About Me

Hi, I’m Alisa, pronounced like "Lisa with an A" or "uh-lease-uh," clearly there have been many mispronunciations throughout my life. I grew up in Carmichael, California (i.e. a suburb of Sacramento), spent a few years on the east coast in DC and in Boston before moving back to the west coast but this time to Portland, OR. I don’t love Oregon but its home for now. I have a good job, a wonderful husband, a cute dog and a great house.



My athletic career started way back, as a kid I pretty much dabbled in all sports. As a kid and teenager I really disliked running (funny to say that now) but I dreaded running “the green” aka the mile in junior high. I felt most at home in the water and started playing water polo in high school and even played a couple of years in college. I ran my very first 5k race in 2002 with my Dad, a turkey trot. We went on to run several 5k’s over the next few years. When I met my husband, affectionately known to blogland as Mr. Pi, in 2003 we also started running 5k’s together. In 2007 Mr. Pi and I ran our first half marathon (he beat me by a lot) and in 2008 our first marathon (again, beating me by a lot). From there we have each added to our race history. I’ve completed 4 marathons, 8 half marathons, dozen + 5k’s, a few sprint tri’s and a half ironman. Mr. Pi has completed 5 marathons, 1 ultra and probably as many half’s and 5ks. We are well into training for our first century ride, to be completed August 2011.


I originally started this blog as a way write out my thoughts. It’s morphed into a social network filled with great people I know “virtually” and people that are now my real-life circle of amazing friends.


My life isn’t all about swimming, biking and running. I also enjoy spending time with friends and family (we make frequent trips back to California where both of our families still reside), working around the house, laying out by a pool or the ocean, tending to the garden, doing crafts (I need to do more of these), shopping, reading beach worthy novels, cooking, hiking and traveling.