Bugs 2013

We hit the weather on our latest trip to Canada!

 Some great view!  And a lot of pictures!

 The self portrait...

Always some time for video, you'll have to keep an eye out on youtube...

Getting ready for Canada eh?

Time to mount up some new bindings

Both the Hagan Dolphin's and the Phat Luv's got new 7tms...

And if you look closely, you'll see an edge and sidewall fix on the white knuckle/ Vegi board.

Great weekend!?!?!

While Karyn is resting up...  I'll tell the story.

Karyn's been training for several months for her 'first' Marathon.  Some of you saw the posting from September 2011that recorded the fact that Karyn 'moved swiftly and efficiently from aid station to aid station' for a total distance of 26.2 miles during an IronMan.

This year she attempted to run for 26.2 miles.

She signed up for the Rock and Roll Marathon on a challenge from her brother Karl.  They were to meet up January 20, 2013 to run together.

Her training went well, and on the 19th she got up early for a flight.  (I got up a little later...)

I headed out about 6:30 to KBJC.

Some great views along the way.

I arrived about 12:30 in Glendale, and called Karyn for a ride...

The next morning we got up early to drop Karyn at the full Marathon start, and Karl at the 1/2 Marathon start.

Of course the driving around there was crazy, so Melissa showed her crazy by making a ton of great signs for the course.

Melissa and I proceeded to be those anoying spectators that drove around cheering at random people and providing what we hoped were humorous signs...

The first pass of Karyn on the full course.

Second Pass

Crazyness on the 1/2 course...

Beat the dragon and get a free dinner!?!?!

Guess who missed the free dinner!
Karl on the first pass.

3rd pass: I had brought my folding bike along so I would have a better chance of spectating...  I split off with Melissa so she could return to the finish to meet up with Karl, and I rode around elsewhere on the course checking in on Karyn..

The Athletes!!!

The aftermath...

Karyn and I headed out to meet some fellow athletes, including a couple from Denver...  We ended up at this really interesting steakhouse, wait in line, order, pickup, and sit by the fire in the back listening to live music...

Karyn decided to test her luck with me on the way home.  Planned a stop in Gallop to stretch our legs, and get some fuel.

We headed out just as the sun was rising.

Got back in 4.2 hours!  Both times Karyn got out of the plan, we had to pry her free, and drag her in the building since her legs weren't ready to face the day...

The sign totals:   The "SIGN" got the most overall comments...  Of course the "worst parade ever" followed by the "where are the floats" was second place...  But honorable mention goes to "Mortuary ahead, look ALIVE" got me in a photo op...  Some lady's father is a mortician...

I'll have Karyn add her stats:

Annual Diabetes retreat weekend at Vail....

So, normally the Adult Type 1 Diabetes retreat is in November... before the ski slopes are open - which is just bitter irony that I can afford to stay at the base of Vail or Beaver Creek and there is no skiing.

This year?   It was the first weekend in December.  While we had a great time at the retreat with all my D friends we also enjoyed some time on the slopes on saturday and sunday!

Not much snow yet.....  :(  But a good time anyway!

I did discover how to remove the latex paint from the front of my pump - when I run into walls (don't ask, but it happens)

Karyn's 1st half marathon (without swimming and biking) and/or first ski trip to Washington state

Soooo....    we went to Seattle for Thanksgiving weekend.  Our good friend Catherine lives there and many of our monoski buddies as well - and there are 4 half marathons that weekend that aligned well with my full marathon training plan.  one on thurs, one on fri, one on sat and one on sun.  many people do all of them.   Many also complete all FOUR FULL marathons offered on those same days.

We arrived Wed night and had dinner with Catherine and her brother Tony who was visiting from California.  Thursday was sighseeing in downtown and then dinner with friends of Catherine who all seemed to have a Colorado connection!

Friday morning Tucker, Tony and I headed to meet our monoski friends for a day of skiing at Steven's Pass.   We brought boots and borrowed boards -

 

It was great except for the rain which froze on my goggles preventing any real good sight of what was going on around me.  I took 2 runs and called it a day.   But, it was a GOOD day!

The following day - Saturday - was the half marathon.  It was beautiful and warm (50s).  But, I had never run a half marathon.  I have walked one after some biking and swimming (1/2 Ironman) but have never run one.  I was scared and excited and unsure how things would pan out.  I followed my coach's plan and finished 1 hour faster than the 13.1 miles that I walked in my 1/2 Ironman last year!  (the finisher's medal is a bottle opener)

 

I followed this guy FOREVER and finally passed him around mile 8 or so... thank goodness.   He had the same saying tattooed on his calf.   Odd, but motivating.  He high fived me at the turn around as I passed him!  Such a low key race and such a good crowd!

 

We had brunch.  I took a shower and then we saw the wooden boat exhibit and then were off to Gregg and Darcy's house for dinner!  But first....   it started raining and we headed out with them on their boat to pick up the evening's dinner - crab!

We only got one crab but it was delicious!   It was a great excuse to race, see friends and ski!   Watch out, I might do it again next year!

Ironman Arizona spectating (and signing up)

The weekend before Thanksgiving I headed to Tempe to watch Ironman Arizona.   With many of my past teammates and other IronMonsters (Chicago based Triathlon team that I've made friends with).   The morning of the race started out watching the swim start and enjoying each other's company -

And the day ended - a little sleep deprived and excited to sign up the next day with my buddies at the finish line at midnight!

*I mentioned sleep deprived right???


The next morning 4 of us were in line at 5:20 am.....

We made friend with people that had CHAIRS!  yay!  no sitting on the cold, hard sidewalk for a few hours!


Registration was supposed to open at 8 but we think it opened early since we weren't at the front of the line and were done registering by 8:05.   Here are some of us right after we forked out the money (and our sanity).  (all of us are type 1 diabetics)

I'm really, really hoping to do this race but before then I have a half marathon (the Sat after Thanksgiving) and a full marathon (Jan 20th in Tempe) and who knows what else?!?!?