I posted this on facebook but thought I would share in here in case you're interested in some randomness about me...or not, whatever!
1. I only started racing triathlon 3 years ago and completed my first Ironman in 2008, at which I qualified for the World Championships in Kona! Big accomplishment for me!
2. I lived in Japan for 3 years when I was a kid.
3. I love to read and always have to have a good book.
4. I met my amazing boyfriend at Masters swimming. Not a bad place to meet a guy! Although, swimming and talking aren’t really that easy!
5. I can’t stand it when people make uniformed decisions. Don’t just repeat what you hear in the media, make a decision for yourself!
6. I hate people who tell racist jokes or belittle other people just to be funny.
7. I believe in the law of attraction and karma!
8. I can’t stand people who think they are better than other people because they believe a certain way or disagree with a certain school of thought. That is why America is a free country and everyone is unique.
9. I love to travel but don’t get to nearly as much as I would like! My current interest is a Trek in Nepal! (thanks Melissa!)
10. I’ve lived in 7 different states/countries.
11. I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the guitar.
12. I value my close friendships. True friends are too few and far between!
13. I LOVE dogs! And want a new Brittany Spaniel puppy!
14. I HATE email forwards! If I don’t pass it on to 25 other people by the end of the day I’m not going to have bad luck for a week! Shut up!
15. My mom is one of my best friends!
16. One of my favorite cocktails is a Professional (Dr. Pepper & Captain Morgan)
17. I’ve always wanted to go skydiving!
18. MAC computers are SO MUCH better!
19. My middle name is Diane.
20. My brother and I hated each other when we were little. We fought more than you could possibly know. I think my mom was contemplating abandoning us we were so bad. But he is one of my best friends now!
21. I really want an iPhone but don’t want to switch to AT&T
22. When I lost my job in 2007 I almost moved to Ogden, Utah but it felt too much like Waco, TX and I’m not sure I could have done that again! Yawn! Boulder is so much better!
23. I always wanted to have kids before 30. Not looking so likely!
24. I have done some really stupid things in my life! Enough said….
25. I really want to go back to law school but don’t want to spend the money and know that if I did I would probably just end up being a stay at home mom not using my education. Maybe in my next life, my MBA will have to do for now….
26. I know how to run on a treadmill and read at the same time. I taught myself in college so I could train and study at the same time!
.jpg)
Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Congratulations to the Cline Family
My bestfriend, Ashley, from college just welcomed her 2nd little girl to the world on Friday night. Avery Faith Cline arrived January 23rd at 7:17pm, weighing 6 lbs 1.6 oz and 19". She is adorable just like her mama and her big sister Selah.
Congratulations you guys! I can't wait to meet her. Hopefully I can see you all soon!
Avery Faith Cline
Mom (Ashley) & Avery
Congratulations you guys! I can't wait to meet her. Hopefully I can see you all soon!
Avery Faith ClineMom (Ashley) & AveryFriday, January 23, 2009
President Obamas Inaugural Speech
I was impressed when I heard it on Tuesday but it's really cool to read it again.
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."
America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
What State Am I In????
Today it is 70 degrees in Boulder and tomorrow is supposed to be 71! I'm not sure I'm really in Colorado. It is January right? I got to run outside today in shorts and a tank top! No complaints here! I think global warming sucks but this weather is pretty sweet!
What a great day. Great weather, great inauguration festivities, great new president of the US of A, and great change headed our way! Hip Hip Hooray!
What a great day. Great weather, great inauguration festivities, great new president of the US of A, and great change headed our way! Hip Hip Hooray!
Monday, January 19, 2009
New Favorite Trail-Betasso
This weekend Kevin and I explored a new trail. Well, kind of new. Over Christmas we checked it out but I was coughing like crazy and so doped up on cough syrup I was lucky I survived the first mile that day, which is also the steepest/toughest part of the entire run.
We tried again this past Saturday and ran the entire thing (we went back Sunday because we had such a blast and ended up running it faster than Saturday, even on tired legs!). The first mile is pretty much straight up, it's very steep and rocky but it's fun to maneuver, especially coming down. At the top of this hill you cross a road, run another half mile on some single track before hitting the 3.2 m
ile loop. Apparently it's popular for mountain bikers but they are only allowed to go in one direction and they are not allowed on the trail on Saturdays and Wednesdays! It was a great combination of accents and descents which equaled a fantastic aerobic workout, especially with the layers of snow, ice, and mud this time of year. All in all it ends up being about a 6.2 mile run but can easily be extended if you did multiple loops at the top, which I plan to try for a long run sometime soon. The loop at the top is around a nature preserve which is absolutely incredible, although I hear rumours that it's a favorite for mountain lions as well. Yikes! Not sure I'll ever be running there alone.
I will definitely be exploring this trail allot this year and seeing how much faster I can complete it when I'm at my fittest. It'll be a good test of aerobic and muscular strength as the season progresses.
Happy running!
We tried again this past Saturday and ran the entire thing (we went back Sunday because we had such a blast and ended up running it faster than Saturday, even on tired legs!). The first mile is pretty much straight up, it's very steep and rocky but it's fun to maneuver, especially coming down. At the top of this hill you cross a road, run another half mile on some single track before hitting the 3.2 m
ile loop. Apparently it's popular for mountain bikers but they are only allowed to go in one direction and they are not allowed on the trail on Saturdays and Wednesdays! It was a great combination of accents and descents which equaled a fantastic aerobic workout, especially with the layers of snow, ice, and mud this time of year. All in all it ends up being about a 6.2 mile run but can easily be extended if you did multiple loops at the top, which I plan to try for a long run sometime soon. The loop at the top is around a nature preserve which is absolutely incredible, although I hear rumours that it's a favorite for mountain lions as well. Yikes! Not sure I'll ever be running there alone.I will definitely be exploring this trail allot this year and seeing how much faster I can complete it when I'm at my fittest. It'll be a good test of aerobic and muscular strength as the season progresses.
Happy running!
Monday, January 12, 2009
It's a Bliiiizard!
I had no clue we were supposed to get snow today, much less wake up to 6 inches with it still falling. I guess thats what I get for watching lousy TV instead of the news! I heard the wind last night and then got up to take the dogs out about 6:30 to find piles of snow everywhere. The dogs weren't too crazy about it, maybe I should have put their coats on. I slid into work and was wondering why in the world I don't have 4wd, oh ya I bought my car in Texas!
I love this weather, it's why I live in CO after all. It's a good day. Listening to Missy Higgins and enjoying the incredible view from my office! Here's a taste!
I love this weather, it's why I live in CO after all. It's a good day. Listening to Missy Higgins and enjoying the incredible view from my office! Here's a taste!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
So Wrong!
This is so wrong but so hilarious! Thought you'd enjoy the laugh, if you're not too disgusted!
Close call in Boulder
The fires are just about all contained in Boulder today and they hope to have them completely contained by tonight. From my house in S. Boulder I can see the black hillside and it's sad. As I got closer it's amazing the amount of land that this blaze consumed and it's even more amazing how CLOSE it came to some homes, which the firefighters did an amazing job of protecting. In the picture below you can see how close it really was and in the end only 3 homes up in the foothills were lost.
I've always had allot of respect for law enforcement and fire fighters but this just blew me away. How many crews pitched in and came from local areas to help, how they pulled 20+hour shifts to control the burn, and how in the end very few structures were lost. Amazing job! My heart goes out to the 3 families that lost everything! It was amazing to see the community pull together and help in a time of need. It restores my faith in humankind and that there is still love and kindness in this world!
I am bummed that many of the best trails and open space in Boulder County are gone but I know that Boulder will rebuild and we are crazy enough to run those routes still to rebuild the trails! In fact, this morning I was up there and saw numerous people out running right under the cliff side that was on fire....only in Boulder, can't miss a workout!
It's still a bit windy and there is still a bit of smoke coming from the hillside but it's looking a bit dark outside, maybe a rain shower is on the way to assist! Here are a few more photos I snapped this morning (which don't really do it justice).
I've always had allot of respect for law enforcement and fire fighters but this just blew me away. How many crews pitched in and came from local areas to help, how they pulled 20+hour shifts to control the burn, and how in the end very few structures were lost. Amazing job! My heart goes out to the 3 families that lost everything! It was amazing to see the community pull together and help in a time of need. It restores my faith in humankind and that there is still love and kindness in this world!I am bummed that many of the best trails and open space in Boulder County are gone but I know that Boulder will rebuild and we are crazy enough to run those routes still to rebuild the trails! In fact, this morning I was up there and saw numerous people out running right under the cliff side that was on fire....only in Boulder, can't miss a workout!
It's still a bit windy and there is still a bit of smoke coming from the hillside but it's looking a bit dark outside, maybe a rain shower is on the way to assist! Here are a few more photos I snapped this morning (which don't really do it justice).
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Boulder is on Fire!
As I write this the North end of Boulder is on fire and the winds are still whipping at high rates with no indication of reprieve. I am in awe and don't really know what to say. Several of my friends have already had to evacuate there homes along with 11,000 other people evacuated earlier today. I'm thankful I live in South Boulder tonight!
In one regard we are lucky that the fire is up North and burning mostly open space, sparing the homes. However, there are allot of ranches in that area with allot of animals and livestock that have had to get out. The last update I heard was that no one has been hurt, only 2 homes have burned, and all the livestock is safe. I'm grateful that this area is not covered in homes but I'm also sad that all of the beautiful open space is being engulfed in flames. One of the most appealing things about Boulder is all of the open space and the laws that regulate it, not allowing for a certain percentage of land in Boulder to be built on, thus keeping the property values high and the open space/wilderness pristine.
It's going to be so sad the next time I go for a run up there or a ride up Left Hand Canyon and it's charred to a crisp. I hope that because it's winter, it will snow, feeding the ground, and by spring we will have new growth!
Thanks to all of the amazing fire fighters who have come to Boulder and are out there right now fighting for our community. May you all return home safely when this is over! My prayers are with you and the citizens of Boulder tonight!
http://www.dailycamera.com/
In one regard we are lucky that the fire is up North and burning mostly open space, sparing the homes. However, there are allot of ranches in that area with allot of animals and livestock that have had to get out. The last update I heard was that no one has been hurt, only 2 homes have burned, and all the livestock is safe. I'm grateful that this area is not covered in homes but I'm also sad that all of the beautiful open space is being engulfed in flames. One of the most appealing things about Boulder is all of the open space and the laws that regulate it, not allowing for a certain percentage of land in Boulder to be built on, thus keeping the property values high and the open space/wilderness pristine.
It's going to be so sad the next time I go for a run up there or a ride up Left Hand Canyon and it's charred to a crisp. I hope that because it's winter, it will snow, feeding the ground, and by spring we will have new growth!
Thanks to all of the amazing fire fighters who have come to Boulder and are out there right now fighting for our community. May you all return home safely when this is over! My prayers are with you and the citizens of Boulder tonight!
http://www.dailycamera.com/
I miss my boys!
I had to pet sit for a family this past weekend so I left my dogs in Colorado Springs with Kevin so I didn't have to juggle 7 animals, that would have been a bit nuts! Yesterday was a pretty lousy day for me and when I got home I was missing my boys so much. A cuddle on the couch would have been just perfect last night. I've the greatest guys in my life...Peanut, Campi, and Kevin (whom I have to admit I miss a little bit more!) Luckily Kevin is fantastic about sending me updates on them.
Champ & Peanut stole Lucy's box. They usually share one but hers is bigger, maybe I should get them a bigger crate???
They love blankets, especially Champ, here they are lounging in front of the heater on the floor! Awww!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)