Yo from Colorado!

It's great to be here! Everytime I come to Colorado it reminds me of why I really would love to settle here someday. As much as I love the ocean in San Diego, I just may love the mountains more. I grew up skiing every winter, so coming back here just reminds me of how much I love to ski. I can't knock San Diego though, we do love living there, but given the choice, if I could live closer to family....that would be perfect!

Landed yesterday morning and my parents and Trinette picked me up..we all squeezed into Dawn and Jeff's explorer..the only way to get my bike box and all my stuff and all of us in one car was to borrow an SUV....they still have a purpose, for hauling all of us around.

Back up a second. I love the San Diego airport, every time i've flown with my bike, they'll point to a section of the middle of the check out area, after i've paid $50.00 one way to fly with it (this is actually cheaper, most airlines are $80.00 one way).....and they say "oh, oversized luggage, just leave it there someone will be by to pick it up." ??

Now, i'm not saying someone would walk away with my bike, or let alone know what it is in the huge box, but ya never know...and it's not like it was a bike from KBtoys! So, I stuck with my bike until the random person came to collect it.

Bike arrived safe and sound and is assembled.....

Yesterday afternoon my niece, Skyler was attending zoo camp, so we went to see the zoo camp performance. Priceless. Nearly tears in my eyes from realizing all the little things I miss by being far away. She and her group did this little dance and song about recycling, planets and animals. So cute. Wrapped up the night with a pasta dinner and bed.

Woke up at 5:30 a.m....why? It isn't race day for me, but Skyler and Mia did the kids triathlon, which is on the same "course" as our race tomorrow. That is an entire post in and of itself. I took pictures to chronicle the "adorableness". It was MADNESS. Kids running out of the water, parents coaxing crying on to the bike. It is a "25 yard walk," and then maybe a half mile bike ride and then a 50 yard run?? The transition area was hysterical: tricycles, bikes, big wheels and whatever other method of biking little kids use. It was so cute. More on that when I get home!

Trinette, Dawn and I went to get checked in and then drove the bike course because I was.....well, just curious, I had no idea really what I was getting into..other than mostly gradual climbing. So, we drove and I actually have ridden some of the course before with Amanda last year. It's very different from Vineman, more long climbs than short/quick...but the 2nd half is super fast, downhill, so it should be manageable??

The run is flat with I think 2 moderate slow long hills, but nothing steep and I think Vineman hopefully prepared me well for the little hills, but I would say 85% is pretty flat! AND it's on gravel/packed dirt, which is awesome so my knees won't be hurting hopefully!

So...now what? I'm exhausted, I have to go take a nap since I got up super early the last two days and i'm a bit wiped out......so, i'm going to chill out for a bit, get up and do a little warm up bike and run just for a bit.

Then....Jeff just went to the store to get ice. Looks like we're all going to do an ice bath =0. However, i'm thinking it will be about 10 pounds of ice a person, so hopefully I don't lose sensation in my legs again...hehe.

Tonight will be relaxing, my parents are coming back over....(my sister Dawn lives in Broomfield so we're closer to Boulder than Denver).......and we'll have dinner and then it's time to hit the hay.

Hopefully i'll have a fun race report for tomorrow, so far it's just been awesome having quality time with my family and i'm not even nervous....just thankful to be here hanging out!