Updates
Los Hoobing

Home | Nuestra Casa | Los Perros | Comida | Ejercicio | Activities | Guadalajara | Mexico City | Pueblas | Las Playas | Ruins | Updates | Links | Contact Us

E-mail updates that we have sent out.  The most recent is listed first.

March 19, 2003  - Subject: Greetings from Mexico PLUS a web site with pictures

Hola!

I hope that this message finds you in good health and good spirits.

Andy and I are continuing to enjoy our time in Mexico. Many of the things that I wrote about initially that seemed crazy at the time have now become normal and a part of our daily routine. I no longer cringe at the driving, it actually seems kind of exciting. I am used to the fact that you need to specify which part of the cow you would like in your taco. I am entirely adapted to having Lupita come and clean our house three times a week. Andy and I refer to her as Angel Lupita.

Our Spanish is slowly but surely becoming better. There are still times when we have no idea what we just agreed to. Andy always jokes when we are at a restaurant and we say "Sí" to something that we didn't understand that they probably just asked us if it is okay if they spit in our food. One of those jokes that never seems to get old. We are both taking Spanish classes three times a week. Our teachers from Berlitz are phenomenal! We are learning a lot but it is just such a slow process. Often, I will see a four year old in the street talking with someone and it just amazes me that at their age they are so easily able to speak a language that I struggle with every day. I know that it is not an accurate comparason, but it still crosses my mind each time I see one of them.

To answer some of your questions, Mexico does feel like home now. We really like it here! Each day offers a new adventure and Andy and I are really revelling it it!

I would like to take this opportunity to show you a web site (with pictures that so many of you have asked for) that I have been working on in my spare time. It is located at: http://hoobing.tripod.com

We hope that you enjoy it!

We have our first house guest coming this evening, Andy's sister Erin. We are very excited to have her and tomorrow we leave for four days in Puerto Vallarta. It should be a lot of fun.

We have other fun trips and adventures planned in the future. I plan to update the website with the latest pictures and stories.

I hope that all is well with you!

Alecia (and Andy) Hoobing

 

February 17, 2003 - Guadalajara Maratón Summary

Buenas Días,

The following is a summary of my experience running the Guadalajara Marathon, yesterday. Some of you received a summary from Andy, and mine will include some of the same things, but I believe he only sent it out to the running group list. It is VERY LONG, so please save reading for when you have some time to spare...

The GDL marathon was my fifth marathon but my first outside of the United States. I did not know what to expect (is the water at the water stations purified, are the streets monitored by cops to save me from the crazy drivers, etc.), but was pleasantly surprised!

We went to the Expo on Saturday and picked up our packets. I was very surprised to learn that they iron your race number onto your brand new Nike Dri-FIT (TM) tank top. They also had electronic chips and promised another long sleeve t-shirt at the end of the race. All this for less than $10, marathons in the states are now ranging from $45 - $75.

We got up early yesterday in order to do the pre-race rituals, Body Glide, Baby Oil, Immodium, Gatorade, careful preparation of GU's, etc. We drove downtown and luckily found a parking lot close to the race. The race was scheduled to start at 8am in front of the cathedral. 

For actual race pictures, check out the following official marathon website: http://www.maraton.com.mx

Anyway, we parked, walked to the start, and begin looking for the porta-poddies. After searching the entire area twice, we found where they were supposed to be. The problem was that they were still on the back on the truck and they were just beginning to unload them.  We made our way to the starting line and watched thousands of people run around in a circle, apparently warming up. It was also interesting to note that all of the participants where jumping around and shaking their various muscles incessantly. I do like to shake my legs out, but it was taken to a whole other extreme.

The wheelchair and elite runners started. It was now time for the rest of us to start. The countdown: Diez...Nueve...Ocho...Siete...Seis...Cinco...Cuatro...Tres...Dos...Uno...

Church bells ring, pigeons fly in the air, fireworks explode (and get my heart beating faster) and we were off. Blue and yellow Nike Dri-FITed corredores (runners) everywhere. (Blue and yellow are the colors of the city and you can see why if you look at the steeples of the church.)

I must admit that you all were the inspiration for the first 16 kilometers.

I was actually thinking about what I was going to write in my post-race e-mail. So many funny things were going through my mind and I am sure that if I had had a device to capture them that this e-mail would be a lot more entertaining, but I didn't, so this is what you get. :)

I began, knowing that to run a 3:40 (my Boston qualifying time), I needed to run a 5:11 min/km pace. I did this for the first 5-10K and then decided that I was not going to be able to maintain/increase that pace, so I just decided to have fun with the race. Well, have fun but still try come in around 4 hours. I also thought that it would be cool to PR, but was definitely okay if I didn't. (My PR was 3:56:06 in Portland). I really did just want to have fun and make it through. (with all of those caveats). If you cannot tell, when you ask someone what their goal is for a marathon, it is a complicated answer. :)

So there I am running though the streets of Guadalajara. Following the blue line. I did not know anyone. I could not effectively communicate with anyone. All of the thoughts, both negative and positive were to be suppressed and to remain in my brain until this e-mail.

(1k) My beginning of a marathon mantra, "A journey of 1000 miles begins with one footstep."

Hmm. I may have to change it to "A journey of 1600 kilometers begins with one footstep."

(2k) Usually I divide the race up into three races: 1st 10 miles, 2nd 10 miles, last 6 miles.

That is going to require a lot of math. Maybe I should go with: 1st 10k, 2nd 10k, 3rd 10k, 4th 10k, last 2k. Oh great, the last 2k is finished. Only 40k left.

(still 2k) I don't know, I will like to know when I am at 20 miles because that is such a turning point.  I better do the math now while my brain is still working. Okay, you will be at 20 miles at 32k.  I wish I was there now.  But without the pain that I will feel then.

(3k) It is easier to pick off kilometers than miles.  Too bad that there are more of them.

(4k) Yea, a water station. They are handing out plastic baggies with water.  What do I do with them?  Okay, maybe I just bite them. Cool, these are great!  What a great idea!  I wonder why they don't have these in the US?  It is much easier to run and drink at the same time.

(4.5k) The city gate

(still 4.5k) Minerva Glorietta (Circle)  I wonder if Minerva was a runner?  Did people run for fun back then?  Is Minerva even real or is she a legend?

(7k) Oh look, a man with his family and a rooster.  He is yelling, "Animo."  Does he really mean, "Animal?"  Oh no, someone else is saying it too, so that must be a word used to cheer people on.  Hmm. I wonder what it means.

(8k) Others are saying, "Vamos." If I remember correctly from Spanish class, that translates to "we go."  Hmm. We.  I remember my mother saying that to my father and him translating that to, "You." (sorry mom)  I would think that it should be "Va/Van." (you go/they go).  They must feel like they are running too.  I must be translating that too literally.

(8.5k) I wish Michelle was here. 

(8.5k - finish) Or Lindsay or Sage or Kelly okay, anyone.

(10k) If I choose to follow option 2 of breaking the race up, I am through the first mini-race.  But it is really only 6 miles. Argh.

(15k) I once told Kelly that I was a realist, not a pessimist or optimist.  It is funny that while running a marathon a realist sure sounds a lot like a pessimist.  I don't suppose a true pessimist could run a marathon, though. Must asking the running group their opinion about this sometime.

(16k) Option one, race one completed.

(18k) This feels like a hill. Well, hopefully the downhill feels as good as this feels bad.  It is truly amazing, the awful thoughts I can have on the uphill.  And the great thoughts that I have on a downhill.  It is like I am two different people.

(20k) Option two, race two completed.

(20.25k) Cool, a Gatorade hat. I needed that.

(20.45k) Cool, a sprinkler. Squirt me. Damn, glasses are all smeared.

(20.5k) Pain is starting a little earlier than I expected. Shoot.

(21k) The 1/2 marathoners are finished. I am strong.  I do not need to run into their chute and finish now.  I can run another 1/2 marathon.  Can I?  I hope so.  If I did stop now, I wonder if I could hitchhike back to the start/finish of the full marathon? I am sure that someone is going back there.  No, must continue.  You would be disappointed in yourself.  Besides, it may be dangerous to catch a ride back.  Pain during the last half is better than possibly unsafe ride back.  Is it really?  Hmmm.  Yes, I think it is.  Will continue.

(22k-finish) Oh, little kids want me to slap their hands.  How cute.

(24k) A kid is standing on the road with a rubber glove covered in Vaseline. I stick my hand out to take some and he pushes his hand towards me.  Due to the extra force of him moving his hand, my hand is now covered with Vaseline.  I use the little bit that I needed and then try to wipe the remaining on my shorts.  Gross, it is still everywhere!

(25k) These people probably think that I am in a lot of pain, by my face.  I guess that is accurate.

(27k) Another sprinkler. Cover glasses under shirt to avoid water smearing.  Squirt me.  Remove glasses and replace on face.  Cool, it worked.

(30k) Brain is definitely starting to turn off. Just keep running.

(32k) Okay, at the 20 mile point.  Good thing I did the math earlier.  Keep running.  Second race of option 1 completed.  You can do it.  Only 10k left.

(33k)  Keep going.  There are a lot of spectators.  Animo! :)

(34k) There sure are a lot of short males running this race.  Only 8k left.

(36k) Oh my gosh, did I do the math right?  Maybe it is really 44k and not 42?  I don't think that I can run 2 extra kilometers.  Ask gentleman next me, "Perdon, cuantos kilometres mas?"  He responds, "Seis." I respond, "Hay cuarenta y dos o cuarenta y cuatro kilometres en la carrera?"  He responds, "cuarenta y dos, mas o menos."  I sigh with relief.  I can continue.  Only 6 kilometers left.

(37k) Only 5 kilometers left.  Anyone can run a 5k.  I can finish 5k.  Everyone else seems to be suffering as bad or worse than I am.  I am passing a lot of people.  But that doesn't mean that I feel much better.  It hurts worse to slow down.

(37.5k)  IT IS SO HOT!  I say to the gentleman next to me, "Hace mucho calor."  He says, "Sí."

My conversation skills are AWESOME!  My math skills are even better!

(39k)  I missed 38k, no wonder that last kilometer took so long!  Water station...yea, maybe I can walk real slow through it.  Did I mention that it is SO HOT!  Just keep running, you are almost there.

(40k)  2 KILOMETERS LEFT!!! Yea.

(40.1k) Crowd says, "Dos kilometres mas."

(40.2k) Crowd says, "Dos kilometres mas."

(40.3k) Crowd says, "Dos kilometres mas."

(40.5k) Crowd says, "Dos kilometres mas."

(40.8k) Guess what the crowd says?

Okay, seriously people, if you are going to tell me how much is left, can you please be accurate!!!

(41k) Never saw the sign, so just kept running.

(Between 41k and finish) Rounded the corner and saw the cathedral and the "Meta" sign (finish).

It looks SO far away.

But the fact that I can see the finish allows me to keep running.

(200 meters before the finish) Enter the chute for the mujeres (women).

There is a guy next to me in the men's chute. Should I try and beat him? Can my legs do that?

Sure, I speed up. He speeds up.

Seriously who cares if I beat this guy? I will never see him again in my life.

I speed up. He speeds up.

This is stupid.  I speed up.  He speeds up.

We finish about the same time.

We shake hands.

I have not seen my official time, but according to my watch it was around 4:01. Near the end, I thought that I may be able to break 4 hours, but like I said, that last stretch was really long! I wasn't going to PR, so it didn't matter that much to me.

I had the chip removed from my shoe, got my t-shirt and post-race goodies.  I realized too late that my t-shirt was an XL so I had to find some larger male to trade with and luckily found someone.

Post-race was painful mostly because of my joints. Today is painful because of my muscles. In three days, I will *hopefully* be back to normal (except for a couple of toenails)...and I know you are wondering, was it really worth it? And I have to say, no matter how negative (realistic) I may sound, it absolutely was!

It was a great experience and I hope that I haven't bored you too much with the details. AND yes, I know there are a lot of details. By being my friend and me knowing that I was going to write this e-mail seriously helped me get through the race! Thank you!

Until the next one,

Alecia

 

February 17, 2003  - The Best 10 bucks I ever spent

Well, Alecia and I are still alive after the marathon.

Here is my experience: (I think Alecia will send out hers) Rather lengthy, but it was a pretty cool experience.

It all started on a nice sunny Saturday when Alecia and I headed downtown to the marathon expo to pick up our packets. We found the big tent next to the Cathedral and headed on in. The hardest part was figuring out where to go. It seems most of the people sign up the day of the marathon. After looking around for a bit, we found a short line and got our packets. Opening our packets we found the timing chips, a course map, and a really nice Nike Dry-Fit shirt with our race numbers on them. No need for race bibs. :) As we headed out the expo tent we passed by the Gatorate table which consisted of young ladies wearing rather long T-shirts. Alecia informed me that they were supposed to be Gatorade dresses. Outside of the expo tent there were many vendors selling all sorts of running equipment. Alecia was looking at a couple of tops, but the fact that the word "SAMPLE" was stenciled into the back, detoured her from buying them.

Sunday morning arrived early, like all other races. We ran around the house drinking fluids and going to the bathroom about 10 times. Once we donned our race shirts we headed towards downtown to the race start. Once we got to the race start, we had to use the bathrooms again. We remembered from the map that there should be some porta-potties nearby, but we could not find them. We walked around for 10 minutes and still no luck. We finally found them. They were still on the back of the truck. It was already 7:30 and the race started at 8. :) As they started to unload them, the women in the crowd quickly commandeered two of them. No men entered that line.

Alecia and I then made our way over to the staring "corral." When we got inside we saw one of the most interesting pre-race behaviors. Usually before a marathon you see a couple of the really good runners doing some warm-up jogging. What we saw was about 1,000 people running laps in the corral. It was amazing. Everybody was warming up. 7:55 came and the wheel chair division took off. At 8 am there was a count down and the race began amongst some fireworks, church bells, balloons and confetti. So off we went.

I had a game plan for this race. It is 42k, so I thought I would break it down into 4 10k segments and forget about the last 2k. If I could run under 50 minutes for each 10k, I could easily make 3:30. The math was easy, every kilometer had to be five minutes or less. (math gets hard when running marathons :)) The first marker I could see was 4k, I was at 19:10 and feeling good. It was about this time I saw the first water station. As I neared water station I saw that they were handing out plastic bags of water. At first I was a bit confused. Then I figured out that you just bite the corner and squeeze the water out. This definitely the best was to take water during a race. You could take the bag with you, and drink it at your own pace. It was nice that you didn't have to stop and try to slug down some water. As we made our way through the streets we got to hear a lot of new race encouragement phrases. No longer would we have to listen to, "Keep, it up, your almost there." We where cheered on my chants of "Animo!!!" and "Vamos!!" Around 7k, I saw a guy and his family standing on the side of the road with their rooster. It appeared to be the family pet. After a while I heard a loud "slapping" sound on the street coming up behind me. It was a man running in sandals. He was about 50-60 years old. I was pretty amazed. The course continued to be mostly flat. At one point there was steep but short uphill. I was still maintaining my pace and feeling good. Visions of sub 3:30 were dancing in my head. The first 10k was under 50 minutes. As I headed toward the half way point all of the 1/2 marathon runners left the race. After the second 10k I was two minutes ahead of schedule and still feeling really good. Toward the end of the 3rd 10k there was a long gradual uphill. I managed to maintain pace but after getting to the top (right around 30-31k), the show as over. The wheels came off, and the train derailed. My legs had completely blown up. As much as I tried, I could not get them going again. I tried to run faster to shake the pain, but that did not seem to work. Oh well, now I just had to finish. The last 12k took a very long time. I eventually ran into the man with the sandals again and stayed with him for a bit, but in the end he whooped it up on me. I finally saw the finish line and knew it was all over. 42k in 3:49. As I made my way through the finish line gates, I was handed another cool race shirt (long sleeve cotton, very nice) Gatorade, water, fruit and pasta. All in all it was a great experience. The race was well organized (minus the portal potty episode). It was cheap, and yes the Kenyans won the race.

The first picture is of the expo tent. The second is me standing in front of our door ready to race with the cool race shirt.

 

January 31, 2003  Subject: Hoobing Update

Buenas dias,

We thought you might like some pictures of us in Mexico. The first one is a view into the downtown area of Guadalajara. It was taken on a hill above our house. The second picture is Andy cleaning up the fountain in our backyard. When we first arrived, it was full of dirty water and had a bad smell to it. Now it is nice and clean. The final one is with me in Colomos Park, a park where we have been running.

Things are going well here. Every day is a new adventure. One of the first major adjustments for us was the driving. There are traffic laws down here, but it seems they are merely a "suggestion." There are a few easy rules to follow. The first one is that you never stop for pedestrians, unless they are right in front of your hood. If you try and stop, you will probably get rear ended or cause a traffic snarl. The second rule is, if you are in a tight situation, step on the gas, not the brake. The last rule is if there is a car already in the "round-about" they have the right away. I came up with an analogy that we both thought was fitting. Entering a round-about (Glorieta), or any road for that matter is like the beginning of a triathlon. When the gun goes off, hundreds of swimmers begin flailing through the water all aiming for the first buoy. There will be four cars literally turning right at the same time all trying to get into one lane. The thing that I have learned from it all is that there truly is order to chaos.

Besides the driving, we are getting used to the differences in things such as sugar, Coca Cola, yogurt, cheese, etc. It is amazing that things that you know as absolute are suddenly not so. All in all, we are taking everything in stride and really enjoying our stay in Mexico, thus far. Our domestic help, Lupita, begins working on Monday. This will be a very nice treat as she will clean 12 hours a week. Having Lupita will be one difference that I know that I can get used to very quickly! :)

We hope that all is well with everyone!

Alecia and Andy Hoobing

 

January 29, 2003 - Subject: Diesciseis

I have a quick story that is too funny not to tell you.

Yesterday, I went to my third "spinning" class with my friend Ana. For each class, we have had the same teacher, Alex. As I have shared with some of you, spinning in Mexico to me, is a guy (Alex), screaming at you in Spanish and me watching what everyone else is doing to try and follow along. I have picked up some of the sayings, but especially with the loud music, it is still hard to understand.

I think that I must have been giving Alex an evil eye, since Day One, because he has pretty much stayed away from me. It could be that I am dripping sweat, while everyone else in the class is gorgeous and virtually sweat-free, or the fact that 90% of the girls in the class flirt with him and I completely ignore him (mostly because I don't want him to adjust the tension on my bike or talk to me and me not to understand what he is saying.)

So yesterday was the first day that Alex decided to come talk with me.

During each class, he tells us that we should be going 80% up a hill, or sprinting, and then at the end of it, we are supposed to figure out our pulse. He tells us that we should not be over deciseis (16) in the period of time that we monitor our heart beats. Mine is usually 18 or 19, but I just lie and say deciseis, because I know that I can push myself past 16. You see, he comes around and asks each of us what our heart rate is. So the first time, he actually did ask me my heart rate and I said, "deciseis." A few minutes later, we calculated our heart rate again and then probably two minutes after that, he came over and asked me a question, which I thought was, "What is your heart rate?" so I replied, "Deciseis." He started laughing and said, "Hablas Espanol?" I said, "Un poco" and he said, "No hablas espanol." I didn't get it until after the class when Ana told me that what he had asked me was, "Como te llamas?" (What is your name?) and I replied with Deciseis. So if you get tired of calling me Alecia, you can always use Deciseis. :)

It was at least semi-flattering because he said that if I had my road bike here, he would train me. I told him that I did not and he said (Again, Ana told me later what he said), "Well, I don't have another one, so never mind." Weird, like I was asking him for one? It is just funny because conversations tend to go so differently than you are used to or than how you are expecting them to.

Adios,

Alecia

 

January 23, 2003 - Another Work Out Story

Hola Amigas,

I have another work out story for you. (I am building again.) Only read if you have time, because it is kind of along (no really long) story.

Yesterday after work, Andy headed out from work towards a circled point on our map where (as far as we can tell), the only track (revolucciòn) in Guadalajara was supposedly located. My intent was to do 9 Yasso 800's.

We drove about 20 minutes to the entrance of this park. We knew that the revolucciòn was somewhere in this park (incidentally this is the park where we will run our 22 miler this weekend), but did not know where. It is a huge park. So we enter the park and pay our 5 pesos, then I ask the guy where the revolucciòn is located. He said (I think), "This is the wrong place. You need to turn on this other street. But why do you need the revolucciòn, you can use the trails in the bosque (park/forest)." I didn't know how to explain why I needed a track so I just said, "Necessito la revolucciòn" and since there were cars behind us honking, we drove off.

Next, Andy thinks that he sees the revolucciòn, so we park, pay to get into this other entrance, 6 pesos, I think. Then we ask the lady where the revolucciòn was. She said that we were in the wrong place and of course we just left the 6 pesos with her since we didn't know how to ask for our money back and also have heard that it is impossible to get money back in Mexico.

So, we walk back to our car and drive on. We finally come to a place that we figure has to be the right one. We had heard that the revolucciòn was in a stadium-like building with a bunch of other buildings for different sports. So, we ask the guy (before paying this time) if this was where the revolucciòn is. He replies that it is, won't accept the tickets from the other times we paid, then accepts the 5 pesos to get into the athletic park.

Once inside the athletic park, there are roller skaters, like those roller derby people, and a basketball team practicing, people playing outdoor racquetball, a hockey team, but no track. We finally found it and went to walk in and there was a lady who wanted more money to get into the track. I handed her 5 tickets (that I had paid for before) and she said, no, none of these work, where did you buy them? I said in broken Spanish, "Yo pago en todos lugares." (I paid in all of the places) and I guess that I looked pathetic enough that she said that we could enter. By this time it is about 6:15-6:20pm and Andy thought that he had seen a sign that it closed at 7, so I was wondering how I was going to get 9 800's in. I was so determined after all of the obstacles to get them done though, so I started doing them. By the way, there were a ton of people at the track working with coaches and running, jumping, hurdling, wheelchairing, etc. Andy was doing 200's while I was running the 800's.

At around 7pm, I had finished 6 and people were starting to clear out. Andy wanted to leave but I really wanted to do more. Andy looked upset that I wouldn't stop, so I reluctantly gave in and agreed to leave when he said, "Alecia, it is dark, we are in a side of town that we have never been in and we don't know how to get home." We left and got lost and eventually made our way home.

So, that is the long story as to why I only got 6 Yasso's done last night. I think that next week, we will go around 4pm and I will still try to do 10. Do you guys think that would be a mistake? Let me tell you, after all that and since I had not run since Sunday, it felt SO GOOD TO RUN! I just wanted to keep going and going! It is much more warm and humid here than in Boise, which makes it more difficult to run, but it is also very nice! I was thinking of you all as I ran and I would pretend that you were there, but then I think that I would forget and slow down again. Next time I will be more motivated.

Okay, now that I have bogged down your inbox, I will go.

Have a good one!

Alecia

 

January 22, 2003  Subject: I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet

I wasn't planning on sending out another update for awhile, but we wanted to let you know that we are okay after the earthquake last night.

It had a magnitude between 7.6 - 7.8 depending on the source. The coast, near Colima was hit the hardest but you could definitely feel it in Guadalajara and many other places. See below for more details.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americas/01/22/mexico.quake/index.html

It was such a strange feeling to have the earth truly moving below you. It took awhile for my brain to figure out what was happening. The scariest part was that it continued to shake for over a minute.

So your Spanish word of the day is "Temblor" (earthquake).

Have a good day!

Alecia

 

January 21, 2003  Subject: Viva Mexico!

Hola,

I am sending out our first update from Mexico. We have now been in the country for almost a week. It has been a lot of fun and are enjoying our time here. Our house is very beautiful and the dogs are starting to realize that it is their new home. Once Andy gets the fountain working, I think that they will never want to leave. We will send pictures soon.

We have already learned a lot about our new culture. The driving is not as scary as we remembered and it is starting to take more to surprise us, although yesterday when I saw a family sitting on plastic lawn chairs in the back of a small pick-up going about 100kpm down the Periferico, I have to admit that I was still shocked. It is amazing how many people they will cram into the back of a small pick-up.

The weather is beautiful. It is temperate enough that there are virtually no heaters and air conditioners. The people are very nice and helpful. There is someone at every stop light trying to wash your window or sell on anything from a Day timer to cotton candy.

We have been able to go on a couple of runs and hope to get one final long run in this weekend before the Guadalajara Maratón on February 16.

The HP-Guadalajara site is very nice, but small. It has the BEST coffee machine! You press what type of drink you want (mocha, espresso, americano) and it makes it for you.

Pretty much everything we do is a new adventure. Going to the grocery store is no longer monotonous. Everything goes okay until the check out girl asks you something that was not in the Spanish Phrase book, then you just freeze and say "Sí" and hope that you didn't just agree to do anything too crazy.

I really could go on and on about this place. It is really great and we are having a lot of fun! And the Spanish is coming along slowly....

I hope that all is well with you all!

The Hoobing's