destinations: unknown

Slippery Slope!

For my third destination unknown, I teamed up with my nephew and godson, Juan Antonio, and his friend, Tony, to compete in a grueling six-mile “adventure race” called the Highlander II, which took place in the middle of orange country in Central Florida.

The “Highlander” (www.rockonadventures.com) is a six mile race through grass, dirt, mud and water that is littered with a number of natural and manmade obstacles such as zip-lines, water slides, wooden towers, and rope and barbed-wire crossings. 

This destination unknown was particularly fulfilling on a number of levels because it embodied all of the reasons we originally founded this charity.  It allowed me to take on a new challenge for a good cause with a group of friends and family while enjoying the adventure of traveling to a new location.  For the second year in a row we supported First Descents, a charity that runs “extreme” adventure camps (www.firstdescents.org) for people afflicted with cancer.  We started and finished the race as a team, adding to the camaraderie of the experience.

What made for an even better experience, though, was the actual road trip we embarked upon, which was an adventure in itself and an experience that is sometimes lost upon younger generations who want the instant gratification of arriving at a destination instead of appreciating the journey in getting to the destination.

On what was a hot and sunny fall day that reached the 80s in the hill country of Texas, I achieved my goal of “finishing” my first 70.3 triathlon, in a time of 5:31. 

While it was hands down the most grueling physical challenge I’ve attempted to date, it was a rewarding experience only made sweeter by your encouragement and support which helped me raise $2,650 for First Descents (FD) under the DU banner. This brings the total raised for FD (with the amazing effort of Ironman Brett Doyle) to $7,350 and enables seven young adults afflicted with cancer to attend one of FD’s empowering weeklong camps.

Furthermore, this increases the total amount raised by destinations unknown for three great causes (including A Glimmer of Hope, Midtown Mission – “Ross Family Fund,” and First Descents) to $15,020 since our inception in 2009.

Thanks again for your support! A special thanks also to each of the new destinations team members in 2010 for helping us reach new heights!

Finishing's Never Felt As Sweet!

For those who are interested in a more detailed account…

The  swim and bike went better than expected while the “wheels came off” a little during the run due to cramping in both my right quad and hamstring.  The bike and run courses were both a lot hillier than I’m used to, and 50% of the run was off road making each exhausted step a little more awkward.  The final annoying factor was the heat.  While the day started off cooler around high 50s at around 6am it quickly heated up and by 1pm it was in the 80s.  I averaged 2:00 minutes per 100yds on the swim and 20 mph on the bike.  I was able to complete the first half of the run (it was a two loop course) without walking but by the second loop I had to stop to stretch out cramps every so often and in the final 4 miles was alternating between walking and running.  It was frustrating because I had enough energy to run but my legs kept cramping up.  Talk about mechanical failure!  When I went to stretch out my quad my hamstring would spasm and vice versa.  In retrospect, I definitely could have consumed more salts prior to the run to replenish my electrolytes.  Despite these setbacks I managed to average an 8:54 pace on the run (I was hoping for an 8 minute pace) and 5:31 for the entire race, placing in the 500s out of roughly 2000 participants.  The race was definitely grueling but an amazing experience that practically brought me to the brink of tears upon finally crossing the finish line.

Transition Point

I wanted to thank everyone who helped me reach the first of hopefully many destinations to come on November 1st , 2009 in the beautiful city of New York!   Together with 43,000 runners from around the world I pounded the pavement through five boroughs fueled by the cheer and excitement of more than 2 million amazing spectators and dozens of rockin’ bands on my way to completing my first marathon.

Green means go!

 From the start jockeying for position on the packed Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, to touring Brooklyn’s diverse neighborhoods, to the deafening cheers upon re-entering Manhattan off the Queensboro Bridge, to the electrifying spectator-lined streets leading up to the finish line in Central Park, this experience ranks among the most exhilarating in my life!

Familiar face in the crowd helps me dig deep.

Running on empty with only two miles to go!

Don't let the medal fool you, everyone gets one for finishing!

What's your destination unknown?

What do you expect the greatest challenge to be in your destination?
Crossing the Queensboro Bridge at mile 16 and resisting the urge to take the subway back to the finish line in Manhattan.

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