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 …

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 …

You know you’re getting older when…

I feel that, as I look at that half-century point which seems to be closing in at a quicker pace every year, there are a multitude of ways that could finish this statement aptly.  The grey hairs, of course, springing up on my head (and sometimes elsewhere!); the wrinkles that have appeared, especially over the …

Third time is something of a charm (Boulder 70.3)

So, Boulder 70.3 (2017)   has come and gone.  I planned to write a pre-race ramble, but failed to do so.  Well, actually, I got this far:  So, it's been a while since I did anything that resembled a race event, over a year, to be precise, and, now, I'm having to remind myself of the …

That commitment piece

With 2017 well underway at this point (hello February!), we've officially hit the mid-winter doldrums at school.  Still, I'm looking forward to a break coming up, and a short month will probably feel better too, especially as the days grow longer by small increments. I've mentioned time and again that a full embrace of life …

Boulder 70.3: Highs and lows

Just a note: I wrote this ages ago and then waited and waited for the race photos.  Yes, I'm one of those people who purchases the race photos, depending on the race!  And, yes, Boulder 70.3 actually happened - a few weeks ago now, which, in racing time is like "years ago". In some ways, …

Change in seasons

Cue the ubiquitous and cliché "It's spring" post - just in time for Earth Day (which we celebrated by watching Chasing Ice - even more cliché, although the photographer spoke at the school where I'm teaching and I'm teaching his daughter, so it had a personal connection).  Also, speaking of new seasons, Game of Thrones …

March and April theme: Focus

As I mentioned, I've moved past the (f)Unemployment phase - at least for now - and am working at a charter school in Boulder through the end of the school year.  While it isn't the *ideal* job in some ways, in other ways, I was very lucky.  It was a maternity leave position that was …