2011 in review

Every year I do a 'year in review' write up + I'm gonna start it now. Just to sum up; this has been a pretty a-mazing year in several ways. Between the traveling, the new friends I have met along the way, the new and exciting experiences I have encountered, and more, I learned more about myself as an athlete than I ever have learned in my life. I have inspired many and some that I’ve been trying to inspire for yrs finally reached out to me, which became one of my highlights of the year. I am here to tell my story of 2011 of the highlights and overviews of each month, what I learned, what I gained, and what brought me to where I am today, and more so, who I am today in this current moment.


January 2011

To kick off Jan 2011, I FINALLY bought my racing bike after working the ENTIRE Dec 2011 OT at 30h... it was either pay my 3g bill or racing bike... been wanting a racing bike for 7 friggin yrs!! which is why to this day, I am STILL behind on my cc!! uh. Also kicked off w an outstanding NYD party w Yinon yahel, the ONLY time I saw Yinon this yr as all the other times he was in nyc I was away....
Like every Jan has been for me, it usually is uneventful; not this Jan, I went to see several winter concerts which kept me motivated, however ended up being too much; esp too much in the freezing cold. I also injured my knee from doing too much repetitive high intensity treadmill intervals in between all the snow storms we had. I injured it too a point where I had to take almost all of Jan/Feb off of running and got an MRI… The MRI came back negative, at least it was relief that I didn’t tear anything, only the feeling of constantly feeling like my knee was ‘out of place’ was the worst feeling ever. Finally towards the end of Feb and tons of swimming sessions later, the pain subsided…

I also finished up several CEC for the NASM such as the NASM clinic, spin clinic, and trx clinic… Glad I got all of it done and out of the way in Jan… I also saw Linkin Park in concert in Phili and had to wait outside in the blistering cold for hours on end; however, with front row stage, it was so worth the pain and suffering. Now that I looked back at my calendar, it was the very end of Jan that I saw linkin park as I was trying to recall if it was jan/feb, it was the very last day of course and what a way to end Jan.

Also in Jan, had an unfort 'fall-out' with Brooke and Denise, and most upset about losing Brooke who is like my younger sister; but I might have taken things too far like I usually do w a lot of people in several ways, but if Brooke wants to ever get in touch me again in the future she will. Looking forward I did go to track race in April which I explained in the April summary. I also took a step back and looked at my own career ever since I met Monica last yr, who inspired me to pursue things even further. I wanted to become a DPT but didn't want to go through the hassle of the GREs and all the hard prereqs that I never took in undergrad so I went the 'lazy' route and applied to Essex cc which rly didn't work out after a stupid entrance test that I didn't study for... Why should I do a redundant program and then make less then I do now?! Plus live at home for another 2 yrs? NO thanks... Pure example that things work out for a reason.
February 2011

To kick the month off, I met up w Monica (finally) for the funniest lunch to date at 1 of my all time fav restaurants in the city (aja) and we lit hijacked the bar and became 'bartenders' for the day. I was at 1 of my 'fattest' moments in the pics as that was the time period where my knee was STILL injured and was taking off 2 months worth of running and although I was swimming, def wasn't swimming enough... I met up with Peg to see robyn in concert in phili; was fun but went to phili SO many times between Dec-Feb 2011 I was a little burnt out from going. This was the last time I hung out with Peg this yr… I also saw Robyn Way to many times in the past year so I was kinda tired of her lol. I also went to the two tri club/run club parties that Doug rice/bob both were hosting, that was fun but remember it being bitter cold out for them... I saw not only Robyn in Feb, I also saw the Scissor sisters play in montclair, a couple movies here and there and Tony Moran with Rob at Club 57 which was fun... that bas sums up Feb...

March 2011

What I remember about March is the Ellie Goulding concert and trying to prepare for my two half Ironman’s (Oceanside and St. Croix) in the bitter cold/harsh winter we had which was uber tough being the conditions to train for… I started biking outside again; we also had an extremely severe march as it was still bitter cold... Arland comped me for the "central park biathlon" and came in 2nd f overall... wasn't in shape at all due to my knee injury and was VERY ner going into such a race just getting back... but was fine, felt tightness a little. (was also my 1st race I did w my racing bike :) Highlights of march are seeing Ellie Goulding in concert for the 1st time funny enough Diana and Carina were there (the florence lovers) and Tiesto towards the end of the month....Following wkd (end of march) I left for Oceanside... see April for review...

April 2011

I def remember this month very clear; and boy did I do A LOT. I flew on a plane this month THREE friggin times!!! Both coming and going would make it six… friggin in-sanity!! Before I go into it, I wanted to add a very special thanks to ms. Steph Taylor for taking me out to the movies AND a resturant for my 25th bday to see the 1 and only INSIDUOUS which was SO friggin scary I almost jumped on her lap. lol I was in Oceanside the 1st wkd of April… didn’t really do much as most of the time it was consumed with the race. One of the highlights of the trip however was finally being able to drive around the San Diego area and explore la jolla, beach caves, Torrey pines park etc. The race was hard, cold tough, choppy swim conditions, an extremely hilly mountainous bike, and a flat run that I simply wasn’t ready for… Although I had my strongest 2nd half of race ever. (which rly came out of no where) I wasn’t happy at all with the results of the entire race and I was rly hard on myself because of that… However it was a very pretty/funny course and when I live in California I will prob attempt to do it again eventually..

Two weeks later (Easter wkd) I was off to California trip pt II which was dedicated to the fact that I told Brooke I was going to ‘surprise’ her at one of her track meets as I always inspired her to become a ‘runner’ (before we had our falling out) It ended up not being a surprise because I rly had to hint to her when I was coming to make sure she was actually running in the meet. Lol. Oddly enough, Aunt Joan and Catherine where out there at the exact same time as I was so I got to see everybody at once which was pretty fun. It also was cool because I got to explore Eaton canyon in Pasadena, check out and hike around waterfalls, explore beach caves down in Malibu, and just be plain adventurous. That trip was almost more fun then the trip 2 weeks prior bc everything didn’t circulate around 1 race. It was cool for once to be a spectator and feel inside my heart to see myself run there heart out made me cry underneath my sunglasses as I saw Brooke whip around that track and win AND PR in her track meet. I will never forget that moment and the big hug she gave me at the end. It was almost like saying thanks for everything and who I made her become of herself.

Another two weeks later I was off yet again to st. croix! LOL… yea, St C was a trip I had org had planned on taking in 2010, but since I started working for plus one in 2010 around the same time, I couldn't’t take off and leave and also didn’t have it together financially to go…I had that whole annoying ordeal with the plane not accepting my bike which was prob one of the most stressful situations I ever had to go through… but in the long run after spending 5 hrs in the airport, I had it fig out… Always, always when bringing a bike on a small plane, check before I take the trip!! Never ever assume anything!! St C was just beautiful, same as OS, course was redic hard and in my opinion esp st c is NOT made for a race.. It is simply too grueling to race and expect to do well.. Its seriously redic… All in all, the new friends I met, the food, drinks, atmosphere of being in an island, I wouldn’t of traded it for world. I LOVED that trip, simply amazing… I am still paying off the bills from all three trips… (nice) This is prob the last month I was able to use my CC too… All three trips were great ways to ring in my 25th birthday might I mention… LOL

May 2011

Went to LP w JG for a training camp which was below our level unfort so most of the training we did on our own. Was still a fun wkd trip tho bc I've never been to lp. We had good meals, good laughs, + good workout. + a shitty motel w flies (thx jg) 1 of the highlights is when we stopped at erykas house on way back home lol. Back to another concert month; kicked off with Adele in Phili and let me tell ya, one of the best, waited lit ALL friggin day for front row but to see the line wrap the block 5x I said HA! Front row standing against stage hearing adeles voice ring through me, I can’t even begin to understand what I felt. Oh btw I ended up getting a BAD sinus cold post April from all the flying I did so I was just fighting it off for this concert. Also, this same concert, I had plans to go meet up with Crystal all the way in friggin Pittsburgh. That same wkd, my childhood “Illuminarim” was in town which is what I’ve been trying to see since 97’! LOL I said I’m doing this, NO sleep or not. Scariest thing ever, I didn’t leave Phili till midnight, by the time I left that small “Electric Factory” lot where the concert was being hosted with the amt of pp leaving it was nuts and me starving desperate for anything at that point to eat for fuel to drive that far, that later at night. Letme tell ya, I seriously prac fell asleep at the wheel several friggin times and had to stop about 10x before I actually made it there in 1 piece after getting myself lost with a dead phone and navigator LOL. I was a COMPLETE mess….. I didn’t shower I just brought a change of clothes and to make matters even more NUTS and funny, after hanging with Crystal for day and dinner at night I left to make the drive home that same night in the pouring rain. I also had to stop at 10 diff rest stops to nap to have the energy to make it home. The trip was so worth it though, to finally make it to Pb, see crystal and go to the Illuminarm was so friggin cool. (despite the fact that we were surround by dozens of little kids lol)

A few days later, I saw Bruno Mars in concert; brilliant but too many pp, too many little kids, and too overrated… wasn’t too impressed.,.. Then I saw Kylie again with Paige and Justin (pretty sure that was May not June…) Kylies show, brilliant, more theatrical then the last time I saw her.


June 2011

Every June ends up becoming a BIG month. Knowing that my July was going to be totally uneventful + the only thing I had planned for aug was timberman I decided to make plans to the fullest. Jg + I started our training for tm (I've been rly training since jan bc of the other two halfs) + went riding in harriman which was fun. Then I encounter perhpaps the funniest moment of the entire year when I did my 1st ows in navsink + doug threw an 'after-party' bbq + invited everyone in creation including the phsyco russ or ross whatever his name is... Everyone got shit faced + it was SO funny, I happened to catch the entire thing on video. And finally the infamous 'Monica Sanchez' made an appearence which def made my month, this chick is SO funny I love being around her bc we both seem to get in some sort of trouble, only shes always too budy for me :( Last time we saw each other was in Feb for our infamous lunch in nyc when we hijacked the bar + became bartenders for the day lol. I guess that was my winter session w monica, + june was my spring, + later saw her 1 more time in august. I never got to see monica for the rest of the year unfort :( But in a sense, I treat our friendship like a diamond in the rough, when we do see each other its so rare + special, I cherish that moment to the fullest + lmfao bc God knows the nxt time...(Monica I met by chance in 1 of the ows in aug 2010 when she was training for cozumel. She is a long time elite runner turned triathlete + is a physical therapist)

Course the nxt morn I had a 2+ hour dr to poconos to do that silly warrior dash which btw I will never do any event like that again!! I was bugging Seana for months on whether she was going to do the “warrior dash” or not even after she signed up...which she ended up coping out of. Let me tell ya, even for me it was difficult… maybe bc I did each and every obstacle without cheating at a race pace… The after party was fun at Sean’s Pocono house… everyone got wasted… was pretty funny to see… However, when everyone gets to that point, its def my calling to leave!! LOL… I had to drive home in the pouring rain, was pretty bad. I also had an anxiety attack because I couldn’t find the car which was unmarked in an open mud-field w thousands of other cars..

Saw Marina again twice; once down shore + then in nyc. Was SO much fun!! When she was down the shore she played at an even lower stage so I was prac 'on top' of her, it was quite funny. That's when I went w sheri. We got to meet her after which was shers 1st time meeting her + my millionth time. In a sense I felt like carina + diana when they countiously meet florence lol. Speaking of florence, the following wkd I saw her perform in central park. Now other then seeing whitney houston not sing, the last time I saw a legit concert in central park was in 03? For kelly clarkson who was phe-nomincal. I was prepared to get there early (which I did) + met another girl who I always see at other florence shows + got in line w her. (Thx to my running skills, even the pp that were there overnight I 'ran' in front of to score front row when they finally opened the gates. For this show, diana was away, but carina won a backstage pass so she didn't have to wait on the line. The concert was friggin amazing def other then linkin park, marina,,ellie, and kylie, 1 of the higlights of the year. Like I didn't learn from the sinero in may when I saw adele in phili + drove over night w NO sleep to pittsburgh for 8 hrs, I then drove after the concert 4 hrs to friggin lake george lol. See, lg is a place like niagara I've been wantin to go to for-ever. So not knowing that in (jan?) When I was signing up for races that florence would put on a concert the night before, I signed up for a race on a sat in lg. It was a sprint dis + seemed like a blast.. When w a girl that I don't want to get into...+ we drove overnight on 1 ? Hour of sleep + I did the race + placed in my ag. Lol. Water was freezing but still had a strong race. Which suxed is that it poured in the race :( + we only intended to spend the day (which is retarded) in lake george due to the fact that nyc pride w offer was the nxt day.... (Which I will NEVER go to again w the crowdsd etc.) I am def seein offer play in mex nxt year...

So we didn't get to do anything bc of the rain so other than the race, it was kinda a waste. I was xhuasted for offer + just stayed for a few songs bc I couldn't take the crowds or druggies, was very very dissapointed esp since I haven't seen offer since 09/2010?

July 2011

Like I had mentioned, July was pretty much uneventful. I pretty much wanted + needed a break from all the traveling/flying I did in april + may + all the craziness + no/little sleep in june. So I re-focused even more in my tri training. Spent July 4th wkd w sev friends including jg + lea which was rlyyy rlyy fun! I rly started working on my running even more + my swims. I bummed up thew freq ie amt of days a week I swam to 4 + held the duration longer on some workoiuts to an hour... This might not have paid off for tm, but it def did for ironman cozumel + it showed. This was also the month that moria flipped out on me bc that asshole alan told me to 'keep going' + I got screamed at and blammed but everyone in creation ... I fell in love w open water swimming. :) this is also when I signed up for the ironman knowing that I didn't do so well in the 1st two of the year + I finally felt mentally rdy to gooo! what I do remember about July, I met Lea (who's cool as hell) + spent every single wkd + fris down the shore which was sweet. To end the month, saw ellie goulding again for the 2nd time in concert (was even crazier than 1st, but this time I wasn't flying to calfornia the nxt morn lol)

Aug 2011

This month was all about gettin any extra ot that I can get for money for NH, lake g labor day wkd, and california again. The 'cali again' trip was SOO last second as I was so backed up from xpenses from jan, when I bought my racing bike that I never caught up. My training was the same, the warm rides down the shore, ows etc. I started increasing my milage on the bike too. 1 of my highlights of the month a wkd? Before tm was when I went trail running w Justine then randomly met up with monica, (last time of year unfort) then randomly swam w brian shea. That was rlyyy fun!

Inbtw the above + tm, I received a random txt from Seana of (whom I haven't spoken to for months) if I can train her for a 5k. I thought I was halucinating; (lol)something I've been trying to accomplish for the past 2 yrs I've known her finally came true. Seana has always had it in her to become an athlete + pick herself up + start over. Aside from my motivation, she was right; she had to be mentally rdy to do it herself. This is one of my largest, most selflessness feats to date that I've made a person glow + become more beautiful because they have accomplished something that made them truly happier. That to me was perhaps one of my happiest moments all year. I know that in my heart I've helped her become a better version of herself and I am so grateful for the opportunity + her asking me to be her coach.

Then tm rolled around; the day before jaime got rearened to a pt where her trunk was smashed in so we had to rent this big ass car which legitly looked like a friggin bently but was a francy crysler! Lol. Took a while to get there but it went by pretty quick through telling stories, internet oin phone, food stops, phone calls, + music.. Our hotel was better then what we exp w lp via flies on bed lol... It was actually very nice! (Was called the lordhampshire) I was rly xcited for this trip as nh is a place I've been wanting to go to since the 1st + last time I was there in 5th grade at lois' lake house. The only disapointment about nh is that was spent so much time at expo doing other stuff, we 'ran' out of time to go exploring + I hate that. I was dying to dr up to northern nh and check out the caves/waterfalls parks they had. But its all good; planning to dr up there in June when I race mooseman. The night before our race we encounterred perhaps the strangest situation ever- 80 year old partiers down stairs below us blasting 60's music + smoking pot. JG storms downstairs in NO bra + uw + screams at them. (Funniest thing ever) she slept like a log, I didn't get much sleep at all)

Other than my swim (which peaked for the ironman) I had the strongest half ironman everrr) the conditions were perfect it was nice + cool + the bike/run course weren't too hilly at all. In fact the run course other than a couple rolling hills was mostly flat. I pred w a 528 (should of went 520) but close enough - couldn't of been happier. This was my 1st happy half of the year, my 1st legit big happy race of year, + 1st half since cancun 1 year later that I was satisfied w results. Jg didn't do so well unfot for reasons I won't go into. So this girl named Jess I met yrs ago at 1 of the city tris or a tri I can't recall; she ended up being on my fb the entire time not realizing, + she was at timeberman. We started tlking in transition after ther race + became rllly close/tight friends. Its funny when old friends come back to you in the strangest ways and you become closer yrs later. I am forever grateful for our friendship.

Sept 2011

Dropped the msu classes I org wanted to take as my fall was insane!
My Sept was just as crazy as April, May,+ June was bc of all the travel plans. Labor day wkd rolled around, + It was time to take my real legit lake george trip this time w Jess + eric. I couldn't of been more xcited for this. We stayed at a hotel right on the lake which was eh in the room but was at a perfect location. I had a hard time deciding on where we wanted to stay, but think we made the right decision. We also went for yet another triathlon which I bombed.... (Not enough sleep + too much rushing around, + not allowing enough time besides the fact that I forgot my water on run course) this race def knocked my ego down post tm but it was all good! I made it up a week later in california lol. Eric did really well, but Jess unfort couldn't race bc of plantar f. We did all kinda of fun activities + watersports, + ate at very good resturants. Was a BLASTTT!! :D

CA 1 week later was insanity; I barely at enough money for anything but still glad I came out. Saw Brooke again for her xc race (not sure why considering the fact that we weren't speaking) + was rlyyy awkward :( So I try to forget I even went to see her. The PCT was a blast racing on the pch was legit + felt very fast + strong. Placed in my ag too!! :) The pedals were being the biggest bitch ever but I learned in future that its wise to grease the threads... I had to keep driving back n forth to the friggin bike shop! Uh, but was so much fun I also got to see 1000 steps + end the wkd going inside a legit beach cave. Sept is also when I rly started chugging away w the volume for ironman cozumel. Bring on the 100mile rides, 3 hour runs, + 2 mi swims...I also had to balance my Ironman training w coaching Seana which took a lot of my time + energy bc this is something I wanted to do for a long long time. Our 1st session at the track I saw the biggest rainbow of my life, does that say something? #happiness on both our ends.

Oct 2011

This was a month of halloween craziness (of course) + more training/coaching seana for her 5k at the end of the month. Coaching her w her sis was quite the challenge as seana wanted this more + had xtra sessions bc I trained seana more. So I started training them sep amoung there own levels. I learned SO much from doing this + I'm fvr grateful from this entire exp. I went crazy w halloween stuff, went to md, pb, + the ususal pa places, was a blasssttt! Esp pb scariest haunted houses everrr will be sure I shall be back nxt year! Def won't forget the 'demon house' w lex + all the crazy shit that happened to us directly followin in hotel! Lol
Highlights of the month are DEF the shades of death half marathon which happened to be on an extremely rare 80'+ degree day lol. Pred w a 142 I shoulda + coulda broken 140 if my bladder wasn't giving me issues; but the course was great + def coming back nxt year.

I also wanted to add in that I had 3 unfortgetable weekends in Oct with friends; the wkd spent in Landcaster w Kathy and Elliott pumpkin picking, exploring, and haunted houses, the wkd in MD w the OPA crew, and the wkd w Lex in PB was UN-forgetable. Thank you SO much guys for making it SOOO much fun, also thanks to Eric and Jess for coming out on a VERY late night to a haunted house in mid- no-where PA and having a blast...! Thanks to Eric again for being a good sport and driving home lol...

Seanas race rolled around + she blew herself out of the water (literally) w how much better she did then she expected. Not only did she finish, she smashed her goal time and rab a suv 9min mile!! I was SO proud of her, the best feeling ever is to see not only her physical transformation of going from a walk -run to now run-race to her wole atttitude of not lovin running to being obsessed! We went to a bar after the race, and then was hit by a largest craziest snow storm evverrr. I didnt bring 'going out' clothes and felt like a slob as seana and meg changed completely into reg clothes... Seana then left to go to another bar for the rest of the day in a snow bliazzard leaving meg and I stranded for hrs and getting back home was a total nightmare that I wont even get into... Lets just say that everything was shut down when we attempted to go in/on it...Seana also finally understood why I asked her to come watch me race. Seana + I parted ways and she started training on her own after the race + Meg stopped completely unfort. Not everyones going to love running, but finding what motivates them to keep them going is key. I also wrote Mike Motta a letter for a sponsorship proposal, and he agreed to it to start in 2012... only time will tell if it actually happens...

On a side note, I want to thank Doug and Kathy for always hosting me at there house almost every wkd when I drove down the shore to train. Thanks to Doug for organizing all the swims and rides for me that I throughly enjoyed! Looking forward to the training nxt yr!!

Nov 2011

This was it, I was about to do an Ironman! I did 2more weeks of training then started tapering. Seana attempted to do TG run + hurt her leg prior when running on the tm + I feel horrible about entire thing... She ended up subsituding running w eliptical + still finding ways to push herself; but still she NEEDS to get this sorted out w a legit sports med dr so she can run again. I don't care if ur born w something, it needs to be fixed, esp to continue something u started and now love, u can't use that to stop you. U must get rid of the pain, + continue.
The Ironman was crazy, swim was fast, forgot bib # bc my mind was elsewhere bc I was so happy from swim... Bike was ok but stopped too many times to pee off bike + ran out of fluids... Pushed last hour of bike to beat more girls in ag but then got off bike + prac fainted... Spent 15+ mins in t2 used bathroom + was on my way. Suffered extreme dizziness on run + slowed my pace down o bas screwed me of my goal time... Its all good, I finished though but needed an iv... The stayed on opp end of island in a shitty hotel + spent SO much money constantly going back n forth into town was redic. But def an exp...

On a side note, I am truly grateful for the friendship of Shannon, Keith, Sue, Ang and gang in Cozumel. Without you guys my exp would of been totally different, I thank you guys again for having me over and helping me out. I also thank you for your friendship and the moments we shared together. Looking fwd to a future race that we can actually stay under the same roof together this time and have lots of memories together soon...!

Dec 2011

I would like to thanks the ENTIRE crew at both H+D PT and PA PT for allowing me to complete my 100 hr internship from Aug-Dec, I learned SO much!
I knew dec 2011 was gonna be lameo, working as much as I can, recovering from ironman, pulling hamstring on tm bc I didn't recover enough, + just maintaining my fitness. I brought in new year w Jess/Eric which was fun but we should of done something better + more planned out... Def nx year + now lookin fwd to all 2012 adventures!!

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