That’s A Wrap

It has taken me a long time to finally write this post. I haven’t had the courage to let people know that I didn’t qualify for the Olympic trials to be able to have a shot to compete in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio. Although some who are close to me already know, I felt that I owed it to my friends and supporters to give you a recap of how my season ended. So here I am taking you through my journey of the last four years in hopes of your continued prayers and support as I continue to follow my dreams.

The Beginning…September 2008

Because of the decisions I made in college that led to my coach kicking me off the track team my junior year, I was not able to finish my collegiate career. This meant I wouldn’t run for over three years.

I ran into Skip at the HOKA high performance meet back in May. He was happy to see that I was still competing and said I looked great!

Not having run anything over 10 minutes and being over 40lbs heavier I knew the journey to get back in shape would be a challenge. I decided that the easiest way for me to get back in shape would be to join a track team. I emailed a coach out in Santa Monica about joining his team. He asked me to come down to one of the practices. I was so nervous about meeting him for the first time. I pumped myself up in that email. I listed all my PR’s (personal records) but failed to mention that I was overweight now lol! I just knew once he seen me he would tell me that I couldn’t run for his team. By the grace of God he didn’t judge me and allowed me to be apart of his Master’s team, Track West, until I got in shape. He simply told me “just run 30 min a day for now.” As I look back by him giving me that small goal it taught me a valuable life lesson for reaching my goals. If you break your big goals into smaller goals you create small victories and keeps you in encouraged along the way. I will forever be grateful for Skip Stolley. If he didn’t give me a chance I don’t know if I would’ve come back. My first 800m race was 3 months later and I ran 2:46.8. By June I had gotten my time down to 2:26.8. About a year later he decided to move back home to Chicago. Thinking back this was my first opportunity to quit but I didn’t.

 

The come back…2009-2012

In 2009, I found another coach/team that would take me in. Again I was nervous because this team was more of an elite development club and they had time standards to join. And I was no where close to the standards. But again by the grace of God the coach allowed me to run for his club, South Bay Track Club(SBTC). My new coach was so blunt that he kind of reminded me of my high school coach, Kennedy. The first thing he told me was “you got to drop some weight” I said “I know haha!” I ran with this club for 4 years. I dropped my 800m time to a new PR 2:14.65 (ran 2:16 in college) and broke 60 for the first time ever in the 400m 58.20. I will forever be grateful for Len Webb, for teaching the importance of “you get out of something what you put into it. Discipline, hard work and commitment are the keys to success.”

At the end of 2012 I started to re-evaluate my training. Although my clock had improved tremendously I was at a plateau. I had been running the same clock for over a year. I was getting frustrated. I was putting in the work, following the program, eating clean but only PR’d by two seconds. I didn’t want to leave my current coach because I felt like I owed it to him to stay the course however I knew that the next four years would be super important. So in Dec 2012 I decided to work with another coach, Daniel Ozan.

The road to Rio 2016

At first I thought what does this “young” coach know about running. But after speaking with him and a couple other people who knew of his success I figured I give his program a try. Hell it couldn’t hurt.

He introduced me to mileage. I was running over 50 miles a week. At first I thought he was crazy. Like how am I suppose to run 8 miles non-stop?!! The first 2 weeks I struggled with being consistent. He sat me down and reminded me of my goals and what I wanted to accomplish and if I stay on this path it’s not going to happen. You have to “do the work and trust the process.” He taught me how consistency is key when it comes to running distance. “You have to be aerobically fit to run a fast 800/1500.” I bought into his program and we went from 2:15 to 2:09 in less than 6 months. “This is it! This is my coach that will help me get to the Olympics” is what I told myself at the end of my 2013 season. I believed that I could drop another 6 seconds in 3 years to hit the Olympic trials qualifier of 2:03.00. All I had to keep doing was follow the program.

The next year I was running cross-country. I hadn’t run cross country since my junior year in college(2005) so you already know I was freaking out. I ended up breaking my 5k PR by 20 secs. Things were going great. And then I hit a road block in 2014. I wasn’t resting enough and doing way more than my body could handle. And that track season I struggled to run 214. He sat me down again and told me I needed to cut back on some things and focus on my running. And that’s what I did. However in 2015 my hamstring caused me to end my season early. I was so frustrated. I was feeling like my dream was slipping away. Thankfully my coach was always so calm, cool and collected. He told me to focus on getting healthy. Take care of the little things first. By the end of summer 2015 I was feeling pain-free. My mileage and fitness was back up. I was feeling good about this year. And then BOOM! Another road block. My coach told me he couldn’t coach me anymore. I was hoping this was just a cruel joke. But it wasn’t. “Now what am I suppose to do Lord?’ Why is this happening? And the year of the Olympics!? I trusted this coach. We had built a relationship. I felt it in my heart that this was the coach that would get me there. And now I don’t even have a coach?

The 2016 Season

For four months I was training myself. A friend of mine recommended a coach to me and I decided to go with her, Sylvia Mosqueda. What I loved about her is her no matter what attitude. She also qualified for the Olympic trials more than 3 times and was still running at 50! This was very encouraging to me so I gave it a shot.

Her training was way different and it was taking me a while to adjust. I had some good moments during cross-country I broke my college PR in the 6k by over a min I ran 23:55 at cross country club nationals.  I was feeling a little hopeful as I was heading into my last season before qualifying for Rio. By April I had got my clock down to 213 in the 800m. I was still very hopeful that I could drop my clock. After all my PR is 209. However, I was battling an Achilles tendonitis injury since February but I knew I had to push through the pain. I had one race in May and it was the first week. I ran 214. Not bad but not what I wanted either. I was suppose to rabbit at the HOKA Middle Distance Classice but they scratched me the day of. This meant that I wouldn’t race again until June. 

I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t running fast. I cut back on the junk food, I was sleeping more, drinking more water. I wasn’t really going out. I was frustrated and my training started showing that.  And my coach could tell. I kept trying to shake it with my positive affirmations and motivational videos but nothing was working.

June was finally here and I had two meets left. It had been a month since my last race. I told myself just go out there and give it your all. But deep down I knew that I wasn’t going to make it. I didn’t even want people to come watch me run. The last two meet of the season I ran 216 and 215. I knew that it was time to bring my season to an end.

I went through so many different emotions these last two weeks. I felt embarrassed, sad, disappointed…to be honest I felt like a failure. I’ve cried myself to sleep so many times because I let so many people down that was rooting for me, donated or supported me these last four years.  One thing that played in my head was something my ex told me “you ain’t shit and you’re not going to make it and when you don’t I’m going to be there to tell you I told you that you wasn’t.”  How cruel right? I told myself damn he was right.

I’m not going to lie. I thought about hanging my track spikes up. Can I even do it this another four years in hopes of making my first Olympic team? Let’s keep it real I’m not getting any younger…I’m 30 and I turn 31 in August. Although I know age is just a number and distance runners tend to get faster as they get older I wasn’t sure I could handle the pressure of so many people counting on me and letting them down again. But how could I give up something that I’ve been doing since the age of 7 in a half? How could I just quit because of adversity when I preach to my athletes to never give up no matter the obstacles and challenges that comes your way?

Thankfully I have the best support system and they reminded me of how great I really am. I’m proud of myself for making a huge declaration and going after the goal. Although I came up short in the ultimate goal I learned so much about myself during this journey. I realized how strong I really am. I am not a quitter. That I CAN run fast. I am powerful beyond measure. I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me.

I am a firm believer that everyone makes it…as long as you don’t quit. It being your goals. The moment you quit you miss your opportunity. God will always make a way out of no way. Trust His timing.  Through this process I’ve learned that the road to success is never a straight line. There will always be something that tries to slow you down. That tries to knock you off the course that God has laid out for you. But if your passion and work ethic exceeds what appears to be an obstacle you’re going to win every time.  So what’s next? Get this Achilles healthy and start training for cross-country/road races. There’s always another race…like the 2017 Outdoor World Championships. Thank you for all your prayers, love and support.

First Fitness Video

I finally did it… I created my first workout video! It only took me two takes haha! I went through the whole workout only to find that it didn’t record the first time. So I ended up having to do it again. You will see towards the end of the video I am a bit tired and my push-ups look like body rolls LOL.

My friends and family  would constantly tell me you should do workout videos and I would always say no one is going to watch them…I don’t even know where to start…what type of workouts would I do? All of these questions were just negative self talk and the only way to get over it is to just do it! So today that’s exactly what I did. I decided to do a quick 10 minute workout that can be done anywhere. You don’t need much equipment just a kettle bell or dumbbell. Grab some water, towel and a mat and you are set to go.

I am a perfectionist and wanted my first video to be great. So please let me know what you guys think :). I didn’t know the edit process takes a long time and figuring how to blend and add text took a little bit of googling haha! Nevertheless I figured it out and created something I’m excited to share with you all. I hope you guys enjoy! Make sure you subscribe 🙂

Tips:

• Warm up and stretch
• Drink water
• Take a break if you need one but don’t quit.
• Do your best!

Power of the She

Our Athleta campaign is finally here! You guys have no idea how hard it was to keep this under wraps. This campaign was so much fun to shoot. The best part was being able to do it with one of my former athletes and my assistant coach/friend Danica. We filmed in LA back in February. It was a very long day and lots of running. We were so sore the next day, but seeing our video made it all worth the pain. The video is amazing! I’ve watched at least 10 times already.

Running has taught me so much and my ultimate goal as a coach is to show my athletes that you CAN be and accomplish anything you want if you believe and work hard. This is one of the main reasons I still run today.

I’m so honored to be apart of a great campaign that empowers women and girls to be unstoppable. Alone we are strong. United we thrive. #powerofshe Hope you guys enjoy the video 🙂

See more of the Power of She campaign here

I absolutely love these two!

I just want to get rid of my stomach…

“I just want to get rid of my stomach everything else can stay the same” you don’t know how many times I hear this phrase when someone comes to me looking to lose weight. Let me start off by saying there is no such thing as spot reduction.  The only way you can get rid of a trouble spot (i.e. stomach, thighs, arms etc) is by losing overall body weight. There is no way to specifically tell your body where to burn the fat from so wasting time and money on “miracle diets” and thousands of endless crunches won’t do you any good. The two things that will help you are a clean diet and the dreaded word…CARDIO. When you eat fewer calories than you burn, your body is forced to start using the fat stored as energy, and as a result, your body fat percentage will decrease and you will see an improvement all around, not just in a single area. AB exercises also are great ways to improve your core.  However, these exercises alone are not going to make your stomach flat. There are other things that are important in order to get the results you are looking for. Here are a few tips that may help.

Eat Right – The first thing that you have to do is to make sure that you are eating right. Just because you are exercising it doesn’t mean that you can eat whatever you want. Eat lean proteins, lots of fruits and vegetables and watch the soda and the alcohol. Having a clean diet is the key to a flat stomach.

Drink Water –  Making sure that you are drinking enough water is super important. You don’t want to become dehydrated. A good supply of water is important when you are exercising anyway. So drink lots of water and make sure that your body is getting the fluids that it needs. It will make a difference in how you do with exercising. A rule of  thumb I recommend is to drink half  of your body weight in ounces. “A gallon a day keeps the fat away”

Sleep – When you are exercising, you are using up the reserves that you have in your body, so getting a good night’s sleep is important. It will help your body to recover and give your muscles a rest. A good night’s sleep will also get you ready for the next day and allow you to exercise more efficiently and better.

 

I will be the first to admit that I HATE doing ab workouts but I LOVE a flat stomach. I am always looking for way to improve my core. Having a strong core helps me with my running…especially at the end of my race when I’ve given my all, my body is tired, my legs are heavy and now I must rely on my form. Towards the end of long runs or races, when you are extremely fatigued, your form begins to suffer. Poor form not only slows you down, it also opens you up to potential injuries. For distance runners who are familiar with that lower back ache, building up core strength will help to maintain good posture, and reduce the pains that result from poor posture.

Here are some simple tips that can help improve your core:

• Most people like to do abs at the end of their workout. Try starting your workout with them. This way you will be able to give 100%.
• Hit them hard. Only take about 15-30 seconds between sets and no more than that. Try not to go over 30 min that way you will have to keep moving
• Do core work often. Try to work abs 3-4 times a week. The key is switching it up a lot that way you’re never doing the same work out twice in a row.

If you’re looking to spice up your core routine try my 30 day AB Challenge.

The summer is around the corner let’s get swimsuit ready!!

 

Brea 8k 2016 Race Recap

 

This weekend I raced in the Brea Classic 8k. I have been building my strength with some solid long runs where I’ve been able to average 645 pace for 10 miles and 650 pace for 12 miles so my coach thought it would be a great way for us to see how strong I am and to test my fitness. The last time I ran an 8k was back in November with my team at the cross country regionals so I was a little nervous and excited all at the same time.

In the past racing in anything over 800m would freak me out. I would question if I could do it…could I hold the pace for that long?…what if I get tired?…all negative thoughts that would end up destroying my performance. At the beginning of my season I started to reflect on this issue I was having before my track meets. I wanted to figure out where did this come from so that I could find a solution. When I was in high school I was so confident that no matter the distance I was going to run fast from the start, win or run a personal best. And this was usually the outcome. When I got to college I got my ass handed to me. And it started to mess with my head. The competition was so good that I wasn’t expecting the challenges. I didn’t understand that the better I got the harder the competition. I was also over 1500 miles away from home. Needless to say I struggled, lost focus, lost my scholarship and stopped running track. When I came back to the sport and started getting faster and running in the fastest heat, I started to find myself dealing with the same thing from college. Which were the mental blocks. I would go out conservative because I was afraid I would die out and then on the last lap realize I wasn’t dead, try to pick it up and end up running a slow time and losing. Then I would beat myself up for not trusting myself and/or my coach. Then the cycle would repeat. Now that I coach high school athletes, I want to lead by example and practice what I preach. Running is all mental especially when it comes to racing. If you go into the race defeated, how can you expect to have a great race? My focus this year has been to mentally get myself in the game because physically I can get there. I’ve been doing more self talk, I AM statements in the mirror and reading more personal development books on a champion mindset.

The day before the race I had a talk with my coach, which I am starting to enjoy it helps me get focused and grounded. She told me, “just get out there, get a good pace going and then race the last mile.” She said there are a few little hills but I would be okay. I felt pretty good but I was still anxious because she mentioned there were hills LOL!

It was great to have my teammates out there with me. We all finished in the top 18! Regina (middle) finished 2nd over female :).

The morning of the race was so foggy but the temperature was perfect. I was so happy to be racing with my teammates again that my nerves were SLOWLY going away. We checked in and saw the lines for the porta potties were short so we decided to go before we warmed-up. While warming up we did the first mile or so of the course and I thought “oh this isn’t to bad” it was small incline, about 20 meters then it was flat. After our warm up we had to go use the restroom again! I guess all the movement and nerves woke up our insides. This time the lines were much longer but they moved petty quick. We get to the front of the starting line with about 7 mins to spare. My teammate, Regina asked me what pace was I going to go…I told her 6:40 then pick it up… she said no you can run faster than that so I said, “well I want to PR.” My PR at the time was 33:04 and I ran that in 2013. She said, “okay you can run 32.” I said okay. At that moment I was glad she was there.

The start of the race was weird. Usually for road races there’s a runners ready command and then a loud horn. This time it was just a horn which through us all off. We all get out pretty good. No one fell. That’s always a good sign. My first mile was good. I felt comfortable. I found some people that was going a good pace and I started to run with them. We go through the first mile at 555. I thought this is good. As we are heading into mile two we hit the first hill.

My face says it all..

I look up the road and it wasn’t a end in sight. I’m thinking when does this shit end?! I’m still running a solid pace I look down at my watch and we are at 610 pace. We make a left turn on the course the hill is still going up!! I go through mile two at 629. Mile three had to be the hardest.It was pretty much all uphill. And not a hill that you can just run to the top and it’s over. No this was a gradual incline that seemed to never end. I hit the mid-race wall. I’m telling myself the next person that pass you…latch on and run with them. At that moment like 5 little kids just run by me and power up this incline. I said oh-em-gee these little kids CANNOT BEAT ME! Get it together Glenn! I go through mile three at 707 :(. I told myself Glenn you gotta hang on…what goes up must come down. I just didn’t know when haha! The course finally flattened out and I was able to gain some speed. We make a right turn and it was a downhill. I knew I had to pick it up if I wanted to PR. I caught two of the little kids that passed me on the uphill and I felt a little better. Now I just started focusing on one person at a time. I go through mile four at 628. Now we are back to the hill we went up so I knew we were getting close to the end. Plus I only had a mile to go. I caught another one of those little kids. It’s now sad that my main focus is betting the kids hahaha! I caught up to a guy that was running a pretty fast pace and ran with him. The last mile was pretty much downhill excect for when we got under the bridge it was a slight incline…nothing as bad as mile two 0r three though. Me and the guy are racing each other now. I’m going pretty fast. One of my friends run by and says come on Glennis so I dropped the man and ran with her. We have a little more than 400m left in the race and I see the little girl that I gave a good luck dap to at the starting line in front of me lol! We turn the corner and the finish line is now in sight and I see the clock and it says 32min. My friend started sprinting and so did I. She ended up out kicking me but I passed that little girl hahaha! My last mile was 607. I finished with a time of 32:16…the official time was 32:18. I placed 3rd in my age group and finished in the top 18 for female runners.

 

Overall this was a solid training race. At first I was a little down on myself because my teammates ran so much faster than me. But they also run 10k’s/half & full marathons too. Then I thought about the progress I have been making. Back in November I raced a 8k I ran 34:37 and it sucked. I made over a two minute improvement! I would’ve loved to have run under 30 min and in due time I will. Onward and upward from here. Next up…Oxy Distance Carnival.

 

Pomona-Pitzer 2016 Race Recap

I don’t really like doing flexing pictures but my mom wanted me too LOL!

This past weekend I opened up my 2016 track season at the Pomona-Pitzer Collegiate All Comers meet. My goal was to go out there and compete. It had been almost two years since I had a good competitive season so I wanted to get the feel of being in a race on the track again and not really worry to much about the time. However the time is always in the back of your head.

The morning of  I went for an easy 10 min jog, did some leg swings, light stretches and foam rolled to see how my legs felt. And they felt really good. I was a little worried about my Achilles because it had been hurting the week before and I cross trained and didn’t run much so I paid close attention to it, taped it up with some rock tape and was good to go. I was entered in the 1,000m which is 2 1/2 laps. This can be a tricky race because if you go out too fast on the first lap you will pay for it the rest of the race and if you go out too slow it can affect your time. My coach and I strategy was to run a comfortable first lap, settle into the pack and then race the last 600m. “Don’t be afraid to win” were her last words to me. My training has been going really well so I felt that I could break 3 mins and get a new personal best.

My mom decided to go to the meet with me which I was so grateful because it was my first race and it always feel good having someone there to support you. I get to the meet about a hour early so I was able to use the rest room and relax a little before it was time for me to warm up. I love Pomona-Pitzer track. It’s so pretty and feel intimate because there are no bleachers so the spectators sit on the grass surrounding the track.

I go check in for my race and noticed that I wasn’t in the first heat. The first heat is usually the fastest and I was in heat three. I thought it was kind of weird because I entered my personal best for the 1,000m so I assumed I would be in the first heat. I looked at the times that were entered and thought those are some pretty fast times for a 1,000m the guys don’t even run that fast…I eneded up leaving it alone and going to warm up. As I’m heading to the starting line I see some familiar faces. They asked me what heat I was in and I say the third they ask why…I guess they were confused as well. I say “I think they entered their 800m time because the times on the sheet doesn’t make sense.” They tell me that the entry directions said to enter your 800m time not 1,000m. I felt so stupid and by the time I realized it the first heat had just went off. I go up to the official and ask to get into the second heat thinking it will be faster and more competitive and they switched me into that heat.

The gun goes off and I take off by myself and thought am I going out to fast? I come through the first 200m at 36 and thought okay this is a comfortable pace you’re good Glenn. As I come through the 400m the clock wasn’t working and I freaked out a little because now I had to look at my watch and I hate looking at my watch in a track race, I feel like it slows you down. When I looked at my watch it said 75 secs and I said oh shit I’m running too slow I need to pick it up! I had 600m left in the race and I remember my coach saying “race the last 600m…compete”! There was no one in sight so I had to race the clock which can be tough. As I pass the finish line the clock wasn’t working this time and I didn’t look at my watch I just knew I had 400m to go and I needed to RUN! 800m down and again clock not working when I looked at my watch I saw 2:30. I said to myself this is not the pace I’m suppose to run so you need to SPRINT Glenn. I haven’t been working on much speed we are still getting me fit and strong so I felt a little rusty lol. I finished with a time of 3:06.05. I was disappointed with my time but excited I won my heat…by a lot…at least 40 meters 2nd place was 6 secs behind me! I watched the next race which was my original heat and the winner ran 2:59 and that made me beat myself up because I should’ve just stayed in my heat it would’ve been better competition and I would’ve ran a personal best :(. I ended up placing 6th overall.

At the end of the day I realized that I hadn’t raced a 1,000m in over 4 years and had a good track race in over 2 years due to injuries and that day I came out with a win :). It wasn’t my best executed race and I made some rookie mistakes with the entries but it felt good to be back on the track racing and healthy. Thankful for Coach Sylvia who is getting me stonger and more fit everyday so I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.  I might even move up to the mile/1500m I know I will be racing more of those races this season…after all I was the queen of that race in high school. Who knows?! Right now I’m just following her program, building my strength and trusting the process. Next up…Brea 8k. “Strength will always beat Speed! Speed is limited! Strength has no limits!”

Ready, Set, Goals…Hello 2016!

2015 was a charater building year for me. My faith was definitely tested on numerous occasions. I didn’t have a great track season. I ended up getting injured and had to call it quits early in the season. The road to recovery was tough…more so mentally than physically. I thought the year would go one way but I now see that God definitely had another plan for me. Despite the challenges there were some really great moments. Even though we face obstacles in life it is always good to take a moment to reflect on the blessings that we DO have. I feel like this keeps us in a state of gratitude and opens us up to receiving more in our life.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey

2015 Recap

• I had an all expense paid trip to the my state capital to represent Herbalife.
• Took my athletes to support the athletes at the Special Olympics.
• I turned 30 and did my first professional photo shoot
• Worked as a promo model for Jaybird Headphones and did a Gerber commercial.
• Started working with my new running coach…Sylvia Mosqueda. Which we are now sponsored by Skechers. TEAMosqueda Elite Skechers.
• Set a new 6k PR at XC Club Nationals in San Francisco. And my team placed 10th out of 41 teams.

 

In 2016 I am looking forward to running fast! My goals for the season to stay healthy, enjoy the process and stay focus. And of course PR!!

I am getting fit, leaner and stronger each day. I am learning to not put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect but to be consistent. You get better by being consistent. Day by day. Week by week. Mile by mile. By writing down your goals, visualizing yourself already accomplishing them and believing that you can DO IT!

Here are a couple of tips that can help you stay focused on your goals this year.

Tips for staying on track:

1. Keep your goals visible eg. hang them up, keep them in your journal etc

2. Share your goals with your with your coach or another trust worthy person and get them to ask you about your progress regularly eg. during Saturday morning workouts check in with each other

3. Take action! Do at least 1 thing daily (even if it is a tiny thing) that is working towards your goal. (Remember: Rest is part of any goal!)

4. Most importantly, have fun! Keep it light and enjoyable and you’ll be sure to keep growing and glowing :).

 

 

New Beginnings

Have you ever had to give up something pretty good in order to receive something great? Whether it was leaving a “good” job, a comfortable relationship or in my case changing your training plan…Sometimes the only way to get what you REALLY want in life is to leave behind the sure thing you already have. A lot has changed since my last blog post. Sorry for being MIA. Blogging is new to me so I have to remind myself to blog! Nevertheless, I am so excited to share with you all the new and exciting things that has been going.

I did my first fitness photo shoot! It was so much fun. A lot harder than I expected. You have to remember every part of your body when it comes to posing. My photographer Renee was amazing! She made me feel so comfortable and coached me through the whole photo shoot. Constantly reminding me how great I looked which helped me feel confident. I can’t wait to do my next shoot. Check out some of my favorite shots :).

After my birthday, it was really hard to stay positive and keep my faith in my running career. It felt like I was being tested left and right. I didn’t have a coach anymore after working with him for almost three years and improving my time from 2:14 to 2:09. I just knew this coach was going to take me to the top and then out of the blue he decided he can’t coach me anymore. I was so bummed. I had put all my faith and trust in him and his program that for a brief moment I thought what’s the point? I was barely running about 4 miles every other day. One of my clients told me to pray. Ask God to heal my heart and ask Him for discernment. I cried and prayed….literally.

I’m not a quitter and I preach to my athletes about giving up so I knew I couldn’t give up. One of my why’s are them. I reached out to some of my running buddies and was led to my awesome new coach Sylvia Mosqueda. I’m so grateful to have found a coach that believes in me. I told her what my goals are and she said these are big goals we can’t take any shortcuts and you have to be willing to put in the work and immediately put together a plan. Bonus is that my coach is female who was and still is a beast in the running community.

I’ve been training with her for over a month now and have already been pushed out of my comfort zone. I love it! Everything happens for a reason and I am grateful for her everyday. My first XC race is this Saturday (screams). I’ll be  running a 6k! And then heading to San Francisco in Dec for XC club nationals. I’m excited to race again.

My friend/assistant coach Danica wrote a book called ‘Running For Women’ and I’m one of many featured runners! This book is so cool for anyone. From beginner to veteran there are helpful tips in here.

When she asked me to write a page in her book I was so honored, nervous and excited all at the same time. My mom is taking the book with her everywhere and telling everyone she runs into that I’m famous haha! It is pretty cool to open a book and see myself in there. Go to Amazon and get your copy today.

No that I am out of my comfort zone so many exciting new things are in the works for me and I can’t wait to share. It’s so easy to get comfortable. And it’s hard to step out into the unknown to get something that doesn’t provide the sense of comfort…yet. It’s not easy to leave what seems to be good but you can’t be afraid to give it up for something great. Don’t be afraid to start something new. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. When you find yourself getting comfortable ask yourself do you want to be mediocre or great? I choose Great!

Flirty Thirty, I’m turning 30…TOMORROW!

I’ve been blessed to be on this earth for 29 wonderful years and by the grace of God it will soon be 30! I am excited to embark on this new phase of adulthood. However before the excitement, I’m not going to lie, it scares…well scared the hell out of me. A little over a month I went into a oh-em-gee I’M TURNING 30 crisis. As a teenager you think you would have your life all figured out by now. I would say, “by 30 I am going to be rich… I am going to have a big house… I will be married with two kids… I will be a professional track star…” I’ve realized that my own expectations matched with what society teaches us about being successful, love and relationships had me scared that I was “behind with my life.” I felt like there will be these high standards I now have to meet when I am 30 yrs old and I should have already met some life milestones. 

Growing up I was so sure at what I wanted to accomplish and who I wanted to become that nothing or no one could tell me that it wasn’t going to come true. As I got older I learned that life is full of ups and downs and just because I may have had some setbacks doesn’t mean that I can’t or wont accomplish the goals that I set for myself at a young age.

I graduated from college at the age of 21 and like every college student, I thought I would come out and land the job of my dreams. Well after moving back home to Long Beach, Ca. I was working as a front desk agent making $2 more than minimum wage.  My manager was this old single white lady who got on my nerves everyday. I would think is this why I went to college? I do not want to be here for the rest of my life and end up miserable like her. I know it sounds bad but I was only 21 so cut me some slack. A friend of mine was working at a bank as a Credit Manager and making good money and suggested I apply. I didn’t need any experience, just a Bachelor’s Degree and it didn’t matter the field. I thought well at least I’ll get some use out of this degree. My degree is in Communications…nothing to do with finance! Matter of fact I took one math class (Statistics) and it was the first semester in my freshman year haha! I got an A :-)!

I started working as a Credit Manager. At first, I felt like I finally had a “real job.” Whatever that means. I was making good money and living on my own. However, for two years I was miserable. I dreaded going to work. My managers got on my nerves…maybe the problem was me lol. I didn’t like how we had to lie to customers and in my opinion put them in a worse financial situation just so we can make money off of them. I had that same feeling…”is this what I am supposed to do for the rest of my life?” “I hate this job!” When the company went out of business and laid us off I was so happy…yet lost. I told myself to take this time off, especially since I was getting the maximum unemployment check and figure out what I want to do with my life.

Yea this is a random quote but I thought it was so funny because it reminded me of my old managers.

Running has always been a passion since the age of eight. I had a great high school career which earned me a scholarship to Oral Roberts University. I ended up getting kicked off my college track team, lost my full scholarship and let myself go. I was watching the 2008 Olympics and felt like I had failed. At the time I was 45lbs overweight, out of shape (obviously) and hadn’t ran in over 3 years.  I had high ambitions before all of this happened. My plans were to graduate in 2007 and figured I would be in the Olympics in 2008. I soon learned that God’s path to this goal was slightly different. My boyfriend at the time said to me “there is nothing wrong with you. If this is something you want it’s not too late to accomplish this goal. You just need to first, get off your ass and lose weight.” And so the journey began. I hired a trainer and a track coach and haven’t looked back. I finally felt like I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. In 2010 I started my own health & fitness business and in November of 2011, only 24 years old, I  got offered the position to be a Head Coach at a local high school for boys & girls cross-country and track. I was and still am the youngest head coach and I am one of three women head coaches in our league. I never thought I would be a coach…a Head Coach at that! Although now that I think about it, it make sense. Being a coach has taught me a lot about myself. It has helped me be more accountable to my own actions and goals because of what I teach them.  I have learned that there is always another opportunity to get it right and achieve your goals as long as you don’t quit. And it has taught me the true meaning of patience. 

Another pre-30 crisis moment came when I realized that majority of my friends are married or have children. Because I have neither I started thinking something was wrong with me. I have only been in two long-term/serious relationships. My first relationship I was so young when we started dating (20 years old), I thought we would be together forever. I loved him and wanted our relationship to work. He was a great guy, we just wanted two different things as we got older. I still have nothing but love for him and wish him all the best.

A year after we went our separate ways an old friend pretty much chased me down to take me out and date me and I finally gave in and said yes. I thought I had found “the one” unfortunately, I was wrong. I assumed since we had been friends for so long things would be different. I was left heartbroken. The lack of honesty & integrity is what ended our relationship. I went on a trust no man crazy cycle for like a month LOL!

“Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be…And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart.

The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things. Make every day count.” (http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/everything_happens_reason.htm)

I am actually very grateful that I don’t have any children yet. Babysiting my adorable niece and coaching high schoolers are great birth control LOL!

I have accomplish a lot so far in life and still have a lot more goals to reach. I am grateful for the journey. The ups and downs have made me who I am today. I believe that I am in alignment with God and am fulfilling the purpose He has planned for my life which in the end makes me successful and happy. A friend of mine described success as “being at peace with yourself and others as it pertains to the decisions you make in life. Success can not be measured by external things because those things can be taken and your identity would follow. Success is gauged by how you feel within.”

I am looking forward to my 30’s. I’ve learned a lot about myself in my 20’s and I am looking forward to all the exciting opportunities 30 will bring… starting tomorrow! I am becoming into the full bloom of my womanhood. I am healthy, smart, sexy and better than ever. I am right where I am supposed to be in my life. So bye-bye 20’s! Hello flirty 30’s ;-)!

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July to you and your family!! If you are like me you are enjoying your holiday with your love ones and eating some of your favorite treats. But before you indulge I hope you got your workout in for the day. If you haven’t let your food settle and try this 4th of July Workout. 

I’m a little tired and breathing hard in the beginning because I just finished running 3.5 miles. 

Grab a friend, have fun and go at your own pace! Let me know how it goes 😊