Running 100 miles in Ecuador!

It all started here... Climbing "El Naranjo de Bulnes" (2519 mts) in Picos de Europa in Spain

I have always loved to be in the mountains. This summer I was invited to spend some time with my family in Quito, Ecuador. If you have the chance to go there... do it! It is amazing

This last month (July 2016) I have been able to spend a lot of time out there in the trails and I have run faster and longer than ever before. Quito is the highest capital in the world (3000 mts / 9842 feet over see level) and it is full of great trails and parks for running

Before my first run my family told me is how the altitude was probably going to affect me and they recommend me to take it easy AT LEAST the first 2 or 3 weeks until my body adapted to the altittude and started producing more red blood cells.

From my personal experience I can say that when you are SO HIGH in the mountains you
DO FEEL THE ALTITUDE!

The first thing I noticed was that my hearbeat was way too fast. It didn't matter how fast I was going, my heart was always going beating faster than it would normally do at the same pace at a lower altitude. And trust me, when you go for a short run it is not a big deal... but on the long runs... wow, you get tired faster!

After spend 3 & 1/2 years running and training in the Delta, Mississippi where you go for a long run and after 90 min you don't climb a single meter (I still can't believe it) I was not used to the slopes of Quito. Wanna see the difference? Those are some of the summits in Quito... =)

"Mirador de Guapulo" / Guapulo's viewpoint (31kms / 19.2 miles)

https://www.strava.com/activities/625939625

Trail Running in "Parque Metropolitano" (15kms / 9.3 miles)

https://www.strava.com/activities/651057176

Guapulo - Panecillo - Parque de la Carolina (22kms / 13.6 miles)

https://www.strava.com/activities/638859134

This July I have been increasing my mileage and vertical gain week by week. My initial plan was to run four +100 kms / +62 miles weeks and keep increasing my vertical gain slowly. I completed the first 3 weeks feeling great so I thought that I was time to do something special. On the start of the 4th week I saw a video in YouTube where a journalist of IRunFar, a youtube channel about trail running and ultras (follow it, is great) was interviewing Kilian Jornet and Anna Frost asking them some questions about the Hardrock. The Hardrock 100 endurance race is one of the toughest ultra running races of the world where the runners have to run 100 miles in 48 hours. I had never run more than 30 miles in one day and honestly... ultras are crazy, I was not ready/willing to run an ultra by myself . However, 100 miles in one week... seemed feasible! I think that when you set your mind to do something and you are confident that you can do it, there is no chance you can fail.

So that 4th week I managed to complete my first 100 mile week. During the last run, my mind was thinking about all those runs during the last weeks and I felt quite surprised of how far I had gone. I guess that the lesson that I will remember from that week is that the key is to have a plan and vision of yourself reaching a goal.

Your vision is the one that will keep you moving, your vision will give you the motivation and the energy, even when you don't feel like running, studying, or working towards whatever goal that you may have.