The major life changes and other plans post!!!

So I have had a lot going on lately. Hence why I have not been blogging much! I thought in the off-season I would blog more. But not so much. Well what can you do, but try to improve! So here is what's been keeping me busy these days - surprise surprise, it involves plotting and planning, which are my two loves outside of triathlon!

1. Well after three years I have decided that I will not be applying to re-join the Mark Allen Online team. It has been amazing to be on the team and I have been so lucky to be a part of it, but after three years I am ready for some new challenges and strategies to go super fast.
2. I have done a lot of 2012 race planning. I am starting off the season at Galveston 70.3 which will be fun and super convenient (I'm in Houston for work through April). 
3. I have also applied for the REV3 team. We shall see if I am accepted but if I am, that will dictate a lot of the rest of the season because I would get really good deals on REV3 races!
4. And in the major life changes department, I am moving!! I am so, so, so excited!!!! I have wanted to move back to the East Coast for YEARS. At least five but probably more like seven. And now I finally have a job where I can. So I am doing it!! It's all approved and I have an apartment in Hoboken which is just outside of Manhattan. I have also sublet my apartment in Denver. The only thing I still need to do is book movers. I honestly can't believe how easy it's been to make it happen. I am scared a little bit because it's always scary to move to a new place, but mostly I just cannot wait for the challenge, the experiences, and being near an ocean again!
5. So that was all the major stuff. I think I may have mentioned this before but I am also signed up for Ironman Coeur d'Alene. What can I say, I blame Chad and Beth. It is going to be so much fun! 

I have to say that after the Ironman I do feel more freedom in a weird way. It's like I feel like well, if I could finish an Ironman, I should stop setting limits in other areas in life. Because if I can do that, I can probably do most things I really want to do. It is quite liberating! So maybe think about it a little bit. What have you always wanted to do, and what's stopping you?

Yeah I suck at blogging in the offseason, but I have pictures!

So I guess that makes up for my blogging slacking, right? I've been so busy having fun that I don't have time to blog. And I've been working a decent amount so there you have it.

Anyway offseason has been fun! I've been riding a little when the weather's nice. I saw a lot of this...

It may have been somewhat ill-advised only a few weeks after the Ironman but the foliage was so pretty and the weather was awesome. What can I say, ill-advised is my middle name sometimes!

I have also had more time to hang out with Bodie. She is looking very cute in this picture, sitting at lunch like a good dog.

I am in Columbus right now, I ran the half marathon here this morning and have been enjoying a fun weekend with my awesome friend Cathy. The race was not that special - I ran a 1:36 which is fine but nothing amazing. I was wondering how my legs would feel five weeks after the Ironman and they were okay. I would say I felt the best about 10 miles in. That is endurance training for you.

Columbus is much nicer than I frankly expected. They have a very nice river.

And the area around where we finished (I took this picture when they were almost done cleaning it all up) was fun. It was right by all the arenas.

They also have this great place called the North Market. It has so many fun little food stands.

The food in Columbus is great. We have been laying fairly low but yesterday I walked to Ohio State (I refuse to say 'The Ohio State University' because that is just stupid) and went swimming. Wow, those facilities are amazing, and the stadium is huge. I've never seen anything like it.

It's been a fun weekend. Now I am gearing up to head back to Houston and then to a spectathlon for my friend Tamra whom I am coaching this year. Can't wait to see how she does! I love Austin so I am pretty excited about that. And Tamra's pretty much my size so I am going to use her bike and go for a ride in the Texas hill country. I cannot wait for that!!!