Life in the world of Nuno Costa

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

How form a habit

With new years right around the corner i know folks are getting ready to come up with some resolutions of what they want to accomplish in 2011, i look forward to supporting folks in their journey to healthy lives and being fit!!!

Here's a fun tool I was recently turned on to - it takes 21 days to form a habit

http://habitforge.com/

What's your challenge going to be? 
I have yet to decide, but definitely going to do something - who'd care to join me?

Friday, December 24, 2010

Training this week

Christmas is fast upon us - I am glad its finally here, and hopefully it goes as fast as it came.
This week was not a typical training week so far - we had some horrendous weather which made it impossible to bike.

Monday I was able to get a CF workout done, but did not feel my best.  My calfs were sore from the 10K run on sunday and legs were feeling a little worn.  Another training day though - check!  Tuesday I planned to CF and Swim, but was only able to get to the pool - and that was an experience in itself.  It was pouring rain all monday and Tuesday and I made it out to Mission Beach to the Wavehouse to get my swim on anyway - not having a rain suit for my motocicleta didn't help, when i got there I was completely drenched, and I mean completely.  I was able to get a 500M Time Trial in and was pretty happy that I stayed committed to my training.  I forgot to pack a chance of clothes though and when I got to Invictus could not get a CF workout in - oh well. 

I was pretty proud of myself for making it out to the pool though and getting the swim done.  On Wednesday I was able to get a CF workout in with Ayo - that was a lot of fun, I did some OHS which I hadn't done in forever, although nothing impressive, if anything it re-inforced the importance of getting proper rest - I hadn't had a complete day off in 6 days.  Getting to lift with Ayo is always a pleasure :) and then we did a quick conditioning workout - Tabata Double Unders....

I hadn't expected to do anything else that day, but when we were coaching our CFE group later than evening we had a team rowing workout and I jumped in to make the numbers even - this was a ton of fun, for more info on the team workout check out Invictus Endurance blog 

Thursday turned out to be a complete rest day and I took this opportunity to watch Ironman 2010 that was shown on TV last week - I wasn't impressed with the telecast, the announcer was really boring in my opinion, but the stories were great as always and inspiring!  As I was watching this event I spent almost the entire time rolling out - taking care of my sore muscles and getting all the adhesion to break up - preventative work goes a long way in helping muscles recover quickly :)

This morning I felt ready to get back at it full force - I joined up with Katie Mac (who just recently had a baby) and we worked out with the 10am group class at Invictus for Rabbit's Delight :)  Here's what was in store - running 400M while your partner does KB Swings, Thursters (bar only), Wall Ball & Box Jumps - each person goes through the stations as their partner runs 400Ms - it was AWESOME!!!
This afternoon I took Mr. Walden out to Fiesta Island for a hammer session on the bike -  
Bike Intervals –

2x5 min intervals w/2min recovery between intervals
22.5mph – 1.88miles, 24.5mph – 2.10
Next interval scheme starts after the 2min recovery
5x1min Intervals w/30sec recovery between intervals
22.0mph - .36, 22.5mph - .38, 26.0mph - .43, 25.5mph - .42, 26.3mph -.44
Hold maximal distance possible on each of the set intervals.  Total Distance – 14.88 miles with warmup and cooldown

And that about wraps up my training week so far - I will most likely go for a run tomorrow and sunday get in a bike & swim and maybe a CF depending on how I am feeling - stay tuned :) 

Monday, December 20, 2010

Raining and such

I love living in San Diego because its sunny a majority of the year, but 2010 seems like it has brought us a lot of rain....I wasn't here for a majority of the summer, but I heard it wasn't the greatest weather.  We had a couple of really nice weeks earlier this month with 70 degree weather, so I am not sure I have much room to complain about the rain.

When will it ever stop though?  Riding my motocicleta in the rain is a bit nerve racking - I am not going to lie.  I am thankful to have transportation, but taking it super easy and being extra careful on the wet roads.

When the Yaris got trashed in June I decided not to get a car before my trip, and after returning from Europe I made a decision to go a year without a car here in San Diego.  I did buckle down and buy a motorcycle which some would say is going against what I decided to do in the first place.   Where I lived at the time I could get back and forth to Invictus where I coach clients, so not having transportation was manageable with the help of lots of rides from friends :)

I knew moving to University Heights was going to change things - I knew I'd have to get some sort of transportation, but I wasn't ready to get a car quite yet....

I shopped around and decided to get my motorcycle license - everyone I talked suggested to take the course, so I did.  I signed up for the PSC Motorcycle Safety Program which included a classroom session and 2 days on the range riding.  I was super glad to have done, and it just so happened the weekend I took the course it was raining - go figure...

I passed the course with flying colors and a couple of weeks later I had an appointment with the DMV to get everything in order.  Before taking the course I went into the DMV and took the written test and passed, and having taken the course meant I didn't have to take the driving course at the DMV.  When it was all set and done it took me about 3-4 weeks to get everything taken care of.

Once I passed the course I went to JP Motors in Chula Vista and bought my motocicleta - they were great to deal with.  I had done some shopping online and talked to quite a few people about what I'd be using the motocicleta for and got some great advice.  I called all the local shops and they seemed to be the most on point in regards to my needs.  I took the trolley down there one afternoon and next day it was delivered to mi casa :)

The day after I got my motorcicleta I drove it up to Carlsbad - freeway driving is scary, I think it's worse than driving in the rain i tell ya.  If I had a bigger bike it might be a bit sturdier, but so it is - I don't intend to be doing much freeway driving anyway.

Now its been raining for what feels like weeks, even though its only been a few days, and will most likely pass in a few days - I still don't like it!  Please make the rain go away as soon as possible, there's plenty of reasons why, but the main one for this post is because I don't like to ride my motocicleta in the rain.

Upcoming Training week

Oh what fun it is to train for an Ironman....

I have to say that last week was probably one of my best training weeks.
I was able to get in 4 Crossfit workouts, 2 CFE run sessions (track on wednesday and 10K on sunday), 2 CFE swim sessions (Monday & Friday) and 1 CFE bike hammer sessions on tuesday morning with the Brown brothers,  and was able to take thursday as a complete rest day.

Here's what's in store for this week -
Monday - Crossfit
Tuesday - Crossfit in the morning & CFE Swim in the afternoon
Wednesday - rest maybe - haven't had a rest day since last thursday, we'll see how i feel.  Booked massage with the incredible Kayla - INTENSE!!!!
Thursday - Crossfit in the morning and later on some running hill sprints should be fun
Friday - Bike session with Mr. Walden
Saturday - Crossfit?  CFE Tempo Run - 65 minutes
Sunday - Swim & Bike combo with Mr. Walden

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Training for IM St. George

Great track session tonight with Invictus Endurance folks - have been lagging on posting my training, and updates on this blog, so i am just going to post it, even if it feels incomplete or not quite perfect!

Track Workout – 30s rest between the 400s, 20s rest after 800s, and 45s rest after 1600 – solid 3 miles of running

400 - 1:18
400 - 1:22
800 - 2:48
1600 - 5:46
800 - 2:57
400 - 1:23
400 - 1:21   

Monday, November 15, 2010

Travelling and such

It's been awhile since I've update this blog - i've had a few ideas in the past couple of weeks, just haven't been disciplined to put thoughts into writting.

I've been traveling once or twice a month with Crossfit Endurance to put on the certifications all over the country and I absolutely love it - getting a chance to meet people in the Crossfit & Endurance community is a blessing.  I get to do what i love and travel while i am at it and get to make friends all over :)  Could it get any better?  I sort had this lifestyle vision in my mind about a year ago, and its funny how its come true.

I thought I would share some travel tips that I've learned...
  • Pack lightly - i used to think that I didn't want to be without something, but now i realize that less is more, and if i really need something, i can always pick it up at the destination.  Nowadays i pack so i don't check luggage in, and makes the in and out of airports much quicker
  • Eat well - i typically always eat a big meal before i leave, this way i know I won't be starving.  I typically always pack a few snacks - most of the time i take some sort of jerky with me, nuts and fruits - these are always a great healthy snack.
  • It seems that most places i travel to have a layover somewhere - i typically find my way to a sports bar and order a salad with chicken, and always ask for extra meat if possible.  
  • Water - take a water bottle with you, even if its empty - this will save you $3-$4 at the airport, if you bring your own water, you can then fill it up at the water fountains, and every airport has them...Make sure you stay super hydrated, if you are traveling a long ways it will make the jet lag pass sooner
  • Bring entertainment - wether its a book, magazine, computer - make sure you take this opportunity to catch up on things you don't do.  When i travel, it gives me an opportunity to get caught up on email - i don't like to sit at my computer for long periods of time, and i coach full time and still get tons of email questions and can't always get around to responding to them right away - so i take this opportunity to do so.  I always travel with at least one book - i love reading!!!  My dad has taught me some great lessons and one that sticks out is to always strive to continue to learn and educate yourself - evolve!!!!
  • If the airport doesn't have free wifi - see if you can spot up next to a president's club, or frequent flyer clubs - those typically offer free wifi and you can usually snag it for free!
  • Be nice and appreciative to the people that work in the industry- they probably get barked at all the time, make sure you thank them and always be corteous, even if your flight is delayed or something happens - more than likely its not their fault, and you being angry and taking it out on them will not make the situation any better.
Ok - i think that about does it - safe travels, enjoy this little video from my luxury travel to Europe this summer - mucho thanks to Michele Muzio from Air New Zealand

Monday, October 25, 2010

12 Months of Racing

Time to Re-Define What's Possible....
After my recent triathlon I was completely inspired to get back into triathlons and actually train for them in the future.   I surprised myself on how well I did, maybe my age group wasn't as competitive as before, maybe I was fast, maybe it was a combination - either way I was stoked with a 5th place finish in a field of close to 150.  It led me to think that I could really compete at triathlons, even if just for fun - it fueled me so much that I decided I want to do an Ironman - why the heck not?  It's official, last week I registered for Ironman St. George in Utah on May 7th - super excited about it.  An Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run - a full marathon at the end - saving the best for last.  why the heck not - i've heard its beautiful in Utah and this is one of the toughest IM events - BRING IT!

For the next couple of months I will continue to crossfit 4-6 x week, and 1 CFE run workout, 1 CFE Bike workout and 1 CFE swim per week.  I'll bump it up to 2 per sport per week when the new year rolls around.  I am also in the process of purchasing a tri bike - it's one of the things that was on my 100 things I want to do before passing on, so I figured this would be perfect timing.

In the course of all this madness I decided to put together a full 12 month race schedule - here's what it looks like:
November - Turkey Trot 5k
December - last year I did Bumble Bee 5k on the 30th and love the race course although I am considering going up to SF for new years, so this is undecided for now
January - nothing planned yet :)
February 13th - San Dieguito 1/2 Marathon
March 6th - Palm Springs Triathlon (International Distance)
April 3rd - Carlsbad 5000 - one of my favorite races, home course :)
May 7th - Ironman St. George, Utah
May 28th - Tough Mudder - http://toughmudder.com/events
June 5th -11th - AIDS LifeCycle - 545 miles - 7 days from SF to LA
July - Crossfit Games?
possibly will do Solana Beach Tri - i've done it in the past and its super fun, although I am not super motivated and dying to do it...
October - Los Angeles Triathlon (Olympic distance)
November - NY Marathon - because it sounds awesome!!!!!

Its a pretty jam packed year up ahead - I picked races that were going to be fun and were going to be challenging - let's make 2011 even more unbelievable than 2010!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Goals for this week

I love to travel, whether its for work or for fun because it typically gives me a time to reflect about what's going on in my life, read lots, and write out some goals.  Here's what I came up with from this weekends trip to Florida.

Personal Goals -
  • Read a book in the next week: form a book club....I already have a few people in mind that I am going to email this week, but if you are interested please let me know.  
  • Costco shopping trip?
Career Goals - Empower, Encourage, Elevate
  1. Close out business account - done tuesday :)
  2. Email Eli about CFE - done tuesday :)
  3. Program clients training for the week - done monday night :)
  4. Ask about investing - in the process of gathering information about this, asked my bank about opening a brokerage account - any suggestions?  Etrade?  Scottrade?
Heal Goals -
  • Medidate for 10 minutes every morning - missed tuesday, got it done today :)
  • 4 Crossfit workouts + 1 Bike, 1 Run and 1 Swim
  • Share my goals on my blog :)
I am seriously considering doing Ironman St. George - I will most likely sign up for it before the end of this month.  I'm excited about the challenge, doing something new and completely different.  I know this will test me beyond anything that I have done before and just waiting for a few things to fall in place before committing.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Reducing carbon footprint

It wasn't long ago that I was driving around town in my Toyota Yaris - i do miss it at times, but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be.  I had it for a little over a year and then someone decided to run a stop sign without looking to the right and this was the result.

Luckily I wasn't seriously hurt - I did get some whiplash, but fortunately that went away pretty quickly.  The first few days I wanted nothing to do with cars, and saw it as an opportunity to get my bike out of the closet.  I ended up getting a rental for a few weeks, while the insurance settlement was taking place and before the end of the June I found myself without a car. 

I decided not to get a car before i left on my trip to Europe - it made no sense, i was going to be gone for 6 weeks.   Once I got back from my trip, I decided I could live without a car for awhile - so nowadays you will catch me riding my bike around town mostly, walking from time to time, and you may even see me running as well.

San Diego is not an ideal city to not have a car, but its totally doable!  The only minor challenge is getting groceries - i don't live close enough to be able to talk, but luckily I know enough people that it has been pretty easy to ask someone for help going to the store or picking up a few items for me.

The winter will be interesting without a car - i think I can do it, my goal is to go a full year without one, which means till next summer.  The accident happened right after I began my 101 things I wanted to do before i move on....little did I know I'd have an opportunity to scratch this off the list right away.

I really enjoy not having a car payment, insurance, having to pay for gas, etc...In that regard I am totally stoked to be able to allocated my money in different directions for this next year.  I am super lucky to be able to ride my bike to Crossfit Invictus which is where I coach.  Aside from that I travel quite a bit for Crossfit Endurance, so I can really justify not having a car.  It would make things easier from time to time, but this sacrifice I think is worth making and I am confident I will truly reap from the benefits of not having a car for a year - not only that but I am also reducing the carbon footprint on this wonderful universe  of ours :)

What are you doing nowadays to reduce the carbon footprint - you sharing rides to work?  Riding your bike one day a week?  I want to know how you are making a difference in creating a healthy environment for all :)

Saturday, October 2, 2010

101 Things to do before i move on...

In no particular order of priority....
  1. Live in Miami
  2. Live in Portugal
  3. Be completely debt free
  4. Have kids - i am thinking 3 at least :)
  5. Teach PE
  6. Write a book
  7. Go to Italy & Greece - this will most likely happen next year!
  8. Fall in love again
  9. Speak to my family on the phone every week
  10. Live for a year without a car (currently doing so - see if i can hold out till June next year)
  11. Brazil - need i say more here?
  12. Take care of my brother
  13. Own a temperpeudic bed
  14. Tri Bike
  15. Read 1,000 books
That's as far as I've gotten - I had this list in a past journal and thought I would put it out there into the universe

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Weekend of Challenges

This past weekend was a once in a lifetime type of weekend - some of you might think I am slightly crazy for what I was up to this past weekend, some of you might just chalk it up to me being me, and some of you might be somewhat taken back by the amount of activity that I was able to endure this past weekend.

Let's recap the events and performances:  I wanted to compete in several things this past weekend, and instead of choosing one or the other - i did all of them.  First up Saturday morning 9am- MCRD Boot Camp Challenge.  I train full time at CF Invictus and I absolutely love it there - super lucky to have such a great group to be on this journey with,.  Anyways, we had a contingency out there on the course and a few weeks before I decided I wanted to take part in this event.
It was a super fun 3 mile course that we did as a 3 person team.   I knew Joerg and Matt (from CF Invictus) were interested in doing this event as well, so I figured we'd make a great team.  It was a blast, we went out there in a super hot day and were able to complete the course in 21:40 which was good for a 2nd place finish among the 3 person teams :)

Shortly after this event finished Joerg and I headed to CF Invictus to get ready for the OPT Big Dawg Challenge.  I am a big fan of OPT - I have learned a lot from his training methodology, website and from the trickle down effect since it is one of CJs mentor.

When I heard about this event I was super excited about it - I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  We didn't find out what the workout was going to be until that morning - I LOVE the element of surprise and it really speaks volumes to the efficiency of Crossfit training that no matter what comes out in the workout I look forward to attacking it and doing my best on it!  

When I saw the workout that morning I was excited about it and started to strategize in my head where I would push and how I would approach it.

For the full workout and the results check out the Invictus blog from last week - link below

http://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/2010/09/saturday-september-25-2010/

The event started at 11:30 and I was in one of the later heats which gave me a chance to recover, fuel and warm up accordingly after the Boot Camp Challenge.  I was able to watch some of the earlier heats and see how they were performing and modified my approach slightly.  On the Snatch portion I chose a weight I knew I could do and utilized the rest of the time to do as many burpees as possible.  I went into a trance during the burpees - it was an outer body experience, it was quite something and hard to describe.  I went into this zone that I pushed through some fatigue and was able to keep a consistent pace and rhythym going throughout. 

I knew I had 3 minutes of rest coming to me after which I knew I'd fully recover before getting on the rower for phase 2 of the workout.  At that point it was about maximizing my reps at the stations.    I pushed and pushed and pushed everything I had in me - I felt pretty good about it, and when I found out I finished 2nd I was somewhat surprised.  I thought I had done well, but wasn't expecting to have done that well - I was STOKED!!!!  To finish ahead of guru OPT (CF Games champion 2007) will be something memorable!

One would think this is a lot to do in one weekend already - but I did not rest there, i had one more event to compete in.   I signed up to do the AIDS 10K Run in Balboa park on Sunday morning.  I have been wanting to do this event in the past and haven't been able to.


I was looking forward to running this event, my friend Christopher Walden has done this event in the past and we were going to line up together and see who is fastest.  I know I'd have to run really fast in order to have a chance - he's fast.  Just this past year he ran a 3:13 Rock N Roll Marathon that qualified him for Boston Marathon!!!  What was incredible about his accomplishment is that he never ran more than 7 miles and no more that 3 x week, which speaks volumes to the type of training that he's been doing.  (Oh yeah - he's been coming to track workouts regularly all year long)  Interesting what a little speed work can do....

We lined up at the start and it was a beautiful day - super warm, Heidi (accupuncturist) came out with Koda to cheer us on, Joerg with Jackie (his awesome dog) and a few other friends and people we knew.  Before you know it the gun went off.  I hung with Chris for about the first mile and kept him within sight the entire race, but could not keep up with him.   My legs were feeling tight and so was my upper body - i did my best to stay relaxed and kept a good pace throughout.

All in all, i finished the race in 39:37 - my goal was to come in under 40 minutes, i was super pleased with this time which comes out to 6:22 per mile.  8th place overall and 4th in my age group.   My entire body was feeling wrecked after though, i could feel the soreness coming on, the adrenaline of the competing wearing down, and knowing I'd have to take some rest this week to let my body recover.

It was a great weekend - i love competing, not for the sake of winning, but for the sake of being active, sharing great experiences with friends and pushing my body to the limits.  I know this past weekend I pushed my body beyond what I thought was possible.  My goals were not to win or place in my age group - it was to do my best in all the events, and mission accomplished here.   I feel super lucky that I was able to share in these experiences with friends over the weekend, and been recovering all week from it - but it was totally worth it.  I haven't worked out since the weekend, but been honoring my body and the rest its been asking for as i get ready to do the Mission Bay Triathlon this weekend :)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Three Laws of Performance

I absolutely love to travel - it gives me an opportunity to read.  I've gotten to be a huge nerd in the past few years in regards to learning and reading.  I don't always remember having such a huge passion/drive for reading but nowadays I am always reading 2-3 books at a time.

I went to Houston this past weekend to coach a Crossfit Endurance certification, which went really well.  I took 3 books with me, normal right???  Probably not so, but that's how I roll!

First on the agenda was "The Three Laws of Performance"  a book that was recommended to me by some friends that I have done Landmark courses with.  I've been reading this book since the spring, and only tid bits here and there whenever I have felt inspired to get into it.  I was on my last chapter - I knew I was going to finish it and I was looking forward to it.

The book itself was really easy to read, although I stopped several times so that I could think about some of the questions posed and how they impacted me, my life and the situations in my present.  One of the main reasons I love reading is because it makes me think - in a productive sense, it stimulates my brain and makes me question things that are going on in my life and how I look at the world.  It helps me see different perspectives and learn from others.
Here are the three laws of performance:

1.  How people perform correlates to how situations occur to them.
2.  How a situation occurs arises in language
3. Future-based language transforms how situations occur to people

Its hard to sum up in a few sentences what these sentences mean to me, and all the impact they've had in my life, and I probably won't know immediately either..,. What I can say is that they made a lot of sense when reading in the context of the book - I would highly recommend anyone looking for a good book to pick this up and reading it.  Personally, I know that by adding this to my reading material its kept me thinking how situations occur to other people. 

I really enjoyed the leadership corrollaries, milestones on the road to mastery and commitments they explained in the book - this really resonated it and the question that really hit home:  Who or What is leading your life?


What is it that I want to create for my future?  I want a future that is going to inspire action, and addresses the concerns of those involved, I want it to be vibrant and compelling!!!!

Friday, September 17, 2010

From Crossfit Invictus Blog

A Simple Salad with Ground Turkey
Written by Nuno Costa
You may not know this about me, but I love to cook! I feel blessed to have the opportunity to cook a majority of my own meals, so I know first hand what goes into my body.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to plan and prepare your own meals. Whenever someone talks to me about getting in shape, improving their overall health or training towards a specific goal, one of the first questions out of my mouth is usually in regards to their current eating habits.

One thing I learned from my dad last year was that I don’t just have to get people to change the way they eat, but also have to get them to change the way they think about food. When introducing the concept of “real foods” to people – most react with: I can’t have this, or that, etc…. Needless to say, if this is their first impression they are not going to be all that open to changing and making the necessary adjustments. Typically people resent being told they can’t have something, so I usually preface it with all the wonderful things they can have, and invite them to think about all the wonderful nutrients they are providing their body by eating real foods :)

Read the rest of the post here


Sunday, September 12, 2010

Hot N Dry 2010

Another great weekend in Palm Springs!  This is my 3rd year attending Hot N Dry and its one of the weekends I really look forward to all year long.

Just like in the past 2 years, this year's event did not dissapoint.  It was fantastic to see faces from the past years and to meet new people.  Its one of those weekends that people get together and really enjoy each others company. 

I've been clean and sober for 2 years and almost 9 months, which in itself is an incredible accomplishment.  I can't imagine where I'd be if I had continued on the path of destruction that I was on 6 years ago. 

I have so much to be grateful for, weekends like this one make me realize that it wouldn't be possible if I weren't clean and sober.  Since I stopped drinking and using drugs my life has really unfolded beyond my imagination.   All the promises have come true and then some...

I realize that I am one of the luckiest people in the world.  If I hadn't found the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous and the fellowship it's highly improbable I'd be where I am at today.

Hot n Dry is a sober roundup of fellowship, fun and recovery hosted by Southern California's gay men of Alcoholics Anonymous.  Its a very special weekend, where close to 1,000 men come together for a common purpose: a stronger connection to, and deeper bond with, our tradition of fun and support.

I pre-registered for next  years event already,  I am already looking forward to it.  This years event was at the Riviera Resort which was super nice.  The past 2 I attended were at the Hilton in Palm Springs and this was a whole other level of service!  It was worth every penny.  We got there on Thursday afternoon and were by the pool most of the day Friday & Saturday mingling and meeting folks from everywhere. 

The meetings in the evenings are incredible, a huge ballroom filled and the energy is amazing.  The people that put on this event always go above and beyond to put on a show, and they sure lived up to it this year.  The entertainment is always top notch and this year was no different. 

Aside from the socializing, entertainment, great venue, I am grateful to share this experience with my friends and to have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. 

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

When it's cloudy I....

It's been almost 2 weeks since I have been back from my trip to Europe. It was an awesome experience to go where I went, see what I saw, do what I did and meet all the different people I met. It's taken me awhile to get adjusted to San Diego living and I have to say that my mindset is not all here yet.

Not really sure where it is though - it's definitely not in Europe and it doesn't feel lost, it still feels a little bit like its lacking direction.

I have no reason to complaint really - I set my own hours in terms of when I want to train people, I am able to travel with what I do and go to different cities and coach people from everywhere, yet something is still calling my name and I don't quite know what it is.

I have been meditating regularly which is a habit I'd like to continue, although the past few days I have been inconsistent I was able to make this into a daily morning routine when I was in Portugal. I tried doing it at night, but it didn't work so well.

I finished reading the book "Being Nobody, Going Nowhere" which really spoke to me about where I am spiritually and where I want to be. I don't feel as if anything in particular is missing or as if anything is wrong, and I don't even know how to quite describe what it is that I am going through - i just know that things haven't quite fallen into place and rather than trying to figure it out and rush to conclusions I am allowing things to be.

I have spoken to several people about some of the challenges I have had re-adjusting to life here in San Diego and have heard similar stories - sometimes it takes a few months to really get back into the lifestyle and way of being here. I hear it, and it makes sense, but my habit has always been to rush through things - so to allow things to be uncertain is a bit different, but something that I have gotten much better at in the past few years.

It's a cloudy Tuesday here in San Diego - weather not all that pleasant, and from the forecast it looks like it's going to be this way all week. Luckily I am going to a big sober retreat in Palm Springs this weekend - this should be a lot of fun, I have been the past 2 years and have had a fantastic time!!!!!

When you are in a cloudy mood what do you do to snap out of it?

When you are lacking motivation where do you turn to?

When you are searching for direction where do you go?

What inspires you?

What lets you know that you are on the right track?

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Makeover

This blog is going to be constantly evolving, and I have a few ideas in mind in regards to the direction I'd like it to go - for now I am super happy to share the mission & vision and want to enroll as many people in it as possible :)

Friday, August 27, 2010

Crossfit in Lisboa




Jorge and I did our CrossFit workout at his gym in Lisboa, Portugal
Here is what we ended up doing -

4 rounds of 1 minute at each station
Lunges
Push Ups
Thrusters
Press with dumbells
1 minute rest

This was a lot harder than it seemed, Jorge went first and this was his first crossfit experience and he did great and i went shortly after and thought to myself - who comes up with this crazy shit...

Back in California

Summer Trip to Europe 2010

Almost a full 6 weeks away from the place I now call home – San Diego.

The trip is ending exactly how it started – business class flight on the best international airline – Air New Zealand. This wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for Michele Muzio, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me this summer and I am grateful that we had an opportunity to spend some time together in London. If you haven’t had the opportunity to fly business class on an international flight it is a must to add to a bucket list. From the moment you board the flight they offer you ‘bubbly’, the service was spectacular on the way here, and I imagine it will be the same on the way to Los Angeles.

I write this as I sit in my business class chair – with my feet up lounging sipping on my orange juice. I am definitely ready to come home and get back into the swing of things in my everyday life – I miss ‘working’. I am super lucky to love what I do, so I don’t consider it work, I look forward to training people and making a difference in their lives.

It will be great to sleep in my own bed tonight, greet my kitties when I get back and catch up with friends and tell them all about my trip. I was having a conversation with my aunt and uncle last night about whether I was more Portuguese or more American – which I considered home? I am a citizen of the universe; I feel at home wherever I go. I definitely feel more comfortable in the US – things come easier, and the opportunities are there to be taken.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Training again

Getting back at it - I got back early Tuesday morning and been training since. I been a little out of it getting back from Europe and haven't been in the right mindset to post, although i feel like i have a lot to say.

Here's today's workout -
30 seconds on, 20 off - 5 rounds
Double Unders - 40, 47, 42, 40, 46
GHD Sit Ups - 13, 14, 12, 11, 12
Push Ups - 21, 17, 21, 18, 19
Seated Box Jumps - 7, 7, 7, 7, 7
KB Swings - 15, 15, 15, 15, 16

Yesterdays workout -
6 Rounds for Time of: 8:45
10 Chest to Bar Pullups
6 Broad Jumps
6 Ring Dips

Rest 5min
Dragon Flags 3x5, rest as long as needed between sets.
Mobility WOD From KStarr's Blog

Tuesday workout -
Press & Push Press - 115 for first 3 sets, failed on Press on 4th, 105 for 5th set, failed on 105 on press on 6th
10 X 2 Back Squat - 225
HSPU & Goblet Squats - Complete
First day back at it since trip to Europe

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Dave Matthews Band - Two Step

Greatest song in the world!!!!!!! I am bummed I missed them this past weekend in San Diego - I even looked online to see where else they were playing. I'd be willing to travel to see them in concert again - one of the greatest experiences of my life last year :)


Dave Matthews Band: Two Steps
Enviado por marcocom75. - Buscar outros videos de Musica.

The Art of Meditation


I began reading this book recently that has inspired me to take on meditation - its a concept that has always peeked my interest, but one that I have not developed the discipline to do regularly up until this point.

I am about half way through the book now, and its been rather insightful - yesterday I meditated for 10 minutes and made it a priority to do so again today :)

I don't know whether or not I am doing it right or wrong, or whether its perfect or, but what matters is that I have done it.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Finding inspiration instead of it finding you

From Seth Godin's Blog:

One approach to innovation and brainstorming is to wait for the muse to appear, to hope that it alights on your shoulder, to be ready to write down whatever comes to you.

The other is to seek it out, will it to appear, train it to arrive on time and on command.

For the rest of this blog post

Friday, August 20, 2010

Almost time to come home....

My trip is finally winding down and I am just about ready to come home - not quite yet, but will be after this weekend!!!

Its been very relaxing to have a few weeks of to enjoy Portugal and be. My life back in the states is never this calm - i usually have a lot of things going on and am typically always on the move, to have some down time usually makes me uneasy.

Part of me feels as if this might be my last visit to Portugal for the next few years - not sure why, but its almost as if a part of my life is becoming complete and I am ready to go out and explore different parts of the world. Not that i haven't already done so, but I have had the feeling the past few days that its time to move on and spend my vacations learning more about the world rather than revisiting the past.

I am super lucky to have the opportunity to travel, being in Portugal helps me realize how blessed i am to be able to do this - take 5 weeks during my summer and go to 4 different countries. Not many people are able to do so, which makes me very grateful for the life I have.

From wikipedia -

Wages

The average wage in Portugal is 804.22€ per month, and the minimum wage, which is regulated by law, is 475€ per month.

If I lived here, I don't know if I would have the opportunities to do what I do and go everywhere that I go.

I have gone back and forth with the idea of coming back to Portugal to live, but after this trip I have come to the conclusion that doesn't interest me anymore. At least not for now, i may change my mind though - i often do. But for now, i don't think its in the cards for me.

With that being said, I am looking forward to being back in San Diego - I am still not certain whether or not that is a place i want to live permanently, but i do know that its a place that i am able to make a very good living, where I am very comfortable, confident and close to family.

I am definitely feeling recharged and the last few days began itching to get back to my 'regular' life. I have a lot of fun things coming up in the next few months - traveling for Crossfit Endurance certifications to Washington, Texas, Florida before the end of the year. In September I am also attending Hot N Dry in Palm Springs - this will be my 3rd year attending and I have had such a great time the last 2 years and am really looking forward to going again this year.

Who knows what the next few months will bring - I have a few things planned but I am ready for anything. The past few years of my life have unfolded quite nicely and I have learned so much about myself and the world. Last summer I imagined being able to travel for work and share some of the knowledge and passion for training/health with people all over the world. I am blessed to have this opportunity and to make an impact in peoples lives.

Ok, i think i am rambling now, so i better rap this up and peace out!


Thursday, August 19, 2010

Praias de Portugal

This is where i have been spending the last few days - enjoying the beaches, eating, laying out and just having a good relaxing time, recharging my battery before returning to the states next week!

Monday, August 16, 2010

Our imperfections are perfect

I have been on the road for almost 5 weeks already - this has been quite a trip/journey.

I left San Diego on the 15th of July for the Crossfit Games in Carson, CA at the Home Depot Center for a weekend of competition. On the 19th I left LA to London where i spent a couple of days before heading out to Copenhagen to coach a Crossfit Endurance Certification. Back to London after that for a few days before heading to Cologne, Germany to compete in the Gay Games. After that i came to my home town of Lisboa, Portugal to finally relax and recharge for 2 weeks before returning to San Diego.

Whooo that's a lot of traveling, i can't believe i have been gone that long - part of me wants to return, and another part of me wants to continue to travel and see the world.

I am truly blessed to be able to do this in my life - be able to pick up and go and spend almost 6 weeks in Europe for the summer, how did life get so good?

When i was in my twenties i did a bit of traveling as well, and i got in the habit of sending out an email to my closest friends sharing with them what i was experiencing, what i was seeing, hearing, etc....This is now my means of communication so that more people can see, read and hear about my adventures.

Exploring different cultures is always a neat experience for me - being in London i felt quite comfortable, and in Copenhagen we were surrounded by people that spoke really good English so that was easy to communicate, but i was surprised in Germany that quite a few folks from there did not speak the universal language of English, i had a tough time communicating on a few occasions.

Being in Portugal I've also experienced a bit of difficulty communicating. I learned Portuguese till 7th grade when i lived here, but when we moved to California i basically stopped speaking it unless it was on my trips to visit. I can speak it, understand it, read it, but at times i find it a bit harder to communicate what it is I am trying to say - or i feel that the flow of the conversation isn't perfect....or maybe it is....

I find that i do a lot more listening here, which in my opinion is a good thing - sometimes i talk too much, and when i am in a position to listen i often learn a lot more about people, what they are sharing and the world.

I really love traveling and observing people from different cultures - its humbling, just when i think that i have it figured out, i realize i have so much to learn still...

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Finally

I have been putting off creating a blog for way too long, i have many a reasons...i didn't have the right title, i wasn't ready, blah blah blah

I am glad i finally got this up and running and now let the fun begin!!!!!