Nickname: Tito (online)

Age: 44

Marital Status: Married

Have been skating for how long: ~6 years on inline skates. I skated Quad at the skating rink as a kid, and then in my late 30s I tried to pick up inline in 2016 with some K2 rec skates, but took a nasty fall in a puddle of water, and had to have knee surgery. I started back up after some intensive rehab and a year or two of getting stronger, and quickly found my way to this group. I purchased my 2nd pair of skates just before I joined HCIC, and I was fortunate enough to get fitted by a professional at Shop Task in Seattle, WA. I still wear a version of those original banana yellow FR1s + Intuition Liner often, now in black. You'll see me skating on ATX Night Skate on Mondays, Austin Critical Mass, at the Veloway for pace yourself or Moonlight skate, on South Walnut Creek Trail, or anywhere else I can sneak a skate in.

Equipment Brand and Type: I've got a problem with buying more new equipment than I need - currently I switch between: FR FR1 + FR 3x110, FR UFR + Wizard PR 5x84, PS Next Pro + Endless 4x84, PS Arise Marathon 3x125, Bont Vaypor VI + EOSkates 3x110+1x100. I like to have setups for hills, urban environments, trails, and I save the speed setups for the smooth stuff like the Veloway.

Life Philosophies: Make memories and love! Don't give up on yourself!

Favorite Time of Day to Skate: Evening/Night

Favorite Skating Event: Northshore Inline Marathon Combined (13.1 Half + 26.2 Full Marathon in one Morning). I love the point-to-point races.

Awards/Competitive Wins: Most memorable incident/ Biggest skating adventure: My first Northshore Inline Marathon was during a bit of a downpour just off the coast of beautiful Lake Superior near Duluth, MN. I almost considered throwing in the towel early, but the group of hundreds of skaters just going for it kept me pushing until the end!

Most Memorable Incident: Battle of Bear Creek challenge. I completed my first Half Marathon with engery to help a teammate finish after I was done.

What do you get from Skating: Freedom - I love exploring the city, a new (or familiar) trail, and discovering new parking garages or other fun places to roll. I love how mundane things can turn into big toys for skaters, including hills, curbs, sidewalks, ramps, etc. I can ease up and take a break, but still be rolling towards wherever I'm heading. The wheels are my feet. I feel so much more connected to the journey on skates than on a bike. It is also one of the few things in my life where I have continued to meet new people and establish friendships that have persisted for several years now. I am not a natural at making friends or hanging with groups, but leading a group on skates is one of my greatest thrills in my life.

Would like to do this Year in Skating: Complete the Northshore Inline Marathon Combined (39.3 miles) in under 3 hours Add more options to my stopping techniques at speed Skate down stairs. Get more comfortable skating backwards in the street.

Coolest Accomplishment: I take a lot of pride in being one of the ride leaders for the Monday Night Skate. This edition of the night skate was started back up by Eric Cruz after the pandemic in 2021, and I've been glad to have seen it continue to grow in popularity with a solid base of skaters that usually gets a crowd of 3-15+ on any given Monday. The night skate has also allowed me the pleasure of leading some skating Youtubers through Austin (including BINY).

Other Sports/Hobbies you Enjoy: Basketball. Video Games. Anime. Making noise.

Favorite skating gadget/tool: Sonic Pro Inline Skate Tool

What do you enjoy about being a member of HCIC: Great people and great events! A lot of the people I have met in the Austin skate scene were from HCIC events! The groups skates are the best, and there's always some great merch giveaways!

Mentors: The closest I've had to a mentoring relationship would informally be some of the experienced skaters I've met at the Monday Night Skate and on the Veloway. I have received valuable insight on not just my form and setup, but also what's possible and what's worked for them in similar situations. On YouTube, I look to the likes of Bill Stoppard, Sean Unwin, and Ricardo Lino for Street style. I look to Viktor Thorup, Pascal Briande, and Joey Mantia for speed skating advice.

Helpful advice to other skaters/ Beginners: Start slow - even just lacing up 1 boot at a time, and get great at rolling on one foot before you go too fast w/ 2 feet. Start slowly, in a house or on a basketball court, and make sure you can turn and stop before you go fast. Find other skates for advice, guidance, and inspiration!

Favorite quote: If you set your goals ridiculously high and it's a failure, you will fail above everyone else's success. -James Cameron