4-18 From Vans, High Tops, and my class to Racing Flats and acceptance:)

Track is over and I get to come home right after school for the next few weeks! That was a pretty fun, but extremely exhausting month. Trying to coach the kids properly and train daily is a bit like burning a candle at both ends. For the next few weeks I plan on making it to the pool on a much more regular basis. Tour of the Gila is less then two weeks away, and the triathlon season is just around the corner! Good stuff on the horizon.

Track- We had a real legitimate shot at winning the city championship last Friday night for both the boys and girls team, but we fell a little short. On the boys side, I was able to include a couple of my students! James and Joseph each ran the open 800. James out sprinted the two kids at the end of the race....and continued to run half way around the track again, until I finally got his attention:) My other kid, Joseph, was pretty disappointed that he didn't get a ribbon last week so he decided he was going for broke in the 800 on Friday night. This kid exemplified what every coach wants out of his athletes on game night..to a point. Joseph always takes off way to fast (and always forgets to cut into the inside lane at the turn) and Friday was no different. I positioned myself at the turn to make him both slow down and cut in...to no avail. Joseph was so damn determined to get a ribbon that he continued run way too fast and in he 8th lane until the next time around when I got his arm and showed him where lane 1 was. By the time Joseph was on his final straight towards the finish line, the crowd was clapping, his teammates were yelling, and he was white as a ghost, but refused to quit! He finished (last), but never stopped running and more importantly never stopped trying his very best. After the race he made his way back to the infield. His parents, brother (a collegiate soccer star), and  coaches were all very proud of him. What does Joseph do?? Has a seizure. Although I have seen many in my teaching career this one really got me. I picked my little buddy up and carried him to his mom's car and they took him to the hospital. He would be fine by later that night, but it shook me up pretty bad. I couldn't help but think of the out put Joseph gave for his team and especially for his teacher, coach and buddy. That's a big deal for a kid from my program to make the cross over to a regular sports team and he didn't want to go out without giving it his ALL! After that incident a little lull came over me and everything was put into perspective. I asked the kids to run with HEART on Friday night.. and that they did! On the girls side, the score last Saturday read Zia 114 (1st) Vista 44 (4th). That's a ton of points! On Friday night the score read Zia 98 (1st) Vista 89 (2nd)! Coach Reyes did an awesome job! As with everything I do, I managed a few Mikeisms at the meet, picture one at the top is a pair of shoes my buddy Paulo gave me for the kids to run in. I asked for an 8.5, knowing that is a popular size for 8th grade boys. After each event the shoes were used, the first thing the kid would do is take them off and pass them to the next kid who was planning on running in Vans or high tops.Those shoes were used for long jump, open 400, open 800, the mile run, 400 meter relay, 2 heats of the 800 relay, the 800 medley, and the 1600 meter relay!! Thanks again Paulo (and Danny for letting Paulo know we needed some). Funny thing about running in flats is that you run a bit faster then you are used to....hence a kid who wore them at the meet ran so darn fast he couldn't slow down and ended up biffing it a few meters past the finish line. The first thing he said when he got up, with a smile, was "These shoes are fast Coach"! I just laughed and took the shoes to the next kid waiting to find out for himself just how fast those Troy Lee Design Avia's really were:) FYI a kid who goes by the name of smurf was the final recipient of the shoes and ultimately took them home....He was very happy!

For those wondering...The streak lives, 118 days straight counting the trainer ride I just did (2 hrs):) Day 114 was a memorable one! I was fortunate enough to hook up with a fellow Trisports.com teammate, and professional triathlete, Ian Mikelson. It's not everyday I get the chance to ride with someone of the ability as Ian. He is one fast dude. I was stoked to have ridden with him to say the least. The Gila race has me a bit worried and I am trying to cut a little weight in preperation, but it's not an easy thing to do. I was trying to reach 165, but I am pretty sure that is not going to happen..I will settle for 170 (before the opening stage). Currently, I am at 175 and feel that is a little too big to get up some of those hills with lead pack, I guess we will find out soon enough. I must admit this streak of training everyday has been a good thing for me, and I am pleased with the side effects ;) ... Plus a friend of mine just e mailed me an article which detailed a study done in Spain which read "Beer beats water for hydration in endurance athletes"..... couldn't be happier!!!! BBQ & BEER tomorrow night! Take it EZ.

Peace Out!!!

4-7-11 Man of many hats...

My consecutive days working out streak was in serious jeopardy of coming to an end not too many hours ago. I came home and really had a tough decision...drink a few beers ie. drown some bad memories or hop on the trainer for a few hours.. then have some numbing agents. Today I sat in the wrongful death settlement case for my former student, friend, and one time training partner; JR. The day left me absolutely drained. JR's mom asked me to be a part of the process and I couldn't let her down. I am okay with the fact that the kids will have a fund set up and when they turn 21 they will be able to utilize it. I was sick to my stomach the way it all played out as if we were bartering for a new car or house or something of that nature. My jobs have brought me face to face with more realities then most people will ever get the chance to see/experience and for that I am both pleased and a little broken. Some might say ignorance is bliss, but that shits not for me. I want to LIVE. I want to experience all the heart aches and joys associated with a life filled...no..with a life overflowing. A life where I always go the extra mile, always take the time for that kid in the corner, and always make the time for someone when they need me. If I have learned anything from the people I call my friends I have learned that! I know, without a doubt, if I needed someone and I called on them, it wouldn't take long for them to reach me. Just knowing that has gotten me through some rough patches, so for that.. Thanks! It also makes me feel a little better that I know there were times when I would get phone calls or visits and hopefully problems were eased. For some, that time has passed, but for others... I'm still here and I'm still Mike:) (ie. come have a beer). Today there was nothing easy about watching (on video) the last few moments of a life cut short. Anger..trying my best to leave that bad dude in the past, Hurt..of course, Acceptance and move forward.. closer now then ever before. I guess I have this "thing" where I usually see the better part of people and tend to overlook the other stuff that may confuse the mass opinion. Case in point: when I saw the video I didn't see some big gang banger thug that was a total menace to society. Instead I saw a scared person that was running out of options and for that I cant even begin to explain the grief I felt for him. The fact of the matter is that if given the opportunity to change my personality, there is no way I would ever do things differently. I have very few regrets and saying JR was a big part of my life will never be one of them.

Many hats right? Tomorrow i get to wear my chef hat and teach the kids I currently work with how to make sushi rolls from scratch. We were given this classroom which used to be the old home economics room and we absolutely love it! We try to take full advantage of it every chance we get. Tomorrow we will not disappoint! The kids are going to look so cute in their aprons cooking rice, making chile rellenos, and ultimately helping roll with the bamboo rollers... I can't wait! I guess it would have been easy for me to mope around a little tomorrow, but the kids really need me to be the Mike they laugh with, learn with, and have fun with so for them (and me) I will!

For those of you wondering the streak still lives...107 days and counting. Tonight was a little different, I kinda had to workout, not to get in better shape, but to let my mind rest for a little while.. Take care and Thanks again for those of you who have made and still make a difference....

4-03-11 Milestones and Friendships

Wow it's been a little while since I have had enough time to sit and write. Track season started this past week at Vista and it's been a lot of fun so far. We will practice this week then have our first meet on Saturday, practice 4 more days next week, then on Friday night it's the city championship meet. That's it only a three week season. I know it's not really enough to get the kids in good running shape, but it's long enough to learn names, teach them how fun track can be ie.running through the sprinklers, teach a little about high jump and long jump, listen to the kids laugh at each other as they try the events, and basically end their middle school years in a fun athletic way. My goal for coaching this season was to instill  a joy for running, but I am not sure I have met my goal with 100% accuracy. There is one girl in particular who would not return my high five after the first workout and still will not shake my hand. She did cry a little and I told her she is more then welcome to walk, but instead she turned her head the opposite direction and jogged off....:).... Throwers??

Last Thursday morning I reached a milestone in my consecutive days of training. Day 100! I totally didn't want this day to be like all the others and I wasn't quite sure what to do, so I called my bro Danny, who just happens to be the best runner I know. I asked him if he wouldn't mind meeting me at the pool at 6 the next morning for a run. He said he had a long run scheduled later in the day, but didn't want to miss the chance to run together..especially since I can count the number of times on one finger that I have run at 6 am in the last 10 years! He knew it must be a special occasion and said cool. We met, ran up toward A Mountain (pretty good pace), watched the sun come up (on the way down), then headed to Milagro's for my favorite breakfast bagel in the whole world! It was a blast of a day so thanks my BROTHER!

The man, the myth, the legend...Danois Montoya!!

(I hope that middle finger was not meant for me)

I got a little ahead of myself, but I really wanted to make my point about me actually doing a pre-sun workout with a toatally cool dude, so let me back up just a bit. The day prior (Wed.) I made it to the heater ride with the local cycling team, Zia Velo. The heater ride is an all out free for all which winds through the flat valley, out to San Miguel, La Mesa, then through the pecan orchard at a red line pace to the bridge over the Rio Grande. I know it's gonna be one hell of a work out whenever I make to that ride and last Wednesday did NOT disappoint! There were a few early breaks,  I got a little boxed in and couldn't really get out early, but when the moment came I went and it was on! Fun times when you are riding hard enough to actually feel your heart beating in your ears and your legs pumping like pistons with no intentions of slowing down! It is moments exactly like this when everything in this crazy ass world makes complete and total sense, when the pain becomes trance like and hurt is replaced with a feeling of euphoria, and a level of calmness overtakes every other emotion....aaahhhh...it's that good! Needless to say it was an awesome ride. As we all regrouped after the bridge for the ride back to Mesilla, I couldn't help but overhear some of the conversation. It went something like...I have been tired from all the training as of late and I rode hard three days in a row. As I listened quietly I couldn't help but think to myself...Good! See, it's good to be tired and over trained this early in the season, that just means they are setting themselves up for a really fast year of bike racing. Throw in a little rest and recovery and those dudes are going to be rockets and that's what I need to make me faster;) Of course I didn't divulge the fact that I too have been training hard..for 100 consecutive days and had just run home from Vista (10 miles) immediately prior to jumping on my bike for the heater ride:) :) Not saying this to rub it in it's just I know I don't have too many competitive years left in the tank, so this one will be special. I am going to push myself harder, enjoy the efforts more, and hopefully see the results further down the road, much the same as my "roadie" friends.

Up early yet again

                                

follow the leader:)

                                               

Last climb of a tough day!

                                 

Christian and I at Pinos Altos

Lets leapfrog to Saturday, I got an invitation from an old friend, Christian Kruger, to drive up to Silver City and do the final stage of the tour. The stage known as the Gila Monster....Ouch, what a day full of climbing with strong riders. I started out before the sun came up (once again), got to Silver, met the cyclists I would be riding with, picked out the guy with a former Tour of The Gila Leaders Jersey and stuck to him all day. It was another tough day in the saddle to say the least, but I am totally happy I did this because I got to see first hand what I am getting myself into....next weekend I am headed back to do it again in reverse to simulate day 1. The descends are a bit nerve racking, 50 miles an hour (at times) with hair pin turns with aspens and drop offs at every corner...there is no drug in the world that will make you feel more ALIVE then that!

Finally, Saturday night with The Medinas and quite possibly the best way to end a hard day in the sun and me realizing just how lucky I am to have some of the best friends a person could ever ask for. I was surprised with a bottle of wine which read "100 days and counting" (or something like that) it got a little hazy;). I didn't even know they kept up with my blog:) We made home made sushi rolls (the chile relleno ones were my favorite), drank, laughed, drank, hot tubed, had desert which resembled giant twinkies, and made plans for the next half marathon in Colorado! 

This season, like never before, I am feeling really ready for a kick ass year. The training has been primo as of late, the weekly hours are piling up, my friends keep me extremely balanced, and the recovery is not too bad...for an old dude. Take care and to all my friends, new, long standing. beer drinking, training, young and old....
MUCHAS GRACIAS con todo mi corazon.