The night before the Tucson 10k in Guadalajara, Luz and I carboloaded with crepas at a French restaurant. I had my best 10k time in several years. The other race was in and around Ajijic, a small town next to Lake Chapala. It lived up to its reputation as a "carrera salvaje" (wild race). I got lost during the ascent of the hill behind town but managed to get back on track after about five minutes. Most runners tripped on the way down, but the descent was nothing to sweat for this Coloradoan (just kidding, it was scary). The Lake Chapala [View Full Entry]

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I don't have time to write very much right now, but I thought you would all like to see a picture of my trip to an hacienda in Los Altos de Jalisco. The 1926-1929 war between federal troops and Catholic rebels, or "Cristeros," climaxed in the upland Los Altos region northeast of Guadalajara. The cause of the conflict was the enforcement of the anti-clerical laws from the 1917 constitution, which involved confiscation of church property, closing of monasteries, and expulsion of foreign clergy. [View Full Entry]

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It was fun . . . after the dance floor got crowded. [View Full Entry]

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Geoff Mo and I were in a mountain town in Mexico, so naturally we had to find the nearest mountain of any size. We think we climbed El Tigre (elev. 8,890 feet). If not, we don't really know what mountain we climbed. In any event, it was great to get out into nature again with a buddy. [View Full Entry]

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My friends Geoff and Jasper and I had a fun time in Zacatecas. One of the highlights was a trip into La Mina Eden, which operated as a silver mine from 1586 to 1960. We had tried to go to the famous discotheque in the mine the night before, but Jasper was wearing shorts, so we couldn't get in. That was OK though, because I think all three of us were a little tired after following around a tambora (musical parade) through the colonial heart of Zacatecas. Before the mine tour, we visited El Ex-Convento de San Francisco, which contained arched [View Full Entry]

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My friend Geoff's visit to Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque was a blast. We had the chance to catch up over some good meals and a run at the local park. [View Full Entry]

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Hola amigos. El domingo pasado disfruté de La Vía RecreActiva, un evento comunitario en El Centro Histórico de Guadalajara. Mucha gente viaja por bicicleta a lo largo de La Calle Benito Juárez. Mis amigos y yo encontramos un grupo que estaba promoviendo la paz mundial. Nos dio el grupo unas camisetas y unas gorras, y participamos en la marcha. Después, fuimos a El Instituto Cultural Cabañas, que contiene la mayor colección de las obras del gran pintor José Clemente Orozco. Sus murales dramáticos en la Capilla Mayor nos permitieron a observar los eventos de la Conquista y de la Revoluci [View Full Entry]

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My first international race was quite an experience (there should be pictures soon). I participated in La Carrera Pedestre de las Crucitas in Tlaquepaque, so named because the 10k race course passes by capillas (small chapels). The race took place at 6 PM, and I'm guessing the temperature in the sun was 95+ degrees. That was brutal, but there was plenty of water along the course to douse myself with. Thankfully, I had friends with which to share the experience, and three of us wore Guadalajara Language Center soccer jerseys to represent our school. Something funny about the race for me [View Full Entry]

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Hola amigos. El Museo Regional de Guadalajara, ubicado en El Centro Histórico cerca de El Catedral, contiene una colleción diversa de arte y ejemplares paleontológicos, incluso el esqueleto de un mamut. Enfrente del museo están las estatuas de los hombres importantes en la historia de Guadalajara. En la siguiente plaza están las estatuas de sus madres. [View Full Entry]

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Hola amigos. El Refugio displays the diversity and vibrancy of cultures in Mexico. Luz, Josh, and I were the only ones visiting the ceramics displays in this museum and cultural center, which occupies an entire city block. Entrance was free, and with the salas (rooms) dedicated to artwork from different states, I felt like I took a tour of all of Mexico. The ceramic figurines in many of the displays showcase the lives of the people and their beliefs. Among my favorite works were "Vida Diaria" (Daily Life) from Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, in which artisans were hard at work, and "Nacimien [View Full Entry]

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