Great Wall of China Marathon

Race Report & Tips

My first solo international trip was at age 11. I went to visit family in Toronto, Canada. As a little girl, flying in a plane alone, I felt like an eagle. My parents trusted me to be brave as the airlines escort children traveling alone to ensure their safety. When my 15th birthday came around, my mom asked: would you like a 'quinceñera'? My quick reply: "No. May I use the $3,000 you plan to spend and take an educational school trip to London?" In 1999, quinceñeras weren't as costly as they are today -- some way too outrageous in my opinion. My mom was disappointed to not to plan a party for me however supportive. I traveled with a small school group of six with chaperones sightseeing the historic sights of London, watched plays, and experienced history. I decided then exploring the world would be of high importance in my life. Exploring the world is when I felt I could embrace different cultures, learn about different values, and open my mind to accept the world's differences. 

At age 16, my 3rd international trip was to Bavaria, Germany. Coming from an immigrant family, we did not have the disposable income for these expenses, however, I was taught how to manage and save money. At age 16, I fundraised $800 for a city-sponsored student exchange program to Bavaria, Germany for three weeks by selling boxes of chocolates. It was the trip of a lifetime. As a teen, I traveled to Europe to experience its culture and it taught me tolerance and acceptance. We should never judge other cultures due to a country's history. Through turmoil, we can be fed biased or skewed view via news and social media. Exploring a country with a native family exposed me to the good in people, people can change, and my heart will hold onto that. 

At age 17, I moved out to live at my UCLA campus. My fourth international trip was to Jerusalem, Israel at age 19 with a college group. We had six armed soldiers escort us the entire trip as we went sightseeing historical cites, the Dead Sea, and more. My parents were afraid I went, however, I have found that we often fear what we don't know. Yes, there is an inherent danger; however, that is true for everywhere. Within a 20 mile radius of wherever we live, there can be many dangers that we always need to be aware of. Learning to be mindful makes us more conscious citizens. Fear stops us from living. 

At age 20, after I completed undergraduate and graduate school in 2005, I discovered international marathons. I was ecstatic! This is when I wanted to combine my travels with running races. I chose a dream race, made a financial plan, and ensured I took the steps daily to get myself one step closer to my goal race. It could have been the NYCM or Bermuda Marathon. Train daily, save daily, skip on Starbucks (because, yes, it's overpriced in my opinion), pack work lunches (saves up to $4K annually), and, for me, practice family planning. It's the little things we do daily that collectively get us to our big goals. I don't believe in a "bucket list". I had a cancer scare in college that I never made public and it scared me horrifically. I endured it alone by choice not telling my family and I was afraid. What is the point of only working for retirement in our 60s, 70s, 80s? What if we never make it? What about our 30s or 40s? I am for planning for the future, while opening our hearts to living in the present. I vowed to have a to-do list instead. There are things that are definitely out of my control; however, it should never stop us from taking the little steps daily towards our dreams. We need to live our dreams. We sometimes need to make sacrifices at different and even multiple stages of our lives.

* * * * 

RACE DAY

Wake up call rang at 3:30am. I rolled out of bed, followed my pre-race ritual, and helped my mom make a final check list of what she needed. We headed down to the hotel lobby with our luggage to board the race shuttle buses. Unfortunately, my mom left her luggage unattended in the lobby for less than 15 minutes and everything was gone, including her passport. Extreme panic set in. My mom burst into tears. My dad and I rushed everywhere looking for it on the five nearest shuttles. Nowhere to be found, our tour guide told us they would do what they could to find it as we needed to head to the race start. My mom cried in my arms and I called my sister back in the states to contact the embassy to see how we can get mom home without a passport. Losing all your luggage, phone, money, and passport in a foreign county is scary. My mom is a little humble woman so I felt at blame for not putting her under my wing. She cried and cried. I tried comforting her and told her after the race, we will do what we can to find her luggage and get her home. 

My dad and I kissed my mom's head as we walked to the start line. The marathon and half marathon started together in four waves. My dad and I were in wave 1; my mom was in wave 4. Without words, I looked to my dad for reassurance and comfort. My dad and I don't have to say much to each other, but with just one look, we knew were in for a beating. The gun went off and I said to my dad as usual: "I'll see you at the finish, Papa dog!" 2,500 runners gathered in the Ying Yang Square for the marathon, half marathon, and 10K from 70 countries around the world. It was exhilarating to see so many different cultures and hear so many different languages all in one place. The first of four waves went off at 7:30am just as the sun began to peak over the mountainside. A light breeze cooled the morning, but we weren't fooled. We knew it was going to be an exposed scorcher very shortly. 

Sure enough, peak race temperatures were in the high 80s with 85% humidity. To compare, some states  on the east coast vary between 30-60%, most summer months. Hawaii tends to hover around 70-80%. The Philippines, the most wet heat I've raced in, settles at 100% humidity while in the high 90s. Heat is heat, but add humidity and we're talking a different story. But everyone sucked it up quietly. The first mile left the Ying Yang Square into the village and swung a quick left into a steep road climb. For the next 3 miles we climbed straight up on a winding road to an entrance for the Great Wall. I'll admit, as a trail runner or within some of the ultras I've done, we are advised to walk/hike the long uphills. On the roads, it's a different story. If you're in the front to middle of the field, you don't walk, you push through. I wanted to walk already so bad! I looked around and no one was walking so I pushed on. I guess this is what I get for starting in wave 1 with an international field 70 countries deep. Sun out, heat on our backs, incline under our shoes, everyone pushed forward. Mile 4, we were climbing stairs. Steep. High. Short. And uneven. I looked around and the field was brought to a slow climb on these stairs. Maybe it would be smart to slow down here.... I took my first snapchat clip. 1200' gain so far. 

The stairs were never ending it seemed. I can run hills. I can hike a steep incline very aggressively. I tried to insert as much stair training as I could during my months of training. But I still felt the burn race day. That's the amazing thing: no matter how prepared we feel or no matter how unprepared we feel for a race, we can always just give it what we got. I signed up for this race five months prior with the full intention to train smart, train hard, and make it to Top 3 women in an international field. I reviewed reports, I stalked years of women's race results, and I knew I could do it. There is no prize money. I wanted to do it for me and prove to myself I could. I knew I was willing to work for it. Sometimes, crap in life gets in the way. That didn't mean I was going to stop trying and say: oh well, at least I finished. I knew that wasn't good enough. I pushed on. Mile 5, my thighs burned, my head pounded, and my knee was flaring up. Up down, up down, up down.... have you ever done real heavy squats and your quads shiver in muscle spasms afterwards? That's what my legs were going through. After each set of stairs, there was a small section on the wall to run to the next set of stairs. Up. Down. Up. Up. Down. Down. Mile 6, slowed to a 20:00 min/mile. At this point, it was very hard to keep my head in the game. Why wasn't I going faster? I wonder how my dad is doing? I hope my mom is ok. 

I took a moment to look around and the beautiful mountainside. Beijing is very populated and polluted, similar to Los Angeles. But the Great Wall was about a 2.5hr drive outside the city within green, mountainous beauty. Probably still polluted slightly. I didn't care. I was here. I was living this moment. It hurt and I was already disappointed, but I put myself in check: I am grateful. I was running the Great Wall of China Marathon. Millions have visited this site through history, but a very small sect can ever say they ran a race on the challenging terrain of this moment in history, the Great Wall. Mile 7, we finally emerged from the wall back into the Ying Yang Square, the race start. The crowds cheered as marathoners and half marathoners ran through it to exit quickly again. Seven miles on my legs and they felt like I had done 30 miles already. As the terrain flattened on the roads, it was time to pick up my cadence to make up some serious time! I dropped my pace to about 8:30s with tremendous effort. My legs felt enormously heavy. Keep pushing. Keep pushing. You don't give in easy. So what if you can't go faster, you're NOT going to choose to go slower.... 

I repeated it over and over, but something was missing. I was missing the "Nadia hunger" where I am relentlessly pushing forward while making it look effortless. I could only imagine I looked like a mess. It was 85F, Mile 10, and the hills weren't as dramatic, but they were still there punishing us. Mile 7 - 19 ran within the rolling road hills of the village. Children and families came out to cheer us on with their cameras and the biggest smiles you can imagine. How awesome is that! It reminded me of the village children in Legazpi, Philippines and their excitement to see athletes race within their town. It was comfort I needed as my mind was going dark fast. Mile 10, I felt I threw in the towel mentally. I consciously made the choice to walk. Screw this! I'm hot. I'm tired. I don't know why I am pushing so hard when I'm so far behind from my planned race strategy. I'll confess: I looked back for the first time to see if I saw my dad. Maybe I should just wait for him and jog it in with him....

The mind game when you're hurting is a roller coaster. Do you want to give into slowing down? Or, honestly, how bad do you want it? Sure I can choose to slow down, but will it really hurt less? Maybe my legs, but not my pride. When I choose to sign up for a race, I make the commitment to myself to give it my all. I came to the start line and said I would give it what I had. Whether I felt I was prepared or not, I CAN give it all I have. Just as much as my dad is. Just as much as my mom is. Just as much as the runner next to me. You can give in or you can give it all you got. We decide that at every race and every day we wake up. Today, I woke up to race this race and dammit it I will!

I started my slow shuffle and whimpered. No going back now. If my dad catches up to me, he does but at least he did it while I'm trying my best not while I gave in and waited for him. Mile 13, another two mile climb started and I looked below to see my dad's big hat and yellow jersey down below. PAPA DOG!!!!! I couldn't believe how close he was. He was doing great for him! Actually, anytime a race is a scorcher, he does relatively very well. Not because he is not suffering, but because he can accept the suffering. He just keeps pushing forward. He raised his hand and smiled. I smiled back and kept pushing forward. Shuffle to the finish I would and if I would need to crawl, I will. 

Mile 18, the marathon route began to overlap the half marathon route as we began returning to the Ying Yang Square. Mile 19, I saw my red long sleeve shirt on a little woman with her hat sideways to block the sun. MAMITA!! Tears came down my cheeks as I ran to hug her. She smiled with tears. As broken hearted as she felt, she decided to walk the half marathon after all without training or running a single mile this year. "I love you, Mamita!! I love you, mija! I'll see you at the finish, Mamita!!" With a wave and blowing a kiss, I turned around and charged. Game finally on! I was back. The Nadia hunger. 

My pace dramatically sped up. Did it still hurt? Yes. Was it still scorching hot? Yes. Was the hardest section coming up? Yes. The marathoners ran through the Ying Yang Square for a second time and back on the wall we go. We basically run the first six miles of the marathon on the wall shredding our legs for the rest of the race. Then we return and run the last six miles on the wall when we are at our absolutely weakest. You push yourself to your limit at any race and any distance will be a challenge. That goes for an Ironman, a 100 mile race, or even the 400m dash. Ask any professional 400m sprinter: they train 20-30hrs/week for that one minute to give it ALL they got. That is the beauty of a race. That is the beauty of any individual. We all can do that--give it all we got. Mile 20, the climbing resumed on the stairs. This time, I was charging. I was huffing so hard men that I passed turned out in shock, probably thinking, "who the hell is that?" The moment I passed another male, each one huffed under their breathe: great work! My dad was giving it all he got. My mom was. I had too. My fire was back. Maybe it was seeing and knowing my mom was ok at mile 19. It may have been too late to catch the top women. I didn't care. I would push forward and start counting how many I would pass to help ease the physical pain. Mile 22, men were sitting on the shaded steps to find some refuge from the scaling heat. Mile 23, men were crawling on all fours up the stairs. Hot, humid, relentless stairs for this long are just another story. I kept pushing forward, cursing in my head, but smiling on the inside because this is what I came for: to make it burn and give it what I got. 

I passed men. I passed a few women. And shuffled my way down the last 2 mile descent to the finish! Returning once again to the Ying Yang Square, I crossed the finish line with a big, huge smile. I did it. One of the hardest road marathons in the world and I didn't let it defeat me. I completed it and gave it all I had. 

Marathon #127 in 5:07

Top 25 Women

Dad finished his 66th marathon in 5:33

THANK YOU Que Noche for making this dream a reality.

Great Wall Marathon

• 900 marathoners
• 1200 half marathoners
• 600 10K participants 
• 70 countries represented
• 46% of field were women
• 5,164' stairs on the Great Wall
• 4,950' vertical gain
• 90F / 85% humidity (peak temp)
• Official tour company: Albatros Adventure Marathons

Race Tips

• Train in heat.
• Train in humidity.
• Practice specific hydration and fueling needs for high temps and humidity.
• Aid stations are about every 5K so carry your needs accordingly.
• Use road shoes race day. I made the mistake of using trail shoes when they weren't necessary.
• Incorporate stair climbing at least once per week up to 4-5 months prior: long outdoor staircases are optimal or begin to get a close bond with your gym's stair climber
• Follow your regular marathon training plan adding lots of hill training as it has almost 5K gain.
• Depending how well you train, plan to add about 60-90min to your regular road marathon time. 

Race Stats

5:07:35

25th FOA

99th Overall

International Marathon #8

Marathon #127

Motivational Speaker

Circle De Luz is a program in Charlotte, North Carolina designed to increase graduation rates among Latina students by mentoring, fostering, and encouraging them from 8th through 12th grade to set high goals and pursue a higher education. Unfortunately, a big disparity exists between graduation rates and socioeconomic status. This program targets to change that and began in 2008 by volunteers who had a vision to make a difference in young girls' lives. It has now grown with a board of directors, sponsors, and volunteers that have fostered sincere relationships with these young girls to prepare them to set very high goals for themselves and breakthrough the negative statistics.

I was asked and flown out to be their Keynote Speaker for the graduating class of 2014. I was honored and moved to hear the girl's stories. It was a great experience meeting everyone who has made Circle De Luz a possibility and touched to see there is hope and great things happening all across the US. If I can leave the world a little better before my departure, then I found my purpose. 

Always Dream Big

Good evening everyone: dedicated directors, mentors, proud parents, and graduates. I am very honored to be a part of your special day. You all went through so much to make it to this day—the high and lows, triumphs, challenges, and even the harsh realities of our world.

The harsh reality is 41% of Latinas do not graduate with their class after four years.  53% of Latinas will become pregnant at least once before the age of 20, leading them to drop out of high school or college. However, we are here to celebrate a shift in those statistics. We are here to celebrate you.

I know you have faced all kinds of doubts and uncertainties when you first began this program. I know exactly where you are coming from. My parents immigrated to this country a few months before my birth leaving everything. They left their parents, families, and possessions. Everything. They came with the hope to find a better opportunity for their children.

My parents didn’t speak English. My mom had not graduated from high school. My father needed to start all over because the US didn’t honor any of his electrical training from Ecuador. What my parents did have is the drive to make it. A cousin of ours opened his apartment to the four of us—my dad, mom, sister, and myself—slept on one mattress in their living room those beginning years. My mom began cleaning homes and working at a fast food restaurant earning the CA minimum wage of $3.35 in 1984. My dad worked from job to job early mornings to sometimes graveyard shifts while attending night school to learn English. Sometimes there would be no work. Sometimes minimum wage wasn’t enough, but my mom still found ways to cook and feed her children sacrificing her meals often. She later told us there were many nights she would go to bed hungry. I saw it in my parent’s hands then and I can see it in my parent’s hands now: the calluses of endless hours of physical labor to try to make it. Despite how much we may have struggled financially, they always came home and told me over and over: we are doing this so you don’t have to. 

Naturally, parents want their children to have a better life than they do. They never let me settle for less than my best. As a little girl, I read every book I could get my hands on. I spent summer hours on end at the library or bookstore-- studying, reading, and allowing my mind to explore the possibility of what was out there. The more I learned, the more I craved.

I didn’t know what was the new hip song at the time. I couldn’t tell you what TV show was trending. I couldn’t even name mainstream movie stars. What I could do was create, explore, and challenge my mind in ways most children couldn’t. I questioned everything. I explored and researched everything. I still do. I rushed home from school, did my homework, then rushed to the library to catch up on more periodicals. I won academic competitions and city-wide art competitions as I spent hours at the craft of learning. Years later, I ran 100 marathons over half of them in 3:35 or faster by age 28 marking me as the fastest and youngest Latina in the world to do so. I spent hours at the craft of practice. I lost a few toenails in the beginning, but they grow back. I began to learn what were the habits of the successful. Interestingly, what I learned was my parents practiced those habits of success just as the very wealthy figures of our time do. My parents who came with nothing to this country scrutinized for being immigrants who didn’t speak English now live comfortably in a small home still working earning moderate wages. They speak English and are successful in my eyes. They are not rich in material possessions; however, they are wealthy in happiness. I have learned through working hard and living with passion that happiness is success.

7 habits of success:

1.     WORK HARD. Relentlessly. Life does not reward lazy. I spent everyday studying and practicing to reach my goals. Everyday, I visualized and reminded myself of what I was working for and went after it. I graduated high school with straight A’s for 4 consecutive years at the Top 1% of my school of 2,500 students. I then applied to every scholarship I could find. I did it every year, volunteered, and worked part time to pay for college. I published as an undergrad. I finished undergrad in 3 years. What was my reward? I graduated undergrad and graduate school from UCLA with a 4.0 debt-free without any loans in my or my parents’ name. This was my gift to my parents. I didn’t sleep much. I didn’t go out after my first year, and there were nights where I cried my soul out because it was hard. But I didn’t let the color of my skin or my background stop me from earning an education. I would walk into a hall in the science department at UCLA that could seat several hundred students and I could count in the palm of my hand the number of Latinos in the room. It’s a harsh reality that some will have to work harder than others, but never let that stop you. Never let excuses stop you from living. Find reasons to keep achieving.

2.     BE PERSISTENT. If something doesn’t go your way, try again and again and again. The greatest inventions and triumphs of our time didn’t happen on the first try.

3.     BE FEARLESS. Have the courage to take risks. Go where there are no guarantees. Get out of your comfort zone, even if it means being uncomfortable. The road less traveled is sometimes filled with barricades, bumps, and uncharted terrain. But it is on that road where your character is truly tested — and your personal growth realized. At times, it hasn’t been easy. Unrealistically high expectations, unprecedented scrutiny to my race, and what sometimes feels like a chorus of naysayers rooting for me to fail — all of that only fueled me to be stronger.

Courage will be required of you on many fronts. Have the courage to seek the truth, speak the truth, stand up for the under-dog, and to stand up against intolerance — even if yours is the lone voice doing so. I wanted to make a statement that we as Latinos can be successful through academics and athletics. Bring color into the sciences. Bring color to our sports. Have the courage to trust your gut and your own moral compass — your innate understanding of right and wrong. Have the courage to love fearlessly and unconditionally, and don’t compromise that love because of arrogance or insecurity. And have the courage to accept that you’re not perfect, nothing is, and no one is — and that’s OK.

4.     BE RESILIENT. You will inevitably face disappointment, loss, and struggles that are, at this moment, inconceivable and impossible to predict. Loss of a job, loss of love, loss of a family member. Each will test you and bring you down to your knees. Find the courage to pick yourself up again and again. Because it will make you stronger.

5.     BE PASSIONATE. Do what you love, even if you don’t love it every day. I decided to pursue a profession that made me excited to get up in the morning and that excitement sustained me through the long hours and the inevitable failures and disappointments. I love running. I love teaching. I love learning. I love exploring. I did those as a child and I aim to still do those as an adult. I’ve been able to combine my passion for education and fitness into one that has allowed me to explore the world running to the top of mountains or connecting with a student in my classroom.

According to a survey of 75 business leaders with Stanford MBAs, the most important predictor of success is self-awareness. That means knowing — and accepting — your own strengths and weaknesses. Look at yourself honestly: understand your passions, your skills, your temperament, and limitations.

A Harvard psychologist named Daniel Gilbert has spent decades studying happiness and he found that cash and contentment are almost completely disconnected. Sure, having money gives you one less thing to worry about, but don’t look to it as a magic ticket. Winning the lottery won’t even give you a more positive outlook. According to Dr. Gilbert, six months after they hit the jackpot, lottery winners are only about as happy as they were before.

Happiness has much more to do with your basic constitution, your outlook on life, and loving what you do. I love to run. I love to learn. What most don’t realize is teaching is learning. Therefore, I’m a lifelong learner.

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. If you find yourself unhappy with your line of work, change it. It’s scary to start over. But it’s never too late. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. Don't ever settle and don’t ever think it’s too late to be passionate about what you do.

6.     BE OF SERVICE. Service is better than selfishness and usually a lot more rewarding. I found my heart to be warmest when doing missionary trips with UCLA premed students in the rural villages of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Watching families travel through the night barefoot to meet us to receive basic dental and medical care touched my soul. Never judge those who are less fortunate or even those who are seemingly better off. Dr. Gilbert has studies that prove that generous people are also happier people. Keep caring about the environment, about politics, women’s rights, about the poor and disenfranchised, and, most of all, about others. We are in this world together. Just as someone has helped you be where you are, help others behind you. Caring gives us purpose.

7. LIVE YOUR LIFE. Everyday life goes by in an instant. In this fast-paced, crazy world, slow down enough to appreciate the many things you will experience — a puppy’s smile, your first love, the beautiful symmetry of a blossomed rose, or the embrace of a friend. As a little girl, as a teen, and now young woman, I tell my mom: live your life like each day may be your last. Let go of the little worries and come back to them when you are more at peace and learn to appreciate living each day. Our attitude and perspective on how we approach life goes a very long way.

The 7 habits: Work hard, be persistent, be fearless, resilient, passionate, service others, and live the little joys and you will find the internal fire to push through the good and bad times. As women, we have the power to change the world with our boundless potential. This morning, I read an article about a 91 year old woman who ran her first marathon at age 76. She’s battled cancer twice and earlier this month she ran the San Diego Marathon setting a NEW world record for the fastest time for 90+ year olds: she finished in 7hrs:7min. When asked will you come back next year, she said: “If I am still alive, I will keep trying……”  Her name is Harriette Thompson and she’s from Charlotte, NC. This goes to show dreaming big doesn’t end when we’re 18, 30, 50, or even 90. Don’t settle. Strive for your extraordinary. Like my parents told me when I was a child and I remind even adults to this day: Continue dreaming, continue trying, and believe in yourself because it is the belief in yourself that will pick you up when you're down. Our potential is endless and continuous. It is never too late to live your dream and strive for your unique definition of success.

May you all be successful and happy. Thank you and Congratulations graduates!

Runner's World Photo Shoot

100+ marathons, 50+ BQs, 1 Latina

Nothing can ever take away the special memories that my running journey has enriched my life with. There are many runners out there that have touched my heart in more ways they will ever know. Runners who have inspired me to search for my personal extraordinary. Their smiles and journeys encourage me to continue on my own. I reached 100 marathons and did it in the manner my heart felt happy: exploring the world when I could around family obligations and striving to always aim to improve myself. As one of the youngest to reach 100 marathons in the world, I have reached 100 and continue to challenge myself to within the marathon with over half as Boston Qualifying times and named "Best Frequent Marathoner" in the nation in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. I take pride that when I am in the classroom or on the field, I teach our youth to always aim for their best, live within their passion, and learn to appreciate all the little daily blessings we have in our lives each day. That is the essence of life where good isn't good enough but excellence is within all of us. There were the challenges from training long hours early before sunrise or hours after sunset, saving and budgeting what I can to be able to afford my races for the past 15 years, to balancing my passion around my responsibilities as an educator, daughter, sister, and aunt. It has only been the blessing of this year where I have acquired sponsors. Not because I am the fastest. Not because I run the longest. But because I aim to run with passion and encourage others to do the same passionately. I will always encourage others to be healthy, to search for ways to challenge themselves, and to work hard for their dreams. The rewards in doing so have been endless from learning the value of self discipline, dedication, and inner strength to creating everlasting memories with family and friends across the years. 

1999: My dad and my first marathon side-by-side the entire 26.2 miles

Never would I have dreamt that when my father and I stepped foot at the starting line for our very first marathon at the 1999 LA Marathon that 17 years later we would continue to be running side by side. We crossed the finish line for our very first marathon together hand in hand, tears down our faces when I was 14 and then we did it again for my 100th marathon just the same: hand in hand, tears down my face at age 28 just like when I was a little girl. Tears of joy. Tears of pain. Tears of celebration. This is why I run: to share the love of running with those I love.

Below is a little photo journey of my Runner's World Magazine photo shoot, for the magazine that was the first ever magazine and continues to be the pages of reading that connects me to the wonderful running world. We, runners, are here to stay. Never give up on your journey no matter how difficult it gets… because it will. Tough times don't last, tough people do.

My Running Partner, My Biggest Supporter, My Dad

My Parents I admire with all my heart: Jorge y Myriam

Sitting in my immigrant parent's backyard of their first home, achieving their American Dream

Mom: 10 marathons, Me: +100 marathons, Dad: +50 marathons, and the journey continues.

Behind the Scenes: 

Playing dressing up runner style for a day! 

Getting the goodies, medals, & bibs ready!

My old bedroom wall filled with trophies, plaques, & awards in running and outside of running

Setting up the photo shoot set II

17 years running, 350+ races, endless memories

The Runner's World Magazine Shot

Runner, Model, Teacher, Believer

Runner's World Magazine, 2013 October Issue

Family is the most important thing to me and my parents taught me through their lives that when we work hard, remain fervently dedicated to our dreams, anything is truly possible. Even through the tough times, I sincerely believe that with all my heart and will continue to follow that philosophy for as long as I live.


Special THANK YOU to: 
* Skechers Performance for the gear and shoes.
* Michael Lewis for the professional photographs. 
* Runner's World for the opportunity to share my story.
* New Year's Race for helping me celebrate my 100th milestone.
* A Runner's Circle for being the running family any girl can wish for.
* My husband, family & friends who've supported and/or shared my joy of running.
* And most importantly: my parents for being my inspiration and biggest motivation to always aim for my best. 

2013 Los Angeles Marathon

2013 LA Marathon Finish - 3:16:05 *PR

What motivates me? I have a strong desire to learn, improve, and grow. Training and aiming for a goal race helps me live this journey. Running helps me cope, brings me peace, teaches me, and tests me. What can I be capable of if I tried? 

Race Day:
Nestled into my warm bed without one noticeable movement all night, my eyes abruptly opened wide into the darkness. Slowly I reached for my phone afraid to see if only an hour had passed. With a sigh of relief, it was five minutes before my alarm was set to go off at 4am. Like clockwork, unfortunately, my body has learned to wake up every 1-2hrs the night before the race forcing me to grab my phone: Is it time yet? Needless to say, it becomes a very restless night. Surprisingly, I slept straight through. I laid there in bed for awhile thinking about what was about to come. I repeated to myself over and over: you will reach your goal, you will reach your goal because you know pain. With a deep exhale, I tip toed to the bathroom with my race gear that had been neatly piled next to my bed. Of course, I couldn’t sneak by my pups. Max and Bruno excitedly said their good mornings with a kiss and tail wag then back to bed they went. My phone rings: “Mija, we’re here. Come outside.” My parents had arrived at 5am to pick me up.

A Runner's Circle

With the last hugs and kisses, my mom wished my dad and I well as she dropped us off at the Dodger Stadium shortly after 6am. We were fortunate enough to be directed to a section of the stadium lot where  fresh porta potties stood alone. No lines so we are sticking around here for a while. Secret wasn’t kept too long though as the runners trickled in. 6:30am: “I need to pee again, Dad.” Back to the porta potties. Ran into Jon, "Rock it today, Nadia." I smiled nervously. Tick tock 6:50am. The time just seemed to fly as race start neared. Quick stop by the NurtiBullet stage and we ran into ARC friends, Deo, Sheryl, and Choy. 6:55am: “Papi, they’re going to close the corrals!” We zigzagged quickly to the entrance into corral B. Over our shoulder, we saw Mitch and Casey also trying to get in.  Big waves and smiles. Once inside, my dad and I found a little comfortable spot on the side, sat, then waited. I nestled my head into my bent legs and reminded myself what I came here to do. Make it hurt. You know how to. 7:20am: get up. 7:28: love you Daddy and I will see you at the finish!!! With one last look and nod from him, it was all I needed. My eyes glossed over and we exhaled. Today, regardless of challenges, you will PR. “Ruuuuuunners, seeeet, GO!!” 

         Shake the arms, open your stride, time to get into your rhythm. I glanced at my watch and knew what every mile needed to be. Reminding myself: don’t go out too fast. Relax, focus on your form, and breathe. Goals aren’t determined at the beginning of the marathon; they are determined at the end. Mile 1 7:53, right on holding back. Mile 2 7:03, hello downhill. Mile 3, there you are 3:15 pacer. Now was I going to leave it all to the official pacer to get me to my goal? No. Pacers are there as guidance but I needed to remind myself, I ran Catalina the weekend before. I battled food poisoning in Phoenix the weekend prior to Catalina. Then I lost some speed from not running any speed work all of February right after Surf City, because I needed to listen to my body. I had tweaked something in my foot so instead of running through that bad pain, I needed to heal and stop. Any competitive runner knows, a whole month of no speed work or tempo runs will hurt your speed; what’s worse it can hurt your racing confidence. I knew this so I knew not to go out on a 3:15, 3:10, or 3:05 pace. Last year, I ran a 3:18 being 7 pounds heavier and was nowhere near as healthy and strong as I was this year so I knew what my potential could have been to open up my spring season. Was I going to allow this to rob me of a PR? No. Race day, I needed to adjust so I listened to my body and ran conservatively. “Hey girl, how you feeling?!” Shannon, the 3:15 pacer said with a smile. “I’m good just going easy for now. Great seeing you!” I’m not much of a talker during a race but there is A LOT going on in my head. Mile 5, up the hill next to Disney Hall. The drummers are the absolute best here. The 3:15 pacer went ahead. Don’t panic. You're fine. Keep your effort consistent and you got this. Mile 7, there’s the pacer again. “Looking strong girl!” “I lost you guys on the uphill so might as well have some fun coming down them.” Mile 10, my ‘warm-up’ miles were done maintaining most miles between 7:10-7:30s. 5K to go, then the race begins. Mile 12, now what is that burning sensation at the bottom of my sports bra!? Oh no. Today the sports bra decided to cause an issue. What’s a little chaffing.

Feeling relatively fresh, I picked up my cadence. Zipping passed the 3:15 pacer, Mile 14 7:16, pace for a 3:11 finish. Did I notice? Yea. Did I correct it? Nope, my mistake which I would pay for later. Mile 15 7:02, now I really will pay for it. But then I saw the red clan: A Runner’s Circle!! Seeing the swarm of the red army on both sides of the street jumping and cheering. I couldn’t help it, my eyes glossed over with tears. Mile 17, now the burning spread to all around the bottom of my sports bra. It was on fire. I pushed on. Mile 19, 7:50s where the late portion of the hills began. Then the 3:15 pacer zoomed pass me on the hills. Stay focused, Nadia. Push, push, push. The muscular burn swam in my legs but I couldn’t give in now. This is where it matters. How bad do you want it? Approaching Mile 20, in the distance, I could see a petite woman holding a sign high up in the air: “GO, Chanchito!! We believe in you!” It was my Mamita. Nothing can explain the joy I saw in her eyes. She shouted, jumping up and down, “Go, Mijita, GO!! I love you!” Tears rolled down my cheeks as I blew her a kiss. I love you so much, Mamita! That was it. I wasn’t going to play it safe here. I was running alone. No group pacer, no personal pacer. Just me and my willingness to push forward or not. Mile 21, my pace slowed and the legs begged to walk. I will not give in. Mile 22, pace picked up just a little but I could feel my form suffering, and I didn’t know how far ahead the 3:15 pacer was. I cannot give in now. I need to make this hurt! Make it burn. Mile 23, runners one by one stepped off to the side slowing from fatigue or slowing from cramps. I wanted to give in so bad. Happily, I found Anton running along ahead. “Hey, Anton!” I shouted in between breaths. “Is that you, Nadia? Hey!” Exchanging the same smile of painful fatigue, we ran a bit together. “Stay strong, Anton. I’ll see you at the finish!” Mile 24, hallelluyah the downhill finally arrived. Let’s open that stride like you know how. But wait a minute, my legs refused. See those middle miles where I dropped down too much from pace, here is where I paid for it. Normally, I am a very good downhill runner. Normally, I can push very hard at the end of the marathon to make them my fastest miles. From the fire burning underneath my sports bra to the fire scorching in my quads, I could only push 7:20s. Last year, I ran the last two miles in 7:11 and 7:06 feeling like I cruised in. This year, a 7:22 at Mile 25 hurt. On Ocean, there it is: the finish line. RUN!! Glancing at my pace, glancing at my overall time, yes, it was going to happen! I was going to PR. The crowds roared on the sidelines for the runners. With one last push across the finish line, I raised my arms high in the air and crossed at 3:16:05, a new marathon PR. I did it. I did what I said I came here to do. Today, I believed and today I made it into a reality.

3:15 Pace Group (Photo: LA Times)

Mile Splits:

- 2012: Started too fast first 5mi costing me slower target splits in middle so didn't meet 3:15 target.
- 2013: Mile 5-8 slight too fast and didn't mentally hold it together at Mile 23 costing 3:15 target.
- Goal Met: Paced effectively overall to run close to 3:15 target.
- Tip: Graph your mile splits. It should match pretty close to the course elevation profile if you run the race smart. 
- Tip: If the race is not flat, your splits should not be even instead aim for even effort to meet time goal.

Weekly Mileage:

- Goal Met: Periodization and tapering for key races DOES make a difference, especially if racing frequently.
- Goal Met: Demonstrated to myself that what is done the two months before DOES help a particular race performance.
- Goal Met: Demonstrated 35-45 mpw CAN produce 3:16 result when combined with healthy eating and cross training.
- Tip: Build a strong cardiovascular base 2-4 months prior to a target race.
- Tip: Adapt and listen to your body when building mileage. You don't need to run 80-100 mpw to improve. You can however you have options. Find a coach to help you develop a training plan that fits right for you and your lifestyle. 

Race Start w/my #1 Fan: My Dad

Race Nutrition:

Pre-race dinner: (13hrs before race start)

1 serving of cesar salad
1 focaccia bread

Grilled Lou de mer trout

2 servings of walnut barley grain salad

2 servings of coleslaw

½ serving of chocolate vanilla ice-cream sundae w/pecans

Late Night Snack: (1hr before bedtime)

1 whole wheat bread slice

1 packet of almond butter

1 serving of trail mix

Pre-race breakfast: (1.5hrs before race start)

1 whole wheat bread slice

1 packet of almond butter

During Race:

Alternate water & electrolyte every aid station

Mile 7

Orange slices

Immediate Post-race: (within 30min)

2 servings of mixed fruit salad

Protein recovery drink

Results Summary: 

3:16:05 (7:29 average pace)

Slowest: 8:07 - Mile 23

Fastest: 7:00 - Mile 26

Half splits 1:37/1:39

7^th in Division (F25-29)

32^nd Female Overall

408^th Overall of +23,000

Marathon Stats:

6^th 2013 marathon

15^th consecutive LAM

50^th Boston Qualifier

69th sub-4 marathon

Lessons Learned:
- Could I have gone faster had I not ran Phoenix and Catalina the weekend before? Maybe.
- Could I have gone faster had I run all my planned speed work sessions in Feb? Maybe.
- Could I have gone faster had not the entire section under my sports bra bled all in the 2nd half? Possibly.
- Despite above, did improving my nutrition for the past four months help my performance? Definitely.
- Despite above, did dropping a net 7lbs from 2012 LAM to 2013 LAM help my performance? Definitely.
- What is my secret? Eat healthy, train smart, and believe in yourself. If you believe it, you will achieve it.

2013 LA Marathon Finishers - Our 15th consecutive together

Special THANK YOU to all my sponsors, friends, and family

Mile 13 
Till the next race.

IM Arizona

The goal to one day do an Ironman began when I was in middle school. In 1996, I watched the Ironman World Championship in Kona for the first time from my living room studying for a science exam. I had never heard of a triathlon, much less the distance of 140.6 miles as a swim, bike, and run event in one. I was in awe that the human body could do that. What inspired me the most were the stories of individuals like you and me going after their dreams and accomplishing their goals at this triathlon. I didn't realize it then as a child; however, I understand now as an adult that sometimes these physical feats and goals we go after help us process the whirlwind of emotions we go through as we process the challenges or setbacks we have experienced in life. This is why sometimes these goals become so powerfully therapeutic. From battling cancer, losing a loved one, losing a child, losing your business, or going through a divorce, there are a number of left hooks that life sometimes throws at us and we are left asking ourselves: why me? These are life changing moments I didn't understand then, but I understand their impact now. I said at age 12: one day, I will do an Ironman.

I researched the triathlon sport. Unfortunately, the barrier to entry at the time for me was money and age. Triathlon, as cycling, is an expensive hobby for non professional athletes. I came from an immigrant family; therefore, doing triathlon as a child was not possible within my family's means and the minimum age to do an Ironman was and still is 18. Naturally, I thought picking the simplest of the three sports would be the first step so I signed up for my first marathon at age 14. In 1999, in the age before social media, I walked into a world alone and afraid of what was to lie ahead. People thought I was crazy. The one person who has always believed in me said: I will run it with you. That was my father. We didn’t know what we were doing and hadn’t run more than five miles, but we went for it. My dad told me that if you believe in yourself, the power of your mind will triumph, even when the body weakens. Needless to say, the day we ran our first marathon together is a day I will never forget. We crossed the finish line hand-in-hand at the 1999 LA Marathon in 4:05. It changed my mindset forever. I began to believe that no matter what preconceptions others had of me or I had of myself, I could push myself beyond anything I have ever imagined. 

Race Day:
I arrived race day very nervous, frightened of getting hurt, and unsure how I would do. I had not trained as much volume for this Ironman as I had for my first and second. On our drive from Los Angeles to Arizona, I broke into tears because this was the first major race my dad or family would not be on the sidelines cheering for me. Everyone had to work and couldn’t come along. I relied on my family for emotional support because they are my strength. I work as hard as I do academically, professionally, and athletically because they model an enduring work ethic. With their love and sincere encouragement, I feel like I have the power of an army. 

The Swim:
As nervous as I was, it didn’t help to discover at 6:18 am that I had forgotten my wetsuit. “Anyone have a women’s medium wetsuit they can lend out?” the announcer called out in the darkness of the morning. My race cannot end before even the start. As it got closer to race start time at 7:00 am, I had no wetsuit. Should I swim without one? Then a gentleman came to the front and said, “You can use mine. I’m not feeling well so here you go.” I jumped into the too large suit then it was a mad dash and jump into the water. The shot of the cannon was the only reminder that it was race time. I miss the challenge of mass starts at Ironmans. Go! For me, swimming 2.4 miles is not as daunting as cycling 112 miles or running 26.2 miles. However, trying to stay afloat among 2,700 or more other frantic swimmers can send anyone into a panic. Be aggressive, be tough, be you. Our pool was closed for the past month for renovations so I had only swam once in that time. I survived the swim in a much slower time than I normally did at the time: swim split 1:33:22.

The Bike:
Wetsuit stripper quickly peeled off the oversized wetsuit and off I went to find my intro level bike. It gets me from A to B and it sure got me to the finish line. I may not have a carbon bike or parts. I needed to prove to myself I had legs of steel to tackle 112 miles. Best way to tackle any large feat is break it into at least three parts. First loop start strong but smart; second loop remain strong but survive; and third loop hammer it hard like it will be your last. First loop of 37 miles was my fastest, second my slowest, and third my second fastest. I lacked the cycling mileage and volume in training for this race. However, I made sure that when I jumped on that saddle that I hammered hard to make the most of it for me. Without upgrading my bike like I sincerely wanted to, I dropped more than one hour from my bike split most likely because it was a flat course than compared to my two previous 112 mile courses. Nonetheless, I know riding only 1 90-miler and 2 60-milers was not enough. Making every mile count is. Bike split 6:30:46.

The Run:
I love to run. From the moment I jump into the water, I have to resist the thought: I cannot wait to run. When you love something so bad, it never seems like work. Coming back from a grade I ankle sprain, I was unable to follow the progressive training plan for my run as I would have liked. Run too fast in the beginning of a marathon, you hit the wall, which in my honest opinion should never happen if you are prepared for the distance and you execute the right race strategy for yourself. It took about 15 marathons to figure this out that there is no wall. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. It means you are racing the right pacing strategy for what you are prepared for. Run too fast in the beginning of a marathon IN an ironman and be prepared to be mangled. As excited as I was to get off the bike and ease into 7:30 pace, I backed off. I could not make the same mistake I did at Vineman or Coeur d’Alene, my first and second 140.6 respectively. Forcing myself to slow down to 8:00 min/mi, I found myself constantly fighting with my mind: C’mon just a little faster, just a little. Mile 15: pace began to slow, thighs began to burn, feet began to ache, calves began to throb. Mile 18: why did I sign up for this? Mile 20: Oh, I remember. I only have a 10K to go and I can break 13 hours?! Walking was painful. Shuffling was painful. Jogging was painful. I might as well run my heart out and I did. I picked up the pace through the screaming pain that shout out from my legs. I ran and pushed hard passing male after male after male. "Woah great pace," they’d mutter. My body was fatigued, my body was depleted, but my mind and heart was full of vigor. I was going to do this. I was going to finish for my family, for those who can’t, for those who want to and for me. I approached the finisher’s chute and heard the roaring cheers of the spectators standing shoulder to shoulder cheering for everyone. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I looked upwards and said: this is for you. I couldn’t even see the clock anymore but I could hear it: “Congratulations, Nadia!! You are an Ironman!!”

What it took to arrive to this start line and many others before and after -- Anything is possible when you believe in yourself. 


Course:
2.4 mile swim in 1-loop mass start in Tempe Lake @61°F
112 mile bike in 3 out-and-back loops @71°F
26.2 mile run 3-loops
Start 55°F
Finish 63°F

Race Day Food:
200 1 pack of almond butter (breakfast)
200 1 box of granola
400 1 serving of Go Lean Protein Crunch
100 1 gel (During T1)
500 3 bottles of on course hydration (Bike)
100 1 bottle electrolytes 
500 2 boxes of granola
300 6 half bananas
300 1 Salt & Vinegar Chips
700 5 mini-energy bars
200 1 serving of Nut Clusters
200 1 serving of Nut Clusters (During T2)
100 orange slices (Run)
100 1 bottle electrolytes
100 chips
300 1 slice of pizza (Post race)
600 3 meat tacos
100 1 bottle of electrolytes
5,000 Total Calories (values approx.)

Results Summary:
Swim 1:33:22
T1 12:03
Bike 6:30:46*
T2 8:43*
Run 4:09:13*
Total 12:34:08*
*PR