Feels like Spring!

My life is great. Yesterday we hit up Brainard Lake to test out our new snowshoes. We loved it! We will definitely take them whenever we go somewhere with snow. Then today I was able to fish Boulder Creek. Most of the fish I caught were rising. Small BWOs were great! I even got this 10 incher on a Royal Wullfish pattern I tied last year.

More worms for vermicomposting!

I just ordered 500 Super Red Worms when I found out this morning that the worms in my bin didn't survive the single digit temperatures over the last week. I am sad for the little guys that have been eating all my compost, but stoked to be getting more. a lot of moisture is produced and I am sure that the castings (poop) are in the water that drains out. Being winter though, I just throw it on the ground and hope the grass grows there in the spring!

Where has January gone?

Still messing with Photoshop. I feel like I can keep playing on it forever and never learn it all. We swam for the first time in a bout a month. 400 warm up, 200 skips (swim, kick, IM, pull, swim 200 each), then a push up ladder (25 swim 10 pushups, 50 swim, 8 pushups, etc.) 200 non free, 200 cool down. That made me feel out of shape!
My fly box is getting set up for Bali:

The weather has been freezing and we have been able to let the dogs out on the water:

Last cyclocross race.

I just signed up to participate in the 2010 State Cyclocross Championships.

Indoor soccer tonight.

I wore a heart rate monitor at my soccer game tonight. It is pretty apparent when I was playing and when I was sitting on the bench. We won.

Schoolyard Cross.

Colorado Cross Classic

Boulder Marathon.

Putting on a marathon is no easy task. A lot of people really came together to make it all possible. I worked for what feels like 4 days straight. It was the night before the race that was the most brutal. Building the finish line at 2 am so that we could put out mile markers at 4 am. I had to make sure that all of the aid stations were fully stocked by the time that the runners got there. I hate being on the course when the race begins, but it was necessary this year. I have a lot of changes that I want to implement for the Spring Half Marathon that we will put on in March. Most of the changes will make my life easier, but the runners probably won't notice.
I drove a lot of different vehicles over the weekend. We had cargo vans, pickup trucks, 17' trucks, and 26' trucks. U-Haul execs must be bored. They put fun facts on the side of every big truck, but they also play the U-Haul version of "Where's Waldo?" All the big 26' trucks with the pictures have a hidden U-Haul guy somewhere in the picture. Here are a couple that I found.

Car/bike update.

My bike is back from the shop just looking at me. I had X-Rays on my wrist, back, ankle, and elbow and nothing appears broken. Although, my physical therapist would like a second opinion so we are going to take care of that tomorrow. I am going to the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine and so far I have had a great experience with them. Until I am better there is a lot of wishing I was racing cyclocross, eating, planning a marathon, watching Heroes, and eating some more. Although the good news is that it is fueling the fire to compete again!

It can always be worse.

We went to Boulder Cycle Sport's cyclocross training Wednesday and it was a great time. We practiced mounting and dismounting and a bit of jumping over barriers. It was the first time that I had ridden my brand new Blue Norcross EX and I loved it. The second time I rode my new bike, I went to a meeting for the newly rescheduled Boulder Marathon. I was on my way home when I was hit by a car. I was in the bike lane, clipped in, helmet on, and a guy failed to yield during a left hand turn. That means he drove into my side. He stopped to see if I was ok. The police came and gave him a court date. I sprained my wrist and ankle. Contusions on my back and elbow and some whiplash. I am glad that I have health insurance and he has car insurance.
I took my bike to the bike shop and I am waiting to see what they say is wrong with it. Until then, I will be recovering and waiting to feel better. Things can always be worse...

Fourmile Fire.

Last night we gave HEED, Clif Shot Bloks, and other stuff to the fire department near our house. We don't train (off season, laziness, call it what you will) and they sure could use it about now. This Fourmile Fire is as close as any fire has ever been to my house. It is still far enough away that we are able to go outside and play soccer.
It is amazing to me that when the reverse 911 didn't work, the first responders decided to drive up the canyon to knock on people's doors to let them know that they needed to evacuate. That is brave. People are luck y that nobody has been injured or killed. There were reports that people were sitting in their homes waiting for a reverse 911 call to evacuate. What happened to looking out the window, seeing fire, and leaving? Are we that dependent on being told what to do? The Humane Society is going and rescuing animals. It makes me want to volunteer.
People are going to lose things in this fire. I cannot imagine what I would do if my house burned down, but it is only stuff. At least the people are alright.
The fire isn't threatening Boulder town yet. I am also lucky that I am not missing a lot of training as I am lazy. I got a new cyclocross bike this week. Pedals should arrive soon. Then I start a new sport this winter.

Fish fanatic.

Yesterday I pulled a half dozen small trout out of Boulder Creek. I filmed some of it with my new iPhone 4.

Then after work, I work tried a mouse pattern that Moj had tied in March. It worked. I successfully caught a fish after midnight with a mouse pattern. It wasn't the 20" Brown Trout that I was hoping for, but the fact that it worked simply thrills me.

Blue Jays.

I have become an ornithologist lately. We have a nest in a tree in the backyard that started with 5 babies. There are only 3 left alive and they always want to try flying. However, they aren't ready. So every morning I go outside and keep the dogs away. Lando wants to play with them and Topper wants to eat them. 

Today one of the adult birds dive bombed me and left me with a lump on my head as I tried to rescue the juvenile and return him to his nest. I returned to put on my helmet and shatterproof sunglasses. Feeling much safer I got the ladder and returned the bird to its nest. He immediately jumped out again. I climbed down the ladder, picked him up, parents shrieking and flying close by, and the little guy trying to jump out of my hands and commit suicide. I put him back into the nest and remained on suicide watch for another 3 minutes.

I returned a few minutes later and there were 2 juveniles on the ground. I knew the ladder was useless. We got a large trash bin with sticks and leaves and placed a towel on top. I hope the parents use it as a giant nest on the ground and the babies just hang out inside until they can fly.

One is left in the tree.

My new favorite book.

I find it very amusing that when we are out of something at the restaurant I can come up with many excuses for my tables. I lied to one table and told them that the fish was very popular so we had sold out. The table beside them, I had to keep my voice down to mention, honestly, that the fish was "not very good" and we were taking it off the menu. Of course there are many other things that I hope we are taking off the menu because the food sucks. We are undergoing big changes as our general manager and executive chef have all quit this week. Apparently the staff turnover is very high and the owner doesn't think it's his fault. He is the only person above these people that keep leaving. Whatever. I just wait tables. I am supposed to be at a meeting right now as they try to teach us about service.

Waiter Rant.

Boulder Peak

Last weekend was the Boulder Peak Olympic distance triathlon.
Swim: 25 minutes
Bike: 1:18:22
Run 43:17

My bike still needs lots of work and I feel like it always will. The most exciting thing was that I hit a fox going about 35 mph down the back side of Olde Stage Rd. He jumped out right in front of me and I clipped his back end. My front wheel wobbled and I screamed as I wondered which side of my body was going to get the worst road rash. Things worked out and I didn't crash. I looked back and saw the fox lope across the road. Looks like we both made it! I was probably a bit more cautious after that than I would have liked to be.
Nearly at T2 three guys were riding side by side and a car was trying to pull out perpendicular to them. I passed them as the car nearly took us all out. One of the guys crashed into my rear wheel. We both stayed upright and almost doesn't count.
So a couple of close calls and I was happy to be out on the run. I ran hard and passed more people than passed me. My run kept me just under 7 minutes per mile and I am very happy with that. Today I rode my bike and I look forward to the 70.3 next month!

Test run of Tangelo.

I am testing out Tangelo for my images. Mouse over the image for more information.

New job.

I am the race course manager for the 2010 Boulder Marathon. Come and run with us. BoulderMarathon.com

Carp-e diem.

I found myself with a few hours free and despite actually catching trout in a recently non blown out local creek yesterday, I decided to teach myself patience at a lake stalking carp. I have been carp fishing a half a dozen times, usually by myself flinging flies, and wondering why these fish are so much smarter than myself. I have repeatedly gone into Front Range Anglers to listen to the wisdom of the people that I see in the blog with many golden monsters in their hands. I thought that I was doing what they told me, but it was never producing fish. The closest I ever got was when I found out the hard way that my tippet was too light. (Something a trout fisherman just doesn't understand.) 

Today with thunderstorms threatening and not much hope remaining, I still found myself creeping along the banks of my favorite lake, stalking the Colorado Bonefish. The first fish was huge and feeding hungrily. His tail was making ripples on the surface and he was neck deep in mud. I still found a way to spook him. He cruised away slowly seemingly annoyed that I was dropping "food" all around him. I continued walking to my favorite spot and found a couple carp eating pretty close to shore. What I thought was a stealthy approach was too quick for one of the fish and he disappeared beyond casting range. His buddy didn't notice me and I got a cast a bit further than I wanted. My brain still thought these were real bonefish. I thought of all the tips that I had gotten from FRA and tried to slow down my heart rate. I stripped my fly hoping to drop it close to the fish's face. I pulled it a bit too far, but let it sit for a moment. The carp noticed, turned 90 degrees and sucked up my fly. My heart stopped. When I set the hook (with a big strip like Jay said) I expected to see my fly skittering across the bottom. Instead, there was a tightness in my line that meant I had hooked the fish or another rock, stick, weed, bottom of the lake, or other more likely scenario. Then he ran. Fish on! Hot damn, I had finally hooked a carp. Then I got nervous. Would my knots hold? My drag is too loose. Can I actually land it? How do I land a carp? I had to stop thinking and start reeling. Luckily, my friend was watching and I was able to tell him that this was my first carp and I was very excited. I noted the bend in my rod. Man that looks good. The fish tried to run into the reeds, but I was able to keep him out. This was nothing like dragging a log to the surface that so many people expect. This fish took off. I would get him close and he would run again. Eventually I was able to land him (I dropped my rod in the water and scooped him up) and pose for a picture.

The folks at Front Range Anglers know their stuff. With their help, I was able to land my first carp. Now who wants to go fishing tomorrow?

Busy busy.

I have been busy working and moving. Along the way, we picked up our first worm bin. Our new house has a yard (the dogs seem stoked), a greenhouse, and no crackhead neighbors, well at least not as many as the last apartment, and an Argentinean landlord. Things are great.

The worm bin is a Triformis Can O Worms. I have stared putting bedding (shredded paper and cardboard) in the bottom and soon I hope to buy some worms.

One of our neighbors got a dog in Washington and it seems to be a wolf. At least part wolf.

I finally got out and caught a trout on a river. It has been a while. I guess things will go on as normal. Until 2012.

A few more leg smashing workouts form the coach let me see baby deer that had to be less than 2 weeks old. I was smiling as I flew down the hills until I hit the swarms of bugs that left me looking like I ate handfuls of poppy seeds. To the guy on the Cervelo trying to keep up with me on the incline, thanks for lighting the fire on the last repeat, I needed that.

Longest sprint ever.

This weekend was the first of three triathlons in the Boulder Tri Series. This was the first year that Ironman bought the races and there were quite a few complaints heard. At packet pickup, there were two lines snaking through the expo. Nobody told you which line to get into first and most people waited over an hour to pick up their race number and free goodies. The t-shirt was less than impressive so people weren't happy about the free things they received. It looks like most other race shirts, I could care less. It was pretty nice going to an expo and not working it although it made me realize how much I love the athletic industry.
Race day came around and I was excited to test myself. After my last sprint triathlon where I averaged 6:27 per mile and the Bolder boulder 10k where I ran 6:24 per mile, I was ready to see where my fitness was now.
Mark is a great coach and having him show his support at these races has been great. It must be tough not being able to race, but he is still so enthusiastic about his athletes.
My swim went well and I was top 10 out of the water for my age group. I had the 55th fastest swim time out of 1600. Out on the bike everything was going to plan for the first mile. Then my front tube exploded. Not a slow leak, but a big bang and then it was flat. I pulled over (swearing loudly) and tried to use my pit stop to plug the leak. Foam was spilling out of my tire and I knew I was screwed. I was determined not to quit. I started walking the bike course thinking of CAF athletes and Rutger Beke. About 3 miles into it an official on a motorcycle informed me that the bike course was almost 18 miles long. I turned around and walked back to transition. After 6 miles of walking barefoot on the road I was close to limping as I hit T2. I ran a 20:37 5k making my pace being 6:39.
I was disappointed with the whole day. After resting today however (and not catching any fish) I am eager to get back to training and kick butt at the Olympic distance race next month.