First Marathon COMPLETE!

Last December I ran my first marathon. I also had the opportunity to share this experience with my best friend, Jarrah, who ran her first half marathon that day. I couldn't put into words the mix of emotions I endured during those 26.2 miles, until now. 

Months of training finally came down to this day. Since it was my first marathon I didn't know what to expect. I had no game strategy other than to keep running and hoping to cross the finish line alive. So I played it safe and ran at a slower, comfortable pace. Something I semi-regret because although I did run pain free for most of the race, my finish time wasn't that great. 

I usually run with music but the cheers from the awesome spectators were too loud to pass on. Around mile 6 I read a poster that said, "Embrace your pace." Simple yet comforting words for an anxious first-time marathoner. It was exactly what I needed to believe. 

Reaching the half way point was a small victory. The downhill that came right after was so refreshing and very much needed. The next 4 miles were ran along the White Rock Lake. It would of been a nice view had the weather cooperated that day. I had to dig deep to push against the cold wind from the lake. It was around that time that it started to pour rain. At this point I just wanted to wave the white flag.

Before the race started, Jarrah and I chatted with another runner about how excited we were for the race. He said that in a marathon, a runner is really running two races. A 20 miles race and a 6.2 mile race. He said the last 6 miles were pure mental hell and he couldn't be farther from the truth. Up until mile 20, I hasn't felt as mentally drained. By this time I've been running for more than 4 hours. I was finally reaching my breaking point. Soon I lost my pace group and slowed down even more.

Around mile 25 I began to cry. This came from a mixed of, "God, I'm almost done!" and "Wait! Nobody's waiting for me at the finish line!?" I really thought my family was waiting for me at the finish line but due to the weather and other circumstances, they couldn't make it. I had to snap out of it quick. One can't just run and cry at the same time, without struggling to breathe. I had to suck it up and push hard because I could hear the loud cheers from the crowds. The finish line was coming up. 

The most frustrating part of those last 2 minutes was that I could hear the crowd but couldn't see the finish line. Talk about a major tease. But finally I was done. 

I crossed the finish line like a rock star. I seriously held that pose for some good 30 seconds LOL. The thought of finally being able to walked seemed so relaxing but it was quite the opposite, at least for me. Walking after running a marathon was the worst pain I experience during that race. I could barely take a couple of steps after reaching the finish line. I was dying to find a bench, a sidewalk, anything I would sit down and rest. I finally did but then I walked around some more before I caught the train back home. I chatted with another runner on the train the whole way home. I didn't get his name but it was nice to finally talk to somebody after talking to myself for the last 6 hours.

I'm not gonna lie, marathons are just not for me. I think I'll stick to half-marathons and maybe run the full Dallas Marathon in December to close out the year. I do look forward to improving on my time and just enjoying this running journey the Lord has blessed me with. 

Too Hot To Handle 15k - Recap 2014

A week ago I ran the Too Hot To Handle 15k race with my best friend Jarrah. This is our second year in a row participating in this event. Although my time improved by a few minutes, it was still not one of my best races. I fell apart on mile 8 and no matter how close to the finish line I was, I couldn't pull myself through. 

Selfie with my niece before the start.

 I did great for the most part. The first 5 miles were no biggie. As time went by, I couldn't help but to feel the sun burning over my me. The event coordinators did a great job of keeping runners hydrated through the race.

 I'm so happy my sister and niece came to see me. It really makes races feel extra special when your loved ones are there to cheer you on! I'm excited they now want to sign up for a 5k race event next month.

Thanks for visiting and looking forward to sharing many more run adventures with you all!

New Trail Adventure.

This morning I woke up eager to go for a run. Actually I've been up since 3 am but whatever. I've been wanting to check out this bike/running trail but I didn't want to go alone. So I called up my friend, Jarrah, and practically dragged her out of bed. 

From the moment I got dressed and was headed over there, I was excited.The trail, fairly new, was beautiful and very peaceful. You can tell serious money was put into this project. I was surprised we were the only ones there. We did run into a lady on our way back. Also, I guess we were the only crazy ones to wake up so early on a Sunday morning. 

I want to guess it took us about a mile to reach the Trinity River. Now this river is not popular among Dallas locals. It's sort of an almost-there river.The trail took us near it and also over it, on a bridge that was part of a railroad track, waaaay back in the day. 

Check out my arms. I was thrilled! 

As you can tell we took a lot of pictures. The trail offers great views of downtown Dallas. We did run our way back. I was exhausted towards the end but still happy we got out there. It's not going to be my last time, that's for sure! Check out Santa Fe Trestle Trail's official website for more information. 

#selfietime

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Song of the moment

I've been jammin to this song for over a week. I'm in love. 

Dallas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon

I ran the Dallas Rock 'n' Roll Half-marathon, my second half, in March. It was honestly one of the best races I've ever had. Going into this race, I was a little nervous. I had slacked off the last weeks of training, the most critical weeks. I had prepared better for the Dallas Marathon in December, but it got cancelled at the last minute. Mentally, I was prepared but physically I just wanted to finish under 2:45. And that's all I was focused on. 

picking up my race bib at the expo, 2 days before race day!

quick selfie before the race!

That morning, Jarrah and I rode the train to the race in downtown. It turned out to be a good idea, since we didn't want to deal with traffic. The race started at 8am, but my corral took off about 15 minutes later. 

I felt great through out the race. At each mile, I was ahead of my anticipated time goal and that got me really excited. I ran nonstop, which is something I don't usually do especially on a long run like this.

Around mile 11, I started to push myself a little harder. By then all I wanted to do was just be done. It almost turned out to be a disaster because I began to get cramps towards the end of mile 12. In fact, one of my legs got numbed. I was like heck no! I did not just run non-stop to let this happened as I am finishing. So it took a lot of positive thinking and pumped up music to get me to the finish line alive. It also helped that my family was there to cheering me on.

Sadly this lady stole my shine... lesson learned: clear your path next time.

All that positive thinking paid off. I finished well under my time goal, and I beat my previous (first)half time as well. 

As soon as I crossed the finished line, I stopped running and had to walk. It felt a bit crowded with both, runners and volunteers everywhere. Volunteers handing water, bananas, etc. Time felt like it was moving slow. In my mind, I my legs felt like they were still moving in a running motion. As I walked passed volunteers, a girl stopped me to hand me my medal. My medal! I almost missed it! I was in such a high, I was just walking like a zombie. They kept handing me all these free goodies. Milk, bananas, towels. A lady saw I was struggling to keep up with all my stuff and offered to helped me. I told her I felt so lost and remembered thanking her. Finally I found my friend, Jarrah. Then my family! 

my family. mom, niece and nephew, tia and cousins. 

We soon took off after that because the weather was a bit chilly. I rewarded myself with some well deserved tacos. After a cold shower, I laid in bed for most of the day. I wasn't as sore the next day as I thought I would be. 

It was an awesome day and I look forward to beating this finished time. Let's see how it goes! 

Pobre Pata

This past week I ran 13.33 miles, more than what my training suggested. After my Wednesday run, I experienced some mild pain on my left upper thigh. I didn't think much of it and ruled it as a normal case of sore muscles. The next day, I still felt a little discomfort but again nothing too alarming.

After my 5 mile run that evening, the pain became more severe. It was at that point that I knew something was wrong. I've been very blessed to not come under any major injury, so I was a bit freaked that this was it.

Laying down in pain, well not for too long.

Later on that night after a couple of stretch exercises, I rubbed some Bengay on the affected area. It was actually my first time trying Bengay and I was satisfied with the results. The pain minimized within minutes and I was able to get a good nights rest.

Currently reading The Lovely Bones and this month's Runner's World.

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#MegsMiles

Yesterday, I dedicated my run to Meg Menzies. She was an avid runner who was killed by a drunk driver while out for her morning run on January 13th, 2014. An event was created on facebook urging runners to run in her honor on Saturday. News spread across the nation through social media, new outlets, blogs, etc. and thousands of runners took part, including myself.

Saturday's run was a time of reflection. I ran the first 2 miles without music. It allowed my thoughts to run free. It was a very chilly and windy morning, but complaining was the last thing on my mind. It's unfortunate that it takes a tragedy to make one appreciate life. I'm not one for resolutions but I do want to add "be more grateful" to my to do list for 2014. 

The Finish Line

There's a sense of tranquility that occurs during a run. A therapeutic state of mind, almost impossible to replicate.

earlier during my run.

For the past few weeks, I've been contemplating about my purpose in life. There are days I feel trapped. Other days I feel like I've lost all sense of direction. And as each day passes me by, I feel even further behind with my goals. What am I doing? Where am I going? Is this where I should be? Is this good enough? Question after question and yet no where near an answer. 

You see this is all new to me. When I was in a committed relationship, I was quick to share these concerns with my partner. He had a way with words, always there to rescue my thoughts. Well it's different now. He's gone and here I am, lost. All left to answer them on my own.

So while out on my run today, I began to explore the thought of running as a metaphor for life. Just like there are good days and bad days, today I had a good run. The weather was impeccable, better than the last time I paid a visit.

very icy ground during my last run.

Around mile 3, I started to get sharps pain in my legs, there was no choice but to walk it off. But soon, I went back to running. Thankfully there were no hills today, a runners nightmare. Hills are the devil working against you ha ha ha! No seriously, out of your comfort zone and their sole purpose it to make you crawl your way to the top. Let's not even mention injuries, talk about setbacks. Sometimes it can take days, months, years to recover and getting back in the game is just as tough. But isn't this how life works? With bumps and bruises along the road, one must keep moving forward.

The thought of running as a metaphor for life was reinforced for a race. Some runners show up with months of training invested. While others arrive less prepared, regretting their lack of discipline. Reasons for participation may vary. Checking off a bucket list, reaching a fitness goal, running for a cause. Then there are the experienced runners in pursuit of a personal record, maybe even aiming for a spot at the Boston Marathon. As for me, I do it for pure pleasure. 

Although I still don't know my purpose in life, I'm okay with that. We're in different stages in our lives. Running at different paces. Some will be guided through out their journey, while others will find themselves running in the dark or maybe even in circles. Some will find themselves unable to keep up and walk instead. The truth is we're all part of the biggest race: life. With the ultimate quest of reaching our personal "finish line."

I can go on and on but it's getting late. I hope I did a good job putting my thoughts together. Lord know's I'm no writer. Thanks for visiting!

Carla

Work Run and Read

WORK. Lately I've been swamped by work. About a month ago, I took on a new position with more responsibilities. BIG RESPONSIBILITIES. My team has shown a great amount of patience and willingness to help that it's made this transition easy.

RUN. There are only four days left until the Dallas Marathon. This will be my second half-marathon in over two years. I want to beat my previous (and first) time of 2:30 hours. But looking at the weather, just showing up and finishing might have to suffice.

READ. I read The Alchemist over the weekend. This story of a young shepherd boy in search of a treasure is a quick read and powerful metaphor of life. Great message about listening to your heart and never giving up on your dreams.

“When you really want something to happen, the whole world conspires to help you achieve it.” ― Paulo Cohelo, The Alchemist. 

I have about four books lined up for December: Mockingjay (third and finally book of The Hunger Games series), Gone Girl, The Shack, and Wicked.  I'll be taking a break from running so I'll have enough time to go through them all. 

Fired Up 5k 2013

A week ago I ran the Town North YMCA Fired Up 5k with a couple of friends. I stayed out late the night before for a Halloween party, so a personal best was not even in mind.

Left to Right: Antonio, me, Monica and Joel. 

It was a small race, 295 runners to be exact. The 5k started at 8 AM. It was cloudy with temperatures in the low 60's.

The course took us through a nice quiet neighborhood, one a kid from my hood only dreams of living on some day. I spend the first few minutes trying to get the right tunes on my iPod. After ten minutes, I took of my headphones and decided to enjoy the scenery. Just be in the moment.

The majority of the course was flat, until I hit mile 2. I knew I didn't want to walk so I slowed down a lot. I kept telling myself, "your legs are giving up, your body is giving up. Time to run with your heart!" 

My friends were all done. They were waiting for me at the finish line. So I was surprised when it was announced I came in 3rd place in my age group! First time I win an award of any kind for a race. 

Monica came in 2nd under the same division and our friend Joel also placed in his age group. 

My official time was 32:14. A new personal best, even though I felt like I could of done better. Either way I have come a long way! In February at the Texas Half 5k, I finished in 38:55. In May at the Heel and Hills 5k, I finished in 38:39. I know with better preparation, proper rest AKA not partying the night before I can do much better.

This definitely has me excited for my next race! I just know my hard work is paying off!

It's Going to Be Okay

I've been avoiding this post for days.

About a month ago, I made the hard decision to stop training for a full marathon. It was hard to admit it to you but especially to myself. A marathon finish was a big goal of mine for 2013. 

Since then I've adjusted my training and will take on a half-marathon. This will be my second half-marathon. And although it's a "half," training will still require  full dedication. I haven't felt this satisfied about running in a while. My body is just loving it because it's not under a lot of pressure and my running spirit is slowly being restored. 

I neglect my blog for long periods, mainly because I have nothing awesome to update you about. But you can stay in touch with me here:

Twitter: carlaontherun

Instagram: carlaontherun

Nike Running (which I just started using): Carla_Leyva

The Hottest Half and 10K 2013 Recap

10k Finisher Picture

I ran The Hottest Half and (10k) last week, my second year in a row. I felt more confident this time around since I was familiar with the course and had better prepared myself for the event.

I had a really great start. My music playlist was on point. I had properly stretched. I was pumped! For the first 3 miles, I was running ahead of my usual pace per mile by 45 seconds.

By the turn around point, little over 3 miles, I was happy how good I was keeping up. I just knew I would finish ahead of last years time. 

Around mile 5 I started to slow down. I knew even if I walked for a bit, I could still beat last year time. It was during that last mile that I just wanted to give up. I wanted to cross the finish line, yet running was the last thing I wanted to to.

The last mile is always a tough one. It's such a mental challenge. 

I always get caught off guard and end up with really crappy race pictures. This year I was able to spot the camera guy ahead of time. So every time I was about to approach him, I would smile and give 2 thumbs up. I would hold that pose for like 5 seconds because I wanted to make sure he got it. I looked so dumb.... What do you think? Better?

I ended up finishing 8 minutes ahead of last year time! More than a minute ahead per mile!

This event also marked one year since my best friend and I started running together. We've come a long way! In 2012 we were just getting into the game and look at us now? Looking like actual runners. My sister came to see me run, so that was pretty cool too. Until next year!

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