Seattle Work(out) Week

I was in Seattle all week for work, and did some working-out with friends on the side.  I arrived to a short-lived warm and sunny Seattle day (yes, these exist, and they are spectacular), but it was promptly replaced by a typical chilly grey and rainy remainder of the week.  But with all the warmth and sun I get in Denver, it was sort of nice to not have to wear sunglasses and SPF 50+ 24/7. 

I flew in Monday evening after work and immediately met up with some Seattle friends, Jessica and Steffanie, for a run around Lake Union followed by dinner at Harborside on their patio. 
It was a perfect day and Mt. Rainier was out in full force.  No city is more beautiful than Seattle on a clear and sunny day.  The run felt so easy being at sea level, oh how I miss being able to breathe with such ease…… and it was so wonderful to catch up with friends. I miss them so much!!

I then drove north to Whidbey Island for work.  Tuesday was a typical Seattle day, but at least I was outside for work.  A crappy day in the field is still better than a day in the office; below is my jobsite.  Don’t be deceived by the beauty, that bluff is eroding into a landfill.  We are fixing it though, you are welcome Puget Sound. 
Tuesday night I stayed with my friend Jessica and got in a tempo run around Greenlake.  I can’t stress enough how much I miss sea level and cool weather…. the run felt effortless.  I haven’t felt this good during a run in months.  It was great to catch up with Jessica and I haven’t laughed that hard in a while.  Side note: we discovered we were both yearbook nerds and high school.  Her fiancé called us laughing hyenas and I’m sure was mocking our nerdy love of yearbooks.

Wednesday I worked in my old office and caught up with Seattle work people.  I miss that office, great people there.  After work, I met up in downtown Seattle with my friend Steffanie.  She has an office that overlooks the city and Lake Union, not fair. 

It was Wednesday so I was also able to play with my Seattle soccer team, woooo hoooo!  It was a late game (9pm, YUCK) and was cold and very rainy the whole time.  Pretty miserable, but typical Seattle soccer weather.  It was great to see the team and to play some soccer.  I hadn’t played in 5 months so I was rusty.  We ended up winning 5-4….. and I woke up the next morning SUPER SORE.  In fact, I still feel like I got hit by a bus.  I remember why I haven’t joined a team here in Denver….

I stayed with Steffanie Wednesday night and it was also great to catch up with her.  She is running the Eugene half marathon this weekend and I was SOOO tempted to skip my flight, stay a few more days, and drive to Eugene with her to run a race at sea level.  But I was responsible and caught my flight back to Denver on Thursday.

THANK YOU SO MUCH STEFFANIE AND JESSICA FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY, I MISS YOU GUYS!