See below for some of the products and organizations that I support in the running, boxing, and wellness space.
Update: The Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon is coming up soon! I’ll be trying to tackle the “Triple Peaks Challenge”, which runs between 1/7/21 – 2/7/21 and run a 5K, 10K, and half-marathon! You can register using my referral code here!
Products:
Ample Meal:
Ample has been a huge part of my routine since 2018, and now has personal meaning to me as it has helped some loved ones in their journey against diabetes, being able to take them off their medication and stabilize their blood sugar levels (more on that journey later).
I’m happy to support the company and their products – check out their website for more info!
Use my referral code for $30 off Ample Meal here.
- What kind of oil(s) are your meals cooked in?
- If it’s cooked in vegetable oil, it’s a no for me!
- Where is your meat sourced from? Is it pasture-raised/grass-fed/grass finished?
- Factor-75 goes with pasture-raised grass-finished meat!
- Are the vegetables organic (or non-GMO)?
- At Factor, we never use processed or hydrogenated fats and never use oils from inflammatory sources like corn or safflower.
- Are any artificial sweeteners used? Any added sugar?
- Monk fruit sweetener preferred. But occasional natural sugar is okay – just like to see how they respond! Factor75 uses no refined sugar.
ButcherBox:
ButcherBox has been a part of my routine since the pandemic began. ButcherBox’s products are high quality – always delivering pasture-raised grass-fed, grass-finished meats to your doorstep. The most important aspects for me in choosing a meat delivery service would be the company’s sourcing, which is described in detail here.
Oura:
In 2018, I ditched my Fitbit last year and switched over to an Oura Ring. While my Fitbit was a great tool to get me off the couch, I realized I didn’t need products to get up and moving, and instead needed more incentive to rest and recover. Now, instead of being ultra-competitive with step challenges, I wake up looking for high recovery scores.
The Oura (like the Apple Watch) tracks Heart Rate Variability, or the beat to beat variance in heart rate during sleep. This data provides a good view on your autonomic nervous system activity and recovery status. HRV is lowered with an overactive sympathetic nervous system, or your “fight or flight” system, and raised as parasympathetic “rest and digest” activity increases. Said another way – HRV will be low when constantly stressed and will be high with proper rest and recovery. This is a measure of recovery separate from the physical soreness experienced after training. For example, it takes me about 2-3 days to not be physically sore after a marathon, but a bit longer for my HRV numbers to get back up to normal.
The Oura then takes this data, along with sleep quality/timing, resting heart rate, body temperature, breathing rate, and other metrics to calculate a recovery index. It’s an in-your-face reminder to take a step back and allow my body to recover. Previously, I was regularly training off <2 hours of sleep or when I didn’t feel well. It had become so normal that I didn’t even notice there was anything wrong. Now I’ve become more aware of my body and shifted my attitude. I was exhausted yesterday, so I didn’t train and got some sleep. The world didn’t collapse, I didn’t lose all the work I’ve put in, and I’m ready to go again today with the highest recovery score I’ve had in a while – funny how that works right?
Get $50 Off an Oura Ring here!
Organizations I Support:
Dreamland Boxing:
Dreamland has been my second home since I was 14 years old. The gym continues to be home to many of the top professional and amateur fighters, including Chris “The Warrior” Washington, “King” Ali Ahmed, Sandra “La Torita” Magallon, and “Victorious” Vicky Zhao. Over the years, Dreamland has established itself as one of the top boxing gyms in San Jose. The gym also hosts many amateur boxing events, and has even hosted the Dreamland Masters World Championships in 2018 and 2019 for those 35 and older.
Find out more about Dreamland Boxing here.
UCLA Boxing:
UCLA Boxing was founded by Tony Gonzalez in 2011. When I transferred to UCLA, I had the opportunity to both compete for the program and served at the Club President in 2012.
Find out more about UCLA Boxing here.
The Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon:
I have joined to be an Athlete Ambassador for the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Virtual Challenge (5K, 10K, and Half- Marathon), which will take place January 7, 2021 – February 7, 2021.
You can find more information about the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon here.
You can also register for the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half-Marathon here.
Running For A Better Oakland:
Many may not know this, but the KP San Francisco Half Marathon is run to help several local partners. This year, the race has chosen to support The Salvation Army Harbor Light Center, Girls on the Run of the Bay Area, Running for a Better Oakland, and Support For Families Of Children With Disabilities.
The Big Sur Marathon Foundation:
I am an Athlete Ambassador for the Big Sur Marathon Foundation, a non-profit organization that puts on two beautiful races: The Monterey Bay Half Marathon and the Big Sur Marathon.
You can find more information on the Big Sur Marathon Foundation here.
Depression2Extinction:
I am an Athlete Ambassador for Depression2Extinction, a non-profit organization that does tremendous work in helping to remove the stigma behind mental illness. I believe that this can be helped through empathy and compassion, education and truly understanding its causes and manifestations. Everyone is affected by mental illness – whether it be a personal battle or with someone they know. However, only 50% seek treatment for one reason or another. I believe that we can all take small steps towards ending the stigma behind depression and other mental illnesses and empower others to seek the help they need behind the support group of their friends, family, and resources like d2e. I look forward to representing d2e in the coming year.
You can find more information on D2E here.
About the Author:
Coach Ian is an ultra-marathon runner and a volunteer coach at the non-profit boxing organization, Dreamland Boxing, in San Jose, CA. He competed in boxing for both Dreamland and collegiately at UCLA. His goal is to empower all to be the best that they can be, in boxing and in life. You can find Coach Ian on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
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