GRATEFUL

There is no day that I wake up or go to bed  without thanking God  for all the good and not so good of my day, week, month or year.

According to Wikipedia, Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.

Here a few of the things, people and events I'm sincerely  grateful for: 

 I'm grateful for my family. It means the world to me to make them proud. Every single one of my siblings teach me something about life. A few of them have become my best friends, confidants and great supporters. 

I'm thankful to have my mother alive. I admire her wisdom and treasure her advise. 

Im grateful for my injuries and health. Thanks to my rib injury that  kept me out of consistent training for a year and a half I was able to start working as an assistant Coach at Adams State. It's been a great experience. To be part of an amazing program has truly elevated my professional game.  Now, after 3 months of consistent slow training Im glad Im getting my health back. I look forward to a solid base and in a few months get back to competition. This experience has allowed me to grow, appreciate my health and all the running accomplishments. 

Forever thankful for being part of In The Arena (ITA) .  Thanks to ITA my dream of becoming an Olympian still alive. In the process I get to work and meet the most amazing kids in the planet. Kids that teach you the real meaning of life. Kids that truly make the best of what they have. Kids that in many ways are shape my life. To have the opportunity to change the direction of a kids life is true blessing. I'm grateful for that calling. I'm thankful for Amory philanthropic ideas. For her efforts to make them true.  Her love and passion for the organization reflect upon the smiles of all those kids we work with.  I'm grateful for all of those donors who believe and trust in our missions and give athletes and children alike an opportunity to believe and dream. 

I'm grateful for all this wonderful years as a professional runner. All the races, trips, wins and defeats. Im thankful for my life! 

What are you grateful for?

THEIR JOURNEY, THEIR OWN RACE

Here we go!! Another High Altitude Challenge for Our Kids!

That fun race I did when I was only 6, changed my life. It set me up for what i was going to enconter 12 years later when I joined the Costa Mesa High School track team. 

It is with that mind why I highly encourage our ITA kids to get involved in Running at the earliest age possible. I do not expect them to become runners, but to get involved and learn the benefits of being active. 

So far, we have kids whom have taken running to another level. The older ones have gone to become state champions, state runners up and all state members in XC or track. They have become mentors and  leaders in their teams. Others are leaders in the classroom and have joined clubs and other sports at school. 

A few weekends ago, I had the opportunity to watch a very sad documentary about children in South America who leave home in search of a parent to the Unites States. "Which Way Home" Showed me that the struggles our kids face in America  are nothing compared to what these kids have to go through. 

Im glad the kids we work with have us (ITA) as a network of support. I'm glad In The Arena Exist. Im glad  I can write about a different journey. One with endless opportunities, activities, challenges and rewards. 

Araceli, pacing her younger sister. Araceli was feeling sick that day. She is very active in the program. Also a member of a SAD (Students Againd Descructive Ideas) at Ortega Middle School. Kaiti, her younger sister is a regular at the ITA after school tutoring program. 

Rodolfo, He is one of our younger members. He says he will be  a runner when he grows up. Love his Stride!

Each week the day before the race, this flyer was delivered around the neighborhood to remind parents and kids to show up. I still owe those kids that completed the three races a trip to the movies. 

October was a busy month for our In The Arena warriors in Alamosa. We started the month with our annual XC races presented by the Alamosa Recrational Center. It has become a tradition for us to participate in all three races. As I go through the pictures, there is only one thing that comes to mind. We all have our own race. Our kids are not the exception. Some of them had more struggles than others. By struggles, I mean those in the actual race and those in the race of life. Today, I wanted to recap their own race in a picture. A perfect opportunity to share with you where some of our kids are coming from and where is it that they are heading. A close look into their own races.

Carlitos 3rd grader, despite moving to another neighborhood, he still involved with ITA.
He played baseball and football at the end and beginning of the fall. 

Alan 3rd Grade, He is in Choir and currently plays basketball. He is being paced by older brother Brayan who is the Hersey's State Champion in the 200m. Was the 2nd runner in XC for Ortega Middle School team and now is in Basketball.

Lizeth, running is her favorite sport. She is a great reader and A+ student. She likes the tutoring program, because after she is done with her homework she can help and play with the other kids. Our future marathoner right here! :)

A few weekends ago, I had the opportunity to watch a very sad documentary about children in South America who leave home in search of a parent to the Unites States. "Which Way Home" Showed me that the struggles our kids face in America  are nothing compared to what these kids have to go through. 

Im glad the kids we work with have us (ITA) as a network of support. I'm glad In The Arena Exist. Im glad  I can write about a different journey, race.  One with endless opportunities, activities, challenges and many rewards.