2024 USATF Masters Southwest Region Outdoor Championships

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 avacado was the best cheer crew, but did not want to have anything to do with a sweaty dad.

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2025 USATF Southwest Region Masters Indoor Championships - Masters Mile at UH - A New PR!

I’ve really enjoyed Masters racing over the past couple of years, so I was excited to hit the track again for the mile at the Yeoman Fieldhouse at UH. Coming into the race, I felt strong —training had been solid and consistent, and I was ready to see what I could do. I had a good warm-up : a couple of miles of jogging, some strides , dynamic stretches, and 4 x 150m ramp-ups to 4:50 pace to get the legs firing. Race Plan & Execution They ran the mile in two heats , and I was in the second. My goal was to go out at 4:58 pace , hold that through 1009m , and then kick it up a notch . Once I started hearing my splits, I knew I was just a touch off pace —but I didn’t panic. At 809m , I still felt in control and started gradually picking it up. Navigating Traffic & The Final Push I was getting back on track when I hit lapped traffic , which forced me to run most of the penultimate lap in Lane 2 —this ended up being my slowest lap . Despite that, I closed strong , crossing t...

Part 2: World Masters Indoor Championships – Gainesville

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. ...

Castelli Colletivo December Relay Challenge

This post will be updated with results as the month of December goes on. MC^3 - Bike, I did a dry run on the bike to see where my current comfortable fitness is before a full blown effort later this month. Relay-istic Winners - Run, On 12/1 as I thought I knocked this out asap as the first workout Tri Harder Next Time - Swim - Just had to "GET IT DONE"! Team Results Individual Results

The Life and Times of Sam Luna

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