#AnnaBucketList17- March

A goal I made last year for myself was 2017 would be a year of exploring more. For me it means traveling places, meeting new people and doing the things I have wanted to do. Could be as simple as trying a new trail or place to eat, but the main idea was to branch out and be open.

But, before I go into the epic shit I crossed off on my bucket list, here is the song I love right now:
Green Light

Well, March was a double whammie of bucket list items right off the bat. Two trips I had to forgo last year, I decided I was taking, regardless of the future. I said no last year due to uncertainty and I was damned if I would say no to the universe again. The first was the Team Betty Photo Shoot in San Diego and lucky me this year there was #BettyEpicCamp before the shoot. I cashed in my miles and traveled with my Betty sister Jess and we headed out. I will sum up the trip as this: sunshine, bike riding, running near the beach, great speakers, lots of laughs, hugs, food, pool time and some fierce sisterhood action. This team is amazing and it was a great opportunity to connect with my Betty teammates that I haven't met before and only connected through social media. And any time I can be on my bike is a good day. However, I joked with them that the last time I was on a bike outside I got a medal! It was so fun and exactly what my soul needed during the transition of chapters in my professional life. I noticed this last month when traveling that I like to be in my own bubble of what I am doing. That means I am not on my phone really and truly disconnecting and being present. Live is for living. Don't miss it.  Bucket list item checked!

One of the nights we had a guess speaker at one of the Betty houses. It was Julie Moss! I was reading Iron War and just had watched the movie TRI, so I knew her back story. I had first heard of Julie Moss in 2011 coming back from a running race with two triathletes. We were listening to a podcast and I was just getting into triathlons (actually my first was still a month away at that time!) and I never heard of her. Her story is amazing. I can't truly can't do her story justice, so here is a little clip of one of the most famous Ironman finishes: Who is Julie Moss? I spoke with her personally about the book I was reading and she was so kind and gracious. 

In her talk (by the way she is so funny) I took away these key points, not only important in triathlon, but life: 1. Check your ego at the door. 2. Going after your dreams takes grit. 3. Don't take yourself too seriously. What a great talk and a privilege to meet one of the greatest women ever known in the triathlon world. Bucket list item checked! Also, I met Momma Betty (Kristen Mayer) who started Betty Designs and that was so amazing! Bucket list item checked! I was teary eyed at the end of the photo shoot. It was amazing! I went home so inspired! Thank you to teammate Dorette Franks (pictured below) for helping get Julie Moss there and to all my teammates who helped organize the camp!

After traveling from West coast, I shortly boarded another plan to head to the East coast. I entered my dad and I in the Cherry Blossom race and we both got in the lottery! I have never seen the Cherry Blossoms or Washington D.C. The race was Sunday and we landed in D.C. Wednesday before. I scheduled a White House Tour, meeting with Senator Tester and a tour of the Capitol the first day. That took up most of the day. Then the next few days before the race we went to the Holocaust Museum, Newseum, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, WWII Memorial and Vietnam Memorial. Bucket list items checked!

Friday we went to pick up our packets and we hustled across D.C. on foot to make it in time so I could hear Katherine Switzer! She is the first woman who registered for the Boston Marathon. At the time, women were believed not to be able to run that far for many absurd reasons. In fact the race director tried to pull her off the course and take her bib. Also, under that gray sweatsuit she did say she had this cute outfit, but race day was so cold-fun fact. Here is the famous picture. She was also funny in her speaking and I bought her book and had my picture taken with her. She also signed my bib and book! Bucket list item checked!

The race was fun and it started and finished at the Washington Memorial (my favorite) and I met up with a Betty teammate as well. After the race and the next day were pretty low key. We went to Arlington Cemetery-saw the changing of the guard, tomb of the unknown soldiers and JFK grave. It was great. Then we went to the Pentagon Memorial, Spy Museum and a little bit of the Air and Space Museum. We walked around the Capitol and went to two Irish Pubs and I started talking to one of the servers at the second pub. She was from Anchorage and came over to D.C for a change of pace and adventure. She was living with her friend and he knew someone at the pub and got her a job. It was just cool hearing her story. I loved D.C. everyone was nice and it was clean. People were renting bikes on the street and running. We had a great time. Bucket list items checked!

Well March proved an epic month for doing things I haven't done before. Let's see what April brings!

Remember to explore more and as always, You Do You.