Dime Como Olvidarte, Si No Quiero Alejarme

The month of love has given me a richness of moments to savior. Time has been limited to address all the flavors of my memories, so I'll let a few pics give you a feeling. 

2023 continues to show me what life is capable of, and while the thought of losing such a vast feeling is scary to me, I try not to let these pensive-eyes miss the vista. You get me? 

Training this week has shown me that a seppuku style race is approaching. When you process the world the way I do, you lean towards the very insanity that is yourself. The feeling of anticipation is like no other. 

I apologize for the brevity of this post for I am following a 30-day classic pull-up plan, and the current time reads 9:38PM and I must do it quickly before bed. 

Warm Sunday,

VALENTINO

J'ai Leur Attention

4/5 of Mexicas headed up 75N for a 10k benchmark after 6 weeks of Bushido-style training this past Saturday. With this only being the first race of the year, I've already accumulated memories that set the shade, brightness, and color for my perspective of 2023. 

The intensity level of the race nerves were higher than usual for this particular race. I missed my Monday run due to a busy work day, on Tuesday I dismissed my interval workout and opted for an easy run due to inclement weather, and on Wednesday I ran a short set of 300s with Guero on the Santa Fe trail after work. An overall easy week for me, however, once Thursday came around, no manchen, me sentí pal perro. As I walked up the stairs that evening after an easy 6, I noticed an astonishing layer of fatigue start to set in. I didn't direct my attention to much to it, but later than night, as I savored my lemon pepper salmon with rice & veggies, I felt flu-style sick. And to top off pre-race anxiety, my 3-mile shake-out Friday morning felt 10x more demanding than anything I had done that week. 

Needless to say, as I was changing in the parking lot 10 minutes before the race, my ability to create a positive outlook was floundering through the density of the previous paragraph. Yes, ^^ that one up there ^^

But somehow my tale took a turn. 

Even after a mental malfunction, I ended up establishing one of the best 10ks of my life: 37:16 (the course was a bit long, but that's okay). Unfortunately for me, with the race-day franticness stunting my cognitive abilities-- I forgot to put my ankle chip on before heading to the start line. No record exists. Only memories & feelings. 

As I sit here during a winter storm warning, I can't help but think that I could have given more to this one. I rate my overall perceived effort to be be about a 7 out of 10. Physically, I felt whole the entire race, however, another thing to note aside from the mental components is that my warm-up was a little rushed. I kept wanting to attack after the 4th mile, but for the life of me, my legs wouldn't loosen up despite feeling great. Lots of things to work on these next few weeks before DDG. 

For now, I continue to build my confidence through words, strides, and paint marks. 

Feast on your life, 

octavio/erik/el mudo

(oh, oh, oh, oh)

in-progress painting for my study
60-70% done maybe?

About 2-3 years ago I took up painting as a way to get in touch with my malnourished inner morrillo. Times spent in poverty affects cognitive planification of future self, but as Sandra Cisneros wrote in 1984, "They will not know I have gone away to come back". Perhaps then, it's not a malnourished childhood, but something that I've pressed pause on, and the probabilities of life have allowed me to still be physically here at 28 years old of age, and revisit so many of these internet mind tabs I've kept open for so long. Oi, what a blessing this randomness is, raza. 

My version of a Greek Vessel

What a short time I have lived. The following of heart and savoring the consequences of this simple trusting act is a construction of a feeling you can't explain in 3-dimensional terms. More on the interplay of art on running soon. I'm really craving some watermelon right now. 

Phase 1: Week 6 of 8

Monday, January 16th

    9 miles + 6 x 100m 

Great run around the lake with Isaque. Felt really easy for the pace despite still feeling a little off. Pretty much just chatted about culture assimilation the whole loop. Overall great day!

Tuesday, January 17th

    2 miles easy + 20 x 150m + 2 miles easy

Felt a little off. Likely went a little too fast yesterday for 9 miles, but pulled through the workout. Legs were heavy during, but they felt a little more loose after finishing. Cough went away so hoping tomorrow is a better day.

Wednesday, January 18th

    2 miles easy + 12 x (1 min/30 sec/20 sec) + 2 miles easy

Ran with Guero down the Santa Fe trail. Felt a little tired from Tuesday and Monday, but glad I didn't get dropped. Still found the workout a little tough despite it being at threshold pace. 

Thursday, January 19th

    9 miles easy

Cruising down the lake. Felt minor pain in left knee and heel. Likely need to work better on recovery later this week and next. 

Friday, January 20th

    6 miles easy + 10 x 100m 

Have been wanting to run on Fridays, but lately I've woken up really tired and found it better to just rest and stretch. 

Saturday, January 21st

    2 miles easy + 6 x (800m + 400m) + 1.5 miles easy

Great Mexicas team workout. The team was feeling strong from the start with the first 800m at 2:47 and dropping down to 2:35 for the last one. 400ms were done at 1:16 and up to 1:18. For some reason I found the 400s a little harder than the 800m. Let's see how this plays out in the 10k next week. 

Sunday, January 22nd

    12 miles 

Completely missed my first alarm Showed up an hour late for our team long run. It's been awhile since I've embarked on solo long run, but felt strong physically and mentally. Feeling exquisite!

Linger like angel dust, 

Octavio Valentino

 

Tití Me Preguntó-Tó-Tó-Tó-Tó-Tó-Tó

During my lunch today I received a call from Guero to talk over the guild's fray for late winter/early spring. As we see the eve of the 6th week of this training block- and with it already being mid-January- now is the perfect time to take out the ol' debit card before we start to see the heartbreaking price increases of races. 

Observe the upcoming challenges:

Jan. 28th - Plano Pacers 5k/10k

Feb. 18th - Form Follows Fitness 5k

March 11th - Dash Down Greenville 5k

April 8th - Heart of Heath 5k. 

The lacing of racing flats before a race will hit different this spring. I feel us thinking as one assemblage of jujutsu sorcerers looking to build a unique fury on all who dare doubt us. As the group's psychological tactician, I aim to create a metamorphosis of Marito Aguilar's accordion & Mirtha Dermisache's asemic writing. Doesn't make much sense, right? It's never supposed to.

Sunset from la mamalona's left ear. 

Phase 1: Week 5 of 8

 Monday, January 9th

    9 miles easy 

Headed out to the lake for a loopy loop. Ran counter-clockwise to catch the sunset from the Winfrey Point side of the lake. Beautiful day for a run & legs felt amazing all the way through. 

Tuesday, January 10th

    2 miles easy + 20 x 150m w/ 1 min rest + 1 mile easy

 Puta madre. First time doing this workout and for the shortness of the reps, it was pretty hard. The first 100m were supposed to be done at 98% perceived effort and the last 50m at a full-on sprint with a minute recovery.  After the 13th rep I felt the lactic acid buildip and had to take a few extra seconds during the recovery jog. Done at Norbuck Park so doing it on the grass felt amazing on the legs. 

Wednesday, January 11th

    2 miles easy + 12 x 1 min. + 30 sec. + 20 sec.  + 2 miles easy.

Oof. Similar story to last Wednesday. Met up with Guero at the Santa Fe trail. I knew from the start that I would run out of gas at some point.  I'm wondering if maybe my nutrition was off these last few days or if it's a result of yesterday's workout. Called it off after the 10th set. Guero continued for the full 12. 

Thursday, January 12th

    7.2 miles

Feels like I'm catching some kind of illness today. Throat feels funny and I have a minor cough. The original plan was to do the full loop, but saw the homie Isaque exactly at mile 3.5 going the opposite way so I decided to join him. We ended up chatting quite awhile about our thoughts on running methodology and psychology. As usual, lots to think about for the future. Really glad I ran into him. Probably one of the few I can talk to at that level besides Abigail. Not even fazed I fell short of 2 miles. 

Friday, January 13th

    6 miles easy

Had not rested since Christmas so I decided to take today off after feeling a little woozie. 

Saturday, January 14th

2 miles easy + 10 x 800m + 2 miles easy

Didn't get much sleep after a night of coughing, but got it done. Overall good Mexicas team workout. Body wasn't working as well as last week so fell behind the pack by 2-4 seconds in the later reps. Done on the Santa Fe trail going one up and one down. It'll be exciting to see how we do this workout on a flat route next week.

Sunday, January 15th

12-13 miles

Took NyQuil the night before so pretty much entered a sleep so deep I missed my first alarm. Showed up 20 minutes late for our team long run. Managed to find them around 4.5 miles in. Didn't feel too too bad. Legs were pretty tired from the 800s yesterday, but felt a sudden kick of energy around mile 10. Onwards to week 6 and then a race week. 

Sippin' on water, 

Errrrk

F.K.A Tití from 1994-2011

Dices Que Vengo, Que Voy, Que Siento

The first week of 2023 has brought about many directions to push the limits of everything I do.

On Tuesday morning, I met up with Abigail for a track workout during her annual holiday stay in Dallas. Over the years, I've had the privilege of someone not only give me a listening ear as I pull a Socrates-esque harangue about my work on conceptualizing a psychophysiological framework for running, but as well as a proper diatribe on the subject. This year was no different. Discussion on future directions of running and life was encoded quite tactfully into my long-term memory system. 

Tote bag full of spray paint for future expression

Gift from Abigail during her stay in Dallas

Running and poetry in one

Agradezco las conversaciones que hierven al correr a distintas intensidades. Uno nunca sabe el olor y el sabor que adquieren después de procesarlas todas. 'Amonos con todo!

Phase 1: Week 4 of 8

Monday, January 2nd

9 miles easy + 6 x 100m strides

Early morning loop around White Rock with Mexicas. First run together for 2023. Felt way better than Sunday. 

Tuesday, January 3rd

2 mile warm-up

4 x 200m w/ 200m recovery jog + 4 x 400m w/ 400m recovery jog + 4 x 200m w/ 200m recovery jog. 

1 mile cool-down

Overall great track workout with Abigail. Felt strong from the first 200. Great life discussions during the recovery portions that gave me a lot to think about. Closed the last 200 in 33. Maybe the fastest split since the summer?

Wednesday, January 4th

2 mile warm-up + 10 x 2 min. hard/2 min. easy +1.5 mile easy cool-down

Legs were really feeling it today. Thought about skipping the workout and doing easy instead, but had Guero come out with me, and managed to complete it. Jodidos pero lo hicimos. 

Thursday, January 5th

8 miles easy

Down and up the Santa Fe trail. My stomach felt a little funny during. On course to reach 60 weekly miles by Sunday. 

Friday, January 6th

4.5 miles easy + 4 x 100m strides

Ran quickly during lunch. Stomach has not been feeling the best this week, but legs felt surprisingly light.

Saturday, January 7th

2 miles easy + 5 x 1 mile w/ 4 min. recovery + 2 miles easy

Great Mexicas team workout. Alternating between going uphill & downhill on the mile. Read a section from the Hagakure beforehand that really helped me let go during the hard sections. Splits were: 5:48, 5:50, 5:24, 5:55, 5:26.

Sunday , January 8th

12 miles + 6 x 100m strides

Ran on 4 hours of sleep. Took me awhile to wake up and felt really low cognitive energy for the first few miles. We all felt surprisingly good after mile 6 and dropped the pace effortlessly! Great way to end week 4. 

Total/// Weekly Mileage: 5\\

The reason for excess slashes in previous sentence

Enfocado en la victoria, 

ET