In 2019 I set a goal to run 10 half marathons in a year (my usual average has been around 5). With the IronMan Rock and Roll series, I could go for a “Heavy Metal” challenge. The 2020 race season started great with Phoenix and New Orleans, but quickly ended thanks to the pandemic. One of the first races to be canceled was DC. This year, I finally got to...
One of my partner’s favorite bands is 311 (pronounced “Three Eleven”). This group, founded in 1988, plays a mix of alternative rock, nu-metal, and some hybrids of rap+rock+raggae. I first became aware of the group in 1995 when my little brother purchased their self-titled album on compact disc. I generally like the unique sound of this group and own...
New year and time for some new races. I loved doing this race in early 2020 before everything locked down. At the time I learned how great Arizona weather is during the winter. It is also a convenient 5-hour road trip from home. We drove out on Friday and picked up our race packets. The goal was to walk the 5k on Saturday as a team and then for me to do the Half...
It was the last opportunity I had this year to run a Half Marathon. The weather was cloudy but the temperatures were perfect. I felt really good today and approached the race with a positive attitude. Maybe I was also trying to redeem myself from my failure in Georgia a month ago. I still thrive on the energy of the starting line crowds! The course ran us north...
My last race of the year has occurred. This little gem in Texas is a new experience I have been waiting to enjoy for quite a few years. San Antonio is known for its River Walk area and The Alamo. Taking a flight from Ontario, CA, I arrived in San Antonio late Friday night and checked into my hotel. I started my weekend with a visit to the Race Expo to get my packet...
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are my opinion only and not representative of AFV. I need to start volunteering more. In the past, I have found the experience of working with animals at shelters to be both challenging and rewarding. Google suggested that a local shelter, Animal Friends of the Valleys, had some opportunities. At some point, being a new...
I was supposed to run a Half Marathon this weekend in Savannah, Georga. AND…I actually traveled on a red-eye flight overnight through Seattle-Atlanta-Savannah, went to the race expo, and was ready to run. Trying to save money on travel costs ended up having me not sleep for 32 hours. Then, on race day Saturday, the weather turned rather bad including heavy...
Home of the original Rock n Roll race, I really wanted to do this event again because of the amazing weather and how close to home this place is. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in Old Town State Park. While it is not as close to the start and/or finish lines as I prefer, it is one of my favorite places to stay for food and shopping. Danica and I both did the 5k...
Since it was so close to Zion, we decided to make a day trip to Bryce Canyon. My first impression is that this felt like visiting 1/2 of the Grand Canyon; however, still a very beautiful place to see. This location is known for having the largest concentration of Hoodoos on the planet. A hoodoo (also called a tent rock, fairy chimney, or earth pyramid) is a tall...
I have wanted to visit Zion for more than 10 years when it was recommended to me by a co-worker. I got close in 2015 but bypassed and went to Moab and then Arizona. We spent the night at a hotel in Park City, Utah. The drive to this National Park took about 90 minutes. The parking was quite challenging, even for a weekday. We parked about 3 miles into the town, paid...