Never Give Up!

If there's one lesson I've learned throughout the past few years that's made me successful as an ultra runner (and all other aspects of my life), it's this... never give up!

I started running in 2008. I was overweight by 30 pounds back then. I lost it by training for a half marathon. I gained it all back a year later, plus 20 pounds, for a whopping total of being 50 pounds overweight, by eating unhealthy and stopping my running regimen. I started running again in 2011 when I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease. I lost 50 pounds in about a year's time, and I have kept it off for the most part (I gain 5-10 pounds whenever I take a break from running or eating healthy). What's great is I have kept running for over three years now and I continuously work towards eating healthy as a lifestyle and not as a diet.

I trained for my first full marathon, the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon. While I was training with run/walk all the time, I decided to just keep on running for a full eight miles on race day. After that, I began to have to run/walk, and eventually just walk around the half way point (due to an IT band injury that shot pain on the side of my knees whenever I even dared to run). I contemplated quitting at the halfway point, but I didn't. I power walked my way to a finish. I limped for a whole month after, which in hindsight wasn't smart, but I was still proud of pushing through that fateful day. I learned to foam roll my IT band from that point on!

I trained for my first 50 mile race, the North Face Endurance Challenge, which was on December 2013. I trained hard and smart for it, completing two 50Ks leading up to the race. I failed to pay attention to my nutrition on race day, however. I ate a light breakfast and I barely ate during the whole race (due to stress and fear of a certain steep trail called Coastal). I cramped several times going up Coastal and debated quitting then and there. I kept on, however, and made the first cutoff. While I didn't make the second cutoff in time, mile 37, it was because of time. I believe if I didn't get cutoff I would have stubbornly made my way through that finish line. At any rate, I trained for another 50 mile race, American River, and finally got a 50 mile race under my belt. I am training for the North Face Endurance Challenge again this year.

I was one of the victims of the financial crisis. I was laid off from Washington Mutual, the biggest bank to fall back in 2008. I was unemployed for several months. I kept my head on high after being unemployed for several months. When an opportunity for work popped up in Central California (Delano/Bakersfield), I jumped in with both feet and took it, even though it was not what I used to make salary wise. I was actually adjusted to living there and moving up in my state job when I got a job offer from the city, which was back to the field I used to work in. I made the move back to the San Francisco Bay Area and the rest is history.

When I fall in love, I fall deeply in love. It has happened to me only twice in my whole lifetime. It is usually when I don't expect it, a friendship that (at least for me), turns into a deep and spellbinding affection. Unfortunately this is one area that hasn't worked for me, but given my tenacity, I am sure it will happen again. When it does, I am hoping it will be a two way street.

Never Give Up!