Words, Music, & Outdoor Adventures

Obama:

…….

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

…..

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

…..

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So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can. 

I just found this site - and signed up for - organ donation. It’s easy to enroll online.

You can save lives through organ donation:
Colorado: http://www.coloradodonorregistry.org/index.php?page=1

My newest addiction is watching The Gilmore Girls on DVD. I’m on Season 4. This weekend I watched an episode that really hit home. For some reason, I empathize with the character Lorelei. Despite not having a child or running an Inn or having rich parents, I see myself in her a bit. In this episode both she and her daughter have a kind of break down. They are both going through tough times and Lorelei says this to her friend. Who hasn’t been here? I know I’ve been here more times than I’d like:

I’m happy, I like my life, I like my friends, I like my space, my TV. But every now and then; just for a moment I wish I had a partner. Someone to pick up the slack, someone to wait for the cable guy, someone to make coffee in the morning.

I thought I had everything under control but I didn’t. 

This has been my dream forever and I have it.

It’s here and I’m failing.

I can’t handle it.

I spend every minute running around; and I can’t do it all by myself.

But then it goes away and everything is fine again. And I can do it. But we all have the “break-down” moments. We just need to get through them and on to better times.

Ironman Coeur d’Alene 2008 - Watch this video - what it will be like - one person’s perspective

Love this quote from Al Franken’s facebook page - About Me Section

I have been married to my wife, Franni, for 31 years–many of them happy. We are the proud parents of two wonderful children–and my Facebook “friends”–Thomasin and Joe.

June 21, 2009

Swim: I love masters swimming. I’m not good at all. I’m slow and don’t finish the drills but I love it. It pushes me to go faster.
Bike: Biking has been difficult due to the winds. I am biking to work every day in the afternoon wind. Tomorrow should be a good biking day. I just need to put in more miles each week.
Run: No problem here. I can easily go out for a 1 1/2 hour run with hills and feel great. It’s amazing, really.

Life is good. 10 more days until the Ironman Coeur d’Alene lottery. I hope I get in. Good luck to all the athletes participating this year. I’ll be watching and hoping the water warms up in the lake.

I took Daisy and Abbey for a short walk in the Fraser Experimental Forest. The logging has stopped for now and there are a lot of trees on the ground. The St. Louis Creek runs through this area and I think that is the creek the dogs are playing in.

I may have tapered too much. 14.5 miles this week. Oops. I’m well rested, for sure. Heading to Steamboat now. The weather looks good. Trying not to think that tomorrow at this time I’ll be running.

Starting next week I’ll be starting my triathlon training plan for the August 10 1/2 Ironman. I have my swimming membership, my bike needs a tuneup, but otherwise ready.

I can’t believe it. Next week is my first marathon. I’m nervous, excited, panicky. I’m looking forward to seeing some friends that weekend. I hope I finish.

New news. I’m blogging for a news website: www.examiner.com. I’ll be writing an outdoor blog for the Denver area.

Other news: it’s snowing. It’s 46 degrees and alternately snowing and raining. It’s Memorial Day for Crying-Out-Loud. The trails aren’t open for hiking, biking, ATV’ing. It’s too cold to bike on the road. What is a mountain girl to do?

2008 Race Schedule
date race place time
3/1/2008 Steamboat Pentathlon Team Steamboat 2:39:50 7 of 9
5/17/2008 Coyote Creek 8 mile Kremmling
6/1/2008 Steamboat Marathon Steamboat
6/14/2008 Habitat Hobble Fraser/Winter Park
7/5/2008 Run For Independence 5M Fraser
8/2/2008 Granby Gut Buster Granby
8/10/2008 5430 Long Course Boulder
9/13/2008 Roadkill 1/2 Marathon Kremmling
9/21/2008 Boulder Marathon Boulder

Here is a video from last years race. These trails are near my house.

Just ran an hour in the snow. Ugh. Got home and got confirmation for the Steamboat Marathon. There’s no backing out now:

Name: Kristen Lodge
Race Entered: MARATHON

Bib #: 297
Gender: F
Age on Race Day: 37
T-Shirt Size: M

I’m not really suppose to take 3 days off, but I was only 5 miles off my plan. I’ll be better this week. I have to be: 7 weeks until the Steamboat Marathon - OMG.

We just got 8.5 inches of Snow in Winter Park. What the heck?? I’m never going to be able to run on hiking trails.

Arrested Development

&

Chicken Dance

Today I skied-*the last time in-*season 2007-2008. I didn’t really even feel like skiing today but felt compelled since this is the last week Winter Park Resort will be open. I was hoping to ski with my friend Gary, but he had a class (he teaches at NSCD).

So I skied a few runs solo, including Derailer on Mary Jane which is an endless bump run. My final run was Whistlestop which always reminds me of the awesome movie Fried Green Tomatoes-*: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe-*a-*best selling novel by Fannie Flagg.

My final run down Whistlestop was almost tragic.-*I tried to fix my zipper while skiing and-*caught an edge. I fell hard and came-*[too]-*close to hitting a tree. It was bad-*karma. I had the-*feeling I could have died or at least been severly-*injured.

I knew it was time to get off the mountain.

Last week the Principal of the Fraser Elementary school died. She died in a car accident on rt 40. I didn’t know her and never met her, but I think of her every day while driving to work when I pass the accident location. That could’ve been me; it could have been any of us, the many-*who drive that road every day.

17 people died on the slopes in Colorado this year.

Today, I’m thankful for everything I have. I am home, safe and sound as I write this post.
I take risks every day with the activities I participate in from driving, to skiing, to running on backroads.

My plan for next winter is Nordic Skiing and working from home.

I believe in pink, I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.
~ Audrey Hepburn