October 2025 VFE Featured Athlete – Rafael Arenas Jr. Sport: Marathoner, Cyclist & Triathlete

My name is Rafael Arenas Jr, I am mainly a marathoner, but also a cyclist and triathlete (although I haven’t done a triathlon and while…will get back soon). I have a goal to run a marathon in all 50 states plus DC. So far (as of September 21) I have competed 34 states and DC. My gear is very simple, I have Nike Vomero running shoes, and all my bikes are Treks.

VFE became a part of my journey in 2016. While getting to Santa Monica for the LA Marathon I was rear ended and hit my knee. I had pain for a long time and couldn’t run more than a mile without the pain getting to me. I was able to finish the DC Marathon but with the last 11 miles in a lot of pain (yes, I know I shouldn’t have done it). Someone recommended I got to Rich at VFE. Slowly the pain went away and he worked on other muscles that hadn’t been treated in years, or ever. And I have been there since. VFE has since have played in important role in my athletic journey. Without them I do not think I would be where I am. They have help me keep my body refresh and have help my muscles recover. While I know I could have finish all my races if I had never gone, the result wouldn’t be the same.

I believe that the true grit and grind I have experience while training are on the days I’m tried and just don’t want to train. Those have been the days that really test me. However I remind myself that I have a goal to complete and on the training will help me get trough it.

During my journey a struggle I had to overcome once was depression and drinking (because of the depression). During that time I stopped fully training, but didn’t stop running marathons. Which cost me on time, but more importantly kept me sore for days. Luckily I had a friend to help me refocus my life and told me to start training, but because I have races coming up, but because I have always enjoyed running and cycling and by doing that again I wold come out of that slump I was in. This for me was one of my biggest downfalls and as mentioned my times suffered. However, once I got my life back together I was focus of being back in the shape I was beforehand. Slowly I train and slowly my fitness came back and I started running marathons in under 4hrs again. I even did two marathons a day apart and ran the LA Marathon with my second fastest time.

It has been a challenge to balance life and the demand of my sport. I work as a music teacher, and because of it during the fall I teach marching bands and there are long days because of rehearsals. Finding the train to train is hard, but I have done so very early morning before the sun is even out so that I may have some time to get a training run in, or for example when I training for a Ironman I would get up at 3:30 am so I could get a bike session in and a run. However there are times in which I have skipped a day of training so I could do something like being with family or seeing a movie with friends. While I have a goal to complete a certain race I must not forget that I need to enjoy my life and stay connected with my family and friends.