Living in the Rockies

2010-07-18T20:44:00.002-06:00

Five years ago I was a lazy bum. Four years ago I was a slightly less lazy bum. Three years ago I was making progress and just over 2 years ago I changed my life when I registered spur of the moment to do a 2 day mountain bike ride for charity.

A year ago I was laid up for a full month after a minor surgery with a difficult recovery. When I came back I was determined to improve my running. At the time every run was physically painful and mentally miserable. I went out for that first run post surgery and did around 2 miles at a 13:45 mile and I was beat at the end. I decided to start running more and back off the other tri disciplines so that I could improve the run and maybe like it one day. In September I found a running group to join which helped inspire me. Just a week later my 23 year old cousin passed away suddenly and we donated her organs and tissue saving or changing 18 lives. This group became support and solace as I grieved this loss. Eventually I joined their paid training group in March of this year and have had a fantastic plan from incredible coaches including 2 group workouts a week and a a free group run on Saturday.

While this plan probably has a bit more speed/hill work than some here would prescribe at my mileage level (just on the cusp of 20 miles per week and still building) I've been very careful to listen to my body and have rested and/or treated as needed. Plans have adjusted as needed and I've seen progress in my speed and strength and my long run has increased to 9 miles last week with a planned half marathon in October.

Anyhow, this week was a rough one. I was in a car accident on Thursday (partially my fault) and while I have some soreness I'm okay. The car is not. I missed the group workout dealing with everything.

Today was the Donor Dash for which I organized a team to run in honor of my cousin. I had my coach, 2 running group members and another friend join me to run and 2 more running group members down to cheer. I went in going for a PR and had a butterfly that had been in the flowers at my cousin's funeral in my shorts pocket. I went out too fast, it was hot and I was emotional but was able to hold on in the end for a 1 minute PR. I'm not fast, that PR now sits at 32:43 but I'm supremely proud of the work I've put in to get here. And I'm excited to see where I go from here. Somewhere in the last year I've fallen in love with running.

Hard work. Dedication. Consistency. Passion. Time. Take control of your training and the improvement comes.

Coal Creek Crossing 10 Miler, here I come!

Spring is coming...

2010-04-25T12:52:00.002-06:00

As usual the winter got away from me. The ski season had it's highs and lows with not enough snow but so many ski days with friends!

I'm progressing with my 2010 goals though and thought I'd update here. I'm doubtful I'll get to the 1000 miles run goal as I've only logged 129 thus far. It will be interesting to see what happens now that I'm in a plan and have registered for the Denver Half Marathon in October. Nevertheless I'm extremely proud of the dedication I've put into running and how much I've fallen in love with it.

And, well, the nutrition strategy. Not so much. I'm getting somewhat better but as usual ski season does me in. In the coming weeks I'll focus more on this part so that I can maximize me training.

Now, let's see if I can update y'all more frequently...

It's a New Year!

2010-01-17T18:52:00.002-07:00

I'm being pestered to do an update so I guess it's about time. Although, I feel like my life is pretty boring and not necessarily all that interesting to read about.

But, looking forward to 2010 I do have some goals. Not resolutions as it seems like resolutions are something we work to avoid breaking while goals one work towards achieving and I like the positive spin so much more. So here they are, written down so you all can keep me honest.

1) Run 1000 miles.
2) Run a half marathon this fall.
3) Improve my nutrition strategy.

I've started working toward the first and the third and I guess by extension that means I'm working toward the second since all base miles will help me prepare for the half-marathon.

You may be wondering about skiing and coaching. Yep, I'm doing that too although the snow thus far this year has sucked the big one so I haven't skied as much as I would like. I have a great group that I'm working with this season and I'm excited to see how far we'll go! In the meantime we're all praying to Ullr the Norse God of Snow to bring more of the white stuff!

Thanksgiving reflections...

2009-11-25T16:59:00.003-07:00

Wow, what a year it's been. Last year's Thanksgiving was spent in Vail with family and friends. Skiing, my first Turkey Trot and treasured time with family and it couldn't get much better.

Since then I've discovered just how strong my body and spirit are and I've been reminded of just how important living life to the fullest is. I was laid off from a job I liked, I completed my first triathlon, I battled health issues, started a new job I love, became a runner, mourned my cousin and celebrated renewed life with a special friend.

This Thanksgiving I'll run my second Turkey Trot and share a meal with friends. And I'll celebrate those people in my life that have supported me through it all and shown me just how awesome life is. I am truly blessed and thankful for it all!

Seasons changing...

2009-11-14T16:29:00.002-07:00

Usually at this time of year I'm so excited about skiing and coaching I can barely stand it. It's all I think, talk and dream about (well I imagine I dream since I don't ever remember the actual dreams) and I go up every day I possibly can.

But this year my heart is torn. I loved doing my first tri this summer. And I've fallen in love with running. Starting in August, post surgery, I started focusing a bit more on running which has always been my weakest link. I was cycling too but not swimming. As cycling season (for me) closed down the running ramped up even more. I'm now running 4-5 days a week and really enjoying it.

I joined a run group in a next door town and was welcomed at the end of September with open arms even though the group is much faster than me. The group leader, a professional running coach, is pregnant so she has slowed her pace which made us a perfect fit to run together most Saturday mornings. We motivate each other, chat and get to know one another and before we know it we've done more miles than we'd planned or hoped. I've looked forward to my Saturday morning runs all week with breakfast afterward which served as inspiration to get out during the week and get in the miles.

Next weekend I begin my season of coaching with an on mountain clinic and then I'll spend the last weekend before coaching in Florida with family. All of this is great but it means that today was my final run with the group until next spring. And I'm very very sad. To the point of tears a couple of times today. Who knew I'd be so sad about a running group? Those that knew me 5 years ago would bet money against that one.

The group has inspired me to start thinking about doing a half marathon next year. Yes, you read that right, I'm thinking of running 13.1 miles. If I've learned one thing over the last 2 years it's that I can do anything I decide I want to do if I plan for it, train for it, and want to do it. And this is something I want to do.

I know as I get into my coaching season and start skiing I'll adjust and be very happy all winter long. But sitting in the back of my mind will be this wonderful group running their miles while I ski on snowy slopes. And next spring, as the ski season wanes I'll know that I get to return to the group. It is fabulous to have beloved activities for all seasons!

Today I want to thank the leader of the run group, Erin. The miles with you have been more fun than I ever dreamed running could be. I will miss you this winter my friend but cannot wait to meet Baby Boy and run together next spring as we both start our comebacks! You inspire me, you motivate me and you are in the right profession!

Blizzard of October 2009

2009-10-30T20:07:00.004-06:00

Some photos from our approximately 18-20 inches of snow this week!

Uh, oops.

2009-10-24T13:15:00.002-06:00

So, I think I might be the world's worst blogger. :(

Wow, it's been quite a summer. Shortly after my last post I had a minor surgery which took me out of my workouts for the majority of July. I also moved in July up toward Boulder and live in the town of Lafayette. This town has great access to trails and fantastic roads for riding leading out to farm country and I've loved living here.

In August I started ramping up my running again finally coming to terms with the fact that if I wanted to run faster I needed to run more. I did my first post surgery run at a pace of 13:45 per mile for 2.6 miles. Definitely slow. I'm now up to running 3-4 days per week and my last hard pace run I did 3.1 miles at 11:20 per mile. Still slow but a heck of a lot faster than previously. I've joined a Saturday morning run group and absolutely love running with them. Or, more accurately starting at the same time then enjoying breakfast and coffee afterward. Well, actually the coach is pregnant so she's stuck with me for 2 of my runs and I really am enjoying her. She seems to know the perfect balance of pushing me and giving me a few ego boosts that just keep me going.

Today we ran the Dowdy Draw Trail just south of Boulder near the town of Eldorado Springs. This trail goes up, up, up on the way out and has some fantastic views. I can't wait to run this during the spring! There was a lot of walking on the way out as those hills just make my heart rate sky rocket but Coach Erin motivated me when I tried to turn around and go to an alternate, flatter trail, we chatted and ran and walked and we went out for 2 miles. My fancy new Garmin Forerunner 305 told me it was just over 2 miles. We turned around and headed back after Coach told me about some other trails we'll run as I get better for which I'm very excited!

The downhill went by fast but was so much fun. Have to be careful as the rocks just beg to trip you up. I can't wait until I have more endurance to be able to go further on these types of trails as it is absolutely gorgeous out there.

And I earned my power sandwich at Panera afterward for sure!

Good run, good company, good food. What more can a girl ask for on a gorgeous fall Saturday morning?

Danskin SheRox Triathlon

2009-07-03T13:47:00.005-06:00

I know I know some of you have been patiently waiting for this report. As you know my new job is keeping me very busy and with a 2+ hour commute each day I'm exhausted by the time I get home. But, finally, here it is!

Sunday June 28th the alarm went of at 4:05 so that I would be up early enough to get some food in me a few hours prior to the race. I got up, ate a peanut butter and honey sandwich and got dressed. Grabbed my bag which I packed the day before and my bike and off I went. I parked in the lot about a mile from the race site, got my gear together and headed toward transition. I had no idea that riding with a heavily packed bag on my back would feel so different!

I got my transition area set up and did a walk through the race plan with entrances and exits from each event. The water had a small amount of chop but nothing bad. Weather was perfection for racing. I went back to my transition spot and got my wetsuit on to go for a warm up swim. Unfortunately when I got down they told use we weren't allowed to swim but I could get in and get wet at least which I did.

Mom and Gary (my stepdad) just barely made it to transition in time for me to hand off my camera to her and get a good luck hug and then went to line up to start the race. As the National Anthem played I realized it was the first time since junior high that it had been played for an athletic event that I was competing in!

Next thing I knew the elite racers were in the water and the gun went off. I couldn't see them from my vantage point of being surrounded by 1062 incredible women triathletes. When it came my time I moved forward and positioned myself toward the back and outside as was my plan. We waved back toward the crowd as is tradition at this race and then the gun went off. I waded to swim depth and off I went. My asthma gave me some trouble and I started to wonder if I'd make it. I wasn't able to put my face in the water yet which was really hurting my speed and making me more tired. I came upon a woman who was panicked so I stopped to assist her and we got a kayak to her. This break actually gave me a moment to relax and when I restarted I felt more in control. Just before half way I was finally able to swim with my face in the water and started passing people who had been passing me. I came out of the water tired but happy with the swim over all, making my way as quickly as I could up to transition, stripping my wetsuit to my waist as I went.

At T1 I removed my wetsuit, added socks and shoes, helmet and sunglasses, grabbed my bike and headed toward the exit. I know I picked up time here as people were doing all sorts of random things in transition (towel drying hair!). I left transition wading through lots of bike traffic but definitely making up position. I only had a few people pass me on the bike and I was able to pass a lot. I felt good although wish my climbing had been a bit better. Not sure why my legs didn't want to work.

I came into T2 feeling pretty good. I dropped off my bike, switched shoes, grabbed my hat, inhaler, race belt with number and a sip of water and was off. The run was really tough for me. Made even more difficult when about 1/3 of the way through I realized my timing chip was missing. Something about that just dashed my spirits and made it tougher to push myself. Fortunately I saw some friends along the way and they cheered for me which helped. I made my way toward the finish and was able to run the last mile completely.

Nearing the finish my dear friend Gaye was right there and she cheered me into a finishing kick. I passed by Sheila Taormina who is touring with the Danskin race and who I'd had the pleasure of chatting with a couple of times. She recognized me and gave me an extra big cheer and I remembered what she taught us in the motivational talk. "Gambare" means to keep going in Japanese and I'd repeated it many times over the last month and a half through the layoff and training. As I finished I realized that it didn't matter that officially I would show a DNF because nobody could take away the fact that I am now a TRIATHLETE!!!!

The motto of this particular race is "She Swims, She Rides, She Runs, SheRox!" and a week later I still feel like I rock. What an incredible sport to be a part of and I can't wait for the next one.

This VIDEO is pics from the day set to a song that I heard for the first time on the radio while driving to the race. I think it's quite fitting!

I ran the Bolder Boulder!!!

2009-05-25T17:26:00.011-06:00

When I awoke this morning I was beyond excited to get to racing my first 10k in many years! The skies were partly cloudy and it looked like the rain might hold off until after the race. After a breakfast of eggs, toast and a cup of coffee we headed off to the start with my aunt and uncle serving as a most excellent shuttle to the start for my coach and I. Her wave went off nearly an hour before mine so I had a lot of time to take in the surroundings.

This race has 54,000 runners so people are line up as far as the eyes can see. The Bolder has gone off for 31 years so the organizers have an incredibly well run set up allowing each racer to feel special. There are 84 waves in total. The first waves are qualified waves so the people in those waves have to submit times from other races proving they can race at a certain pace. Following that are waves of people who self-seed based on their expected times. I seeded myself in a 70-90 minute wave and registered early enough that I was in the first of those waves. As you line up you get behind a sign with your wave letters and as each wave goes off you move closer. All of the sudden you feel like you must have a wave or two in front of you but the volunteers are saying "Go time!" and you're moving to the start. A trumpeter plays his tune and then the gun!

Making sure to keep your pace in check the first mile is tough as noted by my 11 minute mile (goal was just over 12 minute miles)is the biggest challenge in this mile. I settled in for mile 2 including Folsom Field. Unfortunately, for some reason mile 3 hurt today. It was odd because it was virtually flat but I just couldn't find a rhythm and I had to walk more than I'd have liked. Mile 4 appears slow on the official split because I had to run into the port-o-potty unfortunately but it actually felt much better than mile 3. Once I topped the hill just after the mile 4 marker I felt like I hit a comfortable stride. Wish it had happened earlier but at least I found it. In the final mile the crowd cheering loudly. Starting up the last hill I just told myself I couldn't walk any more. As I rounded the corner toward the stadium the emotions took hold and I had an asthma attack. But I just didn't want to be the one who walked the last 3/10 of a mile. As I went under the 6 mile banner and peeked at my watch I saw that I'd taken 2 minutes off my 6 mile time from last week. Woohoo!!! I wouldn't hit my 75 minute goal but I'm improving and that's what really matters right now.

As I came around the turn into the stadium, down the little hill and hit the metal planking that protects the ground of the stadium the roar of the crowd in enormous! People line the railings cheering you on and you feel like you just ran into the stadium of the Olympics. Around the stadium about 3/4 of the way and there's the finish! Hitting the stop on the watch and I see 1:17:13. And I look around and can't believe that I've done it. If you'd like to see me cross the finish line check out this video. I appear at 4:01 in the video in the center of the screen.

After picking up my snack bag I headed for our designated meeting spot and found my coach and was joined shortly after that by my aunt and uncle. We waited to watch the pro race and the Memorial Day ceremonies. The male pro ran his race in, get this, 29:19!!! That's about a 4:43 second mile pace!

The Memorial Day tribute took on special meaning for me today as I prepare to send my oldest friend off to battle next week. God speed Brett Cheatham, you better come home safely! For the tribute sky jumpers come in with flags representing each of the branches of service and then finally the US flag. It's incredibly moving as Lee Greenwood's "I'm Proud to be an American" plays in the background.

Next year, I'd like to qualify for the restricted waves. I'd also like to get the side stitches issue under control as much of the walking that I had to do was because of these. Hopefully more fitness will bring relief from these.

As the last notes of the Memorial Day Tribute finished the skies opened up and released a deluge of rain. We were parked a mile or so away so needless to say we were soaked by the time we reached the car but we couldn't believe the luck of the weather holding off until after the races and ceremonies!

Here are some photos from the day!

Before the race with my coach Andrea

After the race with Andrea

With my friend Gaye

Memorial Day Tribute

It's been awhile...

2009-05-21T11:02:00.002-06:00

Oops, time got away from me by a bit. It's been a crazy couple of weeks though and I'll try to do a quick recap.

First, I got in my last ski day of the season on May 9th. Good day with good friends and okay conditions. Then, I turned 32. The year before was exceptionally good and I am excited to see where the next year takes me.

On May 13th I went to a wonderful presentation regarding my triathlon in June. Put on by SheRox the guest speaker was 4 time Olympian having competed in 3 different sports (swimming where she won gold, triathlon and modern pentathlon) Sheila Taormina. Sheila's stories of her career were mesmerizing and I really didn't want her to stop. But I took away one word from her talk. Gambare. It is Japanese and means "keep going". This word suddenly became a motto for me beginning the next day.

On May 14th I was laid off from my job. It's traumatizing, emotional, difficult and exciting all at once. I've been able to do a bit more training, spend time exploring my options and reflecting on what I want to do with my life. I've not found the answer yet but I know I will.

This weekend I'll be running in my first Bolder Boulder 10k race. One of the largest (over 50,000 runners) running races in the world it's a day of parties along the route, a great run and lots of excitement. I'm so excited that I almost wish the race was tomorrow! So wish me luck and cross some fingers for me. Race day environments really feed me so this is just the endorphin boost I need to kick my training up another notch!

Little known dangers of cycling...

2009-05-04T21:33:00.003-06:00

So, this evening as I showered before my swim I noticed that the water felt especially hot on my lower back. But I moved on and didn't think twice about it. Then as I relaxed on the sofa it felt like the waist band of my jeans had rubbed my lower back raw. I headed for the mirror to check it out and discovered it. When riding there are all sorts of places to remember the sunscreen. Face, arms, legs, chest. Easily forgotten is that little spot on your back where if your jersey creeps up a bit this crack of skin is exposed. And when you do a 2 hour ride in sunny Colorado the burn can be intense. I'd share a photo but have you ever tried to take a pic of your own lower back without exposing any not to be shown on the internet body parts? Yeah, so not happening!

Where does time go?

2009-05-02T19:57:00.003-06:00

This morning dawned the 5th weekend in a row with less than ideal weather. Originally coach and I had scheduled a trip to Boulder to join a group ride there but given the gloomy day with probably rain we decided earlier this week that would have to be canceled. So I awoke this morning with a plan of getting in my second 4.5 mile run of the week. Earlier this week I'd had a rough one so I wanted to do another to make me feel more confident. Just as I was searching Map My Run coach im'd me wondering what I was up to. Soon we hatched a plan to go to Sloan's Lake for a run. We met at my place late morning and headed up there.

With the grey skies temps were nice and cool at around 48 degrees. We were delighted to find that the parking area also had bathrooms and water available which will be great for summer runs. The loop around the lake is exactly 2.5 miles so I decided that I'd try for 2 laps. If I needed to walk at the end that would be fine. As I ran I realized that I passed another runner. And a lot of walkers. And I found myself not being the slug barely making it along. And suddenly I was about half a mile from being done with the 2 laps. And I was feeling great! So into the logs goes a 5 miler.

After our run Andrea and I headed for lunch at a local Irish joint. Although nothing about our lunch said Irish. I had a lovely chicken salad on a croissant with brie and pear while she had a burger with mushrooms. And then we headed for the active person's paradise, the REI Anniversary Sale. I resisted most of the temptations but came away with a tech tee and a running cap. I can't believe how soggy gross those caps get during even a cool run but I do love how they keep the sun, hair, and sweat out of my eyes!

I can't believe we've reached May already! I can't help but think back to how my life has changed in the last year and feel I am so very, very blessed by the friends and family who have been there for me. But my beautiful coach means so much to me and our adventures this summer will be sure to entertain my readers as well. I hope you'll stick around to read the saga.

I totally forgot!

2009-04-26T18:53:00.002-06:00

Wow, guess I'm more tired than I thought! I need to tell you all about my tri practice yesterday. My coach decided we should a full distance triathlon practice. So, we (My coach Andrea, a team mate Corrine and I) met at 6 am at my coach's gym. The plan was to do a 750 meter swim, a 15 mile bike ride on the stationary bike, and a 4 mile run around the indoor track. I was dressed in my tri suit as instructed by my coach to test it's performance and comfort but I'm sure it looked a little weird in the gym. Oh well.

So, we started the swim which went well and as expected. Off to the bike. We used these crazy bikes with a program and silly computer graphics. One thing to note, 15 miles on a stationary bike is much more miserable than 15 miles outside where you can coast, enjoy the scenery and feel the wind in your face. Finished the ride and headed upstairs to the track.

Running as you all know is my challenge. It's where I battle pain both physical and mental. I had 4 miles in front of me which I'd never run without walking (at least not since childhood) much less after having already done the swim/bike thing. But, I had to try. For me it works better to set small goals and then extend them. I first said to myself that I'd run the first mile (9.25 laps). That felt okay so I extended to 2 miles. Hmmm, that feels pretty good so maybe I can do the full 3.1 miles that a normal sprint triathlon would have. Yep, got that. At this point I realized my pace was pretty fast. But I figured the math wasn't working right in my head but I thought I could probably finish the entire 4 miles. The last 8 laps were tough and took a lot of mental battles. But I did it. I ran the entire 4 miles! When I finally stopped and looked at my watch and did the calculations I'd run it at a 10:30 min/mile pace approximately. This is nearly 2 min/mile faster than my 3.75 mile run on Wednesday was. And I'd swam and biked before this.

Needless to say the high I'm still riding from this is incredible. The knowledge that A) for the next 2 months all my training will be toward improving my performance rather than being able to complete the event and B) I might actually be able to run the entire Bolder Boulder. And I just might do it at a respectable pace.

This weekend has been a fantastic transition to my spring and summer sports. Life is good!

Cycling Adventures!

2009-04-26T18:15:00.001-06:00

I had an interesting ride today. I met my coach at her house and we loaded both bikes onto her car and headed for a town just south of us (Parker for those that know the area). We had a route from www.mapmyride.com that someone else had plotted and had the written directions with us. We headed out in cool weather and I thankfully decided to wear my arm warmers. The first bit was a challenging climb at any level and as the first thing I did after yesterday's tri I was definitely suffering. But we made it to the top and were rewarded with a beautiful view over rolling hills, horse country and Pike's Peak in the distance.

Next up, fun downhill and then an immediate left turn at the bottom and right back up. After some more rolling hills (and some cursing from me as my quads talked sternly to me) we turned into a neighborhood. I took the next turn and expected to find the next road. Nope, just dirt. Hmmm, must have taken a wrong turn? Grabbed the iPhone and plotted a different route to the road. A few more hills and we were there. And greeted by more dirt. What the route didn't indicate was that this road was dirt. Okay, quick re-plotting and we turn around, attack some more hills and head south. We grabbed the next turn and it was nerve wracking as it had little shoulder, some cable guard rails and a fair amount of traffic. The reward for me was the coming down hill. My coach isn't a big fan of down hill but I loved this so I took off. I maxed at 34.6 mph and would have gone faster except that their was head and cross winds so I had to reign myself in a bit.

A few more miles of high traffic nerve wracking riding and we found a multi-use trail that would get us back to the car. We are really glad we rode this route today as we'd planned to use this on our group rides this summer (and there are some developments with this which I'm hoping I'll be able to share next week ) and we know we'd have some people mutiny on us on this sort of ride so now we can avoid. But my coach and I really enjoyed it!

Vail closes for the season...

2009-04-20T21:10:00.003-06:00

Sadly Vail closed for the season yesterday with much ado. I planned to make a weekend of skiing both Saturday and Sunday with dinner at Dish in between. Unfortunately, mother nature had different ideas and dumped a lot of wet heavy snow on us Friday afternoon into Saturday which closed I-70 preventing my departure until mid morning on Saturday and thwarting plans to ski that day.

So, I enjoyed a wonderfully delicious meal at Dish once again with the fabulous team of chefs and staff. Favorite courses were the ramp tartlet, evoo poached tuna and their mini version of bacon, eggs and toast. Oh, and of course the chocolate dipped potato chips!

I progressed to the mountain Sunday morning and started skiing at about 9:30. I hit a couple of runs in Sun Up Bowl then headed toward Blue Sky Basin through Tea Cup Bowl. Skiing a few runs of powder in Blue Sky before heading back toward the traditional final day party at the top of Chair 4 where friends were partying the day away. Later I did a few more runs off Avanti.

So, here's to another wonderful season at Vail with dreams of Blue Sky Basin, Game Creek Bowl and Lover's Leap for next year. And next year will be Epic with an Epic Pass!

Beating up the legs a bit...

2009-04-15T21:12:00.003-06:00

So, I've never been a runner. Even as a child when I ran a couple of 10k races and even a 12k it never really was fun and I'm not good. And then this whole idea of changing my life came about last year and I started running. Just as I was getting into it I got injured and could hardly walk without pain much less run. I spent months getting my foot into shape with icing, stretching, the Strassburg Sock and my beloved Foot Rubz ball.

And then I started back. First, I got fitted for shoes (which I later found out were a size too big) and I started slowly on an elliptical. Since then I've worked my way to outdoors and dreadmill (uh, sorry treadmill) running. I did a 5 mile fun race in February and felt good (although I only ran continuously for 20 minutes, the rest was run/walk) and then my skiing and life schedules deflated my will to train and I took too much time off so I'm building again toward running the Bolder Boulder on May 25th. My plan right now has me adding 1/2 mile per week between now and then and trying to get 3 days a week running in. Yesterday was my long day of the week of 3.5 miles. I decided to take a new tact with this run and headed for the gym. Since I'd needed to walk more than I wanted I decided to back off my run pace a bit and see how long I could run without walking. My first goal was 15 minutes. I got there and felt good so I told myself I could do 2 more songs. And I got there and felt good so I said 1 more. And it kept going on like that until I only had an estimated 8 minutes left in the run so I found my 2 most motivational songs on my iPod and went for it. And I finished the 3.5 miles not walking (excepting the 2 minute warm up) at all.

Maybe I can be a runner.

2009-04-10T19:45:00.005-06:00

Well, our ski season is winding down here. Today was a holiday so I took the opportunity to head to Copper Mountain, one of my 2 favorite mountains for one of my last ski days. I had a great day of skiing with some variable conditions but finding gold in Union Bowl. Laps of skiing this softer, wind blown stash was fun. But, in the end, I think I've decided not to drive up again tomorrow. The hour and a half each direction is wearing on me (and my car) and we've reached the point of diminishing returns. So, that makes today my final day at Copper for the season. I've enjoyed some absolutely fantastic days there this season with friends and while coaching. I thought I'd share some photos from the season at Copper Mountain. So, with a tip of the hat, a tug on my heart and fond memories I say good bye to Copper mountain for a few months.

Today after my final run on Union Bowl

March 3rd on a run off TRex during the Diva Summit

Early season with my friend Susan. Also joining that day was Katy and there were lots of laughs. And I always learn new skills with these ladies, they both ski like they're doing a ballet, it's incredible!

Spinning to Nowhere...

2009-04-08T21:41:00.002-06:00

So, on Sunday April 5th we had our Grand Finale spin class with the group I joined back in June of last year. We had up to 4 hours to spin with it being divided into 15 minute increments and the chance to get raffle tickets and great prizes. My goal going in was to ride for 3 of the 4 hours. In the end I rode for 3.5 hours and am quite pleased with myself. I didn't take many photos but here's one just minutes before the end. Forgive the blurry nature as I was holding it to do the self portrait and still spinning my legs. Oh and I was tired by then! I ended up winning a number of great goodies including a bike tune which is what I really wanted!

Back to blogging...

2009-04-06T11:10:00.002-06:00

Hello all!

Well, after a long absence for various reasons it's time once again to make my blog public and start sharing my life. Over the next couple of weeks I'll try to get some photos and stories up about this ski season which has truly be incredible. I sit here on April 6th having enjoyed 34 days thus far with hopes of getting to 40 by the end. During those 40 days I've skied with wonderful people including family, friends and athletes I coached for the season. Each has taught me things about life and skiing and I hope to pass some of that along.

Then, this summer, I'll log my adventures in my very first season of triathlon. Yeah, that's right, a season of triathlon which I hope to be the start of a new me. I've been training all winter and will start to ramp things up in the next few weeks.

I hope you'll visit often and see what I'm up to and share the ride.

Robyn

2008-11-04T22:23:00.002-07:00

I haven't posted anything in a long time but tonight I am moved to post. Tonight hope takes over in my heart. Pride has a place in my thoughts. My beloved country had elected our first African American President. But more than that, we have elected a man that I truly believe will work hard to make our country what it can be. Tonight, I am proud to be an American. I leave you with the lyrics to America the Beautiful. It was a favorite song of my Granny and I think it's very fitting here.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

2008-07-01T11:09:00.002-06:00

Back on April 14th I started concentrating on my body and what I could do to make myself healthier, stronger, more At that time I started running and getting back on my bike. I was doing well and then, on May 30th, I got an email from Subaru (they sent them to local Subie owners I believe) offering to pay the first $50 of the registration fee for the 2008 Fat Tire Classic. Needing to act fast I quickly looked at the info and registered. Ahead of me sat $145 of fund raising to fulfill the obligation and two days of mountain biking. I'd been on my bike but I'd been road riding on the mountain bike with slick tires and had nearly no true mountain biking experience. And, I only had 1 month to prepare!

Over the last month of I've ridden harder than I've ever ridden before, gaining lovely bruises, lots of muscle and confidence. Loosing 15lbs along the way (well combined with earlier efforts there). Last week I was scared. I didn't feel ready after a mountain bike trek last weekend that required way too much technical and ended up with me pushing my bike up and down a number of areas.

But I had no choice now, my family had donated $345 in support of my efforts and friends and family were all cheering me on. On Friday I drove up to Winter Park and checked in at the race. Number 295. I walked away with maps of the routes in hand and my precious event t-shirt. I got checked in at the hostel I was staying at (which, btw, is really a great place, if you're looking for a cheap place to stay in Grand County, I highly recommend!) and relaxed for a bit before deciding that I'd see how much of the route I could drive since according to the maps at least some of it followed County Hwy 72 which was right where my hostel was. I turned onto the highway and just a couple hundred feet ahead it was dirt, kind of fire road style. Next thing I knew I picked up the arrows for the ride and started following. I was delighted to find that the majority of the Saturday ride would be dirt fire road with "challenge" options heading into more technical stuff. There were two main routes to choose from, one listed at 17 miles and one at 21. After driving the route I still wasn't sure which I would choose and I didn't need to decide until Saturday morning at the split but I was feeling much more confident as I headed to dinner.

Saturday morning I was up early to get ready and head to the resort for the catered breakfast and to get started. The ride opened the starting line at 7am and you could start at any time up to 10am. After breakfast I started off, crossing the starting line at 8:19am. I sent a text message off to a few dear friends and family and their messages back to me along the route were treasured.

The beginning of the ride headed down the Fraser Valley Trail, a paved path along the river which was COLD! My fingers were numb by the time we finally hit sun. At the end of the trail was the first aid station, oddly right across the street from my hostel. I snacked on a few grapes and an orange section and topped off my water bottle with some gatorade. And off I went. I didn't want to stay long at this aid station, I really needed to into the tough parts of the ride. At the moment of the split for the routes I had a tough time. I was feeling good so part of me wanted to head down the harder route but fear of getting a few miles from the end and not being able to finish made me decide to head for the easier option. Of course, it felt harder at the very moment since the Cruiser option headed up a steep hill at that moment while the Classic option wandered off into a flatter area.

As I started to climb, and climb and climb I had to stop, walk my bike a few times or just take a moment to catch my breath but all the while I knew I was doing something I wouldn't have tried just a few years prior. The total climb was around 1200 feet of vertical topping out at about 9600 ft. At 8.9 miles I was feeling pretty good after finally catching and passing a couple of other women (hey, I needed an ego boost!) and stopped to snap this photo with my phone.

Coming upon the second aid station was good timing for sure. I needed to take a break and snacked again on more grapes and topped of the water bottle with more gatorade (I had plain water in the camelback and was alternating). The women I passed rolled in right as I was headed out. Finally, I came to a nice descent and got to sit back and enjoy a bit as I rolled down only to get to the bottom and have to go back up another steep one. I had to stop and walk for a bit here and this is where the only casualty occurred, I busted the arm on my sunglasses. I need shades due to dirt in the eyes and such so I was wondering what I was going to do when a lovely SAG vehicle approached. I snagged some medical tape from them and did a temporary fix and off I went.

Then, came the scary event. I was on a fairly steep descent when I squeezed my rear brake and found I had NOTHING. None, nada, zip. Fortunately, I had front brake so I sat WAY back on the bike and eased on the front brake until it flattened out and I was able to get stopped. Got off the bike and looked to find that the rear brake had loosened enough to slide down the slot thingy (yeah, I know, technical terms here). Thankfully, I've done some brake adjustments in the past and had my multi tool with me so I got myself fixed up and off I went.

At 12.77 miles I stopped at this creek and took a few more photos.

I finally reached the third and final aid station decorated with a tropical theme. Here I decided I could eat a bit more and had some cookies and bandaged a developing blister. Oh, and snapped one more photo of me with my bike.

As I left the people at the aid station said "It's mostly downhill from here!" Yeah, I'm never believing another aid station worker again! I started off and next thing I know I'm climbing again. Unfortunately I had an asthma attack here but got it under control with the inhaler and walked for a bit but then got riding again. This area had lots of really pretty yellow wildflowers to look at as I rode. And then, finally, I started down for good. I was pretty emotional at this point, I'd done it. I crossed the finish line having ridden (or walked the bike) for 2 hours 12 minutes taking a total of around 3 hours with stops. 17.66 miles. It's both the longest distance and longest time on my bike ever, either riding on roads or trails.

A friend met me at the finish and having someone there to relax with and enjoy the festivities was wonderful. And the swag we got was great!

Alright, day two! On day 1 I bought myself a Fat Tire Classic Jersey so I dressed in it which gave me pockets and enough room to bring my real camera. Today was scheduled to be shorter, just over 10 miles for the Cruiser option. Again, I was up early and headed for breakfast. I took off for the route which went up the mountains on the other side of the valley. I met up with a group early on and did most of the uphill (it was an out and back route) with 2 guys from the group. This was a long slow uphill burn gaining around 700 ft in elevation over 3.5 miles. I'm not sure which is worse the long slow uphill or the steep climbs although the long slow was easier on my asthma. Something moved me though and I motored up, taking only one rest, when the guys I had met stopped in front of me. This road was a bit more technical and torn up and at one point I said to the guys "Enough with the potholes already!" Oy!

We reached to top of the climb and were greeted by today's one and only aid station. I had planned on turning around here but was convinced that one challenge option was flat and went out to some beautiful views so I decided I'd give it a try. It was only another mile out. Off I went to a really rocky road, keeping me on my toes watching for rocks and tire placement but I was significantly rewarded with a beautiful rushing stream and pond at the turn around.

Riding down was interesting. A bone rattler for sure with washboard galore and dodging those d*mn potholes again. I stopped and took a couple of pictures of views along the way.

I finished the day with 12.75 miles in about 90 minutes. Afterwards I was treated to a free Thai massage which helped loosen me up and then I headed to the car and to drive home.

The emotion I feel this evening is almost overwhelming. It's pure pride in myself, excitement at who I've become and anticipation of the person I'm still becoming. Friday, I'm scheduled for a near half century ride. Most of my friends would never have guessed this for me 4 years ago but today, it is me. And I am proud of me.

Thank you all for reading this far. Please know that each of you, in your own way, whether I've told you so individually or not has been an inspiration to me. I heard your "voices" along the way describing your adventures, giving encouragement and support and at the times when I was getting discouraged those helped me fight through it. And to those who gave me those last minute cheers and notes of encouragement, my gratitude cannot be measured. Thank you.

The twists life takes...

2008-06-10T13:53:00.003-06:00

Post deleted. Please see www.wiredsafety.org for any questions regarding online safety.

A season comes to a end...

2008-04-17T20:00:00.002-06:00

Okay, so it's been far too long since I posted something substantive. Below is a post I made to the Cooking Light Bulletin board about my coaching season.

On Saturday we ended another season of ski racing for Team Summit. This year was a challenging year on many, many levels. I had fewer athletes but each of these athletes needed more individual attention so I was glad to have less. We had challenges such as FREEZING cold temperatures for the first 8 weeks, a child with issues with textures so getting dressed was a challenge, we had a visual disability that made running gates very tough, we had discipline problems and we had tragedy in the death of a beloved mother. But, through it all there have been some bright lights and I thought I'd share them with you guys just as I did last year. Remember, these kids are 5 and 6 years old!

*First day, a little boy is being too rambunctious in the lodge at lunch time, beating up on kids and coaches/parents. I called him over asked him if he knew what respect is. His response "The Queen of Soul". I said "What?" and he responds "The Queen of Soul, she sings a song about respect."

*Little M's smile. That boy could melt a glacier with that smile.

*Watching the other little M come around from fighting coming to training to loving every minute of it. Oh, and when she almost lost her pants getting on the lift it was very hard not to laugh out loud.

*The littlest H. She was always agreeable to anything I asked of her, from her first black diamond powder run when the powder was up to her knees, to long race days.

*My little angel, the other H. I cry when I think of her growing up without her mother but she taught me so much about love and and living life in the face of much sadness. Her face will always be etched in my mind and I hope that one day many, many years from now she'll remember her coach who loves her very much. I can only hope that I can continue to be a part of this little girl's life.

*Spaulding Bowl. On March 15th I took 5 of my kiddos (the other two were competing at Nastar Nationals) into Spaulding Bowl, a double black diamond which they had to ride their first Poma lift to get too. On top of that, my dad who was my head coach during racing joined us to assist. Watching those kids make it through that run, and have fun doing it was very rewarding.

*Watching my kids from last year clean up in races this year and show off the technique they started learning last year.

At the end of the season, I don't know that I'll coach full time next year. As health issues have plagued and life gets busier I may decide to sub so that I have more flexibility. But, in the end, I'll be back one way or another. The smiles and hugs are addictive for sure. For now, I'll head to the slopes to ski with friends until the last of the snow is gone and then, I'll start dreaming of the turns I'll be making in just 6 long months from now.

A quick note!

2008-04-08T14:39:00.003-06:00

Yes, it's been a busy few months with at least a bit more to come. I wanted to post the following link for you all to read a report, partially funded by an organization that my uncle runs. It is progressive but it deals with the financial stability and future of me and my contemporaries. I would love it if you take some time to read, I will be digesting more this evening. If you feel like it, please feel free to spread the link to friends and family.

http://www.prospect.org/cs/archive/view_report?reportId=60

I'll be back soon with food, ski season, and life reports.

A Childhood Favorite

2008-03-02T18:35:00.003-07:00

So, I had planned to ski today and take advantage of the free ticket I had for Loveland but I awoke with a sore body and throat and to a snowstorm. I decided not to fight the roads for what would be fairly short day anyhow and thankfully so as I am now hearing reports of it taking 3 hours to go 4 miles!

So, I decided to pull out the recipe for a childhood favorite that my dad makes. We ALWAYS had some of this in the freezer, ready for a quick meal on busy nights. So, I made a double recipe (below is the single recipe) so I'll have plenty in my own freezer. I hope you enjoy just as much as I do!

Papa's Ragu

3 tablespoons yellow onion -- chopped
4 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 1/2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons celery -- chopped
3 tablespoons carrot -- chopped
1 1/2 cups white wine -- dry
3/4 cup milk, skim
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg -- ground
3 cups canned tomatoes -- diced, italian, with juice
1 1/8 pounds ground sirloin

An earthenware pot should be your first choice for making ragu. If you don't have one available, use a heavy, enameled cast-iron casserole, the deepest one you have ( to keep the ragu from reducing too quickly). Put in the chopped onion, with all the oil and butter, and sauté briefly over medium heat until just translucent. Add the celery and carrot and cook gently for 2 minutes.

Add the ground beef, crumbling it in the pot with a fork. Add 1 teaspoon salt, stir and cook only until the meat has lost its raw, red color. Add the wine, turn the heat up to medium high , and cook stirring occasionally, until all the wine has evaporated.

Turn the heat down to medium, add the milk and the nutmeg, and cook until the milk has evaporated. Stir frequently.

When the milk has evaporated, add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly. When the tomatoes have started to bubble, turn the heat down until the sauce cooks at the laziest simmer, just an occasional bubble. Cook, uncovered, for a minimum of 3 ½ to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and correct for salt . If you cannot watch the sauce for such a long stretch, you can turn off the heat and resume cooking it later on. But do finish cooking it in one day.

Yikes!

2008-02-19T19:40:00.004-07:00

Hi everyone!

Thanks RecipeGirl for touching base over here and reminding me to get something up here.

It's been a challenging and busy month for me making it difficult to have much to post about here. Ski racing has been time consuming and somewhat emotional this year. Between challenging athletes and freezing cold conditions we've not gotten as much done this year as I would like. This week has been especially difficult. On Thursday February 14th tragedy hit the Team Summit family when the mother of one of my athletes died suddenly. Tomorrow is her funeral which I will attend. This is the second funeral I've had to attend related to some sort of teaching I do. Over 7 years ago I attended the funeral of a young boy that had been in my religious education class. He had fought and won the battle against brain cancer but succumbed a week after being declared cancer free to an infect from the shunt he had. The memories of Peter and his funeral have been raw this week as well.

Skiing on my own, however, has been fantastic! I had a great day with a bunch of people from skiing bulletin boards at Copper Mountain and explored areas I never get to see with the kids. I've skied with other friends and am really loving this season.

Food! I've honestly not done a whole lot special. Cooking has been only enough to survive and surely not inspired. Oh, I did visit Larkburger in Edwards (near Dish) and had the best burger of my life. A wonderful burger with Tillamook cheddar cheese and truffle aioli and truffle parmesan french fries. I think I'm spoiled for anything else!

I hope to post more in the near future but if I can't, I will be back when the season calms for me a bit.

Dish, again.

2008-01-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

I know, you're all thinking I must be crazy for heading to Dish, yet again. I don't care! Incredible food, incredible service for an incredibly low price means you can't keep me away. Saturday I remembered to bring my camera with me and photographed not only my food but a few dishes leaving the kitchen and some of the kitchen as well. So I'll start with dinner descriptions and end with the photos! By the way, this may be out of order but at least all the dishes are describe and I always seem to be so excited to eat the dishes so pictures come after a couple of bites. Oops.

The Original - The same as below, serrano ham, manchego and sherry.

Tomato Bisque - Wow, this had a bite I didn't expect but it sure was welcomed!

Hawaiian Marlin - This marlin is sliced thin and smoke cured bacon style. Served with house made kim chi to balance the smoky fish. Wow.

White Truffled Pasta - Housemade pasta is served with a simple buttery sauce then white truffles are shaved generously on top and are perfectly showcased against the mellow pasta. Divine, absolutely divine.

Diver Sea Scallops - Seared and served with a lemon buerre blanc, pink grapefruit and fume de sel which is stored in oak chardonnay barrels so it takes on a bit of those flavors. I will definitely be making a dish with scallops and grapefruit at home as it was a wonderful contrast in the buttery scallop and the sweet-tart flavor of the grapefruit.

Roasted Chicken - Served in an open face saffron ravioli and an herbed cream broth. As I moved the sheet of pasta off the chicken and broth the aroma of the herbs hit me. And all I could do was inhale the beautiful smell and anticipate the first bite of pure comfort food.

Baby Iceburg Lettuce Wedge - Served with avocado, red onion and a creamy bacon dressing (with a bite of it's own). A nice refreshing break between rich dishes!

Beef Short Ribs - These had been braised for nearly 12 hours and literally fell apart as my fork touched them in the slightest. They were served with organic roasted carrots and a light coffee glaze with microgreens.

Churros - Yes, you read that right, churros. I wasn't excited about these until I started seeing them pass by me through the night (I was sitting right next to where the servers pick up food to take to other tables) and kept watching that little dish of dark chocolate ganache dipping sauce pass by. These were crispy on the outside and coated with cinnamon and sugar then warm and doughy and tender on the inside. Dipped in chocolate, they were pure heaven.

Buttermilk Cake - Kevin (the sous chef) couldn't decide which dessert was better so he served me both. This lemon buttermilk cake served with raspberry coulis is quite possibly the best non-chocolate dessert I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

Basically, this restaurant is bound for greatness. I see this being a destination spot, a place vacations are planned around. I only hope they'll still find a spot for me at their kitchen bar when they are booked to capacity months in advance. And I don't think it will be very long before that happens. In fact, I've already got my reservation for 7 people 2 months from today.

First ski race of the season!

2008-01-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know I coach ski racing for Team Summit at Copper Mountain. The last two seasons I've had our 5 and 6 year olds which has been so much fun. On Saturday we had our first race of the season at Breckenridge. Race days are chaotic and stressful for all involved but most especially the coaches and parents. At this age the kids just do what we tell them too! Today I took leadership of all of our Y7 (5 & 6 year old) girls, all 14 of them and made sure they did their 2 course inspections, got to the start and down to their speedsuits, did their 2 races and got lunch in there as well. I also had 2 other coaches and 2 parents assisting me. I am so very proud of all of these girls as well and their boy teammates who were being looked over by other coaches for the day. They all tried hard and as they know is my first rule, had fun. Ask any of them. The first rule on my team is to have fun. Below is a photo of some of the girls hanging out in the lodge after the second race.

2007-12-31T15:35:00.000-07:00

On the morning follwing the meal at the Gold Hill I awakened at sunrise to go skiing. When I came up the stairs to start the coffee and check weather reports I was greeted by this magnificent site.

For Christmas Eve I joined my aunt and uncle for our family dinner with a total of 17 of us. It was a wonderful evening of family and friends and good food. I made Bon Appetit's Chocolate Candy Cane Sandwich Cookies which were well received by all. (Sorry it's blurry!)

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies from Bon Appetit December 2005

Peppermint buttercream is sandwiched between homemade chocolate cookies; then the sandwiches are rolled in crushed candy canes.

Servings: Makes about 18 sandwich cookies.
subscribe to Bon Appétit
Ingredients
Cookies
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg

Filling
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops (or more) red food coloring

1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)
Preparation
For cookies:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate cookies to racks and cool completely.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and 2 drops food coloring. Beat until light pink and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.

Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). (Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)

Gold Hill Inn

2007-12-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

I'm alive, really I am. Between traveling back and forth to Boulder for Christmas festivities and coaching and work I've not done very well keeping up here. So, here's one big post to cover the last week and a half.

First, on Saturday December 23rd I was invited to join my aunt, uncle and gramma Jane and their friends at Gold Hill Inn for dinner preceded by drinks at the Sinners' cabin across the street. The in is in the tiny town of Gold Hill just a few miles outside of Boulder. However, in those few miles you climb, dramatically and top out around 9000 feet in elevation and drive a two-lane windy mountain road that is icy and snowy and scary. After reaching the top we were shown into the lovely cabin stocked with all sorts of Boulder memorabilia and warmed by a wood stove.

Next, we walked across the street to the inn to enjoy a 6 course meal. I chose the Raspberry Borscht for my soup and the Stuffed Smoked Trout for my entree, both of which were delightful. Although this is not the favorite of my meals in the Boulder area, I do believe the experience is worth it. What a wonderful old building to enjoy a meal in.

New ski boots...

2007-12-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Last winter I accidentally melted my ski boots a bit. Not to the point that they were unusable but definitely damaged them. In addition, in a fairly typical move I'd bought them about a size too big so as they packed out I had far too much room to move about in them. My final straw was skiing powder in Vail a couple of weeks ago. I was moving all over in the boots causing so little control over my turns that I was hurting, big time both physically and in my skiing. So, at that time I decided I needed new boots.

Step in a wonderful employer who was extremely generous in a year end bonus and a professional discount and I decided I couldn't pass up a chance to have custom ski boots made. Surefoot has experience boot fitters, custom liners and custom orthotics with computerized footbed scans and they have locations at the base of most of the mountains that I ski where they'll do lifetime adjustments as needed. A week ago today I walked in for quite an experience.

I wish I'd had my camera with me to photograph the experience but unfortunately did not. They first do a computerized scan of your foot bed and mill a custom orthotic for you. Next up, based on that scan they pick out a boot that will fit your foot best. I ended up with a Tecnica Diablo boot. Once the orthotic is ready it is inserted in a liner that is yet to be padded and then insert it in the boot shell (minus the stock liner) with all sorts of plastic tubing coming out of the liner. The boot is manhandled with your foot inside and you're thinking "This hurts. Big time!" Then you are asked to head over to a specially designed platform. They prepare a special chemical foam that will be inserted into the boot sections via the plastic tubing and instruct you on how to press your foot into the liner to provide the most accurate mold. And they start filling. And you are ready to scream in pain until finally you just loose feeling in your feet. After they are filled you stand there for 5 minutes waiting for the foam to cure.

Once cured they tell you to head back over to the stool where they can work on the boot some more. Only you can barely walk and they laugh as they say that most people crawl there way up to the stool. Great. At this point I'm thinking "I'm paying how much for you to torture my poor feet and you say this is going to feel good to ski in?"

They remove the boot and disappear into the back room to "clean it up" and reappear to put the boot back on your feet. At that very moment I was thinking "This is gonna hurt, I don't think I can do this right now" as they slide it back on. And, all of the sudden you feel like your foot is being hugged like a perfectly fit glove on your hand.

Although I've only skied a couple of runs in my new custom boots I am beyond excited to put them to work tomorrow. Take a look at the top view and notice how unsymmetrical the tongues of the liners are, just to demonstrate how custom they are! And if you need new boots, head over to Surefoot at Copper Mountain and ask for Winnie, she'll torture you with a smile but in the end it will all be worth it!

I'm still getting used to this!

2007-12-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

Well, on Sunday I made a tried and true recipe but completely forgot to take a picture of it. Oops. I promise I'll try to do better. Quinoa is a fantastic grain that I started using a few months ago. It has one of the highest amounts of protein in a grain so it lends itself to vegetarian applications well. Here's the recipe I used this time.

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Sweet Potatoes - from Women's Health
Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried red chile flakes
1 cup water (I used FF/LS chicken broth)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed
juice of one lime
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions
1. Place quinoa in a small-mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a medium skillet (be sure you have a tight-fitting lid for the skillet).
3. Add sweet potato, scallion, and chile and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add quinoa; toast for 2 minutes.
5. Add water (broth) and salt.
6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cover. Simmer until quinoa and sweet potato are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
7. If liquid remains unabsorbed in the pan, raise heat to high and cook for 2 minutes until it boils off.
8. Stir in black beans and lime juice and cilantro.
9. Serve warm or chilled.

An experience to savor!

2007-12-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

Last night, due to a series of circumstances I was forced to miss a dear friend's birthday dinner but such is life when you spend much of it in the mountains. Kelly, I owe you dinner!

I was fortunate to be able to go to my family's place in Vail again and headed over to my favorite restaurant, Dish, for dinner yet again. I've been asked why I eat there so often and my answer is simple, with the exception of one dish that is always on the menu I've never eaten the same dish twice there. I was greeted warmly by Pollyanna and after informing her I was alone she offered me a coveted seat at the kitchen bar which overlooks the kitchen and allows conversation with the chef throughout the meal. Kevin, their very talented executive sous chef was running the kitchen. I was warmly recognized and greeted by name through out the night by managers and servers. Okay, now on to the important part, the food. I couldn't decide what I wanted so I decided to have the tasting menu (7 courses for $40). What followed was an extravaganza of food that is unequaled in my life and was generously expanded to an astounding 10 courses plus and amouse bouche of Parmesan Truffled Popcorn.

First Course - The Original, shaved serrano ham, a sliver of manchego, a splash of fino sherry (this is always the first course on their tasting menu.
Second Course - Creamy Potato Leek Soup topped with white truffle essence.
Third Course - Spicy Scallop Garden Rolls, rice paper filled with spicy scallop, caesar dressed romaine hearts and prosciutto.
Fourth Course - Roasted Spaghetti Squash with cilantro pesto and pepitas. This is my new favorite way to have spaghetti squash!
Fifth Course - Hudson Valley Foie Gras with kumquat marmalade and crisp wafe crackers and sea salt (this was refused by a couple of people in a 20 person party so I benefited!) This was so buttery and the balance with the marmalade was wonderful. I've not had foie gras before and this has hooked me for good. Although I fear it will never be matched in my mind.
Sixth Course - Wagyu Aspen Steak Tartare with whole grain mustard aioli, poached hen's egg, shaved celery and arugula. My first steak tartare but certainly not the last.
Seventh Course - Pan Seared Walleye with Wild Blue Crab and Brie Mac and Cheese. The traditional thinking of seafood not matching with cheese is proven completely wrong in this dish!
Eighth Course - Sweet Potato Gnocchi (another benefit of the large party, they had a bit extra after plating so it came to me. I love gnocchi. I love sweet potatoes.
Ninth Course - Colorado Lamb Shank, braised with red wine herb risotto, spicy tomato sauce and chevre. Wow. the flavor, the textures, the balance.
Tenth Course - Chocolate "Martini", a rich chocolate and kahlua sipper, triple chocolate brownie "olives". What I wouldn't give for the recipe for those brownies! Absolutely decadent.

I honestly can say that after eating the lamb (incredibly tender and flavorful after braising for 4 hours!) and was ready to call mercy if another non-dessert course had been served as I was perfectly satiated if not a bit full. I can't imagine a more delightful way to spend an evening in the Vail Valley. If you ever have a chance to visit I promise you will not be disappointed.

2007-12-14T08:10:00.001-07:00

As promised, some pictures from my last day at Vail.

Sun down bowl

Blue Sky Basin

My colleague, Carolin, and I on High Noon lift out of Sun Down Bowl.

A new toy...

2007-12-11T18:55:00.002-07:00

Thanks to someone over on a bulletin board I frequent who mentioned to me that heart rate monitors are eligible for Flexible Spending reimbursement I decided that I finally had a good enough excuse to make this long desired purchase. With delight I headed over to REI to purchase a Polar F6 with a $20 off coupon. I rode tonight with it for the first time and it worked great! It will take some getting used to and I need to research the best range for my heart rate to help with my weight loss goals but it's great to know that I'll have another tool to get me there.

It's a Pow Pow day!

2007-12-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a big weekend here! Saturday I coached for the first day this year. Great kids, although some may be more challenging to work with than others. I had to have a discussion with one little boy after he decided that beating on other parents, kids and coaches during lunch was fun. I called him over to me and said "Do you know what respect is?" (He's 5) his very prompt answer was "The Queen of Soul" I looked at him confused and asked him what he said and his response was "The Queen of Soul, she sings a song about respect." I'm trying very hard not to fall over laughing! Out of the mouths of babes.

This weekend I had the privilege of staying at my family's vacation home in Vail with colleagues two of whom were visiting from Europe. Saturday night we enjoyed dinner at my personal favorite restaurant, Dish. We all delighted in the 6 courses that were served with the tasting dish. Personally, my favorite was the dover sole en papillote with maple roasted root veggies. On Sunday we skied Vail and delighted in 17 inches of snow in the last 48 hours. Of course, now my legs are punishing me for skiing the knee deep powder but it is worth it for sure! I'll have photos of the day toward the end of next week and will post them when I can.

A disappointment...

2007-12-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

So, tonight I was invited to join a group of co-workers for dinner at Il Fornaio, a chain of fancy Italian restaurants. The antipasto of different items was decent and I feasted on prosciutto and fresh mozzarella happily and enjoyed a simple mixed green salad. Next came the first disappointment. I ordered a lobster stuffed ravioli topped with shrimp and diced tomatoes in a tomato cream sauce. Honestly, it sucked. The pasta was way underdone, the sauce flavorless and the tiny shrimp probably came to the restaurant pre-cooked.

It continued when I ordered creme brulee which is my absolutely favorite dessert (this coming from a chocolate lover). It came to my table and I discovered that it was topped with a chocolate custard which may have been good but I went in for my first bite, tapping to crack the familiar sugar shell. Nothing. No telltale cracking sound. I tried a different spot and got the same. How is it creme brulee if you don't brulee the top?

Needless to say, this restaurant is definitely on my list of never to return. There are far too many excellent restaurants out there to waste my money and time and calories there. At least this time the company picked up the bill.

Welcome!

2007-12-04T21:21:00.001-07:00

Well, I've finally decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon. I'm planning on detailing my adventures in Colorado along with my culinary adventures for my family and friends to enjoy. If you have any tips or ideas on how to make this a better place please drop me a line!