After the maratón, Dad and I went to Starbucks.

I know, I know.

Trust me, it was in a great location in Palermo. The area was fashionable and trendy, the result of Argentines opening up shops to showcase hobbies after the 2002 crisis. Property was cheap and no one had a job, so sell what you know. Winning hobbies became profitable business.

Sundays are for family and asada. It was cool but not cold. Sunny but not hot. Spring. Again. Parks were filled and people were happy.

We were happy. Thrilled. Ecstatic. All of the above.

We window-shopped and talked, then had burgers and beer. We marveled at what had happened. We met this person and this person and saw this and saw that. I was sore but wasn’t in real pain. My dad’s head was sun burnt. We didn’t care. The race was won.

If you go to the Burger Joint on Jorge Luis Borges, sit at the booth opposite the “Que Ves?” mirror. Look up at the wall and with luck, you’ll see the following: 42K Start to Finish. Jerry and Mike, Buenos Aires, October 13, 2013.

***

We were tourists in Buenos Aires for one last day and the morning after. By this point, we finally figured out the directions of the city, finally figured out the timing and luckily found someone who spoke English at the grocery store. The sushi was fantastic and Café Tortoni was lovely. Vintage. Old-school class, a party amid the crises.

The rest of our time was in Mendoza and Santiago de Chile, both wonderful places to visit.  There are stories to be told and someday will be told but for our purposes here, believe me when I say we had a magnificent time. Wine, absinthe, the Andes, Paseo Huérfanos and Bellavista, Valparaiso.

Dad and I cleared Chilean customs with time to spare, so we sat at Ruby Tuesday’s and tried to process our time together and the end of this adventure. We laughed about the Argentine at the parrilla in Mendoza, who kept getting friendlier as he drank. We exchanged thoughts of bad Mexican food (don’t eat the Mexican food in Santiago) and Taco Bell, which surprisingly was good. We thought about Plaza de Armas, Pablo Neruda’s house and still tried to figure out we scored on the apartment in Santiago.

So Dad. This went so well, I’m thinking about trying for another continent. Berlin. The Great Wall. What do you say?

Dad laughs.

I’m serious.

I know you are. That’s why I’m laughing.

Well, we can let the adventure continue!

Well, let me pay off this adventure first.

 

We embraced and went home, he to L.A. and me to D.C.

***

November 11: 6:28km, 5:23/km

November 13: 7.84km, avg, 6:12/km

November 14 CrossFit:

Mobility (Circle of Death, in which each person comes up with a warm-up exercise as go around the circle. Thus: two burpees, 10 jumping jacks, five squats, five pushups, five situps, five burpees, 10 split squats).

Deadlift 5×5: Got to 145 pounds

Assistance 3:10: Alternate false grip row and L-sit positioning

Conditioning: outside run, medicine ball relay

I woke up late and almost didn’t make it CrossFit. I struggled at first but running outside invigorated me.

The air was crisp. We’re back to autumn again. The past two days were a foreshadowing of winter. Running yesterday was a near-nightmare. I have to remember to wear gloves.

Just like that, it’s coming toward the end of the year.

What a year.

The time ahead is open and uncertain but what is for sure is the road to good air continues. I aim to talk about issues of health and fitness, upcoming changes and what’s next for the celebration of the Jesus Year.

I’ve already signed up for the D.C. Rock and Roll marathon next March. I ran the D.C. half-marathon this past spring, so it’ll be wonderful to run this race in one of the best cities in the world.

Thanks for reading.

***

Speaking of it being quite the year, here’s a sense of before and after.

That’s me at my friend’s wedding after this time last year. On the right, that’s me now.

In terms of numbers, I went from 232 pounds to 172. Pant size shrunk from a size 38 to a 32. I went from a X-large to medium.

More so, I feel healthy. I am healthy and on the road to becoming healthier. That’s what important.

It’s a long road, filled with challenges but also filled with opportunity.

I can’t wait to get there.