Where does the time go?

I don't know how this happened, but I have suddenly become very busy. I think it's because I decided to start an online Master's Degree program in Sports Psychology in the thick of racing season. Yup, that's definitely it.

The adjustment back to academia has been pretty easy. I have wanted to do this for a long time, so I don't mind being so busy. But there's a lot more that has been going on, too. It's the longest stretch of time I have spent at home since I spent 3 weeks resting a broken rib in May. It's been a ton of fun to be home, see friends, ride local trails and most importantly, to rest my legs.

What have I been doing?

Let's see...mom-in-law came to visit, so that meant an overnight tour of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. We saw many more tourists doing stupid things than we did wildlife. I broke the women's course record in the local Jackson Hole Cache-Game Mountain Bike race. I went to an overnight camping trip/bachelorette party and got to practice the art of making perfect smores. Nate and I went to a fantastic wedding at the same ranch that we got married at last fall. We saw the Black Crowes and Ben Harper at the Jackson Hole Music Festival. (Really good time). My garden was completely chewed down to the roots by deer :( Nate then built a great fence and it's making a comeback. I raced and won the Rendezvous Hill Climb which was shortened to be the Bridger Gondola Hill Climb because the NEW TRAM is still being constructed (and will be ready this winter!) My sister had a baby boy named Asher on August 10th and used not a single drug during her labor. That's hardcore. We threw Nate a B-day BBQ on the 19th and I made him a killer carrot cake. Oh, and I have also been watching the Olympics every night. At the beginning I kept telling myself that I would just record it and go to bed early...never happened. I am addicted. BMX tonight!!

Phew.

Right now Nate, Maddy-the-dog and I are in a hotel in Cedar City. We're heading up to Brian Head in the morning for the first stage of the American Mountain Classic, a 4-day stage race for which they have only released one course map for one of the stages. Yikes. At least we're all in the dark together! Typically, the night before long endurance races I am sitting at a table with a calculator and course maps, crunching out my calorie needs and deciding what to put in my feed bags. Not this time. Instead, I'm writing a paper for PSY5002.

Hopefully, we'll have a good internet connection up there so I can share details about my days. The field is stacked-scary fast-girl stacked-so I'm sure there will be some good tales to tell.

I want to say GOOD LUCK to my local Jackson Hole/Teton Valley friends who are racing the 24 Hours of Grand Targhee this Saturday. Go getcha some!!