Running Our Way Through the End of the Year

The kids LOVE to go through our blog books.  Because there is a great sale going on right now for printing my blog, I'm going to try to zip through the rest of this year in the next few posts  It may not be pretty....or even make much sense...but here we go!

This is the one on running.

We pretty much ran our way through November and December.  It started with Jeremy's second half marathon at Honeymoon Island.  We were excited about the race filled with friends from Tampa.  It pretty much turned into the worse race possible...with friends to grin and bare it with.

 The morning started off tame enough, an early stretch with daddy.

 The kids and I decided to try to get about a mile in front of the start line.  This vantage point would give us the opportunity to see Jeremy three times before he finished.

 This was close to mile 6.  Do you see that water bottle in his hand.  It's a good thing he had it!  The racing staff ran out of water and many runners had nothing.  Lesson #1...always bring your own hydration.

 It was a record high day, I believe mid 90s in November.  Crazy hot weather for a run with almost no shade, on primarily asphalt.  It was brutal.

 Thankfully, everyone finished and was safe.

 The whole crew- including the cheerleaders.

 We spent that evening at Maderia Beach, enjoying a hot and humid evening while eating outside at Bubba Gumps.  It looks pretty though, right?

 I don't have pictures of the next race.  After the disappointment of Honeymoon Island, Jeremy decided to sign up for another half in our town in two weeks.  It was actually a great course, except it monsooned the whole time.  I ran the 5K.

Soon after was Thanksgiving, and so we decided to give a local Turkey Trot a try.

 Jeremy did the one mile run with Nathan and Hannah.  Hanny did great and finished in great time for her.

 Nate enjoyed the view from daddy's shoulders ;)

Nicole and I ran 4 miles together.  After a brief walk around the 2.5 mile mark, we took off again.  We had a nice pace going.

However, when she saw the finish line, she took off like a rocket and left me in the dust.  I had no idea it was coming!

 Nicole is really enjoying being on the cross country and track team.  She loved learning how to start from the blocks like the big kids.

 December rolled around with a Christmas glo trot.

 Jeremy ran this one alone and came in FIRST place in his age category!  Way to get it done!

 The next day, I particpated in my first triathlon.  It was a sprint  distance.  This particular race included a 440 yrd swim, 10 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run.  I was really nervous about the swim.  But, I felt really cool in my tri suit with my tri tat.

 Before the race. It was cold outside...our first cold front of the season.  The water felt warm, which was nice.  The bike ride was cold.  I didn't warm up until I was almost done with the run.

 I finished in 1:30....which was amazing!  So, so happy with my time!

 Me and my bike.  I rented it....but then I bought it.  That thing took 20 minutes off my time!

We had a fun end to our year.

Cozumel Adventures

Our ship docked at Puerta Maya in Cozumel, Mexico for a full day of fun.    We decided not to do an excursion and just tried to figure out where to go to have some fun.

Our first sight off the ship were some Mayan Re-enactors.

 Obligatory sign picture....which the photography missed the letter "P".  Oh well.

 We asked a local tourism official where we should go to learn a bit of history.  He sent us to the Museo de la isla- the Museum of the Island.  We learned a bit of history about the natives, the explorers, the culture, the government, and the weather.

 It only cost $4.50 for each of us, and Nathan was free.

 I think we all enjoyed our little walk through the museum

 They had an area out back with some Mayan replicas.  Apparently, this is a pregnant woman.

 You should click on this one and see what's REALLY going on in this picture.  10 points for the first person to see it ;)

 While leaving the museum, we asked the man at the door where HE would go for lunch.  He sent us several blocks away from the typical tourist destination to Mercado Municipal.  There were a few hole in the wall places in front of a local market.  We picked one...and made a pretty good choice.  I think the food was cooked at the people's home, and then warmed up in their little space...I guess that makes it authentic?

This was one of the best bowls of guacamole Jeremy's ever had.  Nicole was pleased to see they decorated the guac the same way she does (by sticking the chips in the dip.)

 After walking through the market (which was clearly NOT for tourists)...we found a taxi and asked how much it would be to go out to San Gervasio, a local  Mayan ruin.  He gave us the best rate we had heard thus far...so we took him up on it.  Out we went into the jungle to see some Mayan ruins, and hopefully a few iguanas.

Neither disappointed us.

 Sing it with me (mom) " I want an Iguaaaaaana.  I want an Iguaaaaana.  I want an Iguana for my daddy or mamma, I want an Iguaaaaana."

 OK, So these ruins were pretty cool.  We spent about an hour and a half walking the property, reading the signs and exploring buildings and remains of buildings that were between 500 and 1,000 years old.

 This one was called "little hands" because of the little red hands on the wall...see the second picture for a close up.

 It was neat to learn about another culture, that we will be learning about soon in CC.  However, the Mayans were an extremely depraved pagan society.  They were known for child sacrifice, including mutilating and torturing the children before sacrifice. It was hard wondering about what took place on the grounds we were walking on.

 San Gervasio was a place of pilgrimage for the Mayans, who were required to make the 12 mile trip from the mainland to the island at least once a lifetime to sacrifice to their fertility god.  It was like a Mayan Mecca.

 This was the arch that the Mayan would walk through after traveling the road from the ocean.  We took this road about 500 meters back to another building.

 As we walked, I again couldn't help but think of the thousands of feet that walked before me, and wonder what their purpose was.  I wish I could tell them about Jesus.

 I believe this was called The Big House.

 This one was another long walk off the beaten path.  This was the tallest building/ruin in San Gervasio.

 Look below, can you see the faces they carved into the rocks?

 The excursion from the cruise line to do this would have cost our family about $60/person.  Instead it cost us around $70 total.  The taxi drive was $50 (because he had to stay on sight and wait for us), The children got in for free...and Jeremy and I were about $10 each.  I was out of cash, however I wish we could have hired a guide.  I think we would have learned a lot from them.  It would have been about $10 or $15 I think.

If you ever end up in Cozumel and don't want to go to Chichen Itza or Tulum...I recommend San Gervasio.  It was about a 2 hour round trip and engage the children enough for them to remember their time.  We felt safe, and everyone had fun (Bring the bug spray!)