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Life is Better on a Bike. Congratulations, Carol!

 

Congratulations to Carol Martinez, winner of the Bike the Coast - Taste the Coast: Beach Biking Weekend, sponsored by Visit Oceanside and Holiday Inn Oceanside Marina

“I enjoyed biking so much that I started a bike organization called LATRAILBIKERS.COM just a year ago, where we focus on getting people outdoors moving and I have been biking ever since! Peter lost 75lbs and I’ve lost 50lbs.”             - Carol Martinez

We are honored to have Carol Martinez as the winner of the “Beach Biking Weekend Giveaway” promotion with our sponsors Visit Oceanside and Holiday Inn Oceanside Marina.  Her name was drawn as the winner on August 7, and from there we learned her inspirational story and how biking has changed her life for the better.  Thank you, Carol, for sharing with us!

If you are in LA check out Carol’s cycling labor of love  on Facebook for LATRAILBIKERS.COM.  Here is Carol’s story:

Carol and her husband Peter won a 2 night stay at Holiday Inn Oceanside Marina, 2 entries for Bike the Coast - Taste the Coast, a Bike the Coast jersey, a Bike the Coast t-shirt and 2 bike rentals.

 

Carol’s note:

First of all, Thank you for this opportunity! Being overweight, I was weighing in close to 300lbs, and my husband was at 245lbs. Peter was taking medicines for diabetes, using a c-pap machine at night to help him breathe/sleep at night. We were tired of spending money on copayments for doctor visits and money for his diabetic medicines and eventually we had a scare for his life after needing his tonsils removed with some complications that occurred that changed our lives forever. Enough was enough. He dedicated to losing weight by exercising to a P90X DVD video at home in our own living room every day, while I started by walking around my neighborhood or at the local high school fields. We both joined a health program at work called Healthy roads that helped encourage us to stay on track. We challenged ourselves to a healthier lifestyle and eventually started losing the weight.

I started hiking with a group and exploring the beauty of Mother Nature with experienced hikers. Peter then started joining me on the hikes and he wanted more and felt so good that he started jogging the trails as well. Of course it wasn’t easy. We struggled every day, realizing we are just our own worst enemies. We have met lots of new friends that help keep us motivated and inspire us to continue. I was so inspired by Peter who started to run that I wanted to, but realized I just couldn’t yet. It was then that I started riding my daughter’s bike and the thought came to me, this would be great since I can’t run with him, I know I can follow him on a bike! So that’s when we bought me my own bike.

Peter continued his runs, now looking and feeling better than ever, his doctor discontinued his diabetes medication, and he no longer needed his c-pap machine! Before we knew it, Peter was ready and joined a running group 2 years ago, as I followed him on my bike, and he ran his first LA Marathon 26.2 miles in March 2011! I’m so proud of him! I enjoyed biking so much that I started a bike organization called, “LATRAILBIKERS.COM” just a year ago, where we focus on getting people outdoors moving and I have been biking ever since! Peter lost 75lbs and I’ve lost 50lbs. Peter just completed his 2nd 26.2 mile LA Marathon in March of 2012! These last 3 years have been an incredible transition for the both of us! We both have been totally blessed and feel great! Winning this weekend get-away biking the coast is so EXCITING and GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! THANK YOU!!!

Sincerely,

Carol Martinez

Holiday Inn Oceanside Marina

If you’re planning to ride in Bike the Coast - Taste the Coast on November 3, you can BOOK NOW to guarantee a great weekend package November 2-3 at the Bike the Coast group rate of $129/night that includes a $20 breakfast voucher.  Use group code BC2.

BOOK NOW  REGISTER FOR BIKE THE COAST    VISIT OCEANSIDE

 

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