Living My Best Life through Running
After many years as an alcoholic due to a traumatic childhood, I turned my life around. A few years later, I completed my first marathon at the age of 40! It was hard, tough, and grueling! But, at the same time, a very rewarding experience that led to helping me live my best life through my passion for running. It has not only provided me with immense personal joy but has also helped me give back to my community through the non-profit my wife and I own called Run for Grace, Inc. My life is drastically different from not only my childhood, but my earlier adult years, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.
I use running as a platform to not only share my journey through life, but to help inspire others to run for their best life by sharing my running experiences, gear reviews, and any running tips I have learned. If this sounds good to you, please consider subscribing.
And remember, keep Running For Your Best Life!
Anthony
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My comments are made as a former paratrooper, Ranger Qualified, and multiple wilderness survival courses and ascents of several mountains. I have ascended Whitney and Kilimanjaro to name two. Here are other mistakes you made: 1. You left too late. 4am was way too late to summit and return back down in daylight. The easiest part of the trail is the ascent. It can be done at night. You want to descend in daylight if for no other reason you’re tired and more prone to injury or getting lost; 2. You failed to take wet weather gear. Mountains produce their own weather patterns. Never ascended a mountain without rain weather gear as hypothermia is the biggest killer. One can easily die of hypothermia if wet at 40 degrees. I would never spend any time outdoors without some form of poncho. Always assume you will have to stay the night due to unforeseen injury or getting lost. Take emergency food too, and Tylenol. Always carry a candle, matches for immediate warmth. 3. You failed to take backup lighting. Your life literally depends on you ascending or descending in darkness. So you need good lighting. Never trust your life to one headlamp. Always take two plus an emergency flashlight. Last, never go alone. Actually three are better. If someone gets hurt, one can go for aid while the other tends the wounded.
I carry a Incrediwear ankle brace in my pack just in case. And I ware my knee braces. Nice video. Thank you for sharing. We are planning on doing it in July 2025 Happy hiking I recommend doing big pine lakes. It's another good hike
Was looking for an unboxing video, and found the perfect one.
Wonderful!! So glad it helped.
fun vid!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
If the list of running clubs in the San Fernando valley (the index card that you mentioned) is available online, please post it if possible. I run in the SFV but have a hard time finding a club to join. Thanks.
Great feedback! I’ll forward this message to Jonathan @j6flips on Instagram.
I was able to get it. Email me at [email protected] and I’ll send it over.
@@runningformybestlife thank you. I will.
Nice account. Gruelling hike.
Thank you!! Oh yes. Most definitely!
I'm injured and have been injured trying to figure out how to heal but took time off and didn't help so running again, I like to be outdoors running and like the feeling my therapy
Thank you for sharing. Hoping the injury heals soon. Running is definitely a wonderful form of therapy. 💫
I started running at the age of 50. My first marathon was in 2017, and qualified for Boston. I have been running for 11 years.
Fantastic. I bet that felt great to qualify, huh? Did you end up doing Boston also or only qualified?
@@runningformybestlife I ran it, then kept qualifying each year since, including next year, but ran only one more time in 2021. I couldn’t run each time because it fell during Ramadan ( the month of fasting ).
That’s so cool. Congratulations! Hope to be in your shoes one day. Thanks for sharing.
thanks brother
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching!
Women have to be superior to men since they carry us for 9 months.
I run in my 20-50's. I had a leg injury that took me off the roads. After physical therapy and healing I had gotten out of the habit and work took up that time. So now I retired and am returning to running and want to do it safely. Thank you for the tips!
That’s fantastic!! Congratulations on getting back out there. Cheering you on from afar!👍
@@runningformybestlife thank you so much!
"Was it worth it?" That's a silly question! You're still alive, so YES! Unless maybe you lost a friend up there.
I know, right? No. Thankful none of that happened. It was an adventure I will never forget. Thanks for watching.👍
Dude, congrats. It’s asking a lot from anyone to do Whitney in one day. I’ve climbed it about 7 times from 3 different directions, but NEVER as a 1 dayer. That came into fashion mostly when the hike got too popular and they had to start the lottery. But rolling an ankle on the downclimb ! That is cringeworthy, as was your photo of it. I’m glad you found your trail angels. There’s still good folks in the world.
Thank you for the kind words Charles and for watching. That ankle injury was definitely a product of me rushing. I should have took my time, but I was overthinking it. Wow. 7 times. That’s amazing! Maybe one day you do it one day. (Hopefully with a better experience than mine.🤣)
@@runningformybestlife 7 times but we’re talking over a couple decades. First time was senior year of high school (class of ‘71) last time was when a slightly older glider pilot friend of mine tuned 60 (11yrs ago).
@charlesbritzman501 still amazing!
Thanks for the great recap of the Run The Valley Fest! Loved seeing you out here in the Valley mingling with this very special community. See you around during LARR season
Thanks man!! It was such a great event. Appreciate you for putting up with my silliness. Looking forward to getting in some miles with you this season.
I am even more disappointed when I am all ready to go for a run and my watch is not properly charged. 😡
Haha oh my goodness!! That’s the freaking worst. That or my headphones not being charged is awful for me. Thanks for stopping by my friend.
@@runningformybestlife I've been around. Just haven't had the time or opportunity to comment.
What a great video you went down to my area the San Fernando Valley😊
Thanks!! Try to make it next year. You’d have a blast.
I have 1350+ miles on my novablast ones ( gps , no guesswork), i just cant let them go. ❤ I'm so in love with them, we've been globetrotting together for so long 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
What the heck! Thats amazing. That says a lot about their durability.
What a weekend. Great recap as always.
Thanks my brotha! It was great hanging out.
Glad to see your updates Anthony 👍🏼
Glad to be seen! Gonna be getting out more vids going forward. Appreciate your support my friend.
I know this comment is a year late, but I found out mine was working because I took off my watch and my HR was still showing up on my watch during a workout. I also noticed that the green light on the underside of the watch was not on, so I’m assuming it was just collecting data from my HRM Dual.
Oh wow! Thats great to know. Thanks for that. I’m sure someone will see that and appreciate it.
I did just that removing watch while wearing strap and the HR disappeared and no green lights on back of watch either. It says connected. I’m using Instinct 2. The Bluetooth also connects to my iPhone but not sure if needs to be
Have tried it for 6 months PS : I am from India (North Indian) so makes the process pretty easy
Nice. Did you notice any changes?
@@runningformybestlife indeed so from being a heavy Carnivore I used to eat at least 2 meals of non veg a day (mostly gravy , rice , roti) 1 From the very first month or so My body pain was gone that lingering pain that had always been a part of my life was gone. 2 My body felt lighter 3 Digestion improved 4 Stomach issues, and vomiting bloating kind of issues dropped, bad cholesterol levels dropped 4 Sleep improved 5 Anger and aggression went down 6 I became more sensitive to pain mine and others 7 I didn't do it for religious purposes but it helped me have a new kind of respect for life 8 Became an anchor for new habits and routines
@raibhilo fantastic!!! Such amazing benefits from running. Thanks for sharing.
I meant from going meatless. That’s so cool!
I see running helped you which is really good. I had a shake in my hands not sure if it was anxiety but thanks to running I managed to ignore those shakes
That’s freaking amazing!! I wonder what exactly caused it. Glad running helped with that. Thanks for watching.
@@runningformybestlife my pleasure bro
I had the same problem with alcohol and drugs. I love your testimony. Stay strong brother.
Glad to see also found a way out. Thank you for the continuous support.
Did this day hike in 2020. Almost didn't get to because Covid shutdowns, then there was an earthquake that displaced boulders on the trail, then the week i was there, was amidst fires. It was an amazing day. Magical would best describe it. The partners you choose are critical. I agree with a previous comment that if you have not summited by noon-1:00pm, you need to consider a turn around. When you showed the video from Trail Camp, and i could see the "Needles" in the background, i thought "Man, you are still a long way from the top." When we set out, my main goal was to only have to wear a headlamp ONCE. You need to be on that trail by 3-4 am at the latest. Leaving the summit by 1pm for best results. What good is it to be surrounded by all that beauty when you cant see it. So glad you were able to salvage the trip and get out safe. Not everyone is so fortunate. *One of the reasons to be at the top by noon is- the Air Force Base is not far away, and they are known to "buzz" the peak in fighter jets. So cool.
Wow! I didn’t know that about the fighter jets. I’d love to have seen that. Glad you had a good trip. Definitely learned a lot from that “adventure”. I appreciate you for watching and your feedback. ~ Anthony
“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” - Thornton Wilder. 🥰
Oh my goodness. What a beautiful quote. Thank you. Hey! How did your race go? Did you run the whole thing as you wanted?
@@runningformybestlife HI Anthony!!! I’m afraid I pretty much botched my 50k, pretty disappointed in myself!!! BUT I know exactly what I did wrong so clearly it’s a great learning experience anyway, AND strength building too!! I totally screwed up my taper, plus did too many very tough races without at all recovering enough, I felt the exhaustion in my legs and body the entire week before but I still went out running hills on the trails with my running club just 4 days before the race, soooo stupid really!! But I can’t help myself, I just wanna go running every day no matter how tired I feel!!😂😆 Well, I still ran it in 5h03, not terrible, but I was like a battery gone flat from around 40k when I first caved in and walked!!🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ I had done so many races with big elevation gain already this year, including 3 marathons and another 50k back in April, I definitely got too cocky, thinking I could just power through!!😖🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️ Hopefully lesson learned!!!! Thanks for asking Anthony!!🙋🏻♀️
@bev9708 Wow! What a journey. At least you can now take it as a learning experience for next time. Still a fantastic time my friend.
@@runningformybestlife Thanks Anthony!!
3:20.
Thanks for marking the spot.👍
GOO JOCELYN!!!!!! 🫶🏾🫶🏾
She's amazing!! Thanks for watching!
Great episode
Thanks!! I had a lot of fun with this one.
My husband and I summitted Mt. Whitney 5 times. First time, we did it in two days, overnighting at Outpost. The second time, we did it in 3 days, overnighting at Outpost, second night at Trailside and day 3, pushed to the top then back to Trailside to pack our tents and hike out. Third time, we did it in 2 days again. And the last two times, we hiked it in one. It really took us those first three trips to know what we were getting into and train hard to be able to do it in one day. Kudos to you getting to the top and out again in one trip. But I would add a couple of tips to your list: If you haven’t made it to the top by 1:00 PM, seriously consider turning around. No goal is worth dying for. Tip number two: always carry aspirin with you. Not so much for pain relief but to dilate your blood vessels and allow more oxygen to reach your brain (and tired muscles). Tip number 3: always carry a couple of tablets of Niacin (B3) with you. Weather is unpredictable on high mountains and if it turns freezing cold suddenly, the Niacin can give you a flush of heat that can help you keep moving. Stay safe.
Wow!! What a journey you guys went through. Love that you kept at it. Sounds like you guys are experts now. Fantastic! Love those additional tips. Those will be a big help for those thinking of doing it. Thank you so much for the kind words and for watching. ~ Anthony
GO GO GO Jocelyn!!!!! ENJOY the suffering!!! Thanks so much Anthony for introducing her to us, it's awesome to meet new inspirational women to follow!! True Anthony, in ultras it's a good idea to walk up hills... in an ultra!!!! But I don't think you were running an ultra there that day, were you??!!😂😂😉 Me I've also got my next ultra next weekend, only 4 days away now so starting to feel a bit nervous even though it's only 50km (31miles)... it's a lot for me anyway!! It's my second 50k this year!! My goal is to try to run the entire thing, no walking, no stopping, SO we'll see if I manage to do that!!😁😬🥴😵💫
You're welcome Bev! She's so amazing. Can't wait to see how she does and what else she has in store for the future. I left a link to her Runners World article in the description. Hey! In my head I was doing an Ultra! Hahaha That steep hike caused a few misspoken words for sure. OH well, you know what I meant. Oh my goodness! Can't wait to hear how the Ultra goes. I am sure you are gonna crush it. Keep us posted. Cheering you on from afar my friend!
@@runningformybestlife THANKS Anthony!!
My tips for you, if you want to hike Mt Whitney. Train well at home. Get to Lone Pine early and do some acclimation hikes. Horseshoe Meadows and Lone Pine Lake are great hikes. And then do the hike in two days, not just one. Stay the night at Trailside Camp, leave your stuff there, and pack it up on they way out. This way, you will actually enjoy your hike, not just suffer through it.
Fantastic tips! Thanks for sharing. This will be a big help to those thinking of doing it. Thanks for watching.
Let’s go!
🙌🙌🙌🙌
Pam Reed was overall winner of Badwater 135 twice! I don't know why people are still surprised that women can actually beat men in extreme distances. It's like when Courtney Dauwalter won Moab 240 ten hours ahead of the second place overall.
Good point, but I think the shock about Ashley winning was the controversy about her the year before. I thought it was franking awesome that she came back and proved everyone wrong.
Is this guy retarded
is it really that hard to consume a high calorie and carb drink
Oh, is that all it takes to avoid it!? Amazing.🙄
Thanks for the honesty. Definitely don’t go alone anymore man.
Haha you're welcome. Yes, definitely a hard lesson to learn. Thank you so much for watching.
Hi Anthony. Great achievement. Keep on hiking, its great for your heart and health. Perhaps a GPS might help for some hikes if you lose your sense if direction, although you've probably learned enough about this hike to not need it if you decide to do it again. Thanks for a great video.
Yeah, I have heard that suggestion many times, but always a good reminder. Thank you for the kind words. It was an experience I will never forget. Still on the fence if I will do it again. Thanks for watching. ~ Anthony
The stairs up and hillside trail down is a classic route... Four loops will be impressive 💪 -Kyle
Thanks Kyle!! So glad I discovered them. I have a friend who said she did 5 loops once. Sheesh.
Nice! The Culver Stairs are great, and if you head over towards the Kenneth Hahn side of things, there is a lot of trail action to be had! I'm out running that area most weekends 🤙 -Kyle
Thanks for the tip. Others have mentioned that to me. Haven’t had a chance to explore out that way yet. Hopefully soon. Would be cool to see you there sometime.👍
You’re a champion man! Good work. I did it myself and it was extremely hard
Nice work! We are both Champions! I hope your experience was a bit smoother than mine.
@@runningformybestlife only a bit, had an uncontrollable slide down the chute full of terror but I was able to come to a stop and down safely. Luckily didn’t hit any rocks. 😅 all else was smooth as butter during the hike.
Thanks for this. Am now 68, started 3 years ago. Proper fitted running shoes a MUST! Local running store check your gait in order to recommend shoes. Don't scrimp on footwear, other kit can be obtained cheaply and will do the job. Comparing with others, my downfall, am slowest in my club, I go round with the beginners and the people recovering from injury. Don't mind doing this on club nights but would love advice as how to quicken up.
Glad to hear you got into running. It sounds like you are enjoying. You were very wise to get fitted for the proper shoes. Have you incorporated speedwork into your training? That will help you get faster. But at 68 you are doing phenomenal for just getting out there, when most don't. Thanks for watching. Cheering you on from afar.
Was you at a point when you could not catch your breath with exercise whilst smoking
Oh definitely. I couldn’t nearly as much as I could do now since quitting.
@@runningformybestlife thank you I have been so scared to quit thinking I'm the only one after a short run I suffer with anxiety also making it so much worse after a short run feeling like I'm suffocating I've had enough of smoking now I'm done with it thank you so very much
You’re very welcome! Go join a running club in your area. That will be a big help. Surrounding yourself with others to support you is very important. Cheering you on from afar!🥳
I have yet to upload my videos when I summit in July 2022, I tried in August 2016 and had to come down from Outpost Camp with mountain sickness, not enough water intake and being overweight ruined it for me. In 2022 I was there from July 1 through 4, conquered July 3, but that time around had lost 31 pounds and hydrated every 50 to 100 paces, still was very hard and I took my time, on the switchbacks remember wanting to quit too; it took me around 5 hours to reach Outpost then next day like another 7 to Trail and next day starting at 6.15am took me 12 hours to get to summit or close! I summit at 5.40 pm, had the summit to myself which was very rewarding, started my descent at 6.20pm, reached the switchbacks at nightfall, 8.00pm and back at Trail Camp midnight July 4th, the switchback section alone was the most difficult I remember up and down, the way down was in the dark, had my lamp but was the only soul on the trail that day, there was a section I hesitated to cross for half hour because I felt I would fall from the trail and almost entered in panic thinking I would have to sleep the night there and wait until morning but after gathering some composure managed to cross it safely and kept going down, I counted them as I was going down; yes they are 99 of them! was completely exhausted when I reached Trail Camp and thought my gear was gone as it took me some time to find my tent; luckily everything was as I left it so after eating light meal went to bed around 2.00am and got some relieve and well deserved rest; after waking up around 10 am descended around 1 pm and reached portal at 6 pm July 4th, would I do it again? I hope so! but I do not think I would ever attempt it as a day hike; there are 11 miles up and then down, it is HARD, even for well prepared hikers but the views are incredible and if one has the time, gear, training and drive it is totally worth it, there is nothing like it in terms of pushing your endurance and so rewarding when completed!
Wow!! What an adventure. Yeah, those 99 switchbacks are no joke. Congratulations on completing that beast of a hike. I am still undecided if I would do it again. Thanks for sharing your experience with the community.
Anthony and Rizzo in one video! Gotta love it! Way to keep up with running. Life gets busy but it's so important to make the time to do what you love. Keep the videos coming!
So true! Thanks for watching my friend. Definitely gonna get more vids out even if I have to put less time into the editing. (Which is so hard for me) Thank you so much for watching!
I never hit the wall untill now but i havent run a marathon yet, my longest distance was 25k in a group ultra marathon (segments possible) and at the end i wasnt able to keep the speed up but i was able to get to the checkpoint where i went out of the run. This year i am planning to run a halfmarathon and a marathon, lets see how it goes, i am already training for it and half marathon distance is already after one month of training possible.
Well, when or if you ever hit it, you'll know. Haha. Sounds like you have a solid training plan so hopefully it won't happen. Good luck on your upcoming Half and Full Marathon. Cheering you on from afar. Thanks for watching. 😀
Good to see you again Anthony 👍🏼
Good to be seen my friend. Hope all is well on your end.
Awesome video! Thank you!
You're very welcome. Glad you liked it!
Nice recap! Looks like an awesome event. 🏃🏽♂️
Thank you! It definitely is. You should give it a shot one year.
I qualified on the my very first marathon with a pretty decent buffer.
Wow! What was your time?