One Ale of a Trail 5-Mile Trail Run - Let the Universe Correspond to your "Beingness"

All set up that morning. Trail run to cheer for mom, then Nick's soccer game and Sunday Lucas' two games. ALL4-1. The W Team, ALL4-1. We arrived not that early... I mean not early enough for "full warmup and so on", so while kids were waiting on line for restroom, running mom when for "short warm up and so on".

Starting line and still stretching some while talking with friends. On your marks, get ready, set and go! Started at the front but carefully on the side to let faster runners go. Rocky flat mile at the start, followed by grassy hills is a wonderful forest.

Relax, go, enjoy that "slam" feeling around trees. Green t-shirt runner there I go. Nice pace, I'll try to keep it, well for a while. I need to move forward. Yellow t-shirt next. This pace is fun! But again I need to move forward. Green t-shirt again? You got back? But you sound out of breath... Watch out. Still over 3 miles to go, and sorry but I will lead. Bye!

Almost mile 4, and one more to go. Passed a couple guys and it was really cheering when they told me "look you were holding your b_ _ _ and now go!". Last mile and a girl in front. Not afraid, I will go for her! Passed her and a couple guys cheering her "get her back!". But I was not going to let it happen. That girl had no idea where I was coming from.

Almost there! I can see the finish line. Go for it, crossed it. Nothing fast but delicious feeling of burning legs while trying to catch up breath and hug Lucas & Nick.

The Universe is full of diversity and choice and you get to experience the reality you choose, and you choose it by what you focus upon. Along the way, there may be stumbles and happenings which may surprise you; they will be indicators of tweaks you can make to improve your alignment and flow. When something surprises you, it is an opportunity to adjust your attention to what is important to you and BE from it. The Universe soon corresponds to your beingness by way of physical manifestations.

R’n’R 13.1 – Joyfully Pursuing Something Challenging

I wasn’t sure what it was. My whole me - heart, brain, soul, mind - was looking for something. Without even realizing I started with new things, from professional development to tune up some skills, journaling, nutrition, learning about recipes and twisting 180 degrees and percent my approach to life and running & training. I needed to separate myself from the pain and "hard effort" association to any activity.

Rock and Roll Dallas Half Marathon was my BIG G, “To be able to run it again and HAPPY!”

• HAPPY because: I am able to run this year vs being off road last couple years
• HAPPY even though: it will take me longer than the  1 hour 27min 46secs at a 6:46 pace 3 years ago

Event started car-pooling with friend Hector, who I offered myself as his co-pilot to enjoy some runners’ chat before race. As he has a trip to Buenos Aires, my home city, on mind he got me!!! I arrived little bit earlier than planned. I must confess I had a nightmare with traffic and catching the shuttle. I was a nightmare mixing a race in Buenos Aires, missing the “colectivo” (bus) that got me little bit nervous. 

Luckily we are in USA where logistics almost always work perfect. I felt very relieved once we parked and got the shuttle at the Fair Park. Runners were all around getting on their corrals. We got to warm up at the starting line with elites around, something very inspiring!

Another cool thing at the start happened when I was dropping my warm up clothes on the side of the corral and a lady around asked me if she could take them. It made me happy that someone was going to get and use those clothes!

I started with corral 2 set to finish in 1:45. Too fast? Too slow? No idea. I do not like to make race maths. I was just going to run respecting what my running angel had for me. My only promise to running angel was to smile at least every mile and in front of cameras. Started running and went front of corral and passing some runners. Mile 1 one, mile 2 and 3 and 4… I knew my BOYZ “W-Cheeling Team” were going to be cheering for me somewhere around there. I found them just before mile 5. It was amazing! They had built a banner I couldn’t read however my kids’ faces yelling GO MOM! Made it so special!

Mental splits? Math always makes things funnier, especially with running. So decided to set it at 5 miles + 2x(2+2) + 0.1 J. It worked perfect! W-Cheering team after the 10k, then again around 15k and again close to 11 mile. Wow! There totally exceeded my expectations. They were everywhere! I also got other running friends cheering go ROXANA, and one singing “Roxanne…”.

Mile 11, just couple more to go! Time to kick it hard? Hard for what? To set PR? Not this time. Just hard to finish happy! And I did so! Stellar end for my BIG G, meeting the race pilot Hector, the local most famous runner RunnerBwoy – Mojo – Mark, plus Angela, plus Julie and husband.

It was amazing! I really appreciate all, from being able to train, race, being with friends and specially having my BOYZ living the experience. As Deena Kastor mentioned at the EXPO: “Every Mile Teaches US a Lesson” and biggest lesson from running is to “Joyfully Pursuing Something Challenging.

That’s all about!

 

 

Dash Down Greenville 5k – BE Humble AND Proud (Contronym?)

I ran this race on 2010, 2011 however due to other events and/or injuries I wasn't able to run 2012 and 2013. So this year it made me really happy the fact that I was feeling healthy to run it, both as runner and runner's mom. We arrived hour earlier to be able to park and warm up nice.

While doing so we got to see Enoch Nadler, an amazing athlete, on his 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials. That really motivated and fired us! We went to start line, dropped our personal cheerer Lucas. National Anthem, count down and GO! Mom started few seconds behind the front, not sure about Nick who as most of the times dissapears at the start line.

Be Humble! Once a Brazilian Manager, CK, told me. “Be Humble! Do less, think more”. Even I've kept this phrase and humble word on my mind for years, I've never got to understand it. Few nights ago I had a dream. I do not remember too much, just my, also Brazilian, first running Coach O, yelling me “Be Humble! Do less, think less”, and that is what I am doing these days.

Today while working on this blog I've realized why humble word was blur on me. Even not an official contronym, single words that have two contradictory meanings, there is a humble side I am looking forward that includes: being modest, no arrogant, courteously respectful, low in height, level, etc.; small in size. However I am totally opposite of being humble by not being proud, having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, destroying independence or confidence and so on!

Coming back to the race Dash Down Greensville 5k. Nick was somewhere, if in front of me, plan A, I was going to pass him or meet him at the finish line. Otherwise plan B. Mom started running, just happy with what I have, full commands keeping all under control. Push but relax, all settles down. Saw friend Frances in the front and we got to run some together, moved forward chasing some fun green socks, mile 1, mile 2, found fried Hector. Moved forward, got friend Dawns cheers! And kept the fun for the finish line! 2 minutes faster than previous 5k and 200% more relaxed and feeling better. Then time for plan B and go get back for Nick and push him at finish line (another of my finish line pleasures for now). Found him and when he kicked I was not able to keep with him. He had such an strong finish!

After the race we got to see some friends and even not expecting award, when I went to to check results I found I had gotten 2^nd for my AG. Nick was 9^th on his AG.

I am on the same phase, both as a runner and a runner’s mom trying my best to be and teach:
“Be Humble: as an individual who does things without regard to personal gain”
"Loose yourself and give yourself. Things will come"

Nick could have gotten his own. Just need to listen more.

High 5! for Cowtown 2014 10k

“A great man (or woman) is always willing to be little.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.

― Saint Augustine

Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.

― Confucius

Cowtown is a wonderful running event in DFW area. Always full or friends competing at the different races. As a personal running tradition I feel so happy about both my son Nick and I being able to run the 5k for the 3rd year in a row and me the 10k for the 5th year, respectively.

Even I started my running tradition with other couple races, such as Turkey Trot and Gary Burns, different events, other races, family and injuries pulled me from being able to keep my loyalty as Cowtown's.

This year rather than starting at the very front chasing fastest runners, I decided to start little bit behind in order to be able to catch a decent pace without getting hurt for trying to race with something I still do not have. It was a great decision that not only kept me SAFE but also let me feel SOUND, enjoy the race, finish STRONG and with a BIG smile.

This strategy worked perfect. Even chip time/pace are far and further from my "under 40'", after suffering some "running body shocks"  I got to learn BIG lesson. Am I taking "EZ"? No, not really. Just learning to enjoy the journey, that is ALL THAT MATTERS!!!

ps: runner at the end thanked me for pacing him! plus unexpected jewel besides finisher medal, I'll get AG one!!!

LET yourself GO to EPICITY land

After enjoying a delicious "Wind Tango" played with couple sweet bassons in the Double Reed Clinic at the UTA where dropped Kid#1, drove to a "Y" for Kid#2 to play during mom's workout.

While driving got to spot interesting places around. Was I going to run? Maybe, but not too much. Where? No idea. Workout? "Careful fun-cardio" before some "boring rehab @ the gym" :-)

Even I got to see some interesting places around, I had no idea where exactly I was. Att & Rangers  stadiums around, however I had no idea how far and how to get there from where I was... While getting ready to take off I got to talk with a young runner around who suggested me a little road to get to the stadiums. Just what I needed!

So I took off and let myself go. I took the little road, got to the stadiums area, ran around one, found a nice trail where walkers asked me "where does this trail end?" and of course I replied I had no idea!. I kept running, could't resist the bridges couple times and then time to "try to find your way back".

Of course I ended running little bit more than supposed to, and having to cut some the boring rehab @ the gym :-) BUT I got to enjoy one of those "good runs", kind of "epic" as I was running without any plan, or idea where I was, just enjoying a feeling of God driving and taking care of me.

Epic moments in life happen, we just need to let them happen to us.
LET yourself dive into EPICITY land. Thanks!

It's never Too Cold to Hold! 5k

Because when you Hold it gets Warm! and because it started raining at under 30F much later.

RUN HAPPY OR DO NOT RUN! and I am happy because I was able to run the TOO COLD TO HOLD!
Even not the 15km, 10M now, I used to run at this event, I got to enjoy a "sweet challenging" 5km.
Starting in pack feeling as a "tall runner", yes! all surrounded by amazing young runners is always very exiting! "Our pace is 7:25" one of the tiny girls I got to reach at mile 1 told another one.
I wasn't checking pace, just thinking "do not think, just hold and enjoy!"

My training partner had some "not the best running pants" issues, however he was also able to hold and complete the race. Better paces will come, just RUN HAPPY OR DO NOT RUN!

Where? Just there! All about Progress

Progress is the key word right now. It is NOT "Where you are (I am) right now vs. where you where before", BUT "Where you are right now and where you are going to go". As a quote I just found says "Progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything".

I've changed again :-), and here some quotes to illustrate my new thoughts:

“Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.” 

― Rosa Luxemburg

 “Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.” 
― Frank Zappa

“Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something.” 
― Robert A. Heinlein

“I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.” 
― Abraham Lincoln

“I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way.” 
― Carl Sandburg

“And a step backward, after making a wrong turn, is a step in the right direction.” 
― Kurt Vonnegut, Player Piano

“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.” 
― Franklin D. Roosevelt

I just wanted to share a feeling these days.