Keeping the Spirit of my Grandmother Alive

Today marks the one year anniversary of my grandmother's death. I still wrestle with the concept my grandmother is no longer physically present, and today, I went for a six mile run to remember the wonderful moments spent with her:


When I was five, I was playing with a shovel and sliced off a toe nail. My grandmother nursed me and let me sleep with her at night.

At the age of eight, I got the chickenpox really bad. I stayed home for two weeks and she fed me apples, applied lotion very gently to help ease the itching and placed sliced potatoes all over my body to reduce my high fever.

My grandmother thought my siblings and I how to pray the rosary and she made us pray it with her everyday because she believed in the power of prayer.

When my siblings and I discovered new foods in the lunchroom that were foreign to our native country (grilled cheese, spaghetti with marinara sauce, pancakes, French toast, sloppy joes, mashed potatoes with gravy) we'd come home and tell my grandmother all about it so she could replicate the food. Even though at times the food did not taste the same, my grandmother never stopped trying to please us with her cooking.

My grandmother never had a formal job, but she always managed to earn money by babysitting, washing and ironing clothes, and picking up aluminum cans anywhere we found them to recycle them. With the little money she earned, my grandmother would take us to the corner store and buy us gum or a small bag of potato chips.

Vacations were non-existent and an unknown concept in our family. What we looked forward to the most was the meal after mass on Sunday. My grandmother always had a batch of ox tail soup ready. We easily consumed every last drop like the way the hot Miami sun scorched our forehead with beads of sweat.

As the oldest of seven, my grandmother was expected to stay home and help her mother with the house chores and raise her younger siblings. Her lack of education resulted in illiteracy, and while she could not help me out with my homework as child, she made every effort to wake me up early the next day of school so I could ask a friend for help and finish it before the school bell rang.

When my legs hurt from growing pains, I'd ask my grandmother to stretch and she obligingly complied and massaged them with her hot heavy hands.

At night, my grandmother would tell me to thank God for all I had, because according to her, even cows had the decency to kneel before going to bed.

Despite the fact we grew up in Miami, Fl, when the temperature reached below 79 (Miami winter temps) she'd advice us not to walk barefoot on the cold floor because according to my grandmother, all diseases entered through your feet.

There just wasn't ever a day in which I did not feel my grandmother's love. She was always so proud of me & made sure to tell everyone about all of my accomplishments. My grandmother always put everyone else above her and lived her life in a humble way. The six miles I ran today could never quantify the love and sacrifice exhibited by my grandmother, but as long as I am breathing, I will honor the life of my grandmother any way I can.

Rest in Peace my beautiful grandmother.

Winter (non) running and my new Garmin Forerunner 220

Winter has made its strong presence in the new city I'm living in. In fact, I've NEVER experienced a winter where snow and negative temperatures are the norm. I confidently ignorantly stated in my post I would run 4 out of 7 days of the week in order to reach my goal for my upcoming half marathon, but the frigid temperatures accompanied with snowy sidewalks altered my so-called running schedule.

Running in a Winter Wonderland is not my cup of tea

I managed to log some miles on the treadmill, but I can only run so far before my mind starts going berserk. Maybe if I were a Jedi I'd be able to sustain longer periods of time on the treadmill, but my powers that be are closer to Jabba the Hutt. So aside from living in a completely new city and not having strong ties to the running community, my lack of running experience in frigid temperatures has thrown a curve ball to my training schedule.


So what to do when the weather outside is not lovely? Pray you're on the nice list and hope you get a sweet GPS watch you've mentioned wanting over a hundred nagging times as an enticement to savor the outdoors.

I was on the Nice List

Maybe it's artificial motivation, but when I opened the Christmas gift my husband gave me and saw the Garmin Forerunner 220 (with Heart Rate Monitor), I immediately wanted to go for a run in spite of the frigid temperatures and 20MPH winds. I've never owned a GPS watch or a heart rate monitor before, so I was beyond stoke to give a try. I opted to enjoy Christmas Day with my family and chose to run the day after Christmas instead.

I used the heart rate monitor and attempted to do a run on Heart Rate Zone 2, but had to walk at times to stay in Zone2. Needless to say my run did not feel like a run at all.

Because the watch comes with a built-in accelerometer, I decided to give it a try on the treadmill (it was also gray and windy & served as a good excuse to run indoors). I'm not sure if it was user error or not, but the distance and pace was off between the treadmill and the watch. The inaccuracy is a bummer and I'm hoping it's only this one time occurrence.

Ran 5.07 miles @9:09 pace on the treadmill, but my watch recorded 4.37 @10:21 pace.

There is supposed to be another cold front heading our way next weekend, and I'm making every attempt to run outside versus the treadmill as much as I can. I'll have to admit even though I like running, and believe running is one of those activities that can be performed under any conditions, I have my personal limits and preferences. I much prefer running in warmer temperatures and enjoy a sweaty run over a shivering run. Running in cold weather is physically painful for me. I'm hoping the novelty of my new watch will continue to be an incentive to withstand the chilly wind and weather conditions. Maybe Garmin will invent a GPS watch that will create warm virtual settings found in the Islands of Hawaii.

One of the many perks of outside running - beautiful scenery.

How do you motivate yourself to run during frigid temperatures? Does Winter hinder your training schedule? Would a new GPS watch motivate you to run under less than undesirable weather?

The Year I will never forget - 2013

CHEERS to the life lessons learned in 2013 and the ones to come for 2014.


The Year 2013 started off on a painful note. My dearest grandmother, my foundation and my inspiration for the 36 years of my existence passed away on January 11, 2013. She was close to 93 years old. There will be a whole post dedicated to my beautiful grandmother, because stating she was my foundation and inspiration only scratches the surface of the significance she played in my life. The loss of my grandmother has shaken the core of how I used to view the world and has left a massive void in my life. Cheers to my grandmother.

This was the last time I hugged my grandmother - June 2012. I was about 28 weeks pregnant. Had I known this was my last hug, I would have made it last longer.

In March of 2013, my husband made a career move that allowed me to become a stay at home mother. However, I had to spend three months as a full-time single parent to two girls, a cat and a dog and finish out the remainder of the school year before transitioning from a School Psychologist to a Stay at Home Mom. We had to relocate to a new city and my husband left ahead of us.

In June of 2013, my daughters and I joined my husband in our new city. We moved from the big city to a small town with a population of about 13,000. Cheers to life changes that expand your horizon, because living in a small town is a unique experience.

Camping in the wilderness of Eastern Oregon.

In September of 2013, I started running once again. I'm grateful running is a part of my life again. Cheers to running.

I'm hoping 2014 will bring my family, friends, and the entire world health, joy, peace, and happiness. Cheers!

A Tale of Two Cultures

I was born in Esteli, Nicaragua. I moved to the United States at the age of six. As a result, I grew up immersed in two different cultures - the mainstream culture of the United States and my Latin American culture.

In school, we spoke English, at home we spoke Spanish. In School we ate foods that did not include rice and beans as part of our daily serving, while at home, we rarely consumed food that did not include either rice or beans (or both). Perhaps what became very evident during my upbringing was the contrast between the level of participation in sports between my Latin American culture and that of the United States. I'm sure there were/are a significant amount of factors in my household (and culture) that placed participating in sports at the bottom of the totem pole. We had one car for a household that included six children and four adults. There just wasn't enough man power to drive anyone around to various games. There also wasn't money to pay for athletic apparel or uniforms. Furthermore, the last thing my mother wanted to do was attend a game after standing for eight long hours in a chicken factory removing bones from chicken breast and thighs. In my Latin American culture, participating in organized sports was something that just wasn't the norm for the average person - especially if you were a female.

When we had the privilege of owning a Nintendo, my mother found the entertainment system a nuisance because it ran up the electricity. Never were we told to go outside and play. In fact, I was the first female in my household that learned to ride a bike and learned how to swim (both my grandmother and mother did not know how to ride bikes or swim).

There are many times in my life when I look back at my high school years and wished I would have had enough self-confidence to try out for track and field, or soccer. It wasn't until I joined the Marine Corps at the age of 21 that I realized I would have really enjoyed partaking in organized sports. At times, I have a bit of resentment at my family's ignorant ways (and I say that with sadness and resignation). While I am intellectually aware of the fact that in no way shape or form was my family trying to impede me from being the best I could as evidenced by our move to this great nation we call America, there is a part of me that wished they would have encouraged me to try out for something. When running became a staple in my life, the response I received was tepid. My grandmother thought it was not good for me because it would make me skinnier and therefore I would be extremely unhealthy.

As a mother of two daughters, I want for my daughters to understand that working out is part of the norm in our household. My older daughter seems to have little interest in sports, but I still encourage her to at least give herself an opportunity to experience what it feels like to be a part of a team. I don't want to impose my childhood desires on her (alright, sometimes I do, but I'm not perfect), but I also don't want for her to ever say that I did not encourage her to try something new and discover whether she may actually enjoy it.

Sometimes late at night (like tonight), I lay and wonder how my life would have been different had I been more involved in sports. All the thinking makes my brain hurt, but at the end of the day, the only thing different would have been the replacement of my feelings of resentment for feelings that just don't exist. Perhaps those feelings of resentment have fueled my passion for running and furthered my desires to challenge myself physically and mentally. It has taken away my fears and replaced them with passion and determination. I am less afraid of failing now than I was during the years in which we believe we are invincible. Perhaps I may have had a late start in the field of running, but I've always seen the importance of challenging oneself, being a team player, and understanding that if you want to savor the flavor of success, you've got to put some sweat equity and earn it.

Do you have anything you resent from your childhood? How has it fueled your goals in life?

Crossfit and Running

I'm going to say the word - "Crossfit." Whatever feelings the word conjured, please know I'm not here to promote Crossfit. Rather, I'm conveying my story of how Crossfit has impacted my running.

I started Crossfit in the middle of October of this year. I was told by the Crossfit instructor I would be a faster, stronger runner (I was skeptical) and recommended 3-4 Crossfit sessions a week with two scheduled runs - a long run and a speed training run.

Here is exactly what I did starting October 16th, which was the beginning of my first Crossfit Session.

October 16 - Crossfit - I detailed my First Crossfit Session
Warm-up: 5 minutes on bicycle
Strength Training: Shoulder Press, Max Weight: 40lbs 5 repetition 30lbs 20 repetition
Bicycle: 10 second sprint with 50 second rest for a total of 5 minutes.
Clean Reps with PVC bar (I still have not mastered cleans)
End of Training: Push Sled w/long stride 2 times and Run with sled two times

October 17 - Crossfit
Warm-up: 5 minutes on bike
Strength training: Floor Press, Max Weight 45lbs 2 sets of 10
WOD (Workout of the Day):
100 pull-ups (assisted with resistance band)
100 sit-ups
50 air squats (Was told to do 50 because it was my second session)
50 push-ups (on knees)

October 19 - Run
7.5 miles
Pace: 10:33 (Was sore from previous workout)

October 21 - Crossfit
Warm-up is the same throughout
Strength Training: Front Squat, 45lbs 6 reps, Max 65lbs 5 sets of 4
WOD: Nancy (5 rounds of: 400m run, 15 reps Overhead squat - I used 25lb bar, which was easy but the next bar was too hard)

October 22 - Run (with Jogging Stroller)
4.03 miles
Pace: 10:49

October 23 - Crossfit
Deadlift : Max 60lbs, 1 set of 4 reps
21-15-9 Deadlift and Box Jumps (21 deadlifts followed by 21 box jumps, 15 deadlifts followed by 15 box jumps)

October 24 - Crossfit
Floor Press: Max 65lbs 4 rep Max
50-40-30-20-10 Plate overhead walking lunge and double unders (I used no weights because I stated I had a long run and did not want to be sore and I can't do double unders so I had to triple the jumps - 150 instead of 50)

October 26 - Run
Approximately 8.3 miles, not timed

October 28 - Crossfit
Front Squat - Max 70lbs 3x3 (3 seconds down, 3 hold in bottom, fast-up)
WOD: Fran 21-15-9 (21 thrusters followed by 21 pull-ups etc, etc,)

October 29 - Crossfit
The Sevens - This was one of the most challenging workouts and I wrote all about this particular Hero Workout

October 30 - Crossfit
Deadlift - Practice Form
40-20-10 (Slam ball and lunges)

November 1 - Run
4.03 miles
Pace: 9:37

November 3 - Run
8.51 miles
Pace: 9:46

November 4 - Crossfit
Front Squat: Max 70lbs 5 sets of 3
WOD: 43 reps of Sit-ups, Wall-balls, Burpee Pull-ups, Double Unders (2 rounds)

November 6 - Crossfit
Deadlifts - 6 reps on the minute for 6 minutes (70lbs)
WOD: 3 rounds of Wall Walks (5 times), Deadlift (50lbs), Slamball (10 times with 15lbs), Toe 2 Bar (10 times)

November 7 - Crossfit
Shoulder Press: Max 50lbs 4 reps
Floor Press: Max 50lbs 2 reps
WOD: Row 300 meters
3 rounds: 20 push-ups, 20 V-ups
2 rounds: 30 Russian Kettle Ball Swings, 30 Kettle Ball Goblet Squats
1 round: 40 pull-ups, 40 sit-ups
Row 300 meters

November 8 - Run
3.2 miles
Pace: 9:07

November 11 - Run
10 miles
Pace: 10:04

November 12 - Crossfit
Cleans: 3 reps on the minute for 7 minutes (I practiced form because I can't get these cleans - grrrrr)
WOD: Bar Curl - 1-10-1

November 13 - Crossfit
Deadlift: Max 125lbs (My weight!!!!) 5 repetitions
WOD: 3 rounds
Row 500 meters, 12 Double Unders, 24 box jumps, 12 toe 2 bar

November 15 - Crossfit
Heavy Pull-Ups (least resistant band) 5 sets of 3
WOD: Thrusters (25,20,15,10,5)
Double Unders (50,40,30,20,10)

November 18 - Crossfit
Front Squat: Max 115lbs (getting stronger) 1 RM, 65lbs 20 RM
WOD: Partner Step-Up (10-1) (Stepped on box with weights 10x, partner stepped next, 9x, 8x, etc., etc.,)

November 20 - Crossfit
Deadlifts: 125lbs 4 times on the minute for 7 minutes
WOD: AMRAP (as many repetitions as possible) for 12 minutes
Squat Clean (45lb bar)
Box Jump 5x
KB Swing 5x (35lbs)
Slam Ball 5x (25lbs)

November 20 - Run
4 miles
Pace: 9:10

November 23 - Crossfit
5 miles
Pace: 9:18

November 25 - Run
4 miles
Pace: 9:18

November 26 - Crossfit

November 27 - Pilates

November 28 - Run
4.23 miles
Pace: 9:47

So here are some comparative results after one month and a half of Crossfit:

Prior to Crossfit

With Crossfit


















I've shaved 8 minutes overall with less running and most importantly, I am running pain free with less weekly mileage.

Arguable Points:
I had just started running and it could be argued that my time could have improved with more running or any other strength training.

I live in a city with an elevation of 2743 feet above sea level and the last run was done in a city with an elevation of 12 feet above sea level.

The temperature was warmer in October than in November.

I'm consuming less calories now that I've stopped nursing and am more conscientious of the food I eat, so I've lost 4 pounds, which may have contributed to better performance.

For now, I really feel strong physically and it transfers to my running, which leads me to believe Crossfit has helped me run faster and stronger.

What are your thoughts on Crossfit? What strength training do you incorporate into your training to make you a stronger, faster runner?

The Elf on the Shelf

It's approximately 1:06 in the morning and The Elf on the Shelf is keeping me awake. My 9 year-old daughter decided to write him a letter and I had to oblige. Unfortunately, I was dead tired after putting both her and the 1-year-old to bed and forgot about (Buddy) The Elf. Fortunately I have one of those internal mother-will-not-get-sound-sleep-until-the-job-gets-done clock and woke up to get the job done. In all honesty, I've never read the story of The Elf on the Shelf because being that we don't celebrate said tradition in Latin America, I've never put any thought into actually reading it. The Elf has actually been in my daughter's room sitting on a shelf and played with since she got it as a gift two years ago. It wasn't until we moved to a new city this past summer that three neighbor girls who happened to be younger than my daughter pointed him out and questioned why the Elf was not at the North Pole like their Elf was.

My daughter, in fear of risking the possibility he could lose his magic decided to put him away. On Monday morning, her neighbor friend informed my daughter her Elf was back from the North Pole and raved about his existence. Because my daughter is on the threshold of still believing and beginning to doubt, I wasn't sure how she'd respond to her younger friend. I stretched out my antennae ears as far as I could and overheard her discussing with her friend why her Elf did not have magic. Both her and her friend agreed that the Elf needed a name so that he could actually feel like he was part of the family. They placed him on the shelf and waved goodbye to the new member of our family.

And so I, upon learning my daughter was still filled with the innocence of believing in fairy tales, decided to play along. I absolutely loved the look on my daughter's face when she came home on Monday after school and saw her Elf had moved from the spot she and her friend left him that morning when they took off for school. It was even more heartwarming when she told me she couldn't wait to tell her friend the news about her Elf. I'm quite certain I won't have this opportunity come next year when she'll find her younger's friend proclamation of the Elf's return from the North Pole as childish. For now, I'll cherish the moment of my little girl who is growing too fast before my eyes. I also need to go read the story of The Elf on the Shelf so I don't get any curveballs thrown my way. Off to bed to catch some much needed sleep.

What traditions do you have with your children? What traditions did you have as a child that you are sharing with your children?

Buddy, The Elf

My mini panther, Blossom, keeping me company.

I Predict 1:59:59

All registered for my first post-partum half-marathon. It would only be suitable for the half-marathon - Hippie Chick Half-Marathon - to take place on Mother's Day weekend of 2014 given I had to stop running after my second pregnancy put a halt to all things running.

Here's what I'm going to do. I am putting it all on the line and predicting a finish time of 1:59:59. Am I feeling confident like Plaxico Burress after he predicted the New York Giants would beat the 18-0 New England Patriots with a score of 23-17 for Super Bowl XLII? Much like Tom Brady scoffed the idea his perfect season team would lose to the 12 point underdogs, I know those 13.1 miles are scoffing at my predicted time considering my record. But like Plaxico Buress, I have to believe in myself in order to attain the goal. Am I terrified if it doesn't happen? Not one bit. Because if it doesn't happen, I've lost nothing I've never had to begin with.

I've come to recognize I've played it safe most of my life for fear of failing, or not being good at a task the first time I try it, or believing my self-worth is measured by my physical (or lack thereof) abilities. Frankly, when I think about it, I've confined myself to a small little box from self-imposed sanctions. Since my training began, the only sanctions allowed are the sanctions for a strong and healthy body:

1) Eat Right
Eating right may look different for different folks. For me, eating right is about balance. I don't restrict sweets from my diet and I don't follow a particular diet or trend (this is largely due to my very stubborn grandma whom I adore and will post about her when I'm emotionally ready). I enjoy eating coconut ice cream with Pamela's Chocoolate Chunk gluten free cookies and or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I rarely drink, but may have a celebratory beer with my husband maybe once a month. I usually consume eggs for breakfast and like to add salsa (pico de gallo) for some flavor and enjoy orange juice early in the morning. I enjoy salads for lunch (I like to add tomatoes, cukes, garbanzos, carrots, with a lime and olive oil dressing), and will have lean protein (turkey, pork, chicken) with rice and veggies for dinner.

2)Rest When Needed
Maybe it has to do with the fact I'm no spring chicken, but rest has become really important for me. I'm not talking just about sleep, I'm talking about allowing my body to take a break. I feel energized and refreshed with seven hours of sleep. Anymore and I'm groggy, and less and I'm irritable. For training, I like to have two days out of the week where I'm not trying to log miles or work my muscles. I understand others like to train intensely every day, but I know this is what works for me and keeps me from being consumed by guilt when I don't work out or I want to work out but my family needs me.

3)Train Smart
I used to run, run, run, but in the last few half-marathons and marathons prior to my pregnancy, I was getting a lot of injuries around my ankles and feet. Now, I've recognized the importance of strength training to help me push through the last miles strong and injury free. Since incorporating strength training, my form has improved, and parts of my body that were subject to severe soreness during a long run are now stronger - back, quadriceps, shoulders.

I've got five solid months of training before my half, and here is what my schedule will look like:

Monday: Pilates + Run     Tuesday: Crossfit     *Wednesday: Pilates + Run     Thursday: Crossfit   Friday:Pilates + Run          Saturday: Long Run     Sunday: Off

*If my body is up for strength training, I will workout and consider it a bonus, if it's not, I will not feel guilty for not doing so as it was not intended to be a training day. I don't what the Hippie Chick Half-Marathon will bring, but I know what I'm bringing - belief that I can achieve my goal and beat Goliath.

What predictions do you have? Do you believe you have any self-imposed sanctions?

The cover that never was all because a team with confidence did not fear the Goliaths of Football.