BYE BYE BIKE

Last weekend I sold my bike...

I guess Nico must have sensed my heart break because as the guy wheeled away my bike, Nico started crying. I'm gonna going to lie...letting go of my bike was hard....but then again, letting go always is. But when I look back at all the wonderful memories I'm happy that I got 7 years of great memories.

You see, my bike was my first (significant$$) purchase I ever made with my own money the summer after freshman year at UF(2005).

My bike was a part of me...it was special for the following reasons and SO MANY MORE:

• Bike has moved with me all around!
• While in college it traveled back and forth from Miami to Gainesville in the summers.
•  Then when I moved to Austin,TX...the bike also went. 
• And last year the bike moved with me here to LA.
• It gave me the freedom to get to know the back country roads that surround Gainesville and Austin as I would ride with friends 3,4 or more hours---and gave me the chance to get to know those friends even better, because all we could do on those rides was PEDAL and TALK =)
• It allowed me to say that I've ridden on the PACIFC and ATLANTIC coasts of this country...with a smile stamped on my face.
• It raced triathlons with me in Miami, and all around Florida. 
• It joined me on my first 100 miler ride from KEY LARGO to KEY West with college friends one spring break.
• It grew up with me and adjusted to my life changes:
• When I met Peter, he would borrow my bike...first sign to me that i like him, cause I let him borrow MY BIKE. 
• It joined me on one of the first REAL dates with him as we rode to Lake Walburg for the day. 
• At one point we proceeded to get matching bikes too.
• it helped me recover from injuries so that I could get back into running
• it TUGGED along the bike trailer, so that we could take our son out on rides and share with him my love of biking...and being out in the fresh air---which I think has worked because he LOVES his BIKE too!!

• But it wasn't all fun and games:

• I got my first stitches from my bike too...in Miami on the Brickell Bridge.
• bumps and bruises from adjusting to clipping in and out of my bike
• a crazy/random reck in Gainesville that landed me flat on my back steps from practice.
• and my latest reck here in LA a couple weeks ago...where I collided head on to another biker.

If it doesn't kill you---it makes you stronger...FOR SURE =) I know my parents for one are happy that I sold my bike..because of the last couple bullet points...but I will miss my bike...The great thing about memories, though, is that you will always have them to join you as you make new ones. I know i'll be in the market for another one soon as the summer triathlon season quickly approaches...but for now, I'm graftul for the 7 years of memories and experiences I got to share with my bike.

Cheers to A GREAT PURCHASE at Chain Reaction!!!

You can google just about anything...so I did.

You can run a google search on EXACTLY what you are thinking, and you may be amazed at what you will find. This morning I decided to ask google for some career help.

To my surprise (I don't know why though...i should have expected to find something like this), I found this great article by PENELOPE TRUCK titled: 

How to Figure out what you should be doing with your life

My first reaction was....oh boy, this will be good. She's going to tell me steps one two and three and try to convince me that I'll be "ready" to get on my new path by the time I walk out the door... But that's not what I found!

What am I taking from this article:
ADULT LIFE IS HARD (and no one gives you warning signs--nor does life itself prepare you for it...you just have to take it as it comes), and that I may take a couple wrong turns but eventually i'll find what I'm meant to do. Living a fulfilled happy life doen't come without it's share of sacrifices...because unfortunately you can't HAVE IT ALL...but I'd determined to get as close to having it all as I possibly can!
And the search goes on...thanks google...and thanks Penelope for an inspiring morning =)

Playing Hooky...I mean- Race Recovery day =D

Since I raced 26.8 miles on Sunday...I decided to ask for MONDAY off...to hang out with my little MAN and Fabiola----and nurse my SORE BODY! It feels like it's been FOREVER since I just hangout with Nico like we used to. We went to Music Class at the Cow's End...

 ....and then just walked around the Venice Pier, played in the sun, and sand...and just admired how beautiful our home for this past year and some has been! 

 Fabiola did some souvenir shopping and thought we looked so cute in our stunner VENICIAN shades that she got them for US! NICO loved his glasses!

 Match...Glasses and shoes!!!

 He loved his glasses so much that he didn't want to take them off! EVEN when it was bath time!!!

 NOR BED TIME!!!!! I guess he really really liked them!!!

It was a great day!We have been truly blessed to call this beautiful city our OWN. I have taken lots of pictures to make sure Nico sees how lucky he's been. Not only was he born in the "AUSUM" city of AUSTIN...filled with lush green belt trails, beautiful creeks, hidden gems, surrounded by LOTS of friends....but his second year of life was lived this Breathtaking pocket of LA where the mountains meet the ocean, the sea lions and dolphins swim up to you when your out in the water, and where there's endless days of PERFECT WEATHER...not to mention LOTS of awesome baby friends to make every adventure even more MEMORABLE!!!

1st Marathon: LA Honda Marathon-RACE REPORT

1st Marathon: LA Honda Marathon

Date: 3-18-2012
Total distance: 26.81
Time:4:01:02
Average Pace: 9:00/mile
Fastest mile: 7:23 (last mile)
Slowest Miles:
9:51--the first mile was hard getting out!!
9:36 ( mile 15--Ran with my Buggarhead for a couple hundred meters--AWESOME. Gracias Fabiola and Thanks Peter for being there to cheer with my little #1 motivator!!)

At the start we were really excited and READY to go!!!

How did it feel? Well... I must thank Dana for getting me through the race!
My left knee and left groin hurt for just about 19 miles. First city we went through was CHINATOWN!!! Super cool and we were out in about 7 minutes...haha. The smell of DIM SUM was DELICIOUS. Then we ran through little Mexico and Koreatown. We got through the first 4-5 miles without even noticing. We were laughing at mile 6...joking that we got a nice warm up in and were about to get started on a 20 run...haha.

Around mile 10 I started to hurt a little...felt like I had to actually start making an effort. Then I started focusing on seeing my little buggarhead at mile 15! I kept trucking along... through HOllywood, enjoying the scenery. I caught a glimpse as I was heading down the sunset strip of Peter's head beanie! I knew my buggarhead was around there! As I got closer he ran straight toward me onto the course and I gave him a huge hug!!! Ayyyy I loved it!

From Marathon120318

Right after that I started struggling a little again...once the excitement of the reunion wore off and reality set in that I still had 11 miles to go! Running through Rodeo DRIVE was pretty cool!

Before I knew it, we were at mile 18...I was like..WOW...pretty cool. The next two miles I started feeling better. By the time I got to mile 20, I was FEELING really good. I started to PICK IT UP...so I thought...but now that I look at the time (i didn't...lol, I just didn't slow down.)

Miles 21-22 I was happy and cruising, the pain in my knee had gone away of I had grown numb to it. Then Miles 23-25 felt a little long. Even though they were the most FAN populated portion of the race, along the course that I had run with my TEAMMATES the past couple weekends...it still felt long. Once I passed mile 25...I started to pick it up, and headed straight to that arch!I smiled the whole Last mile! It was a great feeling to know that I was finishing...and finishing strong. The road was lined with Fans on either side. I felt like they were all cheering for me...I felt like a celebrity...a star....a HOLLYWOOD STAR, my own RED CARPET EVENT!!
I wanted to run under 4:00 hours...and I got there at 4:01. And that was JUST FINE FOR ME!
I felt great when I finished...

Only now, hours after the race, am feeling the effects! WOW does my body hurt, hamstring, back, KNEE (left)! But i'm happy to report- NO BLISTERS, NO SHAFFING, GOOD PICTURES, GREAT MEMORY!

RUN MARATHON- 

crossed of New Year's resolution list and LIFE bucket list =)

THE BIG DAY IS HERE!!!

Coincidence, fate, destiny....complete madness...whatever you want to call it...I made it here today. I'm heading out to run my first MARATHON, 26.2 miles at the age of 26.25!! YUP that is how old I AM TODAY...and Nico is 26.1 months old TODAY...and as my sister so AWESOMELY pointed out last night when I couldn't sleep....TODAY's date adds up to...i'll let you guess:

I drove the course yesterday after packet pickup and I was EXHAUSTED! But today is a new day...and I have so much to look forward to! 

TODAY IS GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY!!!

A little pre-race inspiration

Sunday March 18th, 2012 over 20,000 people will meet at the historical Dodger Stadium, not to watch america's favorite pastime but instead to start a journey few will ever take on and even fewer will ever complete in their lifetime. They'll rise before the sun mentally and physically preparing themselves for the grueling day that lays ahead of them, the 26.2 miles across one of america's most developed and populated cities Los Angeles.
Whether you've spent your whole life here or you're just visiting for this special occasion, as you run this course you will see parts of L.A. you've never seen before, blocks of buildings you've never seen, stores you never heard of and restaurants you'll want to go back and try some day. The streets will be filled with thousands of unfamiliar friendly faces sprinkled in will be a few that you do know friends, family, co-workers and neighbors, all will be cheering you on as you make your way across the city to the ever beautiful Santa Monica Beach finish line.
Like life that finish line won't come easy, around ever turn will be a surprise, some good a like leveled road with maybe a slight decline allowing you to catch your breath, others just waiting to stick it to you demanding you to push harder just when you felt you pushed your hardest. As you work through the hills of Downtown and Hollywood plenty more will be waiting for you in Century city and Westwood reminding you of just how much you love having a car in this city with its crazy gas prices and a greater appreciation for all those cyclist you see everyday commuting to work and around town.
You'll want to take a break, you will want to quit, but you won't let yourself, you're focused and determine to complete this challenge set before you to be added as yet another reminder that you can overcome anything you set your mind to. This isn't a graded test to see who can do the best, this is pass or fail and your results are the only one that matters. Over the last year you ran for fun, ran for training you've spent time with others who have the same goal of completing this course, you shared drinks created bonds gained inspiration and have given it while sharing stories of you, your training and your motivation. On March 18th on the other side of that finish line not only will you be standing where you want to be, but will also be standing tall as the person you want to be. I wish you all the best at the 2012 L.A. Marathon, and just remember run YOUR race not the next guys. I can't to hear your stories of triumph.
Kristian Michael
Asst. Organizer of
RunMDR / Marina Del Rey Running Club

TRACK MY RACE

Tomorrow is RACE DAY! You will be able to track me if you like through this website:

http://www.lamarathon.com/runner-info/race-day-tracking/ 

Now don't expect anything crazy! But I hope to impress myself...and be done before they open the streets up for LA TRAFFIC!!!

Here goes NOTHING!!!

Here's a map so that you can kind of see where i'm at when you get those updates!! =)

Congrats Julia!!!

My friend Julia in Texas, her husband Matt, and their son Jackson---Nico's Friend, just welcomed their newest addition to the family!!! their little girl REAGAN at 7lb 4oz!!!

So happy for you guys!!!!!! Congratulations! Reagan is beautiful!! May the world live us to her dreams!!!! 

Welcome Princess Reagan!!!