Simple

2016 kind of creeped up on everyone, kind of like that full frontal snapchat you really didn’t expect to get.  I’m torn between good riddance 2015 and impending doom going into 2016.  Everyone always starts with the new year, new me.  Well, I promise I’ll be the same sarcastic pain in the ass in 2016. I’m not a fan of the fact that people wait for a new year for a fresh start.  I had a “fresh start” on a Thursday two weeks ago at 4:46pm.  Your problems aren’t going to disappear when the clock strikes 12, look at Cinderella.  But I get it; let me not burst the magical bubble of unicorns and rainbows of people everywhere.  By my tone, it’s obvious I’m not one for resolutions.  For the most part they last about 5 weeks and then you kind of ghost them.  But I do like to make lists of things I want to focus on going into this year.  We can’t tackle it all, as much as we feel motivated going into the New Year because well, life happens.

This year was hard, challenging, and an all-around character builder.  I’ll spare the gory sob stories.   But I’m sad to see it go because there were some great things sprinkled around between those tough days and the year ended so damn peacefully.   I met people this year that pushed me harder (physically and mentally) and forward in my life.  If it weren’t for those tough times, they wouldn’t have come into my life.  See, the silver lining to the sad stories (insert inspirational quote here).   If there is anything that I learned was the importance of having the right people in your life, never feel bad for saying goodbye to the wrong, the biggest critics are sitting on the couch trolling your world, and PLP (a spanish acronym) is a perfect response to everything and anything.

There is no doubt, to anyone that knows remotely anything about me (and creeps my Instagram), that one of my focuses is training and bike related.  So I’m not going to touch on that, it’s a given.  I’m sure there will be a follow up post of all my tragic cycling moments and power test conquest on a later day.  My focus for 2016 is a mix of simplicity and change.  I don’t mean a new comforter, paint my walls; I’m talking about life altering, mass climate change.  It’s been a long time coming and something I will embrace with open arms, anxiety, and well fear, logically.  Simplicity makes me sound slightly ridiculous (PLP).  It means keeping it all simple: relationships, work, thought process, possessions, goals, people, social media.  It’s not that serious and what worries us now, we won’t even remember in our next new years resolution .   People spend more time being, what do kids call it nowadays? butt hurt?… than focusing on what matters, the Starbucks Christmas cup of course.  So lets appreciate the good, the bad, and the very ugly of 2015, toast to 2016, eat your 12 grapes and make your wishes, wear the yellow undies, throw the bucket of water, stroll your neighborhood with an empty suitcase and lets do this.  Happy New Year.  ~Adding Mo Miles

State Road Race

It was the race I set my eye on a few months ago.  The race that got me up to ride alone at 5:30am (the struggle).  The race I like to call bittersweet.  The race that finished the year of me dipping my toes into road racing.  I made the not so smooth transition from triathlons to road races at the beginning of this year.  Not so smooth because for the most part I felt like a fish out of water, flopping around.  I went into this race haunted by my lack luster performances at the beginning of this year.  Race 1: dropped in the first 5 minutes.  Race 2: Dropped in the first 10 miles.  At that point, I didn’t want to race until I felt comfortable with my ability to compete.  One of the best decisions I made was to find a coach that fit me, not me trying to fit my coach, and I couldn’t be more grateful for him.  He pushed me to a lot of my limits, both physically and mentally, those few weeks leading up to the race.

Florida state road race for my category was two 16 mile loops and luckily cat 4 women had their own start.  I surprisingly started the race relatively calm, which is the opposite of how I start any competitive event.  I’m usually going through 564 scenarios, overthinking life.  With the first few uphills, I just observed the girls, keeping an eye on anyone coming up on the sides, going over all the words of wisdom.  It’s the first race I observed versus just trying to survive.  On the first major climb I noticed a gap start to open.  Thanks to the advice of a friend, I didn’t freak but kept my pace and closed the gap on the downhill, saving legs.  It was here that I realized I needed to start the climbs at the front of the pack.  This way I could either control the pace or fall back into the group.  Going into the second lap, I was in the front of the group.  For the first time not in the back, not chasing the group down, not riding past the start/finish alone.  I settled in and prepared for it to get harder and it did.  Up…down…push the pace…a few miles to go, mentally preparing myself for the downhill finish.  On the second to last climb is where the race took a turn and the group split.  We worked and caught them on the last climb.  At this point I gave it all I had, anything I had left to keep with the group.   Legs shaking, lungs burning, teeth grinding, wait is that throw up? There are few things more discouraging than getting to this point and still watching the group creep away.  What is even more defeating was knowing there was only 3K to go.   I came over the top and with the last bit left I made on more effort, but just couldn’t close the gap into the next small climb.  It was a rush of disappointment and anger.  I came into the finish line frustrated, I don’t think I can properly put into words how I felt.  My mind flooded with just brutal negativity.

I grabbed a burger, followed by a cold beer and reflected.  I’m sure I did about 27 things wrong and paid for it at the end but it was the first time I didn’t feel like a rookie that didn’t belong.  It was the race where I actually strategized.   Sparing the details of the numbers, it was some of the best riding I’d done all year.  There was massive progress from race 1.  I didn’t get the results I wanted, but there was a lot of be happy with. Preparing for this race taught me so much about myself, this sport and did more for me than anyone will know.  So a huge thank you to Patrick from Pinnacle Coaching for drawing the map, taking on this rookie and getting me as ready as possible.  The men of Outcast for the advice, tips and laughs.  Momma duck for the constant support from day 1. Time to go from dipping my toes to diving right into cycling and prepare for next season.  ~AddingMoMiles

Hello Boulder

It has been quite some time since I put something on here.  Lets just say life has been, well, life.  You get caught up on the day and day, open your eyes one morning and realize two months have gone by.  In order to break the mundane routine, the same training grounds, we packed up bikes and headed to Boulder, Colorado.  This trip kind of came randomly.  I figured, you only live once (yes, that’s yolo) and I was in need of that change. So we spent weeks looking at the Airbnb pictures of the house, anticipating this trip.  I knew it was going to be hard, I knew it would be grueling, but as a girl from the flat lands of Miami, this would be my first experience with real climbing.  Clermont?  Sugarloaf? Pretty much a joke to what we were about to climb.   I pictured, I imagined, and never did I think it would be so….incredible (yet painful).

After a much delayed flight, we made it to the house up on the mountain side, pretty much just in time for sunrise.  We were supposed to nap, but the last thing I wanted to do was sleep.  Hell, I was in Boulder.  So I sat out on the porch, watched the sunrise and light spread on the mountain around us.  What a poetic sap, right?  I’m just getting started.  Some breakfast on the terrace, fancy coffee making and bike building, we were heading on the rocky dirt road for some “light” climbing.  I don’t do well with rocky gravel roads, first thing I learned.  What….the….blame altitude, lack of sleep, rookie experience but 10 minutes into our first climb and my heart rate had sky rocketed.  I could barely catch a breath and felt like I was about to lose breakfast.  This was the easy part of the climb, mind you.  I turned it around, found a safe spot and gathered myself.  I did this two more times until I finally made it up to part that “flattened” out.  By this point I had lost everyone, including my Ziploc (my cycling wallet) with ID and credit card, and what felt like my soul.  After a 30 minute search up and down, one of the guys had found it earlier and stashed in their pocket.  Crisis averted.  So I continued on the road, roaming, lost on a mountain.  I figured at some point, they’d come back down the same road and they did.  The funny thing (but not so funny) about having a house on a mountain is that after a few hours of cycling, you have to climb back up to the house.  Ha. I was barely able to eat much, so my energy levels were at about -5.  I felt pretty awful and did my best to hide it (probably unsuccessfully).  With a little help, showing me how to pace on a climb, made it up.  I don’t know how pace on a climb, second thing I learned.

If I thought day 1 was a struggle, day 2 was, well, I don’t know how to even put into words.  We had an ex Miamian, now Boulder local, take us on what was some well-known climbs.  Mother of god, Flagstaff.  15 minutes, still climbing, 30 minutes, still climbing, 45 minutes, I am still climbing.  The array of emotions you go through.  “I can’t do this”, “man the f up”, “oh look at the view”, “it’s not worth the pain”, “yes it is”, “I got this”, “is that a tear??”, “think of the photo op”, “F that I’m done”, “why am I such a little bitch”, “must keep going”, “when is breakfast” I don’t think I would have made it as far as I did if it weren’t for one of the guys that came back, for what I felt was emotional support and a literal push up the mountain.  He patiently, even though I was not exactly a ray of sunshine, rode next to me, took breaks, until I literally could no longer pedal.  Note to self, unclip quickly or you will fall over. I don’t think I thanked him enough. I made it up Flagstaff and up towards Super Flag (where it took a turn for the worse).  The top of Super Flag will have to wait for the next trip.  It was very disappointing but there wasn’t much to do but just know I have to keep training, keep trying, keep building and getting those #gains.

Wait, we’re not done.  Lets go to a harder climb.  Magnolia.  It has such a pretty name, but it isn’t.  It just looked scary.  I gave it a try and knew I wasn’t making it far.  I turned it around and kept on the highway road we used to get there.  Nothing mattered but that exact moment, not how far I could get up the mountain, not watts, speed, how far I have to go, the disappointment in my performance, cycling gossip, bills, or troubles.  I was on a road between two mountains, absolutely clear blue skies, fresh air, riding along the side of a small river.  It was just a reminder of the joy riding brings, why I do what I do, why I love this sport so much; for what it could show me, for the places my bike could take me. If nothing went right the rest of the trip, it would still be a great trip.

We did some running, hiking and of course more riding the next two days.  Climb by bike and climb by foot.  We did it for the views (pots of gold) and the Instagram post, of course.  We laughed, a lot.  Drank good beer, shared a lot of stories.  A melt down or two and got some really good tips from a cycling veteran.  I could tell you this, the city itself surprised me, but the friends and cyclists I was with, impressed me.  Don’t tell them this though, I’ll never live it down, but their will to keep going on these climbs; their ease making it up, it was motivating.  They are great athletes.  It makes you want to get stronger as a cyclist.  Their love for sport, it rubs off.  They made the trip what it was, pretty memorable.  This was not only a great trip but it opened my eyes to what I want next, what I want to do and put a plan into place to work towards and get it.  You could say I’m excited for what’s next. ~AddingMoMiles

My 29th Year of Life.

So I’ve entered my last year in my 20’s.   Is this where women start flipping out about getting old?  Maybe it hasn’t hit me that I’m a year away from 30 or I’m kind of ok with it.  Who really liked the awkward, broke years of your early 20s?   I read over my birthday post from last year.  What’s kind of scary is how fast the year flew; because I remember writing that thing like it was yesterday.  So I didn’t accomplish some of the things on there, like my pull-up, I feel that will forever be a work in progress.  But my life has changed what I feel is significantly in the last year and god knows I’ve learned a lot.  Some things by choice, some by life’s kicks in the ass. To celebrate such a blessed occasion I packed up and headed up to Clermont with 2 of my favorites.  We celebrated, we drank, we relaxed, we rode, we climbed.  Climbing up Sugarloaf and doing Buckhill repeats gives you a little time to reflect. So now in my 29^th year of life, here are a few things I’ve learned, random thoughts in my old age.

Laugh, laugh a lot.  I know it sounds silly and mundane but I don’t think we do it as often as we should.

Explore, search, and try new things.  I had to stop being a little bitch and try things I usually wouldn’t.  Get outside your comfort zone.  Break the routine.  The bruises and scratches on my leg from mountain biking are proof I’ve started doing this.

Never let anyone make you feel bad about your body, even jokingly.  Don’t let them make you feel insecure.  Embrace your thick legs, cankles, thigh gaps (lack thereof), big booty or no booty. Your body is yours, it’s meant to take your through life, not be perfect.  Find someone that loves every inch of it, even the ones you don’t like.

Manipulation is hidden in many different ways.  Be careful.

Goals are grueling.  Athletic goals are tough.  They take a lot out of you.  You will get frustrated, you may cry, you will want to quit (multiple times).  But seeing progress, reaching your goal, crossing the finish….it is quite possibly the most rewarding feeling.

We wonder why we go through certain pain and hurt.  Sometimes, it’s to prepare you for a greater difficulty.  So that you come out of the other side quicker, stronger.

The best decision I made this year was adopting this guy.  He came at a perfect time and I couldn’t be more grateful.  A little man filled with so much spirit. Thank you for bringing me a perfect balance of madness, chaos and calm into my life.

Only you can dig yourself out of dark holes.  Even being surrounded by so much support, it is your decision and only you can make the changes to get yourself out of it.

It’s ok to ease up on the career goals if there are other things that you are finding more fulfilling.  The corner office isn’t going anywhere.

When it starts to pour, find a kind person who will share their umbrella who will walk you over to get a grand marnier or grey goose slushy and just enjoy the drink while the storm passes.  You can’t change the circumstance, so you might as well find a way to enjoy it.

The wrong relationship is ten times lonelier than being single and a lot more exhausting.

Drink beer, eat pizza, and enjoy the cupcake….all in moderation.

Women are crazy, some men are crazier.  The faster we all accept this, the easier life will be.

Behind every successful woman, is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.  The women in my life have been my rock.

I will take lots of pictures; I will post as many as I want.  I will ride my bike as much and as long as I want.  I will strut my tan lines.  I will curse. I will always be a little bit of a mess.  Accept who you are, be comfortable in your skin.

Live with joy.  Like honest, annoying those that are bitter, kind of joy.

My only goal for 29 is to live more.  That means something different to everyone.  But I can tell you this, no one is killing my vibe.  ~AddingMoMiles.

Count Your Blessings

Food comas and food babies plagued people all over the US last night, myself included.  Actually I still have a food bump this morning…and I’m ok with this.  I was lucky enough to be surrounded by lots of love this holiday and two of my favorites.  I say it that way because most of my life I wasn’t able to.  It’s not a tradition my family participated in.  Last Thanksgiving didn’t go as planned, and wasn’t exactly filled with love but that’s a story for another day.  So before we dug into the grub, someone at the table asked what we were thankful for…and it got me thinking:

• How much and how little my life has changed.
• My friends and the women who surround me.  The family I got to pick and that have been there so much for me, especially these last two years.  I’m still waiting for our reality show contract.
• My family, we are a circus of crazy (and I’m an active participant in this crazy) but there is not a group of people that can make me feel so absolutely loved as they do.  My sister is on speed dial, you know incase I ever have to hide a body.  My mom, she’s the ring leader of crazy, is an example of real strength.  My old man, he keeps me grounded.
• My health.  No matter what I put my body thru (A LOT), it keeps going, keeps fighting.  I’m lucky to be able to do what I do, train and race. I know that one day, that won’t be the case.
• The mental and physical strength I’ve reached this year.
• Ironman, sometimes you lose yourself in what you love…sometimes you find yourself.
• Pizza, of all meanings.
• The little home my roommate and I have built.  Sometimes messy, but it’s ours.
• Finding a job I am genuinely enjoying, where my opinion actually matters and coming into the office isn’t so bad (though I rather be on the beach)
• Cold sand…just feels nice between your toes.
• My training buddies, jungle buddies, Jungle Fitness, Reaction, All4Cycling, all of it. Where else can I find someone as insane as myself?
• Whatsapp.  Don’t judge.
• Coffee.  I don’t even have to explain this.
• Motivational quotes.  Not all of us may post them, but I know all of you love to read them.  Your secret is safe with me.
• Love and losing it. You learn a lot about yourself.
• Team Betty.  Now, representing this brand is beyond great.  But what I wasn’t expecting was the impact of getting to know some of these women, their story and their strength.  It’s humbling and motivational.
• My bike, how did my bike end up so low on this list??
• Champagne and orange juice…yes mimosas, which of course is included in brunch.  Again, don’t judge me.

This list can continue on and on, may have even forgotten a few important ones.  I know that some of them sound mundane and a little silly but it’s kind of the little things that make you happy you have to be grateful for.  We can’t always control health or peoples actions but we can have things that just kind of make it easier to get by (yes I’m talking about coffee).  Its things that without, you wouldn’t exactly be as happy as you are.  Do you know how many great moments I’ve had around a few glasses of mimosas?  I found out about the first baby in my group of girlfriends over mimosas.  We were having them, momma to be wasn’t.  I’ve had some of the greatest conversations and laughs over a cup of coffee.  I’m a lucky girl. ~AddingMoMiles.

 

All in a Moment

We hear a lot that we should cherish every moment, enjoy every moment, live in the moment, etc etc.  For the most part we think these moments create memories, maybe to look back and remember; this may be true. But at the same time it’s the feeling in that moment, even those awful ones we so wish we can forget, that may have the biggest impact in our lives.

There are moments that shake your very soul, you feel a change in your perspective on thoughts you lived by, on hopes that got you through the day in what can be a pretty harsh world. This may be one of the hardest to process.

There are moments you realize how deeply you love someone, that their pain becomes your own.  That moment you realize that they are no longer a friend, but family.

There are moments you realize your own strength, your ability to persist when most people would crumble.  This is a feeling you should keep with you until you’re six feet under.

There are moments you realize how much you truly love your significant other, and it’s usually not this grand exhibition of romance, but when they moon you from the kitchen or listen to Frank Sinatra.

There are moments that change the way you see a person.  At times it’s for the better (this is rare).  Other times, you feel the stab in the back…or worse the heart.  There are few feelings worse than losing respect for someone you cherished. This may sting the most.

There are moments in life where you take a deep breath and think life is pretty f’ing good.  That feeling deserves a good drink and an even better song.

There are moments that you feel a punch in the gut, nauseated and wish at that moment the Earth would open up and swallow you whole.  It’s the time you should refer back to a moment of perseverance.

There are moments of such anger you feel your blood is boiling.  Stop what you’re doing, put the phone down, walk away…words said in anger can never be taken back.  They can be forgiven but never forgotten.

There are moments you are wrong, do wrong, or temporarily become another person. You feel pretty shitty, for lack of a better word.  We are human, ask for forgiveness and forgive yourself. The rest is left up to time.

There are moments you feel overwhelming happiness, you can’t help but do a little dance.  Treasure it, it makes it all worthwhile.

There are moments you meet someone you feel will change your life, sometimes it is nothing more than a mutual love for pizza or for boys that love bikes.

There are moments you feel a sense of clarity, what you’re supposed to do in a given moment, what your next move is.  It may even come on the corner of a street, in the middle of your run.

It’s not always the actual moments that shape us into who we are or change us, but the feelings at that moment.  ~Adding Mo Miles

 

The Pursuit of Happiness

Happiness, everyone’s working towards it. Including myself, especially lately. It’s a common question, what makes me happy?  Followed by, how do I get it?  Happiness is relative and it means different things to people.  To some it’s love, friendship, success, power, or sadly money.  But if you really think about it, happiness requires a level of selfishness and courage.  To a certain degree, happiness is selfish. At some point it comes at sacrifice of someone else. 

So to what degree do you sacrifice your own happiness for someone else?  I’ve seen that this comes easier for some than it does for others.  I’ve witnessed this in parents; I’ve seen this in spouses and couples.  I’m not talking about something little like giving up the last slice of pizza, I’m talking about staying with someone to avoid hurting them or because you vowed to, even if you know for a fact you aren’t happy and will no longer be happy.

It has always come easy for me to put my happiness first because honestly speaking, who else will.  If I’m not happy for an extended period of time, the relationship won’t be healthy. I can’t make someone happy if I am unhappy.  My happiness has come at the sacrifice of my family’s happiness.  I made a choice to no longer practice the religion I was born into.  To my parents and others, this was devastating.  I came to terms with this because I knew I didn’t want to look back and know that I spent all of my life unhappy and just content for other people.  Some very tough years later, I have the best relationship I’ve ever had with my parents. 

I’ve learned that happiness is sometimes purely on how you see things.  The stars aren’t always going to align, lets be realistic.  But if you can look at your life and see that most of your moments are happy, you’re surrounded by a lot of what you want, then you’re not half bad. It is those things you must focus on in the unhappy moments.  It is all up to you. If there is something that you aren’t happy about, it is up to you to change it, put your big girl panties, grab life by the balls, and do something about it. I am. ~ Adding Mo Miles