Another week, another mountain bike race. This time I chose the beginner category (1 lap instead of 2 or 4), so I did 5 miles, which was plenty for me. The course was different this week, and it was more ups and downs instead of just one loooong uphill and quick downhill. However, I did have to walk some of the uphills unlike the last 2 weeks, because I would come across a quick change in pitch and I couldn't shift quickly enough to keep my speed up.
Nevertheless, I got first place in my division! The funny thing was, I thought there were several girls in my age group, so I kept trying to pass all these females that I would come up to. But it turns out there were only 2... At least I came out on top instead of bottom, and got a pretty great workout! My fridge is now starting to get crowded with blue ribbons, hehe. ;-)
Here's a cool video of last week's race --
Those are the "experts", and they are freakin' crazy. In fact, the camera guy is on a single speed. They finish 2 laps before I've even finished my first. Just so you know, none of that video was sped up -- they're really going that fast. It's my goal not to get lapped by all of them by the end of the summer, but I don't know if that'll really happen... These guys are also pretty much all over the age of 35, by the way. I hope to be in that good of shape when I hit 40.
Also, one of the students who was here for the last clinical affiliation stayed on for another month before she has to go back to school, and I have been hanging out with her a bit. She's staying with a couple of girls up on Big Mountain, one of which I have also hung out with, and they like to bike -- one mountain bikes, the other road bikes and occasionally mountain bikes. So I'm excited to have some girls to ride with! I don't mind riding with the guys but I'd like to have someone more my speed. They also like to do a bunch of other stuff so I'm sure we'll be hanging out quite a bit. I'm actually canoeing with some of them on Sunday -- this time without the race part, so that should be a little more fun!
Now, off to go rollerblading!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Update: extended version
Alright, well now that I have more than just a couple of minutes to spare, I thought I would catch you up on a few things that have been going on in the life of Emily.
I am starting to feel a little bad for Zoje these days.... I don't spend a whole lot of time at home, and when I'm home I'm not often in the mood to be playful and chase her around the apartment. So I hope she's not feeling too bored sitting around by herself. I'm sure she doesn't even realize that she's home alone 10-12 hours of the day. She probably finds just as much amusement chasing rogue bugs around the apartment and looking out the window as she would with me. But it's making me consider finding her a playmate, maybe a new little kitty?? We'll just have to see.
Also, I've been living without a microwave. I kind of like the idea that I don't have a radioactive appliance (okay, so most appliances are radioactive to one degree or another, and my hairdryer probably emits more waves than my microwave ever did...). I also find it fulfilling to cook rather than reheat. But I sure do miss being able to shove some leftovers in there to heat up in a minute rather than waiting for the oven to heat up or dirtying a pot on the stove.
I still have at least 3 boxes that have not been unpacked, sitting in my living room. I also have a rug sitting on my dining room table, my road bike's front wheel has not once been put on, and my clothes drying rack is still the most prominent piece of furniture in my bedroom. Someday I'll have a presentable apartment. Someday...
I do not yet have internet in my apartment. I can get DSL in the house upstairs, but I hate to spend all my time up there when I could be comfortable in my place with my stuff. Someday I'll have real internet in my apartment and be able to update more easily. Someday...
I went waterskiing yesterday with Scott, his new wife Erica, their friends visiting this week, and Ben and his family. I'm very proud to say that I got right up on the skis no problem and didn't fall once! I skipped right over the wake and took several bumps and didn't embarrass myself one bit (well, not with the skiing at least....). Now I'm itching to try dropping a ski or giving the wakeboard a try. Maybe by the end of summer I'll have accomplished one of those.
My altitude headache is finally gone. It might have been the lack of iron in my diet, I decided, that didn't help. I don't really know. All I know is that it's gone and I'm much happier. :)
Work continues to be busy, but it makes the days go by really fast! I even worked this weekend with Scott at the hospital in acute care and didn't mind it at all. I have had several new evals lately to build up my schedule and there is a lot of paperwork involved, but it's nice to see my patient load increasing and being able to decide what to do with patients and see them progress. It's starting to feel like a profession now.
Okay, wow, that was a long post. I still don't have any pictures, but I know people who have been snapping shots so I'll have to snag some when they post them. Someday my life won't be so scattered. Maybe... ;-)
I am starting to feel a little bad for Zoje these days.... I don't spend a whole lot of time at home, and when I'm home I'm not often in the mood to be playful and chase her around the apartment. So I hope she's not feeling too bored sitting around by herself. I'm sure she doesn't even realize that she's home alone 10-12 hours of the day. She probably finds just as much amusement chasing rogue bugs around the apartment and looking out the window as she would with me. But it's making me consider finding her a playmate, maybe a new little kitty?? We'll just have to see.
Also, I've been living without a microwave. I kind of like the idea that I don't have a radioactive appliance (okay, so most appliances are radioactive to one degree or another, and my hairdryer probably emits more waves than my microwave ever did...). I also find it fulfilling to cook rather than reheat. But I sure do miss being able to shove some leftovers in there to heat up in a minute rather than waiting for the oven to heat up or dirtying a pot on the stove.
I still have at least 3 boxes that have not been unpacked, sitting in my living room. I also have a rug sitting on my dining room table, my road bike's front wheel has not once been put on, and my clothes drying rack is still the most prominent piece of furniture in my bedroom. Someday I'll have a presentable apartment. Someday...
I do not yet have internet in my apartment. I can get DSL in the house upstairs, but I hate to spend all my time up there when I could be comfortable in my place with my stuff. Someday I'll have real internet in my apartment and be able to update more easily. Someday...
I went waterskiing yesterday with Scott, his new wife Erica, their friends visiting this week, and Ben and his family. I'm very proud to say that I got right up on the skis no problem and didn't fall once! I skipped right over the wake and took several bumps and didn't embarrass myself one bit (well, not with the skiing at least....). Now I'm itching to try dropping a ski or giving the wakeboard a try. Maybe by the end of summer I'll have accomplished one of those.
My altitude headache is finally gone. It might have been the lack of iron in my diet, I decided, that didn't help. I don't really know. All I know is that it's gone and I'm much happier. :)
Work continues to be busy, but it makes the days go by really fast! I even worked this weekend with Scott at the hospital in acute care and didn't mind it at all. I have had several new evals lately to build up my schedule and there is a lot of paperwork involved, but it's nice to see my patient load increasing and being able to decide what to do with patients and see them progress. It's starting to feel like a profession now.
Okay, wow, that was a long post. I still don't have any pictures, but I know people who have been snapping shots so I'll have to snag some when they post them. Someday my life won't be so scattered. Maybe... ;-)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Super quick update
Okay, so I finally found a few minutes worth of internet time to tell you what's been going on.
1. 14 mile round-trip hike to Swiftcurrent Pass in Glacier Park with a bunch of people from work/friends/etc. Result = exhaustion and altitude headache that has lasted a week.
2. Mountain bike race #2, 2 laps this time instead of one. Result = exhaustion and 3rd place ribbon (out of 3 riders in my category.... oh well I finished at least!)
3. Week #2 of work finished. Result = exhaustion along with a feeling of satisfaction. I think I've found a good home :)
So, as you can see, it's been busy and exhausting, but I wouldn't have it any other way! I've been slowly but surely settling in and it feels good.
I promise to be better at this update thing once I get internet in my apartment. Until then, you'll just have to deal :)
1. 14 mile round-trip hike to Swiftcurrent Pass in Glacier Park with a bunch of people from work/friends/etc. Result = exhaustion and altitude headache that has lasted a week.
2. Mountain bike race #2, 2 laps this time instead of one. Result = exhaustion and 3rd place ribbon (out of 3 riders in my category.... oh well I finished at least!)
3. Week #2 of work finished. Result = exhaustion along with a feeling of satisfaction. I think I've found a good home :)
So, as you can see, it's been busy and exhausting, but I wouldn't have it any other way! I've been slowly but surely settling in and it feels good.
I promise to be better at this update thing once I get internet in my apartment. Until then, you'll just have to deal :)
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Kickin' butt and takin' names
This week has been all about jumping in and taking the world on by storm. To add to the list of craziness, I competed in a mountain biking race league on Thursday. Now, mind you, I have been at sea level for the past 7 or so months, and have had my mountain bike out only a handful of times on some pretty mild terrain. I am also very non-competitive. So when I ventured up to Big Mountain (the ski slope in town) with my fellow coworkers and friends, I was a little anxious as to how this would go. The league is every Thursday night, and there are age divisions as well as ability divisions. I chose the beginner division this time, which means one lap around (about 4 miles). I didn't want to kill myself- literally- on my first try. I didn't bike up on the mountain last summer when I was here, so I didn't really know what to expect. But I was assured by many people that I would be able to finish fine, so I tried to be optimistic.
And guess what?? I got first place in my age category! Woo-hoo! My lungs felt like they were bleeding by the end of it, and I flipped over my handlebars once and banged up my bike a bit, but I finished and apparently significantly earlier than the other beginners. I was pretty darn proud of myself. I now have a blue ribbon to hang up somewhere (which may not be put up for a while... my apartment is still in disarray at the moment).
But now I feel like I would be copping out if I competed in the beginner division again... So I'm going to go for 2 laps next time and just take it easy. There was only one other girl my age who did the sport division last week so I might still get a ribbon even if I come in last. I'm hoping my lungs will be a little more adjusted to the altitude by then -- the race is at about 4,000 feet, give or take; enough to make it hurt on the uphills. Who knows, maybe by the end of the summer I'll have a nice little collection of ribbons. Wish me luck!
And guess what?? I got first place in my age category! Woo-hoo! My lungs felt like they were bleeding by the end of it, and I flipped over my handlebars once and banged up my bike a bit, but I finished and apparently significantly earlier than the other beginners. I was pretty darn proud of myself. I now have a blue ribbon to hang up somewhere (which may not be put up for a while... my apartment is still in disarray at the moment).
But now I feel like I would be copping out if I competed in the beginner division again... So I'm going to go for 2 laps next time and just take it easy. There was only one other girl my age who did the sport division last week so I might still get a ribbon even if I come in last. I'm hoping my lungs will be a little more adjusted to the altitude by then -- the race is at about 4,000 feet, give or take; enough to make it hurt on the uphills. Who knows, maybe by the end of the summer I'll have a nice little collection of ribbons. Wish me luck!
Monday, July 13, 2009
A whole new life
(Side note -- I was kicked out of the library last night because it was closing so I wasn't able to post this on the day I wrote it, so just pretend it was posted on Monday....)
I just had my first day as an official PT. Well, okay, sorta official, since I only have a temporary license. But nonetheless, it was my first day at the Sport Center.
And boy, was it a first day.
The owner, Scott, is gone this week. Who do you think got his patients? Moi, that's who. Who do you think got his student, who was in for his first day too? Moi. Talk about jumping right in.... I felt pretty bad for the student, because I really didn't know what to do with him, seeing as I had no idea who my patients were anyway. So he just kind of tagged along. I'm sure he didn't mind too badly, but I hope he doesn't go home and think that this is what it's going to be like the entire time! I think I handled it okay, but I definitely wasn't expecting to have a student my first year much less my first day!
Luckily I didn't have any new evals today, so that's a plus. And from what the schedule looks like, it probably won't be as hectic the rest of the week and then when Scott's back it will be much different. But it certainly makes me feel good that the clinic is comfortable and confident enough with me to let me handle so much.
So what else have I been up to? Ohh, just driving across country, moving into a new apartment, competing in a multi-sport race, hiking in Glacier Park.... you know, everyday stuff. Dad and Mike left today and I was pretty sad to see them go since they are the last piece of home that I'm going to see in a while... but it's all very exciting and I know I'll be just fine here.
P.S. My pictures from the trip out are on my Picasa site, which can be viewed here.
I just had my first day as an official PT. Well, okay, sorta official, since I only have a temporary license. But nonetheless, it was my first day at the Sport Center.
And boy, was it a first day.
The owner, Scott, is gone this week. Who do you think got his patients? Moi, that's who. Who do you think got his student, who was in for his first day too? Moi. Talk about jumping right in.... I felt pretty bad for the student, because I really didn't know what to do with him, seeing as I had no idea who my patients were anyway. So he just kind of tagged along. I'm sure he didn't mind too badly, but I hope he doesn't go home and think that this is what it's going to be like the entire time! I think I handled it okay, but I definitely wasn't expecting to have a student my first year much less my first day!
Luckily I didn't have any new evals today, so that's a plus. And from what the schedule looks like, it probably won't be as hectic the rest of the week and then when Scott's back it will be much different. But it certainly makes me feel good that the clinic is comfortable and confident enough with me to let me handle so much.
So what else have I been up to? Ohh, just driving across country, moving into a new apartment, competing in a multi-sport race, hiking in Glacier Park.... you know, everyday stuff. Dad and Mike left today and I was pretty sad to see them go since they are the last piece of home that I'm going to see in a while... but it's all very exciting and I know I'll be just fine here.
P.S. My pictures from the trip out are on my Picasa site, which can be viewed here.
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