The in between times

As July leans towards August, I can't help but wonder how we've arrived well past the mid-point of the year! I suppose that my attitude has tinged towards the negative as injuries, surgeries and rehab have shaped so many months. However, I shouldn't bitch and moan all THAT much, as I've looked forward to different …

Looking back at 2018

Yes, I somehow failed to write anything between November and now, despite the fact that I can list off a good number of 'happenings'!  While I'd like to sit back and reflect on those events and also on the year as a whole, I think that summarizing might actually be more helpful to me and …

Hiking highlights

As we are full-on skiing (!!!) and haven't hit the hiking trails for some time, it seems like a timely moment to summarize the hiking season in Zermatt.  First of all, we lucked out weather-wise with a serious lack of rain.  This, obviously, benefitted us, but is concerning long-term for a place that depends on …

A return to the mountains

This has been a long time coming, talking about how unhappy I was for the past two years.  Last fall, I decided that teaching middle school was just NOT the right fit, so I made the decision in November (if not before) that I'd end the year but not return.  It was a weird situation …

Road tripping: Whistler and Squamish

At times I feel spectacularly boring or predictable when it comes to life and the patterns that seem to define my experiences or to which I revert.  Case in point, back in 2014, when I undertook the first full ironman journey, I wanted the trip part to be about more than just the race.  And …

Post mortem: IM Canada

There's this saying "Third time's charm", which might be true in some cases, but I don't think that I'd sum up my Ironman Canada experience in such a way. It's been just over two weeks ago since I crossed the finish line, and I'm still sorting through the experience.   I have to be honest …

¡A San José! ¡Pura vida!

Or: The way to San José, Take 2 I'm embarrassed to say that I was NOT looking forward to returning home, unpacking, packing the same bag with an entirely separate set of clothes, and heading back to the airport for a pretty rough schedule - all within a week of my first trip in May.  …

Do you know the way to San José? (Take 1: California)

I usually like to keep the month of May somewhat low-key, sort of a protected, buffer zone as the school year amps up just to wind down.  May 2018, however, found me traveling to far-flung places.  Okay, not really, but I found myself traveling from California to Costa Rica within the span of a week.  …

(Not) The same as it ever was: Wildflower Triathlon

But still awesome and an amazing experience.  (Except for that soul-crushing run!) In some ways, Wildflower Triathlon *was* very much the same - a great, fun, supportive experience with terrific energy - and definitely NOT an Ironman branded race.  And hard.  Did I mention that it was hard?  I will always have a place in …

A southwestern Christmas

So, yes, Virginia, it IS January, Christmas is long over, and Santa, I suppose, has returned to the North Pole. But, since our holiday decorations continue to deck the halls and walls AND since winter really hasn't hit Colorado (it was 62 degrees on Tuesday!), it doesn't seem *that* late - or not too late …