Road to 50k Week 5 - FitBit Local + NP Oakland Love (Community Week)

Week 5 has come and gone. My long run consisted on a 16mile run from Oceanside to Solana Beach, the longest distance I've done to date. I'm equal parts ready to keep building for my 50k and equal parts terrified that I may be in over my head. But let's talk about Week 5.

When you've become so accustomed to Community and being surrounded by people, it's hard to undertake something like training for an UltraMarathon. In the process of balancing your training with your work schedule and extracurricular activities, yoou know that through sacrificing time with family and friends to do your long runs and stack workouts, you are reaching for something bigger, something your friends may think you crazy for, something that so few have done. But still you miss that connection. Seeing the photos and posts and stories and smiles and not being included in them just sucks. But I know I'm in this for big things. And sometimes taking time for your goals, means taking time  on your own to achieve on your own. None of my long runs have been with other people, because this is my goal. This is something I'm challenging myself to do. I don't want this to be a social experiment or a group thing. At this point in the game, I still need to do this for me.

This week I had a chance to join FitBit Local San Diego on their Monthly Outing to Potato Chip Rock. Being with 160+ other members of the FitBit Local Community hiking up the back of Mt Woodson and pretty much taking over Potato Chip Rock and the Mt Woodson Summit for our selfies was much needed time in community, doing what I love. Check out FitBit Local for Monthly Free Fitness Workouts in your local area.

And in a much needed overflowing of community I flew to Oakland on Tuesday for a night. In my attempts to grow deeper into the community and culture of November Project, I flew out to traverbal (to visit an NP Tribe other than your own) to November Project Oakland, one of our newest NP tribes. I had an amazing experience from the AirBnB I stayed at to the multiple workouts I attended in my 24hr Traverbal.

My first night there, I joined up with East Bay Beer Runners, a meetup group that gets together weekly at a local bar and runs 3-6 miles, followed by an outing at a local bar. We met at Beer Revolution and ran through the warehouse district and around Oakland's beautiful Lake Merritt, followed by hanging out at the bar for a few drinks.

Fast forward to the next morning and November Project Oakland PR Day (the one day every month where every November Project tribe pushes themselves to improve and achieve a personal record). Each PR Course for each tribe is different. For Oakland it takes us away from their usual Lake Merritt location and into the Cleveland Cascade steps. Think burpees, to stair repeats to city block runs. Then imagine doing it over and over again to gauge your PR. As it was my first time there I was guaranteed a PR, but that didn't stop me from pushing myself. I achieved 6 entire loops and made new friends.
The Oakland Tribe leaders, Rebecca & Alex were great and welcoming, as was the entire tribe. As is every tribe I've traverbaled to in my 8 short months with November Project. Check out November Project for a tribe near you.

At the end of the day, I want people to know that opportunities for fitness are out there. They are readily available to you in whatever capacity, skill level, speed you may find yourself at. Do a little homework and find what's available in your community.

For starters, you can look up:
November Project
FitBit Local

Potato Chip Rock with FitBit Local San Diego (Photo by Alex Pardus)

Mt Woodson Hike with FitBit Local San Diego (Photo by Alex Pa

rdus)

East Bay Beer Runners Oakland - Tuesday, July 24th at Beer Revolution

November Project Oakland PR Day - July 25th, 2018 at Cleveland Cascade

Male Body Image Issues - You Don't HAVE To Love Yourself As You Are

MALE BODY IMAGE REALNESS
Let me take a moment out of my regular Road to 50k Posts to discuss something real, something pressing, something very present in my life. Let me talk a minute about BODY IMAGE, because it's not just women who are impacted by this. Through my journey I've lost approximately 140lbs & had to have reconstructive chest surgery to remove excess skin. The process has been long and not at all glamorous. Not at all easy. Not at all beautiful.
Some days I love myself, some days I'm indifferent, unhappy, frustrated, loving results. And some days I'm depressed and hate myself. Today tho, as I write this I'm in this wierd realization with my own Body Image, that it's ok to love your body where you are now WITHOUT ACTUALLY loving your body. And that's ok. I DON'T like my body now, but side by side with where I came from, I can allow myself to like this place in my ongoing journey. Body Image issues don't only affect one gender and don't let the smiles fool you. Everyone has a story or something underneath.

Next Surgery to remove the excess skin around my abdomen due to the weight loss is tentatively planned for December - January.

Road to 50k Week 4 - I Have Doubts. I Have Such Doubts

So we're into Week 4 of Ultra Training for my 50k. This week marked the start of MORE, doing more, pushing myself more, running more, achieving more. My long runs are now over 13 miles. My beloved Half Marathons are now my training runs PLUS extra miles.
I'm learning to love Yoga on my Long Run Days. Monday's long run was a shock. Ran over 13 miles and I didn't get a medal. There was noone at my home with a carton of chocolate milk. And there was noone cheering for me as I ran down Rosecrans & over the Ingraham bridge.
Then Tuesday I did my hills running from PB up to Mt Soledad and back hoping for an epic selfie with the ocean in the background and weeeelllll - FOG said no.

Wednesday, I returned to Performance 360, my gym that I took a sabbatical from for my UltraTraining to do their Kettlebell Core as a Drop In. Let me tell you, with KB Core being my favourite class, I noticed a difference not in my endurance or my stamina during class - moreso in my strength, as most of my training is shifted to prep me for the 50k. It's not something that necessarily bothers me, rather it's just something I noticed and had to remind myself that this is all just another thing on my journey towards achieving this goal.

I woke up Thursday feeling a bit under the weather and ended up having to skip on my Spin Class, but Friday I woke up and did Cowles Mtn to get some trails in, followed by Beach Bootcamp Plyo and HIIT training on Saturday.

One thing that happened this week that noone told me would, or maybe it's something noone talks about is the emotional toll this week took. Out of nowhere I found myself not necessarily hitting a wall or anything, rather just really emotional about the entire process. I'm normally good at proving other people wrong when I say I want to do something but they question my ability and capacity to do so. This time though I'm surrounded by people who believe and push me and are being a part of my journey and all I can think about this week is "What if I CAN'T do it? What if I work so hard at this and fail?" I'm not having doubts that I can do it - I know I'm fully capable of it, but it's more a fear of letting everyone and myself down, should something happen. Is this normal? Am I tripping? I don't know. Who am I doing this for anyway? Oh yeah MYSELF.


BEST NEWS EVER: I posted on IG about my weight loss transformation and my 50k Ultra Training, and added that at some point after the 50k, I would love to run with Theo Rossi. Theo is an avid runner and one of my favourite actors, having portrayed Juice on Sons of Anarchy and Shades in Luke Cage. I jokingly said one of my friends has to have a connection to him to make it happen. Less than an hour later, this man that I admire and look up to reaches out via IG, saying he is open to the idea and let's plan to run together next time we're in the same city. Then goes on to congratulate me on my journey thus far. This simple act on his part gave me an even bigger respect for him and made my year knowing I have something so awesome to look forward to.

Also, in MUSIC NEWS. Monday found me back in studio with Brian Rumsey recording "Something Good" for my upcoming EP, DEGLOVED. The song is great, I love the direction and I'm glad that I went with this song rather than some of the darker songs I was throwing around. The sexual assault I went through that influenced the songs on this EP also gave life to "Something Good" a song about hope and a new outlook on life and on the people who love you through the pain.
"I know something good is gonna come out of this. My light will shine through his darkest"

Beautiful Ocean View in the Background from Atop Mount Soledad

Road to 50k Week 3 - Burning Up, Burning Up On My Run

Some like it hot. It's getting hot in here. See Joalby running, he overheating - cos it's hot hot hot.
Week 3 of Road to 50k Training and let me just say I'm glad I got this out of the way now and not later, so I know how to address this hiccup to ensure it doesn't happen again. So what exactly happened? Weeeeeellll, so let's just say the start of my Week 3 was a little not as I would have liked it to go.
I started my Sunday off with every intention of running an 11mile loop of Black Mountain with my gym's Second Sunday Trail Run group as part of my Long Run. Unfortunately, I started the run late and as the first 2.5 miles were downhill, I decided to run downhill and ended up exerting more energy than I would have liked. Add to that the fact that it was hot, humid and temps were in the low to mid 90s. After 5.5 miles I began to overheat and got really dizzy and shaky. Mind you I had already gone through 2 liters of water and the heat just did a number on me. I ended up running off the course and needing to catch an Uber back to my car, leaving me short the other 5.5 miles I was supposed to do.
I was able to join November Project SD for their Monthly 5k, which was hot, humind and hilly and I loved every second of it, because it got me my NP Pride Tag, the coveted rainbow NP tag. Let me tell you that this week I have never been so happy for Runners Yoga as I have been after these longer runs.
Was able to show up early before NP on Wednesday and get in a few prebounce miles on hills. And because my miles had been programmed and I didn't hit them on Sunday - I made up by running the remaining 5.5 miles on Thursday doing a Pacific Beach Loop. And I wrapped up my week participating in the Pride 5k for the 3rd year in a row. This time it meant something so much more because I had members of my NP tribe running with me.

Lesson of the week was by far : If it's hot as balls outside, then just deal with being bored and run inside on a treadmill OR switch out your dates. It's not worth passing out on an empty trail somewhere. Onward to Week 4, when my Long Runs exceed Half Marathons. Am I crazy? Isn't anyone with a vision, a goal and a passion?

November Project Pride 2018 - Photo by Alex Cantatore

NP & Larabar runs Pride SD

SD Pride 5k

Road to 50k - West LA (So Is This What Summit Gon Feel Like)

This week (Week 2) was awesome. I'm loving this process so much. What I'm gaining so much is the freedom to be able to say "NO", as in when all my coaches and trainers ask me to drop in to extra trainings, I am in a place where I need to make sure I am giving myself 100% to what will get me to my final goal of being an Ultra Runner. I'm the kind of person who takes on everything and says yes to everything, even when it might be too much for me to handle. Doing this makes it comfortable for me to say "I can't do that" or "That doesn't fit into my programming." You have no idea the freedom that gives me to take some ACTUAL REST TIME and do things like lay out at the beach and reach or go catch a movie with friends.

It's crazy to be two weeks in and still have 15 weeks to go. One thing I need to learn is to NOT run when the sun is full out. I did it Monday when I ran my 11 mile long run through Mission Trails and Santee. I did it again on my Trail Run Tuesday through Morley Field and came across three rattlesnakes. Yeah no thank you.
This week also taught me that when things don't work out according to programming, it is NO EXCUSE to not put in some work to fit into your goals. From a trip that got pushes back a day allowing me to do an Endurance Run Strong for Cross Training and from Bootcamp getting canceled allowing me to get a Baywalk Run to ensure my miles get in.

But the highlight of the week by far was traverballing up to UCLA Drake Stadium on 4th of July to run track and stadium stair repeats with November Project West LA. Being there was a great moment of being in community with people who have similar, same and different goals - but all work together for this thing called fitness. Being able to spend it with some of my San Diego Tribe up
with my extended LAX Tribe and new West LA fam was a great example of coming together for whatever goals you have and wherever you may be on the path towards reaching them.

15 Weeks to go. Stay tuned for the journey.
If you need help getting back into your fitness game, there are more than enough Free Fitness Options for you. Check out November Project or Fit Bit Local for free fitness workout options in your area. Find a community, dial in your goals, go beyond your abilities.

Stadium Stair repeats with November P

NP West LA (July 4th, 2018) = With NP West LA leaders Maggie & Tara AND NP LAX leaders Jesse & Kait

Road to 50k Week 1 - Do You Even Follow Me?

Road to 50k - Week One Down. 15 Weeks to Go!!!
Can I just start by giving it up to my coach through this journey, Lauren Padula of The Movement Space SD. I dialed her in the minute I chose to zero in on my goal and I'm so excited for this journey.

Week one was actually exciting. I'm realizing more and more as the days pass, the commitment it takes to align yourself with a goal like this. Besides my Yoga & Run Strong Strength & Endurance Classes for Runners, all handled through Movement Space SD, I had a 9.3 Mile Long Run, 3 Mile Trail Run, 3 Mile Hill Workout, Convention Center Stairs and a Running History Tour of San Diego with Bodies in Motion. All while working 41hours at one job and 5 at another.

It was a little overwhelming at times, but I wouldn't have had it another way. I realize there will be weeks when getting the run in and getting my cross training & trails & XYZ in might be harder to do. But when I signed up for this, I did so with the understanding that some weeks will be overwhelming, that some times I'd be wanting to NOT do my training, that there will be a time when I hit an emotional and/or physical wall.

Guess what though? This week, this last week, this first week was NOT that week. With the excitement mounting for Week 2. I don't see Week 2 being it either.

I also want to give a huge thank you to all of my November Project San Diego & FitBit Local peeps who have reached out and volunteered to join me on my long runs and trail runs throughout this process. With the support system and belief from the people around me, there's not a single doubt that while hard days may arise in the months to come - I'll be setup with a support system and a focus on my goals such that there will be no option other than to finish and finish with a smile on my face.

Photo by Nick Isabella