September 2025
This month was quite an adventurous one. I got to travel again and began a tour around South America. Finding myself in different environments, having the chance to spend time with loved ones in Paraguay, and experiencing a new culture in Argentina were all factors I loved adapting to and brought me so much joy. Letting go of any sort of structure or schedule, and allowing myself to simply go with the flow of opportunities each day presented, gave me such a great sense of freedom and helped me to become fully immersed in each moment.
Having felt improvement on the injury I had on my left foot, I was able to start running again after three weeks, and just 14 days prior to the Buenos Aires marathon. Making decisions on whether to train or not, to run or lift weights, as well as regulating my exercise intensity strictly based on how my body felt, led me to slowly rebuild and most importantly enjoy training without any discomfort again. Also, although I maintained my nutrition approach of eating whole (real) foods, I gave myself permission to indulge in some of my favorite foods at family gatherings in Paraguay, and in social scenarios in Argentina. Lastly, regarding the area of recovery, I continued going to sleep late (around 12am) on most nights, as I had already gotten used to since earlier this year. This hasn’t had much impact on my sleep regularity since I have been waking up around the same time (6 – 7am) each morning. In addition, noticing I tend to get sleepy in the afternoon, I have become more used to taking naps and found it to be rather refreshing.
TRAVEL
At the beginning of this past month I headed to Asuncion, Paraguay to see and spend time with my extended family. Two and a half years after I last visited, getting to share moments with my grandma, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends was special, and I couldn´t feel more grateful. During my entire stay my intent was to just live one day at a time, and remain open to serendipity instead of sticking to an agenda. This approach allowed me to be more present, not feel rushed or pressured, be at peace, and really enjoy whatever I happened to be doing. Whether I ate a meal with family or friends, sat and had a long spontaneous conversation with family members, played games and sports with cousins, uncles and friends, watched the Paraguay national team qualify for the World Cup, went running or lifted weights, or just went food shopping, I was able to fully engage and make the most out of it all.
In all the trips I have made to Paraguay throughout the years, I always struggled emotionally when leaving; meaning, I was left with the feeling of wanting to stay longer, whether I only went for a couple of days or even months. Conversely, the two weeks I spent there on this occasion were totally enough. I left quite content and full of gratitude. Rather than having a sensation the trip was too short, it felt as if I was there for much longer. I realized living each day more intentionally, doing things that fill me up, resting and recharging, and sharing moments strictly with those closest to me, vastly increased the quality of my experience.
At the end of my stay in Asuncion, I flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina, with one of my cousins and we met up with my younger brother. We stayed in a nice residential neighborhood called Recoleta, near the center of the city and many of its attractions. Besides running the Buenos Aires marathon with my brother and my close friend from Paraguay, we had a wonderful while strolling around several points of interest, going to see theater shows, and eating some delicious food. Our touring highlights included landmarks and places such as El Obelisco, El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore, a historical and picturesque neighborhood called San Telmo, a developed waterfront area knows as Puerto Madero, the Tres de Febrero public park, and the Jardín Japonés (largest Japanese garden outside of Japan). Furthermore, going to theaters on the iconic Calle Corrientes to see comedy shows was a lot of fun, as well as watching an incredible tango show at a distinguished performing arts theater named Tango Porteño. Also, getting to savor some Argentinian classic foods was awesome; these included empanadas, steak with mashed potatoes, and a unique grilled ham and cheese sandwich made with chipa (a popular bread containing cassava starch, cheese, eggs and milk as the main ingredients).
After spending a week in Buenos Aires, I took a 4-hour bus ride heading north to Rosario, one of Argentina´s largest cities. Upon arriving, I went to a hostel in the city center, where I began a new volunteering exchange. In the past couple of days, I have been settling in, getting to know the staff, learning the tasks I will be helping with, as well as going out on walks and familiarizing myself with the area. I have had the opportunity to experience the culture by interacting with co-volunteers, management and guests, shopping at the local food stores, and exploring popular spots in town. Everyone I met thus far has been kind and friendly to me, I have even been invited to join an asado (Argentina´s traditional ritual based on having a meal of different meats cooked on a parrilla, or grill, with family and friends) and it was a delightful occasion. Moreover, walking on Boulevard Oroño to Parque Independencia (Rosario´s largest park), and on another instance to the city´s waterfront on the Parana River, has been a great way to not only appreciate some of the most frequented places, but also see what the local life is about. In the next month, I am looking forward to continue soaking in whatever this adventure may bring, serving, and learning as much as there is to learn about myself and the environment that I am in.
TRAINING
At the beginning of this month the pain on the bottom of my left foot was essentially gone, nonetheless I didn’t feel comfortable enough to start running yet, particularly because I had a long, 18-hour trip to Paraguay in the middle of the week. Consequently, I decided to take another week off from running, giving my foot more time to heal and my body a chance to recover from the added stress that comes with traveling and not getting adequate rest. During this week I kept the same routine I had been following since getting injured, walking 3 to 4 miles a day, doing stretch and mobility sessions, as well as weightlifting and calisthenics.
Starting the second week of the month, I finally went out for a run again and I felt fine. I was able to log 6 miles and though my legs were a bit heavy, and the overall run felt slower than usual, my left foot didn’t hurt at all. I was happy I no longer felt any signs of the injury, and I was excited to build as much marathon fitness as I could in the 14 days leading up to the race in Buenos Aires. With the intent to slowly increase running volume without overdoing it and risking the injury to resurface, I consistently ran 6 to 7 miles a day and toward the end of the prep, given I felt relatively strong and fit, I wanted to test myself and I was able to finish two long runs of 10 and 11 miles in quite decent shape. Moreover, during this time I kept complementing running sessions with daily stretch and mobility, as well as strength training about every 2 days.
On the day of the marathon, I was physically and mentally ready; I felt healthy, strong and confident in my ability to finish the run without major issues. Because of the 3-week break I took from running, I went into the race without any expectations regarding my finishing time. I knew it was highly unlikely I was going to beat my fastest time, thereby releasing myself from any sort of pressure, and focusing only on completing the run and most importantly, enjoying every part of the experience. Afterall, I cruised through the marathon course without much difficulty, I held an average pace of about 5:33 minutes per kilometer and crossed the finish line in 3:53 hours. Getting to see some of the most attractive parts of Buenos Aires and being part of such an amazing atmosphere made for a truly memorable event I’m grateful to have participated in.
The subsequent days, to combat the soreness and stiffness I usually have on my legs, I went to the gym to do stretching and mobility work as well as some light weightlifting and calisthenics. In addition, walking and exploring Buenos Aires allowed me to keep moving each day, thus facilitating my recovery.
Nutrition
While I have been at home for the past four months, I have been consistent with my usual nutrition approach of eating 3 meals per day, made up of whole (real) foods, but also allowing myself to have some processed foods on certain occasions. This has worked for me and has supported my physical and mental well-being for quite a while now. Travelling could make keeping up with my eating routine a bit challenging, but since it’s important to me, I still make the effort to do so with much success. Finding a grocery store soon after getting to a destination, stocking up on the same types of food I typically eat, then taking the time to cook my meals regardless of any inconveniences I may run into, has allowed me to not only sustain my nutrition habits but also cut costs since buying prepared food could become more expensive. This has been the case during my stay in Paraguay as well as in Argentina this past month; however, I was lenient when it came to sharing meals with family and friends.
In Paraguay, breakfast and lunch was mostly the same day-to-day, whereas dinner I tended to eat with family, and it was whatever there was on the menu for everyone. These included some of my favorite dishes, whether typical Paraguayan foods like mbeju, sopa and chipa guasu, an asado, milanesa, empanadas, or even lasagna, and I had them without any guilt. During my stay in Buenos Aires with my brother and cousin, I also gave myself permission to savor Argentinian empanadas from a bakery, a 16-oz rib-eye steak with mashed potatoes at a restaurant where we joined some friends, and experimented with a ham and cheese toast made with chipa at a café. Throughout the short time I have been in Rosario, I got back into a pattern of eating clean, whole foods at every meal, except a night I was kindly invited by guests at the hostel where I’m volunteering to join them for a delicious asado.
Aiming to follow the 80/20 rule, where about 80 percent of the time I consume nutrient-dense meals and allow treats or less healthy foods to make the other 20 percent, has certainly helped me with developing flexibility and a more balanced mindset when it comes to eating, especially while travelling.
READING
Jesus Calling – Enjoying Peace in His Presence – by Sarah Young
An excerpt that stood out to me and I found powerful read as follows:
“Find fulfillment living close to Me, yielding to My purposes for you. Though I may lead you along paths that feel alien to you, trust that I know what I am doing. If you follow Me wholeheartedly, you will discover facets of yourself that were previously hidden. I know you intimately – far better than you know yourself. In union with Me, you are complete. In closeness to Me, you are transformed more and more into the one I designed you to be.”
Deciding to make my relationship with God a priority; dedicating deliberate time to prayer and solitude, seeking to grow spiritually, increase my trust and strengthen my faith in God has profoundly changed me, and the course of my life as a result. Throughout the last few years just as much as today, living increasingly more aware of God’s presence, reading scripture and trying my best to apply what I learn in my day-to-day, letting go of my own desires, and submitting to God’s will assured that He knows His plans for my life better than I could ever know, has truly led me in a path of self-discovery. This has allowed me to have more inner peace and joy, feel more grateful, have perspective in the face of difficulties, get out of my comfort zone and explore, and simply accept myself for who I am, with all my flaws and attributes.
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:
Chasing Excellence:
Vision & Anti-Vision: The Push-Pull Framework for Living on Purpose
Modern Wisdom:
#993 – Katie Herzog – A Controversial New Cure for Alcohol Dependence
Nick Bare Podcast:
The School Of Greatness:
Rhonda Byrne: This is How The Law of Attraction ACTUALLY Works!
In Hindzsight:
RECOVERY
Throughout this past month I paid close attention to my sleep, particularly to support healing the injury on my foot and rebuild fitness for my next marathon, and because of travelling. My 18-hour trip to Paraguay entailed making two layovers and flying overnight; thus, it took me about two days to feel well rested again. Moreover, I kept the sleeping pattern I started adopting earlier this year, going to bed around midnight and getting up between 6am and 7am. I have noticed that adjusting to such routine my physical and mental energy began to constantly dip in the afternoon. I would often ignore the signs of fatigue I experienced, trying to do something more “productive”, but found it much more beneficial to listen to my body and take a nap for at least an hour. I observed I tend to wake up recharged, with more clarity and having better disposition to fully engage in the evening activities.