Learning to live with myself, part 2

Again running after fun and auto-discovery, objectively training for the Big Cat Challenge taking advantage of a business trip, I took part in the North Face Endurance Challenge 2008 in San Francisco, CA. Because of the challenging course, I decided to run the half-marathon. Maybe next year I will be ready for the 50K or the 50M courses.

This was my very first trail race, with the usual extra hardships: I arrived at San Francisco at 11:50PM on the night before the race, after travelling for about twelve hours (from Miami), and waking up at 4:30 AM in order to be able to get to take the shuttle to the start, at the Golden Gate National Recreational Area. Temperatures were around freezing 44F on the morning of the race day, promising a very interesting race. Dean Karnazes was there hosting the event, less than 24hours after coming back from his trip to Antarctica, and classified this course as difficulty 8/10.

Besides the excitement and the challenge, the idea was to use this race as a rehearsal for the Big Cat Challenge, testing new trail running shoes and Injinji running socks. I have to say: I am impressed! Besides multiple compliments about my shoes, I could run wildly over the sandy fire roads, comfortably and fast on downhills. No blisters, no pain. I just regret to have bought white socks, and just one pair!

During this race I could really feel I was flying on downhills, but uphills were brutal, and I have learned my lesson on specific training: train on hills, to be able to run uphills!

It was a real pleasure to run those trails, where the only people you could see were the runners, and there was no cell signal in many areas. That is a definition of heaven on Earth...

I was really happy to participate in that race, and my prediction of 2:30 finish was not wrong: I finished 2:38:23, with no injuries, no falls, no blisters. My muscles were sore for a week after the race, mostly on the abdomen, and this was a good training race for the Big Cat Challenge. Again I ran a race by curiosity and impulse, but at least I was running in the right direction.

This was my first step to finish 2008 with a strong kick and to solve once for all my growing pains.


Next races: Big Cat Challenge 12-hour Ultramarathon (12/27/08), Surf City USA Marathon (02/01/09), Pasadena Marathon (03/22/09), 27th Annual Avia Wildflower Triathlon Long Course (05/02/09), Vineman Ironman 70.3 (07/19/09).

Heroes of the week: the San Diego Chargers came back to spotlight, bringing hopes for playoffs. Support your local team!

Quote of the week: “Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second." William James.

Holy Water and multiple blessings

Finally rain came to California, watering the plants and cleaning the air. Now it does feel like Fall and Thanksgiving week.

But I'd like to talk about other waters. Last week I returned to swimming training, after a month off, because of trips, marathon training and recovery, and cold nights. It was like a rebirth, or a baptism, if you like. Streaming through the swimming pool, I experienced the same joy I felt when I was able to swim 200 meters without stop for the first time. This is what I live for. That night I dreamt I was flying.

As expected, Brian did better than expected. He finished Ironman Arizona in 10:09:48 (overall 171/2300, age group 23/201). As I said before: this guy is living the dream! Congratulations!

Talking about heroes, Dean Karnazes has started his journey on The Last Desert, an ultramarathon in Antarctica, seeking to be the first to complete all four deserts in a year (Atacama, Gobi, Sahara and Antarctica).

Talking about blessings, I just bought a my first cycling computer. This is my first step to start flying on the bike. Last weekend I had my last ride without it, and of course I forgot my watch. During the same ride I had my first flat; I estimate I was back on the course in eight minutes, approximately.

Still talking about blessings, the controversy is on about swimming speedsuits. USA Swimming has proposed new swimsuit regulation, coming together to the concerns about technological "doping". This questions all world records achieved during last Olympics, and probably will turn them unreachable. It will be interesting to see what will be the final solution.

This is Thanksgiving Day, and here I register my humble gratitude for all the joy and happiness achieved this year. This weekend I will compete in the Turkey Tri, my fourth sprint triathlon. This year I became a triathlete, and through triathlon I was able to make a myriad of new friends, have multiple additional reasons to smile every day, and have found new goals in my life.

Thank God, this year has been a year of hard work, and that is why I play hard. Next week I am traveling to San Francisco, and I will take opportunity to run my first trail race, in The North Face Endurance Challenge. Because the trail course involves ascent of more than 900 feet, I will run the half-marathon, instead of the 50K or 50M courses. But do not worry: to extend my limits I have registered for the Big Cat Challenge 2008, a 12-hour ultramarathon.

Next races: Turkey Tri (11/30/08), The North Face Endurance Challenge Half-Marathon (12/06/08), Big Cat Challenge 12-hour Ultramaraton (12/27/08), Surf City USA Marathon (02/01/09), Vineman Ironman 70.3 (07/19/09).

Hero of the week: Brian Melekian. Every week he shows me new possibilities, new goals, new dreams.

Quote of the week: "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." Mahatma Gandhi.