Carnival Victory Cruise, No, not that one

Less than a week ago I was able to exit relatively unscathed from the annual guy trip that many of my best friends were able to take aboard the Carnival Victory.  Prior to the trip there were multiple jokes and warnings from co-workers about the recent ... ummm ... hiccups that Carnival has had.  Luckily, I was able to arrive back home with some stories and very few complaints.  

We decided on the Carnival cruise that went over St. Paddy's Weekend and took us through a couple great locations.  We also met some great Spring Breakers and fun-loving sea goers on the trip.

Our first stop was Key West, FL. where the beautiful weather and plethora of bars made for a great day of walking and hopping among the local establishments.  The options that Key West provides include local trolley tours, self-done scooter touring, eclectic shopping, and lively local watering holes.  Our group opted largely for the last option (surprise, surprise).  Our tour including dancing on stages, entering into chants, and hitting some of the famous Key West spots. 

Key West, despite its tropical feel, proved to be eerily similar to Martha's Vineyard in my opinion.  The hard to get to town thrives on visitors and providing a vacation experience to all.  Local establishments are based largely on providing a show and uniquely Key West experience.  We were able to bounce around and explore the town with ease.  A great cruise destination due to the tourism options.

Following Key West we headed back to sea to head southwest to our next destination.  Cozumel, Mexico, an island south of Cancun which shares the same clear seas and hot winter weather.  Our tour of the island included an ATV adventure in the jungle, a stop at the beach where many forms of sea life were present directly on the shore, and a stop at a Mexican restaurant to test out the local tequila and beer.  Cozumel is the only piece of the trip I would have done different.  The ATV tour, while fun for the hour your rode, took over four hours to complete including a large amount of static time and a large push to purchase additional options above the price of the excursion.  The overall cheesiness of being a captive audience that is constantly being sold to was a deal-breaker for rating it a 5-star experience, however the tour of the island itself was a welcome addition to the trip.  After getting back and experiencing the beautifully temperate night it is definitely a place I'd choose to visit again to get a more in-depth tour of Mayan Ruins and to enjoy the tequila in the non-devil's shot form (addition of Tabasco sauce).

                 

After working the karaoke and club floors for the following night, we had a day at sea planned on our cruise.  It was also St. Paddy's!  The day included the option to dye anything green on the whole boat, chill in the hot-tub, and dance on the main deck.  We had a friend enter the hairy chest contest and subsequently get robbed out of a top-3 place (it may have been to his somewhat poorly understood dog bark).  All-in-all it was a great way to end a cruise, spending the day at sea with very little land in sight throughout the whole day with the sun shining.  

In the end, Carnival did a great job with offering a variety of food and drink options, the best of which are available nightly at the formal dinner, and the DJ was often spot on in the opinion of this 27 year old.  Be careful when you pick excursions, and make sure your flight home leaves earlier than later to avoid a long day waiting to get home.  

Bon Voyage!

Race Season: Less Than A Month Till Taper

Can't wait to start the season!

We've had a busy time since our latest move including our commutes to work, planning our continuing education, studying for our CSCS exam, and training for the racing season.  The "Big" race, Half-Ironman Texas is in one month but the season will officially kick off for us next week when we participate in Life Time Fitness Colorado Springs' Indoor Triathlon.  Also it's been cold outside, so we've been preparing indoor style!

Every Monday we continue to make the hour drive to spin class in order to kick off our week in training with  group fun.  Following our classes, I do my best to get Jess into the pool.  I'm beginning to seriously consider buying her a pair of floaties.  Luckily I don't think it's possible to drown in 4 ft water during an indoor tri.

The indoor triathlon is based on distance covered in the time given.  For the swim that is 10 minutes.  The curve is set by the person who completes the furthest distance and everyone else is given points in terms of percentage.  At the end, you add up the percentage type points for a total score.  Last time I participated my swim cost me the win as I won the bike (100 pts) and tied for the run (100 pts) but only managed about 50% of the best swimmers laps.  It was rather depressing.  So this year I joined a triathlon training/master's swim class.  Hopefully I won't embarrass myself huffing and puffing this time!

This year I have a main focus on April, my first half-ironman.  I won't be taking it easy next weekend sandwiching long runs and speed work around the indoor triathlon.  While building up a base during the winter, which wasn't always as fun due to blistering winds and cold, I knew that come race day it will likely be 90 degrees that greets me.  Regardless of the pending heat, I am looking at a month of hard training ahead until a week-long taper that will culminate with my arrival in Texas.

Now it's time to begin the final push!

Couple's Run: Black Forest Winter Series

Jess and I had a fun time this morning at the Black Forest Winter Series.


It was a beautiful, albeit cold morning.  The course was well sheltered from the cold breeze by the thick coniferous forest.  It's a gorgeous segment of Colorado Springs laid east of the mountains in between desert and alpine climates.

After our unexpected move back to the area we haven't had a consistent race schedule.  Our last race was 3 months ago as our focus has been all over the map.  Luckily, Jess is the queen of finding Saturday morning excursions to get us back on track.

The morning run in Black Forest followed dirt trails with a nice majority existing on packed snow.  Due to our recent lack of racing we both opted for the 10K short series section to get back in the groove.  We were glad to keep the slippery hills short today as the course was a nice combo of rolling and slow.


We found our way back eventually, despite less than stellar speed which will hopefully improve over the next month as our racing season starts.

Fortunately we found our way back fast enough to get our pick of chocolate donuts, hot chocolate, and hot apple cider!

It's important to spoil yourself a little bit after a hard effort!

Can't wait until next time.  Run hard!

Seizing the Opportunity

Jess and I never planned on being back in the Springs, but what we've found is great training for our upcoming triathlons.  Jess performs yearly in a woman's triathlon series, and we will be traveling to Texas for the Ironman 70.3 this April.

We experienced a lot of disappointment when our jobs in Texas fell through, but luckily Jess found that exploring the mountains can lead to a great natural chair with a view.

Our new focus on triathlon training in Colorado also landed us at Life Time Fitness.  Spin, master's swimming, and altitude runs in combination with a hot tub makes life really nice.  Jess prefers to do all her laps in the pool when she knows I'll be making dinner... the girl just can't stay awake after a water workout!

The cold nights in southern Colorado are accompanied by warm sunny days.  We've often been able to go out in shorts during mid-day, just make sure you take a bunch of layers for when the sun goes down!

At first we thought that losing our training in the Texas heat for a race that's been over 90 degrees in recent years would be our downfall; now, we have come to enjoy the opportunity of living at altitude and with a community passionate about sport.

Until next time, my favorite Saucony motto:  Life's Hard!  Run Hard!

Running High in Colorado

Our first weeks back in Colorado have been filled with new experiences after our short winter hiatus.
We pushed for all the typical Colorado experiences on our first stay.  Now, we've been able to settle for getting the feel of living in Colorado Springs rather than rushing to get around the state.

 Some of the best things in Colorado are right here in town.  We're hoping to find that Colorado Native lifestyle.  I know we will have too quickly as we train for our spring and summer triathlons here and the Pittsburgh marathon.  One thing we have become sure of is that no course will feel too hilly after living at the base of the Rocky Mountains.

Jess and I are beginning our new jobs and hope to get out and provide some more Partner Perspectives soon as we get into the new year.

We can't wait to share what we learn!

Back In Colorado!

After a long layoff for the holidays when we visited our family and friends we were faced with another job search.   The traveling physical therapy business is anything but certain, especially when you are looking for two jobs near the same place.  We were hoping to travel to Texas during the winter where I planned to train in the warmth for my Ironman 70.3 Texas in April.  Well, life doesn't always go as planned, and we are back in the beautiful, and much colder than Texas, mountains of Colorado.
Our cross country drive from Pennsylvania involved long days driving through the plains but also a great stop at our Alma Mater, Pitt, where we were able to connect with friends.  Colorado Springs gets well deserved
praise as an amazing city to live, but Pittsburgh easily competes in my humble opinion.  Alas, we drove off in the rain on to our new jobs.


Luckily our training will have a great altitude boost to supplant the loss of temperature acclimation.



We are back and excited to share our continued travel and athletic experiences for the New Year!  Have a great one and we will see you soon!

Creations: Wedding/Bridal Shower Wine Gift

Wedding/Bridal Shower Wine Gift

I’ve always loved arts and crafts, however being a travel therapist has limited my creations lately since it would be rather impractical for me to travel with extra craft supplies and to create things for an apartment we’d be moving out of within 4 months.  Instead I’ve been channeling my creative energy to new recipes, therapy drills (although my patients would call them cruel rather than creative), and GIFTS!

One of my favorite recent creations has been a Wedding Wine Basket!  I was ecstatic and truly honored to be a bridesmaid in my friend Jess’ wedding.  Jess and her fiance Brian didn’t create a wedding registry and told guests that gifts were unnecessary; they were just happy to have everyone they love get together to celebrate.

Consequently I thought that the Wedding Wine Basket would be a fun and personal gift for them.  For those unfamiliar, the gift basket is filled with a variety of wines for the newlyweds to share on special occasions that lie ahead in their future together.  It can also make a fun bridal shower or group gift in which each bridesmaid contributes 1-2 bottles of wine.

I used Microsoft Word to create personalized labels for the following occasions and included a label a little poem related to the occasions.  I printed the labels a Avery label paper and then cut each label to the appropriate size.  Then I carefully applied the labels to the wines.  Another variation is to create tags instead of labels and attach a tag to each bottle with a ribbon.

Wedding night:
Mr. and Mrs. Hudock
This day is meant for you to share.
Enjoy each other, a perfect pair!
July, 28^th 2012

First fight:
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
When fights occur and tempers are hot,
Pour a glass and be thankful for what you’ve got.
For in marriage it would be a bore,
If everyone agreed and said nothing more.

First dinner party:
Cheers to Good Times
Open your home to entertain and eat,
Catch up with old friends and new ones to meet.
When the night is over share this bottle of wine,
But don’t sit down yet – it’s clean up time.

First Christmas:
A Christmas to Remember
Now it the season for holiday cheer.
Enjoy this bottle as family and friends draw near.
Pop the cork for a toast, for this much is true,
Santa is sure to be good to you.
 

First anniversary:
I Thought I Loved You Then
On your first anniversary you’ll wonder where time goes,
No longer are you newlyweds, you’ll soon be pros.
Now raise your glass to this date as the first, not the last,
And as you build your future don’t forget the past.

First child:
And Baby Makes Three
The news that a baby will soon share your life,
Will make you parents, not just husband and wife.
This one is non-alcoholic so you can both raise a glass.
Sit back and relax, nine months will quickly pass.

I hit up some local wineries with my mom to choose the wines and added some extra personal flair to the basket by including some heart shaped wine stoppers from a local shop and some personalized wine glasses for the colleges that Brian and Jess attended (PSU and PITT).  

I chose a cute basket from Marshall’s that appeared it could be useful for storage, magazines or such.  Using tissue paper as padding, I carefully and securely arranged the wines and glasses in the basket (they needed to survive a 4 hour car ride).  

Shrink wrap from the dollar store and a big white ribbon were the final touches. I placed my filled basket into a large shrink wrap bag, tied the top with a white ribbon and used a blow dryer to fit the wrapping down to size.   Voila!

Partner Perspective: Rock n' Roll Denver

Exploring Denver


We spent the Autumn Equinox with a fun-filled excursion in Denver to send off summer and usher in the fall.  Our day went something like this:  Run 13.1 miles, Post-race beer & snacks, Oktoberfest for more beer, Brunch, Shopping, Brewery for still more beer...gotta rehydrate and replenish those electrolytes ;o)

Denver Rock n' Roll Half Marathon
As a member of Team Marathon Bar, we are strongly encouraged (formerly required) to participate in a Rock n' Roll series race.  I've previously done the Virgina Beach Rock n' Roll Half Marathon a few times and last year I participated in the Miami Rock n' Roll Half Marathon.  This year I chose the Sports Authority Rock n' Roll Denver Half Marathon benefiting the Prostate Cancer Foundation.  I have to say that this has been my favorite Rock n' Roll series race.  The race was well organized, there were plenty of port-a-potties, a scenic course that did not include running on highways (versus the previous Rock n' Roll courses I've run), and good post-race refreshments.

We awoke at the crack of dawn to prep for our 7:15am race start.  As usual, coffee, an energy bar, water, and ample bathroom time were on the pre-race agenda. Our hotel was about a half mile walk to the race start at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver. 

The course lead in an out and back loop through the mild high city's most spacious parks and famous landmarks.  We began heading northwest toward the Pepsi Center, home to the NBA Denver Nuggets and NHL Denver Avalanche, then past Coors Field where the MLB Colorado Rockies Play.  From there we wound our way through downtown to Denver City Park which is Denver's version of NYC's Central Park.  We passed by the Denver Zoo and Museum of Science and Nature as well as Duck Lake, City Park Lake and a number of open grassy fields on the way to the finish line back in Civic Center Park.  Enjoyable on course entertainment and ample cheering sections motivated us on our 13.1 mile trek.  I felt pretty good throughout the race and was also happy to meet up with 4 of my Marathon Bar team mates along the course.  After crossing the finish line I met up with some of the Marathon Bar reps at their refreshment tent, reunited with a couple team mates, and headed to the meeting area to find Nick. 

The Denver Rock n' Roll was actually a drop in altitude for us from 6,200 to 5,200 feet so we had a little bit of O2 on our side.  In the past, the Miami Rock n' Roll was the only race I've ever run with Jess, but for this race I was still in training mood for Chicago so it was off on my own.  I found the course beautiful with a lot of time spent in the parks as well as through nice Denver neighborhoods.  We have experienced some Rock n' Rolls that spent a lot of mileage on highways and running in less than entertaining areas.  Luckily, for our continued participation in another race we found a well designed course that wasn't in a barren uninteresting part of the city.  
I took the race out easy running the first 5K at 7 minute mile pace.  The slow start allowed me to accelerate throughout the race and run 5:45's coming home and the extra boost of passing those fading.  I came home in 1:23 and started to enjoy multiple free samples of Jimmy John's and Jamba Juice smoothies.  In my moments of gluttony I ended up missing Jess after cheering for her before the finish line.  She ran off with her teammates and I was stuck eyeing up the Michelob Ultra.


Jess's Results:

Overall:  1087
Age Group:  97
Participants: 8138
Time:  1:50:46

Oktoberfest Denver
After showering back at the hotel, we took a stroll down to Oktoberfest Denver.  After running 13.1 miles who wouldn't want to join in this time-honored tradition of German heritage?  Authentic German food, Bier, German music and activities such as Stein hoisting competitions and Bratwurst eating contests are a great way to relax and replenish post-race.  We each enjoyed an Oktoberfest brew and spent some time watching the Polka bands.  Those who have spent time with us over the years know that we enjoy a party and that is exactly what you will find at an Oktoberfest.  If you like to have beers, a huge turkey leg, and sing out loud while holding a stein then you will be happy.  I would highly recommend being at such an event with a group of friends with who you know you can make your own fun.

Panzano
As our stomachs began to rumble we left Oktoberfest in search of some brunch.  I couldn't resist the idea of an Italian restaurant that specializes in Northern Italian food (my mother's side of the family is from Northern Italy...the Tyrol to be exact).  Named Top 5 Denver Restaurant, the restaurant lived up to it's reputation.

Jess's brunch:
I ordered the restaurant's signature brunch dish, Panzano Eggs Benedict.  It consisted of 2 poached eggs served over a sun-dried tomato polenta cake and topped with prosciutto, fontina cheese and hollandaise sauce, all overtop basil pesto...YUM!

Nick's brunch:
Chicken Hash.  Sauteed chicken confit with red onions and peppers over rosemary potatoes and topped with two fried eggs and prosecco hollandais sauce, served with toast.

16th Street Mall 
With our bellies satisfied we strolled down to the 16th street mall, a mile-long tree-lined pedestrian promenade that runs through the center of Downtown Denver.  It's lined with outdoor cafes, renovated historic buildings, sparking skyscrapers, shops, restaurants, and retail stores.  We had fun people watching, window browsing, and doing a little real shopping too.  Follow whatever Jess says.  We spent like 12 hours in Forever 21... I was looking for a nap.



Denver Beer Company
Our final stop was the Denver Beer Company.  It was highly recommended by one of our Philadelphia friends, whose cousin happens to be the co-owner. They believe that "Good beer is best enjoyed with friends, fresh air, and a bit of adventurous spirit to sharpen the palate"...right up our alley!  Because our friend Aiden raved about it, we both ordered the Graham Cracker Porter and were quite pleased.  The brewery has a laid back, open-air, garage style atmosphere and we snagged a seat under an umbrella on the patio.  Exactly what you want from a brew pub.  Food, games, outdoor and indoor seating, as well as a nice selection of brews.  Unfortunately for me I was the DD so one was the limit.  Would love to get back soon!

Partner Perspective: Pueblo, Colorado

 Exploring Pueblo, Colorado

When we’re not racing, we’re exploring.  

A couple weeks ago we checked out the southern Colorado town of Pueblo, located about an hour south of Colorado Springs.  Native Americans originally settled in this area due to its strategic location as a portal to the plains and meeting point for the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek.  Today, Pueblo contains a rich mixture of Native American, Hispanic, Italian, and Slovenian culture and is the host city for the Colorado State Fair. 

We planned our visit in conjunction with the Colorado State Fair and made this our first stop in Pueblo.  What a great way to experience authentic Colorado culture:  livestock and horse shows, rodeos, parades, country concerts, arts exhibitions, monster truck and tractor competitions, carnival rides, local foods and brews.  For me the highlights were the livestock and horses.  I enjoyed strolling through the stables and getting up close to some long horned cattle, cute bunnies, and friendly horses.

Nick getting serious

After the fair we headed downtown to the famous Springfield Cheese shop to pick up some goodies to add to the picnic lunch we’d packed.  This shop is cheese lovers’ dream!  Plus, all of their cheeses are natural, preservative and rBGH free.  After sampling a variety of unique specialty cheeses, we chose a few types of cheese to take with us as we continued our trek on to Pueblo State Park.  Our cheese selections included Chipotle Cheddar, Jalapeno string cheese, and Bacon Colby.

 

Pueblo State Park is situated surrounding Lake Pueblo which was formed by construction of the Pueblo Dam following severe flooding on the Arkansas River in the 1960s.  The lake boasts 60 miles of shoreline and a mild year-round climate making it one of the top spots for water sports in landlocked Colorado.  On this particular day it was 90 degrees so the lake was popular spot.  In addition to water recreation like sailing, motor boating, water skiing, and river tubing visitors can also hike, bike, and picnic on the surrounding 10,000 acres. 

We strolled along the trails by the lake until we found an unoccupied pavilion to set up our picnic.  Located on the north end of the lake, we enjoyed gorgeous views of the lake with the Greenhorn and Wet mountain ranges to the southwest and Pikes Peak to the north.  After gorging ourselves on fresh fruit, bread, and cheese we continued to explore the park. Our excursion took us past 200 year-old Juniper trees and up close and personal with local wildlife.  I saw my first prairie dogs, who I quickly learned do not like visitors to near their homes…if you get too close, they poke their heads up from their mounds and yelp their warning at you.   We ended the day relaxing by the water, skipping rocks, and just enjoying the scenery and each others' company :o)

Jess said it all from our trip to Pueblo.  While I prefer the close proximity to the mountains of Colorado Springs, Pueblo offers easy access to the lake and hot springs.  The area reminds me more of a desert city which is a 180 degree difference from our Northeastern residence of the past.  The state fair was crowded and provided a lot of the fattening options such as corn-dogs and fried Oreos.  The jewels of the fair were the animal displays.  The access to horses, steer, rabbits, and birds was fun.  I had to drag Jess away from the rabbits since they were for sale and giving her the buy-me stare.  Rodeo like events were accessible as well as a pole-vault competition at the fair.  I was happy to see a little track love!  
In the town, the cheese shop offered a variety of different options that were irresistible such as the cheese-surrounded bacon.  The shop is small but offers a nice area for a quick stop and snack.  We took that snack to the lake where Jess finally got her first experience with prairie dogs.  If you can't tell from above, she was looking forward to seeing the little rascals ever since we moved west.  The area offered great scenery, boating, swimming, and picnicking.  As a man, I always pride myself in out-skipping Jess' rocks and scaring her with claims of rattlesnakes.  Both of which I had plenty of chances to do in Pueblo.  Additionally, the lake offers a long trail system allowing visitors to accomplish a long run prior to a dip in the water.  

Enjoy your Adventures!

Creations: Pumpkin Pie Chex Mix

Pumpkin Pie Chex Mix:

While sick with a stomach bug a few weeks ago, one of the only things I could eat were dry chex cereal.  I had forgotten how good those little chex were (or perhaps it just seemed that way because that was the only solid food I could eat for 4 days).  Anyhow, that got me thinking about chex mixes and since fall is here why not throw in some pumpkin spice too?

Those of you who know me, know I love making mixtures and I love pumpkin spice!  I thought my creation turned out fairly well so I decided to share here right in time for fall festivities and football tailgates... yes I'm going to have to make this for the Pitt homecoming tailgate :o)

Ingredients:
2.5 cups Honey Nut Chex cereal
2.5 cups Cinnamon Chex cereal
8 oz nuts (I used walnuts and hazelnuts but I think pecans would good too)
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions:
1.  In a small microwavable bowl, melt butter on high about 30 seconds (or until melted).  Stir in vanilla.
2.  In a large microwavable bowl, mix cereals and nuts.  Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture and stir until evenly distributed.   Add sugar and spice, continue to stir until cereal is coated.
3.  Microwave entire mixture on high 4-5 minutes or until it begins to brown.  Stir every minute.
4.  Spread on wax paper or a cookie sheet to cool and store in an airtight container.
5.  Enjoy!!!!

Partner Perspective: End of Summer Race Recaps

 Fall has officially begun and I find myself wondering where the summer has gone!  The past few weeks have certainly flown by and our busy schedules have no doubt contributed to this sentiment.  We're just one week away from the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 7th!  Here's a peak at some of our summer races leading up to it:

Classic 10K

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Colorado Springs, CO

We moved to Colorado Springs just 2 weeks prior to this race. We immediately joined a Tuesday night running club, Jack Quinn’s Running Club, at the recommendation of a couple colleagues. What better way to get to know my new home than to hit the ground running...literally! The altitude definitely took some getting used to and there are certainly more hills here in Colorado Springs than Hampton VA so this race was a great challenge. As I approached the finish line I was happy to see Nick cheering and to have him join me for an extra push to the finish line.

Jess’ Results

Age group finish: 17

Overall finish: 274

Finish time: 51:04

Approximate # of Participants: 650

Nick

The good part about this race was that it was flat.  Sadly, that didn't change the feel of dry, heavy breaths that lacked the needed quality to sustain a quick run.  Luckily, this race did introduce us to the Greenway trail which is the only area locally where we can run over 10 miles without climbing 2,000 feet.  
Breathing was difficult but I enjoyed the opening act to our Colorado Springs running experience.  The race was well run and there was a great turnout of locals.  

Top Ten 10 Miler

Saturday, August 04, 2012

Colorado Springs, CO

This was a point to point ten mile race. It started on the track at Grace Athletic Stadium, lead down the Templeton Gap Trail to the Pikes Peak Greenway, wound up and down the Pikes Peak Greenway and finished at the Colorado College Stadium. Ten miles of gorgeous Colorado Springs trails! To top it off, I felt great during this race and ran negative splits :o) In fact, I felt so good afterward that I biked and swam that afternoon too (I'll be doing a triathlon later this month). The running community in Colorado Springs is wonderful and very competitive. This combined with some spectacular scenery of the trails and adjacent mountains just added to my enjoyment of this race. I didn't go into the race with particular expectations but based on my finish time and how good I felt during the race I'm hopeful I can run close to this pace for the Chicago Marathon in 2 months and maybe just maybe qualify for Boston! This race was a great confidence boost.

Jess’ Results
Age group finish: 5 
Overall finish: 75 
Finish time: 1:22:12 
Approximate # of Participants: 233 

Jess enjoyed a great race and I was unlucky to miss her on my turn back up the trail.  She was too quick for me today!  My goal was to run 6:15 pace for this race in order to set a pace standard for what I wish to run at Chicago in October.  I went out at 6:30 for the first 5 but was unable to claim the required negative split in the end.  Finishing in 1:03:30 I was content with the effort and confidence grew running at altitude.  Both Jess' and I met some local runners during and after the race as well, it was nice to find some running buddies!

American Discovery Trail Marathon/Half Marathon
Monday, Sept. 3, 2012
Colorado Springs, CO

I treated this race as a long run in my preparation for the Chicago Marathon and thoroughly enjoyed celebrating Labor Day by putting in some labor of the running sort. The race started and finished at America the Beautiful Park and went along an out and back course on the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail with gorgeous views of the front range Rocky Mountains and Pikes Peak.  This race was a little more challenging than I had expected...the look on my face approaching the finish shows it.  As I waited for Nick to finish the full marathon, I had fun cheering on other race participants and sharing Marathon Bars with other finishers.

Jess's Results
Age group finish: 5
Overall finish: 120
Finish time: 1:56:19
Approximate # of Participants: 450

I was jealous of Jess this day.  I raced in the full marathon and was utilizing it as a long run prior to the Chicago Marathon.  I had a simple goal:  to run comfortably hard.  The pain during this marathon came from the 13 to 18 mile mark but I was able to refuel and have a quicker last 8 miles fading for a nice period of time.  Unfortunately, I became the sickest I've ever been when running a marathon during this race and it culminated with a nice projectile show after the race.  I was content running a relatively comfortable 3:05 which I hope catapults my training for Chicago.