I was not sure to write this journal about how the competition went, but some friends insisted because they wanted to know how it went, so I can asume other guys want to know how did it went.

As many of you know I'm a Triathlete and my first goal for this year was to compete at a 70.3 Ironman and do it under 5 hrs (it's called 70.3 because its the total distance of the event 1.2 miles swimming, 56 cycling and 13.1 running) I choose to do it at Galveston Texas, because it's an event that it is highly recommend, besides, it's similar to where I live, it's flat and windy and the airline that doesn't charge me for the bike, if not the airplane fees for traveling with the bike, is like traveling with someone else, they go up to $250 USD per way, so I would have had to pay $500 USD to go with the bike.

The adventure began on Thursday March 30th, I left from Merida, Mexico to Houston making a layover at Mexico City. I arrived to Houston without any problem. Got to the car and went to the hotel. A while later my friend Kurtt came to visit me, we had dinner and he stayed with me.

On Friday March 31st, I woke up a bit later than usual, reported to the couch, and went to have breakfast with Kurtt before going to Galveston to pick up my racing kit and to listen to the mandatory briefing, explaining the rules, the time cuts.....

I arrived at Galveston, and I was on line to pick up my kit, and I was listening to everybody around me and they were talking about the weather on Sunday, I knew how was the weather, I knew it might be a storm/ lighting storm and a lot of wind, but I start to listen it might get cancelled or one of the legs might be cancelled, and I was trying not to get worried, so much, training for this event going down the drain? I tried no to think about it. I picked up my kit, did some shopping, some gifts and things I needed, and went to the briefing.

The briefing started on time and the first word of the speaker said were "Don't worry about the weather, it's something out of our control, so come to race normally..." Those words calmed me down, and I listened to all the instructions and advices they gave us in case it rained a lot, like bring plastic bags for the running shoes, use common sense if there are lightnings...

After that I headed back to Houston, because my parents had arrived there, and came to cheer me up, so I had to pick them up, and we will stay there for the night. That day was their 33rd wedding anniversary. So when I arrived my dad went to rest and my mother and I went to the mall, and later with some friends to dinner.

On Saturday April 1st (April's Fool) we woke up late, and my father had some plans to get some stuff that he wanted to get, but I needed to be at Galveston at 2 pm so I could get the bike ready and leave it at the transition before 5 pm. I tried to get ready as much as I could, but it I saw my watch and I was feeling the time was going faster and that I would not be ready. I was very angry about everything, and specially with my self because I didn't start doing things earlier or before, so I was really stressed, and angry, I promise is the last time I travel with my parents to a competition. On the way to Galveston there were repairing the road, so there was a lot of traffic, it was 1pm, and I was thinking of the worst. We arrived at Galveston and directly to the hotel to assemble the bike, and I was really worried, working like crazy to finish on time. Finally I finished but the handlebar was loose and I didn't had the tools, and my back shifter was not working properly and I thought that it all was a very bad joke. So we went to Moody Gardens where the event was taking place, and I looked for a mechanic that could help me, fortunately I found one. I left my bike on the assigned place and could breath for a while.

After that we went for dinner/ lunch, I didn't eat properly that day, but I rested for a while. A lot of people that were competing the next day were at the restaurant, this events helps a lot this city, and people are happy about it. After dinner I went to Walmart to get my breakfast and hydration for the next day. When I got back to the hotel, my parents were already there, so I started to prepare my stuff for the next day, doble checking I wouldn't forget anything and everything was ready.

Sunday April 2nd. The big day had arrived, I woke up at 4 am, so I could have breakfast, and start getting ready. I did everything at the Bathroom, so I wouldn't wake up my parents. After having breakfast, getting dressed, and ready I left to Moody Gardens. It was a really windy day, and I was thinking about how tough the bike leg was going to be.

I arrived to Moody Gardens/ Transition zone on time, and took my time to get my things ready for the event. They were announcing that it was legal to wear wetsuit and that we couldn't leave the bike shoes on the pedals due the strong winds so they wouldn't get hooked to the bike next to ours.

I finished fast and checked and double checked that everything was ready. I went to the car to send my last messages to my teammates and couch. I was calm and exited and a bit nervous, I didn't know what to expect. Left my morning cloths where they told us to, putted my wetsuit and I was ready to rock and roll. I went the dock where the line started and looked for my start group. Fortunately it was the 7th group on starting. As the sun raised we could see it was a bit cloudy and very windy, it didn't looked as it was going to rain. Our start was at 7:26 am, and as the time was approaching, we were moving closer to the dock and jump to the water. Water was not that cold, and I just hoped that the wetsuit was not going to affect me. There was a clock on the dock we could see to know how much time left we had. And finally we just heard "ATHLETES ON YOUR MAKRS......."horn sound" And so it began, all the hours of training came down to this, the fight for the under 5 hours event was there, I was competing agains me only, I didn't care about the other guys, even I was looking at them.

The swimming leg was fine but I got desperate, so fast, I'm not used to wear wetsuit, even I have trained with it. I was on front of the group, but I was seeing the guys behind me and faster than I thought I was overtaking the groups in front of us, so I had to deal with some traffic avoiding some of them. I tried to keep my head focused and concentrated, but I was struggling with it. Part of me was, I'm tired, I'm not feeling well... But I tried and tried to keep focus, I thought I was not doing well and I was getting tired.

When I was finishing the leg and got out of the water, I looked at my watch and saw 30 min, and my mood changed, and what I didn't know at the moment, that the course was longer than 1.2 miles.

I ran to transition to get my bike and I saw the volunteers helping everybody to take out the wetsuit, so I went with some of them and they took it out in a matter of seconds, they gave it to me and I ran to where my bike was. I put on my shoes, my helmet and ran to the zone where I could mount my bike.

Wind was strong and the first miles, and I tried everything to start overtaking and being careful not to commit a foul by drafting. After a couple of miles, finally the wind was on my back pushing me forward, and later on my side, that it didn't help me but it didn't hurt me much either or that is what i thought. I was feeling strong, doing great, having my nutrition according to plan, having good thoughts, and still fighting against myself. I didn't mind if someone passed me, I was focused and doing what I came for and keep a strong mind, to expect anything along the course. It was flat course, it went parallel to the coast, so it was nice, but nothing stopped the wind. There where places the wind was so strong I couldn't keep my aero position, I needed to grab to the handle bar so I wouldn't fall. Returning was harder than expected and I was ridding strong, I was doing a great time, but because of the wind something happened I didn't count on, and that made pay a really high cost later.

As I was approaching to the transition, the wind was in front of me, thing that just made it harder. I struggled a lot the las 4 miles. And as I was getting close to transition, I heard my dad shout at me, I was really happy to hear him. All the time on the bike I thought a lot of everybody, my teammates, my friends, everybody that was following me on internet, and cheering me, I was really happy. And I tried to keep it that way.

3:03 was the time that had passed since I began, everything was according to plan, everything came down to the 13.1 miles of the running leg. It was cloudy not so hot, it looked like the perfect scenario. I began to run, keeping my pace, trying to go as fast as I could, keeping my nutrition, but also the running leg was affected by the wind. The first miles was great, great pace, feeling good, but suddenly my pace began to slow down, my legs were very tired because of the effort on the bike course, even though I felt great before, and them my mind started to do the dirty work, I started to feel bad as I saw on my watch the pace going up. I was thinking on my teammates, couch, and everyone seeing that I was not as fast as before. The 1st and 2nd lap went ok, the last one I fought as hard as I could, and at some point of mile 12, I looked at my watch and saw 5:02, and I said to myself, well fought, you did good, lets finish what we started.

My parents where near the finish line, I knew that because I saw both of them when I was beginning the final lap. I don't know what happens but when even when you are exhausted, when you know the final meters are coming you get an extra boost and you feel great. As I crossed the finish line I was really happy, because I did a good time and I fought as hard as I could, even it was not the time I expected. I was happy but I was thinking about the feedback I was going to tell my couch. A lot feeling came to my mind, I was so happy but at the same time I felt that I had disappointed so much people, I knew the result was good, but at the same time I felt I didn't do enough, so many emotions went through my head. Some minutes after crossing the finish line my parents came to congratulate me and to see how I was doing and later they went to the hotel to get all the things out, because we were going back to Houston. It was good and a very competitive event.

Later I went to the athlete tent, to eat some pizza, cookies and other things they offered and for a massage and talk to the other athletes. It was fun talking to the different athletes and hear about their experience. I had to wait until 2 pm so I could get my things from the transition zone. So I went for my morning clothes, and got to clean and warm clothes, looked at the messages I received specially one, from Drew Otter, that made my day. Since it was 1:30 pm I went for more pizza and when it was 2 pm I rushed to the transition zone, got everything out, rushed to the hotel to get my parents and to our way to Houston. On the way back we stopped for lunch at Crack and Barrel, a place my dad likes. I was not hungry and I was waiting for dinner, because I wanted to go to the Cheesecake Factory for a giant pice of Cheesecake.

Monday April 3rd. It went normal, I kept company to my parents, who were shopping and visiting the different malls and having some fun. It was really nice spending time with them, I missed that quality time with them. Since I had to go early to the airport I started packing everything, my cloths, the bike, that took some time... And for the rest of the day, relax and enjoy the day.

Tuesday April 4th. Time to go back, to Merida. My flight was scheduled to live at 6:00 am and arrive around 8 am to Mexico where I was going to make a 6 hrs layover, and spend some time with Drew The Otter. I woke up at 3 am to get ready left the room and got the car to return it. I put the gps but it was a disaster, the gps, sent me to other address and I was nervous I was about to miss my flight, I rushed as fast as I could, to the car rental, returned the car, took the shuttle I was on the limit and as I arrived to the counter they told me the flight was cancelled and I was like WTF!!!!! And they offered me to stay, but I couldn't do that, they told me there was another flight today but they couldn't cover the expenses for that night, anyways I decided to take that plane (I still need to send a letter to them to ask for a refund) and take my connexion the next day. When I finished with all this, I called Drew and told him I was not going to make it on time, I was sad, because we had a nice day planned. He thought I was messing with him, I wished I was, but unfortunately I wasn't.

After the bad news, I got an Uber to the hotel, rested for a while had breakfast with my parents and booked a room for the night. I helped my mother with some things and later went to the airport and finally got to Mexico City. When I finished costume and Migration I went out and found someone with a big balloon and a sign for me, and it was Drew Otter, who had patiently waited all day for me to arrive. I just saw him and hugged him tight. He took me to the hotel, which was near the airport, so I could leave them and we could go have dinner. It was so nice seeing him again and catching up with him.

Since it was late, he staid for a couple of hours at the hotel so he could rest and drive safely back to Queretaro. But i messed up and forgot to put the alarm on for him, and he was late, but it didn't matter, since for a while the road was closed and he stayed without moving for a couple of hours.

I woke up, had breakfast and went to the airport. My flight was delayed an hour. There was nothing I could do, so I started giving orders at the office. I arrived to Merida and went directly to the office.

It was fun, it's always a big experience this kind of competitions. What's next? I don't know, I'm tired, not of training or competing, mentally I'm exhausted. But I will not stop, I need to improve a lot. if things go well I would like to go to Miami to another 70.3.

It's amazing how fast time goes by, It's mid March and it feels like yesterday when we were celebrating New Year. A lot of things have happened since the year started and I'm amazed and happy.

I'm surprised how things have gone so far this year, and a small change of attitude have made a huge difference.

I have been preparing my first big event of the year, the 70.3 Ironman Texas. It will be next weekend, April 2, at Galveston, Texas. And boy it's been a really long journey, but, I don't know, I complain a lot about the training but somehow I have enjoyed most of it.

This triathlon consist on swimming 1.2 miles, ride your bike for 56 miles and run 13.1 miles or half marathon. It's a tough competition, but I like it, it will be my 3rd one. And it really takes a lot of time to train, but as I said before, I have enjoyed most of it.

As you can see, its a really long distance to cover, so there is a lot of training to do. I had to manage to organize my self because doing triathlon it's not my job, I had a normal job from 9-5 and need to organize my self to ride, run and swim.

The first 2-3 weeks of the training plan were not a major problem, they were easy, besides I was preparing for a smaller distance triathlon to qualify to the ITU World Championship (I didn't qualify but I was so close). From February until now, that was the interesting part. I had a lot of training hours on the weekdays and I need to squeeze them some how on my daily routine. So I started waking at 3 am so I can start training at 4 until 8 am, so that meant going to bed at 8/9 pm. On the weekends I had longer training sessions, but I didn't mind because I didn't need to get anywhere early, but still, needed to rest and sleep early.

It's really hard to wake up very early, and go out to ride your bike specially alone, but I learned to enjoy it. Since I go into the kitchen for breakfast and coffee, I enjoy sitting on the counter in silence and enjoy it along the company of my dog that is just watching me (and waiting for me to give him peanut butter). Later on the road, just thinking about everything and nothing, but it feel so peaceful, and I feel like the world is just watching me do it.

It's been quite a journey, it had it's ups and down, and I don't regret nothing, now the final countdown it's near, 11 day to go, 11 days to be on the start line and hear "athletes on your marks..... go!"

I'm really looking forward to it, to see how much effort and sacrifice pays off, since I have to put a side a lot of social life, being the family, just focusing on training, sleeping well, eating well.

If you are interested on knowing how i'm doing go to http://eu.ironman.com/triathlon/eve...../axzz4c4W42jSq or http://eu.ironman.com/#axzz4c4W42jSq and look for the live coverage section and look for bib 1361, (Andrés Molina) that is me, and see how I'm doing. The event starts at 7:25 central time.

And as always this goes for you guys, who always cheer me up, I will be thinking of you while I'm fighting to achieve finishing it under 5 hours. And if there is any Fur around the area I would love to meet him/her and if they can make it to event and cheer it would be the best!

Since my last journal everything has gone much better, I'm amazed how things have been going, I don't know what changed, but I'm feeling great, training hard and feeling strong. Making new friends, getting out of my comfort zone.

Last weekend was so a awesome, because one of my best friends came to México for a mini-vacation, and I was really looking forward to it since he told me back in December. So I tried to be a great host, that he felt like home on his first time to México.

I was really happy to see him and talk and do the things he wanted to do like take photos of flags or eat real Mexican food...

Also a lot of friends came along last weekend, and I was really happy to see them and talk to them, I also met new and amazing friends, I was really happy.

This first month of 2017 I have felt very well and happy, I'm really looking forward to a lot of things, but I'm still sacred all the pain and sadness come again, and I know this is a thing is a fight I must fight everyday. I still have my pep talks in front of the mirror and try to cheer me up. I know good things are coming their way.

The thing it bothers me the most is being so far away from a lot of people I care, like I would to be right beside them when they are not going through their best moment, just to cheer them up and make them smile.

Thanks to everybody that has helped me and cheered me, I hope to return the favor someday.

A bit late, but I didn't want to left it out.

Yes 2016 was disaster, a lot of negative things happened around the world, and for me it wasn't the best year either, but somehow, I managed to survive it, so far I have survived 100% of my bad days and years.

I have learned that you either win or you learn, this year, bits been a year that has taught me a lot of things, and that is a good way to see things.

This year also had good things and changes. I changed from one triathlon team to another, this decision was not easy, it was really but really hard for me, but fortunately, it went well. It was hard for me to make that change because my older coach, believed in me, helped me and is my friend, but I was going nowhere, the team was falling apart and I had to do something a few months before the world championship.

This year I participated at the ITU world championship that was a huge deal for me, that taught me so many things about me, the thing is when you prepare for a competition this big and you train alone most of the time, you redefine your limits, you see how much you need to sacrifice in order to win so much, and how much you can push yourself to achieve big things. Even I didn't make it to the top places, being there, competing was such an amazing experience, that I hope to repeat again soon.

I was able to go two Furcons, this 2016, Anthrocon and MFF, even I was not planning on going to MFF until one day before, I decided to go, I went because I needed that, to forget about a lot of negative things I was going through.

Anthrocon was a blast, I really like it, saw a lot of friends, suited a lot, met new friends. I love that the city likes this con and let us be how we are.

MFF is a con I like a lot, but I don't think I can go next year, since my boss told me I can't have days off on December, since we have a lot of work those days.

At 2016 I hit rock bottom so hard, I don't know how I survived, I had a lot of negative thoughts about myself but I worked it out a lot, gave me everyday the pep talk, but it's really hard to see yourself on the mirror when you are depressed, you see a total stranger in front you try to look at your eyes and you can't hold the look. I didn't know what I wanted, I didn't find me self anywhere. I forgot about living and just managed to survive for the day. I always tried to keep it together, by exercising and listening to music.

Not many people know that I am very introvert and a bit autistic, but I am, so meeting people or making new friends is hard for me, but I like meeting new people, specially furries, but it happens to me that I don't know how to interact or what to talk about, and that frustrates me.

Last year I found myself lonely and alone, I realized, I didn't have any friends where I live and I felt I was loosing a lot of friends. I know it is my fault since I never learned to take care my friends, I always took them for granted, I never called them, occasionally messaged them, but I always remembered their birthdays and always loved to hang out with them, and always have a small present for them and always remember them when I see something I know they like, or a song I know they like... I'm thankful for the ones that still are by my side even though I feel I don't deserve them, but I'm very thankful to them, that they somehow tolerate my craziness. I hope I can change this, that I can have a lot of more friends.

It's being a hard year, but I am here and I will keep on fighting. 2017 it is being and I want to change all that negative energy and thoughts that haunted me and made me miserable. But among the multiple things I have learned, is that I'm the only one responsable for his own happiness, that I need to learn to get out of confort zone, and need to stop making excuses.

I am looking forward for this year, hope achieve my goals, to move out of Mexico or at least get things ready to move out. To make more and new friends. To break all my personal records in the different distances of triathlon and in every single sport (swimming, cycling and running).

And to finish i will make this my motto for this year "I CAN AND I WILL, JUST WATCH ME!"

It has been 5 years since I got into the crazy sport named Triathlon. I began doing it, because it was challenging and different. I usually competed against myself and couldn't believe I would be someday on the podium, and never thought of getting where I got. Last year I qualified to the ITU (International Triathlon Union) World Championship I was so exited, I never thought I would get there.

Since July 2015 to September 2016 I trained and sacrifice myself a lot, had a very strict diet, had to wake up at 3 in the morning to ride my bike alone and later to go for a swim and later to work, had to sleep very early about 8 or 9 pm, I had no social life, more than once I got sick and tired and wanted to quit, I screamed, got a lot of blisters on my paws, had to go to massage (but not the nice ones, this ones hurt), I got judged by my family that I didn't care about them, that I didn't go to family weddings or reunions because I had a competition or go to a family vacation or weekend get away because I had a important training to do. Even at Anthrocon 2015 and 2016 I went to the gym or for a run, so if you someone at the Westin Hotel gym or pool around 6 am, that was probably me.

Many people asked, why you do this, this is killing you, you should give it a rest. I do it because I want to inspire people to believe in their dreams, believe that if you work hard you get there, and that is not going to be easy but worth it. Before I got into triathlon i weighted 120 kg/ 264 pounds (I lost some weight before I got into the sport).

So after a year, the time came. I got to Cozumel, Mexico for the Open Ceremony in which I participated wearing my fursuit. I had a blast, but it was very hard without a handler.

I spent a couple of days before my competition training, watching others compete, getting ready. Until last Sunday it was my turn to compete. It was nervous and exited, I couldn't believe I was going to compete with the best guys in the world.

Before my I start, I tried to turn on my watch, and it was dead, I felt stupid because I usually charge it before a competition, but it was a good thing, because I took some pressure off. I told the coach and told me to turn it on when I start to run so I could see my pace.

The swimming leg started, there was a lot of current so the shortened the course to 1250 mts instead of 1500 mts. I was doing great, and felt great. Later on the 40 km bike leg was also doing great rinding my bike very fast, good sensations, but I was penalized by drafting, which I am really sure I wasn't but I was not going to argue with the ref, so I went to the penalty box and had to wait for 2 min there. Then the running leg, that is always the hardest part for me and where I loose a lot. I start running, feeling good, the first 5 km but it was a really hot, humid and sunny day, so i kept fighting doing my best, moving my feet as fast as I could go without fainting (lots of people fainted that day, even one the pros) Coach and a teammate were running by my side cheering me up. Lots of friends and my parents where there, and the crowd also cheered me up, I was so happy and that helped me a lot, beside all the mental work I had to do, so I wouldn't stop, thinking in everybody that was cheering me up, that believe in me.

Finally I crossed the finish line with a time of 2:27:03 my best personal record. I was happy, even I finished in place 59 out of 75. But I know I did my best, I fought the good fight. I know I need to train harder, I have a long way to go and hopefully I can qualify to next year World Championship at Rotterdam.

I don't know how many miles I have swam, cycled and run through this year, but it had thought me so much.

What is next? Trying to qualify to the next World Championship, also planning on doing 2 Ironman 70.3, one at Galveston, Texas and at Delaware, Ohio.

2015 was a year with it's ups and downs, with great experiences and and some sad moments.

2015 was the year I turned 30 years old! But still feeling really young and full of energy!

2015 was the year I got my first fursuit and assisted to my first Furry Convention which was Anthrocon also to MFF!

2015 was the year when I finally qualified to my first ITU Triathlon World Championship and finished top 5 on most of my competitions. But the year that mi team split up, something that made my sad.

2015 was the year I meet so many nice people and reunite with the most amazing friends and hope that on 2016 I make so much new friends!

2015 was the year were both of my parents had surgery, my mother a hip replacement on January and my dad a heart surgery. My dad surgery was right after Anthrocon, I had never felt so vulnerable and weak ever, I felt my life was falling apart in a matter of seconds.

2015 was a year that I traveled more than usual, went to Florida (business) but hope in the future meet with furries that live near Miami, to Pittsburg and Washington, Austin Texas and Chicago. Also some friend came to visit me, which made me very happy, and we decided to spent some days at a place near CanCun. Other no-furries from Bilbao came to visit, which also was really nice, since he is like a brother to me.

2015 another year being single, but I know someone will come, I just need to be on the right place and time.

So many nice memories that made 2015 a really good year. I'm really thankful for everything that happened, good and bad, there is always a lesson in everything.

I want to thank all my friends and people that I meet this year, for everything you thought me, for sharing things with me, for your company, for the telling me things and for helping me for that incident at MFF (that showed me a lot me and it's something I will never forget)

I also want to thank all the people that helped me somehow my coaches, the artist and writers I admire, fursuiters I admire, photographers, the fursuit makers, everybody that makes things possible. I would love to do it personally, thank all your hard work and dedication to make the magic possible.

Sincerely I don't know what to expect for 2016, just the best to come. I know I will be going to Anthrocon and to MFF. That on September I will be competing at Cozumel, Mexico to be the best in Triathlon. I hope to find love and lots of new friends! I hope I can go to visit and to be visited by friends, you know you have a place to crash and will be treated like family. That my parents and family is healthy.

I wish you the best to come to everybody, I wish you to be happy and healthy and be blessed with a lots of things. Be great full with what you have, because it's always te possibility to have less. And if you ever see this Snow Leopard wondering around, come and say Hi, and give me a Big Hug, I'm always happy to meet new people, even I'm a bit shy. And just one more thing, always smile.

"CHEERS!!! To the people who love us, the losers who lost us and the luck bastards who get to meet us!!!"