Bolder Boulder 10K

"Sea Level is for SISSIES!"

My first 10K took place today in Boulder, Colorado.  (Bolder Boulder) Friends Kristen and Renee had told me how fun this race was and I accepted their invitation to give it a try! (BTW Kristen and Renee are also the cuties who encouraged me to do the sprint triathlon last summer!)

I must say that this was indeed a GREAT race to do as a beginner!  The route was so very entertaining.  I found myself wanting to take pictures of all the attractions along the way.  You'll have to be satisfied by my listing the sights.

• Blues Traveler's impersonators
• Elvis impersonator
• Many, many other live bands
• Belly Dancers
• Tons of costumed runners
• Free Hug people (I collected 2)
• Hoses and sprinklers aimed to cool off runners (LOVE!)
• Slip and Slide
• Hula Hoopers
• Free cupcakes (I only saw wrappers)
• Free bacon (I only heard about)
• Free beer bong (not me)
• Marshmallows (I got one!)
• Air Force fly by at the end (awesome!!)

I had no idea how long it would take me to complete the 6.2 miles and guessed at 2 hours, 15 minutes.  The sprint tri took me 2 hours 20 minutes, so that's all I had to measure by.  After I looked up some past finishers in my division, I changed my hopes to finishing in under 2 hours.  

My official time is: 1 hour 28 min.  I couldn't be happier!!

I placed 34,588 - at least I wasn't last!

GO!!!

I was in the PC wave, which is to say we signed up as Walk/Jog.  We started at 9:11am.

My heart rate averaged 160 sometimes hitting low 170's, which made my heart monitor beep.  I really tried to push myself while having a good time.  There was a breeze throughout most of the stretch which made it nice.  Most of the race was through Boulder neighborhoods.  Block parties were being held around every corner with cheering spectators sitting in comfy chairs in the shade drinking cold beverages!

Urban drew encouraging things on my arm to keep me motivated during the race.  

L-R a two toned heart, a racing shoe and the word GO!

Urban and I drove up to Boulder last night and spent the night at my dear friend Annlee's home.  I work with Annlee at the quilt shop.  Urban and Annlee's boyfriend, Matt had a ball telling each other goofy jokes and looking at silly animal pictures. Annlee and Matt had prepared a delicious dinner of steak, chicken, roasted potatoes and salad.

Urban and I went to bed in the coziest bed ever!! How pampered can one be? Continue reading!!

Because I CAN NOT do anything the easy way, I was sent into a panic this morning when I went to put on my shoes only to find that I had not packed them!!!  Fortunately, Annlee had a pair of trail runners that fit me perfectly!!  I tell ya, I don't know what I'd do without such great friends!! I had NO blisters on my feet when I finished and the shoes were a perfect fit!

Urban stayed with Annlee and Matt after they dropped me at the race drop off.  I told them I would text when I was at the half way mark, mile 3, and they planned to walk to mile marker 4 to watch me go by.  Well, I was too fast for them!  That's OK, Urban still got to see all the fan fare of the race.

Approaching Colorado University Stadium

Look at all the people to cheer us on!

The finish line!!!

I was embraced by Kristen and Renee when I found them in the stadium at the end

Top L-R Alice and Kristen, bottom L-R Renee and Me

We got to watch the pro men and women runners come into the stadium. 

Back to being pampered . . . 

Urban and I got to soak our feet in Annlee's hot tub in her gorgeous backyard oasis!

See the butterfly?

After relaxing in the backyard and a long shower I packed up our things and headed home. 

 Urban was tuckered out too!

More facts about Bolder Boulder 2012

• Largest race in the US in which all participants are timed
• The fastest civilian time was 31 min 10 sec. Colorado born and raised, Josh Eberly also won BB in 2004
• This is the 34th year of the race
• There was close to 50,000 runners. WOW!

So, how did I train for the Bolder Boulder? My amazing trainer Maria from Golden Shape was KEY!! 

In 2011 she helped me get into shape while loosing 90 pounds, train for the Cresent Moon Sprint  Triathlon and climb my first Fourteener.  Maria is a young, beautiful, tiny, blonde, enthusiastic girl from Poland who knows my limits and pushes me to achieve my best. I love her!!!!  

I can't say enough about Maria (and her fiancé and parter in business, Adam).  They have helped me gain an inner confidence that I know will carry me through any trial that comes into my life. 

I had to stop and take a pic of this quote

(Another) New Home!

I can't tell you how nice it was to have Mom and Dad come for a service/visit last week!


I would not have been able to get everything done, I was in 'shut down' mode and wasn't proactive in ANYTHING!!


Anyway,  Urban and I are settled and here's our set up for our living room / studio area.

This shot is from our entry.

My area is behind the couch.

Urban's studio is area on the right.

This pic is taken from my studio, facing our entry.

Urban's studio is on the left.

Kitchen is around the corner to the left.
Large Norman Rockwell book from Grandpa Kroff sits in front of Urban's studio.

A shot of the area that will NEVER look this tidy EVER again!

I feel very comfy here, I love it!

My new (thanks Mom & Dad!) sewing cabinet with mirrored doors.

Since the new place is in much need of light, the mirrors reflect what light comes our way.

My previous cabinet was a few inches too tall.  Ikea had a 'frame' in a shorter size and we were able to put the shelves from the taller one into this one, minus two shelves. 

Inside my sewing cabinet. 

I LOVE everything in here.  

To some it may be cluttered and crammed, but I LOVE the saturation of inspiration!!

Favorite shelf in cabinet contains lots of charm packs, jelly rolls and yummy yardage

I have little things I've collected from friends and travels scattered around.

The silk blue and green 'corsage' in this pic is from a boutique shop I went to in Argentina with my Argentine friend Viviana.  Great memories!!

Grandma Park's cookie box on left.

Antique finds from Denver.

SOME of my quilt books.

Tea cup from Grandmother Park (with whom I shared a birthday and the love of hand arts)

The flag painted rock was created in one of my favorite places on earth, Teton's in Wyoming.

Well there it is! 

Don't expect to see it like this again!! ;)  The walls are bare for now, but no doubt will be decorated with art of our making soon!

Thanks for stopping by!

NOTE:
It was fun as Urban and I were looking at potential places to rent, he would walk in the space and say "Yeah, I could see my studio here."  Totally serious.


Only one did he say, "Nah, I can't see my space here"  The older gentleman who was showing the apartment gave me a weird look, I just smiled.  The poor guy wouldn't understand us creative types!

Halloween 2011

There is no shortage of costumes in our home!


Since there are several Halloween events Urban is attending this year, he gets to be several different characters.  He also likes to combine them.


Here is Captain Iron Ninja Man.

A couple of years ago Urban wanted me to be Poison Ivy (from the Batman comics) for Halloween.  I bought $50 worth of fabrics and Marianne agreed to make it, but we moved, life got in the way and it never got done.


Well, this year since we had to dress up for work and Urban hasn't forgot about the costume, I got to be Poison Ivy!

Because I was putting my camera on auto take, I wasn't able to get a full length picture so here I am in pieces!


I'm very happy with how my costume turned out.  It's a little more fitted than my usual T-shirt and jeans, but it was fun and Urban loved it!

Thanks Mari!

Englewood Fun Fest

Urban and I had the opportunity to help our art friend, Denise who is a director for the City of Englewood.

The Fun Fair was held at one of our favorite parks, Bellview about 20 minutes from us.

Urban and I helped out at the Friendship Pin table.  

I put mine on my back pack.

Urban made lots, but only took a few home.  After our shift, Urban and I wandered around to the other tables and found some fun activities.

Urban put his Friendship Pin on his Bullseye (that I helped make).

Lowell's was there with a building station.  After failing to construct a school bus, we (I) built a pair of binoculars that work surprisingly well!

There was a face painting station but Urban wanted some arm art with a ying-yang and fire.  It was a hit!!  The next 2 boys in line wanted the same thing!


Next Urban got his hair sprayed with blue and orange 'flames'.

They also had a station where you could decorate a slap bracelet.  His was decorated with lighting bolts and Captain America shields, of course! (left arm)


It was a fun day!

Colorado Day 8/1/11

Every first Monday of August is Colorado Day.  Free entrance to all the State Parks is offered and special programs are set up for families.  One such event was sponsored by The North Face, Explore Your Parks program and was held at Barr Lake State Park in Brighton, Colorado.

It was about a half hours drive for Urban and I to get there and even though we got there at 9am, it was already hot!!  


We all got goodie bags filled with fun stickers and tattoos, informational pamphlets on camping, hiking, bird watching, and other outdoorsy stuff. There were lots of protein/granola type bars to try and I actually got Urban to eat a few bites of one that I called a 'Scotcheroo'.  The bag also contained a cool aluminum water bottle that we could fill up at several water stations and a free day pass to any of Colorado's State Parks.  I can't wait to use those up!


There were about 6 stations set up for families to learn about different aspects of nature.
The first station we went to, Urban decorated a mask as an eagle.  Others were making their's owls, but my creative kid wanted to be different, and anyway, his school mascot is an eagle.

Next Urban made a seed necklace.  He filled a little plastic vile with some dirt and buried a couple of radish seeds, put some droplets of water in, then put it on a piece of yarn.  Cool idea!

We also saw pelts, skulls and poop of different types of animals, I didn't get a pic though!


Then we went to Urban's favorite station, where you could paint and decorate a walking stick!

Not knowing about this activity, Urban brought the walking stick that Scotty had given him on Urban's birthday.  After Urban had his new stick painted he let me use the one he had brought but made sure I knew I couldn't keep it.

We took a ride out to the refuge area where there are Canada Geese (don't you dare call them Canadian Geese to a true bird watcher!), Eagles, and other birds I can't remember!  

The land around this area is what I imagine the swamps of Louisiana to be like.  I was skiddish of an alligator getting us, but didn't see ANY amphibians - I was hoping to see a frog or two. 

Did I mention that it STUNK?!  There was lots of algae, good and bad types, not that I could tell the difference. Oh, and I got stung by a wasp.  

We had a great time despite the smell, heat and the sting and can't wait to visit more State Parks!

Tetons 2011

After years of foregoing our annual trip to the Grand Tetons National Park in Wyoming, for various reasons, we were finally reunited with the majestic scenery!


Click on each picture to see a larger picture!

It goes without saying that the pictures don't do the area justice, but I'm really disappointed with how my pics turned out - I'm not camera savvy at all and probably sabotaged the photos by not having the right setting for capturing the outdoors.

I was able to enjoy Colter Bay and Jenny Lake in depth this trip, by hiking for hours.

Swan Lake, near Colter Bay

A common site around camp

Hiking around Jenny Lake en route to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point

Hidden Falls

An after hike ice cream!