Due thanks

Even though I said I'm not doing any recaps this year, I am feeling especially fortunate, and want to shout-out the ones who helped me so much in 2017. It was our first full year in Colorado, and we wouldn't be here without Katy Welter and Rick Bieterman.  

It was my first year as a "triathlete," and I couldn't have done it without such a great race series and amazing local support. I got a ton of super helpful advice from my friend and superstar athlete, Lydia Dobbs! I also got a lot of (unknowing) support from the professional female athletes that I admire so much: Linsey Corbin, Rachel Joyce, Rachel McBride, Flora Duffy, and Shalane Flanagan. And some much needed and appreciated knowledge from Triathlon Taren. Above all, I have to thank Douglas Light for his ongoing incredible support. He gets up at ridiculous hours to drive me to races. He makes me delicious meals after long rides and runs. He forces me to go to the hospital when I'm so dehydrated I can't even keep water down (oops). He teaches me how to lift weights to get stronger. He cheers for me, and never, ever stops saying "I know you can do it."  

Here's my year in sports: thanks to Strava for making these cool videos! 

Also, big thanks to All Aboard Rescue, for bringing Ten Paws up from Texas so he could make our lives even more hilarious and nonstop. Onward! 

Watch

It's a remarkable thing when an ad actually works. There are so many horrible examples of ads that don't. My boyfriend works in ads: brands. It's difficult to balance all that needs to be accomplished in a few words, or a few seconds. Ads can be the poetry of the media spew. More often than not, though, they're just ignored. We recently got Hulu, which means we watch ads after not doing so for a long time. Mostly, the experience is groaning and wanting to get on with the show, but a few stand out. Or, they do for me. (But then, I imagine every dog I pass on the street is humming a little tune and giving commentary on the day). JetBlue works. Pigeons taking on the voice of people on planes is adorable and sharp. It's funny. On the same note, an ad by the Argentina Liver Transplant Foundation is even better. It pulls on emotions. It uses the same music from the movie UP, which so many adults realized was NOT just a kids movie. It might bring you to tears in under 2 minutes, mostly because it's true. If you've ever had a dog, especially as a single adult person going through tough times, you can say for sure, that your dog saved you: maybe even literally saved your life. Dogs know things. You might actually WANT to watch this ad, which is pretty impressive.