NYC Marathon weekend

This weekend I ll be running my 4th marathon and 3rd NYC marathon. I am here today at home resting and preparing everything. I will be leaving tomorrow at 7 am on the bus. Since today is Halloween I decided to leave tomorrow so I can spend Halloween at my own bed and place and avoid any temptations of going out on NY. After all NY is the capital of the world and party. I ll be heading down on a bus for 4 hours. I did that because was the best way to save some $$$$. I have done the trip before and is not bad and the bus is really comfortable. Let see how this goes. As for race day the weather is going to be runners friendly with a high temp of 53 as of today. This will be ideal running conditions.
As I have said before my goal for this marathon was to do 3:30. But since 2 weeks ago my IT band have been bothering. Because of this I don't know if it will hold for the entire race so if I do between 3:30 and 3:40 I will be extremely happy.

Tomorrow at expo I am going to try to get the autograph of Dean Karnazes Bart Yasso and Tim Deboom. From the 1st 2 I have read their books so yes I am taking the book with me. The other guy is a Pro triathlete that took a year off because he was tired and now his is coming back plus he write on a monthly base for Triathlete magizine.

So let see how my journey goes this weekend my computer is not coming (my rule of thumb is when you travel for fun PC are not well come) so probably I wont post till Tuesday mourning.

Have a great weekend and good luck pr those running too

Choose Your Superpower

This is the theme from the Take It and Run Thursday! from the Runners lounge
Since I am heroes fan and I follow the show and is about super power or specials ability I thought this was a peace of cake for me. But not because there a lot of options out there. After meditating in the cold dark last night. I have become with 3 options. They doesn't have a particular order.

1. being able to no get injured. This is simply because I am happy with the way I am performing on my running or triathlon. For me you perform in terms of your athletic ability and you get better when you work hard for a certain goal. The biggest satisfaction somebody can have if to achieve that goal by yourself. Some times what doesn't allow you to get that goal is an injury and you get frustrated because of that. So being able to no get injury will aloud you to race to your maximum potential as long as you live.

2. The ability to read minds of others people. Some times I wonder what people think about random stuff or a stuff that happens. So for those time I would like to able to read minds so I can know and try to understand peoples thoughts.

3. Some times I desire I can have the power to cure. So I can cure persons that get ill with out unknown reasons. This will aloud me to help people that deserve to enjoy the gift of life and act like any normal human being.

4 more days for the NYC Marathon
happy Thursday

5 days to go

Just 5 day to the big race. My IT lower hip injury is there. I am treating it well with Ice almost every hour and a lot of stretching twice a day. Have good will that it will heel just for the marathon. Today I do my last 6 miles it will be a test for the IT/ hip injury. I let my fellow readers how it went.
The election is in 7 days. The supposedly democratic system that the US employs is a fiasco. Because not the candidate that get the most votes wins and it has happened before. So I am against that system. So I don't know if I am going to vote because I am not sure if every vote counts.
In other better If you are not watching heroes you are missing a nice entreating show. This season at least in my opinion have been better than expected. Is going in to the 1/2 of this part and is great. Watch the reruns.
Happy Tuesday.

Taper week

This weekend I rested a lot. On Friday I stay at home watching movies. On Saturday I went to the marine corps marathon expo. I got 2 pairs of socks and a race ready pants for the NYC marathon. Basically I spend 3 hours over there while my girlfriend look around for deals and free stuff. She got a lot of free stuff. I rested for the rest of the day. On Sunday I went for my last 10 miles before the marathon. I did them in an easy pace and did the last 2 at tempo pace. my 10 miles were in 1:22:25. I felt great. About the hip IT injury yesterday I ran and it didn't badder at all until the last 2 miles that I stated running hard. So I will continue to rest stretch, Ice it and massage it for this weekend and hope it resist the marathon. I am really positive that I am going to have a good race and the temperature should be great let see how its goes.
Hope everybody have a great week

Last Weekend ...

This is the last weekend before the NYC Marathon. I only need to do 1 10 miler. probably is going to be Sunday since Saturday is suppose to rain. I am really excited for this race and is just around the corner. So 1 weekend of resting before the big weekend. My hip is feeling way much better so hopefully I will continue to do the same methods until race day. The MC Marathon is here this weekend I ll probably will head to the expo on Saturday to take advantage of the sales. Last year the prices were better here than in NY expo. NY had all the brand new stuff and the latest for the next year but prices were high. So I just will check both of them. Hope everybody have a great weekend.

Running and Weight

Today theme is from the runners lounge.
The weight is always an issue between runners. For me is too. My Ideal weight or the least that I have been able to weight is between 165 - 167 with a body fat of 9%. Having and maintaining this weight is hard specially on the off season. The way I maintain the weight is making sure I burn a 1000 calories each day for 5 to 6 days a week. In terms of eating I try to only eat red meat and saturated fats once or twice a week. Thats on the season. On winter or the off season is really hard to maintain weight. So I watch what I eat basically all the time except on Christmas. What I try to do is the days after I eat a lot I try to go for an hour run work out and try to burn as much calories as possible. So basically watch what you eat and cut the unwanted fats.
I terms of performance my weight have been questionable because 2 out of my 5 pr in the main distances are have been heavy.
5k = 20:45 weight 165 2005
10k= 43:30 weight 171 2006
10 mile= 1:16:45 weight 165 2007
1/2 marathon= 1:40:37 weight 165 2007
Marathon= 3:55:56 weight 171 2003
So basically the weight is an issue but is not a fact that it will affect your performance.
As I write, I am preparing for NYC Marathon my current weight is 166 base on that I should have a good race.
One more thing is that loosing weight takes time evenly 5 pounds take some time a month and a 1/2 or 2 month So be patient.

12 days and counting

12 days to the NYC marathon. I will be wearing number 10464 going in the first wave and I ll be running the first mile in the top of the bridge. I am really excited about the marathon since I feel for this one I am in the best fitness level of my life. I have run 3 marathons in the past. NYC marathon twice and Boston once. I Have been improving in each once. But for this I feel better since I have been training none stop since February do to the triathlon season. I have had my ups and downs during training but in general I have been feeling great. About my hip yesterday I stretch a lot and had ice so today is feeling a lot better. I will continue do the same for the next days and hope it heel in the next week or so. Happy Tuesday.

A cold nice weekend

This was the first really cold weekend of the season for the North VA area. On Friday I went to do my last long speed work out before the marathon. I ran to the track and again it was closed. Instead on going to HH like the day the day before I went to the treadmill and run the whole work out there for a total of 8 miles. On Saturday mourning I went to do a bike TT. It was really windy and chilly. The TT went good it was really windy so just did it for fun with no time expectation. I don't know my time jet but I think it was a little bit above 20 miles per hour for 16 miles but is not official. The rest of the Saturday went for grocery shopping. On Saturday night I stayed up late watching the Pavlick Hopkins fight on the web. Hopkins at 43 kick the hell out of Pavlick in an amazing display of boxing. On Sunday I wake up late around 10 eat some breakfast and went to do my 14 mile run. The run was going find until mile 7 went my hip stated to hurt a little. I ran through the pain. Arrive mile 10 at the track and went for the last 4 miles at race pace. I was feeling great my hip hurting just a little bit. Then on mile 12 3/4 I had to run to the bathroom to explode. After that turn of event I lost my momentum my hip was hurting more so I just decide to run 1 more lap and run 13.1 in 1:50. As I did some additional stretching to find out what is may be causing the pain is either right aductor or my IT band because the pain goes from the outside of the knee all the way up to the out side of the hip. So a lot of ice and Alive for me and extra tapper for the next 2 weeks. As the time I am posting I don't feel that sore. After my long run I went home and of course watched Boca beat River 1 - 0 in a not exciting Futbol game. But the important thing was that Boca won. here are some pics of the game celebration.

Its Friday Its weekend

Yesterday I was suppose to my last long speed work out before NY but the Track was close due to a football game. I thought they wont be playing because on Wednesday I saw the getting crush on practice. Bad thought. So I was mad and instead of running got back home and went to dc tri HH because it was 1/2 a block from my home. Of course my girl friend join me there and we had an awesome time.

The weekend plan come as follow.
Friday speed work around 8 or 9 miles
Saturday 16 mile time trial for the fun of it on the bike
Sunday 14- 16 miles of running in preparation for NY, In the mourning.
In the afternoon the Super clasico from the Argentine Futbol league.


VS



It should be a relaxing weekend
happy weekend to everybody

Runners or triathletes are no quiter

Today post is from the runners lounge Running Quotes and Sayings

What I learn in my running quest is that runners are no quitters. So my favorite quotes are :
"Runners are no quitters"
"Run to life"

Today is my last day of hard speed session in preparation for the NYC Marathon. After today one more long run and resting.

Yesterday I watch some good Futbol games for the world cup qualifing stages. In some upsets Chile beat Argentina Colombia tied with Brazil at Maracana USA lost to TT and Mexico tied with Canada

Have a great Thursday

Nobel prize winner

Paul Krugman won the Nobel prize winner on Monday. I write this because I have read both of his books and I have been a follower of his column for the last 4 years. In my opinion he is a great writer and if anyone wants to know more about economics in a different perspective should read him.

In Other stuff the USA is buying banks. If another country would apply this same action the USA would accuse that country of a socialist country. USA would not tolerate that action. Is just ironic what they have been critiquing for the las 50 years. This is just a random thought

Tonight a short 4 mile run, some Futbol and debate

NY in 17 days

Long Weekend recap

Long Weekend recap

How unproductive somebody can be on a Saturday afternoon after having a bad race day. A loooooooottttttt. After my race I got home and went in to the computer and for the 7 hours I didn’t do nothing just watch and enjoy the Iron man world championship 2008 live from KONA. It was awesome. Watching all the pro going at it was amazing. Specially Chrissie Wellington after her flat tire come back and win by 10 minutes. On the men Craig Alexander kill the field with an amazing run. I just wonder maybe some day I be able to make it.
On Sunday I went for 30 mile bike ride recovery ride and the watched some Futbol or soccer of the world cup qualifying action.
Yesterday thanks to my fellow blogger the rainmaker my girlfriend and me went to the Homestead Farms and picked up a lot of apples and vegetables. I had a great time over there for almost 3 hours picking up stuff. We had a blast. At night I went for 6 mile ride and for some reason I was filling great. So apparently the bad day on Saturday did the job because I was feeling really good. Only 19 more days for the NYC Marathon.

Baltimore 1/2 maraton

Yesterday i went to try to run the Baltimore 1/2 marathon. I ran 4 miles before the race. I started running great until mile 7. I got in to mile 7 around 54 minutes. After mile 7 I shut down and my body didn't respond I just literally survived the next 6 miles with running and walking. I finished 1:56:06. I walk the last mile. Apparently my body wasn't ready for the race and didn't recover from the army 20 miler. I was really frustrated as last year I had a great race over there. But at the end of the day I wasn't that bad because my big race is in 3 weeks. I just ave to be more careful on my training and make sure I am ready for it and well rested. Today I went for a 30 mile recovery ride. Hope everybody is having a great weekend. I will talk about Kona in my next blog.

Baltimore 1/2 Marathon plus 7 or 8

Tomorrow I ll be heading to Baltimore for their runner festival. I ll be doing the 1/2 marathon + a warm up of 7 or 8 miles. Just like last week before the army 10 miler last weekend. I did this race last year and I am coming back this year because the people at Baltimore do a great job on putting the race together. Is fun well organized not as big as other races but not small either. You can watch the hole city running and looking the diverse communities at the city. Last year I posted a 1:40:38. I would love to break that but since this is not my goal race or A race I won't be disappointed. Now that the tri season is over, I hope everybody is doing something so you don't lose the fitness level that had be aquifer in the 8 last month. Don't forget that Kona is tomorrow and you can watch it life at ironmanlive.com.

Enjoy the long Kona weekend.

I am piking Maca Crawie and Faris , Womens Chrissie Wellington and the rest

Signs you would love to see while running your race.

This theme is from the runners lounge.

Signs I have seen or would like to see on a race. As when I run I am not a aware of people signs since I don’t have many friends (they prefer to party or won’t wake up early ) or family members that are interested or at least interested to go and watch me compete in my triathlons or marathons runs I am usually unaware of signs. How ever on 2000 when I ran my first NYC Marathon I was really impress with the community support overall during the race, specially the Puertorican or boricua and Mexican community. As I ran I was really impress and was big motivating factor for me to continue especially since I am Puertoricans. Since I am running this year the NYC Marathon I am looking forward for this support. Also my girl friend in the last year I have been there for me in all the races I have done. She is always is a big supporter and every time I see her I get really pump up. This year 1 of my brothers is hopefully will be there supporting me with my girl friend. I am looking forward to see this on race so at mile 16 or 17 at NYC marathon they will be there and then at mile 25 again so they can get me going. Others experience I have had is when you race with a bunch wasted people having a party while you race. This makes your race experience more funny and enjoyable. If you like this race leave me a comment and I let you know where it is. Is always fun to watch some one with the jersey of your favorite sports team or from where you are. you feel identified and the same time supported.

Happy training.

Focus NYC marathon

Now that the triathlon season is over.(I will post my self evaluation on another blog) All my focus will go to the New York City marathon. For the next 16 days I will be running a lot in preparation of the marathon. I wont forget about swimming and biking since those help a lot on recovery days. As I did 20 miles last Sunday this week I do 20 again in conjunction with the Baltimore 1/2 marathon. Then put some miles until taper week comes. I am in wave 1 for the marathon so I should be with a lot of fast runners. I am really excited. So a lot of running for me for the next few days

Some army 10 miler thought. Is a great race crowded but great and is a fast course so is good to PR. The finisher part is good not the greatest but good enough to make me stay for a while. I saw my fellow the rainmaker at the finish line we chat for a while. If you have the opportunity to do this race yo should do it next year.

that its Happy training

Giant Acorn/ Army 10 miler report

I did a sprint on Saturday and 20.22 miles on Sunday. Here is how it went.
As I stayed here before that my goal was to make it to the start. I barley make it as the drive took more time than expected. So the race was schedule to start at 10. It was 9:30 and I was on the parking. So I ran took the race packet and set up everything as quick as possible. I put my wetsuit and make it to the water 2 minutes before the swim start. I didn’t warm up enough and with 2 minutes there is not much you can warm up in 2 minutes. The swim started and it was crowded in the first 300 meter. After that I began passing a lot of swimmers. The swim went ok but seems that it was more than 750 meters. The way you come out of the water was hard since it was like coming out of a pool it was hard this should improve in future races. My time was 16:08, 12th on my age group. T1 went smoothly it was 2:06 slow but was because my bike was at the end of the racks and I have to run with my bike in the messy terrain. The bike ride went good. I felt great but on the small hills I have to admit I didn’t have it may be 2 weeks with out riding have to do with that. My time was 37:08 15th on my age group. T2 went fast as usual 1:17. The run went great since I have been running a lot lately. My time was 22:57 15th on my age a group. My total time was 1:19:42. Add me a 2 minutes of a drafting penalty that they say I did but honestly I know I didn’t do it. I finished 11th on my age group.
So the race went ok I had fun but I don’t like the penalty I got so I was upset. We left and drive really fast to pick up the bib # for the army 10 miler.

On Sunday I ran the army 10 miler. As I said I was running 10 miles before the actual race. I left home at 6:25 and started my run to the race site. The run went smoothly. In the first 8 miles I had 1:08:07. The next 2 miles were in the race site so I was looping around at a slow pace. When the race started I had 9.75 miles. My girl friend ran with me the first mile and then went on her own to finish with a time 1:18:12. Congratulations to her. To me I just try keep the pace steady and my heart rate low. The first 5 miles I had 41 minutes. So I decided to try to do a negative split. But for my body I think it was too much I guess. I pushed hard but on mile 9 I was on survived mode it was the hardest part of the race that last mile. I just keep my concentration to finish strong. I arrived to the finish line in 1:22:08 and then keep running on a side to make sure I ran 20 miles. The total time for my 20.22 mile run was 2:49 so I was happy with that.

After my 2 races I was sore and today I am feeling it

But indeed it was a great training/race weekend in preparation for the NYC Marathon. This week a lot of running and the Baltimore ½ marathon in preparation for NYC marathon.

Have a great week

Last tri of season/ year and Army 10 miler times 2

This weekend I am doing the las triathlon of the year. It is sprint distance. Its ironic because a month and a 1/2 ago thought of dropping this race to concentrate on NYC Marathon. But since my 1/2 iron man was cancel do to a Hanna and the Olympic distance was cancel do to bump, I have decided to go and have fun at this one. I haven't bike in almost 2 weeks due to a bump and NYC Marathon training, swim only 3 times in almost 2 weeks. Having said this I have no time expectation. I am just going out there to enjoy the ride and have fun.
On Sunday I ll be running the Army 10 miler in a different way. I am running from my home to the race start and at least put 10 miles before the race. Then go and have fun. When the race is done I hope at least I have 20 miles. Ideally I would like to have 22 but that seems that is going to be harder. This run will help me prepare for NYC marathon.
Hope every body have a great weekend and for the triathlete that have 1 more race hope they enjoy it.
Happy :) weekend

Life Lessons Learned From Running

Since this a topic from the runners lounge and I think is nice I like to write about it. I have been running on regular basing since January 2000. That year I began running to do something other than hanging out and get better grades at college. I had none running background. I played volleyball and basketball at high school but never running. I knew I was going to be runner because my mom was a runner and the day before I was born my mom was lapping around the track. So I think running was on my blood and genes.

From day 1 I learned that its take time. You have to discipline. For getting better at it you need to work hard be patient and learn that its take time. These keys to running can be applied to any goals you have in your life and they are going to help in the journey of reaching that goal.

The other important things that running has give are friend. I have met great people that have become friends and we have stay in touch with them no matter time distance or place. These friends have taught me lot stuff about life. They have been great and of all ages. From 60 or 70 years as 17 or 18 years, they all have been part of this trip and I have learned from them and they have learned from me.

To this I have to add that it have been a great running/ triathlon journey.

Not much to say

Is Wednesday so always on Wednesday i hard for me to post because there is not much happening. Yesterday the NYC marathon booklet arrive. I was really excited about this. Already I read it. I ran 4 miles yesterday. I felt like crap but I made it after 6 days with out running I am back. Tonight I am doing 10 miles evenly if I have to survive. I am determine to completed so I can be back on track.
As everybody might be watching baseball ( I am not a baseball fan) to night there are a few good soccer games going to night on both the CONCACAF region with their club tournament and in the CONMEBOL with the Copa Suramerica. This games are well played and really excited to watch. So if you dare to watch something different change the channel and go and watch this different games.