iRunfitness was founded in 2014 as a way to share my knowledge of a subject I am very passionate about, “Running.” I am what you might call, a “Student of the Game,” always learning, and trying to find new techniques to incorporate into my workout regimen. I began running distance at the age of 15 on accident. You may ask how does one get into running on accident? It all started in 1996, the year of the Atlanta Olympic Games, an event that changed my life completely. The year Micheal Johnson earned a Gold Medal in both the 200m and 400m event with his world famous gold Track spikes.

 

Myself at the time was a 14-year-old, maybe 96-97 lb teenager. I had a small frame, super skinny, and very fragile. My body was not healthy, going to the doctor was a pretty standard thing for me back in the day. My metabolism was very high keeping me at a low weight, and I was not very active leaving my body weak. I was your average teenage kid who just sits in his room and played Nintendo for 6-8 hours a day. When I was active if I fell, I got hurt, really hurt. I’ve broken my right arm, right clavicle, and right wrist, I just learned to live with the fact that this would be normal. But watching the Olympic Games that year in 96 changed me. For the first time, I saw someone triumph and said to myself, “I want to do that.” Determined, I began to do pushups and situps at night. Skinny, fragile little young me could only do maybe 8-10 push ups to start and 10-15 situps. But just like anything, this was just the beginning. It became routine, every single night I did as many pushups and situps as I could till my body gave out. That worried my parents to death, I was a very sheltered for my protection, but they let me continue to workout with close monitoring. My hard work paid off, by the end of summer I could easily do over 100 push ups, and close to 200 situps. My core was stronger than it ever has been in my life, I was no longer the fragile kid. I was strong and added about 10-15 lbs during this period alone.

Enter my freshman year of High School, and my primary goal was to join the High School Track Team. I met the running coach for Cross Country which at the time I did not know the difference. That same day I attended my first Cross Country workout, one of the most painful experiences of my young adult life. It was a simple 3-mile run, which I have not run any distance higher than 200m. I wanted to be Michael Johnson, not run distance! That first workout I was dead last, embarrassed and hardly standing I was determined never to be last again. I pushed myself like never before, as I developed as a runner, my love for distance grew more. I did eventually join the Track Team, but as a distance runner not a sprinter, but I did compete in sprinting events doing my best Michael Johnson impersonation I could.

I was never the fastest or strongest runner. After High School, I thought that was all for running. College sports is an entirely different level then High School. While not being the fastest, I was just good enough to do decent at multiple events, I began training for the decathlon but never got anywhere. During training, I tore had a complete hamstring rip while doing a basic hurdle training exercise. I was in a wheelchair for about a month, then crutches for 3-4 months after that. The most painful experience I ever felt. I accepted that my running career was over. Life was pretty average after that, about 3-4 years passed by, I did not finish college, I instead got a job in retail at Gamestop. Moved my way up to management and hated it, retail was not what I wanted to do. The opportunity in 2006 came to Coach a High School Cross Country team in Alhambra CA, without hesitation I jumped at the chance. It was the most rewarding feeling sharing my knowledge of Running with young minds. I began to run with my students as well, developed my style of training, read tons of books. My goal was to master this sport.

Along with coaching, I took on another retail job in Pasadena CA at a specialty running shoe store called A Snail’s Pace Running Shop. Still to this day one of my favorite places I worked. They have me the knowledge on proper footwear a Runner’s most valuable tool. I began learning the different running forms, the technology behind a simple shoe, to the athletic wear. I also was the founder of A Snail’s Pace Running Academy in Pasadena. My passion for running grew, I still love every aspect of it to this very day.

So enough about my past, what can I offer you? By far I am no Doctor or licensed trainer. But what I can give to you is full explanations from life experiences. Some might disagree with my opinions, other will not. Feel free to share your thoughts and feelings as well. I want this to be a place were everyone can offer their experiences, after all, everyone is different. I will give you the tools that I used to succeed. I will be there along side of you guiding the way. Let’s run fitness!

Life time P.R.
800m – 1:51
1500M – 4:01
1 mile – 4:11
5k – 16:01
Half Marathon – 1:21:14
Marathon – TBD (competed in 5 never completed)