So, I’ve been doing amazingly well lately, if I may say so myself… I’ve been PRing with a lot of margin, with paces that seem neck-breaking for me!! And everyone keeps asking me what am I doing differently…

I wish I could tell you… you know I would!

All I can say is that I am “running happy” (I know, I am an idiot!!), but basically I am running on dirt and dirt alone, unless there’s a road race. I am running in the VFFs once a week, which I think helps develop my legs and my form. And at least twice a week I do a strength routine: core and butt (ok, glutes!). Stretching has become my religion. I pretty much run whatever/whenever I feel like. No speedwork, just fast hill repeats on dirt twice a month, and racing. That’s about it…. All the other things I do are definitely not performance enhancers… (cupcakes-eating tournaments anyone?) so I’ll keep those to myself so you don’t laugh at me. But my pace during the week is even slower than before, and I think it makes sense not to push or stress the body too much. How that could make me faster… no clue!!!

On the other hand, things are SO good that when I think too much about it, I get scared that it could all disappear; that all would go away as fast and mysteriously as it came. So I don’t think much about it and enjoy it, from my horse. I really think it’s more of a mind adjustment, because there is really not much else tangible that I can explain this with.

Talking about running + happiness…. this past Sunday we had the Achilles Hope and Possibility race in the park. You have to go to the site and look at these pictures, you’ll be SO inspired… I always wonder if I would still run if there were all these obstacles in front of me to sort through… These people are just amazing. I decided to spectate instead of running it because my legs were still sore from the day before and I was glad I did. I run back and forth so I got a few recovery miles in the dirt.

Argentina in-da-house!

 

Prince Harry and Toby…

 

In case you want to know, Prince Harry is pretty cute. And, OMG, he’s a sweetheart, he shook EVERYBODY’s hand. I am not kidding, EVERYONE, I got tired for him!!!

 

I felt bad for him, this guy has SO much attention on him everywhere he goes… I can’t even imagine how horrible that must be. You would have to have an immense patience and nerves of steel…  I had never seen so much police and secret service guys in the park!


This is Trisha Meili, a very inspiring woman who created the race (or so I heard…). You know her, she’s the Central Park Jogger.

 

Heather Mills, former model and Paul McCartney’s ex-wife, she lost a leg a while ago and she’s a big activist. She was supposed to do the race but she had a back problem and didn’t. ;-(


Prince Harry takes over and blows the horn. 

They go. Prince Harry talking to Dick Traum, founder of the Achilles International Org.

 

I walked to the finish line and in a few minutes the first male was done!! A few random shots from the finish line:

 

All an all, another more than amazing day in the park. With the most inspiring people you could think of.

Then I had to go and keep freaking out about the World Cup game. The Prince went to the polo game.Nacho Figueras beat him, see? 😉

 

 

Oh, and Prince Harry fell off this horse (Sunday was not a good day for Englishmen playing Sports…) 

 

Well… so far, I haven’t!!!
Hold on to your horse. Ride on!