May 2025

The month of May was eventful and I’m grateful to have gotten the opportunity to travel, write, complete a soccer coaching course, and challenge myself with running. Although each day was a unique blessing, finishing my 13th marathon – this time in the state of Ohio – going on a short family trip to Boston, writing about my transformative experience with minimalism and publishing it, as well as signing up for my first international marathon in Buenos Aires, Argentina, were the highlights.

TRAVEL

Going on a short solo trip to Cleveland, Ohio, and days later making a long-weekend excursion to Boston, Massachusetts, with my family were travel experiences that I thoroughly enjoyed last month.

Visiting the city of Cleveland for the first time was a delight. I was there three days and went specifically to run a marathon; nonetheless, I got to stroll around downtown quite a bit and appreciate its beauty. Also, I was able to check out a fine coffee shop one morning and spend some quality time hanging out, reading and writing. Some of the most interesting spots I explored were the Public Square, Fountain of Eternal Life, The Mall and Cathedral of St John the Evangelist (where I was glad to join Sunday Mass). Running through the marathon course, I got to see more of the outer parts of downtown and enjoyed some awesome views of Lake Erie.

The only occasion I had ever been to Boston was on a middle-school trip almost two decades ago. Even though I have some vague memories of my time there, last month I got to go back with my brother and parents, and it felt almost as if it was my first time there. Looking to take advantage of the holiday (Memorial Day) weekend, my brother and I spontaneously planned the trip at the last minute and made the 4-hour drive from our home in New Jersey to Boston. Long travels on the road with family were adventures I remember enjoying growing up, and to this day we love them. Throughout the two days we were in the city the weather thankfully favored us, and we got to explore some of its main attractions. Following the Freedom Trail – a 2.5-mile-long path through downtown – was a great way to see the most historical sites, appreciate the cultural richness of the city, and admire its beauty. In addition, Boston Common, the Public Garden, and Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park were nature-friendly places I thought were worth touring. Lastly, checking out the diverse food scene and eating at spots such as the Boston Public Market and Quincy Market was another highlight of our journey.

TRAINING

After competing in a HYROX event with my brother Fernando at the end of April, thankfully my body wasn’t too taxed. In fact, with a day of only walking, I felt fresh enough to start running at an easy pace again. Throughout the whole week following the competition, I was able to run 50 miles without experiencing any discomfort; therefore, I was confident I could run a marathon in the next two weeks. I went ahead and signed up for the Cleveland, Ohio, marathon that was scheduled for May 18th. Although I was determined to run another marathon in May or June, I refrained from registering for one until I could assess my recovery post HYROX.

I continued my preparation for Cleveland by running 50 miles for a second week and then tapering to 24 miles the last 7 days prior to the race. In addition, I supplemented running with weightlifting once a week, focusing on multi-joint exercises including deadlift, barbell back squat, barbell overhead press and bench press. On race day, I was quite ready and full of energy. I wound up crossing the finish line at my fastest time so far and in sound physical condition. Post marathon, as I have learned to take adequate time to recover (I found this to be at least 7 days for me), I strictly walked from 2 to 4 miles per day the first week, then started slowly building again on the second week. This consisted of a daily round of bodyweight movements such as pull-up, push-up, inverted row and air squat, as well as dumbbell shoulder press, followed by a 2-mile light run.

At the beginning of May, after a friend from Paraguay invited me to join her on her first marathon in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I decided to register for it. Since it is not taking place until late September, I don’t foresee participating in any other fitness challenges until then. Consequently, I plan to take the opportunity to keep recovering from the past two months of demanding physical activity, then gradually increase the volume and intensity of training again. In the few months to come, the intent is to maintain a weekly running volume of 30 to 35 miles and focus slightly more on muscle building and strengthening 3 to 4 days a week.

NUTRITION

After realizing I was a bit underweight, I have made a conscious effort to get back to 165 to 170 pounds, where I tend to feel best. Last month I remained consistent with eating larger portions of the meals I normally consume and adding a snack – in the form of fruit with raw nuts or natural nut butters. Using this approach, I was able to gain 10 pounds in the span of about 30 days.

Throughout the years I have experimented with optimizing my nutrition, I have learned to not only eat to nourish my body and boost immunity, but also to properly fuel my performance in day-to-day activities, especially in the aspect of training. Having felt the negative effects of not consuming enough calories to support my level of physical exercise before, has led me to pay closer attention to my body weight and try to prevent it from dropping below my ideal weight of 160 pounds (72.5 kg), given my height of 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m). Running and weightlifting have served me to recognize my deficiencies when it comes to appropriate fueling, as there have been periods I experienced lack of strength and energy, fatigue, as well as minor injuries. For instance, there were marathons I ran at a weight around 155 pounds, and felt I underperformed. In fact, the races I ran at a heavier weight – between 165 and 170 pounds – I had much better energy and more strength, I ended up running faster and obtaining my best results.

Eating out at restaurants was a challenging aspect I resisted in the past, but I have learned to become more flexible with it, instead of stressing over it. Last month I got to dine out with my family more than usual, particularly due to celebrating Mother’s Day and because of traveling. When going on trips, either by myself or accompanied by others, I typically find a nearby grocery store, buy the food I am used to eating, and make all my meals. This way I enjoy what I eat, I make sure I’m satiated, I get better quality nutrition, and I also save money – as dining out for every meal could end up costing a lot more. However, when making a two-day excursion to Boston with my parents and my brother recently, I allowed myself to let go of such a habit and remain open to eating at any place we all decided to try. We ended up eating at the hotel where we stayed, at public food markets and at a steakhouse, and it was quite an enjoyable experience. Although I’m still intentional with my selections from menus, opting for the least processed items and sticking to whole foods as much as possible, I believe it’s also important to appreciate the opportunities to share meals with others and cherish those moments, and not worry so much about the intricacies of the food.

READING

Jesus Calling – Enjoying Peace in His Presence – by Sarah Young

From the daily devotions in the month of May, this is a passage that spoke to me, and I found powerful:

“Living in dependence on Me is the way to enjoy abundant life. You are learning to appreciate tough times because they amplify your awareness of My Presence. Tasks that you used to dread are becoming rich opportunities to enjoy My closeness. When you feel tired, you remember that I am your Strength; you take pleasure in leaning on Me. I am pleased by your tendency to turn to Me more and more frequently, especially when you are alone. When you are with other people, you often lose sight of My Presence. Your fear of displeasing people puts you in bondage to them, and they become your primary focus. When you realize this has happened, whisper My Name; this tiny act of trust brings Me to the forefront of your consciousness, where I belong. As you bask in the blessing of My nearness, My life can flow through you to others. This is abundant life!”

Becoming more conscious of God’s presence in me, acknowledging my complete dependence on Him, accepting His will over my own desires, and making time to spend in quietness, stillness, gratitude and prayer every single day, have helped me to fundamentally change my life in ways never imagined. In today’s world, where one’s energy and attention tend to get pulled in many different directions, where society’s expectations are more and more demanding; it’s increasingly difficult to have discernment and focus on what really matters. Continually prioritizing my relationship with God and allowing Him to work within me, and through me, has significantly enhanced every aspect of my life, and has given me serenity to navigate tough circumstances more effectively.

Soul Shift: The Weary Human’s Guide to Getting Unstuck and Reclaiming Your Path to Joy – by Rachel Macy Stafford.

I finished reading this book last month and overall, I found it inspiring and highly relatable. The way the author describes the realizations she came to as a result of her struggles and ordinary adventures, and how she put into practice more productive behaviors to cope with life, could indeed help readers seeking positive change and growth. In the second half, the chapters emphasize the subjects of self-forgiveness, being responsible for oneself, and offering one’s gifts to the world. I believe exploring these areas consistently and intentionally, an individual can develop useful methods to handle the inevitable peaks and valleys of human experience more productively.

An excerpt in the final section of the book nicely illustrates its overarching purpose and alludes to the idea of being home. It reads as follows:

“This journey has never been about recreating your environment to prosper in it; it’s always been about recognizing that the ability to prosper is within you… and learn how to access it, regardless of what’s going on around you. In the soul shift journey, home is not an external destination; it’s an internal realization, giving your heart to it. The moment you recognize that you are home is the moment you are capable of overcoming pain, uncertainty and discomfort with your serenity, your purpose and your happiness intact and secure. I refer to these powerful moments as welcome home moments.”

PODCASTS

Listening to podcasts is a habit that has added a ton of value to my life, and they are useful resources I continually utilize for personal development. These are some insightful and inspiring episodes I listened to in the past month:

RECOVERY

Running the Cleveland marathon in mid-May was another amazing fitness challenge I was able to finish strong, and as usual, I took the subsequent two weeks to recover and recharge. In addition, the past thirty days I remained consistent with the sleeping pattern I switched to since getting back home to New Jersey; meaning I have been going to bed between 11pm and 12am and waking up around 6am or 7am.

After enduring my last 26.2-mile race, I felt the stress it put on my body and the weeks that followed I took off from all intense exercise. During this recovery phase I focused on keeping my body moving daily, by walking and doing a stretch and mobility routine. I made sure to stay hydrated and concentrated on having quality meals without decreasing quantity, even though my volume of training was significantly less. Lastly, getting adequate sleep was another factor I paid attention to. I have found that these three practices are key to stimulating proper recovery, but it’s also important to apply them for a long enough period before starting to train again (at least one week for me). When physical activity resumes, I also believe it’s in one’s best interest to be cautious and begin with low intensity and volume to avoid injuries, then progressively increase to get back to maintenance level or build for another fitness event.

Because of the current season I have been in – at home with family after a while and without demands on my time in the mornings – I got into a rhythm of staying up until close to midnight and waking up later. The habit of getting up around 4 am for the past several years has been deeply transformative for me, and it’s one I truly enjoy. Nevertheless, there is a trade-off: missing social or family time in the evenings as a result of going to bed early. Although it’s been a tough adjustment to make, I have gotten some perspective and simply allowed myself to adapt, rather than following the same routine just for the sake of consistency. I think it’s imperative to be flexible and willing to bend habits, as beneficial as they may be, to redirect one’s attention and energy to what matters most given present circumstances. In my case, having more time to spend with family in the evenings is valuable and (at this point) it doesn’t make sense to unnecessarily sacrifice it.