dreaming over the ocean

so, i have been back from my holiday for about a month.  and, I have not yet written about the rest of my holiday. Not because I haven't wanted too (it has been waiting in my "edit" box).  But, this summer has been busy (HA!  as if my life is never not busy).  So, in memory, here is my Hawaii post, holiday edition.  remember, it was written quite a while ago. in arriving back to Canada, i think that edmonton weather has had me in the ultimate state of revenge.  Since getting back (last monday morning, 10 days ago) there has not been one nice day of weather until yesterday.  10 days of sunshine in hawaii.  10 dreaded days of rain in edmonton.  I even had to do my long saturday ride on the trainer!  UGH!  it is JUNE!  but, at least I am not in Saskatchewan (or north dakota, for that matter), where the rain and flooding is causing people to evacuate. so, in order to remember the sunshine, here is my post about the rest of the ho...

So, how do you describe a few days which are indescribable (at least to a nursing student, who is NOT a english major) on a small little blog?!  It has been a while since I last posted, and there will be certainly things that are certainly missed out on.  So, I have decided that what I will do, is break it into days... first will come the race preparation days  which are Thursday-Friday, and kinda uneventful. then, Ironman Hawaii 70.3 Honu race report. following that will be recovery 2 days (including a story about a boy and a ring) Then, when the time comes, it will be about the Holiday days. 

to those of you who are visiting because I just sent my NewYear's Newsletter, please leave a comment! I would LOVE to hear from you! On the 27th-29th of december (Snowboarding the 28th), I went to Whistler with Sean, to meet up with some of my favourite people in the world: Zach and Ben Mauss. The 28th was Zach's 27th B-day. Here are 4 photos! "birthday cake in a cup" Irish Car Bombs with two USARMY Officers! yup, the translation of this sign is: SICK RIDING TODAY! As always, a little sushi is needed in life. Me and those two Mauss boys. Love 'em.

there is something about having people you love, meet people that you love. Christmas was amazing, and relaxing, and so lovely. Santa brought me running stuff, and lots of chocolate, and a hand died scarf from Laos. Christmas has brought me laughs and good people and good food. it has brought me a time that i am very happy to be having. and, yesterday, the holiday brought me back to Whistler-Blackcomb to use up my last day on my "Edge card." I am quite sad that I am not able to be riding more out here, but alas, Quebec calls. And, i can't ride Whistler, if I live in QC. but, I *can* use my card for a discount at tremblant, which is nice. Today was so different than my two days of riding prior to christmas. There has been so much snow in the last few days (200+ cm), and it is those days between christmas and new years where everyone and their grandma decide to come up and ski. The lines going up the gondola were insanity. On whistler it was quite awful, and if it...

time for some old photos! ... i went to egypt and fed a camel a fig newton with my mouth? ... when i worked at summer camp, and did ridiculous things on a daily basis? ... i Hiked the west coast trail with my best guy friend, Zach, and we hitched all the way there and back? i lived in morgantown, and regularly got to hang out with some of the the best people in the world (Zach, Kirst, Kev, Me... with dreads!) we went swimming at blue hole, just after sophmore year? cause if you don't remember... i do :)

so, this next post brings both great joy, and great sadness to my heart. As you may know, my friends are the best people in the world. you should probably already know that, though. you are probably a friend of mine. and, therefore, you are the best in this world. ;) but, this post is dedicated to two people who bring some of the most joy to my life. people who have been there in my life in the highs and the lows. the adventures and mis-adventures. the love and the frustrations. the struggles and the victories. these two people are two of the people i love the most in this world, and I am so blessed to have them in my life. the first, is zach Mauss. here we see him military-esque, and not-so-military-esque. (being hounded by beautiful triathletes, the last time I saw him, in new orleans in April..) First LT Zach Mauss deployed on tuesday, following about 3 months of living in Hawaii, to go and serve as a Medevac blackhawk pilot. He will definitely be missed, but in his own wor...

So, all of a sudden it has creeped up on me... (is creeped a word!?!?) that, on sunday, I am running a 1/2 marathon. it will be the second time that I have done a 1/2 in my life. the first one, was a mostly downhill run from the valley above the dead sea, to the lowest place on earth, for the Dead Sea Marathon in April 2007. Yeppers, the feet were burning by the end, and there were camels on the side of the road. yes, indeed, i travelled to Jordan (with one of my best friends, Zach), and ran a 1/2 marathon. It was amazing. this is at the carb loading party, and then at the pool post race :) I went for a (approx 10km) run today.  I think the wind was blowing about 10 million km an hour, and it felt impossible to run. but, not only that, but my legs felt like bricks (the first 3km, my feet couldn't stop clumping on the pavement), and  they are sore (from what?!).  so ,the run turned into a walk-run.  mentally, that helped.  but strange.  i don't quite understand how one day,...

So, I would like to begin with the fact that I am moving over from my long-running Xanga blog. www.xanga.com/that_canadian_rower. For a number of reasons, I think. 1)many of my friends are on blogspot now. 2)i dont really post very frequently there anymore. (not meaning that i will post frequently here, either, but, you know...) 3)im not a rower anymore. so, maybe it is time to not go under the "that_Canadian_rower" name. 4) maybe it is just for a change. Blogging, for me, is a funny thing. because, in reality, who are we to think that our thoughts are interesting enough to be read by other people? but, it is a bit of an outlet, I suppose. and, if people really have the desire to keep up with you, they can... so, Sunday was remembrance day. Veterans day in the states. here in canada, the Poppy lapel pin comes out in abundance, to remember Canadian soldiers. The significace, i think i remember, is that poppies, previous to the 1st world war did not grow a lot on battle...