Fer and Pat met on Hinge in Washington, D.C., in November 2023, not long after Pat moved back to the East Coast from Washington State. On their second date, Fer dropped the news that she would soon be going home for three weeks to visit her family in Mexico City around the upcoming holidays. Moving past the initial shock, Pat realized that time was of the essence. A flurry of dates followed as they spent the ensuing weeks together, visiting museums and restaurants, running in Rock Creek Park, and encouraging Milo to end his obstructionist campaign and to accept Pat into his life.

Upon Fer’s return to DC in 2024, they picked up where they had left off, training for Fer’s many races and hiking throughout the DMV. After initially serving as a supportive training partner and loyal triathlon sherpa, Pat was inspired by Fer to unretire from competitive racing after several years. Pat joined Fer at an 8-mile trail race in the mountains of North Carolina, suffering greatly only to lose to Fer when he got lost on the course. Still, a win is a win!

Summer brought road trips and camping at Seneca Rocks, WV and Acadia National Park, along with Fer’s naturalization as a U.S. citizen, and a trip to Atlantic City for her triathlon national championships. Fer and Pat wrapped up the summer by completing their first triathlon together in Rock Hall, MD.

After spending Thanksgiving with Pat’s family in Pennsylvania, they spent the holidays in Mexico City, meeting Fer’s family, kayaking Xochimilco at sunrise, running the San Silvestre 12k on New Years Eve, and visiting Prado Norte.

A routine game of fetch in the park with Milo in January 2025 led to Fer and Pat’s engagement. After taking a celebratory trip to New York, watching an Eagles Super Bowl win with friends, and running the Cherry Blossom 10-miler together, Fer and Pat married in a simple ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 12, 2025.

In May, Fer’s long hours of pool training enabled her to finish El Cruce, a marathon 10km swim from Cancun to Isla Mujeres (with Pat swimming a modest 4km in solidarity) – a goal born of an early movie date to see Young Woman & The Sea. Several friends and family members joined the trip to lend support, and all enjoyed some quality beach time, not counting the three hours spent stranded in the heat waiting for a ferry after the swim.

Since then, Fer and Pat continue to swim, bike, and run together and to enjoy time with Milo, while planning their December wedding. They are so excited to celebrate their love for each other with you soon in Tequesquitengo!