Peaks and Valleys 6-22-11

Don't ask me why, but it seems I've been feeling a heck of a lot better lately! Last weekend my little brother Steven and I were able to get in a few good workouts together and everything seemed to fall into place. Perhaps one of the best runs in recent memory went down on Saturday evening, one of those runs that will be on your mind for years to come! Steven and I had finally decided to run at about 9 pm, at first we said it would just be an easy run, but that all changed the minute one of us started "half wheeling" the other. By the time I knew it we were in a dead on sprint down Avenida De Mesilla. The sprint continued for roughly two minutes. Luckily one us finally let off the gas a bit and the pace turned a tad more manageable. It wasn't long, however, until we were at it again...this time I figured I would sucker him into a longer session, say 4 minutes.. I figured that I was in a little better shape and would be able to hold the pace longer, but no way could I keep up with him in a dead on sprint (Steven was a sprinter and long jumper before triathlons). By the half way point of our run we had done 3 pick ups which ended in an all out sprint. I don't think either one of really spoke, we were just ready to spring at a moments notice. This kept on for the remainder of the run until the last mile or so when we decided to finally call a truce and cool down. I haven't run that fast in years..or ever?? Fun times with the little bro! The next morning Steven was anxious to get his new TTX on the pavement so we went for a ride through some familiar territory. Once again by the time we were in the pecan fields, we were hitting each other with 30mph bursts. It was nice to know I still had the power to do those workouts...for a while there little thoughts of self doubt were beginning to creep in..not a good thing when I am contemplating my most memorable season. True, this Tri season has not really gotten off to the start I had hoped for, but there are good signs and good times on the horizon thanks to my family, friends, and sponsors. I've been at this long enough to know there are peaks and valleys I guess all you need sometimes is a little push from someone you believe in, someone you whole heatedly put all your trust in, someone who you know will never hurt you...intentionally, unlike the puking feeling after a workout that went a little array:) and lastly someone you know will always have your back no matter what! Who knows where the journey will take you and honestly who cares as long as you are surrounded with the right people, I guarantee the end point will be filled with jokes, smiles, beers, and love...or wine if you are with the Medina's.

For those of you that are wondering about the streak, well it lives on! Yesterday I ran at around 1 pm around A Mountain...(an all time favorite place of mine). It was around 98*, my run felt great, and I knew the 78* water temp at NMSU pool would feel even better when I got there! Yesterday made 182 straight days! Some workouts have been better then others that's true, but just like the peaks and valleys, we have to go through one to appreciate the other...

Peace Out and enjoy the little pics below, I figured you might be tired of the same old same old.....(background on the pics...we did a little get fit program at school where the kids raced against each other, this was the difference between 1st and 2nd place)...WE HAVE ALL BEEN THERE!!

VALLEY

PEAK

What a trip! Just what the Dr. ordered! 6-16-11

Just pulled back into town from a really cool trip which involved lots and lots of camping (with way cool people), some races including Mar doing a trail half marathon in CO, rafting down the Animas, swimming at the most beautiful place (pool)  in the world, and also driving on some of most scary roads the camper and suburban have ever been on.

The trip started with the trek to Show Low, AZ for the Deuces Wild Triathlon Festival. We would be going with our good friends, The Medina's, and helping them celebrate their 6th wedding anniversary. My bro's Steven and Danny would be there as well as Kori and Scott, our friends from Elephant Butte. Joining us later, due to forced evacuation from their original campsite was Terry and JD. All in all it made for a damn cool camping experience with lots of cool folk!

After our usual stop in Pie Town for some pecan pies we were off.... into the smoke... Little did we know it would turn into the biggest fire in the history of AZ forest fires! We made it to Fools Hollow Lake where we would be staying for the next 4 nights.

The races went off as usual and the water colder then f###, as usual, and as usual which tends to be the case there I freaked out just a little bit in the swim??? I guess the combination of the cold water, the elevation, my sleeveless wetsuit, due to the fact that it seems I have "out grown" my full suit, and starting a little too hard left me with a 4 minute gap to the main comp! I never really made much up the rest of the race and finished 11th overall. My run did feel pretty good and I took that little positive into the next day's XTERRA race. I was a little disappointed with my overall placing because I knew I should have finished in the top 5 (more on that later). The next day we were up at 5 again for a chilly swim start which was actually an hour earlier then the day before! Better swim, still had some in the tank for the bike, and had my best run split there in 6 years!! I actually felt like I was racing where as the day before it was like I was only going through the motions. 11th overall yet again, only this time I was pleased with the result. The only person who passed me on the run was my bro Danny (who has a wicked fast run and usually posts the fastest run split of the day...pro's included)! 11th was the best I have ever placed the XTERRA especially after racing the day before, so it really left me with a better feeling then the olympic race.

Funny thing is that after the olympic race I was talking to a friend of mine. I was telling her (J) that I was cool with my placing and its ok to lose to someone every now and again... WTF was I saying, I kinda think that was what she was thinking as well?? I guess because I seem to have gotten pretty "at ease" in my life that I almost forgot how to use that fire inside me that has gotten me to this point. My job for the better part of the next few weeks was to chill on the hard training (still train though) and find that part of me that wanted to beat the living shit out of anyone I faced, keep up on the swim, kick their ass on the bike and let them try to catch me on the run...Sometimes it worked and a few times I was pretty jacked starting the run, but at least I felt I was racing like MIKE! Out on my run today it occurred to me just how much it bothered me when a dude passed me on the bike and called me by name as if to acknowledge he knew me and now he was going to blow past me...NOT AGAIN! My homework assignment is complete, I will do the workouts it takes to make sure I am not stepping stone someone measures themselves with by beating me, I will do my best to let them measure by how close they get!! With that being said, I will now get back to the fun stuff...Happy Place, Happy Place...:)




Everything felt forced on day 1



Steven is getting good at photography

The Hardware :)

So we left Show Low and headed for colorful Colorado! Next stops would include places such as Durango, Pagosa, Silverton, Telluride, and perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever been...Ouray. We pulled the camper up and down some treacherous passes, took the suburban 4x4ing, went river rafting, hot springing, and basically just had a blast (did what Dr. Jaclyn ordered)! We were gone for 15 days and it was definitely one of the most memorable vacations on record. Huge thanks to the Medina family, my bros Danny and Steven, Kori and Scott, and my 1994 GMC that never says quit!

Mo and Levi rafting on the Animas

Mar and little man

Partners in crime :)



Messing around in Ouray...The most gorgeous place on earth!



Silverton

This made Mar really happy!



My view as I swam my laps in the Ouray hot springs... everyday



Campfires are allowed in CO and Salud.

The mountains in Ouray are very dangerous

Very proud of my Suburban....yet again!!

Fish out of Water

Summer time is finally here!! Don't get me wrong, I am not like one of those teachers who do the whole countdown till summer thing. As a matter of fact I pretty much enjoy my job and I approach the summer break much the same as I do a Friday at school! However, I am not denying the fact that we all need a break and the summer will be a blast with no work obligations:) with that being said, lots have happened between the Gila tour and now.

School ended on a good note with New Mexico Days, a day devoted to the customs and cultures of this great state! We decided early on this year to construct an authentic Navajo Pit House. I had no idea how much work this would be (given the population I work with). The original plan was to dig a 3 foot hole 10 x10 feet wide, make enough adobes to go around the structure, then put logs, sticks, and mud to cover the entire structure. Obstacles we encountered on the project: sewer lines smack dab in the middle of the first dig, dirt which was too sandy to maintain the consistency of an adobe, time it actually takes to make a 40 lb. adobe (about 25 hrs to make the 100 adobes from scratch), and lastly the hard work under the New Mexico sun! Educational benefits we were able to incorporate: ratios (math) the use of real life bar graphs and pie charts of the different soils and grasses we used for the perfect adobe, hands on social studies classes, integration of regular education and special education students, community participation, and lastly a visit by the LCPS Asst. Superintendent to view the final construction. During the week prior to NM Days we had managed to dig the 10 x 10 pit, make 2 tons of adobes on our own, were able to get an additional 8 tons of adobes donated (which we had to transport), and finally erect about half of the project. As always I didn't really know what I was getting myself into, and as always I got in a little over my head, and as always it all worked out in the end! Dr. Sanchez and my principal Mr. Davis were so impressed that I was nominated for a Golden Apple Award :) It's all good at the place I work!!

First Tri of the season!!! Up until this point I felt like a fish out of water, doing mountain bike, road bike, and running races. So when race weekend came, I was excited and anxious, but really tired (from all the adobe stuff)! Going into this race was a little different then the other series races in Tucson. Over the off season I was able to meet and train with all the Trisports.com team. Those guys, and gals, are really fast (and cool). When I see any of them at a race, I know any one of them could win it on any given day. Usually I go for broke on race day (and still do), if I were to get passed or beat I would take it a bit personally, but now a days it seems like I have made a complete 180*. I am happy for the guys wearing the red white and blue of Trisports no matter what position they are in the race. I knew Leo and Brian would be up there and I noticed Thomas was racing as well. Thomas won the team triathlon in the spring so I figured he would be the guy to beat! The race went pretty well, I finished 5th overall right between Brian and Leo (keeping awesome company), Thomas won, and Mar and I got a nice little weekend get away without the kiddos ;) All in all I feel I am right where I needed to be, I just didn't think about how hard the school project was going to be and how many hours I was going spend in the sun so close to a race in which I like to do well in.... Looking back, it was totally worth it and I would do it all over again exactly the same!! Next up, Deuces Wild Triathlon festival in Show Low AZ. where we will be camping together with our good friends The Medina's, My bro's Steven and Danny, and race directors Kori and Scott (we will have all three races covered)!!! Good times on the horizon! Enjoy the summer my friends... I know I will! By the way, yesterday made 159 straight days of training without an off day...can you say OCD??

5-06-11 Four Days, A First Holy Communion, A Stage Win, and A Full Circle

It seems like forever ago since I have had enough time to sit down and update the goings on... One track season has come and gone, we did a killer assembly at school, finished The Tour of The Gila, and now the final track season (6th and 7th grade) will be over tomorrow! The consecutive days training is still in full swing (135 and counting), but I must admit there were a few recovery swims before and after the Gila.

This was me and some of the crazy teachers I work with putting on a KISS concert for 800 middle schoolers

First things first, The Tour of The Gila.... This was my first bike race since 2005 when I used to ride for the local Zia Velo bike team. We were sponsored by an RV shop in the Tucson area so we would race there whenever possible and it was there where I wrecked, tore my MCL, broke my tibial plateau,  broke my fibula, and my tail bone (most painful).yeah it was a bad wreck and I vowed never to bike race again. Somewhere between the fear of wrecking again, the need to conquer my fear, and a few fast "Heater Rides", I seemed to have signed up for the most difficult amateur road race in the nation. I tried my best to train for the race, but there are just some things I could not simulate, fortunately I do posses the ability to ride hard (solo) and not quit and these traits would serve me well....yet again..

Day one: To say I was nervous about this stage would be a humongous understatement! The stage started with some pretty intense downhill portions including the famous Sapillo descent. To be honest I was scared shit less, rode way too easy on the descents, let the main pack get a sizable gap on me, thought I could close by riding solo in the valley, and still be in the race...WRONG! At first I wanted to keep the main group in striking distance and actually started the Sapillo descent in perfect position, but three bad (witnessed) crashes later and I backed way off and descended solo. I did ride as hard as I could in the valley trying to get back with the leaders, but those dudes are way too strong to pull back by myself. I ended up riding solo behind the main pack of about 20 guys and ahead of the chase pack of 12 riders for about 50 miles. The only reason I knew there was a pack behind me? On the final climb of the day (@2000 feet), they passed me as I was cramping so bad I doubted myself being able to complete the 4 day event!

Day two: After going back to my buddies house, licking my wounds, and downing a few Negra Modelos, I was feeling better about day 2! Day 2 was the individual time trial, a stage I knew I could do well in if I rode like a beast! There was nothing easy about this course, a little over 16 miles, big climbs, scary descents, and 45 mile per hour cross winds. That morning I made a decision to save face and ride hard, even if it meant turning myself inside out in the process. We were sent off in :30 sec intervals so I knew there would always be someone to catch and pass (something I tend to do quite well on a bike). The winds made it extremely difficult to control the bike especially on the descents. I tried to stay in the aerobars as much as possible and push the biggest gear I could still spin. Half way through the race I had already caught about 10 people and knew I was having a stellar ride! Reality struck on the return trip, that's where I came up on a really bad accident (about the 5th one I had seen since day 1) seems like a leading female had lost control on a 40 mph descent and crashed. She was already receiving medical attention, but I could tell she was pretty messed up. There was blood on the side of the road, her bike was in pieces and she was yelling in pain. The officials made us slow way down, move to the opposite side of the road, and encouraged us to not to push the descents beyond the point of safety. Luckily the finish line wasn't too far away so I just rode hard to the finish line. A guy who started ahead of me rode up and was all excited. He was like, "Dude you just ripped that course up, I think you won the whole thing"! I told him thanks, but I didn't think an overall win was possible (the dudes in my category were ripped and rode very strong). Results would not be posted until 8 pm so I figured go back to town, have a few beers, sleep, get a massage, and check the results later. It was a little surprising when I made it back to town to check the results, I found my name at the top by :45 seconds! I immediately let out a big holler and felt the old familiar rush inside me that usually only happens as a result of winning something really big! I was ecstatic to say the least! Key points of the TT stage: forgot my TT helmet and rode with a normal one (@:20-:30 sec loss), wore my one piece tri suite from trisports.com which had no sleeves (apparently against the rules until about a month ago and the only person in the race who went sleeveless), and the last thing is that I can still throw down on the bike at 41!

Day 3: Saturday and a very busy day for the Montoya family. First off the downtown criterium then to Cruces for Monique's First Holy Communion, then back to Silver by 5 am for the final stage on Sunday. The crit was nerve racking with 75 riders sprinting for cash prizes, screaming downhills, and four 90* left hand turns. My goal for the day was to survive the crazy course and squirrely riders. I managed to lead through the prize line a couple of times so the day was a success. I also managed to stay out of a pretty bad crash with about 4 laps to go. A funny thing about the stage was I wanted all the practice as possible on the course, so before they officially sent us off I managed to get in one more lap. As I rode up to the start they were just about to go, everyone was lined up, and I was way in the back. This is a recipe for disaster in a crit so I made my way to the front. Getting there was a challenge and at one point this one dude (dumb f***) told me, what the f*** get to the back. Before I could tell him anything, this other dude stepped in and said, Naw man that's Mike Montoya and he just kicked every one's ass by a minute yesterday in the time trial! The dude shut up and I grinned and gave my new friend a fist bump.....right in dumb f***'s face...

Day 4: The Gila Monster. I made it back to the start line with the help of my little brother Steven. I knew this stage was going to be the most difficult so far and I was hoping for a strong, cramp free day. My ultimate goal would and should have been to stay tucked in the pack all day and then unleash up the final hour long climb of the day. See, to do that would mean to me basically ride like a little bitch all day, never take turn up front, let everyone else do all the work and try to take as much credit as possible.....not my style, personality, or something I will ever believe in doing! From the very beginning of the race I wanted to test my legs and they were responding quite well. I took numerous turns up front pushing the pace and trying to get someone to go with me, but it wasn't happening. After some 55 mph descending with a group of 30 or so riders, the valley section was approaching. The race leader needed to relieve himself so everyone pulled over for about 5 minutes and took a leak. After we resumed riding the pace was disgustingly slow it was conversational pace at best. The race official informed us that the B group was only 2 miles back and if they caught us we would be put in neutral while they passed. The only person (besides me) in the entire pelaton who seemed pissed about this was the race leader he yelled, come on guys lets work! No response, he was the only one pushing the pace. Pussies, I thought, what the hell! I jumped to the front and told him, I'm here let's ride! Immediately I went to the front and pulled at least 26 mph (I am estimating because I have never ridden with a computer, wattage, or any other device except my heart and emotions for 20 years) in three minute increments with about one minute recovery efforts. I kept this up for the next 20 mile, where, at the sprint bonus point the very guys I rode my ass off for sprinted past me to gain some extra swag! Punk ass roadies! I went again and got third in the sprint bonus. You know at this point in the race I made a decision to continue to ride as hard as possible, not to sit in, and see how much stronger I could get for the upcoming tri season, that's the reason I was doing the race in the first place. Yeah I could have sat in the pack and saved myself, maybe I would have have picked up enough places for a top ten finish in the GC, but why??? What's the difference between top 25 and top 10 in a road race, especially if you're the TT stage champ, I thought to myself. Not a damn thing! Push it to the start of the climb then see what's left in the tank. Cool, sounds like a plan I can live with, something I can be proud of, and something I will tell all my bros back home. A cool thing happened the last day and on the final climb none the less, I rode up on an old friend, Terry Moore, who was having her own nice little race. Well when I caught her she was in a little trouble, off her bike in a climbing stage, ready to lose huge amounts of time to the leaders, and just about ready to throw her bike down a cliff. I yelled at her to get back on and I would pull her right back in the race. She did and she rode strong the rest of the ride. I remember yelling back, "just like old times Terry" and hearing in return, "thanks bro". Although times change and people often travel down separate paths, moments like those bring things full circle and it's just two old friends enjoying the hell out of themselves pedaling through some truly remarkable landscape together... again..

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.