Music is my Aeroplane

Despite my ID states I was born 35 years ago (June, 1977), it won’t be until 1988 when my life started to find its sense. Three months after crossing my 11^th birthday on the calendar a real master piece landed on my hands: Metallica’s fifth studio album “…And Justice For All” (Elektra Records – August 1988). Without any doubts, in my life there has been a milestone from that moment onwards. You don’t really know how and why, but there are some apparently non-remarkable events that will mark your entire life. I was 11 years old by then and this moment marked mine.

Soon I started entering the roots of hard rock and heavy metal. By then I was in an English school where the influence of NWOBHM was a must. Rapidly different albums from many of these bands started to sound familiar. Motörhead, Judas Priest, Diamond Head, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Raven, Def Leppard…I have to admit that initially, my feelings toward this kind of music were a bit weird. Just like for your first beer sip. But it didn’t take long to start having some kind of feelings towards this melodic voices, guitar riffs, and overall, double bass drums and solos. By the end of 1989 I was absolutely a heavy metal fanatic.

In the 90’s my family and I moved to another city, Seville, in southern Spain. In my new school I met two fanatics of metal that also helped develop my music addiction. I continued listening to new paths of rock. I discovered American Glam music, with Poison and Motley Crue being their highest representatives.

Nevertheless, although many bands came into my life, Metallica was the one and only. In 1991 the Black Album was launched, and it became one of most sold albums in rock history. Although many Metallica fans said the band had betrayed them, I think the black album represented the summit of their music evolution. Regrettably, after this album, The Four Horsemen of the Bay Area have never produced a better piece of work.          

I have listened to many bands (AC/DC, Anthrax, WASP, KISS, Judast Priest, etc) but never reached my admiration as Metallica did. I was obsessed. In those days, where the Internet did not exist and mobile phones were affordable just for a few, the only way to get new band material, rarities, and similar, was by reading specialised magazines and searching the “buy&sell” sections. From the age of 11 until my 16s I spent much of my free time in Sevilla Rock, a local music shop where I spent most of my pocket money. My CD collection grew and grew over 500. I started contacting people to buy rarities and B-sides of several bands (specially Metallica, of course).

Anyway, as you may see, from a young age music has become an inspirational motor for life. I do not understand my life without a soundtrack that comes along with me 24-7-365. Every single moment, instant, or memory brings a song to my mind that makes me smile, drop a tear, or feel like driving mad…gosh, music is my aeroplane!

However, years passed by and my music taste changed. I always focused on rock music, but inevitably different bands entered my life. I started opening my mind to psychedelic rock with The Doors and Pink Floyd, classical rock music such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Who, Janis Joplin, Jimy Hendrix, progressive rock like Yes and Rush, etc. Music from the 60s-70s started being a must on my playlist. I enjoyed being a music provider to my friends and colleagues. I was considered amongst my friend a freak of music, or an erudite J That’s how one of my best friends always says about me, and it really makes me smile. Every time I met someone who knew a band that I wouldn’t, it was like a real push for me, and my life gained new senses. As a youngster, I was filled with energy and needed to bring it out.  

I started going to concerts of local bands in Seville. National bands came to play from time to time, but Seville wasn’t considered important or a reference in the musical scene. Def Con Dos, Reincidentes, or Extremoduro were very common in my music agenda. By that age, my 13s-14s approx, I was going through a rebel stage of my life, and many of these bands were encountered withing the “protest-rock” scene.  

In 1992, during the Universal Expo, Guns N’ Roses came to play to Seville. It was the first time I would ever watch a top international rock band, just in the summit of their career. GN’R has just released their successful double album “Use Your Illusions I & II” and they were, together with Metallica, the reference band at international level. (Anyway, I must say that GNR’s debut album “Appetite for Destruction” might be considered the best rock album in History. No doubt).

However, coming back to that 92 concert, it is funny to see how, by then, I had no knowledge at all about the two supporting bands that, after some years, became reference music in my life: Faith No More and Soundgarden. Absolutely amazing groups. I recently saw FNM performing at BBK Live 2010, and they were amazing. Can’t add a word.

From 1988 till 2000, I shared all kind of music and bands with friends and pals. I started playing drums in several music bands. Particularly need to mention Circular Design, my first music band, with its long Sunday sessions, in-Garage rehearsals, and plenty of concerts played with no more attendants than our friends and families; and Neorama, musical project where I developed my main capabilities as a drummer and percussionist. Besides, a band formed by very different people but with great humanity and friendship. 

Within my discography you may find all kinds of rock genders. I have great memoirs of my adolescence attending many music festivals watching top bands such as Slipknot, Audioslave, Muse (when Showbiz was released), Mano Negra, Manowar, Def Con Dos, System of A Down, Extremoduro, Tool, Nine Inch Nails, Super Skunk, AC/DC, Arcade Fire, Chemical Brothers, Pearl Jam, Marilin Manson, Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys, Barricada, Biffly Clyro, Jet, Iron Maiden, Bloc Party, Bon Jovi, Kings of Leon, INTERPOL, Editors, and a long and extended etc.

In conclusion, I wasn’t pretending to write my own History of Rock, but indeed a recognition of what music has meant, and means to me. Music represents my mood, emotions, concerns. I cannot conceive life without music, and this is the reason why I have to be enormously grateful to all those bands (top sellers, unknown and vanished bands) thousands of music halls, ignored festivals, bankrupted indie labels, and to all of those who keep making the best drug ever: Music.

There are no walls or frontiers that music can’t knock down.

FROM MADRID TO HEAVEN: RnR Marathon 2012

Running your first marathon is a unique personal challenge. It combines unending concerns and an unusual enthusiasm, enhancing your illusions every day wondering whether you will be prepared to face such an outstanding project, or you will collapse on the run. But once you start with your training, and days pass through increasing both your mental and physical confidence, you become aware that things can be done if you really wish them, and having such thoughts must remain etched in your mind every single day.

A second marathon is a whole different ballgame. The entire mental process since your first training day is a complete new story. Your goals and illusions have evaporated after your first thrill and it is extremely difficult, especially when running hasn’t been part of your daily life until you decide to go for IT, to find new motivational resources to achieve a new target. But as I wrote on my first post, running has become an essential side of my daily life, not just for the physical aspect of it, but for the mental strength it provides you with. Facing long distance running requires discipline, strategic thinking, and a whole lot of psychological “work-out”. Needless to say that I am on my first steps to getting my head sorted and organised to understand myself, but I am fully convinced I’ll reach the day when handling my thoughts and feelings, with rationale and criteria, will not become such a tough duty.

On December 2011, I started my running sessions focusing on Maratona di Roma (March 2012), just three weeks after I ran New York. What a big mistake that was!! I did start very strongly, however in February 2012, along with some personal issues, I decided to stop my run during a couple of weeks. Don’t know why, but usually 1Q of every year becomes a real wall to overcome without reasons or justifications (…Psyque, that strange force, indeed…).

At the very beginning of March 2012, without any short-term goal in mind, I reset my training programme and started my running without facing any clear direction. However, as I promised myself some months earlier, I committed to run, at least, two marathons every year (one on each semester), so I needed to take a quick decision. In terms of locations and dates, it was clear: Madrid’s Marathon was my new target ahead (April 22^nd 2012).

March 2012 turned to be a weird month in many ways. No big deal, but small concerns were permanently in mind and it became a hell of a nightmare. Anyway, as I said earlier on, my training programme was reset. I switched from a weekly 5-day training programme (MO-TU-TH-FR-SU) to a 4-day training programme per week (MO-WE-FR-SU). I also reduced the amount of kms from 75k/week down to 65k/week, and made other meaningless changes to my Sunday long distance runs and gym sessions. It became really tough to recover from my “vacational” 2-3 week period, and the sessions turned to be painful and tiring. But, I managed to complete my scheduled programme with the splendid support-in-the-distance provided by my dear running colleague, and friend (of course) Amanda Barreiro (@Amanda_Marathon), who also completed London’s Marathon for the second consecutive year.

OK! Let’s move back to my target: Madrid. As I said, March-April had been busy months. As I wrote on prior posts, I went through tough personal moments during the last couple of years. Many of these issues appeared due to my constant dissatisfaction with everything around me: friends, work, internal emotions, personal development, and particularly, Madrid. During the last two years I loathed this city dramatically (not being exaggerated). Don’t know why, but my levels of stress towards this town, reached a point of intolerance that happened to be worrying.

But April 22^nd appeared on the calendar. I got up at 06:30am and headed towards the marathon’s start line. I wasn’t very confident about my performance, expecting a running time between 03h45m-04h00m, always within the time limits established in my debut marathon (03h50m46s). I met three running friends who ran with me during the first 15kms. 

My pace was right (05m15s/km) and I was extremely confident. My colleagues were keeping pace and the atmosphere was excellent. We kicked-off from Plaza Colón and went up to Plaza Castilla, passing by the Bernabeu Stadium. During the first 12kms the course happened to be a bit boring for me, mainly because I had run that same track many times on my training sessions and, honestly, the attractiveness of that first quarter of the race was conspicuous by its absence. Anyway, from 15k onwards I pulled hard and left behind my running colleagues. We were just about to reach Fuencarral Street, Gran Via and Preciados Street and the atmosphere on the streets remembered me about NY. There were thousands of people cheering and supporting runners, and I started to grow in confidence and strength.

We passed Puerta del Sol (Madrid’s city centre) and it was amazing. Ahead we faced Calle Mayor and turned to one of the most beautiful places of the race passing by the Almudena Cathedral, and the Royal Palace. The similarities to NY, again, appeared in my thoughts. I started feeling very closely linked to Madrid, thinking “this is my town” and that I had not appreciated the full beauty of its environment. There was some kind of energy in every street that helped me fly from one street to another. And, again, I was amazed.

Reaching Casa de Campo, around 27km, I started thinking about the famous “wall”   that threatens every marathon runner. It normally appears between kms 30-35 and I had to be prepared for the worst. In New York it did smashed me very hard, so I reduced pace to control my rhythm in order to prevent for a fatal ending (yes, it sounds a bit dramatic, but If you, reader, haven’t ran a marathon, then you haven’t experienced the feeling of being completely unable to move your legs, to move forward, because your muscles have, simply, said: “Luis, we’re done!”). That moment is tough, very tough, and you grab to any thought that will provide you with some kind of extra source of energy to reach and cross the finish line. Again, my last 7kms at NY became a real hell of a nightmare, and I had to avoid this in Madrid.

During the race I provided myself with some power gels consumed at 10k, 20k & 30k, plus a great discovery that gave me lots of energy during the whole race: gummy bears. Oh yes, their effects were absolutely amazing!! As these little “teddy” bears are difficult to chew while running, I decided to put a bunch of them in my mouth and keep swallowing during the race. Indeed, the permanent flow of sugar provided by these plus the power gel intake maintained high my levels of glycogen.

Once we had gone through Casa de Campo, 32k approx, and after overtaking the 03h45m guide-runner, I felt so strong that I started pulling hard again. My pace went down to 04m30s/km and started believing that the famous wall was left behind. I felt strong, very confident about my possibilities, and I kept pulling and running faster. The crowd was amazingly supportive and approaching Glorieta de Atocha there were thousands and thousands of people cheering and giving us lots of energy. The last 2k were ahead and the last hill was about to come. I proceeded to face Alfonso XIII Street and pulled hard for those 250m uphill. They were a leg-cracker. Dammit!!

But…as this story has been written to have a happy ending, I crossed the finish line in a very decent time, establishing my personal record in 03h30m12s. I burst in happiness after raising my arms with rage and emotion. It was incredible!!

 I fully enjoyed running a marathon in my home-town. I discovered a new Madrid, completely turning around my perception of this great city. Thanks Madrid for your energetic support during the whole race. No one can achieve a positive result without the help of the crowd, the attractiveness of a city, and one’s will to outperform. It’s the connection between these that make a great team, never forgetting that an individual can luckily perform well, but within a team someone’s results will be outstanding…as these guys of “Walk off the earth” show us on this video. Enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NF2edxy-M

Take care, fellas

L.-

No pain, no gain: NYC Marathon 06-11-2011

It’s been two weeks since I made my debut on a Marathon and, indeed, I couldn’t have dreamt with a better scenario. New York’s 42kms race combines all the attributes you’d expect from any event of this magnitude: great atmosphere, wonderful images, amazing colours and sounds on streets, music all along the race, a wonderful supportive crowd and, above all, lots of will to overcome many personal challenges and a huge wave of runners enjoying every stride. Over 47.000 athletes of every part of the world keep enhancing the legend of this race.

I landed at Newark’s airport at 14:15pm local time on Friday November 4^th. One starts to understand what the marathon is all about from the precise moment you get in the plane and begin to share comments and cross looks with different colleagues. You know who a runner is and who's gonna make its debut. Someone who crosses a marathon’s finish line is not an extraordinary sportsman, mainly because anyone with discipline and a personal challenge can manage to do it, but I do have absolute respect and my devoted admiration towards those who carry out a training programme like the one required to properly finish a race like this. In my case, I have completed a 20-week running programme accumulating over 1.200 kilometres of running, many moments of loneliness, not many serious injuries, and enough time with myself to analyse the reasons that made me face a challenge like this. It has been tough, but extraordinary rewarding (I won’t reiterate what running has meant to me during this period, as you may read in one of my previous posts).

There is a time “before & after” NYC Marathon 2011 in my life. I have full faith that things can be done. It is just a matter of believing in one’s strength. If you decide to start something, go for it until the end. Do not leave it on the half way, or you’ll feel like a complete loser.

Back to my story, once the luggage was left at the hotel, my room-mate and I went to get our bibs and the official marathon bags at the Jacob Centre. The organisation was extraordinary, just what you expect from Americans. These guys know how to handle events like this. In less than 10 minutes, we both had our packs and were ready to enjoy the ING NYC Marathon Exposition Centre. There were all kinds of running stands: sports clothes, nutritional supplements, stands with official ASICS gear, etc. A complete paradise for sports addicts like me.

The day before the race, Saturday November 5^th, was a calm day, although I walked more than I had desired. After having lunch with my family at PJ Clarke’s (great burgers!!), I returned to the Hotel, had a little siesta and stayed reading for the rest of the evening. On every marathon’s eve it is necessary to be fully relaxed. You ought not to forget how much you will suffer the day after.

Sunday November 6^th. 04:45am. Time to wake up. The bus to Staten Island will pick us up at 05:15am. We couldn’t have wished better weather. Although it is still dark, outside is not excessively cold, and the sky is completely cloudless. The trip to the starting line is rewarding; the views of New York’s dawn crossing Brooklyn Bridge with Manhattan’s skyline at the back are amazing; most people in the bus are quiet, thinking about their in-race strategy, or who knows, perhaps wondering if they’ll manage to finish it. After all, everyone’s goal is to cross the finish line, and not doing so can be seen as a kind of failure, a personal deception. That’s why I always said to myself: “Luis, you haven’t come to NY to walk, so don’t you ever stop running…run, run, run, at any pace, but run”. And that is what I did. Just like Forrest Gump J

Once in Staten Island, at about 07:00am, the atmosphere was great. Thousands and thousands of runners of every nationality gathered towered at the banks of the Hudson River, just by the Verrazano Bridge. From then to my starting time, 10:10am local time, I had the opportunity to meet many different friends of friends and enjoy a breakfast full of proteins, carbohydrate bars, gums, dried fruits, etc. Everyone insisted about the need to eat and feel hydrated. So, constant eating and drinking water and/or isotonic drinks is a must. Again, the weather was great, and the sun was shining bright. Something that got me very impressed was the presence of several music bands that were there to entertain the runners (“after all, music sews even the savage beasts”). If you stop and figure the overall picture: a group of 50.000 guys waiting outdoors over three and a half hours to run 42kms, you may believe we are a complete band of nerds. But, who doesn’t think there is a slight touch of happiness in everyone’s madness? For sure, I wish I keep this certain shade of lunacy for the rest of my life.

Twenty minutes before my starting time I decided to enter the blue corral where I had been allocated by the organisation. I had the chance to chat with many people and to check that everything was right before the start. By the way, I have to say that I ran with my football team’s t-shirt on, Real Betis Balompie; many Spaniards whom I came across with immediately recognised my colours and cheered me up. All of a sudden, at 10:10am, the chords of “New York, New York” began to play under the voice of our good fella, Sinatra. The show had started.

The wave starts to run at a slow pace. Everyone tries to set its position once entering Verrazano Bridge. I ran on the upper level, having the luck of both seeing the different helicopters flying over our heads, and listening to the ships’ powerful engine echoes on the river. But more impressive is the sound coming from the thousands of running shoes when crossing over the bridge. I might not be able to transmit everything that I felt over there, but believe me, it was absolutely amazing!

Once you cross the bridge you enter Brooklyn and there starts the real life of the NYC Marathon. Thousands of people on the streets cheering, waving, supporting the runners, giving fives, crying your name, etc…just wonderful! There were music bands everywhere, and in one occasion I speeded up when I heard the melody of “Eye of the Tiger”. Oooh, yes!! Not a better scenario, for such an amazing song.

But it is at this point when I committed my main mistake. Pushed by the crowd, the great atmosphere and the music, I didn’t take full control of my Garmin Forerunner 305, and my pace went faster than the 05’00”/km programmed on my race strategy. My timing was going fairly well it if was the case of a shorter distance race, but I did not handle the situation properly. I left myself to live the atmosphere, ran from one side to the other of the streets giving fives to everyone I came across with, cheering up the rest of the runners, enjoying the music, etc. In few words, I was there to feel NY city to the max!

We crossed Brooklyn from South to North, running through the Jewish neighbourhood and Queens. I drank water or Gatorade at every fluid station along the race. My pace was excellent, better than expected, and on 25k I started to wonder if that really was good news. On Queensboro Bridge, an absolute leg cracker, my legs began to fail and the 1,1k length of the bridge became a complete nightmare. My Garmin went completely mad running on the lower level of the bridge, making it impossible to receive an adequate GPS signal. Things started to turn a little. Once in Manhattan, entering the 1^st Avenue, I felt my legs weren’t responding properly. Never before had I felt that way, not even on my Sundays’ long distance trainings. I started to avoid the cheerful crowd and began thinking about the reasons that had led me to NY, my personal will and challenge, my 20w training programme, the hours of loneliness, the high temperatures suffered during the summer training sessions and, above all, my great friend Mercedes, suffering from breast cancer and to whom I wanted to pay a tribute with my race. Thinking about her provided me with more energy and strength than any other power bar or nutritional gel.

Back in race, I need to say again that New York, as a whole, lives its marathon as their main annual event. And every New Yorker knows it and fully acts to demonstrate so. People carry flags of every colour; on race they offer you drinks, food, etc. And cheers and cries of support echo along every street. Amazing, just amazing.

However, and back to my sensations during the last 10k of the race, I must say I suffered much more than expected. 1^st Avenue was a nightmare. I could never imagine it was so long. On Wills Avenue Bridge, crossing to the Bronx, I slightly recovered from my leg pains when a band of bag pipes came across and the chords of “La Madeleine” (French National Anthem) flew in the air. I love that song when is played prior the start of every rugby match where the French national team takes part. But, unfortunately, one’s body gives some touches of attention and in Harlem my calves and quadriceps were over their max.

The remaining part of the race, approximately the last 5k, was extremely tough. My bad strategy had given me down and, unfortunately, I couldn’t enjoy the greatness and beauty of entering Central Park in solid shape. It was a real shame because there are not many occasions where one can enjoy the Park so beautiful, crowdie, and with such shinny sun above you. On 40k I seriously thought about walking instead of running because of a calf injury, but I remained on my position and dragged my feet until the race’s end. On my way to the finish line, on 59^th Street, two things happened that gave me an instant of strength to run at a faster pace: first, I saw my parents crying my name and waving madly; I really appreciated their presence in such a special occasion for me; and second, an unknown Spanish guy from my hometown started singing my football team’s anthem, Real Betis Balompié…absolutely awesome!!!

I stopped my watch at the finish line in 03h50m46s at a pace of 05’29”/km. I do believe is a good timing for a new-born on marathons, but as I am a very competitive sportsman, I do think I can perform a lot better. It is a fact I didn’t follow the instructions received from many colleagues that had run NY on previous years, but above all, this experience has taught me some lessons that I will put in practice at Maratona Di Roma (March 18^th, 2012), my next challenge.    

It took me long to reach my parent’s hotel. I felt quite sick during that evening and slept a great siesta during all evening. At night I went out to eat some pasta and fell asleep early. Once in bed, remembering the different sensations and images experienced during the race, I smiled recovering a thought I had that morning while running the 5^th Avenue: “The same you say to yourself the day after a long night out: I will not drink ever again in my life; now I think this is my first and last marathon ever…I never thought this was so hard!”. On Thursday November 10^th, one of the first things I did once landed in Madrid, was registering for Rome’s Marathon (March 2012) and Berlin’s Marathon (September 2012). Human being is the only animal that keeps tripping over the same stone, again, and again, and again…

Take care, fellas…

L.-

PARAPHRASING MURAKAMI: WHAT I "THINK" ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING

From two years on, Running has become my living mode, the engine of my “machine”, the fuel of my heart; it’s my anti-depressant, my personal lexatin.

Not always have I been a sporty guy, though I practiced some sport at school, but not in a rather serious manner. Golf used to be my main occupation at most of my free time. I started practicing at the age of five, and I quit playing when I had my first contact with team sports: basket, from my thirteen’s to my fifteen’s, and rugby, from my fifteen’s till the age of twenty five (approx.). I combined this rugby period with intense gym sessions, consequently gaining much weight that brought me back to my 88s (kgs). It was a great period of my life. If I ever have kids (and hope I will), I will thoroughly encourage them to practice this sport. It combines many essential issues of life: friendship, team work, strategic thinking and excellent physical conditions, hence bringing out the best from each one of us.

But time has the “kindness” of never stopping, nor giving us the chance for a break. As one keeps growing, and approaches a certain mental and physical barrier to keep on tackling, scoring tries or jumping lineouts, a moment in life arrives when you start seeking for less intense activities that equally keep you fit and request a mental challenge on an every day basis.

This is how running appeared in my life. Back in September 2009, I tried to restart my rugby adventure, but during my first returning match, I was badly tackled suffering a serious injury on my jawbone and eye socket. Needless to say that having huge similarity with Scarface was not something I was very keen on at the age of 32. By that time, I was working for a Belgian bank, and a running club was organised with a group of 20 employees approx. A master coach was signed, Luis Javier González Fanegas, an eight hundred meters specialist and one of the athletes representing Spain’s national team at 1992’s Barcelona Olympic Games. The running club was intensely promoted by a regular runner, Angel Gutierrez Talledo, a colleague who has subsequently become a good friend of mine, and by another key member of the team, Amanda Barreiro Jarvis, who is an absolute representative of sacrifice, constant effort, and with an iron will. These three running mates have meant much to me during this time, and thanks to them I have tasted the Greatness of this sport.

As every new-born runner, my initial targets were focused on short distance races. Once my inceptive 10k run was over, my first thoughts were related to the “heroic deed” of my achievement. I had never run 10k before, and thinking of any longer distance goal was something which had never crossed my mind. This was a period of short training sessions, 45m-60m, at the Retiro Park in Madrid. Every Tuesday at lunch time, the running club met and, following Luis Javier’s indications, a training session was carried out. As time went by and Luis Javier understood that I was becoming more serious about training, he started to follow my weekly sessions by writing down a specific running program both for Amanda and me. By that time, Amanda had already run several half-marathons and was focusing on 2011 London’s Marathon. It was October 2010. In November 2010, along with a good friend of mine, I completed the application form to run 2011 NYC´s Marathon. This was the final step to introduce running in my life. From November 2010 until May 2011, I focused on medium distance running, taking part in three different half-marathons: Getafe, Sevilla and Madrid, and making running part of my daily life. Four days a week of running was some kind of a military regime for me. It required discipline and effort, but I was motivated, and my will had no boundaries.

By that time, February 2011, I should say I was not going through the best period of my life. The last two years had been difficult for several reasons, and I was not able to grab myself into something that could motivate me enough to carry on. Even running, which in the near past had meant some kind of safety valve, was now rising my anxiety to extremes. June 20^th, 2011, was set as the kick-off for my 20 weeks training programme focused on the 2011 NYC’s Marathon. That date had become an obsession. Running itself, my job, my personal existence, my emotional worries, etc. led me to reinitiate my “psycho” sessions. This is something I am not ashamed of. I am fully convinced that over 90% of first-world population should attend therapy.

Anyway, during these two months approx (April-June 2011) I decided to take running a bit easier, trying to enjoy those minutes over the sidewalks, and to forget about my GARMIN Forerunner 305, distances, timings, GPS and any other issues that could enhance my anxiety: just running for the pleasure of it. And I did it. I managed to transform those sessions into my time of thinking about me; about what had taken me to the point I was then, trying to figure out who I was and what direction I wanted to follow in my life. And, indeed, it was a very productive stage. Obviously, many of these questions I made to myself still have no answers, and certainly never will. But, at least, I started to manage my time and get control of myself.

Monday, June 20^th, 2011, appeared on my Calendar. Twenty weeks ahead for a full marathon training programme, on a five-sessions-per-week basis. Enough time to become a finisher at the World’s Major Marathon by popularity and number of runners. And I started.

Initial sessions where fairly calmed: just the need to start getting familiar with the routine and to add kilometres and strengthen my legs. My first week ended with a 14km “long” distance run, making me tremendously proud of myself and crossing it on my calendar. First week, back in my pack! I continued with a second similar week, increasing the Sunday session up to a 19km run. I had run 21kms on the several half-marathons I previously mentioned, but never achieved this distance on a training session. During the week, I try to alternate ordinary running sessions (adding kilometres to my legs) with power and legs strengthening sessions. However, a common denominator of every week is that Sunday’s session is a MUST: the long distance session. This will contribute, in many ways, to getting used to suffering when you reach the famous “wall” (km 34 approx), increase your concentration and boost your mentality, feel the loneliness of your running, and strength your personal conviction and believe in yourself in a greater sense. I can certainly prove that after running two and a half hours, three hours or so, etc. ones trust and confidence grows potentially after each session.

Now I am facing week 17 of my programme. November 6^th is the “D” day for my debut on a marathon. New York City, the chosen one. I have already passed the 36kms run, and it was tough, but amazingly rewarding. I have learnt to appreciate those things that I had not been aware of, including the pleasure of enjoying my own company (because, needless to say, I am a great guy!!! J). I am a better person mainly because I have learnt a lot about me. There has been time to reconsider my position with many people, some which may accept what I now think of them, or dislike it or, simply, don’t even care. I have analysed my life during these last two years, and I am starting to cleverly know what and who I do not want in it; in conclusion, I have grown and become more mature than I ever thought.

It’s a runners’ world.

Take care, fellas

L.-

PD: Please, take a look at this video. It’s in Spanish, but it’s worth a watch.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8vDzHm4t44