Winter Wonderland

Yes, that's right folks, Denver/Boulder got dumped on AGAIN...and this time I was actually here for it! Lots and lots of snow, but gorgeous as all can be!

Still working on the 'being sick' issue. Got another set of tests done Thursday and still waiting on answers...ugh...

Grrrr....

Still sick and pretty annoyed...trying hard to get over it...even spent 4 hours getting stuck with needles in the hopsital yesterday...grrr

What a Merry Christmas

I can say that I had the most unusual Christmas I have ever had in the past 22 years of my life :) Did not spend the typical evening pigging out at my grandparents with the rest of the family, but instead flew back to Denver. The flight was supposed to leave at 6:30pm from the most awful terminal known to mankind (the old Detroit airport) and it ended up being delayed an hour...not a big deal. What was a big deal was the fact that there was a child in front of me who I swear probably bursted about 467 blood vessels from screaming so freaking loud for almost the entire flight. I don't just mean screaming people, this kid had the most piercing noises coming from it you would have thought the parents were trying to kill it...oh my god. Okay, could be worse...but was really hard to deal with since I already did not feel so great. So we finally get to Denver and the bags come out in some sort of timely fashion. Time to jump on the shuttle and go to our car which is parked in long term parking a few miles away. By this point, I'm so ready to be home it's not even funny. Brad and I get to his car, attempt to turn it on, and nothing...we tried for about 15 minutes and unfortunately there was nothing else we could do but get back on the shuttle and head back to the airport where we had to wait another 40 minutes for the bus to take us back to Boulder! Let's just say I didn't get back home until about 2am (eastern time) and was here at the law office (the last place I would ever want to be) at 5:30am! I sure hope that your Christmas was a little more enjoyable!!!

Okay - I'm done pissing and moaning...until the flight, I had a great day with the fam. Chillin' and relaxin' and opening presents while eating cinnamon rolls was an absolute blast :)

Can you say...lucky?!?!

Because that's exactly what Brad and I are for catching one of the last flights out of Denver before the crazy storm hit! Can you imagine being stranded in an airport? Oh my goodness, I would FREAK! I sure hope things are cleared up on Monday for us to fly back home!

Michigan is just dandy...40 and rainy...and I'm still sick as hell. I'm convinced I'm either crazy or have caught a never ending and spontaneous case of the flu. Whatever it is, it better go away fast because I'm on a fine line of loosing it...

The entire family (48 people to be exact) will be over this evening for the annual gift opening party. Yes, lots of people!!! Should be fun and nice to see everyone. I just hope I'm feeling better by then!

Stay tuned for more holiday updates...hope everyone is having a safe and enjoyable week and that those back in Colorado are staying warm...especially you Jo, better keep those fleece socks on :)

Lions, Tigers and bears...oh my!

It's amazing how fast time can fly during the holidays! Last weekend came and went like a flash in the sky and I can't even believe it's already less than a week from Christmas! Not to mention that after I get everything I need to get done today, I'm hopping on a plane to fly back to Detroit this evening! CRAZINESS!

At any rate, things are going a little better and I finally think I'm on the upswing of this ridiculous sickness I came down with over 2 weeks ago. I was able to venture out on Sunday to see the Zoo lights downtown Denver and will hopefully have lots of fun and exciting things to do while I'm at home...like going to strength training classes at Lifetime with the best neighbor in the world :-)

Well must get back to the grind and get everything ready to leave for a few days! I'll try to stay current while at home, but family time is much more important so please excuse my tardiness if that is the case!

Happy Holidays!

Holy Crap...I'm actually approved!!!

Can anyone please tell me what in the world is wrong with the American Society?!?! Not that I'm complaining one bit, because I think it's pretty freaking awesome, but there is NO way a 22 year old making hardly any income should be pre-approved for a $210,000 loan!!! Yeah, you read that right! WOW...huh?

I guess now it's time to find a 3 bedroom place for that amount and 2 other roommates to rent from me! Sounds so simple, yet realistically could be a complete disaster. Yes, I have a ton of thinking and reflecting to do about it, but for now, it's kind of exciting! Stay tuned...I'm taking a 6 hour homeowner class on Saturday so my current 'Grand Idea' might not seem so grand anymore :) Haha...we'll just have to see!

Ski Waxing Clinic

Not much else to mention about yesterday except that Kristin and I attended a Ski Waxing Clinic last evening at Neptunes...nice to brush up on the skills that are necessary for a good time on the slopes :) Now I just need to get my butt up there and start skiing!!!

Buying a house...me?!?

Yeah that's right people, Erin is in the market to buy a house in Boulder!!! Can you believe it, because I can't! Anyway, I embarked on the first step in the process by attending one of the three homeowner classes offered by the city last night. Wow, there is a lot more to this whole deal than I thought...but I'm still totally interested. Also, for the first time in my life I looked up my credit rating online...pretty cool! After I take the second and third courses all day Saturday I'll let you know if I'm TRULY going to get serious :) Until then, keep your eye out for any homes available in Boulder under a million bucks...it might be hard!!!

Did I say a million, I meant $200,000...do those even exist in Boulder?

Oh my goodness...so sick :(

Nothing much else to say except the fact that I am sicker than a dog and can't do anything else except sit at the computer and sleep all day. The worst part is that I totally missed out on Pete's birthday, Wolfgang's Holiday Party and seeing Michael for the first time in almost a month...grrrr. I'm on day 2 of this shit and going crazy...guess better now than in mid-season.

So I did forget to mention how much fun I had on Friday evening meeting up with my 'favorite cousin' Jeff and his girlfriend Erin who is currently working in Aspen. It was so great to see both of them while listening to Mercedes' boss's band play at the Foundry. I definitely think Jeff needs to get a job out here and hang out for a bit...I think he'd like it a lot more than he can imagine :)

Drinking lots of tea and coffee and eating lots of soup and honey...yummm! Until my throat un-swells and I can talk normal, STAY CLEAR...I am not going to be responsible for getting anyone else sick!!!

Really Random

So I was super sick (flu-like) on Monday, totally awesome Tuesdsay, sick again on Wednesday...now I'm on my way up to the mountains with Kristin to get in some great skate skiing at Breckenridge and hit up the 2008 Burton snowboard demo in Vail. I really hope I feel much better today...if the cycle continues as it has, then I should be golden!!! So weird.

More on this later, we're about to head out :)

Holiday presents and birthday presents, oh my!

I'm usually pretty on the ball with gift giving except this year seems to be quite the opposite. When I mean on the ball, I mean I'm usually done with my Xmas shopping close to August :) For some reason, I'm just not getting any brilliant ideas like I normally do. Oh well...still have 20 more days, right?!?

Not only is it the holiday season, but today is my roommate's birthday and December 10th is my good friend Sara's birthday!!! Yippee for celebrations :)

On a totally random note, it's starting to get a little warmer here in Boulder and pretty soon the roads will be melted so I can finally get off the stupid trainer and ride outside...I CANNOT WAIT!

The party ROCKED :)

Not much else to say!

As Brad, Pete and I know, all that attended had a great time...the food was delicious (thanks Bradford), the sangria and jello-shots were awesome (thanks Zeigers), and the 'White Elephant' portion was an absolute hit (thanks EVERYONE)!

Definitely feeling a little 'after-math' today, but just got a long massage from the roomie which hopefully pushed all the toxins out...or something like that!

Holiday party #1 down...ugh, too many to count still left to go.

First Ski Day of the Season

Yeah Baby - time to get back on the skis and get rockin'...luckily everyone and their mother loves to skate ski in the wonderful town of Boulder so our local parks are all groomed up and free of charge to skate for as long as you want. Or more like 45 minutes if it's your first time of the season. Either way, it's an absolute blast and great cross training :)

Crazy party to plan for tomorrow and I've gotten about 5 hours of sleep a night this week. NEED TO REST UP!!!

Winter has hit Boulder

Oh how I love white winters!!!

Boulder got nailed with about a foot of snow over the past two days and it was AWESOME! Despite the inability to go ride/run outside, it's still amazing...espcially when you're swimming outside and the flakes hit your face everytime you turn to take a breath! I LOVE IT! Just means more skiing, right!!! Of course, but it needs to be a little warmer than 5 degrees for me to do that :)

Busy, busy getting ready for the big Party this Saturday!!! WHOOAAAA.

Back to the Grindstone

The first round of Holiday fun is over and now it's time to get crackin' with work and all the other random things that need to be done before round 2 of the craziness!

From Christmas shopping and party planning to doctor appointments and getting caught up at work, I will be one busy girl over the next month :)

Stay tuned for updates...

No more pumpkin pie...please

I can officially say that I am finally full. Yes, I know that doesn't happen very often and my father truly does believe that I am a human garbage disposal when it comes to food, but Thanksgiving dinners are one of the few meals that can do the trick!

It's been a super fun and enjoyable last few days with the family and friends. On Thanksgiving day, the Detroit Holiday Parade was a little chilly, but very enjoyable and the Lions game was a blast even though they are the absolute shittiest team in the world. We were pretty much boo-ing at them the entire time...kinda mean, but couldn't help it.

Today I met up with a really good friend from high school that I had not seen in almost 4 years. It was so great to finally catch up and see how well both her and her family are doing :) My Momma also cooked a Thanksgiving dinner for us and her parents who drove up from Kalamazoo. Again, so nice seeing the family and just hanging out!

Locks for Love BABY!!!

It's been since June of 2004 that I have had a haircut and boy did I need one :) For those of you who aren't aware of my scraping-by budget, cutting over $350 a year in haircuts is a pretty big savings!

At any rate, I feel that donating hair to the 'Locks for Love' foundation is a great and fun thing to do too. Any organization that collects hair to make wigs for cancer patients is just amazing and if I can help out, I'm in! This definitely isn't my first time tackling this adventure and it most certainly will not be the last! I never know what length I want my hair and this way I get to experience all of them...cool!!!

Check out the before and after pics from the big cut today...please just look at the hair and not the ridiculous expressions on my face...

BEFORE

AFTER

Thanksgiving Week!!!

It's finally here! Tomorrow morning I will be flying back home to Michigan for the first time since May...I can't wait! We have a lot of very exciting things planned and most importantly, lots of quality family time to enjoy!

I'm not sure if I'll be able to find time to post things during the week, but I will try my best. Everyone keep your fingers crossed for a good Thanksgiving Day football game for a the Lions because that is where we will be!!! Yes, I'm aware they have been in the crapper all season (as usual), but maybe they'll get it together while I'm home :) How cool will that be?!?

Don't forget to eat lots of turkey. and mashed potatoes. and corn. and cranberries. and pie. and everything else you can fit into your tummy!

I had to do it...

You never think it will actually happen to you, and then, it does...

I got a huge gash in my tire and triple flatted on my bike yesterday and had to call Mercedes and Aaron to come pick my ass up because I was totally stranded on the side of HWY 36 :(

The only reason I didn't feel TOO bad is because there are many times in which I have been the person on the other end receiving the phone call to come get someone!!! I was pretty annoyed since it was absolutely gorgeous and I was having a really enjoyable and fun ride. Oh well, at least I was able to get a ride home, right!?!?

Bowling!

There's nothing better than getting a huge group of people together from all over Boulder with ages all across the board, personalities from all walks of life, but all inthe same place to have one hell of a time!

Last night was an absolute riot and a perfect kick off to the holiday season. People are definitely getting pumped for Brad, Pete and my First Annual 'I look hot in my speedo party' in a few weeks, which should honestly be one of the most hilarious things in the world...more details on that later!

Anyway, it's the weekend and only a few short days before I head home for Thanksgiving! Wow, it's been a while...6 months to be exact! I CAN'T WAIT!

Off to go play on the bicycle...you can't beat 50 and sunny out here...lovin' it :)

I am NEVER having children...

...okay, maybe someday, but no time in the near future.

Watching my boss's 2 year old twins last night confirmed my pre-conceived notions that children are a LOT of work and I definitely do not have the patience for anything of that nature!

Always willing to help out in a pinch, but he owes me BIG time :)

Holy Niwot Trails and Mansions

For those who are not from the area, Niwot is a small town just outside Boulder...it's actually where the new restaurant I'm working at is located!

Yesterday I went on an exploratory run on all the new trails around the city and not only found some amazing running terrain, but also stumbled across all the incredibly monstrous houses/mansions everyone has always talked about in the area. Oh my goodness...not much to comment on...too crazy :)

Warren Miller

Another year, another incredible movie. It amazes me how each film can cover a new part of the world's skiing/snowboarding terrain, especially after 37 years of production...it's just awesome.

So obviously I went and saw Warren Miller's 'Off the Grid' last night at the Boulder Theater with some friends. If that doesn't pump you up for the ski season, I'm not quite sure what will. Seeing all the fresh powder and beautiful places totally gave me chills. I love winter and after last year's debacle with the blood clot, and therefore no skiing, I'm sooooo ready to hit the slopes :)

And to make things even cooler, with your entry into the film, you receive a free lift ticket to both Winter Park and Copper Mountain...SWEEEEEEEEEEET!!!

Check it out:

www.warrenmiller.com

Bike fits are kinda fun!

So apparently the fits on both my road and TT bikes were totally off which was causing all the problems in my back and leg...of course it is...duh!

Friday afternoon I spent a few hours with the coach and Chris Solano of Pro Peloton getting both bikes completely dialed in. We completely re-built the front end of my TT bike, changed pedals, adjusted both the saddle height and angle and lastly replaced the seatpost on my road bike since the carbon fiber had a huge crack in it...according to Wolfgang, I have been eating WAY too many cookies and my fat ass is the reason the seatpost cracked...nice coach huh?!?! What would I do without his crazy German sense of humor :) Yes, I am a little chunker right now, but hey, it's off-season...I'm supposed to gain some weight, right?!!

Just got back from an awesome easy ride with all the new changes and couldn't be happier. If you ever need a bike fit, go see Chris...Wolfgang and I were totally impressed with everything!!!

Summer and Winter - All in the same day!!!

Let me just start by saying that yesterday was November 8th...and as a matter of fact, 8 is my favorite number, how ironic! Let me also just tell you what the temperature was yesterday...82 degrees!!! Unbelievable. Although there were insane winds, it was still a great day to jump on the bike for a few hours and enjoy the last minute heat wave.

On the winter side of things - went to the Boulder Nordic Ski Swap in the evening with just about everyone I know in Boulder and picked up yet another pair of skate skis...$400 skis for $140!!! You really can't beat that. I also got a transferrable 10 time punch card to the Frisco Nordic Center up in Breckenridge for Kristin and I to split. Bob has promised to bring us up there once a week for some long endurance skiing! We are gonna be skate skiing machines by the end of this winter, I can't wait :)

Holy Weather

You know you're in the right place when it's almost mid-November, in the 70s, sunny, gorgeous and driving to the mountains to get your ski on is less than an hour away :)

Just means more time for the boss and I to go duke it out for an hour or so on the bike between lunch and dinner!!! Haha...remember, this is the dude I helped out with a flat tire a few months ago...his ego is already shot! He'll never live that down!

The Flu???

I am blaming getting the flu this weekend solely on the fact that I was out of town the day the law firm had flu shots done at the office!!!

Ugh, what a shitty weekend. I haven't had the flu in a long time and napping, feeling like crap and sitting around the house when it's 65 and sunny outside is not what was on the agenda. GRRRRR...

Feeling much better this morning, but still not 100%. Guess I just have to let it run its course. How annoying?

Off Season

Tis the time to drink, party, get crazy, go wild, and well, just have a lot of fun!!!

Friday evening with the crew was that and a whole lot more. Let's just say that without Joanna's out of control humor, the great group of people out that night and the giant pizza cookie devoured at Old Chicago's, it wouldn't have been the same.

Definitely looking forward to lots more interesting evenings and fun times with awesome people!

I LOVE BOULDER :)

SOMA and more!

Yes, Yes, Yes, I know...this post is long overdue and my mother has been giving me lots of grief about it so here it is! I finally took a morning to sleep in a little (well til 8am), drink a good cup of coffee, check my email/blog, and then start my day...yes, that is today. I definitely have lots to write about, but I'll start with the later events and then move forward.

The Race - What a trip. I couldn't have asked for a better time with better people. Kristin and I stayed with our friend Jeff and his parents in their brand new mansion in Phoenix (by new, I mean they had just finished building it 10 days before we got there!) His parents fed and treated us like queens and were such wonderful people. As was their son of course, he didn't race because of an injury, but drove Kristin and I around everywhere and was the BEST cheerleader ever during the race - thanks Jeff!!! The race itself was really fun as well. Since I was the last wave to go off, it was pretty crazy trying to swim through all of the slower swimmers, but definitely had one of my straighter swims than in the past. The bike was pretty interesting as well as it was a 3 loop course with 6 U-turns per lap...let's just say it was a little congested and drafting was a little too prevalent...but lots of fun and great for spectators. The run was the one part of the race I was really looking forward to and unfortunately it was a little disappointing. As with my race in Wildflower earlier this May, my left leg lost feeling only a few miles into so I started freaking out and slowed way down. The coach thinks it's only a pinched nerve but we're still doing some investigating...I have some appointments over the next couple weeks so I'll keep everyone informed. At any rate, I did finish the run with a decent time and was semi pleased with it considering the circumstances.

1st Age Group 18-24
8th Overall Amateur Female
4:57.02 hrs (swim 31, bike 2:42, run 1:40)




Alright, just realized I have to meet someone to go running in 10 minutes...oops! The pics took a little longer to upload than I thought. I promise I'll post some more stuff in the next couple days!

The taper is on!

After a solid full day off yesterday, I am recovered, semi-rested, and definitely feeling ready for a good taper and fun/fast race on Sunday :) Still super busy with work, but doing what I gotta do to get what needs to get done! This may be the last post before I leave for Arizona on Friday so stay tuned for a race update early next week!

One Week

Yes, I know, it's been an entire week since I've let anyone know what I've been up to! Honestly, you really don't want to to know...I promise. I'll give you a little hint, just in case you're desperate...it involves A LOT of working!!!!

Switching topics, it is exactly one week before I leave for the Soma Half Ironman in Tempe!!!! Yipppeee. I know I have completely slacked in my training due to the insane amount of hours I have been putting in at these new jobs, but I have confidence that my training from the summer will kick in and allow me to have a super fun race! Not only do I have an exciting race weekend to look forward to next weekend, I also have a lot of fun events that have been scheduled over the past couple weeks:

1. Lions Thanksgiving Day Football Game (family zone tickets - apparently that means no boozing or swearing!!)

2. Red Wings/Avalanche Hockey Game (really crappy tickets - but going with 2 awesome fellow Michiganders)

3. Cabin in Snow Mountain Ranch for 2 nights in January with parents and friends (there will be lots of nordic skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, running, swimming, and of course eating and drinking...duh)


I've got a lot a great things to get me through these last couple weeks with the crunch at work and I'm definitely looking forward to all of them...including a less intensive work schedule!!!

14

That's the average hours a day I have worked this week...nuff said.

What have I done!?!?

So not only am I currently working anywhere from 10-13hrs a week at the law firm and this new restaurant, today I am taking over the books for my new boss's other restaurant (Chautauqua Dining Hall - for those of you who know what and where that is)! Yes, I know...attempting to do all this work and train full time is not exactly the most ideal situation, however, once the off season hits and I get a good system rolling, hopefully it will all work out for the better.I will keep everyone posted as much as possible, but for the next couple weeks, please bare with me on the lack of updates as I honestly don't even have 5 spare minutes to sit down and write at the current time. And yes, I would like some cheese with my 'whine'...just kidding, I don't mean to complain, I really do enjoy everything I'm doing, just a little overwhelmed right now...that's all :)

T-3 weeks

I can't believe how fast time is going by. In less than 3 weeks, Kristin, Brad, Pete and myself will be down in Arizona gettin' our last race of the season on...well everyone except Kristin - she's got World's 2 weeks later! It was a beautiful weekend, but the 40 degrees and rain with a possibility of snow today is definitely a sign that winter is on its way! SOOOOOOO excited for ice skating, skate skiing, snowboarding, etc! I'm totally ready for a change of pace.

Speaking of change of pace, I don't think I've worked the amount of hours I have been since my high school summer days! 8-13hrs a day plus training full time is freakin' HARD! It's almost over and I'm ready to settle down a bit. The restaurant is going SUPERB and is going to do some seriously awesome business! I can't wait to bring everyone in for a big dinner that Mr. Brad has promised to make for all my friends :)

Still Chuggin' Away

I'm still living in a world of mad chaos with all of life's necessities, numerous jobs and intense training! However, as much as I enjoy complaining about it, I really do love it! The only part I don't enjoy is the lack of sleep I am getting which is really starting to catch up with me!

So hopefully with the grand opening of the restaurant today, things will begin to slow down just a bit. Very doubtful, but I can always hope, right?!?!

On the training side of things, I have been feeling very strong running lately, but having to do most of my riding indoors in the evening because of the lack of daylight...I wish it was like Alaska and it was light all day, everyday! How cool would that be?!?!?

Yes, I know...

It has been a very busy last couple of days so I'll just go through and re-cap on what has been going on!

Saturday - long, beautiful climb up to Peak to Peak Highway on the bicycle. I've honestly never seen so many changing aspens and amazing colors. For those of you in Boulder, you better get up there fast if you haven't already!

Sunday - I honestly counted inventory for this new restaurant ALL day. I counted thousands of bottles of wines, chairs, frozen food, plates, you name it! Yeah, not so much fun, but hey, it's gonna pay the bills!

Monday - Another long day at the restaurant setting up vendors, payroll, and physically helping out remodel the building before we open again on Thursday.

This whole restaurant thing has been a great learning experience, but it's definitely taking away from my training time which doesn't set so well with me...so if I sound cranky, that's probably why!!! Alright, I'm off to swimming and then learn how to manage the new POS system...Yippeeeee

Michael Stone is my Hero :)

If Michael's story doesn't motivate you, I'm not quite sure what will! This guy is AMAZING. Not only do we share the same coach, I am fortunate to hang out and train with Michael on a daily basis. Check out this video from CBS news to find out more!

http://cbs4denver.com/video/?id=22283@kcnc.dayport.com

If you would like to learn more about what Michael has been up to, follow his progress, or make a donation, please visit his personal website below!

www.fightblindness.org/ironman

Michael - you are an ispiration to us all!

Happy Hump Day!

Haha. I have nothing else to write about and Wednesday is the official hump day of the week for all you 9-5ers out there so Happy Hump to you all :)

I, however, don't have any distinguishing factors that make certain days different than others, but like most, I do still have days where I just need to get through them - and today is one of them.

Had a brutally long, hard swim this morning and then a 2.5hr ride with 5x12min. LT efforts in it...yeah, I barely made it in the door and now I'm totally vegging at work trying to stay awake. If I manage to compose myself in the next hour or so, I'll head out for my easy 45min. run, but right now that's not looking so good!!! Oh well, not going to overdo it again...learned that lesson the hard way :(

What a blast!

Ahh, soooo good to see the family this weekend. It's been almost 4 whole months since I had seen everyone and it couldn't have been more perfect. It's crazy to think that you grow up with the same 3 people your entire life and once you to go away to college you only get to see them a few times a year! CRAZINESS. I miss them so much, but definitely love the feeling when you finally get to reunite :)

Well anyway, we all had a great time together just hanging out, touring Purdue's campus (which is totally awesome) and going to the football game! I am so proud of my brother and I think that he is in a perfect place. Yeah, it's no Colorado, but Purdue has so much to offer too! I can't believe my little brother is growing up so fast, but I also am super excited because that means we can start going out and partying together too (not that I do much of that, but hey)!

All together it was a short, sweet, and perfect weekend getaway! Thanks Mom, Dad and Jerry, I love you guys :)

NOT GOOD.

Until yesterday, I never thought I would be using the words 'saddle' and 'sore' back to back in the same sentence...especially when referring to the 2 large welts on my ass :(

Okay, I know, probably way more information that anyone needed to know, but if you're a cyclist, it's just life. Anway, it's a damn good thing I will be gone all weekend hanging out with my brother and the fam so my bum can rest up a bit. Because at this point, there is NO way I would be able to do any kind of long riding which is usually on the weekend agenda....whhewww.

Alright, I'll be back Sunday night with a full report of what it's like to be a student in the great state of Indiana at Purdue University!

P.S. Did I mention I have to be at the bus stop at 3:30am tomorrow to catch a 6am flight...wtf?

My dad is HILARIOUS

This is the email I got this afternoon from my father in response to the conversation I had with my mom this morning regarding spinach and the monthly boxes of goodies she sends me...my, how information travels fast among families. Anyway, what a kick...he totally made me fall out of my seat at working because I was laughing so damn hard!!! I love you Dad!

"Hi Hon,

Just talked to Mom and a few thoughts to relay:

1) There is NO FRICKING SPINACH IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW! It is all COVERED WITH ANIMAL POOP that does not set well with the human body! If you really need to eat something green just go grazing on somebody's lawn (but make sure they didn't just fertilize it with the same animal poop thatis on the spinach).

2) How dare you BARGAIN WITH THESE RIDICULOUS BOXES MOM STILL SENDS YOU AT22 YEARS OLD? Did you really try and trade one in for money for a bathingsuit cover-up? How low can you go??? That's like someone putting their own child up for trade! Why don't you come to your Dad with these kinds ofrequests - I'd love to answer one!

All in jest and just kidding - but couldn't resist!!!!

Love Dad"

How Ridiculous

What are the chances that the only food I eat on a daily basis and pretty much cannot live without gets affiliated with a life threatening disease!?!

I mean seriously, I can barely go a day without eating almost a bag of spinach. Now I can't even buy it because they've freakin' pulled it off the shelves of every grocery store...GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

How bad can E-coli be anyways? It makes you shit a lot, right? Isn't that what I'm trying to accomplish with my extreme coffee habit?!?! Okay, okay...I'm done, but I'm still pissed about the whole situation.

CRASH FREE!!!

Hell yeah!!! Completed my first criterium this morning without any problems...thank goodness! And might I add that it was freakin' AWESOME! Totally have no sprinting ability right now, but came in second on each of the prime laps and 4th overall! Definitely need to work on the gear shifting as I kinda forgot to shift down for each of the sprints, and well, you know what that feels like!

Anyway, great day and fabulous weekend. So glad I chose this event over the Harvest Moon Half Ironman I was planning on doing. It was barely 40 degrees at 7:30am this morning when the race started and there is no way I was going to bike 56 miles in a wet bathing suit in those frigid temps. Plus, I totally found something new and exciting to look forward to doing more of in the future! And to make things even better, I not only finished without any troubles, I also made some extra cash on the side...fun, fun!!!

How come triathlons don't have prize money like cycling?!?!

2 down 1 to go!!!

Yeahhhhhh...got through my very first road race this morning and had an absolute blast! Totally didn't know where the finish line was until about 20 meters before I went through it, but hey, who cares. I probably could have out-sprinted the 2 girls I was working with the entire race to get some extra points, but it's all good...now I know why they all of a sudden just randomly took off...duhhh!

VERY different from triathlon racing. Group riding is also very nerv-recking...especially when you start the race with the CAT 5 men and when you hit the first climb they all start falling back leaving you struggling for dear life trying to bridge the 2 girls who were lucky enough not to be behind those dudes. At any rate, I've never worked so hard together with other people during a race and it was super cool and a lot of fun too. Met some great girls from Denver and am definitely going to continue on this bike racing bandwagon :) Bet some of my friends are excited to hear that!

Sooo...crit tomorrow. Could be interesting. Hope I don't crash! Until then.

First Stage Down...

This morning I completed the Time Trial portion of the Parker Mainstreet Omnium. Placed 4th, but definitely wasn't too happy about it as I could have gone a lot harder...life goes on.

I haven't been doing any type of speed work and that's probably why I wasn't able to push as high of a gear up the hills as I would have liked, but that's okay. Also, the whole first half of the course was uphill into the wind and the last half downhill with a tailwind, how convenient...

So what really sucked was the fact that I almost crashed 5 times going about 30-40mph because the insane winds kept catching my disc wheel and flinging me off the road and practically pushing me sideways. Yeah, let me tell you how freaky it is going that fast in aerobars (no braking access) and getting thrown around like that. Unfortunately I did get a little too freaked out and had to stop pedaling a few times to get my composure back...which totally costed me a shitload of time on an 8 mile course.

Whatever, it's the first one and it was fun...couldn't have done it without Mr. Aaron Brown though. If it wasn't for him helping me drive down there, coaching me through a sweet warm up, pining my numbers on and totally supporting my ass, I wouldn't have had a clue what to do...thanks buddy!

No worries though, the road race is tomorrow and I'm ready to attack with avengence!!! Stay tuned.

What have I done!!!

Triathlon out, 3-day bike race in...That's right, I'm racing in my very first bike race this weekend.

Temperatures on Sunday morning are predicted to be in the 3os and only go up into the high 50s throughout the day. Getting out of the water and riding 56 miles in a wet bathing suit in 40 degree weather does NOT sound like a good way to come back from a major injury...the coach didn't think so either.

In that light, there just happened to be a 3 stage bike race in Denver this weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun) consisting of a time-trial, road race and criterium. Had it not been for the fact that I have several friends who are pro cyclists who will be there to help my completely clueless-ass out, there is no way I would have even thought about it! However, they're gonna be there and I'm gonna do this thing; I just can't crash or my coach might seriously kill me...he's not too hyped on the idea!!!

Alright, more to come on the TT tomorrow morning...wish me luck!

P.S. Katie - thanks so much for the card! I love getting fun mail like that! Tell everyone I say hi; I miss you guys so much...

http://www.parkeromnium.com

Ouchy.

Finally got around to getting a lactate threshold test done on the bicycle yesterday. Not as bad as I thought, however, still need to keep training efficiently so I can boost that watts/kg ratio!!!

Anyway, they do a series of 8x4minutes at a harder output everytime and then prick your finger after each 4 min. effort to test your lactate levels...yes, that's 8 pricks in the same finger within a half an hour...grrr!

Needless to say, my finger hurts today.

Coffee Anyone?

Alright all you crazy coffee addicts out there...until about 3 months ago I wouldn't have been able to comprehend your ludicrous obsession. However, with the amount of coffee I have been drinking over the past month makes me think that I might have fallen into the 'coffee addiction trap' too!

I don't even like the taste of coffee, well at least not without a pound of sugar and cream in it, but you know what - the fact that it's a "mover" makes my day much more enjoyable. For those of you who know the stomach issues I face, it would only make perfect sense. I think that my new motto might just be as so...

...A cup of coffee a day takes the pain away!

Okay, okay, I'll stop there, but I think it's official. If I wake up craving coffee almost every morning, I think it's a pretty good sign that I'm not only hooked, but totally addicted!!! AHHHH, what have I done?!?!

What a day

For the first time in I can't even remember...maybe even a few years, I slept in until 11am!!! Oh my goodness did it feel AMAZING. Woke up, had some delicious coffee, a banana and an english muffin with peanut butter and strawberry honey, then proceeded to relax and work on sponsorship stuff all morning - it was soooo nice.

It rained all morning, but at 2pm when I finally got in gear to get out on the bike for my 3hr ride/75min run brick session, the sky had totally cleared and it was absolutely gorgeous. Had a fabulous ride and great run...randomly saw three people I knew on my run and almost ran over a snake crossing over some railroad tracks. I saw it in the last second before I stepped on it so I tried to leap over it. However, as I was mid-air, it was startled and moved as well. Needless to say, I was seriously about a millimeter from crushing it or being bitten. Haven't seen the 190s on the heart rate monitor in a while, but that definitely made me freak!

There's always gotta be something, right! Otherwise life would just be plain, simple and well, kinda boring!

AHHHH!!!!

Remind me to NEVER go into the locker room at FAC from 11:30-noon EVER again.

I'm usually out of there by 10:45am after swimming at 9, but I went for a 45 minute run right after swimming and needed to shower after my run so I had to go back into the locker room.

Okay, long story short, the women's water aerobics class ends at 11:30am and I have never in my life seen so many naked old women in a one place. I mean seriously, the last thing I want to deal with after a good training session is fat, flabby, old, wrinkly, and shriveled bodies EVERYWHERE...oh my god. It's a good thing I can shower in less than 2 minutes because I was seriously on the verge of freaking out.

Geez, I hope I never look like that...yikes!

Oh Baby

The words 'Get on the table, bitch' never sounded so good until last night...the massage table that is - geez, get those dirty thoughts out of your head!!!

So I didn't realize how spoiled I've been with Mercy giving me massages multiple times a week until she was gone for a whole 8 days! When she screamed at me from her room to get on the table last night, WOW, it was like heaven to my ears. After serious training, 60-90 minutes of massage at a time can honestly make such a huge difference in your recovery time. I'm not saying that the massage actually feels as good as I would like (as I almost fell off the table a few times last night it hurt so bad), but it's definitely a huge asset in preventing injury and relaxing super tight muscles.

So between a good massage and 'Strawberry Lite' Margarita at the Rio, couldn't have asked for a better night!

I Survived!!!

• 4K swim - HARD
• 4+hrs of climbing on the bike - LONG
• 1 hr tempo run - PAINFUL

Completing a 7 hour training day successfully and injury-free...PRICELESS

I have to say this...

For all you men out there who just don't happen to be as fast as some female cyclists, deal with it; it's part of life. I promise that your penis will NOT shrink if you get passed by a chick with a long braid coming out of the back of her helmet :)

Okay...I apologize for being vulgar or inappropriate, but I seriously almost snapped at some random cycling dude who wouldn't get off the back of my wheel. Yeah, it's nice to have someone to draft off of when there's a narly head wind, but it's completely defies all cycling rules to do so when you don't know the person whom you're drafting off of. Anyway, after I realized this moron was doing so, I slammed on my breaks to signal to him to get off my ass and then he went around me. He obviously needed that draft because I proceeded to pass him immediately after I let him go by. What do you know, the little shit was right back on my wheel. I dealt with it for about 4 miles and then finally just stopped peddling for a couple minutes, let him go by me and waited until he was about a half mile ahead of me to start actually putting pressure on the pedals again. Huh, you wouldn't think with all that distance between us that I would catch him again, but sure enough, I did. To make him feel better, I sat about 20 meters back and just cruised in behind him...what and IDIOT! I wanted to scream the inappropriate statement above at him sooooooooooo badly, but I refrained myself. I really should have though, it would have been a good story :)

P.S. I now have a power meter to prove that I was putting out a consistent effort the entire time, so that schmuck has no excuses!

Uh oh!

Yikes, it's been almost 4 days since I've updated this thing...nothing out of the ordinary going on, but definitely had a fun weekend.

Friday - met up with my good friend Jake (who has been traveling everywhere for his med school rotations). Went for a swim, had a great dinner at the Walnut, then we each downed a pint of Ben and Jerry's Ice cream (or at least I did; he finished his the next day)!!!

Saturday - did my first long bike/run brick out at the Aurora Reservoir where I might race in 2 weeks. Unfortunately it was about 50 degrees and cloudy (which we haven't seen here since about March) but still got in a solid 3 hour bike with a 45 minute run right off of it...amazingly I felt really strong on the run; if Jake was impressed, then I did good :)

Sunday - Ohh, slept in til 9am and then tried to go swimming...had a tummy ache so I got out early and came home to take a nap. Then went for a 75 minute run and still felt like shit so I just took it easy the rest of the day and worked on some accounting stuff for my new job!

Monday (today) - AWESOME weather...70, clear, calm and sunny!!! Had a great bike and swim and about to head out for a run! Livin' and lovin' it...

Piper Francis Morison!

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

Sara finally had her baby this morning at 12:31am. After only a 2 hour labor, her and Piper are both doing great. I had to make a special trip by their house on my ride this morning to give the baby my best wishes!!! I can't wait for you guys to get home so I can see her!!!

SWEEEEEEEEEET

More later, but this new job is gonna be the BOMB! Yeah, that's right, the bomb...

• Amazing salary
• Profit sharing
• Health insurance
• Total flexibility
• Triathlon sponsorship
• Unlimited free food
• Fun co-workers

...oh, and did I mention a great learning experience :) haha...WHOOOHOOO, life is great!!!

Emergency DAY OFF!

Holy Crap...I'm pretty sure that someone got into my body while I was sleeping Sunday evening and programmed it to make me feel as if I had just raced about 5 Ironmans in a row...no seriously. I've never felt as shitty as I did Monday morning and the feeling pretty much got progressively worse for the rest of the day...so weird! After chatting with the coach and looking through the past couple weeks of training, it was almost obvious that a day off was crucial and absolutely necessary...I hadn't had one since mid-July...ouchy!

Anyway, after refueling, resting, and doing much much nothing all day, I feel as if I have completely recovered and am now back on track to go out and rip it up! Grandma - that's slang for getting back training and working really hard :) Had a great bike/swim session this morning and ready to rock the run this evening....whooohhooo!

Laundry

Doing laundry could quite possibly be one of the most obnoxious things in the entire world. It only makes it even worse when your landlord puts coin-operated machines on site at your house and the other people who share the house with you leave their crap in the washer/dryer ALL freakin' day.

Yea, yea, yea...I just need something to vent about, but it's true...doing laundry is such an inconvenience and a huge annoyance...especially when you have to rip apart your bed and half your room, just to wash the damn sheets!

Alright, I'm done now...just needed to get that off my chest :)

Drunken Phone Calls

Getting drunk phone calls in the late evening can either be obnoxiously annoying or really freaking hilarious.

In the case of last night, it was beyond hilarious - After worrying sick about my little bro not being happy in his first year at Purdue, I was completely relieved when I got a random drunken phone call from him late last evening. He was at some apartment playing beer pong and apparently just wanted to call and say "hi"! SO FUNNY!!!

I did however get another phone call this afternoon from him during my long ride apologizing for the spontaneous and random call last night. Little did he know that not only did he totally make my night, but made me feel much better about his situation at Purdue...oh, the joy of being a freshman and being able to do whatever you want for the first time...

Now it's time to face the "Real World"haha...yeah, I'm boycotting that for as long as I can :)

I'm back!!!

Alright, so I have avoided posting anything about getting back into running for fear of jinxing the whole situation. The truth of the matter is that I have been able to slowly get back into running for the past 2 weeks! Yes, it has been amazing and I can't even tell you how great it feels to be back.

FYI: the definition of a "Brick" in relation to the sport of triathlon is a training session where you do more than one part of a triathlon (swim/bike/run) back to back; it can involve a combination of any of the three different sports.

Today, I did my first bike/run brick. I had a 3 hour bike with 5x10min. hard intervals (5min. rest in between) and then a 20min. run right off of it. Let's just say that with the little running I have been doing, I'm not able to just jump right off the bike and run as fast as I want right now. My legs might be ready and up for it, but my aerobic and lung capacity definitely are NOT. So I totally cramped up and had to stop 10min. in and stretch it out...yes, I'm a moron and should have known not to run like a bat out of hell, but had to do what the legs wanted...which was go FAST!

At least I'm running and loving every second of it...even if I try to go too fast and hit the wall in full force :)

Thank You...

To everyone who came out to celebrate my birthday last night at the Rio and Rhumba! I had an absolute blast and couldn't have had a better day! I appreciate all the drinks and dinner :) I hope you had as much fun as I did...Shep you still alive?!?!

Also, thanks for all the wonderful gifts and cards from everyone! You're all awesome.

Man, now I have to wait an entire year to do it again...

22 on the 22nd!

It only happens once in a lifetime! But a great day for a birthday...gorgeous weather, great friends, fun things to do! What more could you ask for?!?

So I think that this year I received the ultimate birthday gift EVER...when I got into work this morning, one of my co-workers left me a huge bag filled with 4 giant jars of Nutella on my desk...I mean come on! I told her it would be gone by next week...she thinks I'm joking...I'm totally not :) Thanks Kathy, you're the best!

Dinner/Drinks at the Rio in Boulder at 7pm tonight. Call me if you want to join!

You know you have too much time when...

You and your roommate get up at 7am on a Saturday morning, have a 3 hour breakfast, try on old clothes, eat, go through old jewelry, eat some more, sit around the house doing nothing, eat again, and...attempt to make a harness and leash for my gerbil, Franky, so we could walk him around. Yes, absolutely pathetic, but probably one of the most hilarious things I have ever done. He really didn't want to have any of it, but since neither of us got in our long bike ride, I'm pretty sure we laughed off at least half the calories we would have otherwise burned when riding.

Although it seemed like a completely unproductive day, Mercedes finally sold her old car and we did get out of the house around 5pm and went for an awesome jog and a dip in the pool!

P.S. It was raining 75% of the day, so I don't feel TOO bad :)

Bees and Ipods

80 degrees, blue skies, no wind, sunshine...what more could you ask for? Especially for an afternoon ride!!! Well I'll tell you what more I would have asked for today...a longer lasting Ipod battery and for all bees to become extinct in the state of Colorado.

Let me tell you how incredibly miserable it is to do intervals without music to motivate you...yes, the battery in my stupid died about 15 minutes into my 2.5 hour ride! And to top it off, in the middle of my second 12 minute HARD effort, I got stung by a bee on my right hand, right in between my fingers. The flippin' stinger was stuck in my hand so I had to stop and pull the damn thing out...ouchy! Yeah, what a nice addition to the pain of intervals and no music...grrr. At least the little f-er died in the process of stinging me!!! Okay, that was mean, but my finger has been swollen and burning ever since and that's annoying.

Yes, I am aware that I write entirely way too much about riding, but honestly, when you spend 15-20 hours of your week on the bike, a lot can happen during that time!

Note to Self...

Don't go on long easy, bike rides when you haven't eaten enough or slept hardly at all in the past two nights. I seriously almost fell asleep on my bike this afternoon I was so tired...I think it's time for one of the long afternoon naps that roll over to the next morning!!! I can't wait to get out of here (work that is) and do just that :)

Back on the race bike

It was about time the Felt finally got the dust wiped off of it and taken out for a spin. I haven't been on it since mid June and it honestly felt like forever. Definitely a much different feel as the position is much more aero than my road bike and well, yes, it does have "circus wheels" (650c) which makes it feel completely different as well. Despite the differences, it was so great to be on it. However, I'm really glad I didn't flat because my dumbass brought the wrong size tube and would have been stranded if I had flatted. Didn't even realize it til I got home...haha. What a great morning!

T-one week til the big 22nd birthday....whoohhooo!

Long Afternoon Naps

You know you've been lacking on the sleep portion of life when you fall asleep at 3:30 in the afternoon and don't wake up until 8 in the evening! Yikes...I think my body was telling me that it was in desperate need of some sleep!

Although I did completely waste my Saturday afternoon away, I was totally refreshed and ready for a great night out on the town with Mercedes. Her boss's band was playing at a local bar and so we ventured downtown to check that out...they were AWESOME! We also had a run-in with some old friends and watched the ridiculous "Big Wheel Rally" (yes, those stupid little bike-like things we used to play on when we were smaller). Only in Boulder do you find adults dressed up in custom, drunk out of their minds, playing on big wheels in the middle of the streets for hours, and only for spectator's sheer entertainment! HILARIOUS.

10pm-2am can be some pretty fun hours :)

Thursday Night Cruiser Rides

If you're from Boulder, have heard about it, have seen it go by, or have been apart of it, I don't need to go into any more detail about the craziness that accompanies the Thursday evening cruiser rides!

However, for those unfortunate souls who cannot experience the indescribable ridiculous that goes down at these rides, here is a brief description...About 700 of the most diverse people in Boulder meet at a central park with their cruisers (any and all types of bikes), dressed in the week's appropriate theme - this week was pajama - and loaded with drinks for the ride. The entire group rides from 7:30-9:30pm throughout the streets of Boulder screaming "Happy Thursday" and senseless other things. Several stops are made where "dance parties" break out and lots of drinking is encouraged. The final stop is always downtown by Pearl Street where the city is flooded with bike and the bars are bombarded with crazy dressed up drunks from the ride...it's like nothing else. You've just got to see it to understand.

So after purchasing my new cruiser (see below posting for description and pic of the bike), my roomie and a bunch of friends headed out for the insaneness. The ride was an absolute blast with more entertainment than you could imagine. Our final stop ended up at Hapa where we proceeded to do sake shots and eat really good sushi...gotta love the 10-12pm happy hour :) More stops were made at random bars throughout the evening, eventually ending in what I would call a fantastic night on the town! Yes, this morning sucked, but so worth it!

Free Massage

There isn't anything in the world quite as wonderful as getting body massage work done regularly...and for FREE!

My most amazing roommate EVER is a massage therapist and takes occasional courses at the Boulder College for Massage Therapy (where she graduated from). Because massage is learned most effectively in a 'hands-on' fashion, the school is always looking for bodies to work on. That's where I come into play. I have become a regular for the students to work on and it's absolutely incredible. The average price for massage in Boulder is about a $1/min. The average amount of time I get worked on at the school is 90-120 minutes...you do the math!

Anyway, I was fortunate to be incorporated into the curriculum last night at BCMT as an injured athlete and got one of the most amazing hip/glut/hamstring massages ever...ohhh, unexplainable. Thanks Mercy, you're the best!

Another Bicycle

WHAT DO YOU THINK??? Yeh or neh!?!

If you're a cyclist, you can relate to the fact that no one can own TOO many bikes...right?!? I mean you need a road bike, a mountain bike, a track bike, a "race" bike, a time-trial bike, a cruiser, a fixed gear, a commuter...I could go on for days.

So to get to the point, I went with my friend Halle this evening to get her all set up on a road bike so she can start a new hobby out in Massachusetts. Well, as I was wandering around the store, my eyes totally caught this beautiful Bianchi cruiser. I've wanted to get a cruiser for a while since I sold my hardtail mountain bike which was originally used as a commuter and this was totally what I had in mind! Hmmm...but do I really need a new bike? Do I really need to be spending money that I probably should be saving on a new bike? I am getting a large chunk of change back from the doctor who mis-diagnosed my hip fracture....hmmm! Decisions, decisions, decisions...

I think I'll sleep on it for a few nights and then figure it out. Although it's an incredibly sexy bicycle, I really should consider the pros and cons...boo :)

I love bikes!

Sleeping in...

...is possibly one of the most amazing feelings in the world, seriously! I mean, yeah, I totally missed my early morning ride, but I woke up feeling like a million bucks...and that NEVER happens. So if you're feeling sluggish, tired, or whatever, try sleeping in; it might do ya some good.

Just another day in the high country.

Baby Showers

Sunday afternoon I attended my first baby shower...not for me of course, but my amazing co-worker/friend Sara! After all the various chatter about what to expect, I actually had a really great time. Not only was it super fun seeing Sara so happy and surrounded with fun people and supportive friends, it was comforting to know and see women in their 30's not married with 2 children 3 cars and a white picket fence!

All in all, the party was a blast! Great conversation, amazing food, superb company and an interesting experience. I can't wait for Sara to have her little one because her and Malcom are going to be the BEST parents ever! I love ya girl!

HOLY MOLY

The story begins about 2 weeks ago when I was riding and helped out a random cyclist who was stranded with a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. After chatting for a bit, turns out he is the owner and head chef of the Chataqua Dining Hall (a very prestigious, fancy, expensive, delicious, etc. restaurant) For staying with him and letting him use my pump, he offered to have me come in with a friend for a dinner on him! Well, that's just the beginning...after talking a little more, he's actually in need of a new bookkeeper for this restaurant and another one he is opening in a few months and asked if I would be interested!!! HOW PERFECT!

So last evening was the night. Fred and I actually showered, put on some decent clothes and headed to Chataqua to meet up with Mr. Heap for what he promised to be a meal much better than the usual PB&J! And boy was he right. From the wine to the salad, and the halibut to the chocolate cake, I don't think I have EVER had such incredible food. The two of us were completely awestruck by the way we were treated (since we were the owner's guests) and the absolute quality of the food...nothing more can be said...it was AMAZING!

Lesson learned - always help out a fellow cyclist (or any individual for that matter) because you never know where it might take you. Got me a new job and an incredible dinner :) THANKS BRAD!

My First Facial

So last week I was informed by my dermatologist that my insurance covers full facials. COOL! So of course I'm going to take advantage of that. My face gets beat up beyond belief from the sun, chlorine, sweat, dirt, etc. on a daily basis and this is a great way to take care of it.

Today was the day to lay down, relax, and let someone clean, pick, moisture, steam and mask my face for over an hour. DAMN, it was awesome...and free! I am definitely going to incorporate this into my weekly regimen and I'm totally stoked.

If you've never gotten a facial before...do it, but remember to eat before you go because all the fruity smelling crap they put on your face makes you super hungry :)

It's just one of those days...

...when you wanna be left alone....well kind of I guess. Went for Rolf's last night in Boulder which was both fun and sad. However, left me with about 5 hours of sleep and not very much motivation to do anything today. Got out of the pool early, came home and ate everything in sight, skipped the bike, and now debating whether or not to attempt to get in the evening swim. WTF...I took Monday completely off, I should be feeling like a million bucks! Unless...well, burning out on the swim/bike combo might also be possible...grrr, I sure hope not. Alright, I'm done babbling. I just felt I should post something since I was told yesterday that people do actually log on and read the ridiculousness that I post on a daily basis.

Buying blinds from Bed Bath and Beyond never sounded like so much fun...what?!?!

All Moved In :)

After a complete day off training and $85 later, I'm totally moved, unpacked and settled in at my new place! As my father puts it, after moving 6 times in the past 4 years, I've gotten pretty damn good at it! Fortunately I was able to scrounge up my co-worker's high school kids, pay them $25 each and buy them a good lunch to move all the big furniture and boxes. With their help and Dave's (one of the lawyers I work for) truck, we were able to crank the final stuff out in less than an hour! BRILLIANT!

Well off to swim. Yippeeee

A Little Too Much Partying

After today, it is absolutely safe to say that boozing and partying until 2:30am in the morning and then attempting to ride hard the following morning in 100 degree weather is a BAD idea. Let's just say that I got back from my ride around noonish, it's just before 5pm now, and I haven't moved off the couch since I got back. So much for that swim and moving. Tomorrow's gonna be a rough one...ugh

Although the original plans for the weekend may have completely changed (and not for best of my training) the festivities of that night were worth every second of it :)

Happy Friday

Oh man, another heat wave is hitting Boulder...and it's only expected to get hotter. What perfect weather for moving! Grrr. Well, it's been a great day of training, a little moving and will hopefully continue with a fun evening out on the town.

Have a long, beautiful climb (~5hrs) planned for tomorrow morning, along with a recovery swim, and then, well...the MOVING BEGINS...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and if you have AC, be extremely grateful :)

I'M STILL ALIVE

Yes, I know it's been over 10 days since I've updated everyone, but there really hasn't been too much excitement in my life recently.

I took most of the week off of training last week as it was blazing hot and, well, I just simply needed some good rest. I went to a wedding at the Air Force Academy on Friday evening which was an absolute blast. Rolf and I totally tore it up on the dance floor, probably not the best thing for the broken hip, but it was worth every second. I also volunteered all day Saturday and Sunday at the Boulder Peak Triathlon (which I was supposed to race in). It was a lot of work, but so nice to see all my friends and competitors racing and doing incredibly well. Other than that, I have been training like a mad women this week, trying to stay clear of the crazy thunder storms, and enjoying life - had an exceptionally fun dinner last night at the Gondo :)

Well, must get back to work and head to swimming. Keep on the lookout for regular posts...I promise!

Mountain Biking

As of Sunday afternoon, the brand new mountain bike which I was so determined to sell was finally introduced to the amazing and beautiful trails in Nederland. Although it might have taken a little tougher beating than expected, and despite the enormously large handlebars, it rode like a charm. Even though I did take a few diggers and made Shep wait an eternity on my slow ass, I'm finally ready to begin off road riding on a more consistant basis. Thanks Andrew, I had an absolute blast, we're totally on for Thursday evenings!

It's still hotter than ever here and I swear my apartment is over 100 degrees inside! Ahhh, it needs to cool down :)

The Heat and the Wind

Watch out, another heat wave is hitting Boulder. Holy moly...it's a hot one too. You know when it's over 100 degrees and your about a mile closer to the sun than most of the world, it's gonna be hot and you better be wearing sunscreen.

Well my 3+ hour ride this afternoon was pretty brutal. I was wearing 50 spf sunscreen - still got burnt, had 2 huge frozen water bottles - which were pretty much boiling in less than 25 minutes and gone in less than 2 hours, leaving me waterless coming home, not cool; lastly, what better than to ride in 20+mph swirling winds the entire time. For those of you who know how I feel about the wind...let's just say, it wasn't the most pleasant of rides :)

Stress Fracture it is :(

So the doctor's appointment this morning went as well as it could have. There has finally been a diagnosis to the extreme pain I have been having while running. I have a stress fracture (that is healing) in my ischial tuberosity...see below for details. The doctor never thought he would find an acutal fracture there, but the x-rays showed it clearer than daylight. The bad news, however, is that there really isn't going to be much running going on in the near future. Even after resting it for the past 7 weeks, I still have at least 4 more to go. Guess I'm still just gonna have to crank on the swim and bike :) Time to get fast!!!

DESCRIPTION:
The ischial tuberosity is a swollen part or broadening of the bone in the frontal portion of the ischium, the lowest of the three major bones that make up each half of the pelvis. As the point of fusion of the ischium and the pubis, it is attached to various muscles and supports the weight of the body when one is sitting. Ischial tuberosity pain may be experienced by a wide range of athletes, including soccer players, cyclists, baseball players, figure skaters, cheerleaders and any type of jumpers or runners. It is often misdiagnosed as ischial bursitis, an extremely painful condition.

HOW DOES AN ISHIAL TUBEROSITY INJURY DEVELOP?
The ischial tuberosity is the point of origin of the adductor and hamstring muscles of the thigh, as well as the sacrotuberus ligaments. The forceful pull of these muscles, such as can happen during a variety of sports, as a result of a trauma such as a fall or other type of injury, or through the overuse of the hamstrings, as is common among runners and soccer players, results in a separation or detachment, also called an avulsion, of an open ischial apophysis.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ISHIAL TUBEROSITY PAIN?
The symptoms of ischial tuberosity pain are, plain and simple, “a pain in the butt.” Pain on the bottom of the buttock, especially when sitting and running is typical. The area may also be quite tender and sensitive to touch.

WELL DUH, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON...WHY DIDN'T I FIGURE IT OUT SOONER?!?! GRRRR

Riding on the trainer in July!?!?

Rain, rain, go away, come back another day...Yes, it's still raining and hasn't stopped in almost 4 days! Great for the state of Colorado since we're close to dought conditions once again, but quite a damper on my training.

I guess swimming outside in the rain isn't too bad since you're already wet. Running in the rain is actually quite enjoyable, but wait, yeah, I can't do that...grrr. Cycling in the rain, however, isn't always the most enjoyable and safe thing to do. I mean, yeah, I should probably suck it up and get out there, but I guess taking the chance to slip and crash on a training ride really isn't something I'm willing to risk right now as I don't need any more injuries. So, for the first time since March, I got on the trainer inside...booo. I did get to enjoy some World Cup, golf, volleyball and Tour de France action, so it did go by quite quickly.

Off to enjoy some angel food cake, white chocolat pudding and fresh strawberries...mmmm :)

Ugh

Can someone please explain to me how Colorado can be 80 and sunny in April, but 65 and rainy in July?!?! I just simply do not get it.

I don't think there is a better way to spend the day that you're supposed to be racing the most important race of the year than by standing in the rain for 4 hours giving a how-to-bike clinic to hundreds of women about to do their first triathlon. I mean seriously. We say there is no such thing as a stupid question, but oh man, there were definitely some interesting and over-the-top ones today! Plus, I just wasn't in the mood, so it pretty much just sucked.

I was supposed to ride before heading down to the clinic, but it was raining so I went back to sleep. Since the first attempt at traning was highly ineffective, I planned on getting in a swim when I got back. However, I came home completely drenched and frozen solid that swimming definitely didn't sound appealing either. So, what better to do than take a warm shower, eat everything in sight and play on the computer for the rest of the night!

Gotta love it. Hopefully the long climbing day will be in effect tomorrow...I'm getting quite sick of this crappy weather.

Fatty Spreads

As you have previously read, peanut butter is quite obviously my most favorite food in the world, but there definitely is a close call for second...any guesses? It's just has fatty as peanut butter and can be put on just about everything - except asparagus according to Miss Sara! Need another clue? It's produced overseas, has a brown color and a thick yet gooey texture....ya got it now?

NUTELLA for heaven's sake :) It's a french version of peanut butter made with chocolat and hazelnuts...ohhh, it's absolutely amazing. Bryan thought it would be a good idea to bring me the biggest jar available back from Ireland a few weeks ago and drop it by the office today. Although it was definitely a super sweet gesture...what were you thinking?!?! Did you read the posting about how fast I went through the cinnamon peanut butter?!?! Geez...

No, the jar is not half gone yet, but will soon be! At least I have people at the office to share it with :) I will close with the letting everyone know that a little chocolat can always put a big smile on your face!!!

Like a fish

So if I can't run...might as well start getting super fast in the water and on the bike. Although swimming twice a day may possibly sound and seem like the most awful thing in the world, it's actually not too bad. As a matter of fact, since the injury, my swimming has improved tremendously with all the extra yardage :) I pretty much swam like a fish today and I'm wicked excited about it!!! Stay tuned for more updates!

On another note, one more race/series that I am eating an entry in is the Boulder Stroke 'n Stride Series (Thursdays at 6pm - 1500m swim/5K run). Even though the last place I want to be is somewhere where I should but can't race, I still feel as though the right thing to do is be there to support all of my training partners, friends and competitors! Off to the race to be a cheerleading...okay, not really, but you know what I mean!

Until next time.

Nationals...

After attempting to get in a quick jog today before my flight to Nationals early tomorrow morning, I made the official decision to bag the most important race of the season and call it quits. With excruciating pain throughout my entire hip, groin, glut, etc. only 5 minutes into the run, there is no way I would be able to handle a 10K off an intense swim and bike.

Without a doubt there were numerous tears shed and emotions and frustrations pelted in all different directions, but my doctor, coach and parents all believe that this is the best decision for the future of my career in the sport. Not something I want to hear, but I guess I don't really have a choice. Sure, I'm going to eat about $600 on expenses for the trip and not go to Worlds in Switzerland in September, but staying home and getting an MRI done to figure out exactly what is going on is going to be key to get me back on my feet and racing again.

Life sucks right now and I honestly couldn't be any more frustrated and irritated with everything, but I still hold the belief that everything happens for a reason and there are so many worse things that I could be faced with. I can't even express how fortunate and grateful I am to be living in Boulder and having the support from my friends and family that I do. I love all of you guys and thank you so much for everything!

Trying to smile...I promise :)

Trivial Pursuit

There's nothing that can make you feel more pathetic and out of the loop than playing "Pop Culture" Trivial Pursuit! I know I'm not a big television or movie fanatic, and I definitely do not follow the celebrity scene, but damn, it sucks being crappy at that game! I did however get a few questions right including one about My Little Pony...pretty pathetic since I never played with any kind of girl toy when I was little :)

HAPPY 4th of July everyone...have a fun and safe night and don't blow off any limbs attempting to set off any firecrackers!

Long Solo Bike Rides and CRAZY Thunder Storms

Cycling - Just about any non-cyclist would ask what the world you were thinking going for a 5+ hour ride by yourself and how you stay sane without getting bored out of your mind. Well...FYI, long rides on my own are probably my absolute favorite training sessions. Seriously. I can listen to my favorite music for hours, go my own pace the ENTIRE time, chose whatever route I desire, think and reflect without any distractions, and peacefully enjoy the amazing mountain scenery. As everyone knows, my mind is jam-packed with ridiculousness, so Sunday I took advantage of the opportunity to just ride, ride, ride...in gorgeous weather of course. And, it was awesome! Although the pressing issues in my life are not totally solved, it feels good to have a better grasp on them :)

Thunderstorms - HOLY HELL...about 20 minutes after I returned from my breathtaking ride Sunday morning/afternoon, the inevidable Boulder storms rolled in. However, these storms were unlike anything I have ever witnessed. For about an hour, we had the loudest rumbles of thunder I have EVER heard. Uli swears they were breaking houses in 2, but honestly, I have never jumped out of my seat from thunder before. I had to have been freaked out about 6 or 7 times that afternoon. CRAZINESS...but I love it and I love Boulder for it!

Bars and Movies

It's definitely been a while since I have broken away from the same strict routine so this weekend was the time to head out and about and have some good times with everyone!

Friday- BAR NIGHT! Oh man...so for someone who NEVER drinks, one strawberry light margarita at the Rio is enough to put me completely over the edge. I swear there has got to be like 6 shots of tequila in one drink! It's a good thing they bring unlimited chips and salsa so that Uli and I can chow down and get hammered all at the same time! So after venturing from bar to bar on Pearl Street, we decided to check out the new eurobar called Seven. Pretty interesting and great beats, but the best was trying to pick and choose potential boys for Miss Uli...hilarious.

Saturday- MOVIE NIGHT! I have honestly not been to a movie in the theatre in almost 5 months. I'm not gonna lie, I'm not that big of a movie fan, but it's always nice to get out and see what everyone is ranting and raving about. So I saw Superman Returns and it wasn't too bad...I encourage you to go see it!

Well that's about it. I have much more coming in the next couple days as it is T-5 days til Nationals...ahhh!

And life goes on...

I sincerely apologize for the tardiness of the updates on here. Things have been a bit rough this past week :( From the injury and racing, to work and money, lots of emotions and concerns have been flooding my mind lately.

Nationals are in a week and I'm still having nothing but trouble and pain with running 15 minutes really easy. There is obviously something really wrong as it has been 6 weeks without any run training and I'm still not getting better. This just puts my season into perspective and makes me wonder if I should just bag it, get healthy and then rock it next year. However, without a strong schedule and resume to back myself up, sponsorship might then become a serious issue...what to do, what do to?!?!

I guess I've come to the point in the road where I need to make some serious decisions. Money is super tight and committing to some sort of career doesn't seem THAT bad. These decisions aren't going to happen overnight and require a lot of reflection and thought!

I'm hangining in there, but definitely ready for that stage where "everything always works out in the end"! Guess it's gotta happen to everyone, right!?! Stay tuned.

What's on the back of your leg?!?!

Well I'll tell you what's on the back of my leg. It might be really tacky and bright blue, but it's really helping the healing process of this stupid hip injury. For the past week I have been bombarded with questions about what is all over my leg so for everyone's information, here it is.

It's called Kinesio tape:

Kinesio Athletic Tape is a modality treatment based on the body's own natural healing process. The major effects of Kinesio taping are correcting muscle function, improving circulation of blood and lymph, relieving pain, and repositioning the subluxation joints. Kinesio Athletic Tape is latex free, and is durable for 3-4 days of use. Kinesio Athletic Tape is an elastic athletic tape of extremely high quality, and was specifically designed by Dr. Kenzo Kase to provide exceptional results for Kinesio Taping. Kinesio Athletic Tape was designed to be worn on the skin for an extended period of time (3-4 days) without irritation, as well as during strenuous exercise or hydrotherapy. The adhesive is not only heat activated, but also will not leave any residue when removed. Kinesio® Athletic Tape is FDA approved, and patent protected. Kinesio® Athletic Tape has an elasticity of 140%, which matches the same basic elasticity found in ones skin and muscles, allowing Kinesio taping to work with your body. This provides full range of motion, support, and stability, without adversely affecting the natural range of motion. For excellent results, Kinesio® Athletic Tape should be applied at least 30 minutes prior to exercise in order for the heat activated adhesive to adjust and bond with the skin temperature. In conjunction with the Kinesio Taping Method, Kinesio Athletic Tape is frequently used for clinical applications such as patella femoral, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff, etc. Kinesio Athletic Tape is more expensive than conventional athletic tape, but due to the quality and usage, Kinesio Athletic Tape is actually more economical.

So please don't ask me any more questions...thanks :)

Randomness

So I know I haven't posted anything new in a few days and I apologize. I have been super busy trying to catch up with work, sleep, training, and AQUAJOGGING...ugh, shoot me.

I have also been visiting the greatest doctor in the world on a daily basis trying to get this hip injury under control and healed. So far I have been able to run 15min. a day on the treadmill with 30-45min. of aquajogging following. Still hurts like hell, but I guess it's progress.

Nationals are only 2 weeks away and I'm definitely getting really nervous about the run portion. My swim and bike are right where they need to be, but I'm really struggling mentally with the whole aspect of not running for 6+ weeks!!! It's really a scary thought.

Alright, enough babbling. I promise I will have something new and exciting this weekend. Until then, here are some pics from the race last weekend. Tata.

Protein and Wild Animals

Just another AMAZING morning in the most beautiful and near perfect place in the world (Boulder, CO).

I decided to get in an early morning climb since it is supposed to get pretty hot this afternoon with a chance of thunderstorms. I left my house a little before 7am with the intent to ride up to Jamestown through Left Hand Canyon. As I was riding I had nearly the entire road to myself...that NEVER happens here!

Anyway, I'm just about to 2 miles up the climb when I see what appears to be a dog in the middle of the road. Boy was I wrong. This dog looking animal was actually a fox who was staring me right in the eyes as I got closer. Once I realized what it really was, I started getting a little nervous and slowed way down. I figured it would get frightened by me and run into the woods, but apparently not. It started moving closer and closer to me. If my heart rate was at a rate 5 beats higher, it might have beat right out of my body...no joke. I was scared out of my mind. My first thought was to turn around and go back down as fast as I could but instead I chose jump on the pedals on continue to go up as fast as I could. The fox trotted after me for a mere 2o seconds (which felt like FOREVER) and finally disapeared into the woods....oh my God...I don't think I've ever gotten up to the top of that climb that fast before!

Okay, now that I was completely wiped from running from the fox, the decent was sounding pretty damn good. I got into my drops and began bombing down the mountain...weeeeee. Apparently it was the day for bugs because by the time I got to the bottom of the canyon, I must have consumed at least 10 and had another 15 splattered on my face. Bugs and insects are a good form of protein, right? Does this mean I can include them in my food journal?!?!

What a morning! Regardless of the weather, the day, the time, the place, or the circumstance, each ride is an experience in itself.

I LOVE IT.

Aqua Jogging

Reason 58,467 why being injured sucks.

Aqua jogging might possibly be the most ridiculous alternative to running EVER. Although it has proven to retain running fitness and utilize the specific muscle sets for runners, there are SO many more crappy things about it than good! Here they are:

1) SOOO boring
2) You feel like a fat and old woman
3) You look like a complete moron
4) It's kinda hard
5) The bottom of your feet get scraped to hell
6) You can only go half way down the pool until you have to turn around
7) People stare are you and wonder what the hell you're doing
8) You can't use your ipod
9) You get splashed in the face by people swimming in the next lane
10) It makes running sounds SOOOO good...that never happens!

DON'T GET INJURED...IT SUCKS!

Race it is!

Pre Race- The alarm goes off at 5am this morning and millions of emotions are flying through my head. Since my injury, each morning when I wake up and get out of bed, I secretly hope that my hip will have miraculously healed and I will be pain free with my first step on the ground. Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be today, but that's okay, I was prepared for it. I proceeded to hobble to the bathroom, get ready, take a warm shower to loosen up and then go downstairs to make some breakfast. As I excitedly beginning cutting my bagel to smear that delight I called peanut butter all over it, I cut right through and slice off a good chunk of the top of my finger. What more do I need at this point than a bloody bagel and a finger gushing uncontrollably!?!? Well there's nothing a couple of bandaids and electrical tape can't fix, but ouch, that hurt like crazy. I then went to meet my friend Pete at Vics and we got in a good warm up biking to the course. I get everything set up in transition and proceed to head down to the water to begin warming up. I know what I've got to do and I know what the limits are, now it's all about the execution...

The Race- Like the beginning of every race, it's a huge sea of chaos; arms are flying, legs are kicking, goggles are being knocked off, etc. However, it wasn't so bad until we had about a 3 minute section where a boat's wake hit us directly from the side. I honestly felt like I was going nowhere except side to side and up and down. Needless to say, I got incredibly nauseas and motion sick and decided that stopping for 20 seconds or so wouldn't be a bad idea. Well doing this definitely didn't help my swim time nor my rhythm after I started back up again...okay, long story short, I had a really crappy swim.

The bike portion went as well as it could have. I felt strong and fairly good throughout the whole 17 miles. The only issue I had was with one girl who everytime I passed would immediately pass me and then get in front of me and slow back down. For those unaware of drafting rules, you have 10 seconds to pass someone which means you have 10 seconds to be within 3 bike lengths of the rider in front of you. Anyway, this girl was obviously not abiding by these rules and eventually the referee on his motorcycle saw what she was doing and gave her a 2 minute penalty...maybe it will teach her a lesson.

So here comes the dreaded run. I haven't run in over 4 weeks and I really should never had considered doing this, but I got into T2, put on my shoes and painfully headed out for the final portion of the race. I was definitely limping and probably looking like a total goof, but I really needed a good finish in this race and it was ONLY 5K. I basically put myself in a happy place for a little over 22 minutes and finished the run in almost tears it hurt so bad. Sometimes you just do what you gotta do.

Post Race- I needed an age-group win today and I was fortunate to have pulled if off with a little over 5 minutes to spare :) However, finishing 14th overall was very difficult to take considering where I would have been had I been healthy and fully functioning. I am okay with it, and most importantly, I am thrilled I didn't injure myself any more (that I know of), but deep down, I am irritated, frustrated and emotionally distraught. I couldn't have been more happy with the outcome of today's race considering the facts, but there's still something missing. I guess more therapy and recovery will be on the docket for next week, but I'll keep you posted!

To race or not to race?!?!

This is the question of the day.

With a strained hip flexor, possible stress fracture, no running in almost 4 weeks, pain and soreness even walking...what would you do? Would it change your mind if it was the first race of a 3 race series in which you had a great chance to win $2500 in?!?! I bet it would. I guess that was the determining factor for me since financials are a big issue in my life right now.

Although Nationals (July 8th) and Worlds (Sept. 3) are the most important races of the season, and I should be doing everything my power to be 100% healthy by Nationals, it's very necessary for me to do well in this series...

With strict orders from the doctor and coach, I will race this Sunday with every intention to pull out as soon as I feel I will be making the injury any worse. How in the world do you know when you're doing that? There is such a fine line between the pain you experience during a race and the pain you experience when you're actually injuring yourself. I guess I'll just have to see how it goes during the bike and the first few minutes in the run and make my decision based on those feelings...

Racing - Sunday, June 18 @ 7:30am...stay tuned.

Snot Rockets

Definition - n. process in which snot is released and pelted from the body through one nostril with the use of a single finger to create the pressure buildup and a strong exhaling blow through the nose to trigger the release.

Application - this method is used when runny noses occur and paper products are unavailable; however, some people just think it's cool, and that's okay too.

Users - athletes on the go; including cyclists, runners, or anyone not having the ability to carry a box of tissues while training or racing.

Effectiveness - highly, when performed properly; just be aware of your surroundings and the people who may be behind or next to you...although snot is not the grossest thing in the world, it's definitely not the easiest to clean up.


WHY?!?!

Okay, there's obviously a story behind this ridiculousness, but for those who don't know what snot rockets are, it's only fair that they get a brief understanding before I attempt to discuss such a topic.

So after battling 104 degree temps and crazy 30mph winds yesterday, I was super excited to get out in 70 degree, sunny and calm weather...on the bike that is. I haven't been on the TT (time trial) bike in a while, so I thought I would take it for a nice 2 hour cruise. Wow, was that a great idea. As I'm riding along staring at the mountains and jammin' to some String Cheese Incident on the Ipod, I felt a sniffle coming on. Allergies have been pretty narly this spring/summer so I wasn't really surprised!

Perfect Opportunity - No one was around, and it was getting to the point where I couldn't go without sniffling for 5 seconds. One, two, three...BLOW....woooshhhh....oh s**t. Ewwww, ahhh, GROSS. Can you imagine what just happened without getting too disturbed? Flippin' wind. I got nailed with a huge crosswind gust that shot my snot rocket right back at me. Let's just say it wasn't pretty and REALLY annoying.

Even though I came back to Boulder covered in snot...just about nothing could have peeled the smile off my face. Days like today remind me of how fortunate I am to be here and I couldn't imagine it being any different.

I love Boulder...and snot rockets, even if they get all over me sometimes :)

PEANUT BUTTER

Mmmmm...If I were forever stuck on an island and could only have one item of food to live off of, well duh, of course it would be peanut butter.

For those of you who are unaware of my undying obsession and passionate affection of peanut butter, it's really true...I'm a PB freak. Not to mention I probably eat entirely way too much of it, but who cares, it's the greatest tasting stuff on earth.

So I'm at Whole Foods the other day getting a free Jamba Juice with a coupon from a race back in Cali. If I were made of money I would shop there on a daily basis, however, triathlete and rich may possibly be the strongest antonyms in the world so therefore I cannot afford to even think about shopping there. Anyways, as I'm waiting for my smoothie to be prepared, I wandered off to find as many taste testers as I could...not only are they amazing samples, I had just come from swimming and I was starving...okay, I'm always hungry, but my stomach was seriously eating itself so I needed to find something and FAST. Totally must have been my day because the first sample I come by is a jar of cinnamon peanut butter with Ritz crackers...Bryan knows exactly what is going through my mind.

As I completely salivate all over myself trying to get the peanut butter on the cracker, I can't even contemplate the feeling of indulgence and satisfaction I am about to experience. Oh, and there it was...the savory, sweet, luscious taste of my absolutely new favorite food. Without a second thought in my mind did I purchase a jar of it...a pound that is. This was Friday evening and it is now Tuesday evening...it's 90% gone. Mmmmm.

Enough said.

Bicycles...grrrr

Sometimes you love 'em, sometimes you hate 'em. Today, I hate them.

All I want to do is go for a simple long and easy ride this afternoon and what more do I get but a flat tire on my rear wheel as I am about to grab my bike to head out. No sweat, it's an easy fix here at home with all the proper equipment, etc...Snap, changed and done.

I'm about a quarter of a mile down the street, listening to some great new tunes I just put into my ipod and poof...total blowout on the same damn tire. I pull off into a car tire store (how ironic) and proceed to change it once more. A huge piece of glass had gotten stuck in the tire puncturing right through to the tube...how lovely.

Okay, onward. I have one more spare tube and CO2 cartridge left. I haven't flatted in months and it had to be a total fluke that I had gotten two in less than 5 minutes. Well, guess what, that's right, I get about another mile up the road and flippin' flat AGAIN! Yeah, I bet you're thinking what I was thinking....F-this, I'm going home.

So here I am right now telling you all about how I punked out on my ride today because I got 3 flats in less than 10 minutes. I'm sure there was a good reason for this happening and I know it's pathetic, but there's no doubt in my mind I was not meant to be on the road today. Sometimes it sucks and I was definitely looking forward to the ride, but I don't even want to think of the consequences I may have suffered had I been persistent and continued riding. Everything happens for a reason.

So this is why I hate bicycles today...any questions?

Being Injured

If you're an athlete of any sport, you've probably been through it, and if not, then it's mostly likely to occur as long as you're still training and stressing your body. There is no doubt that being unable to train and participate in something you are unconditionally passionate about can be more mentally draining and frustrating than performing sub-par at an important race...you know what I'm talking about.

So here I am. Strained hip flexor from a routine long Sunday run a week before the first half ironman of the season. To race or not to race. Well race...duh! I've only been busting my butt for how many weeks?!?! And plus, I'm tough and can suck it up for a little over 5 hours, right?! Okay...BAD IDEA. Placed well in the race (which was not even an "A" race) but put myself in big detriment physically.

After week 3 of no running and a super important race less than a week away, I'm not only in an emotional tizzy, but I'm starting to look at the sport of triathlon and the lifestyle which accompanies it in a totally different dimension. Shit happens...and for the most part, it always seems to happen at the exact wrong time (i.e. I'm finally done with school and have time to train/rest/recover, so why now?) However, I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and giving my body a break may be exactly what it needs.

As I deal with the frustrations and irritations surrounding this issue, I can only take it as a learning experience and attempt to understand the reasonings behind it. These experiences are responsible for creating the unique and individual characters each of us are. It may be a rough and bumpy road to get through, but in the end, it's worth every moment!

WORK LIKE YOU DON'T NEED MONEY, LOVE LIKE YOU'VE NEVER BEEN HURT, DANCE LIKE NO ONE'S WATCHING!