Author Alex Hutchinson

Failure is both a beginning and an end. A couple weeks ago when I attempted my first Florida mountain bike race and then crashed during the first lap, I was deeply disappointed. However, my motivation on that day was fuzzy at best. Two weeks later I took part in my first ever 5k running race but this time my motivation was crystal clear - I was not going to fail again. We arrived at the Ann Dever park in Englewood, Florida at the crack of dawn. The dark pavilion was humming with early morning chatter as runners confirmed their registrations, accepted their goody bags, pinned numbers to their shirts and zip tied electronic tags to their shoes. The Howl at the Moon 5k was sponsored by the Bocca Lupo grill in Port Charlotte and was coordinated by the Zoomers Running club. The Zoomers did a fantastic job organizing the event. There was a friendly and relaxed group start, a well marked race course plus helpful volunteers along the way. A brightly colored finish line was se

When you're a kid you run because you have to. When you're an adult, you run because you want to. I have never been a fan of running or jogging but I always saw it as a necessity. Whether it was running from trouble, training for sports or preparing for the Army, keeping my knees high and my head forward was how I faced the future. Now I'm lacing up the shoes for fitness and charity. Why the sudden switch from wheels to feet? You might assume that I was upset about my crash in the Alafia Mountain Bike race but not so, it's more about finances. The MTB races are just too far away and until my TV Show Fundraiser is completed, I simply can't travel for anything except BMX reporting. That only leaves running local races. So, it's time to huff it up. After the Army I never thought I would run again but now that I'm creeping towards forty, my priorities appear to be changing. Living in one place, working as a writer and having the blessing of a

You can plan for most anything except bad luck. One moment I was ripping through Shelly's Loop trail trying desperately to stay with the race pack, the next I was laying at the bottom of a ridge pinned between my twisted bike and a tree. It took a few seconds to figure out exactly what happened but one thing was immediately evident, my race had not gone the way I planned. Let's start from the beginning. After spending an entire summer training for the Florida State Championships Series Race at Alafia River State Park the day had finally arrived. The morning started with a few mistakes. I woke up early, too early, a full hour before I was supposed to. While setting the alarm I had accidentally reset the time but early is better than late. My morning meal had been pre-planned to ensure enough energy for the race but the smoothie I chilled overnight had gone bad. In addition I had forgotten to pack ice in the cooler. That was strike three but still I had hope. Unli