The Life and Times of Sam Luna

  Race day at the World Masters Indoor Championships in Gainesville, Florida , was electric. There’s something special about lining up with the best Masters runners in the world—athletes with grit, experience, and no shortage of speed. The 1500m – Strategy & Execution Going in, I knew most of the field had seed times faster than mine . But that didn’t intimidate me—it motivated me. My plan was simple: Go out with the pack. Hold on. Respect the calf. Once the gun went off, I settled in at the back of the lead group . Right away, we were rolling— sub-5 minute mile pace from the jump. I recognized a few of the names around me, and after a couple of laps, a gap started to form between the front group and the rest of us. Another runner and I worked together to bridge the gap—we traded positions briefly, and I managed to hang on for a few more laps. Eventually, I found myself in that familiar place: no man’s land . Now it was just about survival . Don’t get caught. Stay composed. ...

It’s easy to write about a race when everything clicks—but this year’s road to the World Masters Indoor Championships in Gainesville, Florida , came with a few potholes. Back in February, I ran a strong indoor mile at UH, clocking a Masters PR of 5:01 —a full 2.5 seconds faster than the year before. I was feeling confident and fired up. But the very next week, things took a turn. I strained my calf , and in classic runner fashion, I pushed too quickly to get back to training . That decision backfired—what started as a minor strain became a deeper setback, and I knew I had to hit the brakes. I started seeing Dr. Jaime Aparicio   for physical therapy and rehab . Over the next four weeks , I traded intervals and long runs for: Aqua jogging sessions (yes, it’s humbling but it works), PT weight training , and A renewed focus on mobility and mechanics . During that time, I shifted my mindset. Instead of panicking about lost fitness, I leaned into the process: Ran data analys...

  I have enjoyed getting some time to focus on my running and there is something about you first love (in sports). I remember running laps around our cul-de-sac as a kid dreaming of olympic glory. No Paris for me this year, but I will make a "run" at nationals in Cali later on. I have always had a sweet spot for the 1500/mile. Definitely not my best event, but do what you love, and accept the outcome. I had a good build and speed period to get ready for the race at Rice University. The down side was a 1pm start, so very hot. I wanted to be 4:45 range for the 1500m race, but came up a bit short at 4:52. I will blame it on the heat and I died in the last 200m. Started out strong and led from the gun. Driving into the last lap before the monkey jumped on my back Yep, thats all there was to give. I must also say that I am proud to represent BKV Energy . I joined the team a year ago as a new startup in the retail energy space. They have also help support my athletic pursuits. The ...