This Summer/Running

I just realized I have not blogged much this year compared to last year.  Here is a look at our summer:

May 30th-Bolder Boulder-A big 10K in Colorado, very popular, if I'm lucky, James will brave the traffic and be there when I finish!
May 30th PM or May 31st AM-Leave for Ohio, perhaps stop in Iowa to pick up James' Uncle John
May 31st-June 10th-Spend time with James' family in Ohio, see James' younger brother Rob graduate, probably visit Cedar Point, a theme park
June 10th-Head back towards Colorado, stop in Nauvoo on the way back
June 15th-18th-GIRL'S CAMP
June 23rd-June 27th-I'm flying to Seattle with my Mom to see my sister and her family and to run the Rock n Roll Half-Marathon with my sister Marie!
July 18th-22nd-Bateman Family "Camping" trip at James' family's cabin in Conifer, CO
Aug 20th-Park City Half-Marathon
Sep 5th-American Discovery Trail Marathon in Colorado Springs

A couple of days ago James and I did a 5K here in Aurora, it was the first time I have really trained for a competitive pace.  I thought running fast for 3.1 miles would have been easy no matter what because it's a short distance.  It was weird how I knew there couldn't be more than a mile left, I was almost done, but running faster than I was used to made me want to quit and walk a couple times.  Part of it was the course was kind of winding and they changed the route this year so it was hard to tell if I was really close or still really far away.  As soon as I saw the finish line I passed the lady I had been lagging behind for most of the race, and another dude.  I ended up at 23:27, which was better than my less-than-24 minutes goal. It's hard to tell if you used all you had in a race.  I don't think I could've run it any faster.  I felt like I had given it everything when they made me stop and stand there right as I finished so they could cut my timer tag off my shoe.  I remember saying, "I think I'm going to barf," to no one in particular, but the feeling left me as soon as I could start walking.  I got a bottle of water and started walking the race backwards to find James, and finish the race with him, per tradition.  I coaxed James into jogging a few times, then as soon as he saw the finish, he started running at a pace that I will never be able to run at (He is freakishly fast when he wants to be!).  The announcer guy says, "Whoa, this guy still has some gas in his tank!!"  I was just laughing.   

Chatfield Wetlands Loop

Another hike from my favorite hiking book. This is number 7 out of 35 hikes near Denver that I hope to be able to do.  This was more of a nature walk than a hike, but it was beautiful, still a little brown, I guess.  This was a couple weeks ago.  Apparently it's a good place to go for birdwatching.  Or a good place to go if your husband doesn't actually like "hiking," per se. 

"I just learned how to dress myself!"

The token picture of James and Cooper from behind.

Some Baby Quilts

I made some baby quilts for a couple good friends who recently had babies.  The first one was for a girl and the second one was for a boy.  The second one I needed to buy a lot of fabric to supplement the ones I already had.  The finished quilt only has two of the original blocks I started with, out of 20 or so.  Whoops!

My Mom made me quilt it, I hate it when she does that!  It could look so much better!

This is a cool way to do the binding that my Mom showed me, it has kind of an insert, and you don't have to do any hand-sewing!

Cooper-Some Ridiculous Puppy Pictures

Alderfer 3 Sisters

Can you believe I convinced James to go hiking with me AGAIN?!  I can't!  We both had fun, though.  It was not too steep or strenuous, just a nice gradual uphill/downhill hike.  3 sisters is near Evergreen, CO.  To the left are the three sisters, I think.  There are four little peaks, the three sisters and the brother, but I'm not sure which one is the brother, I think it's the one to the right that's farther away from the other three.   



The first sister, can you see James at the bottom?



1




Trying to master the self-portrait...




Wait for it...




The best one was actually taken upside-down




Cooper came and rocked it




2




A view of Evergreen Lake from the top of Sister #2




James is the only one of us who can take pictures like this.




We saw some mule deer





#3 or the brother, I don't know





Some elk we saw as we drove through downtown Evergreen.



It was a great hike.  Afterwards we went to Beau Jo's Pizza in Evergreen for dinner.  One of my favorite parts about doing new hikes is crossing them off the list in my little guide book.  6 down, 29 to go!





 

The Apron I want to Make

Isn't she cute?!

Something for the Puppy

I made this rag pillow out of James old pairs of jeans.  And he's actually laying on it!!!  I was afraid he would just show no interest.  Yes, I sew for my dog.