San Francisco, California

Trolley, Alcatraz, Kara's Cupcakes

Before I even begin typing about San Francisco, I just wanted to let you know that I had a special visitor, Mrs. Ribik!!! Yes, she came to visit last weekend and I took her on my special Southern California tour. It basically includes Venice, Santa Monica, and Marina del Rey (all the places I can bike to). We biked to the Santa Monica Pier, viewed the sunset, walked along the Venice boardwalk, ate a double-double at In-N-Out(a fast food place where everything is made fresh), shopped at 3rd St. Promenade, and enjoyed the weather. It was wonderful showing her my life out here as well as having a familiar face around.

This past weekend Marisa and I went on a road trip to San Francisco. We left on Friday afternoon and made it up in six hours. I say we, but Marisa did all the driving since I don't possess the skills required to drive a stick shift. Needless to say, I was a somewhat useless co-pilot. Moving on... Marisa has made some wonderful friends while living here on the west coast. Some have moved away from Los Angeles and journeyed up north to the San Francisco area. We both decided it would be nice to visit the northern part of California as a part of our 3 month bonding experience. Marisa and I went to visit her two friends, Cydne and Clarity(both originally from Idaho).

We stayed at their apartment which was in the Oakland area, about 30 minutes from the city(meaning San Francisco). Saturday we spent most of our day seeing some major tourist sights. The trolley is obviously a major attraction for many visitors. I opted not to take the trolley, but enjoyed viewing others ride it. Our first stop was Ghirardelli Square(named after the delicious chocolate). In this area we spotted a shop called Kara's Cupcakes. Of course I had to stop there and try a cupcake. Yum! Next, we headed to the fisherman's wharf which overlooks the bay. There are numerous street performers, restaurants that specialize in clam chowder, and little shops. Additionally, you can see Alcatraz from the street. Alcatraz Island, or the Rock, was a prison that is still located in the middle of the San Francisco Bay. It closed in 1963 and now serves as a national park. On this trip we did more viewing than exploring. We hopped back in Clarity's car and drove to the famous Golden Gate Bridge(just a ten minute ride from the fisherman's wharf). There is a side walk area on the bridge that many tourists(including myself) can walk on. We took some pictures and drove on to Fillmore St. and Union St. Here we were able to shop and walk around.

San Francisco is known for being a mellow city(I would definitely agree, especially when comparing to NYC) with a lot of hilly roads. The roads aren't just hilly, but extremely steep. Thank goodness Clarity's brakes worked(it felt like being on a roller coaster ride). The weather in San Francisco is colder compared to Los Angeles. Actually, it just felt like fall in Bergen County to me. I didn't get to see all of the different areas in San Francisco, but I felt as if I was able to appreciate what I did experience and truly enjoyed the company.



East vs. West. West vs. East. Such a common question I always receive when I am here in Venice. People tend to ask me, "Well, where would you rather live? Here in beautiful Los Angeles or back East?" For me, there are pros and cons for both. How could I not love living in an area that is always sunny and rarely rains(and when it does rain, I've heard that people in this area are scared to leave their homes!!!). Where most highways and beaches are free, the sunsets are amazing, shorts can be worn all year long, and there is a laid back approach to life. Furthermore, you can bike around almost anywhere. There is even a bike lane on the street so that cars can't get too close. Seriously, would I really miss shoveling the snow and warming up my car? I don't think so! However, there is also the enormous homeless population(many live right on the Venice boardwalk) here amongst other things. I actually have a regular homeless man that I see as I bike to work everyday(actually, there are many, but this is the only one I communicate with). We have a little routine that involves him saying hello, me waving or saying hi, and then he always wishes me a blessed day and thanks me for my smile. I've even started to look for him and if I don't see him I wonder where he is. In addition, bagels and pizza are just not the same out here. Oh, how I miss Kinderkamack Bagels and Filippo's on First Pizzeria (by my old apartment in Hoboken). I have also missed experiencing seasons. The temperature this week has been in the 80's, not that I am complaining, but it doesn't' feel like autumn to me. I miss the fall foliage, apple picking, pumpkin patches, etc. It isn't just the seasons, but I love living close to one of the most sought after spots in the world, New York City. Or the fact that I can get in my car and drive to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania(the Poconos), or our country's capital, Washington, D.C.

For each person it is different. Personally, I have loved the experience of living in both places. Being able to appreciate both lifestyles and see how different people react to certain situations or even how people pronounce things. To answer the question, where would you rather live? Simply put, home is where the heart is. Such a true saying, my family and friends are so important to me. I love both, but if I had to decide...I am a true east coaster, a proud individual from the state of New Jersey.

Thank you to everyone in Venice who has been so wonderful to me over the past three months. Especially to my sister, who once again has given me the opportunity to live in Venice. I will miss you all.

So long,
KMF

San Diego, California- TRIATHLON

5:30 am, arrive at triathlon location

A triathlon is a racing event that consists of swimming, cycling, and running. To participate in a triathlon it is recommended to train at least two months in advance to prepare for each event. Serious triathletes set up training schedules and are extremely focused on the three sports, as well as their diet and exercise. There are numerous types of triathlons. Some of the most popular triathlons include the super sprint(one of the shortest in distance), sprint, Olympic, half triathlon, and full triathlon (also known as the Ironman). The ironman triathlon is the most physically demanding as it consists of a 2.4 mile (77 laps) swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile (a marathon) run. The ironman happens once a year on the Big Island of Hawaii.

There are many items to purchase when preparing for a triathlon. For example, a bike(can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars), helmet, wetsuit, goggles, swim cap, and running sneakers. Those are just the basics. An enormous amount of money can be spent on gear, it just depends upon how serious each triathlete is about the sport.

I decided to participate in this triathlon because it seemed cool and it was open to anyone who was willing to try(no qualifying times). Yes, I know, some people think my idea of cool is really not. Friends have told me there are other ways to have fun such as going to a movie, sitting on the beach, or shopping. However, it was a goal I had set for myself and I was determined to do it. It was just like when I did the 2006 NYC Marathon(yes, sometimes I like to reference this event). I somehow thought that if the people on TV could do it(and some were in their 70's and 80's), so could I. I did complete the marathon, but because of an injury took the tourist approach(yes, I had my camera) and crossed the finish line in 6 hours and 34 minutes. That is what is so amazing about these events of endurance, it can be a triumph and huge accomplishment for the average person(just like you and me).

For myself personally, my motto is always to COMPLETE THE RACE not COMPETE IN THE RACE(well, except for the River Edge 5K- I do like to beat my time from the previous year). Elite triathletes will obviously compete against their own time and other triathletes. I decided to pay the $80 fee and entered the Mission Bay, San Diego Sprint Triathlon.

My sister and our friend Shannon also signed up. Our approach to training was strong at first. We would go swimming once a week and focused on running 3-4 times a week. Unfortunately, we weren't as focused towards the end of our training. Regardless, we drove two hours south from Los Angeles to see what we could accomplish with the little amount of training we had done.
On Saturday, the day before the race, we went to the Triathlon Expo. That is where we picked up our bib numbers, timing chip(worn around the ankle to give an accurate race time), and learned more about the course. The course consisted of a 500 meter swim in the Bay(not as difficult as the ocean, but definitely more challenging than a pool), a 15 K (9.3 miles) bike, and a 5K (3.1 miles) run. The distances really didn't scare me, it was the transitions that did. Each person's gear was in the transition area. After the swim portion, each triathlete would run to the transition area and put on socks, sneakers, a helmet, and grab their bike. This was a bit crazy considering 1,500 people were participating. This is also where a lot of time is lost. Marisa and I actually finished the swim at the same time, but I took more time to transition. Marisa took 5 minutes after the swimming part, I took about 8 minutes(I took my time cleaning the sand off my feet, placing on my socks neatly, clicking my helmet strap on right, etc.).

Marisa, Shannon, and I woke up at 4:30 am on Sunday, Oct. 5th. We prepped and arrived at the parking lot around 5:30 am. It was pitch black out and everyone was headed to the transition area. We had to set up our things, two towels, sneakers, helmet, water (to clean off sand), and just waited to we were called. We talked to other people and shared our thoughts and anxieties about the race about to come. At 6:50 we walked over to the bay(the swimming was done in 14 heats, every 5 minutes). We were in heat 7 and our start time was 7:10. Marisa, Shannon, and I were in the minority as far as our swimming outfits. About 95% of the people had wetsuits on(wetsuits are at least $100), we wanted to save our money and decided to wear our regular bathing suits. However, the water wasn't that bad, maybe 66 degrees. We waded in and our bodies adjusted to the temperature. The one thing that all triathletes need to be cautious of is the swimming section. Other competitors swim over you or might kick you by accident. We had to swim on the defense. We all did really well in the swim section, Shannon was even in the top ten of our heat.

The swimming portion went well. I've always enjoyed swimming, but ocean and bay swimming is different because of the current and SALT. I started off swimming freestyle, but then switched over to breaststroke. I even saw some people doing the backstroke. Aside from the salt taste in my mouth, I felt confident about my swim. SWIM TIME- 12 min. 43 sec.

The cycling portion was the most challenging for me personally. I thought since I had been riding my beach cruiser bike for the last two months that would in some way help prepare me for the race. Not quite! I definitely struggled with the 9.3 miles. Many of the triathletes were intense. I stayed on the right and let a lot of them pass me. I kept telling myself, just do what you can to complete the race and not over extend your body. I still had some running to do.
CYCLE TIME- 49 min. 17 sec. (Ouch!)

The last section was the run. My legs were a bit unsteady after the cycle(this is common for most people). I had no desire to even run, but somehow my legs were moving. They wouldn't let me stop, regardless of my exhausted body. However, I did stop a couple of times to ensure that I would cross the finish line. RUN TIME- 31 min. 6 sec.

Overall, it was a great experience for the three of us. I completed the entire sprint triathlon in 1 hr. 43 min. Marisa finished in 1 hr. and 36 min. Shannon finished right after me. We set a goal and the rewards of crossing the finish line were priceless. In the end, we were proud of our achievement- COMPLETING THE RACE!!!!

So long,
KMF

Triathletes!!!