Love at First Sight

It had been ten years and I was still recovering from a bad relationship.  For a long time, I was not even sure that I would want to give it another try.  However, this year, I decided to get over my fear and give love a chance.  And then, I met her...yes, HER....  I was reluctant at first, but I was encouraged to give it a shot. 

Meet my 2011 Trek Madone 3.1 WSD Womens Road Bike.

As a child, a new bike was the biggest treat.  It was the big gift you got for a momentous birthday.  It meant you were a big kid when you got to move up to the bigger bike.  It brought a sense of freedom and independence.  I would spin my wheels as fast as I could so I could come tearing down a hill as if it was my own personal roller coaster. 
But then, as a poor adult just having graduated from college, I "splurged" on a cheap mountain bike.  It made my quads ache from the inefficient pedaling, my hands hurt from the vibration, and my frustration grow because riding just no fun.

So, when it was time to purchase a bike to get me through this new stage of triathlons, I went ahead and sprung out for a full carbon performance bike.  I didn't mean to.  I had originally budgeted for half the cost and planned to get a decent aluminum bike.  But when I took her out for a test spin...  Drool...  LOVE.

I instantly LOVED riding again!

I noticed how smooth of a ride I had.  She was amazingly responsive when I took her quickly around tight turns.  In addition, when I had to climb a hill, it was no big deal.  And lastly, I was comfortable. 

The Madone 3.1 is the newest entry-level carbon bike by Trek.  The geometry of the bike is set that it's between "comfortable" and "aggressive."  The Shimano 105 groupset comes standard on the bike and is very well received for beginner to intermediate riders.  The cables in the front of the handlebars were wrapped in nice and tightly compared to some of the other bikes.  In addition, it was offered in a women-specific design, which I took advantage of because of my proportions (long legs, short torso).

I wanted to make sure that I was getting a bike that I wouldn't outgrow too soon considering the chance that I am eyeing a potential Ironman sometime in my future.  On other words, this may be a serious lifestyle change.  For all this, I think I got the best bang for my buck.  And best yet, unlike swimming, I am looking forward to my next bike ride.

Groovin' with Lance HerbStrong

While waiting for Morcheeba to come on stage, my friends and I stood on the floor of the 9:30 Club absorbing the sound of the opening act.  When you hear someone new, you just sort of stand there and try to distinguish whether it was something you like or not.  After taking in the beats for a bit, I noticed that it was something that I liked moving around to.  Chill, cool, very hip.... 

On stage were 3 guys who were remixing music and adding some new beats.  In the center stood this little guy with spikey hair.  He was having fun!  His energy and attempt to rev the crowd up really drew our attention.  You have to love someone who is clearly loving and enjoying what they do.  T and I began to joke that we wanted to BE HIM. 

Eventually, I said to my friends that if that guy made it down to the concert floor, I was going to make him my new BFF.  (Sounds a lot like my goal to beat a smurf at MCM, right?)

After the concert, we went to U Street Music Hall to dance our booties off a bit.  Sure enough, my future-BFF showed up.  I tapped T to ask, "Hey, is that the guy from the 9:30 Club?"  Before he could answer my question, I decided to make a beeline for the dude before I lost sight of him. 

Based out of Austin, TX, Lance HerbStrong has been performing together for about a year now.  Their genre is Remix/Dub/Dancehall/Electro/Downtempo -- totally fun to groove to!  Bill Sarver (my new BFF) told me that they had to keep things chill to complement Morcheeba's vibe.  I think that I am definitely catching these guys again if they come through town. 

BTW - how wild is this business card?!!!

Enjoying the Journey

As I plan out some loose goals for the upcoming months, I reflect back on how the past few months have been a whirlwind for me.  However, when I think back to a starting point to the craziness, I realize that I can keep going back further and further into a whirlwind of events that doesn't seem to have a true beginning...unless you start with Birth.  It is a thought that makes me smile.  Some moments have been up!  Some moments have been down!  But, here I am.

"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer." (— Rainer Maria Rilke)

Appreciate your journey and realize that everything works out the way it is supposed to.  Don't fight Life -- you'll never win.  Let it move you.  Trust your gut.  And most importantly...be patient.

Peach Almond Smoothie

Here's another smoothie recipe.  This one is a TREAT because it tastes like a nutty milkshake.  I love it for breakfast as well.  Because it is higher in calories than the Veggie Smoothie, I try to reserve it for mornings where I need an extra boost of energy.

Peach Almond Smoothie
Serves one.

1 cup almond milk
1 T almond butter
1 cup frozen peaches
1 dash cinnamon
1 T agave syrup (or as much/little to taste)
1/4 cup ice

Blend well.  Enjoy.

Pura Vida

Samara, Costa Rica - Though I had a week, it took me only one day to become adjusted to beach life in this little town on the Nicoyan Peninsula of Costa Rica.

Without a car to fight Beltway traffic, I rented a bicycle and pedaled around horses, cows, and dogs who openly roamed the roads.

Without a buzzing Blackberry highlighting the next emergency, I spent my afternoons sleeping in hammocks or catching some rays on the beach.

Without museum sites to run around to, I studied the timing of the waves during the day and the star system at night.

Without a 5-star restaurant to dine at, I enjoyed ceviche sold from a cooler and a grilled chorizo pineapple wrap from a cart in front of the Tutti Frutti Bar.

Without the stress of needing to be at my next appointment, I stood still and watched the sunset.  Pura Vida.

Planes, Buses, Automobiles, and a Bicycleta -- How I Made My Way to Samara, Costa Rica

Samara is a sleepy beach town on the Pacific-side of Costa Rica.   Here's how to get there when you can't speak Spanish and need to figure your way using the public bus system:

• At the airport, in between Immigration and Customs, you'll see ATM machines.  Take advantage and pull out 5,000 colones at a time, up to 20,000 colones ($40 USD).
• As you are exiting the airport, turn towards the left to the Taxi Stands.  These will be metered taxis, but for good measure I always ask how much.  To go to the "Empresa Alfaro" bus station, it's roughly 20-30 minutes and $27 USD (they will take USD).  (FYI, I was quoted $35 originally, but like I said, it was metered and turned out to be $27).
• The Empresa Alfaro station looks a bit like a blue garage.  When you walk in through the large opening of the building, you'll be in the Waiting Area with multiple benches.  The ticket counter ("Tiquetes") is in the room to the right and not in the back of the waiting area.  In the ticket room, get in the line on the right.  You'll see the bus schedule.  The price is approximately 3860 colones (roughly $7-8 USD), if I recall.  (For your knowledge, there is a bus that goes to Nicoya via Liberia.  You don't want to take this bus because it'll add several hours to your trip.  You want to take the one that goes "por puente"/by bridge.)
• In the Waiting Room, you'll notice people using Puerta 1 (Gate 1).  Even if you can understand Spanish, it's difficult to understand the man over the loud speaker.  For reference, the line for your bus will probably get started about 30 minutes before it's time to depart.  I just asked someone in line if it was going to "Nicoya."
• Once the gate line gets moving, the guy at the door will confirm your ticket.  He will also ask you what your final destination is so that he can sort your bag into the right pile for under the bus.  Watch to make sure that he puts your bag under the bus.  On your ticket, look for the word "asiento" ("seat") and will reference your assigned seat number on the bus.  Keep any personal belongings on the bus close by you because foreigners are known to be targeted for petty thefts on the bus.
• The trip to Nicoya is approximately four hours.  Two hours into the trip to Nicoya, there will be a 15-20 minute break to get off the bus at something similar to a rest stop.  Most everyone gets off and you can get snacks/drinks.  You'll want your colones handy for any purchases.  
• Because of the hour of my arrival in Nicoya, I caught a taxi ride (versus another bus) for 45 minutes to get to "el centro" of the town of Samara ($30 USD).  The roads and highway to Nicoya and Samara are VERY dark.  So it's easy to know when you are in Nicoya or Samara because there will all of the sudden be LIGHT!!!  You'll also see road signs pointing ahead to how much further to Nicoya and Samara is.

Oh, so how does the bicycleta fit into this picture?  It became a "cart" to wheel my suitcase over unpaved roads to my final destination at last.  Pura vida.

Being Goofy: Surving the Disney Race and a Half Challenge

Imagine going on a half marathon training run the day before your full marathon.  Unfathomable?  Well, welcome to Disney's Goofy Challenge when, in one weekend, you complete the Donald Duck Half Marathon on Saturday and Mickey Mouse Full Marathon on Sunday.

Getting to the Start
I stayed in a  hotel that was not a Disney Property and 8 miles away from Epcot (the start line).  I was fortunate to have a good friend who was such a good sport about getting up at 3:15am with me every morning so we could be out the door at 3:45am. 

Traffic was crazy.  And even though I was only 8 miles away, we still wouldn't arrive at the race entrance until 4:20am.  By that point, I still had a half mile walk to get to the start line (when there are 27,000 runners for the half marathon and 17,000 runners for the full marathon, a half mile walk will take you about 30 minutes to get through).  Not a big deal, but I'm really glad I left enough time so that I didn't panic while sitting in the sea of traffic.

Go, Minnie!!
I had never been a stunt runner before, but I decided to wear a costume for the races because it was, after all, Disney!!  Apparently, my Minnie Mouse ears and pink tutu became an easy target for spectators to find me and shout for me amongst the crowd of traditional runners.

Miles and Miles
Some people will criticize the Disney races because there is a lot of highway and backroad running.  And they are right!  However, when you do get to run inside the amusement parks (for the Half, it was Epcot and Magic Kingdom; for the Full, it was all 4 parks), it is the fastest couple of miles you will get through.  You lose yourself in the magic and fun of the park.  You get distracted posing with the characters.  And you have tons of spectators cheering you on.  It's AWESOME!

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E
Word to the wise, when you are doing the Goofy Challenge, it's all about endurance and not about time.  This was an initially difficult concept for me.  Surprising, since I'm not a fast runner and should be used to people passing me.  However, it was a little blow to my ego to let SO many people run past me.  Luckily, I carried an aid...a camera.  Sure, there would be a little bit of a line, but taking pictures with the characters became a welcome break and opportunity to catch my breath.  In addition, every character would have a Disney Assistant who would take your picture for you.  It turned into a new game for me where I felt like I was collecting playing cards.  Oooh, I don't have a photo with that one yet!

Water, Port o' Johns, and Medic Stations
It was a well organized and supplied race.  There were plenty of options along the trails and I was beyond thankful.  In addition, the Medic Stations were supplied with everything that I could think to need including aspirin, antacid, feminine products, and gels to relieve muscle tension.

Spectating
Even without the CheerSquad packet, Disney does a GREAT JOB of mapping spotting points and directions for spectators.  Though it was my friend's first time coming out to spectate a race, he managed to easily chase me down at each of the points with the directions provided on the race website.  Because of the darkness during the first hour of the race, his son's glow-in-the-dark Buzz Lightyear toy played doubled duty as an aid so that I could spot HIM on the trail.


Recovering Between Races
In a nutshell, do nothing.  All I did was eat, sleep, and stretch.  I spent a little time in the pool to help bring the swelling down in my muscles.  I also wore compression tights during the day.  I went to bed at 6:30pm the night before the marathon to ensure that I was well rested for it.

So, How Did It Feel to Run 39.3 Miles?
Admittedly -- not bad at all.  I ran at a slower pace than usual.  This strategy left me feeling good for the race.  When I got tired, I'd stop and take another photo with a character.  By the time the camera clicked, I'd feel fresh enough to take off again.  I was a little hungrier during the marathon than I typically am, but I took advantage of the free bananas and paced myself with gels at every 4th mile.  And as far as letting lots of people pass me in the beginning of the race, I was passing all of them at the end.

Overall Summary
If the Goofy Challenge has been on your mind -- JUST DO IT!  And have fun with it.  You'll be glad you did.

By the way, here's a video of me making a bee-line for Goofy who was standing at the finish line so that I could get a high-five as I crossed (just look for the pink tutu around 0:20-0:22 seconds).  That's what 39.3 miles looks like on me.  Just call me SUPERSTAR!