#Dirty30

2014 // A new year // A new decade // The same {old} me.

I spent most of my 20s in search of the next adventure. I became a college graduate and a conference champion, a corporate employee freed by a local bike shop. My competitive drive died a little through the zen of rock climbing. I moved across country with no real plan and have somehow stayed for over half the decade. A summer camp in Maine brought me to the love of my life only to be reunited {and married!} in my favorite city. Swimming eventually led to triathlon which introduced me to Felty {'07-'09}, Kermit, Cookie Monster {'09-'12}, Super Grover and Animal. The competitive drive was reignited and I became an Ironman and a state champion. There it is, my 20s, in a cute little paragraph.

I was too busy having fun to fear turning 30. That is until I turned 29. I'm not sure what happened in 2013 but I started dreading my birthday. Maybe it was USAT telling me I was already 30 and rubbing it in my face by writing it on my leg. Maybe it was kicking off the new year with the sprained ankle on Jan 1. Or the issues that arose in that dang left foot thereafter. Maybe it was the bought of Crohns before Oceanside, or the tonsillectomy following. Or even Kermit's return to Canada for repairs. Motivation lacked, self doubt arose and I barely crossed the finish line at IM Lake Tahoe with a bum hamstring as a fake 30 year old. How can I survive as a real one?

The off season came and the birthday drew closer. I knew I needed something big to kick off this decade. Inspiration arose after a healthy beating on the tidepool hill by a couple of teammates. Why not do 30?

Thus the #Dirty30 ride was born. 30 tidepool repeats at the Cabrillo National Monument, my favorite place in San Diego. It was on this hill that I met my future boss and it was at that lighthouse that my future husband proposed. And a surprising amount of {slightly crazy} friends signed up for some aging celebration. Kyle brought the sag wagon and we took a couple Coke and pb&j breaks but pretty much got it done. Manny surprised me and showed up with his camera and amazing skills and got some great shots of the day.

early morning crew!

wee!

still smiling {a push from Gabe will do that}

The real QOM - Sonja pushing the pace all day

the LAST one!

pretty awesome elevation profile. 

And in under 5 hours, 6 of us completed the {60 mile \ 9,000ft+} challenge. It was more than awesome to have so many great friends and riding partners join in for 1 or all. I managed to keep a smile on for most of the day, enjoying the sunshine and the ocean views, realizing that turning 30 isn't so bad after all. Kyle summed it up with a video of the day.

And a surprise present! A '69 Vespa! It's a little red Italian 49cc scooter and I cannot wait to drive it! {needs CA plates/registration and I need to pass the motorcycle permit/license test} Apparently I was a good girl in the last of my 20s, and have an even brighter future in my 30s.

Here's to another amazing decade of adventure searching with my friends, my family, and most of all, my man.