tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29206310920076153702024-03-13T16:38:04.512-06:00Thank you, God, for this good lifeGratitude, Happiness, and Adventures in DCRudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.comBlogger253125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-46029519115049020492014-05-09T10:01:00.000-06:002014-05-09T11:07:20.638-06:00Rudi Learns to CookI do not eat well. Between long weekend workouts, late nights at work, and not having a car, I have never really gotten into the habit of meal planning and grocery shopping since moving back to D.C. As I get closer to my 30s, you'd think I'd start developing these habits but in actuality, it has gotten worse. In the past month, I have eaten cereal for dinner more times than not. And there was that one time that dinner was goldfish crackers and wine (don't tell mom!). Suffice to say, I have what you might call a poor diet. <br />
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I was swimming with my teammates one weekend when they told me about <a href="http://www.blueapron.com/" target="_blank">Blue Apron</a>, a meal planning and food delivery service that sends you three recipes each week, plus ingredients, to cook yourself. One teammate had a free week she could gift me, so she sent it along. This was about two months ago. Cue the goldfish dinner and I realized I needed a <strike>better</strike> solution for eating healthier, so last week I finally signed up.<br />
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The website provides you six possible recipes for the week and based on your dietary preferences, you receive three. Each recipe contains enough ingredients for two servings, so it was perfect to solve both my dinner conundrum plus what to bring for lunch everyday that wasn't frozen and containing enough sodium to swell my fingers up. The first week, my three recipes included spaghetti and meatballs, spring root vegetable casserole, and black bean and chicken enchiladas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO4kB-KDvqM55mhtCQaaYSf5CvijWUCW3pA_sYbY1GmGI0gVY2n2_wS6_7mvkpKwODMvGaUC-DPSD_bDw36xeGWaXKKcS68iYw3zVZaaQOIGhQ6wAtT-e9pX-PYqKPsYz9owORCCxDhY/s1600/20140507_215814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO4kB-KDvqM55mhtCQaaYSf5CvijWUCW3pA_sYbY1GmGI0gVY2n2_wS6_7mvkpKwODMvGaUC-DPSD_bDw36xeGWaXKKcS68iYw3zVZaaQOIGhQ6wAtT-e9pX-PYqKPsYz9owORCCxDhY/s1600/20140507_215814.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>This brings us to benefit number 2. I am what you might call a "selective eater". Sure, some people may just say I am downright picky, but I like to think of it as having a simple taste pallet. I am eager to have new things forced upon me to try and I am doing my best not to just leave ingredients out of each meal (except for onions. I will never like onions). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmTjess2qJrS5T601f8DzFBJmI_mqOqjcmwwfwoNZBB-abef5RER2pufRli8j0GNjM7xHfcVWdj12CTDrxPmpBppoHfpDuFdlCKYRSQb7lvETAE-doRRHse-2sShT9MGop3ikD6FRgo4/s1600/20140507_220002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilmTjess2qJrS5T601f8DzFBJmI_mqOqjcmwwfwoNZBB-abef5RER2pufRli8j0GNjM7xHfcVWdj12CTDrxPmpBppoHfpDuFdlCKYRSQb7lvETAE-doRRHse-2sShT9MGop3ikD6FRgo4/s1600/20140507_220002.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a><br />
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So Wednesday evening, my first shipment arrived. I got home late from dinner out with friends, but eagerly went to the package area to collect my swag. I put it up on my counter and it was a little like opening a present. <br />
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The boxes are meant to keep everything cold for at least 12 hours and were nicely organized for new chefs such as me, who may not easily know the difference between parsley and cilantro, just by sight. I cleaned out my fridge of everything that was expired (so, nearly everything) and quickly filled all of my drawers and shelves with the various ingredients. It was probably the fullest my fridge has ever been. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuX8QtrSXzNdVGm3ptOH6DIB1ntQ55alFKxxxaCweoAMdSkgwQvkClWZxzQr1bRiQzdA_jVaUDsx8OVhEnjbzbme1MPqwif3NvZOWHXdMA-8fUgY3d4QV0HdAb_vEbnVhjZ8oXJxJhtFU/s1600/20140508_200354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuX8QtrSXzNdVGm3ptOH6DIB1ntQ55alFKxxxaCweoAMdSkgwQvkClWZxzQr1bRiQzdA_jVaUDsx8OVhEnjbzbme1MPqwif3NvZOWHXdMA-8fUgY3d4QV0HdAb_vEbnVhjZ8oXJxJhtFU/s1600/20140508_200354.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><br />
After careful deliberation, I decided to start with the spaghetti and meatballs. It was basically a fancier version of a recipe I can already make on my own and didn't seem overly complicated.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64nGvM0zVeJwdMJkdE6VMUZ0YSzeOHO1HQIJKjKfg6LBvrNVsG8FELl_t2ZFRLqabtznN9E9YT1fMoiz1ythjdcgbxr-2jNvX4Aib2Bfpup7-pscdVmgFk_rj9hT0T6rTPXnzAPSa17I/s1600/20140508_202304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64nGvM0zVeJwdMJkdE6VMUZ0YSzeOHO1HQIJKjKfg6LBvrNVsG8FELl_t2ZFRLqabtznN9E9YT1fMoiz1ythjdcgbxr-2jNvX4Aib2Bfpup7-pscdVmgFk_rj9hT0T6rTPXnzAPSa17I/s1600/20140508_202304.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><br />
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My first step was to prep the ingredients. Chopping, dicing, peeling; things that are generally not associated with my normal cooking. Thankfully, my best friend Lauren and my dad are both wonderful chefs and I already new a few tricks of the trade. For the garlic cloves, I knew to press down on the flat edge of my knife to make them easier to cut. For the parsley, I knew to keep the tip of my knife on the cutting board and just move the back of it up and down (carefully avoiding my finger tips!). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIhqajyVvM6qxNUMFlAH0KpWkrqBMFPXJ_wI31EmJuNNfly-bg4rbaVCT-hDRXojBQLKgl_LamieeQXhctJK-XmiI02Ge_K-JjAOFKnjALRWEcFZ8SFAlAfBcww46tualw5k6x_HGxe8/s1600/20140508_204457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIhqajyVvM6qxNUMFlAH0KpWkrqBMFPXJ_wI31EmJuNNfly-bg4rbaVCT-hDRXojBQLKgl_LamieeQXhctJK-XmiI02Ge_K-JjAOFKnjALRWEcFZ8SFAlAfBcww46tualw5k6x_HGxe8/s1600/20140508_204457.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>I don't normally eat celery (I don't like or dislike it) but I dutifully chopped it up. While the recipe did call for onions, I used Lauren's trick of just cutting it in half and simmering it in the red sauce - enough to get the flavor without actually needing to eat it! It also seriously cut down on my chopping time (sans tears!). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijl3_xQgDvY84vrfMPjzkQXlCvU7-ki_YToUCzT1k_EnN_6KVB7IaQtGJjE3VssnCz-PxXdNNinsEZFkmAPt0EQ79-1MpNfnJDtbYMPw8n17npooAmeOZAYzuZkjF1vIg2hRWWM745EtM/s1600/20140508_210135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijl3_xQgDvY84vrfMPjzkQXlCvU7-ki_YToUCzT1k_EnN_6KVB7IaQtGJjE3VssnCz-PxXdNNinsEZFkmAPt0EQ79-1MpNfnJDtbYMPw8n17npooAmeOZAYzuZkjF1vIg2hRWWM745EtM/s1600/20140508_210135.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a>Over the course of cooking the pasta, sauce, and meatballs, I used almost all of the pots and pans that I own. I also used the neat measuring/prep bowls and olive oil pourer-thingie that Lauren gave me for my housewarming, as well as the nice knives and cutting boards I got from my family at Christmas. I thought how generally ill-equipped I would be for cooking without the people around me! The stove got the most action it has seen since I moved in. But a mere 45 minutes later, I had a respectable looking meal! <br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">I think I could get faster at this as I learn to chop a bit more. A few lessons learned, for sure. Before simmering the sauce, I was supposed to lightly cook the chopped garlic. Very quickly the garlic looked as though I may have burned it; the gas burners and I are still learning to get along. But overall the meal was delicious - a fresher version of something I would have made with garlic powder and other spices instead of fresh cloves and parsley. What impressed me the most was the amount of food it made. While Blue Apron says each recipe has two meals, this one yielded three full servings as well as extra sauce that I can use next week. Overall, I was really impressed by both the amount of pots and pans I used as well as the meal. It wasn't overly cumbersome for a week night (although I didn't eat until 9 pm) and clean up was actually pretty quick and easy. My back hurt a little from standing in the kitchen so long, which made me feel a little sad and old, but I will definitely continue to order from Blue Apron and hope to expand both my palette and culinary expertise! Bon Appetit!</span><br />
<br />RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-77302490232603980032014-02-11T13:05:00.001-07:002014-02-11T13:05:07.202-07:00(Half) IronwomanThe Camino is part I of 2014 adventures in turning 30. <br />
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Part II is the Eagleman 70.3, better known as a half ironman. The full ironman is a ridiculously challenging triathlon distance; I am dipping my toe into the shallow end of that pool, swimming 1.2 miles, biking 56 miles, and rounding the day out with a brisk half marathon (13.1 miles), for an overall total distance of....as you may have guessed, 70.3 miles.<br />
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I have toyed with the idea of a half IM for a few years now, but never really committed or made it a priority. In early October, Morgan, one of my close friends from Denver, said she was eager to do an east coast Half IM and asked if I would be interested. After exploring a few races together, we settled for one on the eastern shore of Maryland; the Eagleman 70.3.<br />
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<b>Me and Mo! </b></div>
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So once I paid my race fee (and my credit card stopped weeping), I started thinking about training. It is wonderfully easy to think about a race when it is still a safe 9 months away. You think of all the wonderful runs you will have and how much you enjoy being on your bike all over the city. And then you actually start training.<br />
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In my case, I got a coach. <a href="http://www.runthisamazingday.com/" target="_blank">Katie</a> and I have been friends since we were little and then again when we were somewhat bigger and both living in northern Virginia. She is the reason I started running and I am the reason she started swimming. Soon, triathlons lit her on fire and she got a coach to help her train without getting injured. When she said she got a coach, in all honesty I thought "a coach? like in high school? really?" but I was happy for her and watched her dramatically improve. Eventually she turned a passion into a profession and a new way of life and began to coach as well. So when it came time for me to actually start training, I went to her. <br />
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This was all in late October. I thought, oh I'll just begin in January and that will give me 5 months. Katie had different plans for me. Within a day, I was training with her, building up my heart and lung strength and getting my generally out of shape body parts to start moving again. My first week, I couldn't hold a plank or run a mile. But slowly, over the fall, I got stronger. And just slightly less pudgy.<br />
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It's not easy. And I'm still not nearly as dedicated as I should be. And there are many days where I want to stay in the warmth of my covers (and some days, I do). And when you see your Sunday workout includes 5,200 yards in the pool, you whimper softly to yourself while putting on your suit. Many times, especially during this horribly cold January, I have questioned "Why am I doing this?" Why. I don't have to. I can quit anytime I want. There is no one forcing me to do this. Somewhere deep down, my Scottish stubbornness is yelling "GET OUT OF BED and just DO IT" And at the end of a long run or strong swim or strong lifting workout, I know why I am doing this. It's scary. And I'm only at the tip of the massive amounts of training to come and sometimes, I'm still a big failure at fitting everything in. But the strength and pride that you feel after doing something you weren't able to do even a month ago, its irreplaceable. I can plank, heck, I can SIDE plank with minimal falling. My fear of the weight room has been replaced with swagger. I can run all the way to Virginia from my house. <br />
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And its worth it.RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-13512120564439200612014-02-10T09:54:00.002-07:002014-02-10T10:42:31.960-07:00Buen CaminoEvery year, I try to do something new; something big; something that terrifies me just a little bit. I like these goals or events to also be something I've always wanted to do, and just never done. It's part pushing myself beyond my comfort zone and part just wanting to not live with regrets for not having taken the time to do the things I want to do. My only regret from college (apart from any ill-advised decisions made over a few beers) was that I never studied abroad. It just never occurred to me until it was too late, and after playing Major-switching Roulette, I just simply ran out of time.<br />
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My first year, it was the Philly Tri. I raced it with my then-roommate Lauren, my parents came as spectators and it was a great day! We raced home (no pun intended), celebrated her birthday out with friends that night, then woke up and helped our friend Beth move the next morning. Still one of my favorite weekends.<br />
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<b>Triathlon finishers!</b></div>
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The next year, it was moving to Denver (and <a href="http://dctodenver-rudib.blogspot.com/2010/04/annnd-go.html" target="_blank">starting this blog</a>, actually). In 2011, I ran my <a href="http://dctodenver-rudib.blogspot.com/2011/08/race-report-san-francisco-half-marathon.html" target="_blank">first half marathon.</a> In 2012, I moved back to DC and generally didn't pick one particular event, but in 2013, I bought a house and took a solo trip to Belize to kayak around the ocean for a bit. It was wonderfully relaxing, beautiful, and filled with so much laughter.<br />
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<b> Finisher Medal/Kicking it in a Belizian Hammock during a kayaking break</b></div>
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But now it's 2014. For 2014, I have some big plans. 2014 is the year I turn 30. I'm generally not one to fear aging and I'm excited for a new decade, but it just feels like a great time to mark the occasion with some major goals! <br />
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So come June, I will be hiking the Camino de Santiago, or The Way. A hike across northern Spain, the story goes that this path was the way of St. James, or the route taken by St. James after Jesus was crucified. The Way has several different routes, but they all converge at the Tomb of St. James. Hikers are referred to as pilgrims and seashells makers note the path, much like the white blazes along the Appalachian Trail. <br />
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<b> Santiago de Compostella Cathedral </b></div>
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People have asked why I am doing this and, truth be told, I don't know. I just want to. There is no deeper meaning or reason, unlike the pilgrim characters featured in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1441912/" target="_blank">The Way</a>. I'm not hiking to lose weight, or quit smoking, or work through some deep-seated mental anguish. I just feel compelled to go. And, much to my mother's chagrin, I feel compelled to go alone. I just feel the need to go and to see where the path takes me and not having a formal plan makes me pretty happy. <br />
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So, the tickets are booked and the gear list is growing, as is the excitement. Buen Camino! RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-26858785387196598642014-02-06T10:30:00.002-07:002014-02-06T10:30:49.895-07:00It's been awhile...When I moved back to DC in July 2012, I remembered how busy the DC office is. I was suddenly slammed with a new project (that would last until the following May) and other than trying new restaurants and hanging out with my friends, I didn't have a whole lot of interest going on, or time to blog. So I didn't. <br />
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So its been over a year. 15 months, to be exact. And a lot has happened. I was in two of my best friends' weddings and a bazillion more got engaged. A few had babies and my weekends are now full of bridal showers, baby showers, bachelorette parties, weddings and first birthday parties. And me? Well I bought a house. <br />
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A small one, but a house nonetheless. A condo, if we want to be technical. I got the idea in March, had a realtor by April and was under contract in June. As far as home buying goes in DC, it was pretty painless. I closed in July and moved in late August and, despite the definite challenges, fall a little bit more in love with it each day. At some point, I may even begin to fix the things that have been breaking.<br />
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I left my well-loved NW neighborhood of Logan Circle for the lesser-known SE Capitol Hill. I'm not a 'Hill' person - I don't work for the legislative branch and, not only will I not be impressed who you work for, I probably won't have the faintest idea who they are. Somehow, though, this neighborhood works for me. <br />
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I am a mere three blocks from the Capitol Building, which means my weekly long runs take me up and down the National Mall - one of my favorite running spots. Last week I ran clear across the Mall to Virginia, which while only 4 miles away, left me feeling quite accomplished. <br />
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I'm also a ten minute walk from Nats Stadium, which in addition to hosting the Nationals, hosts great concerts (Mom and I saw Sir Paul last July!) as well as Truckeroo - a gathering of the District's food trucks on Fridays during the warmer months. Adjacent to the stadium is the Navy Yard area of DC - putting up new buildings left and right and on the brink of being one of DC's hottest new neighborhoods. Blue Jacket - DC's latest brewery addition - has already opened and Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, and a new movie theater are all slated for the coming months and years. I am very excited.<br />
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A few blocks to the east, along 7th and 8th streets are Eastern Market and Barracks Row. The famed market burned down in 2007, but has been rebuilt and continues to be the premiere farmers market of DC. Barracks Row, which includes a historic Marine Corps Barracks, contains a litany of shops and restaurants including my personal favorite, Ted's Bulletin. <br />
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But my neighborhood is not without downfalls. The Navy Yard shooting and the high speed police chase at the Capitol Building were both within a half mile of my front door. C<br />
rime in SE is not great, but is usually contained to the southern side of the Anacostia. And I am two blocks from the Capitol Powerplant - the power source for all things government, which is coal powered. But while there is crime nearby, my street is also covered by three or more police departments at any given time and I have felt perfectly safe walking about. <br />
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So, while the house has been the major accomplishment of the past year, I have a few exciting events planned for 2014 - the year I turn 30 - and I might just start blogging again!RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-86834362938899273712012-11-02T10:47:00.002-06:002012-11-02T10:47:31.679-06:00Byrons Survive SandyWell, spread out in three locations across the country, the Byrons made it through Sandy generally in one piece. Allison, safe in the confines of the midwest, went about her daily routine and accidentally kept calling it "Sally" (she was clearly very worried for our safety).<br />
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In D.C., I discovered that I am on the same electrical grid as the White House and we rarely lose power. As I checked the PEPCO online map of number of customers without service, the center of D.C. remained green, noting only 1-50 customers ever lost power. Score one for Logan Circle! <br />
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My parents, closer to Sandy's direct path in Philadelphia, did not fare as well and lost power for several days. While Mom sought refuge to shower at a friend's place, Dad made lemonade out of lemons and found an opportunity to cook up a storm (pun very much intended) at the local firehouse where first responders were standing by. <a href="http://vinny-garette.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-eye-of-storm.html" target="_blank">Read all about it!</a><br />
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But we did not all make it through unscathed. On Wednesday AM, I was devastated to learn that the storm uprooted my first Christmas tree. Now, any of you who actually know me know how crazy I am for Christmas. And I would have been OVERWHELMED to know my first Christmas tree still existed. Alas, I was 9 months old when it was planted and had been unaware of its existence until I learned of its demise! Easy come, easy go, I suppose. Had I known, I probably would have insisted on decorating it each year, only to leave my parents with the task of undecorating it in January. But here it is (or at least its root system), 28 years in the making. <br />
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In D.C., we also made lemonade. And that lemonade had vodka in it. Monday was my roommate's birthday, so we could think of no better way to ride out the storm than to have a Birthday/Hurricane party. We stocked up on supplies (champagne and funfetti cake) and hunkered down with chick flicks and board games. At one point early in the evening - while emulating the "jazz walk" as acted by Heath Ledger in the teen movie classic "Ten Things I Hate About You" (based on the Taming of the Shrew! - we're cultured!) - I fell. And when I do something, I do it 100%. Wearing socks and long fleece pants, I slipped on the wood floors and my feet flew up in the air, and I landed squarely on my butt (thankful for lots of padding!). As my feet made their exit from beneath me, my left foot jammed squarely into the bottom of our couch. Ouch. The rest of the night I felt like a wuss and complained how much it hurt, sulked, and went to bed early while both the festivities and storm were still raging. <br />
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When I woke up it looked like this:<br />
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One xray later, it was determined I broke my toe in the silliest way a toe has ever been broken. I am now the owner of a sexy walking shoe for the next 2-4 weeks and have been forbidden from running the Philly half in two weeks. It's my first broken bone ever, though, so I think I'm still coming out ahead.<br />
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Overall, the Byrons came out the other side of Sandy mostly intact, sans one Christmas tree. RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-9172910828237286552012-10-19T10:05:00.000-06:002012-10-19T10:05:00.790-06:00Gentrification DominationWhile gentrification is an ugly word, it is definitely what is going on in my hood. 14th street is a major corridor through the area, connecting the recently revitalized shopping area in Columbia Heights (an urban Target!) and the National Mall. But the area of 14th through Logan Circle has been going through its own revitalization. As apartment complexes are popping up, new restaurants are opening weekly. Last night, I got to try out our neighborhood's latest addition: <a href="http://draftingtabledc.com/">Drafting Table</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTytCeaLu2CTsIc5HGbPfb-GE3Qfa9Nr8dc_oQ-WeYOwvTfGWreds6gcTpH4Jh5skrxxJ6S3zgsfhHJq-D39e0MBdMmOGwRtHLyMcMglSGFEbk-bNBpOM2uMoHc2UGryUtt6yCbxzGEI/s1600/drafting.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTytCeaLu2CTsIc5HGbPfb-GE3Qfa9Nr8dc_oQ-WeYOwvTfGWreds6gcTpH4Jh5skrxxJ6S3zgsfhHJq-D39e0MBdMmOGwRtHLyMcMglSGFEbk-bNBpOM2uMoHc2UGryUtt6yCbxzGEI/s320/drafting.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
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This architect-themed gastropub boasts "You'd rather eat at a bar than drink in a restaurant", meaning it's a late night hang out with good food. The menu is not extensive, but I am eager to see if they have seasonal rotations. The decor fits the theme, with compass lamps and drafting paper menus. A fairly small table seating area surrounds the seats at the bar. There was a 30-45 minute wait for a table, but they will call you when your table is ready, so we were able to grab a drink at another local favorite, Pearl Dive. <br />
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Once we got the call and were seated for our first official roommate dinner, we started out with the fried pickles. I forgot to take a picture, but you can see how much we hated them. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv-L2caED8JS-2gttUu-39NpymBq6Bgu_ChZ8zgTzdUUrRqNCTCDnteCckd_PpQUyuk0o27tJuI72ayqTO_yqu2gxVQWH5e0SKtWMQH8D0Dmlt_hG2XMiAf6aD_jUn4pGvo6fL-dcqto/s1600/pickles.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv-L2caED8JS-2gttUu-39NpymBq6Bgu_ChZ8zgTzdUUrRqNCTCDnteCckd_PpQUyuk0o27tJuI72ayqTO_yqu2gxVQWH5e0SKtWMQH8D0Dmlt_hG2XMiAf6aD_jUn4pGvo6fL-dcqto/s320/pickles.jpg" width="180" /></a> </div>
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I don't even LIKE pickles and these were delicious. They came with a chipotle mayo that was absolutely fantastic. <br />
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For our main courses, Lizzie and I split the burger while Ali opted for fish and chips. Ali was left a bit disappointed by her choice, stating that another new local favorite, the Brixton, had better. In all fairness, the Brixton is a British pub, so it makes sense that their fish and chips offering was better. <br />
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But the burger did not disappoint. I'm no burger neophyte - I probably have at least one a week - and I can say with some certainty that this was the best burger I've ever had. To begin with, not only is there beef in the burger, but it is mixed with brisket. The burger comes with bacon, mushrooms, and an apple chutney which, of course, I asked for on the side (and did not touch). The finishing touch on the burger was "crispy blue cheese" - essentially, they put blue cheese on while its still on the grill, then flip it, cheese side down, to cook it a bit. Deeeeeelicious. Seriously. Yum. I was even a bit sad that I was splitting the meal and wished I had the whole thing to myself! <br />
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Happy with our meals, we decided to try out the desserts - namely, the Snickers Pie. When it arrived, it was in a mug and more resembled chocolate mousse. We were confused, but continued to gobble it down anyhow. Once we had polished it off (again, I forgot to take a picture!), our waitress came over, deeply apologetic that she had ordered us the wrong dessert! The chocolate pudding we had just consumed was delicious and, even better, free! <br />
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Not ones to turn down free food, the waitress brought us the actual snickers pie. It was equally delicious and I ate so much dessert that I negated any calorie points I had earned by splitting the main course. It was all worth it. <br />
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The beer selection could be expanded a bit, but they have a wide variety of beers on tap, including my selection - a Colorado favorite from Oskar Blues - Dale's Pale Ale. Lizzie opted for the in-house cocktail creation "Blueprint", which proved to be a good choice. Overall, I think they have three new regulars!RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-13535267187010062772012-10-18T11:13:00.000-06:002012-10-18T11:20:14.202-06:00Say What?I am finally settled in, loving life back in Washington, D.C. Within a few weeks, I had found a great place to live in the Logan Circle section of the District, coincidentally only 2.5 blocks from two of my most favorite people - Paul and Marisa! I didn't really have roommates until September, but Ali and Lizzie are now moved in (or back from producing the OLYMPICS!) and we have a blast. Our neighborhood is constantly shifting and new shops and restaurants are opening every week. I look forward to introducing you to my 'hood. Look for a new post tomorrow on Drafting Table!<br />
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But today's post is not DC-related. I am the daughter of an English teacher and, as such, have come to find out that my family's vocabulary can sometimes be a bit wonkier than others. Many times in college, people thought both Allison and I were just making words up. Granted, sometimes I was (Fellowship Paul, I came to find out growing up, is actually Fellowship Hall. And Guy Newar on Prairie Home Companion? Yeah, that's Guy Noir).<br />
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As is often the case, I hear words my mom would say and wouldn't necessarily ever see them spelled out. In today's instance, I was talking about my pretentious eating habits (tongue-in-cheek, of course - my dinner most nights rotates between popcorn and Count Chocula) and called them "High Faluting". When gchat told me I misspelled it, I went for "High Falooting". Perplexed, and offered no help by my gchat recipient, who had absolutely no idea what word I was even going for, I consulting the dictionary. <br />
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Did everyone else know it was one word? And didn't have a 'g' in it? The proper spelling is 'highfalutin' taken from high-flute, which makes even less sense. But in my mind, it will always be a verb - to faloot - and when you're being pretentious, you're high falooting. <br />
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Now back to my highfalutin life down here in D.C. - restaurant openings await! RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-23451146466354643072012-05-08T18:13:00.000-06:002012-05-08T18:13:15.233-06:00East Coast BoundI logged in a few weeks ago only to discover blogger had changed its format. I became a grumpy old man, complained about change, and then proceeded to skip writing my blog about my latest bike ride.<br />
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So with a busy workload and old man tendencies, I have not blogged in over a month. The biggest news, for those not related to me, not friends on facebook, or otherwise living under a rock, is that I am moving back to DC. <br />
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This was not a decision reached early, and once given the approval I momentarily freaked out and hoped it was the right decision. After being generally unhappy over the winter, I couldn't pinpoint why until I came back to DC for the half marathon in March. I missed home. I missed being able to see my family without taking out a small loan to finance the flight. I even missed rain. <br />
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I am in DC now; back for the first time since getting the approval from my company to move back. I've been exploring the city a bit more and am much more sure of my decision and am very excited to get here and settle in. <br />
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When I started this blog, it was a way for my to calm myself about my impending big, scary move to Denver. I blogged a picture of my first packed box, of my apartment, and of our roadtrip across country in the ever-spacious Echo. I can't help think about how drastically different this move will be.<br />
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For one, I won't have an apartment when I arrive. I'll be staying with my friends Risa and Paul while tracking down apartments and aggressively pursuing the perfect spot. I got an apartment snatched out from underneath me this weekend and came to the conclusion that it made a lot of financial sense to wait until I'm here again. It is both stressful and destressing - one less thing to try to plan before I move.<br />
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Secondly, I won't have the Echo. I'm selling it in Denver and going carless in DC. I'm so excited, but I will be sad to see my little car go. No fun filled roadtrip, either. I'll likely board a plane and only take one day off to load up my pod. <br />
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Finally, I'm selling most of my belongings and hoping to just slink into an apartment that is already furnished, with the exception of my room. I spent 6 years accumulating enough things to fill my one bedroom apartment and it is very freeing to purge so many things. <br />
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So another scary cross-country move is on the horizon, but thankfully May and June are so action-packed I don't really have the time to get worried. I'll do as my father and make lists and check things off and hope I remember to do everything but if I don't, it will all work out in the end. <br />
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DC, here I come. <br />
<br />RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-710143309788594812012-04-05T10:59:00.003-06:002012-04-05T11:02:17.083-06:00Three Things Thursday1.) I am impatiently awaiting the arrival of Mama B! Since I had to work this morning, she is making her way through Denver on a Super Shuttle, after having to wait at baggage claim since she was forced to check a bag. Apparently she was in seating zone 8 - a zone I didn't even know existed!! I am more thankful than ever that I get to board first :)<br /><br />2.) Still not much going on here otherwise. <br /><br />3.) Alliy Al bought a house! She moves in on Saturday and is aiming to have a housewarming party in June. I'm saving my pennies and praying my work schedule allows me to fly out for it!RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-24357394618632171282012-04-03T09:04:00.002-06:002012-04-03T09:07:08.618-06:00April FoolsThis past weekend in Denver it was 83 degrees, breaking temperature records and bringing people out into the park in droves. At Wash Park on Saturday, the 2.6 mile park was littered with people, blankets, day drinking, and volleyball. Spring had completely given way to summer.<br /><br />This is what it looked like when I woke up this morning:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYxIQ9WNXEshPRPsZ3EtZcT6gX6CQptevbJB1P6TUUW92lgqw9Xv-QHNwLMH4EWKBd8XbvpTZHeBl-NxgdSN8LhxZqFwAKTIA23yuVV2NEJsx-aYptCrzFX53T_wR_R4_GScOO8Nlsrc/s1600/April+Fools.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYxIQ9WNXEshPRPsZ3EtZcT6gX6CQptevbJB1P6TUUW92lgqw9Xv-QHNwLMH4EWKBd8XbvpTZHeBl-NxgdSN8LhxZqFwAKTIA23yuVV2NEJsx-aYptCrzFX53T_wR_R4_GScOO8Nlsrc/s400/April+Fools.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727191140573447234" border="0" /></a><br />Well played, God. Well played.RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-26623203943677664952012-03-28T09:36:00.002-06:002012-03-28T09:48:43.697-06:00It's Been a Quiet Week in Lake WobegonLife has just been plugging along and I have been remiss in posting, mostly because I couldn't think of much of interest to post. I didn't do a race report for the DC half I ran two weekends ago. It was just an ok race. I wasn't as excited for it as I had been for the SF half and I wasn't nearly as prepared. I took one week off from running to let my body get rid of some on-going aches and pains, and then ended up taking three weeks off. As you can imagine, that didn't bode well for my time. <br /><br />The energy in DC was great. I wasn't overly impressed by the music playing at each mile, but I was more impressed by bikers and those living along the race route who had their own music playing. Around mile 8, someone played "Shipping Up to Boston" by the Dropkick Murphys and that carried me along for several more miles (also because I couldn't remember the name of it or who sang it, and it drove me nuts thinking about it for at least 2 miles). Most importantly, I had friends along the course, and looking forward to seeing them kept me running. Tommy was waiting at mile 11 with a beer (even though we never ended up seeing each other) and Marisa and Lauren had signs waving for me near the finish line. Seeing them and hearing them cheering gave me the final umph to sprint the last 0.1 mile to officially receive my finisher medal. <br /><br />Unlike my last half and my first tri, I didn't take a lot of time off from the gym afterwards, which has been nice. It's also very nice not to be on a formal training plan, even as I have a tri and century ride coming up on my calendar. I've been happily mixing swimming, short runs, and long rides with new gym classes that kick my butt. <br /><br />What's more exciting is the visitors coming to Denver! <a href="http://www.runthisamazingday.com/">Katie</a> arrives on Sunday and we have plans for a swim before she jet sets up to Boulder for a few days. Then Mama B hits the town for a whole week starting Thursday! We've got lots of fun and exciting things planned, and eating well and keeping moving is on our agenda. I'm hoping for lots of nice weather so we can just walk and ride to lots of places. I even took two full days off of work - unheard of! <br /><br />This week has been a bit of a lull before chaos - work travel starts up again soon and I have a sneaking suspicion April will be gone before I know it and May brings back to back to back to back travel, then the arrival of my DC girls! <br /><br />So, lots of fun and excitement to look forward to, but dullsville around these parts for now.RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-72446706048117833922012-03-12T08:45:00.002-06:002012-03-12T09:10:01.440-06:00Strapped on for dear lifeThis weekend I finally grew a pair, slipped on my bike shoes, strapped myself to my bike and hoped for the best. And it wasn't bad! We did 20 miles around the suburbs south of Denver and I'm completely in love with my new bike. Even with a 20 mph headwind, I was leading our pack going up a solid 5-10 mile climb. I never thought I'd like hills! Ok, so I still don't LOVE hills, but they don't fill me with dread anymore.<br /><br />I had no troubles clipping in and out of my pedals and could really feel the difference. And while I usually rode by myself, riding with a whole pack was much more enjoyable. All of these positive outcomes really had me feeling good about my decision to upgrade my bike. Over the past month, while I've been too nervous to try out the new pedals for the first time, I started second guessing myself and worried that perhaps I had spent way too much money. I haven't. It's totally worth it. <br /><br />Since my big scary first ride was out of the way, I decided to ride to work today on the new bike instead of the old one. I think I got a little cocky. As I was coming down my back alley, the garbage truck was backing up it, so I pulled off into a little gravel parking area, promptly forgot to unclip and fell over. I've been told by all cyclists that everyone falls over at least once, so hopefully this was my time. My palm is a little raw and my shin for a good raspberry, but all in all, it was mostly just my ego. <br /><br />As I was sitting on the ground, still locked into my pedals, the garbage truck driver walked past and asked if I was alright. It was at this point that I realized, I can't get my shoe out of the clip. Instead of the typical road bike clips, I have mountain biker clips, for no reason other than the free shoes my boss gave me came with those on them. These clips have two screws that bolt them to the shoe. At some point between Saturday and this morning, one of those screws came out, so as I tried to twist my foot to pop the shoe out, it would instead keep rotating. I'm throwing this into the "thank goodness I found out when I did" category, because if I had tried to unclip at an intersection, I would have found out unexpectedly that I could not and likely would have fallen into traffic. <br /><br />So the garbage man helped hold my shoe while I put my foot back into it and I proceeded on my way to work, clipping in and out with my left foot instead. When I got to my office, I just took my foot out entirely and walked to the elevator with one stocking foot. <br /><br />Thankfully, my boss has an extra pair of shoes with her, so I'll use those after work to ride to REI to get my other shoe fixed. So long as we can figure out a way to pop my broken shoe out of the clip! <br /><br />And so my adventures in riding begin...RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-90218823570082134952012-03-02T09:49:00.002-07:002012-03-02T10:05:10.717-07:00Three Things.....FridayWell I'm a day late, but I don't have the energy to think up Friday Facts.<br /><br />1.) I'm adding Texas to a list of states I'd never want to live in (it joins Florida in that distinction). El Paso is just plain old ugly. I can't ever get my bearings, because every street looks the same, with questionable establishments, adult stores (we are by a military base, after all), and nondescript strip malls. There have been some pretty fierce dust storms, which completely hide the nearby mountains from view. I can only imagine what these dust storms are doing to my lungs. <br /><br />However, Fort Bliss, the military installation I am working at, is delightful. With a quaint historic cantonment area, it is the second largest Post in the country (nearby White Sands is the largest). Fort Bliss, along with Fort Benning in Georgia, caught the brunt of the expansion required under the 2005 BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) law, so a lot of the barracks and RCI (resident communities initiative) housing is all brand new. It's my belief that Bliss was picked because the training areas would be the closest thing the U.S. has to the climate of the Middle East. <br /><br />Fort Bliss, however, also was named so using the same line of thinking used to name Greenland. Trying to make a fairly unappealing location seem nicer by giving it a good name. <br /><br />2.) All of my good eating, drinking, and exercising habits have really been askew the last two weeks. I need to get my act together; I've been dehydrated, tired, and my stomach is slowly filling out again. No Bueno.<br /><br />3.) While I was originally going to use my newfound $650 United airlines dollars in a practical way, to get back east for the multiple trips I have to make this year, my less practical-side of my brain now wants to go somewhere fun. But where to go?! Ideas?RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-79151506490192850992012-02-27T11:31:00.002-07:002012-02-27T11:42:15.393-07:00Its Hard out here for a PimpAnybody watch the Oscars last night? If so, you'll understand the title. <br /><br />But more importantly, I've started out my week by big pimpin'. <br /><br />I am flying to El Paso today. My original flight was scheduled for 10:11 and as I waited to board, using my fancy pants early boarding Premiere status, the airline staff kept asking for a volunteer to give up their seat. I went over and asked when the next flight would be and, hearing that it wouldn't be until 5, I held off and boarded the plane. Once again, while sitting waiting to take off, the flight attendant said they were still looking for a volunteer and added that it was for an active duty military personnel, flying on orders. Already on the fence, I volunteered.<br /><br />Once I got back to the gate, the wonderfully joyful woman I had talked to earlier greeted me with "Oh honey, it was you!! Thank you!" The United staff members were wonderful, not only setting me up with my $400 voucher, but also tacking on a second set of rewards - I can choose between 10,000 reward miles, $250 voucher, or 20% off a flight purchase. A whooping $650 flight dollars just for hanging out in the airport working, instead of working from El Paso. Oh, and she threw in a $15 meal voucher, too, and I'm getting paid per diem today.<br /><br />But thats not why I'm big pimpin. Faced with uncomfortable airport chairs, slow internet, and constant airline announcements, I went for broke, bought an online one-time access pass, and am spending the day in the United Club area of DIA.<br /><br />Boy, I don't know if I can ever go back. Its so nice up here. Comfortable chairs, free snacks (and good ones!), coffee, wine, spirits, and beer. I'm catching up on work emails while watching CNN and I haven't even explored all of what this area has to offer. I'm slowly making my way further into the depths of the Club area, going slowly so no one spots me as an outsider and sends me back down to steerage. I looked up the membership costs ($525/year - ouch!) but boy, if I had a lot of layovers (I normally don't), I can really see why it would be worth the price!<br /><br />And goodness, I'm really glad I showered this morning and put on real pants!RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-35825819885814617052012-02-23T13:17:00.003-07:002012-02-23T13:23:11.373-07:00Three Things Thursday1.) Last week I had an annual doctor appointment and had blood drawn to make sure all my insides are as healthy as they should be. During the visit I found out that my blood pressure is still nice and low and, just barely, I'm no longer anemic - hooray! I got the results over the phone on the rest, including my cholesterol. I came in at a whopping 199, just skidding in under the 'bad cholesterol' threshold, but for very good reason! My lipids and bad cholesterol are all happily below the right levels and my good cholesterol is off the charts into super duper territory. I'd repeat back the exact numbers but quite frankly she read them very quickly and I just generally understood the thumbs up results. I'll get the full numbers in the mail for my records, but its good to know my insides are happy!<br /><br />2.) My knee really hurt on Tuesday. I couldn't straighten it all the way in bed and couldn't lift it to be level with my upper leg, so I iced it and took the day off. Yesterday I had a long day, didn't get out of work til 7 and again took a rest day. Today my knee feels better than it has all year, since my graceful fall/slip down the slopes at Keystone. I think I'm going to take off tonight as well, let everything really get back to a happy place, then bang out an awesome 10k race pace run this weekend.<br /><br />3.) Tomorrow I'm headed to Steamboat! Yay! Another weekend full of skiing, snowshoeing, and running, with a little bit of Euchre in there. I've never played it, but I'm going to a Cold Butt Euchre tournament on Saturday - who wants to be my partner?!RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-87706134889560987582012-02-21T13:16:00.008-07:002012-02-21T14:12:23.204-07:00Hooray for Ouray!On my drive back to Denver after a long weekend away, I was once again struck with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my life. Even our six hour trek (nearly 7.5 on the way there, at night) was fun, packed into a pick up truck full to the brim with 5 people and gear. We took the 'scenic' route of 285 instead of I-70, although really, any drive in western Colorado is a scenic one.<br /><br />We were coming back from a weekend birthday celebration in Ouray. Eleven of us trekked to the southwestern corner of the state from Denver, Ft Collins and Steamboat to celebrate the 29th birthday of our friend Jess VanderKwaak. For her birthday, she wanted to go ice climbing, for which Ouray is internationally known. Our pick up truck full of 5 people arrived at 12:30 Friday night and we were up with the sun (some of us begrudgingly) on Saturday am.<br /><br />Our early rise was somewhat thwarted when the rental shop didn't open til 9, so Jess and Morgan made good use of our extra time by doing an impromptu photo shoot in the street.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGy-RztdXnsVUP_2UppLrtIwWYSfptpoBip0INJ0RaAkYTbXWkG-Dwuajv4aNQE0vtm-nikz8QZH7EXLyep5ZQ5lt7psKAYd5syqd-bhWTVV6xaXI6_mdT3HPC-qGRSeAqpHMevTtxQzo/s1600/HOORAY+OURAY.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGy-RztdXnsVUP_2UppLrtIwWYSfptpoBip0INJ0RaAkYTbXWkG-Dwuajv4aNQE0vtm-nikz8QZH7EXLyep5ZQ5lt7psKAYd5syqd-bhWTVV6xaXI6_mdT3HPC-qGRSeAqpHMevTtxQzo/s400/HOORAY+OURAY.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690424958971602" border="0" /></a><br />But then we got our gear and headed to Box Canyon. We first stopped to put on our helmets and crampons, so we could hike about a mile to our site.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxO9oXHh1DqOcQhuiWjzA2MApWjkKdhv3RVC_YvT55yLS4346Enofiy11zqxI4DsCJBaxJvi3fTcaC1lczQZdVjmNUyv53IN787iLuH-siGekVLZPsFQuTeO80T1SZFEMxrU8K1NfiDs/s1600/crampons.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxO9oXHh1DqOcQhuiWjzA2MApWjkKdhv3RVC_YvT55yLS4346Enofiy11zqxI4DsCJBaxJvi3fTcaC1lczQZdVjmNUyv53IN787iLuH-siGekVLZPsFQuTeO80T1SZFEMxrU8K1NfiDs/s400/crampons.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690654813512994" border="0" /></a>I really hope I don't tear my ski pants!<br /></div><br />After a short walk down the canyon, holding onto a guide rope, we were ready to climb!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnpWljXptnhz2APpD6HRIeWSb6P1XseG-wTCg4wJ_b0M8kLtKCsx9x1mmE8xoFb5EKkiBFozWCJhBU0Q3GcDijRrNtHBUu7mf-2Iwa-w_vU72_bRIVLqEUGaEUOin3LLoW1HRTeu5oqE/s1600/box+canyon.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnpWljXptnhz2APpD6HRIeWSb6P1XseG-wTCg4wJ_b0M8kLtKCsx9x1mmE8xoFb5EKkiBFozWCJhBU0Q3GcDijRrNtHBUu7mf-2Iwa-w_vU72_bRIVLqEUGaEUOin3LLoW1HRTeu5oqE/s400/box+canyon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711693204868801330" border="0" /></a>We couldn't have asked for better weather and soon we were all up on the ice. The first climb was pretty easy, starting out with a 45 degree angle before becoming vertical.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdWoUBzC2GUeKhIsncCMsDOm0hxtYNtmOUi-Wy547okawa8l02YXxi0xgXT1iS8VFDJ-QvqYKVbhxmyFxxEdhopG7Z_XnJ3-Kjr_oFiknB184dZKVB-jrd7hcsb9siNQPL7mf86YPE7o/s1600/Ru+first+climb.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdWoUBzC2GUeKhIsncCMsDOm0hxtYNtmOUi-Wy547okawa8l02YXxi0xgXT1iS8VFDJ-QvqYKVbhxmyFxxEdhopG7Z_XnJ3-Kjr_oFiknB184dZKVB-jrd7hcsb9siNQPL7mf86YPE7o/s400/Ru+first+climb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690394134964834" border="0" /></a><br />The third climb was a bit more vertical:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jxUvO07WdiQwrfQL1xvM2Hq-pEidX6IUYqfgqb5SUwwBUEag9Olbwz50PGRQzEUG0Wzjct0EY1O6yAxHtnAcLesPEeafL4GIxKxdbkgJgfzPZs5kjyBye3084mSvmnyN1sCJS7-ans0/s1600/third+climb.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jxUvO07WdiQwrfQL1xvM2Hq-pEidX6IUYqfgqb5SUwwBUEag9Olbwz50PGRQzEUG0Wzjct0EY1O6yAxHtnAcLesPEeafL4GIxKxdbkgJgfzPZs5kjyBye3084mSvmnyN1sCJS7-ans0/s400/third+climb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690784094228498" border="0" /></a>And here's Katie, also a birthday girl, on our last climb of the day, a solid 180 foot climb!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcPOcAEIRp4Wwcs5A6ZQCfmWcjprgLfS7ziZX9pXOXv4ufSXLVog_pJqzqnj1FQfb1kidON2A8xuiEWffCBoNQjnlnj4yjQbFZ20ut1fEpoZtLpJ4qQxIHwizPr-ON_YfJNMDv25WQsI/s1600/last+climb.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcPOcAEIRp4Wwcs5A6ZQCfmWcjprgLfS7ziZX9pXOXv4ufSXLVog_pJqzqnj1FQfb1kidON2A8xuiEWffCBoNQjnlnj4yjQbFZ20ut1fEpoZtLpJ4qQxIHwizPr-ON_YfJNMDv25WQsI/s400/last+climb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690426295674738" border="0" /></a><br />Since I didn't want to walk out the way we had walked into the canyon, I topped out on this last climb, with shaking calves and tired arms.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv00vUrCLD2V0f8LS3QD0nu3-_FJVJHUzcNRqhx1QsNuWJs48BNr5Ju-HS4Fp6tdy52EWr3SvO_TMw1q7uy6H8AUmjJbGvzxqVtFFjlnZ8Aef2OttbfJR-z_mJHsMqZEObEW_fHrk832A/s1600/top+out.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv00vUrCLD2V0f8LS3QD0nu3-_FJVJHUzcNRqhx1QsNuWJs48BNr5Ju-HS4Fp6tdy52EWr3SvO_TMw1q7uy6H8AUmjJbGvzxqVtFFjlnZ8Aef2OttbfJR-z_mJHsMqZEObEW_fHrk832A/s400/top+out.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690414358519490" border="0" /></a>Still full of smiles!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The next day we were back at the rental place, picking up cross country skis. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVqqdHSLQlMdXZPv1zcyL5xQoaGZoli9Y5MIHslMjC0qgwWGbAkCRJOoUs5ZYJqErNE71JPeVoJraRmvkhc-brQJtrB3jeHIqu6HOKfCIkzxMTArjgTqVmJpuz8GuFX8CbGmykMD9SMg/s1600/socks+alike.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJVqqdHSLQlMdXZPv1zcyL5xQoaGZoli9Y5MIHslMjC0qgwWGbAkCRJOoUs5ZYJqErNE71JPeVoJraRmvkhc-brQJtrB3jeHIqu6HOKfCIkzxMTArjgTqVmJpuz8GuFX8CbGmykMD9SMg/s400/socks+alike.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690664191649298" border="0" /></a>All the cool kids accidentally own the same socks<br /></div><br />After some debate, we headed 25 miles up and over a pass to the town of Silverton. Coincidentally, Silverton was having their annual Skijoring competition. Essentially, skijoring is a sport where skiers are pulled by either dogs or horses, kind of like a winter rodeo. They hold on for dear life and go over jumps and around object, collecting rings along the way. The goal is to have the fastest time and not die in the process.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQqGwUg7tBpyScrgJyHC41OJam077DH_0I9FgPVS4paTH5SFzOfuCyYtJYdw4VGgRvxLNeUPkRN4DKq5fS-wqP3u8qOw9iymfEpOnrJjHSO0O51VcH3pIjCEsx35JlE5Cs_SRW3D8aKU/s1600/skijoring.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQqGwUg7tBpyScrgJyHC41OJam077DH_0I9FgPVS4paTH5SFzOfuCyYtJYdw4VGgRvxLNeUPkRN4DKq5fS-wqP3u8qOw9iymfEpOnrJjHSO0O51VcH3pIjCEsx35JlE5Cs_SRW3D8aKU/s400/skijoring.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690641243804082" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div>We watched a few riders and then headed out on our skis.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8P9lum5ht8BA3o9qz-i1Xt_xUiQH-W2u58SwJlYxC7HpsRahvx0rwhZWXbLhj1zMAfjpmoqiUqK5MdnhyZ8y_OdTDLRXt_X4FFdF0Ssw6RWTDxlH92MFezRWKudBXxI8_jHd-4E8oClo/s1600/xccounty.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8P9lum5ht8BA3o9qz-i1Xt_xUiQH-W2u58SwJlYxC7HpsRahvx0rwhZWXbLhj1zMAfjpmoqiUqK5MdnhyZ8y_OdTDLRXt_X4FFdF0Ssw6RWTDxlH92MFezRWKudBXxI8_jHd-4E8oClo/s400/xccounty.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690366215198146" border="0" /></a>The trick to mastering cross-country skiing is to not fall down.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After skiing a bit in Silverton, we packed up into our cars again and headed back towards Ouray, stopping in Ironton for a bit more skiing. Ironton is a ghost town that used to be a staging area for Ouray, but has since gone the way of all flesh, save but a few buildings.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFq1iBYTHNKASIhbr5Qxf9114LcZEo1l6qNOwoPWCa8PDlFXnw0S017s-J0BT7Ut9xNbYdgbHLoPvBvfYi3I2qTxlkYcnQcZcGQJSjGr6hGtAQUo7njhAY6sG0xoEM6QycJTXtubYfhD0/s1600/ghost+town+house.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFq1iBYTHNKASIhbr5Qxf9114LcZEo1l6qNOwoPWCa8PDlFXnw0S017s-J0BT7Ut9xNbYdgbHLoPvBvfYi3I2qTxlkYcnQcZcGQJSjGr6hGtAQUo7njhAY6sG0xoEM6QycJTXtubYfhD0/s400/ghost+town+house.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690645002381794" border="0" /></a>Morgan and Susie hanging out in an old Ironton building.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After another night at home, making a group dinner and playing games, we slept in til 8 on Sunday, had a delightful breakfast, and began our six hour drive home. Before heading out of town, we stopped at Moose Tracks, the local chocolate store, and indulged in a few sweet treats. While I didn't buy any, my favorite were the chocolate ice climbers - talk about knowing your audience!!<br /></div></div><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguEdFCwor9Ukl2WbvximSpW_A4HTeD1AsCxzkM6P9v_BEK0aJ1vkUQ3irkXGeXce_nhle9_RaB9FEt51cvuaORb3U2idZcrTcqALxSIvX225RTRBtaIL-XMOaprdCKWyXuC0ACqJ0iaM/s1600/choco+climbers.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgguEdFCwor9Ukl2WbvximSpW_A4HTeD1AsCxzkM6P9v_BEK0aJ1vkUQ3irkXGeXce_nhle9_RaB9FEt51cvuaORb3U2idZcrTcqALxSIvX225RTRBtaIL-XMOaprdCKWyXuC0ACqJ0iaM/s400/choco+climbers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711690668802015922" border="0" /></a>RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-89754654782763985232012-02-16T12:38:00.002-07:002012-02-16T13:08:18.932-07:00Three Things Thursday1.) Its been a slow work week, which never means good things for me. Mostly, it means I have trouble motivating to complete the work I do have - I am much better under deadlines and pressure. Yesterday, although slow, was particularly challenging one that stressed me out and really had me frustrated. In dealing with a difficult situation, though, I am proud of the way I handled it and this morning, as the situation continued to unfold, both my boss and VP of my division supported the decisions I made and my initial reaction was correct. I am also more than happy that they are both now involved in the situation and it is no longer in my hands to deal with. <br /><br />But, as a direct result of my workday, I decided I needed a mental and physical break. Instead of doing my planned workout, I left work somewhat early, got a bottle of wine and a 'modified' version of my favorite 'what a bad day' meal. Anyone who knows me, knows this means bread and brie!! I haven't had any in ages and, in the spirit of moderation, I got a demi-loaf and a small sliver of brie. I snuggled into my comfy pants and watched the first season of Sex and the City. It was needed and I feel ready to get back at it today. <br /><br />2.) Last night I also realized, while the wine was nice, I don't really miss it. It was expensive (money that could be better spent elsewhere) and I awoke at 3 am, unable to fall back asleep (with a tiny hangover, to boot). It was nice to take a breather, but it re-solidified all my reasons for not drinking and I'm happy to continue down that path. <br /><br />3.) I've been tinkering with what I eat before runs, having had some successes and some super bad horrible failures. Today I try another method: eat nothing. I'll nom on a banana at some point this afternoon, but then head out after work on a fairly empty stomach. To supplement my run, I'll snack on some of my "SportBean" jelly beans along the way, a few at a time. Hopefully this gameplan will eliminate any gastronomical pyrotechnics or, as Katie says, the "need to go whoops in my pants." Isn't running glamorous?RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-19851077136083549272012-02-15T11:53:00.002-07:002012-02-15T11:59:52.127-07:00Somewhat Wordless Wednesday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDx84DllFoh6wme74SscoxnnaWaGLRV2RNgMj4dZSqFE4NGntZxFoGQ8SGWoWz6tOd6B4y83FB-cX5Tc_jdXVBiqCU_lRpth_DCjGdbc6nz-D9v-VXDX3tUCPl-ZZGO1j_K-209Q3poE/s1600/Orourke.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 82px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDx84DllFoh6wme74SscoxnnaWaGLRV2RNgMj4dZSqFE4NGntZxFoGQ8SGWoWz6tOd6B4y83FB-cX5Tc_jdXVBiqCU_lRpth_DCjGdbc6nz-D9v-VXDX3tUCPl-ZZGO1j_K-209Q3poE/s400/Orourke.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709438980676824370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-2PUbhnOjvG08xWFJsVezlvpVPb2fSdVwtO99v640sJNcZWRGQBwVKAILEofiNmzCeI_169BPzGYrCGUnTRDI0fDr_75ZZUCNdBYDLMxzA43YG2lWjRxNDFwqXG_zEoai3YUM3H4WJE/s1600/swimstride.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 30px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-2PUbhnOjvG08xWFJsVezlvpVPb2fSdVwtO99v640sJNcZWRGQBwVKAILEofiNmzCeI_169BPzGYrCGUnTRDI0fDr_75ZZUCNdBYDLMxzA43YG2lWjRxNDFwqXG_zEoai3YUM3H4WJE/s400/swimstride.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709437614739522514" border="0" /></a><br />This is the motto/tagline of the James O'Rourke Memorial Triathlon, held in North Platte Nebraska towards the end of April. The sprint distance triathlon is held each year in memory of my friend Adam's <a href="http://www.orourketriathlon.org/james_orourke_triathlon_history.htm#about">father</a>, who died in 1991 during the running portion of his first triathlon. I am honored to be racing the tri along with Adam and Morgan this year.RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-20280535582929137712012-02-14T12:17:00.002-07:002012-02-14T12:20:12.342-07:00DriveThe first mile of every run I want to quit.<span style=""> </span>My knees hurt, my ankles are cracking and my lungs are pleading for me to go back and sit on the couch.<span style=""> </span>Most days, I want to cut my run short; to take a different turn, reverse and head back home.<span style=""> </span>I tell myself I would still be burning calories.<span style=""> </span>I would still be getting in a workout, but wouldn’t have to put myself through 45 minutes to an hour and a half of pounding pavement.<span style=""> </span>No one would be the wiser. <p class="MsoNormal">A big part of me wants to give in.<span style=""> </span>To settle for a shorter run.<span style=""> </span>But another part of my brain pushes me on.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s the part of my brain that knows the pain is only temporary.<span style=""> </span>That somewhere between 2 and 3.5 miles, my body yields and running begins to feel good.<span style=""> </span>This part of my brain didn’t always exist.<span style=""> </span>I have never been highly self motivated to push my body harder and farther.<span style=""> </span>When I first started running, I wouldn’t even run by myself.<span style=""> </span>Instead I was dragged out kicking and screaming twice a week by the most persistent, and chatty, friend I know.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Eventually she learned to lie to me about the distance, knowing I would only complain.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now I almost always run by myself.<span style=""> </span>I still complain to myself, feeling as though I can’t relax on a weekend until my long run is out of the way.<span style=""> </span>I still tell myself, no one would know if I didn’t run the full distance.<span style=""> </span>But I would know.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">And that keeps me going.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I used to think that a half marathon was well beyond what I can do.<span style=""> </span>It petrified me; like most people, I’m not a fan of failure.<span style=""> </span>But now, as I’m prepping for my second one, I have moved from terrified to excited.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>My body can do this.<span style=""> </span>It may not do it fast, but it doesn’t stop.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I may never be a strong runner and I may never get that addictive “I need running” high that others get, but I don’t quit.<span style=""> </span>And its worth it.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1rkpRi4_6MW_PMFv3iSp-HJxCAZwzKfkt2do6Ph7mlFCPaS0qNvWCEV1Qri-dhw0YhketzdrI-apHsIIKSEbet8tYHhtf7ipypwp-QEcxSmiEcT8KLhfB3UmhhvkXDZWORzchrHPZ38/s1600/runner.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1rkpRi4_6MW_PMFv3iSp-HJxCAZwzKfkt2do6Ph7mlFCPaS0qNvWCEV1Qri-dhw0YhketzdrI-apHsIIKSEbet8tYHhtf7ipypwp-QEcxSmiEcT8KLhfB3UmhhvkXDZWORzchrHPZ38/s400/runner.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709073220684167666" border="0" /></a></p>RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-75065407396158820382012-02-13T15:54:00.004-07:002012-02-13T16:26:35.729-07:00Making MovesToday I 'officially' registered for the Elephant Rock Century Ride in June. I've got about 4 months to man up and stop being afraid of my clip pedals.<br /><br />After paying my registration fee, I quickly searched around for a training plan. Essentially, the biggest part of training is getting your sitting bits used to the saddle. I can attest to the importance; my sitting bits were quite angry with me after an hour spin class on Friday where we didn't come up out of the saddle for 45 minutes. I can only imagine how 6-7 hours on bike would feel.<br /><br />The length and ultimate mileage of the training plans vary as well, some running 10 or 12 weeks and building up to anywhere from 60-70 miles before the main event. Similar to half marathon training, I won't be training the actual distance before the ride. The training plan I've liked best so far has 5 days of riding; I'm hoping to find one with 4. For the first 1.5 months, I'll also be training for a sprint tri in Nebraska (say what?), so I'll also want to sneak in some running and swimming. I want to have my training plan mapped out before my half in March so I can hit the ground running - if I give myself too much time off, I don't ever start again!<br /><br />Of course, while I was looking up a century training plan, I also looked up training plans for the half ironman. They are intimidating, for sure. Not because of any individual workout, but because of the overall volume of workouts. I found an 18 week plan that I like, which gives me 2 weeks 'free' in June before I start up again. This weekend I will be with a buddy who trains for full ironmans, and I am curious to ask him how he balances life and workouts. I feel as though I could easily become a zombie who eats, sleeps, and works out. With all the camping, hiking, climbing, and kayaking I wanted to do this summer, I will have a full schedule to fit it all in!<br /><br />For the century ride, at least, I have my good friend Morgan to ride with. She has already schemed about doing rides up Lookout Mountain before work at least once a week (a ride that she calls 'easy' - crazy girl!). I'm eager to remain on a training plan for the majority of the year (after both my tri and my half, I promptly stopped working out and got out of shape; I hate working out, just to workout, without a race to train for), but a bit apprehensive that my whole year is already planned out. <br /><br />Other than that, things are pretty quiet around here. Another weekend of running and skiing, although with ice and flat light, the conditions at Keystone weren't all that great. Its another quiet work week filled with little odds and ends, but nothing overly filling. <br /><br />Have you ever done a century ride? Did your butt survive?RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-76061017046187963232012-02-10T10:26:00.004-07:002012-02-10T11:20:29.265-07:00Random Friday Facts1.) I can't stand to be around peaches. <br /><br />2.) I get car sick really easily.<br /><br />3.) I hate waking up to an alarm.<br /><br />4.) When I'm not completely overloaded with work, I find it hard to accomplish anything.<br /><br />5.) I'm excited to go to El Paso, but found out that neighboring Juarez is the murder capital of the world. El Paso is one of the safest cities in the country.<br /><br />6.) I never quite feel 'put together', even when I've showered and pre-picked an outfit to wear.<br /><br />7.) I think that chlorine totally counts as a shower.<br /><br />8.) I already miss football season, but enjoy having Sundays free.<br /><br />9.) I really need to clean my apartment.<br /><br />10.) I think its ridiculous that weekends book up so fast. <br /><br />11.) I'm still terrified of clip shoes for the bike<br /><br />12.) I have a terrible memory for birthdays.<br /><br />13.) I like running in the snow.<br /><br />14.) In the past month, I've watched a friend get engaged and another had her second baby. There are three more babies slated for the spring, then begins the year of weddings. Sometimes I feel like I'm on the slow bus.<br /><br />15.) I love my life in Denver, but sometimes I miss my friends and family back east so much that I consider some day moving back.<br /><br />16.) I still check behind the shower curtain every time I come home.<br /><br />Happy Friday!RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-28961714174120181952012-02-09T09:36:00.003-07:002012-02-09T12:57:59.513-07:00Three Things Thursday1.) The last few weeks have been a constant tug of war between my knees, hips, and back. At any given moment, one or all of them are cranky, mostly on my right side. When I'm good about using the foam roller, my hip calms down substantially, but I can't seem to figure out how to please me knee and lower back. My cranky knee, I believe, is from my tumble down the black diamond with my ski still on. It doesn't hurt on a regular basis, just going down stairs (getting off the bus is fun), and when I twist it side to side. I'm beginning to think that between my knee and back issues, it may be time to get a new pair of running shoes. Crazy runners switch out their shoes every 100 - 400 miles and I've had mine for just about a year and two half marathon training sessions. I don't understand how runners can afford to buy $100 pairs of sneakers so regularly. <br /><br />2.) My travel schedule is ramping back up again! I'm slated to head to El Paso Texas at the end of this month. Yee haw! I am looking forward to getting in some warm outdoor runs (don't worry mom, I'll steer clear of the Mexican border!) <br /><br />3.) 2012 and 2013 are shaping up to be years of lots of weddings. Two are already planned, with a third shaping up (Congrats Risa and Paul!!!!) Between my half IM, UMD Homecoming, weddings (and associated events) and holidays, I might just move back east for a season or two!RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-28859277199201280572012-02-08T08:33:00.001-07:002012-02-08T10:28:00.724-07:00Wordless Wednesday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0pbIvpK1wmiKBa1XWs7_8APaN7Igzoxd1hawi9gzP4I0LVfXkZSl4IBkyLsZlF2-4sn0rl1RGIjTULyOW-19agpImXE7x0SMdZIgkiE4V_5k4ZfjAQ_ocxI7dLB8wSxFlTQQ_nzFnrY/s1600/numbers.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0pbIvpK1wmiKBa1XWs7_8APaN7Igzoxd1hawi9gzP4I0LVfXkZSl4IBkyLsZlF2-4sn0rl1RGIjTULyOW-19agpImXE7x0SMdZIgkiE4V_5k4ZfjAQ_ocxI7dLB8wSxFlTQQ_nzFnrY/s400/numbers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706817762742144482" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Working on budgets today. Numbers are hard.<br /></div>RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-76261489378995740472012-02-07T08:51:00.003-07:002012-02-07T09:01:54.678-07:00Ramblings from a tired mindWell the long weekend in Vail was absolutely delightful. It was so enjoyable to be able to ski all day and then be home in 20 minutes and in the hot tub. I skied all day Friday and Saturday, exploring more of the mountain, including Blue Sky Basin and the back bowls. The snow was just ok; they hadn't gotten any more snow since the previous week. But considering I still have no idea how to ski powder, I was ok with that. I came home Sunday blissfully exhausted, which followed me into Monday. <br /><br />Enjoying the condo rental only furthered an idea several of us have had to put in for a seasonal rental in Frisco next ski season. Typically these rentals are about $200/month and well worth it if you are saving time and gas. So far in 2012, I've skied all weekends but the first, so I have no doubt that next year, with a car that can actually go uphill in the snow, I would make a condo worth while. <br /><br />Other than that, its been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon. I've got a friend coming in tonight from DC who I'll hang out with tonight and tomorrow. Then saturday is the Cupid's Undies Run - a 1.5 mile run around Cap Hill in your undies (or boxers and tank top, if you're me). Sunday looks like I'll be back up on the slopes, but honestly, I'm starting to wear down again and need sleep. These Coloradans are like the energizer bunny! Nothing can get them to sit down!RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2920631092007615370.post-1363033969933242332012-02-01T08:07:00.001-07:002012-02-01T08:08:47.467-07:00Wordless Wednesdaya picture from my weekend:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6La_u0SO8U8GlU0PpmYujLEukR3ej0ULm5QfYJJZY-JGXdhN1C7LTw5EDmRa0IceejrRk4gdHoTtQa7ly5VkkfJqyeh9ZpazyHS3n-bPFrHMnJd6BHMpDRxm5ohFTW5uhyurqgdMyHQ/s1600/Vail.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6La_u0SO8U8GlU0PpmYujLEukR3ej0ULm5QfYJJZY-JGXdhN1C7LTw5EDmRa0IceejrRk4gdHoTtQa7ly5VkkfJqyeh9ZpazyHS3n-bPFrHMnJd6BHMpDRxm5ohFTW5uhyurqgdMyHQ/s400/Vail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704184192441522338" border="0" /></a>"Our lives are better than other people's vacations"<br /></div>RudiBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01157649424826074362noreply@blogger.com3