Cherry Creek Sneak and Lululemon Product Review

Each year Nick and I try to find a race near my birthday.  It's a great way to usher in the spring and a new year for me :)  This year we chose the Cherry Creek Sneak 5K in Denver, CO.  The race also included a 5 mile and 10 mile race with the event supporting Food Bank of the Rockies. 

Although Denver CO is over 1000 miles from Boston MA, we were reminded of the recent tragedy by the presence of extra security and even the bomb squad at the race.  Over 10,000 runners and walkers turned out to participate in the event which began with a moment of silence for those affected by the Boston Marathon bombing.  The race started and finished at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center in Denver and lead through the surrounding neighborhoods and along Cherry Creek.  It was a beautiful day to race.  Coming off of a rest period since Nick's 70.3 our times weren't anything spectacular but we had a blast celebrating Denver's rite of spring, running with a few friends, and enjoying the on-course and post-race entertainment.

Nick and I were also asked to demo some shirts for Lululemon at the event.  I wore the Swiftly Tech Short Sleeve.  Made from moisture wicking fabric and with a seamless body to minimize chafing, this fitted tech top was great on its own for running in the crisp spring morning air but I could also see wearing it as a lightweight base layer on cooler days.  The long and lean cut in combination with soft, breathable fabric and anti-odor silver fibers kept me looking cute, feeling plenty comfortable, and smelling like a rose both during the race and at the post-race block party.  It's definitely a good day when you've gotten a great workout in and you're sipping a beer in the sun with friends by noon :)

Another Year Older

For me, birthdays have been a great time to reflect on the year passed and the beginning of another year similar to celebrating New Year's.  26 was a great year.  At 26 I got engaged, I returned to marathons, I moved from coastal Virginia to the mountains of Colorado, I got a tattoo.  As I embark on year 27, I find myself thinking about the fact that I'll likely never run my age in miles again - I don't see myself going beyond the marathon distance of 26.2 miles...at least not on purpose.  It's the beginning of new era.  Nick and I have decided to put the travel PT world behind us and settle down in Colorado Springs. Now we're planning our wedding and we're beginning programs to complete specializations, instead of looking for the next cool place to move.

April 29th really crept up on me this year.  Seriously, I unintentionally made appointments to sign new job paperwork and a new lease on my birthday thereby putting a kink in Nick's plans for us...sorry babe.  Needless to say, life has been a little hectic lately and the past few weeks have flown by.  Luckily things simmered down at just the right time, allowing us the chance for a little vacation during my birthday week.



We finished up our travel assignments in Pueblo, CO just a few days before my birthday and won't be starting our new jobs until a couple weeks later.  As usual Nick had some great things in store for us.  When I got home from signing paperwork, I was met with a lovely display of my favorite delicious treats and beautiful flowers along with Nick's smiling face and gift certificate for a new Garmin watch...product review to come :)

Next we ventured off to Manitou Springs for a surprise tour of Cave of the Winds, one of the highest show caves in the US.  The cave was discovered in 1881 and is one of Colorado's most popular natural wonders.  We opted for The Lantern Tour which gave us the chance to experience the caves like the early explorers did as we traveled deep into the Manitou Grand Caverns with hand-held kerosene lanterns.  We explored numerous passageways and learned about the history, folklore and formations of the caves.  It felt as though we were stepping back in time.

We finished the day with a delicious dinner at The Cliff House At Pikes Peak Dining Room, renown as one of Colorado's best fine dining destinations.  We were met with a creative symphony of tastes, smells and textures.  We started off with a duck confit egg rolls and a few domestic beers.  For dinner, I polished off the Stuffed Chicken with prosciutto, goat cheese, artichokes, and a side of mashed potatoes.  Nick enjoyed Elk Ribeye wrapped in bacon; a fully Colorado dish.  What a great day!




"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.  It's the life in your years."  - Abraham Lincoln