You never forget your first...

Chuckanut!!!

"Forty eight hours after the Chuckanut 50k in Bellingham, WA and the stoke is still crazy high and I'll be honest my body may here in Santa Clara, CA but my mind is still on the Ridge Trail."

Six weeks out from race I was getting ready to the hay when I popped right up, stared at the calendar, and freaked out. I had no accommodations booked. No flights booked. So at 11:02pm I booked it all starting with the Air BnB after checking out the race start line and finding the closest space available....a cozy studio apartment 0.8 miles from the start line (spot on!). I should have known adaptation was going to rule the trip when I booked my Alaska Airlines flight a day sooner than my Air BnB check in a casualty of having way too many tabs open in my browser. No worries though I got it all aligned about 10 days before the race.

Four weeks out from Chuckanut I raced in the Fourmidable 50k (2/18/17) in Auburn, CA which also served as the USATF 50k Trail Championships and I used it as a tune up for Chuckanut (3/18/17) exactly four weeks later. Little did I know that it would be the perfect training run to test every scenario including the coming down with an intense 72 hour flu that prevented me from hitting some of my favorite workouts. I loving call Fourmidable 50k "FourMUDable" for it rained up to race day morning. Similarly, the race emails started coming eight days out from Chuckanut with a forecast of rain through race day! We got a break from the rain on Thursday but then right on schedule Friday at 3pm it started to rain again.

It is now been forty hours since my last Chuckanut and I'm listening to the "Four hour work week" as I type. Like racing. It is time to finish this puppy and ask for forgiveness later rather than ask my brain for permission to be less than perfect.

I stuck with the McMillan Run Club training plan as much as life allowed and layered with Orangetheory Fitness classes 3 x a week for 6 six weeks (Jan 16, 2017-Feb 27, 2017).
The goals for the race were set out as follows.

Plan A: Going into the race I planned on snagging a well earned PR or sub 4:55. Needless to say once I learned of the mud, rain, and colder temps of which the first two do not equate to PR conditions for me.

Plan B: ran a smart race take out the first 10k faster than I normally would, pull back the rain over the ridge and have the energy to hammer the final 15k. Looking back that was pretty aggressive but hell I was going to learn something either way might as well bring it!

Plan C: Run strong and use every muscle attached to a neural connection. Hey I may even find a few more muscles along the way. Nothing to lose.


Here is how the race played out in thirds:

Check that heart rate (1/3)

In all reality I didn't really take the first 10k faster than I normally would in a 50k.  The difference is that while previously I just went along with the group while this time I struck out with intent.  At the 0:54.39 I was on 4hr 25 minute pace and having covered around 6.8 miles.  The heart rate spiked from time to time cresting at 182. I would back off some to keep it closer to an aerobic rate rather than hitting that tempo to all out HR.


Unfortunately, I was a little too conservative over the next 10k dealing with bio breaks and packing my Patagonia Houdini into itself and into my Nathan pack. Nutrition consumption went well as I was sucking down 200-250 liquid calories and another 70-100 calories from gels, that work in conjunction with Generation UCAN, per hour.

Now. Now. It went down Euro style kiss to the cheek.

Before I knew it I was running the ridge after kissing the girl (see photo).  The aid station were phenomenal!!! We could hear then from a mile away and it made me feel like I was racing a championship cross country meet that than ultramarathon.
So much STOKE and it awaken the inner WILD!

The Chinscraper climb (2/3)

After surviving the technicality of the ridge trail some "just get through it" miles filled the time and a little sadness set in. Chuckanut was about to hit its climax and I wasn't ready for that. In fact I wish I had magical powers like in "Out of This World" to just bring my index fingers together and pause time and soak in the mist, slide on the rock slabs, and peer over the canyon.

I was so grateful for this climb for it got us out of the rain and onto less muddy ground which meant more stable footing.  I felt some, previously unknown, muscles tweaking in weird places just before this crown jewel of climbs. I subtly let the mind drift to thoughts of my friend Mike Shep, now in Naples, Italy, and wondered how he felt climbing the Chinscraper.  Definitely had some of my slowest mile splits in this section. The summit kicked us back out to the "Kissing Booth" Aid Station where I loaded up with both bottles with 250 calories a piece so I blast through the remaining aid station and roll for as long the legs could hold a pace.

Trouble in Paradise (3/3)

Shortly after leaving the aid station I started to pick up the pace as planned. Then the rain started to pour! I roared. Yelled and let an orange and black version of William Wallace loose.  Everyone that passed me over the passed five miles had a target on their back.

A little voice in the back of my mind was trying to be reasonable and convince me to back of the pace a little bit so I could run a more consistent pace on the Interurban trail for the last 10k.  I didn't listen and kept hammering the 4 mile descent that shot me like a sling shot past the last aid station as I thanked the volunteering, dished out high fives, and turned other runners negatives into positives.

Hoka One One Challenger ATR 2

Around mile 27 and with roughly 8k to go I hit the wall not energy wise but physically. I felt as if I my left leg was doing all the work and the right leg was only tapping the ground long enough to keep me from falling over.  About four people passed me back at this point and I searched for signs. Literally, the Chucaknut signs with pictures and "mantras" and for familiar points that would give me some hope that the finish line in near.

I could hear footsteps.  Their pace wasn't threatening so I forced the pace some.  I couldn't shake'em until the sign: "Catch the runner in front of you!" caught my eye. Hell with that I am that runner! You are not catching me! Then about a half mile later I look to my left and I saw the Virgin Mary. I was home. I knew exactly where I was. I tapped my the go button one last time as the rain stopped. A negative split 50k with a finish time of 5:37 only 2 hours and 4 minutes behind Max King, Hayden Hawks, and Sage Canaday.

Alas, another adventure is in the books. New ideas are a brewing. Wanderlust has set in.

Ciao Amigos!

P.S.

Take a peek at some the race reports interviews and weekend recap:

Sage Canaday's Chuckanut 50k video: click here 

IrunFar post race interview with Max King: here

Ginger Runner Live Episode 158: aqui!

OrangeTheory Fitness Weight Loss Challenge Week 1

Straight up the central focus of 2017 is to transform my body from where it is to where I want it to be: 100 miles ready. Last year brought about the following accomplishments:

• completing my first 100,
• completed my first Vertical Kilometer,
• marathon PR at the Berlin Marathon,
• half marathon PR at the Humboldt Redwoods Half, and
• summited Mt. Humphrey (12,633 ft).

Let's face it. Strength training is an important element. So is motivation and finding something that you are willing to do and make sacrifices to do.

Thus, the water-based rower, squat jumps, plyo-step ups, ultimate burpees, TRX exercises like bridge pull ups, single legged, body-weight, and muscle confusion templates (breathe)... Will help my body become fitter, stronger, and leaner. Setting up the table to become a fitter, faster, and stronger road, trail, and mountain runner.

 

Recap of Week 1

The weigh in took my by surprise.  I figured I'd be around 152 lbs not 159! Then the body fat.
Maybe I was dehydrated and not been drinking enough water, in general, but yo it was an eye opener! Oh and yes I do
now that are perfect ways to measure body fat.  The point was proven.  I have room to improve. 

Monday Power Day with Coach Victoria: 45 splat points, 920 calories burned.

I came into the day low on energy.  Understandable since I ran 19 miles in 3 hours on Sunday after Coach Dubs Endurance day class on Saturday. Power day to me means using my running muscles in a different fashion and activating other muscles. I got a little excited with the beats and it showed as time I spent in the red zone was high. Key movements: row to squat jumps w/10 lb wgt, Plyo-step ups, hop overs, plank punches

Wednesday: Endurance Day with Coach Dan aka Dubs: 31 splat points, 859 calories burned.

I had the major wobbles today.  Walked into the studio as if I had been riding a Burro for 24 hours with no saddle. On Saturday Coach Dubs helped me with my row technique.  The 1 count pause at the end of the pull.  Given how sore I felt I knew I needed a few days off of OTF to recover.  In class I focused on good form.  TRX exercises that stuck out were the split fly/split arm/aligator and the bridge row.  Time spent in the green zone (zone 3) is a metric I am going to keep an eye on. 

Today 19 minutes in the green.

Sunday: Endurance Day with Coach Amber: 33 splat points, 915 calories burned.

Felt much better soreness-wise stepping into class despite yesterday's long run of just under 3 hours and 50 minutes covering 24.3 miles with the last 30 minutes fast finish style aka running harder than I've been for the previous 3hrs.  The 7:30am class was a in 3 group (3G) format which meant quality time with the rower.  So, I started there for the row squat jump combo. We went 800m/14sj- 600m/16sj- 400m/18sj- 200m/20sj and if you got to the bottom before time you climb the ladder back up!  The floor had a bunch of upper body based exercises which is perfect 'cause I need that upper body to scramble up summits!

The Weight Loss Challenge

The challenge lasts six weeks from January 16th thru February 27th 2017.
Rules of the game:

• Weigh in three times: Pre-challenge, Mid-way, & at completion.
• Commit to three 1-hour workouts per each week of the challenge (18 total).
• Only one workout per day will count towards the challenge.
• Complete the majority of the workouts at your home OTF (varies by studio).
• Optional: Front, Side, and Back photo (varies by studio).
• There might be another one but the ones above are the ones I remember.

Pre-Challenge Stats

Saturday January 14th

Weight: 159 lbs

Body Fat: 19%

Tuesday January 17th (Yearly Physical)

158.8 lbs

Coding while Latino: 14 days later...

November 21, 2016 

I logged into to Code Cademy to start a journey into learning to code. In December I got the email titled "Congrats on one month of code!" The only problem I had not returned to site in a month. Well things were about to change. 

I turned to YouTube and started searching everything about learning to code:

• Best websites to learn code, 
• Methods: CS degree vs. bootcamp vs. self-taught, 
• Top 5 things, 
• The three most important to do's, and
• Being a digital nomad, etc.

Let's peel the onion back a little bit.  For some of you reading this post you know I've attended open houses at Coding Dojo, started an application with Learner's Guild (felt intimidated), logged into a webinar with Bloc (gained hope), and looked in Galvanize, Dev Camp, and blah, blah, blah give me money <insert name here/> coding bootcamp site.

The biggest obstacles that I started to reason out were:
1) funding ($4k-$14K), 2) giving up 3 months of seeing daylight, 3) not having a sugar mama or sugar daddy <see obstacle #1/>, and 4) let's face it I run and it's my life's anchor.

The main video on YouTube that spoke to me differently after watching it the second time and accepting the obstacles identified was the following:

Engineered truth: How to teach yourself code (ft. Quincy Larson)

The 3 main takeaways:

1) code everyday.

2) hang out with other people who code.

3) tools really don't matter.

The first day of the year I summited Mt. Diablo with the Beer Bucket Run crew.  The second day during an uber driving break at whole foods-dogpatch I popped open the laptop and started reviewing what I learned on November 21st.  My brain hurt but I was back on the horse.

Day 3: I logged onto Free Code Camp and was totally impressed by the depth of resources: chat forums, facebook groups in seemingly every city, blog, and industry news. It was in the blog that I learned about the 100 days of code challenge.

Day 5: The First Stump
The began quite swiftly as I turned on the uber app and started taking people from point A to point B.  Main goal was to get to Berkley and continue learning how to code at one of my main eastbay coffee shops Sacks on College near UCB!

FreeCodeCamp.com sets you up with a challenges that navigate you over a curriculum. I the challenge wall hardcore.  So I did some google searching. I finally asked the forum on FreeCodeCamp and asked for help. The person that decided to "help" could not have been more condescending! It ticked me off but I was cordial and asked that the help not "put me down" in the process. Response: "I should run on to my next helper." OHH! Now I am livid, but focused.

My interpretation was the following: "You can't do this." Those of ya'll that have been around me know that even implying "You Can't!" Fires me Up! Why? Because Yes, I Can! Yes, I will! Watch Me!  How many Latin@s stop there? Where are the Raza that have made it? Where is their journey? I know they are out there.

Let's that this Ethnic-Macro...How many Latin@s stop there? Seriously, whether the negativity comes at school, in the home, online it can have the effect of discouraging progress.
Thus I ask, Where are the Raza that have made it? Where is their journey documented? Where are the career changer Latin@s? I know they are out there. There is tons of 411 on high school programs, college programs like google summer of code, but what about the 30+ that have game, skill, and drive that want to blow sh!t up and go beyond the stereotype and bring some swagger and vegan tamales to the industry.

Ok. Enough ranting. I'm fired up. You get it.
The next few days I plowed through the content while figuring out what my learning best practices are in respect to learning how to code.

Day 13: At the conclusion of the day I had put in roughly 15 hours of learning. Next up my first projects on FreeCodeCamp.  Quickly I realized that I needed to take a step back and supplement the learning with more substance. This is where CodeCademy comes into the mix.

Moving forward the plan is document the journey.  The learning curve might be greater coming form a non Computer Science background but what I have in favor is that I have a science background.
I come from a solution finding career as a former political operative. Where will the journey lead me? Unclear.  All I have to do is keep moving forward and focus on what I can control.