Podium at National Championships!

This past weekend I finished 3rd at the Elite National Championships in Hagg Lake, Oregon. At the the '06 Champs I finished 7th and last year I finished 5th. If my pattern continues, I should be on top of the podium next year! I was pretty happy with my race, as I had a solid performance on a difficult course. Julie Ertel, Sarah Haskins, Jasmine Oenick and I headed out of the water together, working as a group over the hilly 8-lap bike course. For the first lap of the run I was running with Sarah and Julie, but the girls continued to pull away on the downhills (downhill running is my kryptonite- something I'm trying to improve upon and there is a LOT of improvement to make!). While there is some work to be done, I see the race as an indication that I continue to make improvements. Little by little...

In addition to the race, I was able to spend some time in downtown Portland, eating some great food and stopping in Powell's Bookstore. Portland has an incredible, vibrant energy that I really enjoyed, as well being a bike-friendly town. The restaurant scene is pretty incredible, as a number of young chefs have put Portland on the foodie map for using local, sustainable products. Yum. After all of my pre-treat build-up, I found myself a bit disappointed by Voodoo Donuts. While a cool local joint with whimsical donut shapes and crazy toppings (I had the Old Dirty Bastard- chocolate frosting, peanut butter and crushed oreo), the donut itself wasn't as fresh and soft yet crunchy as a donut should be. Luckily, with all of the great food options in Portland, I'm sure I can find another joint to build up before my next visit to the city!

Tomorrow I am heading off to Lorient, France for the penultimate World Cup of the season. Travel to this town in Brittany is a bit challenging, requiring trains, planes and automobiles to get to my final destination. I will give an update as soon as I return to the States!

Busy... and happier that way!

When I moved to the OTC, I soon discovered that I would have spare time on my hands. As practically everything that I need to train is on campus, from food to sports med, the time that I had spent shuttling around town, cooking and cleaning was freed for other pursuits. At first, I admit that I spent some my spare time watching tv somewhat obsessively (oh, the shame!), spending far too much time in the dining hall and reading. Before too long, I found myself struggling a bit, feeling unsatisfied and somewhat depressed.

Thankfully, I was cleared to volunteer at the Tutt branch of the Boys and Girls Club in Colorado Springs in mid-August and have since spent my weekday afternoons with the kids. I frequently find that playing with the kids is the highlight of my day and I anticipate the kinds of games and crafts that we can do together. No matter how tired I am after a day of training, I am instantly energized when walking in the club, drawing energy from the youthful exuberance of the members.

I am so grateful for my opportunity to volunteer through In the Arena. I am proud of the work that I do with the kids and hope to have a positive impact on them. I also am aware of the effect that the work has on me. The pursuit of sport as a profession is a selfish, a characteristic that I find draining. In the Arena and the Boys and Girls Club helps me be a contributing member of the community, something that I couldn't be if I remained sequestered on the OTC campus, and keeps me from useless hours of mindless tv!

Craft Time!

A Welcome from the Boys and Girls Club