Where Have I Been?

January is a tough month at work. I like to equate it to April for an accountant. I had no life, and trying to add training and crew to that... well, that's where I have been.

But, there has been some fun.

My friend Dana planned an amazing birthday celebration for another friend, Cheyenne, from the triathlon club. Dana organized a 4.1 or 8.2 mile run to celebrate Cheyenne's 41st birthday in Golden Gate Park. It was such a fun, clever idea, for gathering sporty folk who are mostly all training or some sort of event. Every detail was perfect. The race numbers all included 4's and 1's. The distance was either a 4.1 mile course or double the distance. There was a water/food station! And best yet, those who finished the event were awarded with medals featuring Cheyenne's photo. It was a really fun way to celebrate a friend's birthday, which concluded with a huge gathering of friends for brunch. Happy Birthday Cheyenne.

Crew has continued to be a fun challenge. After a 6 week break over the holiday's, practice resumed mid-January, which has proved to be a challenge with triathlon training. But, I am enjoying it and have been seeing the benefits of cross training in my erg scores. I am looking forward to what looks to be a good season. However, Saturday's are hard. I go straight from crew practice to tri training -- typically a really long bike ride. Saturday evenings I am exhausted.

This past weekend was treat as my aunt and uncle came up, as my uncle had a photograph featured in the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art's Depth of Perception juried photography exhibition. We all attended the opening reception, which we followed with a lively dinner. I always enjoy spending time with my aunt and uncle, as they two of the most entertaining individuals I know. My uncle is becoming quite famous, as many of his photos are being featured in shows across the state.

Sunday Chris and I both ran in the Kaiser Permanente 5K/Half Marathon. I ran the 5K event, which was, I think, a PR for me in a 5K. I really wanted to break 30 minutes, but I didn't quite get there. However, I feel it's close, and the performance motivated me to get running, as time is ticking by to get ready for IM France.

I am looking forward to work settling down a bit and being able to spend more time training and enjoying life outside of work... I just have to catch up first on all fronts.