Holy mole, guacamole! So we went to the fresh fruit and veggie markets and got a bargain tray of avocados! Guacamole it is for the whole week! Yum!

Our first ultra trail across the island of Madeira

Frank and I decided to take up a challenge together as a couple in Madeira as our last experience before we left Europe. It was going to be a tough and technical 85 K trail run through long ascends and descends. Unfortunately, I sprained my ankle and tore a ligament 4 weeks before the run, which crippled my last weeks of training. This didn't deter me from wanting to start. However, a week before the trail run, I had the flu. Just when I thought nothing else could stop me from doing this, I got the runs two days before and couldn't eat anything at all! 

So the day came when we had to wake up at 3 am to catch the shuttle which would bring us to the start line in the middle of the mountains. I didn't manage any breakfast but had a shot of chia seeds and almond milk. This didn't sit well either and the bus ride around the curves just made me feel sick. 

The start was the most insane thing we've seen till now. A group of 150 crazy people jumping up and down to pumping music all fired up to conquer 85 ks of grueling terrain. I thought in my mind, man there are some crazy people out there! How can they be so happy and energetic when they know what's to come ahead of them ?! 

So we're off after counting down together and we start of with a technical downhill in the dark. I had franks hand me down headlamp which was as good as having no light so I sheepishly asked him if we could swap lights. I had teased him about his 300€ headlamp purchase but it was gold at the time. So we went along some beautiful single trails, watched the sun come up, ran along some levadas, passed some fountains, climbed a million stairs and stopped at a couple rest stations along the way. All I could have was isotonic drinks and the amazing home made chicken soup at the rest stops. 

We got to the rest station at km 30 and had a good rest there. I started feeling fatigued and hungry but couldn't put anything in. The next 10 kms was going to be a steep incline with 1000 m altitude gain. After 5 ks of climbing, I felt terrible, tummy cramps, fatigue and the thought of giving up. I told frank to go ahead as I needed to find my inner strength. I kept walking, stopped frequently and had to constantly fight the negative thoughts out. Every step was torture. It was worse because I knew frank was waiting up the top for me. I finally managed to crawl up at snail pace where frank was waiting. I sat there with him for a while feeling mentally crushed as we watched other runners go by, runners we had passed earlier on. They were all concerned and wanted to udder help. But I knew only I could help myself. I walked a it with frank and told him to go ahead and I will quit at the next and station. After a lot of persuasion, he managed to let me go. 

I made it to the and station and told them I was thinking of quitting but I'll try and see how I feel after resting for a bit. The volunteers were amazing, they made me a fire, covered me with blankets, brought me fluids every so often and made sure I was comfortable. A slight Ray if hope slipped into my mind at the time. Maybe I could continue! I started having the energy to speak to runners as they came through, making jokes, exchanging energy and getting my spirits up again. But in races like this, it's not hard for the brain to find reasons to quit. I found many, of which were, i didn't have a good enough light to run in the dark,what if I fainted along the way and there was no one around, I shouldn't do this to my weak body now, etc. and so I quit at 40 k.

This was my first DNF in my life. I gad to nurse my broken spirit weeks after this day. Questions of “ was I really that weak at the time?” Or “ could I have kept going?” haunted me. It was a very humbling experience and in life, we need those experiences to make us stronger - mentally and physically. 

Sometimes our world is too focused on competition and simply being the best. Wouldn't it be a better place if we could learn to work together more and help each other get to each of our goals?

Not every race is a perfect race, but every race is experience. Use this experience and become a better athlete.

The start of a beautiful race day - Ironman mallorca 2014

Our mini-moon ins and amongst the majestic Dolomites - another beautiful adventure in itself - just you and me.

" I promise to be by your side when we climb the highest mountains, travel the most amazing places, chase our dreams (even if they may be different), and when everything gets too overwhelming - to lend you a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear and with the little strength that we might have left, to keep going." - This I promise you - Our wedding vows.

Exchanging our promises to each other and our rings with our closest friends as our witnesses. It was a moment to hold in our hearts for always xo

My amazing dad bringing me in on a tandem in pouring rain! We had an awesome time on the bike!

Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do. - Rumi

(via mel-and-frank)

"We must be crazy, but you´re so beautiful"..

On the 26th July 2014, Frank and I got married on the stunning lake of Konstanz, except it wasn´t as stunning as we had expected it to be on that day. It was pissing down without mercy the entire day, from the early morning, all the way till 1 or 2am that same night. But true to my dad´s favourite saying, we did "dance in the rain, instead of waiting for the storm to pass". We truely had the most amazing day of our lives, surrounded by all the people we love so dearly and with so much positive energy and love in the air! It made us realise how important our friends and family are to us and how much we should treasure them. It doesn´t matter if it´s raining or nice and sunny, they´re always there for us and with them around, it´s always a good time!

Thank you all for your friendships which are worth more than anything else in the world and making this day so special and amazing for us.

With all our love,

Mel & Frank