MS Ride

This weekend was the Harmon's MS Best Dam Bike Ride. These are my best girls...Jodi and Dixie. We always have so much fun on our bikes! They are the ones who got me into riding for MS and it has been a great event the last couple of years. I love these girls!

The first day, I talked Dixie and McKay into riding the century. I had a great time and I was so glad they were willing to go along with me for 100 miles because my life would have sucked without them...they were awesome! McKay probably pulled us for 80 miles.

On Sunday, we enjoyed a 40-mile ride through beautiful farm country around Hyrum Reservoir. It was a great day, and we loved wearing our pink jerseys that coordinate with our black and pink bikes...and showing off the crazy tan lines from Saturday. It was a fun weekend that I will always remember! McKay will always remember it, too...he got to share a bed with Dixie and me! Plus, we had life-changing experiences eating tiny tiny chicken at Wok on Wheels and delicious pizza at the Firehouse in Logan. Thanks for letting me third-wheel it with you, Robinsons!

A sealion wearing sunglasses...

"A 21-year-old male sealion named Rook tries to wear sunglasses, as he will obeserve a solar eclipse next month at the Sunshine International Aquarium in Tokyo. The sealion, who has never seen an eclipse, will observe the solar eclipse with guests on July 22."

I don't know why this made me laugh...but I thought I would share. I don't think those sunglasses are even shading his eyes...and he doesn't even have ears to hold them up. I just don't see how this is going to work, even if he was planning on staring at the eclipse. That last line just cracks me up...a sealion will observe the solar eclipse with guests...like it's on his social calendar. This sealion has more party plans than I do.

Wasatch Back...30 hours with these 11 weirdos...

We made it! 188 miles...30 hours...12 running fools..

My first leg sucked! It was uphill in the heat, but I met a nice guy with a mohawk named Rocky who shared his water with me. My next leg was 7-ish miles through the dark alongside Rockport Reservoir. We borrowed my friend Jared's super-duty head lamp that lit up the whole road, and it was a cool experience to look through the darkness and see other red flashing lights ahead of you and then to see the team waiting for you with a nice beverage and some high-fives. Then...a quick nap on the high school basketball court (which I do not recommend...not comfortable), and then it was time to run again. Although the weather on Friday was awesome, our luck did not hold out and it was drizzling a little when we started out. By the time Dixie took over on Ragnar hill, it was really raining. Once she slapped the wrist band on me, it was foggy, cold, and my hands were numb. I got to the summit above Deer Valley and thought, well, it's all downhill from here. It wasn't...I had one more big uphill and a severe drop to the end. That run kicked my trash, and I'm still feeling it as I shuffle through the halls at work like a 90-year-old arthritic sufferer.

Our team went with a 70s runner theme, and some of us really got into it...it really is more fun to run in a costume. Dixie was interviewed by the Deseret News, and a camera guy shot some video of me although who knows were it will end up...if you happen to see it, let me know :)

All in all, we had a lot of fun...anyone in for next year?

Ride Like a Girl

If you see these awesomely cute bike shorts on a rider up ahead of you, you may be about to pass me. Don't run me over!

Salem Spring Triathlon Report

Ah, spring...the beginning of triathlon season...and blog posts with spandex! I finished the 800m swim-13mile bike-5k run in 1:29, good enough for 7th place in my division out of 57 women. The swim went well...I kept getting cut off by people swimming crookedly...and it took me a while to get into a good rhythym, and then it was time for a quick kick to the beach and up and over the grass to transition 1, grabbed my bike and helmet, and I was off. I was feeling good on the bike until the steep hill, which sucked some energy out of me, but I conquered it! Everything was going great...started the second loop of the bike course, and then the girl riding next to me totally crashed (she plowed right into an orange cone), which wasn't so good for my adrenaline levels, which were already elevated. She ended up breaking her wrist...triathlon can be dangerous! I finished the 2nd loop, and then back to transition, off with the bike helmet, on with the running shoes, and away I went. I ended up passing quite a few people (which is much better than being passed). I'd run this route before, so once I passed the 2-mile marker, I felt pretty good and picked up the pace for a strong finish. It was a beautiful day for a race...I got a little sunburned...and celebrated by eating a big breakfast at a little Spanish Fork dive with the Utah County Search & Rescue Team, who kept us all safe in the water. Thanks guys!