I'm An UltraRunner - What's Next? ... I'm glad you asked

Three weeks into the new year. I've neglected this blog as I settled into the new year & the changes to my fitness goals. That said, I've finally had time to sit with it & get over the fact that it finally happened.
On Saturday, January 12th, I completed my first Ultra Marathon. And I did it in a very different way than I set out to do so back when I first went out to achieve this in October 2018. I didn't blog about it this time, I didn't invite people to go and support & cheer me on. I continued to train using the final few weeks of the training program I had completed with Lauren Padula, but I didn't track my long runs or any of my runs for that matter. I didn't wear my FitBit as I didn't want any of my runs tracked. I didn't want anyone to know what I was doing this time.

Now before you say, it seems selfish after I started out so transparent in doing this, let me explain the why. After I DNFd at Lake Hodges 50k, I fell into a depression. I knew that with the exception of a few people, if anyone knew I was jumping right back into training I'd have to deal with everyone's opinions on why I should rest and give it some time. I wasn't willing to rest. I wasn't ready to give it time. And I wasn't open to anyone else opinions at the time. It struck me that I had let my mind be influenced by  everyone else's energy who were in what appeared to me as a caravan of Ultra Marathon Hopefuls at the time. I became too tied up in what was outside of myself that while it didn't affect my race or my pace, it affected my readiness to deal with the possibility of not finishing.

I had gotten so far disconnected from how I was preparing myself. I didn't think that EVERY long run, EVERY training run, EVERY challenging moment of my training I had done on my own. I had the support of my friends, but ultimately I was out there running, hurting and crying on my own. I went out there on January 12th with the only people I know out there being the Elevation Culture team, who were the reason I had even chosen to go after this goal.
I signed up for the SD50 Trail Ultra Marathon, knowing that my intentions were to run the race and circle back and add some distance to it to qualify as an Ultra Marathon. And amidst rain, holding on to fences to avoid mud, sliding in mud puddles, running across rivers and up mountains in the rain - amidst that all I finished after 8hours and 40minutes.
I AM AN ULTRA MARATHONER! I AM WEATHERPROOF! I DID IT!

The most important lesson I learned during this process is that I have it in me. When people told me I don't look like a runner, when people told me I don't have a runners body, when a doctor told me this couldn't possibly be healthy for someone my size - I continued & I proved I had it in me. I might not have what people see as the ideal runners body, but on January 12th, 2019, I achieved something most runners never have.

To further my message that in fitness there are no ideal bodies, I will again be challenging myself & challenging others perceptions of fitness bodies. In Summer of 2019, I will be participating AND COMPLETING my Yoga Teacher 200Hr Training in San Diego. I'm still toying with how I'm going to find the $2,550 price tag. But I have started a Go Fund Me to help with at least some of the cost. You can hear more of my story & donate or share the story with others at the link below:
gofundme.com/joalby039s-yoga-teacher-training
To support or learn more about my journey towards Yoga Teacher Training, please visit Help Fund Joalby's Yoga Teacher Training

SD50 Trail Ultra Marathon - January 12th, 2019

Crossing the Finish Line - Photo by Eric Chrisman of Elevation Culture

Set Your 2019 - Challenge What The Future Holds

Every year, I start off with a song that I hope will influence my next year. In 2018 it was "Please Don't Stop The Music" by Rihanna & Charo. In 2017, "Starboy" by The Wknd. In 2016, "Are We Out Of The Woods Yet" by Taylor Swift. This year I threw it back with an older song with an amazing message, that for nearly 25 years always comes back into my life when I need it. My song for 2018 is "You Gotta Be" by Des'ree. So let me enter into 2018 solving puzzles in my own sweet time & challenging what the future holds.

2019 is here & I was influenced by the intentional planning for 2019 that my friends Sheri Matthews Kimmel & Lauren Padula did to do my own intention and goal setting. Here goes nothing AND more importantly here goes EVERYTHING.


WHAT AM I PROUD OF IN 2018?
I am proud of opening up about my journey & beginning to blog. I am proud of having committed myself to a focused training regimen under Lauren Padula. I am proud of having run my first FULL MARATHON (no glitz, no glamour, no medal, no closed course, no finish line, no cheer station) all as part of my training & all on my own - proving that I have it in me.

WHAT AM I LEAVING BEHIND IN 2018?
The constant pursuit of a PR. The feeling that I always have to increase the weight load and get more reps in. I still might have it in the back of my head but it will not be a driving force in my fitness journey going forward. This past year I've seen that in constantly chasing something worthy of being celebrated, it was keeping me from fully enjoying the moment & being present in the process.

WHAT ARE MY INTENTIONS / PRIORITIES / AREAS OF FOCUS SET TO DRIVE MY 2019?

1. Fun In Fitness
By no longer chasing a PR or Praise for what I'm doing, it will allow me to go back to finding fun in the act of doing.

2. Transformation
With continuing to lose weight after my chest surgery earlier this year, my Doctors in the USA and in Mexico agreed that the best bet right now would be to maximize the weight loss prior to any abdominal surgery. What this means is Summer of 2019, I will be having a Gastric Bypass surgery instead of excess skin removal. Doing so will help maximize the weight loss by helping me to lose another 70+ pounds, after which in 2020, I'll go in for the full excess skin removal.
This is something I had a very difficult time accepting, as for 5 years I was able to pride myself in losing approximately 140lbs WITHOUT any surgical help or gastric surgery. In working with my doctors and discussing this, I realize the WHY and that in the long run it would be the best option. I'm not going to lie to you and say I'm not scared. Not for the possible complications. I'm more scared of how this will affect my running. With my stomach being reduced by so much, I'm afraid that any hopes for longer distance running will come to a halt due to my inability to fuel up or hydrate enough to sustain myself on those runs. But more on that in a separate email.

3. Body
I have quit my membership to my gym Performance360 & will be transitioning over to The Movement Warehouse to switch up how I train. My new process will focus more on movement, mobility and body mechanics. I want to go back to HIIT training and body weight work to help prepare me for my recovery post surgery. I want to have a clear and better understanding of what my body is capable of. The body is an incredible thing, capable of so much. It's my goal to see just what new ways I can challenge myself this way in the coming year. Whether that be dropping in to dance classes, changing my training & ultimately post surgery and recovery with improved mobility looking more into Animal Flow - possibly attending a seminar.

4. Follow Through
I need to stop making excuses and finish this EP and release it already. After having been raped, I began to write songs as a release. I have three in various stages of completion, but the idea of releasing a product has been terrifying almost as much as the actual act. I'm not sure I'm ready to face it head on in front of people. I don't know if I'll be able to sing the songs. I'm not sure what effect going back to that moment in this way will have on me emotionally... That being said, I know the importance of using my voice and speaking my truth & I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't finish this project and release these songs in hopes that someone else could connect and learn and grow from them.


WHAT'S MISSING IN 2019 INTENTION SETTING, THAT HAS LONG BEEN PRESENT IN PREVIOUS YEARS?

The constant want & search for a relationship. Now before you say I can have it all, let me stop you. I know I can. I've had relationships before the assault & I've attempted to have some kind of semblance of relationships after the assault.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to be in a relationship, but when the constant search for something outside of yourself takes you away from being able to live in harmony with the only one who really matters - YOU - then it's time to reexamine. I know 100% I'm still broken & triggered & affected by what happened to me. I know that intimacy terrifies me now. I know that I shut down and begin shaking & want to cry when any sort of intimacy is approached. I acknowledge that I'm not ready for a relationship in a conventional way & I'm ok with that. I also acknowledge that I am more important right now than my desire to be in a relationship & I'm ok with that too. Sometimes things happen to us in life that we don't deserve & that we can't erase, but I have to believe that it's for a reason & that something good HAS to come out of this.

Jan 1, 2019 - I get to call this home

Heading Into 2019 - The Pivot Is Strong With This One

With the new year just around the corner, there are so many changes on the horizon. This past year, I was lucky enough to step into so many new roles I would have never thought I could land in. As a musician, I always tend to become a different version of myself on stage, as it helps to counter my social anxiety and feelings of inadequacies and doubts as to whether my story is worth listening to. Having been on a fitness journey for a little over 5 years, I wanted to motivate others and create workouts but had been beaten down by my thoughts as to whether I align with the image of what a leader looks like. I know I'm not your ideal body type for that & I'm not upset when people wrote me
off. They are led by what society has taught them to expect. It's nothing personal.

Over the last few months, I've been trusted with programming and leading workouts for our Friday Stairs Workout Group. Programming the workout is one thing, but being trusted by my peers & people I look up to is ever so much more important to me. It reaffirms that I am capable of doing something that society and self have so often told me I'm not good enough to do.

In the last week of 2018, I also was able to work out at the Navy SEAL Training Center in San Diego, through my friend Tim, who was able to get me into the AO2 (SEAL) Marc A Lee Training Center. Awesome experience, complete with a hyperbaric chamber which is used for High Altitude Simulation Training.

About those changes I alluded to, I have shifted some of my Fitness Goals for the 2019 year, which means changes to how I approach training & more specifically WHERE I train. I have decided to quit my membership at Performance360 after 21 months, effective January 18th at the end of my current cycle. The programming is great. The coaches are amazing; however, the programming doesn't align with or let me grow in ways that I'm looking to grow in 2019. A shift in where I'm heading towards sometimes means stepping back from what you're currently doing and doing something different. This is the first of several changes 2019 is bringing with it.

In the words of my friend, Quitting Evangelist, Dr Lynn Marie Morski, "Quitting is actually what the business world calls, 'Pivoting.'" ... In 2019, you're going to see more Pivoting from me - FOR ME.

First things first, kicking off 2019 with a Road Trip to Sacramento with two of my best friends Tim &
Jessica, which will include dropping in to Anywhere Fit & running with 9Run6 (formerly November Project Sacramento)

Leading DownTown Fridays on Nov 30th

Leading DownTown Fridays on Dec 21st

Road to 50k - Give Me My Ultra Title

Road to 50k BACK ON!!!

So as many of you may know, on October 27th I went out to complete my first 50k at Lake Hodges 50k. Due to some issues with the calculations of the cutoff station, I ended up being cut at 30k. At the finish line, as I was discussing giving it another go in a year or so, my friend Eric of Elevation Culture said something which shifted me towards a forward trajectory. He said "Why wait another year? You're already trained and ready. Get out there now and try it again."

I mentioned that I would signup for the San Diego 50 Trail Marathon, put on my the same organizers, Off Road Pursuits. The race is on January 12th. My goal would be to finish the Full Marathon, run through the finish and then head off to do another few miles getting me to my 50k. The medal doesn't have to say 50k, so long as the Strava does.

The benefits of this race are:
No hard cutoff for the Marathon, so long as you finish before the 50 Milers. Also, it's approximately an 11 to 12hr time limit and it's mostly on the same course (in reverse) as the Lake Hodges 50k, meaning I am already familiar with the course and terrain.

So here we go again - Road to 50k. Except with only 5 weeks to the race, this is really more of a sprint to 50k than a long road. This is more me refusing to wallow in the defeat of a DNF. Failure is only failure if you accept a hard stop & in the story of my life, NO STOPS ARE HARD STOPS.

All it takes is one to call yourself an UltraRunner, right?

San Diego 50 Trail Marathon - January 12th, 2019

ECSCA Race Is Canceled - I'm Still Going

It's not new news, we all know that the races were canceled for North Face Endurance California. Let me start this blog by saying how proud I am of the way people came together to help those in need. North Face donated the $30,000 prize money, clothing, food, nutrition and more to relief efforts.
A group of my November Project tribe members organized a race in Truckee, CA to raise funds for relief work and North Face stepped up to match dollar for dollar every donation. It was truly an amazing and beautiful thing.That said, here goes the blog entry.

So we received news that The North Face had to cancel the Endurance Challenge Race Weekend in San Francisco in November this year, due to the fires in northern California compromising the air quality. Several people decided to change their travel plans and/or cancel altogether. A big group of us; however, loaded up on N95 respirator masks and turned it into a vacation anyway. I'm so eternally glad we did. I mean it was part of history, albeit a sad part and we were there to see it firsthand.

My November Project San Diego tribe members Alex, Jacob & I stayed with Vivek, one of the members of the NP San Francisco tribe and had a blast. We had events every night and smaller group outings which was a great way to get closer with my tribe. We went out and I got to visit Haight Ashbury, the birthplace of the hippie counterculture movement. I had a blast visiting the Golden Gate Bridge, Sutro Baths & Crissy Field. We ran the Mosaic Steps and Lyon Street Stairs. I got to see the Painted Ladies and the Full House house.

I got to hang with friends in the Castro for lunch. It was great to be there, in this very specific period of time and see how the city stands beautifully, even under such crazy circumstances.

But more than that I was reminded of how much these people mean to me, of how much my life becomes better by having them around. November Project currently has 49 official tribes across the world, all working to bring a message of Free Fitness scaleable to all fitness levels to everyone. All you have to do is #JustShowUp.

Oh and I now have every tribe in California covered on my Cali Traverbal shirt. Boom!!!

All photos in this blog entry by Alex Pardus.

Sutro Baths 2018 - Photo by Alex Pardus

Lyon Street Stairs. Running Stairs in N95 Masks - Photo by Alex Pardus

Golden Gate Bridge 2018 - Photo by Alex Pardus

Happier, Stronger, Brighter - NPSD Anniversary

Wednesday, November 7th was my 1 Year Anniversary with November Project San Diego.
Let's revisit the Joalby of last year. The Joalby who was invited to NP for years and never went.
1. I'm not a people person
2. I don't like people touching me
3. I don't like running hills

My life has been transformed and enriched by the presence of  this group of equally crazy and intense individuals in my life. In this past year alone, these people have been there to help push me towards becoming a better version of myself, pulled me out of a rut & cycle of fear and untrust that had come to dictate my life for a long while.
In this past year I have road tripped with these people. I have traveled across the country with these people. I have trained for a 50k under the guidance of the OG NPSD leader, Lauren Padula. I have ran my first full marathon under the guidance of these people. I have become a morning person. I have learned the power of human connection and hugs and allowing myself to have people in my corner, who believe in me. I have learned to believe in my abilities, my strengths, and more so in the possibilities for my life. I have learned to trust people again. The road to greatness is never empty, rather the road this past year has had cameos and appearances by so many of these people.

This is my Tribe. This is a family. This is (not) a cult. These people are the why I wake up and do this crazy stuff while everyone else is still asleep. November Project is the reason I will jump in my car and drive to NP Los Angeles just to run along the Santa Monica Pier or up a 35 grade hill. November Project is the reason I will fly to NP Phoenix to run around the butte of a mountain and do stair repeats in Papago Park during the lunar eclipse. November Project is why I will drive to UCLA at 3:30am to run Drake Stadium on 4th of July with NP West LA. It's why I fly to Denver to do an Easter Egg Hunt sliding across icy grass with NP Denver. It's why I flew to Oakland to avoid San Diego's PR Day & guarantee myself a PR doing PR Day with NP Oakland. It's why I joined 49 other tribes in Milwaukee forging some of the best relationships and friendships I've had in a long time. I'll tell you what if Jesse from NP LAX had told me before a year ago to drive up to LA on my day off to workout on the Santa Monica Pier, he would have gotten a very different response out of me.

Who says your mid 30s are your mid life crisis? Fuck that, I showed up at 36 and now at 37, I'm still barely starting to live. One year down, many more to come.

Thank you November Project - SD for making me better, giving me friends who share in my passions and making my blood type - Type Cold Brew Positive. There are 49 November Project Tribes across the USA for you to visit and the movement continues to grow every day. Join us. Stop wondering about this crazy thing we're all doing in the mornings. Stop saying one day I'll join you. #JustShowUp

November Project San Diego meets
MONDAYS = 6:29am (Rotating Locations throughout San Diego) = Follow our IG for more info
WEDNESDAYS = 6:29am (Bea Evanson Fountain at Balboa Park)

Other great things my NP Anniversary Week brought along was my return (after being away for 50k training) to Lululemon Run Club Mondays & Tuesday Stairs.

Plus did I mention that I finally got to see one of my favourite bands, THE PAPER KITES, with Grant on my NP Anniversary night. The music was beautiful, amazing and such an awesome night reminiscing on my drive through the Australian countryside listening to their music in 2016. Let's just say it was an amazing night & it gave me an even better appreciation for their music.

NPSD - You Will Be Changed. You Will Be Challenged. You WILL Love It.

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Road to 50k Culmination - DNF Renews My Passion & Drive

I've pushed off writing this Blog entry, partly because it would mean connecting with the emotional part of this weekend, but partly because as much as I feel stronger and that I know so much more about myself through this journey, I'm proud of myself, but I'd be lying if I said I was happy with the end result.

I went into the race ready & I was surrounded by friends at the Aid Stations. Lake Hodges 50k was my first time going for something this big / this grand. I trained hard & as is the case with any big goals, sometimes it's not going to end your way & it will be through no fault of your own. I found out approaching Mile 19 that I was a bit over the cutoff time & I still ran it in to the aid station mile marker with a smile on my face the entire way. Yes, I was upset with myself. Yes, I was proud of myself, but I've learned it's possible to be proud of what you've done & still upset at where you've fallen short.

I was greeted by friends at the start line & it felt great to have Elevation Culture at the start line, as
well as a few of the ECTR family out on the trail while I ran. The course was beautiful and 8 miles in I was greeted by my coach Lauren Padula along with Arlo & Alice and my NP fam Michelle. I maintained a good pace. I ran a bit up Raptor Ridge and continued to maintain a decent pace for the run. It was a miscalculation on my part that caused me to DNF. I did everything in my power to account for the cutoffs; however, failed when it came to allowing for any circumstances out of the
usual. The mile marker cutoff ended up being a bit further back from where I had allotted for it in my race prep & planning.

So coming up on Mile 19, I had already come to terms with the fact that I was going to get cut. I had already cried on the trail a bit knowing today wouldn't be the day that I would complete an Ultra - but most importantly, I had already accepted that this was the end for today's attempt. My friend Gretchen came running up to meet me as I got to Mile 19 & with a big smile on my face we ran it into the aid station together. A few minutes later, my friend from Just Run Del Sur came in as the sweeper, I stayed at the aid station and rehydrated before jumping in Gretchen's car & going to grab pizza.

I ended my first 50k experience hanging in the Elevation Culture tent & thinking back on the run. Ok
so I didn't finish, but I ran my fastest 30k Distance that day on a trail, faster than I had ever ran that
distance on a road. I smiled and laughed and cheered on other runners the entire 19miles I was on that course. I took in some of the most beautiful views I've ever come across on a trail run. I felt part of something that I've never felt at a road race event. I had other runners cheering me on along the course. I felt free. I felt happy. And before I left I knew, I'm coming back next year & I'm going to crush it. I made the mistake of saying it out loud to which Eric & the EC team said why wait. I'm already conditioned and I've already trained. Jump back into it. And while I walked back to my car upset that today hadn't gone my way, I logged onto Facebook and committed myself to doing the San Diego 50 Trail Marathon, also put on by Off Road Pursuits.


My experience running my first Ultra was one that I'll always remember & through it (the good, the fun & the DNF), I've discovered a love I had for running I never knew I had. Through this race I was motivated & inspired to move forward with trademarking what will be my next goal in my running journey.

Trademark Process has begun. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog with detailed information on my next venture, "RUN HEAVY, LIVE LOUD"

Lake Hodges Trail Fest 2018 (Oct 27th, 2018)

Lake Hodges Trail Fest 2018 = (Oct 27th, 2018)