Snow Run - The Sequel

Exactly one week after the snowstorm, we got hit with another round of snow from mother nature. Another 5-7 inches of fresh snow on the ground and another Tuesday night run with Peter.

This week we were gonna be smarter (or so we thought). We were only going to run for 45 minutes and we were going to run in a primarily residential area where we had hoped more people would be doing some shoveling.

We got rolling a few minutes earlier than usual, which was great. We started out uphill, but were pleasantly surprised by all the shoveling that had gone on that day. I'm guessing the fact that the whole city shut down early that day had something to do with it. The roads themselves were still a bit treacherous and as we crossed each road we had piles of snow to hurdle over. It started to feel more like a steeplechase and not a run.

The first 20 minutes of the run were great. We had mostly clear sidewalks and were enjoying the winter wonderland that our city had become. At one point Peter commented that we'd have to remember this route was good the next time it snowed. Famous last words Peter...

We came upon Tokay and Odana and from there back to Peter's was pretty much awful. The local businesses of Mobil, Westgate Mall and Research Park had not plowed or shoveled. The snow was fairly deep and solid footing was non-existent. We trudged along hoping for a clearing, but found no refuge. We turned onto Mineral Point road and started to hit the residential neighborhoods again. At least some of the sidewalks were cleared in this section.

At one point Peter noticed a box of food in the snow, then another and then another. We looked up ahead and saw a woman walking. We thought she must have dropped her groceries. So, we proceeded to pick up boxes of couscous, cans of nacho cheese, cat food, frozen asparagus, etc... and chased after the woman. When we reached her, we discovered these weren't her groceries and there was no one else in sight. I looked at Peter and was like 'What are we going to do with these? I don't want to carry them.' He said 'This is like $15 worth of groceries. We aren't leaving them here'.

Peter and I ran the rest of the way back to his house, arms loaded with groceries. I said 'This would only happen to us'. Somehow we always manage to have these interesting experiences when we run together. Like any normal person would do, we placed all the groceries in a snow-covered bush and took a picture to show off our find. We divided up the groceries and continued on with our evenings.

So here it is, a week later and I am home sick with the flu. No fun run with Peter tonight....or probably the next two weeks with the holidays and all.

Stay tuned for more adventures in running with Peter Nelson. We will be sure to make something up in case nothing interesting happens.

Snow Run with Peter Nelson

So far, we've had a snowy winter. I'm guessing we've had over 2 feet in total since the snow started several weeks back. One would think that some outdoor activities would cease in the midst of snow storm. Not the case when you run with Peter Nelson.

Every Tuesday, Peter and I get together to run and catch up on life. Usually we meet at Peter's house and run between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours. It just depends on the day and how we both felt for the day. It seems that Peter and I always have some sort of adventure on most of our runs. The past few weeks have been no exception.

Two weeks ago we got our second major snow storm of the year. I think we got about 6-8 inches during that storm. The snow was coming down, traffic was a mess...it was a perfect opportunity to go out for a run.

At first the run was pretty fun....the snow was coming down, it was beautiful out and a nice change of pace from the norm. We couldn't be fast in these conditions, so we just focused on trying not to fall down or get hit by a sliding car. We quickly discovered that our terrain was going to vary quite a bit. Many people were very diligent about clearing their sidewalks and then there were those who still hadn't shoveled from the storm 3 days prior.

It was such a refreshing change of pace running in the snow.....until about 35-40 minutes into the run when we started to get tired from the extra resistance that the snow and ice were providing. The bad part is we still had another 35 minutes until we got back to Peter's. Midway we stopped at McDonald's for a break. I worked on a makeshift solution to a brand new blister while Peter used the restroom. We continued our way back to Peter's, moving faster than the traffic on the street which isn't saying much as we were moving pretty slow ourselves. The majority of the way back was uphill and at one point we hit a stretch that was absolutely miserable. Every step we took, equaled two steps back. Some shoveling had been done in the first storm, but I think between the new snow and the plows we had our work cut out for us. I had one miss step that almost sent me to the ground in a busy intersection. Luckily I caught my footing and saved myself from being covered in snow. Eventually, we resigned ourselves to walking the sections that hadn't been shoveled at all. It was either that or end up with a twisted ankle.

8.3 miles and 1 snow storm later we were back at Peter's and vowing not to run that far in a snow storm again. I'm pleased to say my makeshift blister solution worked. If you are ever in a pinch and have access to a bathroom, a little soap and toilet paper go a long way!

Stay Tuned for the sequel to the Snow Run...

Running for Turkey....and Pumpkin Pie!

Thanksgiving Day - it's a day of food, family and football. And, if you are an athlete, it's a day to race. Even if you aren't an athlete and you just want to put yourself in a bit of a calorie deficit for the day, the Berbee Derby is a great way to do it.

About 1/4 mile from my apartment is the starting line of the Berbee Derby. The Berbee Derby is a 5 and 10K running race. It's become quite the popular event in the Madison area in recent years. I think registration hit nearly 5000 this year.

Race Day in 2007 greeted us with chilly temperatures, wind and icy roads. I still hadn't registered for the race, but knew I wanted to run on Thursday. So, I dialed up my trusty running buddy Peter and we decided to head over to the starting line. I still hadn't decided if I was going to register or just run the race bandit, but once we hit the icy sidewalks on the way over the decision was made. There was no way I was paying to run in these conditions. Peter seconded that decision and we headed to the Fleet Feet tent.

Everyone was there and huddled in the tents with two portable heaters. It was so nice and toasty in there. You even started to sweat a bit and then going out into the cold was even chillier. Brrrr! At first Peter and I were going to do the 5K, but at the last minute I made the call and we were running the 10K. If we were going to get all warmed up running, it might as well be longer than 20 minutes.

I hadn't properly tapered for this race at all, so my legs were quite tired. We started out slowly and gradually built into a sub 8 minute pace. In mile 2 we caught up with my friend Ed and decided to hang with him. Afterall, my legs were tired and we didn't register so it didn't really matter how hard or easy we ran that day. Besides, Ed was running a nice strong pace.

It was a pretty typical 10K run and on a course that I run regularly. There was some ice on the trails and the wind was pretty nasty after the turn around. Mile 4-5 was really tough for me, but somehow I rebounded just in time for the final hill. Peter and I ducked off the course once we hit the 6 mile mark. We didn't feel it was appropriate to run through finish having not registered. Instead we walked it in while cheering other runners on. Most people looked like we were nuts, because we had passed quite a few of them along the way and here we were walking the last .2 miles and cheering.

We would have come in just under 50 minutes had we finished the race. I'd say that's pretty darn good for a day where I wasn't at 100% and conditions were less than ideal.

The race was over and the turkey and pumpkin pie eating could begin!

Saying goodbye to the Oz

Saying goodbye is never easy. Whether it comes as a shock or is something that is expected, it is still a difficult set of emotions to go through. It becomes increasingly difficult when you make the choice to say goodbye, even when it's the right decision.

On Friday November 16th, I got a call from my parents. Ozzie, our family dog of 14 years, was in bad shape. He had been in bad shape for awhile and most recently his paws started bleeding. His quality of life had truly diminished and it was really hard for my parents to take care of him. My parents had decided to have him put to sleep on Saturday November 17th. I knew it was the right decision and it was most certainly sad, but I was not ready for just how difficult it was going to be. I canceled all my plans and headed to Milwaukee on Saturday morning.

I really didn't want to go. I didn't want to see Ozzie and be upset and go through the whole experience. I wanted to remember him as the fun, hopeful and wonderful dog that he was. But, when times are tough, you need to be there for your family. And so I showed up Saturday morning at my parent's place.

I came in and Ozzie was just laying in the dining room. He used to be at the door jumping all over you when you walked through it. I went in and petted him for a bit and he lifted up his head to greet me. He was looking pretty sad until my dad came downstairs. In an instant, Ozzie was on his feet and at my dad's side. Dogs really are man's best friend.

My aunt Carol came over and spent some time with Ozzie as well. My dad made him pancakes and Ozzie practically inhaled them. It was hard to believe that he needed to be put to sleep. But then, he'd have his moments where he would fall down or have trouble standing and walking. And there were the bloody paw prints on the garage floor. It was clear that Ozzie's body was definitely giving in, even if his spirit was still kicking.

We took some final pictures with Oz and packed him up in the car to head to the vet. My aunt Carol said goodbye and it was a pretty emotional moment. The car ride to the vet was normal. We talked about normal things, I think to avoid discussing the inevitable. We arrived at the vet around 1130am. Ozzie didn't want to get out of the car, nor did he want to go inside. I don't think he realized what was happening, but his last experience at the vet wasn't too pleasant.


The vet was really nice and it was a small local clinic. We took Ozzie into the exam room and my dad put him up on the table. I turned around and left. I just couldn't take it. I couldn't watch. It only took a few minutes and my parents called me into the room. I didn't really want to see Oz like that and felt bad that I couldn't stay in there with my family. I broke down the instant I saw my parents and apologized for not being there for them. I got to pet Ozzie one last time. He just looked like he was sleeping. I imagined he'd be all stiff or cold, but he wasn't. He was still warm and soft.

We left the vet soon after and I called my brothers. It was really hard to tell them about it, because it was really sad. Ozzie had been a big part of our lives for so many years. It was the same as losing a family member. We all knew it was the right thing given the condition he was in, but that didn't make it any less sad. And it certainly didn't make it easier to deal with.

Ozzie was the best. He was always hopeful that you'd give him food off your plate. He always sat and looked at you with those big brown eyes saying 'Please, please drop something on the floor'. Whenever he got off his leash, he'd make a break for it. And he was always hard to catch. In later years though, he didn't run as far or as fast. He always wanted someone to pet him. If you were on the computer or at the kitchen table, he'd come and take his nose, tuck it under your arm and bump your arm up. That was his way of saying 'Pay attention to me!'.

He knew the difference between the front door, back door and garage door and what each one meant. The front door usually meant he was going for a W-A-L-K. The back door meant his usual bathroom trip and the garage door meant a ride in the C-A-R. He loved car rides and going on vacation with my parents in the truck. He was truly my dad's best buddy. He loved hanging out with my dad and going wherever he went. Ozzie even came to see me at my 3rd marathon. My parents brought him to Chicago wearing his 'mountain dog' bandanna (courtesy of my father). He was very well-behaved, even in the big crowds.

Sure, the Oz man had his moments, but he was a great addition to our family. He'll always be in our hearts and memories. He was simply the best.

My Favorite Things

So, it's been well over a week and I haven't written anything. I've been thinking a lot about what to write about. Nothing earth shattering or exciting has happened in the last 11 days, but I've been thinking a lot about all those little things that make my world go 'round. Those random things that make you smile, take you back to your childhood, comfort you when nothing else seems to do the trick and makes you realize how lucky and blessed you really are. This is not an original idea - plenty of us think about this kinda stuff on a daily basis and some of us even share it with the world. So here it goes - these are a few of my favorite things:

1) My Bright Orange Adidas Fleece: It's cozy, has a 3/4 zip and little thumb holes for my thumbs. It always looks good and you can't find them anywhere anymore.

2) Going where everyone knows my name - Barriques: Each day I stop at Barriques and order my earl grey tea. Every barista and cook knows my name AND my order before I am at the front of the line.

3) 'Tis the Season for Snowmen: I love snowmen! All kinds, shapes, sizes and colors. This time of year you can find me at any one of the many stores in the area stocking up on Snowmen.

4) Sunday morning Jazz: My love affair with jazz started back in 2001 when I moved to Washington DC and was exposed to jazz. There's nothing like a relaxing, cool fall morning with some jazz on the stereo: Bill Evans Trio, Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald....

5)Kitchen and Bathroom CLR: I hate, hate, hate cleaning the bathtub because no matter how long or how hard I scrub I can never get that sparkling clean feeling. I am thrilled to say THAT has changed. Kitchen & Bathroom CLR is the BOMB! I have never seen my tub so sparkling white and with such little scrubbing time. It's a cleaning product I know, but it the little things in life that make all the difference.

6) Mary Jane Crocs: I never used to like the look of crocs. Big, clunky and full of holes. I heard they were comfortable, but they were so ugly I didn't care. Then I saw the Mary Jane Crocs - basically, crocs for chicks. They are comfortable and I've even grown to love how they look. I now own two pairs - black and military green. Pink might be next on my list.

7) Black Fleece Winter Hat: This hat made it's debut at the 2004/2005 Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in Central Park (NYC). Everyone in the race got a hat. It's probably made of some cheap fleece material, but I love it. It covers my whole head/ears and looks adorable. I wear it all the time. I dropped it last night at a restaurant and am just about to go and pick it up.

8) Super HOT, long showers: These are especially awesome after a cold run or bike ride in the winter-time. I typically crank up the temperature of the water, do my washing up and then just stay in there until the hot water runs out. It usually takes about 25 minutes. So, this isn't a very green thing to do....but I contribute in other ways to the environment.

9) Cloth Shopping Bags: So, yeah it's kinda hippy-ish, but I love my cloth grocery bags from Trader Joes. I try to use them as much as possible - they are a lot more sturdy than paper or plastic and I feel good about the fact that I didn't just waste a few bags.

10) Quality time with my couch: The cushions are starting to sink in the middle of the couch and the color is fading, but my navy blue couch from Sears Home Life is still the best place for a nap or relaxing in my apartment. I've had that couch for 7 years now and I always appreciate curling up on it with a glass of wine or tea and my super soft Barefoot dreams blanket.

11) Favorite Holiday Drink: Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks - they are back!!! Just had my first of the season and it was oh so yummy! I get it tall, non-fat, ez whip...It kinda depresses me that I speak Starbucks, but hey - you pay for consistency and convenience.

12) Fall/Winter Running: It's my favorite time of year to run. You always start with a bit of a chill, but once warmed up you can run comfortably. No humidity or extreme heat to sap your energy. At the beginning of fall, you start out with cool, crisp runs and watch the sun go down. As the fall progresses and daylight savings hits, runs turn dark and you can see the stars.

13) Thanksgiving Day: What a perfect day....in Madison, we get to kick the day off right with race and then follow it up with football, food and relaxation. To top it all off, most of us get the next 3 days off of work/school.

As I sit here typing, I realize I could easily keep rattling on and on about all the wonderful things I have in my life. The most important pieces of my life though are friends and family. I'm very lucky to have such a great core to surround myself with.

My Very Own Office Space

Ever seen Office Space? Remember that scene where they take the copy/fax/printer machine out into a field and destroy it with a baseball bat? That's how I feel about my PC at work. In general, my PC worked just fine for over a year. Every now and then it would make some funny noises, but it never seemed to affect it's performance.

In recent months though, it was become the object of my destructive fantasies. Back in August, the PC decided to just stop working. I couldn't get it to run programs, boot up reliably, etc...It took Dell nearly a week to come out and fix it. Apparently, a new fan was necessary. (Now the clicking noise is gone, so that's good). I would like to note that all of this has happened AFTER we replaced the hard drive.

The next bit of excitement involved some wonderful Windows Updates. You know - that annoying automatic pop-up that tells you to update your computer so it runs faster and more efficiently. Yeah, well, those Updates proceeded to crash the whole computer altogether. We then had to remove Vista Professional and replace it with XP. Another day lost to getting my computer reset so I could work on it again.

Finally, there is the day-to-day slowness that occurs each time I reboot the damn machine. Even as I type this, my typing is on delay. I type the words and they don't show up right away. It's frustrating and really cuts down on productivity at work.

Lucky for me, there is one year left on the warranty. The odds of getting a new machine - not real great. So, I've started thinking about how I could 'rid' myself of this awful machine.

1)Leave it in my Las Vegas hotel room and hope the cleaning staff takes it home. (I even left a huge note saying 'TAKE ME' with the username/password on it.)
2)'Accidentally' spill tea/coke/water on it during the workday.
3)Drop it off in the middle of Verona Road and watch as it gets smashed to bits!
4)Stage a 'robbery' of the PC while walking down State Street.
5)Try to infect with a computer virus so that the hard drive is destroyed.

There is a glimmer of hope that I may get a new PC. After enough complaining and lost productivity, management comes around. We are making a few last ditch efforts to save this PC. So far, there's no improvement in how it's working.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Happy 50th Birthday Ellen - Halloween Style!

This is a big year for my parents. They all celebrated their 50th birthdays this year. Back in March, my mom and I threw my dad a surprise party that was a huge success. My dad and I knew we had our work cut out for us when planning my mom's surprise party. She is clever and would smell this coming a mile away. We knew right away that we needed to have it either before or after her birthday. How to disguise it though, without tipping her off. That was the tough part.

My dad enlisted the help of family friends Bob and Cindy Kurziak. He had Cindy call my mom and tell her that she was having a Halloween party and needed help decorating. It was 2 weeks after my mom's b-day, so it seemed like a good cover. In the coming weeks, I realized that the plan was genius. My mom had no idea and was excited to attend the costume party.

A week before the actual party we threw my mom a dinner with 11 of our family members. This was the 'fake' and it worked perfectly. We were all set for the coming Saturday - the room was secured, the food order was in, guests were confirmed. It was going to be perfect.

As the week went on, several surprises developed due to circumstances. There were 3 surprises that my mom would be faced with on Saturday.

Surprise 1: The party, of course!
Surprise 2: My brother Mike was being flown in from Tulsa
Surprise 3: My sister-in-law and niece were coming to town and neither my mom, myself or the rest of the family had seen Kassidy yet.

I finally settled on a costume - Smurfette! Thanks to my friend Dana, I had the greatest Smurf hat EVER! Only my brother and aunt knew about my costume, so it was going to be fun for all. We did ask that everyone attending show up in costume since Ellen would be dressed up. I wasn't sure how seriously everyone would take that, but as you'll see from the photos it was a smashing success. I feel so lucky to have such a fun, crazy and loving family.

I arrived at the hall on Saturday and began to get all the decorations set and the room together. Aunt Janet and Mike showed up shortly after that to help. Then the guests began arriving. I still had to get into costume and be ready for when my mom would arrive.

Since pictures speak a thousand words, I thought I would add a bunch of photos to the post and let you see for yourselves what a great party it was. My mom was completely surprised and everything went off without a hitch. The food was great, the music was fun, the costumes were GREAT and meeting Kassidy was the icing on the cake. It couldn't have been more perfect.

California on Fire

Usually I write with the intention of entertaining. Today, I write to pass on information. As many of us who pay attention to the news in some form or another know, southern California is on fire and it's not good. Unusually strong Santa Ana winds and extremely dry conditions have caused these fires to spread rapidly and without regard for what's in the way. Over 1 million people have been evacuated, homes and businesses have been lost and firefighters are working 'round the clock to attempt to get things under control.

My brother and his family live in San Diego near Camp Pendleton. On Monday my sister-in-law and niece were evacuated from their home. Fortunately they were able to get far away from the fires quickly. I am very comforted knowing that they are safe. My brother is on a training mission in Arizona (he's a marine) and has been unable to be with his family during this difficult time. We still don't know what has happened to their apartment, but given the gravity of the situation and how close the fires are to Fallbrook we are assuming the worst. In one month, our whole family is headed out to San Diego to spend Thanksgiving together. It looks as though we may be spending the holiday helping them rebuild their lives. That holiday will never mean as much as it's going to mean this year.

I also have several cousins and friends living in Southern California. Everyone is safe and following directions from law enforcement when it comes to evacuation. It's reassuring to know that so many of my friends and family have been able to escape danger.

Please keep all those in southern California in your thoughts. A lot of support is going to be necessary in the coming months.

An evening with Sean Michael Dargan

Last Saturday evening, I had the pleasure of enjoying an evening with Sean Michael Dargan. SMD is a well known Madison musician. I can't quite explain his style of music. It's a little bit rock, a little bit folk, a little bit alternative....I'd sum it up as 'Feel Good' music. No matter what SMD plays - whether it's his own music, a cover of an Elvis Costello tune or a little Richard Thompson - he leaves you with an amazing feeling. Saturday at Fyfe's was no exception.

I've been watching SMD for the last 2 years. I first discovered him with BJK at the Kimia Lounge in Madison. Who was this guy with crazy hair, a bow tie, suit and big shoes rocking out on guitar? It took us a few weeks to really get into his music, but once we really listened to it we were hooked. Since then we've seen him at Brocach, the High Noon Saloon and the Crystal Corner. Each venue brings something a little different. A new side to SMD emerges each time.

Sometimes he brings his 5 piece band, sometimes it's the guitar trio and others it's just SMD and his acoustic guitar. No matter which version of SMD shows up that evening, the core of his music and what he brings to the table comes shining through. I wish I could bottle up the feeling that I get while watching his show and live off of that every moment of every day. SMD in a bottle...now that's something I could sell.

Throughout the last 2 years, BJK and I have also gotten to know a bit about SMD personally. He is a very engaging and down to earth guy. The same energy that he brings to his music is evident in how he talks to and listens to his fans. I get the feeling he considers his fans more than fans. He considers them friends. Knowing SMD beyond his music also makes his original music more meaningful. You start to learn the stories and the inspiration behind the songs. It's not just music anymore - it's life.

Fyfe's is a local restaurant with some dynamite food. Unfortunately it will be closing for good in just about one week. The lease is up and it's time to move on. SMD showed up to play one last show. He did not disappoint. The bar area was packed and buzzed with conversation the entire evening. As you looked around the room, you could see people engaged in the music, tapping their feet, bobbing their heads...it was another great evening with SMD.

I introduced my friend Wes to his music this last Saturday and by the end of the evening, I think he understood why I acted like a giddy school girl before SMD took the stage. I knew what was in store for us. I knew how great the show was going to be and as usual, it lived up to and surpassed my expectations.

After the show, we stopped by to say farewell and get the scoop on his next show. The SMD trio will be playing in Stoughton on December 14th at Stella's and SMD will be joining the Kissers on December 7th at the High Noon Saloon. How lucky - 2 weeks of SMD back to back?! If I could just bottle it up and take it home...at least I have a little SMD on my iPod. I can get that 'feel good' feeling anytime!

For more information and the latest tour information, check out: www.seanmichaeldargan.com

Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh My!

It's always something when you run with Peter Nelson. Even though Ironman training has subsided and I'm in a 'do whatever' phase, Peter and I still get together once a week for a run. Usually, it's a torture session for me. You see, Peter, he's fast. And me, well, not so fast. Usually I'm complaining about something on our runs. My 'insert body part here' hurts or the weather 'insert expletive word here'! You get the picture.

We originally were going to run on Wednesday evening, but Peter is heading to Montana on Thursday for a wedding and had some errands to take care of on Wednesday. Like the good running buddy and friend that I am, I rearranged my life to accommodate Peter and moved the run to this evening. With all my complaining on our runs lately, I owed Peter one.

We decided to meet at 630pm, which meant our entire run would be in the dark. We also opted to run from Peter's house to the arb, through the arb and back. This meant we'd be running in the dark, creepy arb - complete with tall, scary trees and all sorts of random creatures. Sounds like fun to me. Let's do it!

We set out from Peter's house heading up Mineral Point road towards campus. Right away, we were greeted by a nice long hill. Nothing like a hill early on to upset your rhythm. My legs felt great, but I just couldn't get my lungs to catch up. About 1.5 miles later we entered the arb. The arb is covered in trees and has an abundance of wildlife. I've never run through it in the dark before. This would be an interesting experience.

You might be thinking - running in the dark? Are they crazy, stupid or both? I'll let you have 'crazy', but stupid, not quite. We were using the buddy system for safety, as well as sporting a head lamp and a crazy red blinking light with reflective clothing. I would NEVER run through the arb at night without a running buddy. I'd be spooked and have nightmares for months.

Running in the dark is a unique experience. Your eyes are constantly adjusting to the changes in light and any small movement in the surrounding area seems to catch your eye. Immediately upon entering the arb, I picked out a person walking a few hundred feet ahead of us. It looked as though that individual were walking a dog as well. As Peter and I passed this person, we realized there was no dog. I had just hallucinated an animal. No doubt this would be an interesting run.

There were a remarkable amount of cars driving through the arb at that time of night. I'm not sure where people were going or coming from or why they were back there. I mean, it's dark. You can't see anything. It's not a through street and there's no place to stop off for an ice cream or gas. Peter and I were both a bit surprised at this.

We also saw a few bikers along the way. So far though, no animals and only one other runner (in full reflective gear). We were about to get out from under the tree cover when I noticed some movement a few hundred feet ahead of us on the other side of the road. I knew something was running, but I couldn't tell what it was until it was about 50 feet away. It was another runner, dressed in black, with no reflective gear and an ipod. I think it startled Peter a bit...

I think we were both secretly happy we hadn't run into a deer, a turkey or a car full of teenagers. Smooth sailing so far. We got out of the arb and headed through Vilas park. We made the turn behind Edgewood and were very happy to see that they had just repaved this section of the arb. It's a known to be a pretty rough section of the route where you really have to watch your step. Fortunately, we didn't have to worry too much about our footing. What we did have to worry about was the two bright, beady eyes staring at us about 50 feet ahead. Do we stop? Do we go? And what is it? Even though we were both thinking these things, neither of us spoke up. We just kept running, hoping whatever it was wouldn't go for our ankles as we passed.

Raccoon! He (or she) saw us and bolted for a tree. Peter and I talked about wondering how the raccoon would react to us. Peter said 'I don't have to be faster than the raccoon. I just have to be faster than you.'. Remind me not to run in bear country with Peter.

We finally turned past Edgewood and hooked left onto Monroe Street. We were able to turn off our lights as this area was well lit. Our run had been fast so far. I'm not sure if it was the darkness that heightened our senses and made us run faster or we just felt good. Either way, we had been hauling butt for a good 7-8 miles at that point. I slowed it down and it felt good. A nice 2 mile cool down back to Peter's....

That's how it went in our heads anyways. We still had to climb Glenway. Glenway is quite possibly the longest, stupid hill in Madison. It's steep at first, but then levels off to a more gradual grade. On the way up the hill, we saw two wolves and a man wearing a Badger jacket. Ok, so they weren't wolves (siberian huskies), but it makes the story more fun, doesn't it?

We made it up the hill, I took a quick breather and we continued going uphill on Mineral Point. This is where we started talking food. We were both hungry and dreaming of dinner. You'll do anything to entertain yourself when things are hurting and you are tired. We crested the hill, flew down the other side of it and reached Mecca...or Peter's house. Again, Mecca sounded more exotic and increased your enjoyment of this recap, I'm sure.

Some stretching, a few glasses of water and recapping the run for Kathryn and I was out the door, surviving yet another epic run with Peter.

So maybe we didn't see Lions, Tigers and Bears (as the post title may suggest)....but I hallucinated a dog, we played chicken with at least 10 cars and a raccoon, Peter lost his wallet twice, we stealthily ran past a couple of wolves and dodged a few crab apples in the homestretch. At the end of it all, we lived to tell the tale. And, we were fast.

Another reason to love Apple and the iPod

Recently, I decided to turn my iPod on to the 'Shuffle All Songs' mode. I thought it would add some spice to my daily listening habits. I typically get sucked into a certain genre or artist and play those songs to death before switching to something else. I figured this new approach would keep it fresh and help me remember why I have over 3000 songs on my iPod to begin with.

I started this little experiment last night and have to say it was quite enjoyable. Some songs I passed through and others I listened to thinking 'Wow, haven't heard this song in a while'. Then there are the songs that make you laugh. You don't laugh because the song itself is funny, but because you wonder how or why that song ever ended up on your iPod.

This morning was a perfect example. As I was leaving Barriques after ordering my usual Earl Grey tea, a 'classic' came on the iPod. Nothing like a little 'Ain't nothing but a G thang' by Dr Dre and Snoop Dog to get your head bobbing like a gangsta at 8 in the morning. I think I laughed the entire way to work.

Gotta love the 'Shuffle All Songs' mode on iPod - it's like a little window into what makes you who you are. Still trying to figure out what the Snoop Dog song says about me. Any theories?

Satisfied in Seattle

My latest trip to Seattle had been a long time coming. It'd been 4 years since I last visited this gorgeous Pacific Northwest city. College friends, Fred and Pranali, have called this city home for at least the last 7 years. For the first few years they lived in Seattle, I came and visited every Memorial Day. My last trip out was in 2003.



Since then, Fred bought a house, Pranali started her PhD and I got a new job. Life happened! One of the things I'd committed to after completing Ironman was to travel more. So, less than 1 month after the big event, I headed for Seattle to spend time with dear friends and enjoy this great city.

Friday
Friday was my travel day. I wanted to avoid having to take two days off of work, so I arranged to fly out at 6:30pm on Friday. My friend Cory picked me up around 4pm. We went and enjoyed a few margaritas and some nachos prior to heading to the airport. The bartender made our drinks pretty strong and I was already buzzed when I boarded my flight to Minneapolis.

I arrived in Minneapolis with a little over 2 hours to kill. All I wanted was to sit down, have some dinner and a glass of wine. The margaritas had worn off already, what can I say?! I dragged myself throughout the terminal trying to find somewhere that wasn't insanely busy to have dinner. I finally settled on Axel's Bonfire where I had a delicious veggie pizza and a few glasses of wine. I also met an interesting character at the bar. I'm guessing he was about my age. His name was Nick and he's a sculptor. I'd never talked to a sculptor before. He sculpts extremists doing everyday things and then has them photographed - quite interesting. If I can dig anything up on him, I'll post it on my blog.

My flight to Seattle took off and landed without incident. We did have a bit of turbulence on the way out to Seattle, but nothing that left me rattled. My luggage made it one piece and Freddie was right on time to pick me up. I stepped outside the airport and was immediately happy to be greeted by COOL weather. Fall - FINALLY! I had to travel nearly 2000 miles to get it, but Fall had finally arrived!

We headed back to Freddie's new house in Kirkland, chatted for a bit and went to bed. It was late and there was lots of fun to be had in the next two days.

Saturday

Everything was just as beautiful as I remembered in the daylight. HUGE fir and pine trees, lots of green, but also lots of vibrant color. I didn't realize that the Northwest had such a beautiful fall. I was thrilled to be wearing multiple layers and one of my favorite puffy vests. Fall has truly arrived when I can break out one of my many puffy vests. (I think I own about 5 of them!)

Freddie and I headed to Bellevue Square to meet Pranali for lunch. Bellevue Square is a slightly upscale pedestrian mall complete with Nordstroms, Crate and Barrel and a myriad of delicious restaurants. We selected PF Changs for our first meal together in 4 years. Lunch was quite tasty - we shared a bottle of wine, the infamous lettuce wraps and a warm meal.

After lunch, we parted ways. Pranali had to go to lab - something about killing worms and isolating some genes or something. She's smart, in case you couldn't tell. Freddie and I headed for downtown Seattle at this point to hit two Seattle landmarks. I am sure you are all thinking that the Space Needle was one of those landmarks....well it wasn't. In fact, in the 4 times I've been to Seattle, I've never been up the Space Needle. I'm sure it's cool and all, but I like to enjoy and immerse myself in the city. The touristy stuff doesn't do it for me.

Anyways, those two landmarks - REI and Pike's Place Market. Why REI? Because I'm an outdoor retail geek and this is one cool REI. It has two huge floors and a climbing wall that can be seen from the highway. It is always packed in there with people and since it's so large there are usually many brands that I've never been introduced to. I've got to hand it to Freddie - he was awesome about holding my vest while I tried things on and was helpful in finding cute, yet functional items. Honestly though,I think he enjoyed it because after a short trip through the women's section, we hit the men's section and the roles reversed. I think he even called a man's sweater 'Cute'. One of the many reasons I love spending time with Freddie - you never what is going to come out of his mouth.

Following our REI Adventure, we headed to Pike's Place Market. I've been here many times before, but we've always raced through it. This time we really enjoyed it. We were greeted immediately by a group of 'artists' that were doing a project. They would have a person stand at the bottom of a steep hill while someone else pushed them up it and videotaped it. Not sure what that was all about, but we were hoping for a ride back up the hill when we were done at the market. We passed by the Original Starbucks where a quartet of acapella singers was entertaining the masses. We hit up a shop and bought some delicious oils, flowers for Fred's place and a cookie as big as my head! There is also tons of seafood at this market.


The salmon, crabs, lobster tails - all of them were huge and very fresh! It was a really fun afternoon.

That evening we met Pranali in the U District for dinner. We had sushi that was not as good as I was expecting given the west coast location. However, it was a really unique place. The chefs were in the middle of the room and a conveyor belt of sushi went all around them. When the item you want comes by your table, you just remove it from the belt and eat! At the end of the evening, the waitress calculates your bill by the number and color of the plates on your table.

Very cool concept, but I had better sushi in Vegas than I did in Seattle. Our dessert location more than made up for it though. We went to this place called 'Delietante's'. They had all sorts of wonderful cakes, coffees, drinks, etc...We each ordered a very large piece of sugary goodness and stuffed ourselves. What a delightful end to a wonderful evening!

Although we had every intention of 'partying' in Seattle, some of us were tired and cold and ready for bed. Sorry Freddie!

Sunday
I woke up Sunday morning and decided I better go for a run to counteract all of the gluttony from Saturday. To my surprise and delight it was nice and balmy outside, which made for a very pleasant run. I went for about an hour and really enjoyed all the hills, fall colors and tall fir tress.

Fred and I met Pranali at an awesome little breakfast place called 'The Brown Bag Cafe'. It was in a small little house where the portions were enormous. I had the French Toast with fruit on top. Yum!

Our mission for the afternoon was to hit the local wineries. Our first stop was Chateau St. Michelle. We tasted 4 different wines here - a Merlot, a Cab, a Riesling and a Sauvignon Blanc. It was a very relaxing way to spend a rainy Sunday in Seattle. I bought a bottle of the Merlot, which was surprising since I'm not a 'Merlot' person typically. Pranali purchased a bottle for her parents as well. We made our way to Columbia Winery next, which was just across the street. Columbia was our favorite. The environment was warm, social and inviting. We got to taste 5 different wines here. We really took our time and savored the afternoon.

After 9 pours of wine, we were all a bit tipsy. We toyed with hitting a 3rd winery, but we really needed food and to get home for the Packer-Bears game that evening. We headed for Kirkland and went to the WingDome. Mmmmm! It was this 'hole in the wall' type place with killer food. We shared some Jalapeno Poppers, Waffle Fries (with buffalo sauce and blue cheese!) and wings. It was way too much food, but it helped counter the 9 pours of wine we just had. All was right with the world!

We headed back to Fred's place where we watched a very disappointing Packer loss to the Bears. At least we watched it in HD. That's something, right? Pranali and I packed up the car and headed for her place. I was flying out early in the morning and Pranali was taking me to the airport.

Pranali lives in a great little house that she shares with her roomate. She made me some of her infamous tea and we stayed up and talked for a few hours before calling it a night.

Monday
We woke up early and headed for the airport. It was smooth sailing right up until it was time to board. We were going to be delayed 45 minutes due to weather in Minneapolis and runway construction. Given that my next flight was less than an hour from the original flight, I knew things were going to get interesting.

I called my mom and she checked on the Madison flights for me. Luckily, mine was delayed. This would buy me some time. If I miss my flight, I'll have another 3 hours to sit around Minneapolis airport before heading home. Not a bad airport to be stuck in, but I really wanted to get home.

We finally landed in Minneapolis at 1:15pm. I called my mom again from the plane as we were taxiing. She said my flight had been delayed until 1:45pm. Sweet! If I ran I could make it. I was looking forward to a workout that day, although I hadn't planned on it being a dead sprint through the MSP airport.

I was off the plane at 1:25pm. I had to go clear across the airport to make my connection. Time to put those Ironman skills to work and get a move on. I booked across the airport and managed to arrive at my gate around 1:32pm. It was kind of fun and exciting to run across the airport. But, it was also pretty exhausting as well.

I arrived in Madison and my friend Wes was there to greet me. As expected, my luggage didn't make the flight and I knew we would have to drive back and pick it up a few hours later. In the meantime, we enjoyed a meal and good conversation at Brocach. We headed back to the airport and my luggage was there. What a relief! I was happy it wouldn't get any more complicated than that.

I can't wait to make my next trip back. It's such a beautiful area and I have great friends who are always there for me. I do think I could live in Seattle - it's a cultured, beautiful, active city. I have a nice base of close friendships there and I could pretty much ride and run there all year long and STILL have the benefits of fall. Plus, if I want snow, there are plenty of mountains within miles of there.

Thanks Fred and Pranali for a wonderful weekend! I miss you guys already!

The Stinking Strip

Since Ironman I have been thinking about the direction I would take with my new blog. I thought I would blog about my life experiences over the next year and my transformation into a happier form of me. Sure, this blog will incorporate some of that, but I decided to just write from the heart and see what comes up.

Vegas - The city of lights...it dazzles us with the dizzying array of hotels, the jingle of slot machines, the bright lights, the food and the entertainment with sex appeal lurking around every corner. I spent the better part of the last week in Vegas attending our annual trade show for work. Though there was some self-reflection (that I'll get to later) on this little excursion, I walked away thinking two main things about Vegas - There is nowhere else on earth like it and man, does it stink!



Interbike is the annual trade show for the cycling industry. Anyone who can afford it sets up a booth or attends the trade show. Vendors come from far and wide to display their latest product line-up and hopefully score some sales in the process. Dealers come in the hopes of finding some great deals at the show, networking with other industry professionals and let's face it (it's Vegas afterall), living it up in Sin City.

I was dreading this event going into the week. I was counting the hours until I would get to go home before I had even left Madison. But, my expectations were far surpassed this year. Inevitably it was exhausting, but also tons of fun and a great opportunity to network with other folks in the industry.

Tuesday
I arrived in Vegas around 1215pm. I immediately grabbed my luggage and got picked up by Ryan - our SW Regional Manager. We went to the hotel to pick-up more of the crew and head for the convention center. At this point, the clock was ticking for me. It was nearing 1pm and I had less than 2 hours to install the software, review my presentation, check-in to the hotel and make it to the board meeting on time and feeling somewhat fresh. Oh, and did I mention lunch?

I cruised into the Venetian, grabbed a fast to-go lunch and headed for our booth. The trade show floor was a mess. Aisles were filled with crates and boxes, the carpets weren't down yet and it was like navigating a mine field to get to our booth. Upon arrival, I frantically got the software loaded while inhaling my lunch at the same time. I was expecting more of my crew to be there, but I was the only one in the booth. By 230pm, I was headed back to the hotel to prep for the board meeting. I picked up my key, headed to my room, changed within 5 minutes and was out the door. At this point, I was cranky and flustered. I had done nothing but literally run from place to place since I left my house that morning and I was needing a break. No rest for the weary however...

The board meeting was 3 hours of discussion on the direction of the company. By the time I discussed software, eyes were glassing over and commentary was at a minimum. The meeting wrapped up and we all headed out to a Japanese steak house. The food was awesome. I ordered steak and scallop hibachi dinner, but our company president ordered a significant portion of sushi for us all to share prior to the meal. Wow - talk about melt in your mouth goodness! Mmmmm!

After a short night of sleep and running around all day I was exhausted. I headed back to the Tuscany (which was a VAST improvement over the Stardust) and crashed. It would be a big couple of days ahead!

Wednesday
I woke up early to get in a run prior to the show. There are few opportunities during this week to exercise and early morning is practically the only available window. I was heading towards the strip at 530am. I planned to run from Mandalay Bay to the Frontier and back.

The air was cool and the sky was pitch black when I started. The streets were already buzzing with traffic and the strip was dazzling with lights. The 530am crowd on the strip is interesting. It consists of late-night revelers, hookers, construction workers and a few other runners. It's a very bizarre time to be out on the strip. I found myself navigating around construction barriers, glass, fliers with naked women, street cleaners, sidewalks over the strip and water hoses.

As my run continued, the face of the strip changed before my eyes. The lights went down as the sun came up. The construction on the strip was in full force as more monstrous hotels and casinos were being built. The people that were out transformed into construction workers, runners and those heading off to work. The second half of my run felt like a completely different day.

I got ready for work quickly and rushed out the door. Rachel and I picked up some packages at the front desk, met a few of the sales guys out front and hopped a taxi to the convention center.

When we arrived at the Sans, the hall was coming to life. The carpets were down, aisles were clear and the industry was ready for Interbike 2007. We arrived in the booth, unloaded our things and prepared for the day. I finished loading the software onto the PCs and began preparing maps for our board members. The folks from Sinclair came over and dropped off some VIP passes to an industry party that evening.

We opened the packages that we picked up at the hotel only to discover that the contents inside weren't for 'Andrea Paradowski'. They were for 'Andrew Paradowski'. What are the odds that another Paradowski was staying at the same hotel, attending the same conference and worked in the same industry?! Robb found the packages rightful owner and all was right with the world.

Wednesday was a busy day in the booth. I was able to talk with a number of people about our software as well as get some of our sales guys set up for a sale. The day flew by. We didn't even get to eat lunch given how busy we were. I did manage to sneak over to the Orbea booth though. I met Tony, who assisted me with my bike purchase this last year. I also got to check out the NEW and IMPROVED Orbea Ora. The seat post issue is fixed and they added another color to the line.

The show ended at 6pm and we headed back to the hotel to have a daily wrap-up meeting and a much needed beverage! We shared information on the day - sales numbers, changes we want to make in the booth, what was done well or poorly. I sipped my vodka tonic and enjoyed the feeling of teamwork that we all had after a long, busy day.

We had a team dinner on Wednesday night at the Gordon Biersch Brewery. Rachel and I got dressed up, which was really fun! The dinner was tasty and filled with speeches. Nearly every slightly-buzzed individual at the company got up and spoke about their time at Saris, what a feeling of family it was, etc...Even I got a chance to pronounce my undying love for the company.

Following dinner, we piled into a couple cabs and headed for the Sinclair Party. The party was being held at JET, a nightclub at the Mirage. Everyone was there - Wyatt, Ryan, Jon, Levi, Rachel, Allen, Jesse, Tom etc....

Once inside the club, it was exactly what I would picture on TV. It was big, loud and packed with people. The music was fun and changed constantly. The drinks were pricey - $10/drink. Ouch! We all started out together but got separated as the night went on. Rachel, Jesse, Allen, Levi and I headed into the 'Big' room. It was packed with people and was complete with pole dancers. Even Allen and Jonathon took their turn on the pole. You learn a lot of interesting things about those you work with in an environment like this. 'Nuff said ;)



We moved around in the room and saw our company president there. We also ran into our director of marketing and his sweetheart there. I managed to find Jon and a few of his dealers. I spent the rest of the evening drinking at the bar and hanging out with them while watching the crowds of people and dancing along. Around 1230am we called it a night. Jon and I went and hopped a cab. I crawled into bed and was out within moments. Tomorrow's gonna hurt...

Thursday
I started off the day with a minor headache and feeling pretty wiped out from the night before. I knew I'd be tired for part of the day but things should improve by midday.

The show was filled with some majorly fun things:

1) I met Mark-Paul Gosslear (Zac Morris from Saved by the Bell)!!!! I didn't even realize it was him until after our conversation on PowerAgent 7. Wyatt clued me in as to who it was and when he doubled back past our booth I could clearly see that it was him.

2) I met Normann Stadler - winner of the 2006 Hawaii Ironman World Championships. He isn't as tall as I thought, but man is he tan and all muscle. He has zero body fat.

3) I bumped into friends Brian and Steve from my Masters Swim class. I wasn't expecting to run into either of them at the show, but since they work for Pacific Cycles, I should have known.

4) I met the owner of the Fleet Feet in Sacramento, CA. Not only is Pat an excellent triathlete, but he also knows my friends Matt and Jessica who own the Fleet Feet in Madison.

5) I was able to get out into the Venetian and get lunch! Hallelujah.

Thursday was a bit slower for us in the booth, but still had a steady flow of traffic throughout the day. We had a quick wrap-up meeting and headed back to the Tuscany. I joined Wyatt, Jeff, Jon, Levi and Tom for dinner at Gordon Biersch. After dinner, I walked Jon back to the hotel and bid him farewell. He was heading back to NY for a wedding that evening. I then went to my room, enjoyed accessing email for the first time in days and watching some TV. I was asleep by 11pm.

Friday
Again I woke up early to run and experienced much of the same thing as I did on Wednesday out on the strip. I thought a lot about where exactly I was at. There is nowhere else in the world like Las Vegas. It's miles and miles of enormous hotels, casinos, restaurants, lights, entertainment, attractions....It is a 24 hour a day tease of all your senses and it's filled with temptation. The amount of money that flows into Vegas each day must be unimaginable. And the people - all different nationalities and economic statuses. No wonder people come from far and wide to visit this city. But, I also had a sense of relief that I'd be leaving this world and headed back to a more quiet and fulfilling life back in Madison.

The other thing that stood out during this run - the strip stinks, literally. Some of the smells I encountered during the run were awful at times and more mild at others. It was like running past a landfill except without a trash pile in sight.

This was my final day in Vegas and I was dreading it. Fridays typically slow down and I thought the day would feel like a week. Fortunately I was wrong. Rachel and I spent the morning walking the show. We scored some industry deals and found out which booths to hit at the end of the day for the sales (Ryder, Dakine, Craft, etc..). We came back to the booth and spent some time there. My industry friend, JJ, stopped by and we talked software for a bit. I also closed 2 sales! I was very excited about that as it meant a little extra cash in my pocket:)

Rachel and I had lunch in the Venetian in the afternoon. It was nice to sit down and not have to inhale my food in the booth. The rest of the day was spent talking to people, purchasing some goodies out on the show floor and preparing for the end of Interbike. At 6pm, they announced that the show was over and everyone from the show let out a loud cheer. Everyone was relieved that a long week had come and gone.

Now it was time for tear down. We took down as much stuff as we could and I sat and waited for the computers to be picked up. BJ stayed back and waited with me which was really nice. I just wanted to get out of there and eat some dinner. Fortunately the computer tech showed up within 30 minutes of everyone else leaving. We packed it in and headed back to the Tuscany.

We met up with the sales guys and Rachel and went to dinner at Cozymel's. The food was delicious! I ate way too many chips and salsa. Mmmmm! We headed back to the hotel after dinner. I had a flight out at 12am and needed to head out by 10pm. I had about 30 minutes to kill before hopping a cab and heading for the airport. We sat out on the patio at the hotel and enjoyed a drink. It was fun and there was part of me that wanted to stay and actually enjoy Vegas some more. But then there was a part of me that just wanted to be home.

I got in a cab around 10pm and was waiting in the terminal by 1045pm for my flight. I was of course delayed until 1am. I was lucky though to meet a variety of industry people in the airport. I do love the cycling industry - that is one major takeaway from this whole experience. I want to stay in this industry some way or another. It's just a matter of finding my niche.

So, now I'm home and it's back to my life. I'm not quite sure where I go from here or what's next, but I know a few things.

1) I have a GREAT life! Family, Friends, Job, Athletics, Health, Money, etc...I'm very blessed.

2) I have no clue what life is going to hold for me (no one does really), but I know it's time to really carve out my own path.

3) I'm ready for the next steps in life - love and a family. I don't know when it'll happen, but I know I'm ready for it.

Next week, it's off to Seattle to visit Fred and Pranali - dear college friends whom I haven't seen in years. I can't wait!

-AP