Race Report: The Marine Corps Historic Half, aka holy HILLS.

On Sunday, May 20th, 2012, coinciding with my one-year anniversary of graduating college, I ran the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, VA. My official chip time: 2:06:21.

Now the race report. 

Training
I started my training plan officially on March 10th, 2012. After only recently discovering that I actually liked running, my goals for time seemed lofty at that point. When I registered, I was only running casually with coworkers, putting in an average of 8-10 miles per week. To amp up the intensity, I used Hal Higdon's Intermediate (found here: http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51132/Half-Marathon-Intermediate-Training-Program), and dove into it a few weeks in. I have no training regrets, having accomplished both distance and time goals without any injuries (thank goodness). It's incredible that 6 months ago, I couldn't even run for 10 minutes straight.

Race Day The plan was to hold off the sauce for a week prior, get a good nights sleep the night before, and wake up early for a warmup the day of. Sadly, none of those goals were accomplished. After battling the most gruesome hangover all day Saturday, Sunday I groggily awake with just enough time to stuff down a bagel w/ olive oil and half a banana. I also consume several cups of coffee to get the digestive system started, and thankfully, the poop gods were kind.

After an hour's drive, we arrive in Fredericksburg and are psyched to begin. 

THE RACE
My initial goal, set in March, was to break 2:10:00. As my training went on in April, I felt unsure of making this goal. At the starting line, I settled in about halfway between the 2:00:00 and 2:30:00 corral.
At the starting gunshot, I immediately feel like I'm moving too slow. Screw it, I said, I'm going to enjoy the first mile or two and run like the wind. Here were my splits according to Endomondo, not factoring in a bit of walking before the start line:

         Time   Split
Mile 1 0:09:53 0:09:53
Mile 2 0:09:05 0:18:58
Mile 3 0:09:12 0:28:10
Mile 4 0:09:11 0:37:21
Mile 5 0:09:00 0:46:21
Mile 6 0:09:05 0:55:26
Mile 7 0:09:43 1:05:09
Mile 8 0:09:14 1:14:23
Mile 9 0:09:29 1:23:52
Mile 10 0:09:56 1:33:48
Mile 11 0:10:08 1:43:56
Mile 12 0:09:53 1:53:49
Mile 13 0:09:51 2:03:40


And a lovely chart of the course (because I love charts):

Miles 1-4.5 were HILLY AS HELL, with several consecutive rolling hills. Supporters were dense, with even a tequila and jello shots stand around mile 4 (the leftover hangover deterred me - probably for the best). Despite the inclines, I flew by the first few miles off of pure energy, passing most mid-corral runners in the first mile.

Mile 5-6 were my quickest, and the best in terms of terrain/energy/water stops. At this point we were downtown Fredericksburg, running through the town with people cheering on. I must have had plenty of adrenaline, because I was not tired AT ALL. Ended up PRing the first 10k (ill-advised, I know), so I tried to slow slightly. 

Around mile 7, a significant number of runners of my corral dropped back and started walking. This gives me energy, since I felt like a beast for passing noobs, and I zipped through the next 2.

Mile 10 comes around and I'm starting to feel it. At this point, jelly beans have been acquired and I've munched on a few. Holy crap this hill is massive. Hospital Hill at mile 10.5 is a long, winding incline that I can only describe as running consistently uphill for over a mile. I was able to push through on a very form-focused job, but my time and energy suffered. I noticed several faster runners walking the hill and falling back.

Mile 11 - I'm basically high on endorphins, charging this hill. I confuse myself and miscount miles. Damnit, I'm not actually at mile 12 yet.

Mile 12 - FINALLY I'M AT MILE 12 AND THIS ROUTE IS STILL UPHILL?!?!

Mile 13 - I hear it announced on Endomondo at least a half mile before I actually reach it (must have started it off on the GPS or something), but IDGAF. The hill finally recedes and allows for a flat stretch for the last bit. It was phenomenal! Pace had me tagged around 8:10 as I sprinted my way through the last quarter mile. 

Overall it went wonderfully. For my first half marathon, I am completely satisfied with both a distance and time PR. After seeing the results of some pretty dedicated training, I'm looking forward to my next (Woodrow Wilson Half in October), and hopefully getting closer to breaking 2:00:00.

Congratulations to everybody who participated, and thank you to the Marines for your service. 

Davis, myself, and Nolan after crossing the finish! Achievements unlocked and feeling great.

Photo-Blog

 This is the view on top of Temple IV in Tikal. The central square can be seen, with temples I and II. This scene was also used in Episode 4 of Star Wars. 

The Mayan temples were a magnificent sight to see and climb. The site had only been discovered in the 90s, and many temples remain buried. Many of the steps, as the ones below, are in an unrestored condition and unsafe to climb.

And this, of course, is the scene from the movie (which I will be watching as soon as I get home).

Here in Lanquin will be our last stop before we head home. This small mountain town is full of local energy and beautiful mountains. The main attractions are caves and brightly colored pools. Tomorrow we will be doing some caving and some diving in the pools. Then, we´re off to Guate and finally back home.

Travel Fever

In the fifth week of my travels, i have begun feeling the inexplicable
emotion of an unfounded connection between myself and the countries
that I am in, and the people who I have met. An article I recently
read puts it succinctly: traveling is a drug, a fever, and an
addiction that consumes ones real life. Read the article at
http://www.travelettes.net/lonely-planet-destroyed-my-life/ .

As the prospect of returning to the states and beginning my new career
draws nearer, the anxiety and the fear of settling grows stronger. At
a young age of 21, who am I to commit myself to a lifetime of work and
goal-oriented aspirations? As a person who is goal oriented and
ambitions, it's weird to hear myself say that I'm dreading it. That at
this moment in time I would much rather move to Nicaragua or join the
peace corps or work for the foreign service. As the German traveler
writes, lonely planet destroyed his life. By creating an addiction, a
compulsion to see and experience everything. A compulsion to learn,
but learn uniquely, of things so foreign in the homeland. Concepts of
language, culture, religion, and poverty that are so far buried in the
daily life of an average american. Despite the 5 weeks I will be
spending here, I feel I could have spent a year and still feel
unsatisfied, like I haven't learned enough, like I haven't seen
everything.

The biggest realization that I have come to, and I'm sure most other
independent or frequent travelers would agree, is that it takes very
little to make a vacation truly count. In terms of planning, plane
tickets, money and hotel bookings, I could arm mysel with a lonely
planet book and a debit card and see myself around the entire earth
without any trouble. Once this conclusion had hit me, I immediately
started wondering, why should I ever stay home then? Why not take
every moment I have, every penny of my worth and spend it experiencing
more in one day abroad than I could in a month at home?

Shake me before I go crazy. I surely hope i don't become that dirty
hippy that quits their job and spends their life washing dishes for a
few pesos or yen or kronas to make it to the next place. But I won't
be the last to admit how appealing it sounds, and how dangerously easy
it is to start.

Now I must write about our most recent sightseeing, and no doubt one
of the most incredible places I have ever been to. Yesterday we
visited the ruins of Tikal, a partially uncovered limestone city
belonging to the ancient Mayan kingdom. The earliest construction of
Tikal is known as 750BC, nearly three thousand years ago. Today many
temples remain uncovered, overgrown with jungle plants and canopy, but
the temples can be seen bulging out from the earth in the traditional
4-sided pyramid shape.

By now we have made it to the small mountain town of Lanquin, and will
be staying here until returning to Guatemala City to fly home. Photos
of Tikal to come!

Enter: Guatemala

As of a few days ago, we have traveled persistently through two
countries to arrive here, in Guatemala.

The trip started and ended with a bus, like always; first a chicken
bus to the dodgy city of Managua, then an 18-hour coach ride and a
night in Guatemala City before finally another chicken bus to Antigua.
We spent two days in Antigua before another long bus trip to where we
are now. The Isla de Flores, in the Peten region of Guatemala.

To put the country in perspective, it ranks third in the line of
places we have visited in terms of poverty, with the fourth most
impoverished being Nicaragua, the second poorest nation in the
Americas. Yet from our passing through Guatemala City and the
well-maintained colonial town of Antigua, the difference in poverty is
both apparent and striking compared to the tumultuous conditions in
Nicaragua. The tourism industry booms here, with a slight immersion
into indigenous Mayan culture. The markets here, of which there are
several in every town, seem to flourish with tourism money. Unlike in
Nicaragua, the goods here seem to focus only on our foreign pockets.

Either way, it is impossible to ignore the obvious beauty in this
country's history and culture. Indigenous tribes remain true to their
customs, language, and dress. Weaving clothing, hammocks, and other
textiles, tribal women attract attention with their uniquely bright
garments. They often sell their handiwork in artisan markets, and try
to charge the tourists a fortune. Thank goodness for successful
haggling.

Tomorrow supposedly the culmination of all sights in Central America
leads to this one: the Mayan ruins of Tikal. Nestled deep in the
jungle, this well-preserved limestone city has buildings that date
back to 3000BC. In order to get there, we are taking a 90 minute
shuttle leaving at 4:30 in the morning.

With just a few days of sightseeing left before heading home to the
states, I've gain appreciation for so many crucial things. One is a
good book. Another is a mosquito-free environment. Lastly, there's hot
water. I already know what I'm going to do the moments following my
arrival back home: drink a hefeweizen, take a 20 minute hot water
shower, and cuddle with my cat.

Volcano-boarding in Leon

Spending way more time in Nicaragua than we had planned, we decided to
make an impromptu trip to Leon, in the North-pacific coast. The
colonial city of Leon had much to offer but we focused on the unique
attraction: the active volcano, Cerro Negro. This unique type of
volcano is only one of a few in the world. It remains extremely
active, with two active craters, and is made up of fine volcanic rock,
or black sand. It is also one of the few places in the world where one
can board down on a waxed board at over 50mph. The hike was a bit over
an hours climb over volcanic rock and ash, and arrival at the top
revealed two billowing craters spewing sulfur and minerals. The
descent was very steep, and we slid down sitting on waxed wooden
boards.

The included photo shows part of our hike. The landscape is incredible
as it shows the history of the volcanic eruptions in the past, as lava
has hardened over and blackened on the bottom of the volcano.

The Masaya Region

After departing from San Juan del Sur, we made for a few small towns
out of the way. The Masaya region is rich with Nica culture,
practicing artisans, and natural beauty. We spent two days
experiencing the areas around Laguna de Apoyo, which is an extinct
volcano crater filled with fresh water. The lake is a few hundred
meters above sea level and filled with crystal clear, blue water.
Having the chance to swim and kayak through the lagoon was a
refreshing experience, and I got to practice my Spanish with some
like-minded Nicas at the lake lodge.

San Juan del Sur - Surfer's Paradise

If youre ever in the mood for cheap surf lessons and killer waves,
this is the place to be. This gringo-run beach town on the
South-Pacific coast of Nicaragua is full of sandy beaches and coastal
bars, not unlike the previously-visited Bocas del Toro. We only spent
one night in this paradise, however. While the beach is nice, I didn't
intend on doing much more in this town than dunk myself in the Pacific
for the first time. I was quite eager to visit the less touristy
places in Nicaragua, where we've spent our last nearly two weeks.

Five weeks is not enough...

As I enter into my fourth week in Central America, I cannot imagine
all the beautiful and interesting places that I am failing to visit.
Three weeks seem to have flown by already. Three jam-packed weeks,
from the first seven days in Panama to the next seven days in Costa
Rica, to now. We are rounding off a week in Nicaragua and I can't bear
to leave without seeing more.

Forty days seems long at first. Yet when the days start to get
shorter, the bus trips get longer, all of the sudden, it's
two-days-here, two-days-there. There are seven individual countries in
Central America (excluding Mexico and including Belize, even though
Guatemala has yet to acknowledge their existence). Yet it seems that
we will only get the chance to really see four. Two weeks in Panama
and Costa Rica were well spent, but now I feel it's time to slow down.

Today we arrived in a beautiful hostel on the Laguna de Apoyo. It is
an inactive volcanic crater, filled with crystal clear water. This
area of Nicaragua is rich with natural wonders and cultural delights.

Isla de Ometepe

This shot is from the balcony of our farm. We stayed three nights on a
coffee plantation in a large furnished barn. The farm is on the side
of the smaller volcano, Madera, which we hiked. What you see here is
the larger, active volcano called La Concepcion.

An Intesting Beginning in Nicaragua

The past few days we have been occupied in the beautiful, complicated country of Nicaragua. Noticeably less touristy and much more impoverished than our previous destinations, the towns we have stayed in offer a unique indigenous charm. Since last Wednesday, the two of us have traveled to the colonial city of Granada and through the volcanic island of Ometepe. With limited running water, shotty electricity, and the rocky, unpaved roads, I have felt humbled and blessed to appreciate these things so coveted within remote pueblos throughout Nicaragua.

During our stay on Ometepe, I was thrilled to learn about the heavy presence of Peace Corps in the country, and fortunate to spend some time learning about a few of their lives. We met three volunteers coming to the end of their two year service term. They were all English teachers living in the areas surrounding the large lake. Gaining insight on the political corruption in Nicaragua, it seems many of us take peaceful fair elections for granted. In this country, much of a persons economic fate is dependent on their activity in the far leftist, currently-ruling political group, the Sandinistas. Walking around and seeing election propaganda and posters advocating peaceful elections shows a glimpse of the country's current events.

The lack of infrastructure in most pueblos also restricts wifi access. This is the first solid access to Internet in a few days. Photos of Nicaragua to come soon!

Rainbow Trunks

After an ecologically friendly day around San Jose and visiting Volcan Poas, I cannot contain my excitement over seeing a very exciting thing: rainbow eucalyptus trees!

For those of you who have maybe never heard of this amazing plant, you can read about it here! or google for yourself.

These amazing trees are very tall and so colorful! And we saw them on the bus ride to and from the volcano! Seeing these in person is such a treat as I never thought I'd be somewhere where they actually exist. However, not to trump the main event of today, which was climbing to the top of Volcan Poas and observing an active volcanic crater spew sulfuric gasses into the sky.

Updates to come. The group has split and Ryan and I now travel solo. Tomorrow we journey to Nicaragua. Stay tuned.

A Glimpse of the Tropics

In our last few days of Costa Rica, the beauty (and expense) of ecotourism has really caught up with us. After touring the cloud forestry in Monteverde, our group migrated to the lazy tourist town of La Fortuna, where the famed active volcano Arenal looms in the distance.

Below is a shot of the main area of our hostel. Thats right, hostel, not resort. With palm trees everywhere, beach cabana-style huts, and this crystal-clear pool, the place is pretty cozy for 14$ a night.

Along with the luxury of the establishments around town, the area also boasts some incredible wildlife. Geckos are everywhere, and we stumbled upon this little green guy:

Our journeys led us to hot springs, hikes around the volcano, and an 80 meter high waterfall, where we spent an afternoon swimming and trying to catch fish. The volcano, Volcan Arenal, is magnificent as it is currently active. Hardened lava trails down the mountain can be seen with the naked eye, and the volcano emits crystal clear water at a variety of temperatures. At the hot springs, while striking up conversations with locals, we discover the techniques used to harness the naturally heater water, channelling it into pools and tubs where one can relax for a day.

Below is a glimpse of the volcano in the early evening hours. Being the rainy season, clear views are often short-lived and sporadic, making photographic captures like this all the more precious.

Tomorrow the rest of our friends depart for the United States, and on Wednesday morning, Ryan and I plan on heading to Costa Rica, escaping both the incredible biodiversity and the quicksand in our wallets. 

The Tourism Effect

The last few days has certainly left its mark on all Of us here. Yesterday, we crossed the border from panama to costa rica... LITERALLY hiked a shaky bridge across two countries. We then proceeded, in an attempt to reach a rainforest, Venice-style town called Tortuguero, to the non-tourist destination of Puerto Limon. The city was quite a change from the gringo-packed paradise Bocas del Toros. Streets were empty, the parks were dark, and there was little to entertain foreigners. But I was able to find such a strange charm from a place that was completely off the beaten path, a place daring to show the ugliness of real lives and real citizens. We received a great deal of help from a generous taxi driver, hoping to get our business for a boat to Tortuguero, but that adventure has since been skipped.

Now, a day of travel later, we have spent our first night in the highly popular cloud-forest town of Monteverde, where on every block exists a dozen hotels, expensive restaurants, and adventure kiosks trying to scam you for canopy tours.

It is clear that this town lives and breathes the tourism industry. All signs and prices are in English and dollars. Food and activities are quite expensive, compared to before, and most people we encounter speak good English.

When in Rome, they say... so tour we shall! Tomorrow the group is leaning towards a three hour zipline tour through the rainforest, a waterfall hike, and a canopy tour. At night, a canopy tour to see night animals is very popular. So its possible my money will fly. Only it's worth it.

A Week in Panama

As a full week abroad draws to a close, the gang prepared to forge ahead to the next stop: Costa Rica! A recap of the week includes walking the skyline in Panama City, mountain-biking in the tiny town of Boquete, and sleeping in a tree house on the paradise island of Bocas del Toro.

While the Spanish is quite different from the lingos and lisps used in Spain, I'm starting to adjust to the carefree, relaxed manner that sometimes involves smashing all the words together. The rest of our group, totaling all seven of us, have vastly improved in Spanish in the past few days.

Now that my first week is nearly done, I look back and see such a humble lifestyle in a hardworkin country. Locals seem diligent in accomplishing their tasks (diligent but slow?) and it truly shows in the thriving city of Panama. Also the tourism industry is off the charts here. In some places, like Bocas, the community seems to survive on first-world tourists alone. Nevertheless, the white sand beaches, coral reefs, rainforests and volcanoes are definitely worth the visit.

Panamanian Skyline

Bocas del Toro: White Sand Paradise

Boquete from Above

Panama City and my New Companions

After a swift journey through a few familiar airports, I have landed in panama city and am now united with my travel partners, as well as some uninvited companions... Bedbugs on the first night.

As backpackers become more and more well travelled, the presence of bed bugs has spread all over the world. My suspisions of encountering these pests was dead on. Lo and behold, upon liftin the sheets, a visible array of bug trails can be spotted and one or two of the tiny peaks can be seen scurrying about. What else to do but to grin and bear it? While not particularly dangerous, bedbugs bites can be irritating and bothersome. Hopefully some bug spray will ward them off.

Central America: The Next Adventure

As I revisit my blog since the days of my study abroad adventures, the exhilaration of moving about and traveling the unknown slowly returns. The next adventure, commencing approximately 48 hours from now, is a journey from Panama City to Guatemala City, a journey spanning 40 days, seven countries and countless cities.

And with the traveling plans comes, of course, the chaos of packing. This time, I thought, surely experience would have served me well. This time, I'll know exactly what to bring, exactly how much of it, and exactly how to pack it. How wrong of me to think that.

Anybody who has ever traveled for five weeks on a student budget might know the same. Packing really is  dependent on plenty of variables: wealth, leisure, accommodations, activities. Unfortunately, my case will be the lowest wealth, the highest liesure, the slightest accommodations, and the most adventurous activities.

A few packing considerations of mine have already been the traditional obsessions among pre-traveled backpackers. Already, months have been spent selecting the ideal backpack, researching the weather. stocking up on random wet-season items like water-proof jackets and fast-dry shoes. Personally, I had to consider the consequences of taking my DSLR over a point-and-shoot, of which I choose to face. Nevertheless, less than two days prior to my departure, I'm still wondering how the hell I'm going to fit all my stuff into this bag.

Socialism

Just returned to Valencia after another string of epic travels. I got back home on Thursday morning after spending a dreadful night in the Barajas Aeropuerto, and then spent the proceeding 24 hours in hermitude studying for my Controls exam. Finally now, a chance to reflect on the past two weeks, and the (less than) two weeks to come.

Sitting at a café with my two favorite Scandinavians today sparked some thought on the trip I took to Norway and Sweden; how shockingly similar these two countries are, how incredibly stable their government-controlled society seems, and how much happiness socialism brings to their citizens.

Norway and Sweden are probably two of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe. Not many people live there, I think combined there are less than 13 million people (less than the population of Pennsylvania). Their languages are similar enough to be mutually understood and neither country is on the Euro. Also did I mention the cost of living is ridiculously high there? Probably the highest in the EU, although I'm positive that Oslo is. Anyways, these countries have a pretty different way of running things. It's called socialism.

It seems nice. Education is paid for. Heathcare as well. No person goes without the basic necessities of life such as food, water, and a place to live. Those with jobs get government-mandated salary bonuses and one month of vacation time per year. Those without jobs receive a livable stipend from the government until they find one. The standard of living is level for all.

However, the downside can be cause for concern: taxes up the wazoo. It's like a giant piggybank that takes money from everybody and sends it back in a steady stream, in social programs and welfare. While nobody is poor, nobody is rich. Simply because the rich can't afford to stay rich. Most people live a decent lifestyle. The average. The standard.

What are they missing out on? Is it the American Dream that drives us all to be so fickle with our hard-earned dollars? To deny some access to fundamental services, like healthcare and food? Or need we explain how it is only just to reap what you sow, because the wealthy deserve luxury just as the impoverished deserve destitution? Perhaps our ladder remains unclimbable. Perhaps it's good we have a ladder at all.

Maybe one day I'll move to Norway to get rich and come home.

Proof of Norway's ridiculous wealth: