Happy Birthday Rusty!

We had a fun time celebrating Rusty’s birthday this year.  The night before his birthday I took him on a fun hike up Eldorado Canyon.  It’s been a long time since the two of us went hiking, and we had a great time.  The view from the top is breathtaking!  After the hike we headed into Boulder for a yummy dinner at Pasta Jay’s. 

On Sunday the kids helped me wrap his presents—they loved it!  He got some new running shoes and a family tent so we can go camping this summer. 

Later that evening we had some friends over for ice cream cake.  My inspiration came from here, but I ran out of frosting, and I had many little helping hands, so the cake didn’t turn out beautiful, but at least it tasted good.  The top is supposed to look like an ice cream cone melting all over the cake :)

Happy Birthday Rust!  We love you so much!

All she wants to do is DANCE

Halle’s ballet recital was last Saturday, and she was wonderful!  She LOVES getting all dressed up and wearing make-up.  She dances with 3 of her closest  pals—Jenna, Berylnn, and Ainsley.  We’re proud of you Halle! 

The Ultimate Runner’s high

If you are ever in Colorado around Memorial Day, you MUST run the BolderBoulder 10k.  It is by far my favorite race of the season!  Why, you might ask?  Well, let me tell you.  50,000 runner make for some SERIOUS endorphins flowing through the streets of Boulder.  There are crazy people all dressed up, there are frat houses cooking up bacon and serving it to runners on toothpicks, there are slip’n’slides and people with hoses and water guns, you finish in Folsom stadium and it’s projected up on the big screen,  and it’s on Memorial Day so there is a spectacular show to honor our military.  What’s not to love? This year the race was even more special b/c I got to run in honor of Brett, my brother-in-law, who is currently stationed in Afghanistan.

(It’s kinda hard to see my bib, but it says, “Im running in honor of Lt. Brett Banks, Flight Surgeon)

It is a tough course, but thanks to all my great training with the Redline Running Club, I still set a PR (47:42). I was very chaffed, and very very exhausted, but I did it.  There are so many runners that the age group breakdowns are just year to year.  So, of the 743 twenty-nine year olds, I came in 21st. Overall place 2760 out of 54,554.  Not too shabby! Here’s the course map just so you can feel some of my pain: 

This is me and my running pal Jen.  She is AMAZING and always inspires me to do my best and to try new and difficult things:

(Redline Running Club gals and our coach, Josh)

(Folsom Stadium before the race started)
 
(Picture from here)

Here's the entire race in 30 seconds. Kinda cool