YogiTriathlete (00:15.01)
Why does it say live? I don't know. okay. that's
Aurora Leon (00:19.49)
Ha ha ha.
YogiTriathlete (00:22.616)
We are the audience.
Mm.
YogiTriathlete (01:08.686)
I don't know how to do that. How to do what? How to not allow it to upload simultaneously while we are recording. Do you want me to do a little search on the World Wide Web? I did and the instructions aren't aren't working. Let's see.
YogiTriathlete (02:01.698)
Video.
YogiTriathlete (02:07.586)
Because Riverside records locally, it unfortunately has to upload the data either while you record or after you finish. If the live upload is slowing your internet, Riverside is built in feature that lets you pause the uploads. Okay, what's that? Is this the what you got? Click on the settings gear in the bottom left. I don't see any sys settings, except I see settings over here. Okay. Settings. Mm-hmm.
YogiTriathlete (02:32.024)
Then it says select studio settings. Open all settings. Yep.
YogiTriathlete (02:59.406)
Automatically into if you do not see it's it's likely because you're logged in as a guest or producer, you need to access them from your main dashboard instead.
YogiTriathlete (03:09.462)
Only the studio or host can change. Yeah, we are the studio and the host from the main dashboard.
YogiTriathlete (03:23.502)
Since you're the host, you definitely have access to the setting. Okay. Look at the bottom left corner. You see the gear icon. Yeah. Okay, gear icon. Menu will pop up. Do not look at the main list. Instead, look for a button at the top or the bottom of that pop-up that says studio settings or all settings. Okay, we clicked all settings. The large settings window will open in the middle of your screen. Click the recording tab on the left. Scroll all the way to the bottom. Pause. Uploads.
YogiTriathlete (04:03.054)
Exactly. Okay. Hold on. Let's see.
YogiTriathlete (04:10.584)
How far are you willing to go, BJ? So far. How far are you willing to go? I will go as far as it takes. and if you don't see it, that means your account doesn't have access to this feature or you're looking under the wrong tab. Okay. How to fix or work around it, switch to audio only mode? No. Okay. All right.
Aurora Leon (04:12.858)
Ha ha ha.
YogiTriathlete (04:33.292)
All right then. Scratch that. Okay. So we're recording now? Yep. Okay. And that's you don't wanna s that's good? You can cut that out? All that good stuff we just did? Absolutely, yeah. Okay. Wonderful. Well then let's get started. Hmm. Take a breath. Let's take a breath.
YogiTriathlete (05:01.898)
Welcome back to the Yogi Tri Athlete podcast. We are excited to welcome back Aurora, a returning guest whose journey with us started at a guided meditation at the Mendocino 50K, and then moved into me guiding her to her first hundred-mile trail race, and then moved into a long-standing one-on-one coaching relationship with BJ. And since then, she has conquered everything from 50K's.
To the Tahoe 200, the Canyons 125, her first Iron Man 70.3, and recently the legendary escape from Alcatraz. Aurora is a beam of light. You guys are gonna pick up on that real quick. She is enthusiastic and fearless in every challenge, which doesn't necessarily mean that she doesn't experience fear.
It just has less of an effect on her as she continues to move forward. And now she joins us in Endurance Squad, moving from her relationship to be with BJ into Endurance Squad, which is so amazing that we have that wonderful community. And today we're going to smack down her epic Alcatraz adventure and dive into her story. And that should bring it all together. Aurora, welcome to the show. It's so good to see you.
Aurora Leon (06:19.861)
It's so good to be here in this full circle. my gosh. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (06:24.524)
is so full circle like Mendocino fifty K, I think back to that time. I also think back to like just recently in Massachusetts when we connected, you came down and spectated, which was super cool. But for our guests, like let's paint a picture. tell us tell us who you are. And I think there's some elements about, you know, what you've created and and what you do in this world outside of sports that is that is pretty important can frame like why you're so passionate and driven with what you do.
Aurora Leon (06:55.121)
Yeah, well, yes, I'll start that I was born and raised in Mexico and currently living in New Hampshire with this the land of the Abenaki people and I live in an intentional community, Morning Sun Center. It's an intentional community kind of driven by Columbelist tradition, which comes from Tignathan, our teacher, San Master Tignat Han, that talks about mindfulness and meditation. So that's a big part of why I'm in the United States.
to live in community and to have the purpose of meditation. And aside, I'm also a primary care provider here and I love to run, I love to hike, I love to have a venture, I have a dog and that's it.
YogiTriathlete (07:44.496)
Can I pause for a one? Yeah. I just want to pause for one minute. You guys cause her audio's coming through kind of Okay. Did you guys are there other options? well let's try yeah, I guess try without the AirPods. Yeah, we we tr tried to go through it. It sounded good for her. It did sound I cause I heard it in the bathroom, but I think it's a little hard to under it to to hear her.
How about now?
Aurora Leon (08:08.546)
Let's see. Does that work better?
YogiTriathlete (08:11.437)
I think that's I think that's better. What do you think? Yes. You agree? Okay. Should we take it from the top? Sure. Okay. We're gonna take it from the top. Okay, let's do that. Yeah, I think that sound it sounds better. It was a it was a little hard to to hear it. So let's give this a shot. Okay, here we go. I'm gonna do it again.
Aurora Leon (08:22.105)
Yes.
YogiTriathlete (08:38.093)
Welcome back to the Yogi Tri Athlete podcast. We are excited to welcome back Aurora today, a returning guest whose journey with us started at a guided meditation at the Mendocino 50K, then moved into working with me on mindset for her first hundred-mile trail race, which, my gosh, I was so impressed, so impressed at that, at that moment with you. And that has continued to grow. And then that moved into a longstanding one-on-one coaching relationship with BJ. And so since that,
Aurora Leon (08:51.821)
Yeah.
No crap.
YogiTriathlete (09:07.043)
Day at the guided meditation in the men at the Mendocino 50K. She has conquered everything from 50Ks to the Tahoe 200, the Canyons 125, her first Iron Man 70.3 in her homeland, Monterey, Mexico, and recently the legendary escape from Alcatraz triathlon. Aurora is an absolute beam of light. You guys are gonna pick up on that real quick.
Aurora Leon (09:26.571)
I should have to have a circle. it's the presentation.
YogiTriathlete (09:32.893)
she is enthusiastic and fearless in every challenge, which definitely doesn't mean that she doesn't experience thoughts of fear. You guys, that's not what it's about. It's about moving forward despite. And now she joins us in the beautiful, amazing, powerful community of Endurance Squad. And today we're gonna smack down her epic Alcatraz adventure. So let's dive into her story. Aurora, welcome back to the show.
Aurora Leon (09:53.239)
Thank you so much. It's definitely full circle to be here and to go back and see your story together. So excited.
YogiTriathlete (10:05.293)
Yeah. And the story isn't over yet. The story continues. so yeah, tell us tell us who you are for for our guests. Like catch us up on on who you are, what you do, and and then also I wanna I wanna hear, cause we can get right to to Alcatraz, like what what made you decide to do Alcatraz?
Aurora Leon (10:26.814)
Yes. So I was born and raised in Mexico and live here in New Hampshire, also the land of the Abenaki people in a Morning Sun mindfulness center, that it's a meditation center based on plum village tradition. So we care a lot about mindfulness and being present. So it made perfect like that we looked for something like that for my running and my endurance.
I'm also a primary care and I have a dog. I live with Joaquin, which is my partner that he has supported me. So yeah, full on community, full on mindfulness, full on endurance. Yes, we got it all.
YogiTriathlete (11:05.807)
And what and what because we've done we're gonna talk about some of the things that you've done in the past, but what what pulled you into Escape from Alcatraz? Like what made you get in a lottery?
Aurora Leon (11:18.769)
Yes. So I got a lottery four times. And then the fifth time I got it. So it's been there. It's been like the Sid was planted. So I no I well I started as a runner and then I became a trail runner. And then I became like a long distance trail runner. And then I had an issue with my ankle. And then I was working with UBJ already. And then we started swimming. And I started swimming just like being in the pool and
Just like very little. And I think very little, you transformed me into a triathlete. So when I finally I was like caught on that, I was like, I think if I'm a triathlete, I want to do something like big or like adventurous. Like, not just, I mean, Iron Man is good, but I want to like something with fear. And you know, so I decided if I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do escape from Alcatraz. So it was a big goal.
Because since I'm little or when I was growing up, I was a little bit afraid of the sea. And Pinocchio did not do well in my life because of sh like being having fear of being eaten by a whale. Like the whole thing of Pinocchio, right? So this was perfect because it's like to go into waters with the possibility of sharks.
YogiTriathlete (12:27.279)
Okay.
Aurora Leon (12:38.599)
the possibility of not knowing where it is. And I I was not a swimmer. So it's been three or four years. I think I think three years that it been just like starting. And so it's been very exciting to like finish or like get to Alcatraz. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (12:54.721)
And to put that into, you know, put that swimming into practice. And you would you know, a lot of athletes I work with, this is the this is the storybook. This is how it happens. Like you're one sport focused, and something happens, injury, whatever it is. And we want to keep momentum going. And so we just have to pivot a little bit and have a little bit of curiosity of, well, mm, is this moving me in the direction or do I do nothing and just
sit until my ankle heals, right? And I don't think a lot of people do well with that. A lot of endurance athletes. So the pivot happens and you embrace swimming, even though it was probably challenging, w we just shared mentally it was challenging, but physically to be able to breathe in a pool was was quite different from what you're used to running, right?
Aurora Leon (13:44.791)
Yes, I think it started with playfulness and that helped a lot. It was just play and it was not an obligation and it was just once a week. So it like it was like, I have a like free time and like very easy. And then it's I could I you know, I was like swimming like 40 minutes and doing not I mean not like in a good workout, just like swimming like that and then
Probably I got bored or something and then you started like putting me into like workouts and things.
YogiTriathlete (14:15.727)
Yeah, like you've done the Mambo, you've done a one thousand and one hundred time trial, like you've done deck ups, you've done all the spicy stuff. Yeah.
Aurora Leon (14:26.191)
Yeah, the decops were pretty fun and the people in the pool did not like them, but yes, I did them.
YogiTriathlete (14:32.079)
So many preferences in the pool. okay, I want I want to know, like if if you're listening to this and you're not familiar with Escape from Alcatraz, before we start diving into like the moment on the boat, which I just want to dive into like the moment on the boat, how would you like describe how why, how is this different than like your, you know.
Aurora Leon (14:55.533)
Yeah, but
YogiTriathlete (14:57.027)
YMCA sprint trathlon, the you know, transition area in the parking lot of the, you know, the local YMCA. Like Alcatraz is a completely different animal, outside of any trathlon that that I've ever seen. So describe just how yeah, how it is like the logistics, that's right. Cause it's not like you're on the beach and you start swimming.
Aurora Leon (15:20.665)
Yeah, no, it's very epic and it's very iconic. And yes, you start, I mean, the idea and the whole idea is I really wanted to like go to Alcatraz inside and then escape, have like the whole thing, but they don't let us do that. So they put you in a ferry, which is pretty exciting. You go in a ferry, you go around the Alcatraz to see it, and then from there you jump. So it's a very
Purposeful, purposeful like swim. It's not just out and back. You you go from somewhere to get to the bay, like to the beach. And then from there, you have a transition that you have to run. It's the warm-up run from there to get to your bike. Then you go from the bike. It's like the bike is like 18 miles. Then you go through the Presidium and then to Golden Gate Park and then come back. And then you run. And the run also is not on flat ground.
is like a trail run of eight miles that you go to the beach, to the sand, to like stairs, like four hundred stairs of sand and stuff. So it's kind of adventurous more than just like the regular flat triadlands. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (16:24.739)
Yeah, it is. I love how you described it. Alcatraz is epic. All right. So bring us to being on the ferry. Like what what are the thoughts of being on the ferry? Your your I I'm assuming they they're doing like, I don't know how many people are jumping at once, but you're, you know, you're in line and what's going on in the mind?
Aurora Leon (16:44.503)
So we're around 1500 people. Like, and to move that kind of people like from the transition area, you have to be there like at three or four in the morning. And then you get to the boat. So you're in the boat like two hours, like with the pe like be like people coming and people coming and then getting a spot and stuff like that. So the mind can go pretty fast, pretty rapid all around. So yes, it was very helpful to have the pranayama, you know, meditations that were practiced during the training and breathing and
calm. And the idea was like being calm during all of this like two hours of just waiting or waiting to go to the unknown. It was like online. And before they didn't do time trials like or like trials that you you go and jump, but now they do. So there's a person that tells you like now jump. And in the packet that you read before doing it, it tells you like you have to jump.
If you hesitate, they put you on the back of the line. So there's no way I'm gonna hesitate. Like there's no way. I'm just gonna go to the back of the line. Like exactly. So and in the training, it's like how I'm gonna jump from there, like the goggles, the cap, like do you put your two feet like you cannot go diving, but you have to go like straight down. So there was a whole mindset going for that moment.
YogiTriathlete (17:50.979)
I love that. Like jump or go to the back of the line.
Aurora Leon (18:12.337)
And it's also very cold. So you're with a cap and you're with your earplugs because then you can have like a little bit of dizziness if it's too much cold water. so all of that goes into this moment that I think it's just like life and time stops when you go from the boat to the no, to the water. And then in the water, BJ told me, like instead of freaking out, instead of like, because it's cold, so you just have to.
Breathe in deeply and just like your body just shakes. Instead of feeling that is like the activation. It's like we're on. It's happening. So I thought of that. And also a friend of mine told me, like when you jump, don't like go crazy going to the top. Like you're gonna float. So just calm. Like be calm and you're gonna float, and then you start your your race. So that's how we started. And also like there's the river.
there's a current that comes. So you have to know where to see and how to see and how to spot. So all of those are like little details that I had to learn. And also like their waves and how to time the waves with your breathing. And so what I did is I asked for a safe passage. I was like, please, Mother Earth, please, dear water, like take me. I'm your daughter. I'm here to understand, I'm known, but please just take care of me.
And it did. It did pretty well. Like it was very soft landing. It was an epic swim. when you go, I I decided to stop and see back like the ferry and the sun going up and island. So that's magnificent. And then to continue. And yeah, that's how it starts. Pretty fun.
YogiTriathlete (20:01.315)
Wow. And and as far as like framework, like you did you weren't swimming a ton of open water. I know. You didn't have access to that. Like you're you're training in New Hampshire in the winter and you know that we're we're also from New England and understand how the challenging it is to get going early season to get out outdoors for for races when the training is mostly done indoors. For for most of us, I know you tend to trek out a little bit.
a little bit more bravely into the conditions, but you didn't have open water swim practice and you didn't have a reference point from before. Even the seventy point three you did was in quite warm waters, clear waters, and this is totally different from that. So can you can you like share like I you did s share like your your mindset piece, but w is there a mantra? Was there a way to like not get so in
Wrapped up in like I haven't swam open water yet. I haven't done jumping off a boat yet. Like, how did you wrap your brain around that and not freak out?
Aurora Leon (21:05.283)
Yes. That's the practice of enoughness. Like it's enough. It's enough. And I don't have to be totally ready to do it. ready is not just like the feeling of readiness is the palpitations and readiness is like the action. Like we're just gonna continue to move forward and to move forward to discover. Like I'm not gonna know if if I have it all completely or not, but I'm willing to trust the process and to see it.
I was able to do some water, you know, open water back in it was in December, I think, or when I was in Mexico, but it's very warm waters. And then I had exposure to cold temper because I like to do cold plunges. So I did some cold plunges, but not like swimming. And I remember like one telephone call with BJ is like, yeah, your hands are gonna be numb. And I was like, What? Like I I was not expecting them. Yay!
Feel your fingers and your toes. What?
So like, okay, I guess we're gonna see how that feels and try not to get into like, am I getting sick? Am I in trouble? To trust that we're being taken care of taken care of. Like there were so many people like there in the race, you know, like kayaks and people in their paddleboards. So to trust that I'm being taken care of and that I can do it. And if there's something that I feel that is not right, I have the
Capacity to stop it. I I don't have to go. You know, I can just like go to the book, go to the kayak and be okay with that experience, but to have the experience. So it's a lot of trusting and faith, you know, faith on my training and to think like I did enough. I did my workout and I did enough. And I think throughout the you know, the couple of years that I've been doing this trail running, there's nothing that prepares you for a 200 miles.
Aurora Leon (23:09.103)
have never done it. Like the most I've done is one hundred miles. So after that it's unknown and it's too like it's enough. Like, yeah, the enoughness practice that I have enough. I did enough and faith.
YogiTriathlete (23:25.549)
Yeah, well that I mean so much so much as you as you know, and I think this is why we worked so well together, relies on trust and faith. It it relies on you to believe in something that maybe you can't quite see yet, like with the eyes, like you just can't grasp it. But you know inside, and I think this comes from a lot of the work we do with the mind and the body connection is like
Trust that as long as you keep moving forward and it and it feels aligned and you're you're moving your way closer to it, then you're going to accomplish it. And the derailment happens when we indulge in those the negativity or the the the fear and doubt. Although, as just said in the beginning, like there it's there. It's always gonna be there if we can just accept that it'll be there. We just don't have to overindulge in it. We can say you can come along, but you're not.
You know, you're not driving the ship here, like I'm driving, you can sit next to me and come along. So I think that's that a testament to not only like your mindset practice in the community that you live in, but also your consistency. Like I don't know if there was ever a red box in training peaks, like ever. I'd have to go back and check that, but in five years, I don't know if there was a red box.
Aurora Leon (24:18.21)
It's not a mistake.
YogiTriathlete (24:43.683)
But I think what makes Aurora so exceptional is that, which means you're the exception, is that there all the boxes have been green for all the years that you guys have worked together, but you do it with a sense of lightness. You do it with like discipline, but discipline doesn't equal rigidity. When you can have discipline and a lightness to
have gratitude and joy for the ability to move your body every day, for the ability to have a coach, the ability to, you know, have the registration fees. That I think just brings in such a higher level of of performance in your training, of course in your racing, but also in your life and the way that you perform and show up in your life for yourself and for others and for your patients and for your community.
And I that's like a discernment I've really been making with a lot of my clients. It's like, like, you know, go, because a lot of it's it's, you know, hard work ethic, ticking the boxes, getting it done. And so what I teach a lot is softening is a softness, like soften your soften the muscles in your face, like soften your shoulders, like soften your self-judgment, soften that critique, but don't get lazy. Like be disciplined and be open.
Aurora Leon (25:44.129)
That's not a good thing.
YogiTriathlete (26:03.853)
And I think that's what would you agree, BJ? I think that's what what what I really see in you, Aurora, but also in in any athlete that really hits this level of of excellence. And excellence is sure, it can have absolutely to do with the time on the finish clock and the placement in your age group, but it also is the how of how things get done. Cause it's not what we do, you know, what we do is not who we are, but how we do it is most certainly a marker of who we are.
Aurora Leon (26:33.264)
Yes, absolutely. Like is I I think the most important thing is the process. Like how how do I show up for the process? Like how every day
count and then you know celebration day is race day you know it's like all the accumulation of all these ears so it's so important for me to have joy if I'm doing my run. And if it joy doesn't happen at the beginning, I mean that's fine. I'm not so also so attached like I'm not having fun. So it's not worth it. No, it's not like that. It's more like I get to do this. Like I get to have a body. I get to experiment this. I, you know,
It was like twenty-five thousand people sign up for this and only fourteen thousand were able to do it. So it's like it's already an honor to be there, to have the capacity, as you say, like to fly from here to San Francisco and to have the means and everything in order. And I also see like all these endeavors like kind of a spiritual movement. Like they're like Dharma doors. So it's like they're opening like a threshold for me to go through. So this threshold is like
the whole three and half half an hour that I did it. So the threshold started with me jumping. And then I had to continue to do this threshold in order to move spirituality and to move things that I don't even know that they're moving. But I think I truly believe in that. Like my mom just got diagnosed with breast cancer. And the moment I and I didn't know if I was going to be able to do like Iron Man, you know, 70 point three in Monterey because we didn't know when she was going to have the chemos and stuff like that. And
Also for even for Alcatraz, I didn't even know if I was gonna be able to make it because of the surgery or like things that she was doing. So the moment I finished Iron Man, the next day I went with her and we had an appointment with the doctor and she started chemo. So it was like, what? Like momentum of what I'm doing here expresses and it's the direct movement to other spots. And then the Alcatraz was.
Aurora Leon (28:36.08)
the week after we went to the last appointment for her last chemo that we didn't know that was gonna happen, but they decided because the tumor has reduced so a much that she doesn't need extra chemos. So I was a little bit blown away because I'm a little bit scientific and skeptic, but I was like, this is movement in another level of energy.
YogiTriathlete (28:58.063)
Yeah, it's like when you get out of the way, even the big things in life, you know, kind of require us to get out of the way, but we can still cling in our mind, you know, and worry about things. And not that you didn't have concern for your mom, but when we kind of get out of the way, you see this like insane lineup of timing where you're like, I never would have been like, okay, I'm gonna finish Monterey and then we're gonna go do the chemo and blah blah blah. Like, even to schedule that.
Consciously, like, I'm gonna do this, mom, and then we'll schedule it for like there's almost like a is that selfish that I'm gonna do this race and then I'm gonna skip, but you just let it happen. And when you let it happen, man, it falls into place. Like, I mean, you know, we know that, like it it is so we actually had that experience today. We were like, my God, that's so funny. When you just back off and give something space, watch it fall into place. Yeah, that's so beautiful. And I like how, you know, the joy, yeah, like I.
Aurora Leon (29:28.155)
Okay, so
YogiTriathlete (29:54.404)
I don't go out for every workout like, yay! It's just like this is what I get to do. You know, I'm disciplined. I'm gonna show up for it. And never on the other side of a workout, it do I ever like not feel good, right? There's like that physiological response that happens. Things are getting released from the brain. Like you feel good, you feel strong, you feel confident, you feel accomplished. so it's like just get started, you know, just get started and keep and keep going. Should we Well, I wanna hear, I wanna hear like when you got go ahead. What are you gonna go to the bike?
Aurora Leon (29:56.059)
I just want to say that just nice parking for that.
YogiTriathlete (30:23.875)
Well, I wanna see what it was like to hit land. Like was it yeah, was it elation or were you like, is that it? Like
Aurora Leon (30:30.778)
Well, I mean it's long. It took it six like it's 1.5 miles. So I remember that in training we talked about like the mind will want to go to the next thing, right? Like the mind is gonna want to like what's gonna happen when I land, what's gonna happen in instead of enjoying the moment, because tomorrow I'm gonna miss being in the sea.
Or like being with all these people. So enjoy the stroke. Enjoy the effort. And even if it was hard, it's like I'm pushing and I'm pushing my body and I'm pushing the earth and we're in this going together. So I feel like like if we were like little salmons all going through space. So and then when I got near to the shore, it got a little bit more choppier. And of course, you have like some water in your face and all that stuff. And then a little bit dizzy, you know, going into
and crawling a little bit. but again, I practice that, you know, with the decups, you know, every 100 like yards I was gonna do in decoups, decups, deckups to know that that can happen. And it's okay if I feel a little bit dizzy and just take it slow and then continue. so yes, I got out and there were like strippers and that helped to take off the wetsuit because there's half a mile that we have to run from the beach to get
To the bike. So I put on some shoes and Joaquin told me I was pretty fast in that transition. I was like, because people were like trying and whatever. I was like, no, like we're we're taking month like minutes off this. So it's okay because it's just half a mile to run. So let's just like do it our fastest. So yeah. And then I got into the bike.
YogiTriathlete (31:59.056)
Okay.
Aurora Leon (32:18.111)
And I was impressed. I mean, the bike I didn't put much attention because I was very focused on the fear of swimming in the Bay Area with other current, the choppiness and everything. But the bike, the bike course is so iconic but also insane on going down. Like it's down, it has sharps. And I remember BJ put in my training big remember for the bike, you have to be so mindful, so conscious, because there's so many people and there's you know.
the asphalt is not great and all that stuff. So it was scary. I was I was very scared during the bike course. I was like, I don't want to die here or get some. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (32:56.409)
Can I just say on your rental bike? Wasn't even your bike. Like you rented a bike. Like in Yeah, this is the second so Monterey seventy point three and Alcatraz, you rented a bike. And I just have to say that is not that is not what most people do. I would say that is what
Aurora Leon (33:12.758)
I agree. I agree. And it was a little scary. I I got the bike the day before and we were trying to be friends, you know, the first day. So I get to know the bike and yeah, I had to do this because of course, you know, in my life, I I wish I I wish I had more space between Alcatraz and the next thing I was doing, but there was no space. I had to go next time. We had a like a retreat, a very important retreat in France. So I was like
Finishing Alcatraz the next day flying to France. So there was no option to get, you know, a a bike. So the only thing is a rental bike. So w that's it. You know, we'll figure it out. We'll we'll work it out.
YogiTriathlete (33:55.396)
Yeah, that that that's the mindset. That's we'll figure it out. We don't have to have all the details of the spreadsheet filled in. We'll figure it out. And the more that you do that, or the more that you're willing to do that, the more that that's gonna have less of a like grab or hold on you into this fear or doubt that what what could possibly go wrong. Instead, it's like, my God, what an amazing adventure this can be. This is the second race I'm gonna rent a bike. This is so cool. And I don't have to carry a bike with me to France. Although it probably would have been cool to.
The cycle in France. I know that you had different agenda for sure. but yeah, so the turns and stuff. I think that was a I I'm glad you mentioned that. That's an important piece as someone who you don't ride a lot outside and you don't have twisty turny turns like that in New Hampshire. so yeah, so you had to slow down, which is also like counterproductive to like having your fastest time. But it wasn't it was a slowing down to be mindful.
Aurora Leon (34:25.115)
It would have. I agree. I agree.
YogiTriathlete (34:52.911)
It's just slowing down to like look at what's happening while it's happening and understand the the fastest way you can get to where you want to go is by staying on your bike. Right. Number one.
Aurora Leon (35:02.996)
Absolutely. And I mean I got the ups and downs, so I got that capacity here in New Hampshire, but yeah, I didn't have the sharp turns or like that too much of experience of going fast down and then sharp move. But then, you know, that was the experience, you know, to learn that there.
YogiTriathlete (35:20.355)
Yeah. Right in the race experience. There we go. all right. Do you want to talk anything about the bike? What would what's the what's like the do you do loops or is it one big loop?
Aurora Leon (35:32.273)
it's one big loop. you go up to Presidium, then you go down, you go to Golden Gate, and then you come back. So it's not multiple loops, it's just one eighteen mile.
YogiTriathlete (35:39.961)
Right.
YogiTriathlete (35:43.351)
And then you saw you were able to watch the T one hundred, which happened the day before, and they had like just the most gorgeous weather. Did you guys have similar or were you fogged in?
Aurora Leon (35:55.866)
No, Mother Earth was very nice to me. Like I was so thankful. Because it was not fog, because that's a possibility for the swim, and then you don't see anything. So you don't know where you're going. So no, we have like the water also was warm. I mean fifty seven degrees. So it was cold, but not I didn't have my my hands frozen. So I was very grateful.
YogiTriathlete (35:57.928)
so wonderful. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (36:14.925)
Yeah. good. Yeah. And I wanna I wanna ask you about tips and stuff, but I don't wanna ask that until we talk about the run. Yeah, let's get to the run. Yeah, let's talk about the sand stairs. This is in your wheelhouse. Yeah. Tell us about that.
Aurora Leon (36:26.254)
Yes. So then I went back and I was like like just like so happy, so celebration because it's also a trail run. So I'm very comfortable in trails. Like very like I was just like smashing it, going so fast and going up and down. And when we got to the beach, I mean mendocino, we have done mendocino so many times with beach sand and stuff like that. So it was like, yes, I've done this before. And then
The day before BJ told me, it would be a good idea for you to go and check the ladder. so I went and saw it and did it before. because the ladder is 400 steps with sand and it's moving and everyone is so tired. So the intention of that was expansion. Like this is where I expand and all this energy. So I push, push, push, but then at the end of the ladder, that's not the end of the hill.
You still have to go a little bit further to get out of the hill and then go down. And then I was like, I mean, I'm I don't know what people thought of me because I was like just shouting, it was like, kill the quads, kill the quads, we're getting out of this. because we're ending in four miles. Like it's so fast compared to 200 or compared to 50k. Like this is like we're ending it. So let's let's bring the pain.
YogiTriathlete (37:49.304)
Isn't the mo isn't the run eight miles? Yeah. nice. Yeah. Nice. But the last two or three is like or four is like flat. It's pretty much like or flatish. Yeah. Yeah.
Aurora Leon (37:59.981)
You go down and then it's flat three miles. So yes, I was trying. I and I was very happy. I mean, I'm not I'm getting faster. because we're all getting faster in squat, I think, or jogita, I think we're getting faster. As BJ gets faster, we're all getting faster. So yes. I was surprised. I was able to get eight minute, you know, miles miles like at the end. So yeah, or faster, yeah.
YogiTriathlete (38:13.655)
We're all getting faster. Yes. Yep. That that's the next T shirt. We're all getting faster.
YogiTriathlete (38:28.461)
Nice. I I want you to share anything that comes to mind like tips for somebody who's, you know, putting their name in the lottery, you know, has this on their bucket list, tips for the swim or the bike or the run or all three, like anything that comes to mind.
Aurora Leon (38:46.794)
Yeah, so I I like to go a little bit earlier just because of the bike or to get more space between you getting into the like the new city and the thratlon and rent a place that is close to the venue because I was able to like bring the bike and ride the bike instead of like getting into taxis and stuff like that. So being close to there.
Aurora Leon (39:13.513)
And have a coach.
mean I follow instructions. I that's what I do. I do it pretty well. I really like all the instructions I had for the 70 point three. And then I learned it pretty fast. So I was able to have like my little mat and like everything in order. And it was very important. Like they didn't let us do goo's so I was like okay what I'm gonna do with Wind Nutrition. So I double up my nutrition on the bottles and also I got like a little goo
well it's not a goo, it's like a little don't know, like a it's not a water bottle, but it's like similar to the flask, but it's smaller for the goose. So I got that for nutrition. So figure like the time that you can have before the race can help you to like figure out the the details basically. And I also like to get early as a a BJ athlete. No, get get early to to the transition area so you can have calm and
be you know, be okay and not be frantic about stuff and not indulge on the people that are frantic and, you know, all all all over the place.
YogiTriathlete (40:25.679)
Yeah, you don't need to add more stress. Like I see I see it maybe because I've experienced it and seen it so many times. They're like rushing to the last minute to get into transition, get all their stuff set up, and you're adding to the level of stress that's already a low lying level going into the race yourself, even if you get there early. So why we know why would we add to it? Plus we don't really sleep well, you know, the night the night of a race. So get up and get down there and and get get the mind on board and and give yourself plenty of time. I think that's that's such a huge tip. Mm-hmm.
Yeah, you're always like, when are you gonna get down to the race? I'm like, when does transition open? I wanna be right there. I know.
Aurora Leon (41:01.032)
Yeah. And even here there was a line already. So because we're plenty. So early is a good tip. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (41:04.397)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. What else did have? I thought you had something. No, not a top of mine.
Aurora Leon (41:15.721)
I also I mean, I also went to the swimming before the day of the race and that helped a lot. Like to just get into the bay and not be the f the first time I go into the bay when there's the ferry. So one day before I go to yeah, to do a swim practice.
YogiTriathlete (41:30.179)
Yeah. And you had to sign up for that long before you got to the actual race. So there's like a lot of logistics for this race ahead of time, right?
Aurora Leon (41:40.646)
Yes, and and when I say like, just being part of the process, it doesn't mean that I am just looking at it or like just very passive. You know, like it's like with calmness, read your you know, the race that you're doing and understand like for example for the rental, I knew because there were so many people, I had to rent that bike probably six months. You know, just when I got into, I knew, okay, I need to rent the bike, I need to know my swimming and stuff like that. If
If that's the thing I I have interest.
YogiTriathlete (42:14.125)
What was, you know, I'm curious as you reflect upon your day, is is there any like subtle like moment or experience that you were surprised by? You were just like,
I didn't expect that.
Aurora Leon (42:29.779)
Well, the b I didn't expect the bike to be so crazy. Like to have so much fear in the bike. I thought I got nailed it or like something. So happily surprised to still be learning. I was very surpr I mean, I was happy that I was happy all the time, but I think that's because of the idea of this is a threshold that I n I know it has a purpose. Bigger than just finishing the raid or bigger than just like the medal or
like a checkpoint or like a a thing to do, but like this has a bigger purpose that even though if I don't know it, I know it's happening. So that helps me.
YogiTriathlete (43:10.413)
Yeah, and you're you're like you're you're breadth of like races that you can execute. Like you're you're you're racing hard at a
Olympic distance charathlon, but not too long ago you were you were running a 200 mile trail race. So the you're at the extreme, actually, let's take it even more extreme because I think you PR'd your 5K this year or just recently. Like, so you're going from 5K to 200 miles, right? So someone would look at that and be like, well, how can you do how can you have it all? How can you be successful at doing that such a difference in there in distance?
Aurora Leon (43:32.328)
That's
Aurora Leon (43:47.504)
Okay.
YogiTriathlete (43:50.006)
And you found a way to do it. You found a way to continually do it and take it a step further and just dip your toes into other areas of sport, like combining things and isolating things. So how how do you how how can you attribu what would you attribute that to? Your ability to like be okay with whatever whatever is.
Aurora Leon (43:51.515)
Yeah.
Aurora Leon (44:09.972)
that's a the the practice it's not easy, of course. It's a practice of being open, openness and openness to the experience. Like it's gonna be an experience no matter what. You know, if it's raining, if it's awful, if the trail has like a lot of mud or like it's very hot or it's very cold, like everything is gonna be like an adventure. So that curiosity and that wanting to be there for the experience. because for example, like when I run in the morning, I don't know if it's gonna be like a
magical sunset or sunrise. But if I'm there, I'm gonna experience it. If I'm not there, it's not gonna happen. So putting myself in there, no matter what, being open. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (44:51.735)
so I had mentioned in the intro that you and I started working together on mindset, and somebody would say, Well, she lives in a mindful community. Like, why does she need mindset training? Why does she need, you know, somebody to work with meditation? And then you continued on and, you know, really absorbed this coaching and lifestyle and way of being that Yogi Tri Athlete represents in the endurance sports space. How has that complemented your
already existing mindfulness practice or I would say complimented but like expanded. Was there anything that you know you were able to take from Yogi Tri Athlete and say, wow, this is really this is really expanding this thing that I already did? Or was it just like kind of the same thing with different languaging?
Aurora Leon (45:36.261)
I know I think it's an expansion and as as BJ say, like different spaces, like you know, the experience of Tahoe to Khandara, the experience of Fafal K, like that's the same experience of meditation, like meditation, the cushion, meditation and swimming, meditations, walking meditation, or teacher, like it's a lot about like.
Are you doing your dishes? Are you doing it in consciousness, meditation, mindfulness? And I don't do it all the time. Or like walking meditation, I don't like even though it's repetition, repetition, and the teacher always says like do it, do it, do it, that doesn't mean I do it. So it's always complimentary. Like I'm human and I think that's well, maybe not that the issue, but like the I have a human mind and it tends to go to the same places. like the fear is the same fear or like the doubts are the same doubts.
Like even though I've done 100 miles, like or like even though I have doubts, that's why I needed like help a little bit to to get a little bit to stop that pattern, or like where is that pattern getting me? So I need sometimes people outside my brain to give me cues to say, like, okay, focus on this. Okay, I'll do that. Focus on this, for example, instead of being super stressed or fearful about the cold water, okay.
activation or like instead of like there's a pain in my ankle opportunity so those kind of key points help the mind have a more focus or better guidance so meditation practices like for example the guided meditations sometimes that we do or like the lying down and calming my body
getting to know my body, like all of those is just an expansion of the same experience. So I can have more tools for my future, my life.
YogiTriathlete (47:32.728)
Hmm. I love that you mentioned washing the dishes. It reminds me of this one of the sutras in the Yoga Sutras where they talk about like are your dishes crying? Like as you're putting away your dishes, like are they crying or are they peaceful? Like how are you and and that's up to us, right? Like how we're 'cause how we're doing it. Are we slamming things around, making a lot of noise, being really rough, or are we being mindful with it? and I think about that all the time, like the
When BJ's putting away the dishes, I'm like, they're crying. Stop making the dishes cry. yeah, that's that's really great. And I I think I mean we we also work with, you know, somebody outside of us, right? And when you're in it, you're in it. And even though we have awareness, it's so I mean, any any spiritual teaching or teaching on mindset or whatever always says like having that teacher, having that guide, because somebody outside of you can see it more.
Aurora Leon (48:14.369)
Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (48:32.407)
that objective perspective, right? We're we're not entangled in it in the history and the self judgment and things like that. So having that outside outside of you. And that's one of the reasons why I love all the guided meditations. I do them too. You know, I I create them, but I also do them. It's so nice to have that guidance. Yeah. With with you did mention like you kind of feel medit meditative in different areas, like the running and and and swimming specifically.
Aurora Leon (48:43.274)
So
YogiTriathlete (49:02.231)
Like has that just been like a an a just an eye-opening experience for you swimming lap after lap after lap, like constantly back and forth and and making it making it such a meditative process that it just flows. It just happens because you've sent me swim video of your stroke and it's it's so smooth, it's calm, it's easeful, even when you're doing faster sets. So yeah, has that has that meditative practice like really like really soaked in?
Aurora Leon (49:33.25)
Yes, I I I like the the laps on the pool have helped me for
doing more intervals at running and being okay with having like eight intervals and running and seeing like yeah like just like the pool. You do one after one after one instead of like thinking like, I need to do a big loop on a big mountain and a big experience. It's like no, I just have this little hill. I'll do twenty of them. That's fine.
YogiTriathlete (50:00.528)
Speaking of yeah, like big loops and on a big mountain, is there an adventure that or something that you haven't tackled yet that like taps you on the shoulder or whispers to you?
Aurora Leon (50:16.966)
Well, I mean, there I I have a wish list like for like, you know, trails or adventures or stuff like that. Like I like and I say wish list because they can change and it's just putting a seed and then it will happen. But since I started running, I wanted to go with the Talamara people in Chihuahua. That's like the people in the canyons. And I also wanna go to
Like the reservations or more to the land, how they do prayer and running. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (50:57.411)
You did a race in Mexico that was really cool. I think it was a couple of years ago where you ran like to the ocean, didn't you? Whoa.
Aurora Leon (51:05.531)
Yes, it was from the ocean to the ocean in Baja Baja, from one side of Baja to the other side of Baja. So it was in the desert and we had some Taramara people that went there and we were joining by them and that was very magical and spiritual. but it's still like my idea would be like, for example, to do the Great Canyon, you know, in prayer or meditation and or like the way they they, you know,
they go through rituals or passages or passage rituals to, you know, go in search of meaning and purpose and, you know, understanding and magic. So I I still don't know, but somewhere those are the lines that I'm looking for.
YogiTriathlete (51:52.666)
What what can you say? like why would someone want to go into endurance training this way with with mindfulness, with a calm, with a competitor and a and a determined like vibe? And why would someone wanna do that? W why do you think someone would wanna do that?
Aurora Leon (52:13.603)
Answer is why not? Like it's so fun. Like it's why, like I don't understand how another way is possible. You know, we don't have to suffer. There's already so much suffering in life. Suffer like you know, suffering is one of the f first realities, so we don't have to make it worse. Like suffering is already there. So having a mindset, having community, having a purpose, having intention makes life beautiful. So it's like
YogiTriathlete (52:15.391)
Yeah.
Aurora Leon (52:41.029)
When we run, we can make a difference. We can have peace. Like we don't have to be fighting. So if I have peace, you know, one of the the the sayings that we have in our tradition is like peace in oneself, peace in the world. Like if I can run in peace and I can bring that peace into the triathlon. And I think you do that, like you bring this energy to the triathlon. We don't have to be attached to the form, attached to the number, attached to an outcome.
We can have more space and expand and create realities that are beautiful. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (53:15.885)
Yeah, and I triathlon, I'm glad and and you've also I'm so grateful that you've experienced both communities, like the trail community, which is like wow, so incredible. And then you've experienced like what Iron Man and Triathlon brings too, which is a different kind of community and a different level of intensity. And you've had experience in both. And and I think as you see, like you can witness like what's happening, you can go within. Like you always have that ability and capacity to go within to find the peace and calm.
And then watch the others have peace and calm too. And I think I would say generalized like more in the trail community, it's more receptive. And in the triathlon community, I think the nerves are a little bit higher because there's so many logistics and and things that involved in it. but you've been able to experience both, which is pretty amazing. Yeah.
Aurora Leon (54:02.289)
Yeah, and it's been a growing process, and yes, there's so many details in triathlon. Like in trail, I just put my like tennis shoes and go, and that's it. I mean, yes, a little bit of food and all that stuff, but it's not that like no the transition and the bike and the helmet and the thing, and but it's fun, you know, it's fun to experience different capacities and
YogiTriathlete (54:10.902)
Ha ha.
Aurora Leon (54:26.391)
different spaces in the mind and how we get to anxiety and offer it more space, how we get to fear and offer more space. yeah, a little bit more space around it.
YogiTriathlete (54:38.905)
So we've talked about fear a couple times, so we haven't really dove in that much, but you're not, you're not without, I'm gonna make an assumption, you're not without thoughts of fear or even experiences experiences of fear, like on the bike course at Alcatraz. But somebody who is, you know.
really living in in that survival type state, which I I think a lot of people are living I know a lot of people are living in that survival type state where there's always kind of like a a high alert, a high alert. How do you so you how do you keep moving forward when you are in a state of like where you're feeling some fear about either something that's real, like a very technical descent on a bike course, or something almost
Aurora Leon (55:04.033)
Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (55:29.003)
imaginary in your mind like what's gonna be in the water, what could possibly be in the water in San Francisco Bay. Like how do you keep moving forward in the face of fear? Which is essentially what I'm asking.
Aurora Leon (55:34.263)
well the practice is or like in our meditation we
We invite the fear as if it was a baby and we like with the breathing, I it we try to like let them know that we're okay. It's like we're okay. Like yes, so it's a process of acknowledging, like, yes, Aurora, of course you're gonna have fear. Like who who will not have fear if there's possibility of sharks? And let alone the sharks, the current, the open sea, you know, people dying throttle, like it's a reality. so
It's not that I'm denying. So it's like, yes, of course I have that feeling, that rush, and I'm okay. Like and the breathing helps me to have more space and perspective. And the same for, you know, anger, anxiety and fear. So the day before Alctras, you know, like I spoke to Fakina, like, what happens if I die? Like it's a reality. But then it's a meditation practice that I do every day.
Like because I could die every day or we don't know it. So the idea is how I I want that when that day approaches, the fear probably is gonna be there, but it's less how to say, attached to me or like it's less powerful that I know is there and I know it's in human emotions because of course we want the survival and we have fear of dying, but how can I have more space and time?
And not be so reactive to it. So it's a practice of every day thinking I can die. So it's called the five remembrances. I know that I'm the nature of getting old and I cannot escape old age. I know that I'm of the nature of getting sick and I cannot escape that. I know I am the nature of dying and I cannot escape that. I know that everything and everything I like is going to be separated from me, is going to change, so I cannot escape that.
Aurora Leon (57:45.04)
And all the thing only the things that are my continuation or my actions. So I those are the things that I practice every every day, every day. To try to detach a little bit. And that doesn't mean that when I get, you know, the news that my mom has cancer, I'm not freaking out. Like of course I have a reaction, but the space and capacity to hold my
fear to hold my sadness, it's a little bit bigger than just being activated. Like my grief. I can hold my grief with more grace and more space and let it be instead of blocking it and have so much energy of denying. Yeah.
YogiTriathlete (58:18.02)
Yes.
YogiTriathlete (58:29.443)
Beautiful. Yeah, you're really just diffusing it. You're diffusing it by just accept by acknowledging it and step number one. You're just acknowledging it and accepting it. It doesn't mean that it's easy, but you you understand that this is part of what we do here on this in this Earth school. Like this is part of reality. So if we're gonna continue to resist it and block it out and not really like notice like we're gonna create frustration and resistance and sadness and all that when it arises, but we can really just
move move a little bit smoother through that by acknowledging that it's there and that we ha are capable of moving past it in due time. Right. Yeah. Yeah. all right. Anything else? Anything else you want to say? Welcome to welcome to to endurance squad. Today's your first day in Endurance Squad. What are you excited about?
Aurora Leon (59:11.482)
Разом
Aurora Leon (59:18.406)
Well, it's a totally unknown thing. You know, like it's been five years that, you know, I've been so happy and working with BJ. Like I sometimes I I joke that he knows me better because of my heart rate and all my workouts, but I sometimes I know myself. so it's an experience. It's already jumping again to the unknown and trying to work with myself and trying to understand like what do I
YogiTriathlete (59:36.983)
Ha ha.
Aurora Leon (59:47.046)
gonna need instead of someone telling me what to do, which I prefer. but now is the next level of like, can I trust in me and my sensation and notice like which is like the reality? Like yes, I need to have a rest day or like, no, this is just me resisting. So it's gonna be an experience.
YogiTriathlete (01:00:05.187)
Yes. Well, and we're always right there, right? You drop a question anytime like in the community, we're right there. so like on those days of like BJ, you know me better than me. I don't know. What am I thinking right now? I wanna I think I need a rest day, but I really wanna push through. What do I do? And so, you know, you still have that that access. It just looks a little it looks a little different. It a it actually asks a little more of you.
To say, okay, like I can just I can wing this or I can go in there, type a little question.
And no, I'm gonna get my answer. And it's like it will require a little even a little bit more for like forethought of like, okay, this workouts tomorrow. I I need to ask the question today, or I need to ask the question before I lace up my shoes. but yeah, we're right there, we're right there for you on the whole community. So we're really excited to see you in there. You're definitely will infuse it with your beautiful light. And we're so grateful for your time today. Thank you so much, Aurora. Thank you, thank you.
Aurora Leon (01:00:48.449)
I can see that's it.
Aurora Leon (01:01:02.202)
Thank you so much.
YogiTriathlete (01:01:06.955)
It's it's been just I just wanna wrap it up like I amazing experience. I don't I don't take it lightly how you know dedicated and committed you are or have been to the process and to these epic adventures and never never waning from them, like always being willing to butt right up against the moment when a decision actually does need to be made, not any time before or after. It's like right on time. And that takes a lot of
Aurora Leon (01:01:21.923)
I've been doing that.
YogiTriathlete (01:01:35.705)
curiosity and willingness, but it also demonstrates your determination and your courage to to keep moving forward and and that you believe in yourself. And in order to trust me as a coach, you have to trust yourself. And I think that's a a really, really powerful
YogiTriathlete (01:01:53.823)
Really powerful piece of of who you are, Aura. And and I thank you for being here for so long. And I can't wait to see over in Endurance Squad. Thank you for yeah. For all you've all you've done. And I'm really, really happy to hear that your mom got kicked out of chemo because that's just wonderful news. So we're so happy. We've been thinking about you guys and her al along this whole journey as you continue to like, you know, train and and live your life, which I think is so important and that can be a real press point for people.
Aurora Leon (01:02:06.893)
So,
YogiTriathlete (01:02:21.607)
I've experienced it in my own life when somebody very dear to you is, you know, their health is failing and and life just so unapologetically continues. And so must we. so bravo to just your success in San Francisco and love to your mom and your family and this next chapter, and we'll see you inside squad.
Aurora Leon (01:02:45.556)
Yes, thank you so much. And of course you bring so much out to the world. So thank you for keep doing that. That's amazing.
YogiTriathlete (01:02:52.911)
Okay, we will.
