM: Excellent 3.3 mile run (46min.) from McNee Ranch entrance to North Peak. Not only did i run up to NP without any knee pain or inflammation but i hiked back (1 hour) downhill without pain or dis-confort whatsoever on my left knee. I did felt a little dis-confort on my right knee for about 5 minutes but nothing series enough to elaborate upon. Looks like what i'm doing for rehab is working well and i should continue patiently for a month +. I need to be patient and not attempt to run downhill, run too much  or long distances. PM: Light stretch and didn't need to ice my knee in the afternoon or at night.
Wednesday- AM: EXCELLENT Hazelnut loop run this morning. 28 min to the peak and 46 min hike down the hill. Didn't feel any pain or dis-confort on either knees as i ran and hiked an easy morning. Took the time to stretch for a bit before and after the run/hike, excellent news.
PM: Boot camp and spin class. I think Tony was angry during bot camp today and really made us pay for it. A lot of sit-ups and some combat combinations that were fun also. Spin class today felt so hard. Because i did a morning run and a hard effort in spin class i will never know if up to that point i was just tired or if it was a more difficult than usual class all-together. The important thing here is that i pushed way beyond my limit today and i raised the bar higher for myself. Good stuff!
Thursday- Active day off today. 5 mile walk to Noe Valley and cooled down my knee in cold water tub.
Friday: No Second Physical Therapy session today. Tony was out sick, re-scheduled for Monday. Maintained daily cardio session at the gym on the bike. 10 minute to surpass my 160 HR at a level 12. Nice stretch to cool off at the end. Deep stretch at home also, is amazing how sometimes penetrating to "pain territory" could be so tolerable. The quad stretch that has put me to tears during the last week was welcomed with open arms today. Didn't bother resisting it.
Saturday: Boot camp today was not what it sounds like. It was more like a warm-up. I bet the girls thought about this too. Spin class was also a little lame for me. With a crowded class, i didn't get a bike of my own and John was nice enough to lend me his. The bike however comes equipped with pedals that need appropriate shoes in order to get a good grip. I didn't have them and as a result my workout was a good 8 in effort. Got to talk to John today and i got some things about my knee cleared up. I now know my recovery path in it's entirety. Now the thing is to implement the information on solid training.
Sunday: Off

Monday February 27-Sunday March 4

Monday- Extensive IT Band stretching and beating with the softball and glass bottle. I really beat the heck out of my it band.
Tuesday- 3.5 mile minimal run at Hazlenut trail today. Felt good the first 2 miles and then i felt a slight pain on my left knee. I was able to finnish the trail with minimal pain.
Wednesday- Boot camp and spin class today in the city. I thought last week's boot camp was tough but today's spin class took it to another level. The back to back boot camp and spin class is unique and will get my fitness to the next level if i do both Wednesday and Saturday classes offered and combine that with something else during the week.
John at Valencia Muscle diagnosed me with Patelofemoral Pain Syndrome today. I a'm just thinking to myself, "wrong diagnosis, wrong freekin treatment". A lot of time "wasted" but at the end of it all, i'm starting to see the light. I start treatment with John on Friday and will continue for a couple months. I already cancelled Montara 50K and will cancel April's race as well if i have to to focus on getting 100%. I hope this puts an end to this misery.
Thursday- Excited to start a new recovery process that seems to be the right one.
Friday- First rehab session today went great. Four or five Quadricep strengthening exercises followed, each one, by a specified stretch. I am surprised on how your body communicates to you based on your needs. Some of the stretches Tony applied on me today i have done in the past on my own without even knowing about them from the internet or any physical therapy program. First day of Physical Therapy is over with a lot of skepticism based on my past experiences but with a lot of faith it will be successful. I know some day i will come across the right exercise, training, physical therapist, yogi, chiropractor, or whatever else i have tried in the past and get this over and done with. Most likely though, is going to be a combination of all of the above.
Saturday- Boot camp and spin class today at the gym. I am feeling stronger doing the spin class, positive not only because i'm getting in shape but because my quads is the main thing i need to strengthen for my Patelofemoral Pain Syndrome problem. Today i was able to stand up and do the sprint spin series almost to it's entirety. Lifting off the bike seat and pedaling as fast as your legs can power while keeping yourself steady for 30 seconds takes a whole lot of balls. Boot camp today surprisingly was completely different from Wednesday's class. James, the instructor, focused on upper body weigh training and abs workouts. The last really revealed that i have a weak core. With a couple more sessions i will be better.
Sunday- EXCELLENT 2 mile Hazlenut trail run to the mountain peak with my minimalists shoes. Didn't want to aggravate my knee with inflammation so i hiked down the peak in about an hour. I felt great, no inflammation and no pain at all. 2 miles might not seem much at all right now but the road towards getting healthy is going to start with baby steps. I hope to repeat this up-hill run down-hill hike for a couple weeks until i get quad strength to allow me to run longer.

First day of Boot & Spin

Monday February 20: 90 min. thai massage. Martha beat up my IT Bands pretty good, awesome!
Tuesday February 21: Light core workout
Wednesday February 22: Boot camp and gym workout + core workout at home
Thursday February 23: Off
Friday February 24: Off
Saturday February 25: Light core and stretch
Sunday February 26: IT Band workout with softball & bottle and Foam roller + stretch

Monday Feb. 13- Sunday Feb. 19

Monday: Off, recovery on my 18 mile run has been long and hard.
Tuesday: Minimal shoe run, 3.5 miles
Wednesday:Off
Thursday:Off
Friday: Core workout #2
Saturday:Off
Sunday: Quick stretch/ foam roller session

Monday Feb. 6- Sunday Feb. 12

Monday: 3.5 mile trail run, 9.5 mile hike
Tuesday: 45 min. walk, 90 min. Bikram yoga
Wednesday: 45 min. Montara run, 3 hour hike
Thursday: 1 core routine #2, 90 Bikram yoga
Friday: Light stretching & foam roller sessions
Saturday: 18 mile intensive trail run
Sunday: Light stretch and foam roller

http://www.marca.com/2012/02/12/atletismo/1329054377.html

Monday Jan. 30-Sunday Feb. 5

Monday: AM--Bikram Yoga, 60 min. walk, PM--45 min. run, 40 min. walk
Tuesday: AM--45 min. run, 45 min. walk
Wednesday: 2 sets of workout #2, 30 minute run at Glen Park(good effort).
Thursday: 1 set of core workout #2
 Friday: 1 set of core workout #2
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off

http://missionkilimanjaro.com/blog/2012/01/26/the-journey-is-completed/

Jan 23-Jan 29

Monday: 90 min. Bikram yoga
Tuesday: AM--90 min. Bikram yoga, PM--90 min Bikram yoga
Wednesday:AM--90 min. Bikram yoga
Thursday:AM--90 min. Bikram yoga, PM--3 hour city walk
Friday:AM--90 min. Bikram yoga
Saturday:AM--3 hour hike at Mt. Sutro
Sunday:AM--3 hour hike at Pacifica

Monday 16-Sunday 21

Monday: 90 min. Bikram Yoga & 2 hour core workout
Tuesday: 90 min. Bikram Yoga & 2 hour core workout
Wednesday: 90 min. Bikram Yoga
Thursday: 90 min. Bikram Yoga
Friday: 90 min. Bikram Yoga
Saturday: Off
Sunday:Off

2012

Just got back last Thursday January 12 from my trip to Mexico. Even though i didn't do the demanding workout schedule i had planned to it's entirety, i did work out every other day. I guess my excitement about this year got the best of me when it came to planning my VACATION workout schedule. The important thing is that i'm back home, it's 2012, and i'm excited to train for the upcoming races.