happy new year - best of 2008 lists

I realize it has been quite a long time since I've written anything on my blog(s).

I do apologize - it has been a very hectic (but great) past few weeks, but as we embark upon a new year, I must take time to reflect on the past 12 months in a nostaligic recap of my life on the road. These are my most memorable moments for 2008 (not necessarily best or worst, and in somewhat chronological order):

- Getting my first taste of the Big D, and ironically spending the first days of 2008 in Dallas/Fort Worth.
- Telling DSG I was leaving.
- Getting a job, after 6 months of 'unemployment', with Q/Crocs and everything that went along with that decision: weighing pros and cons, packing, training, and basically the sheer uncertainty of the entire situation and what was to come.
- Seeing my sister in her new apartment in SF on the way down for our first event.
- Watching the sun set as we drove along the coast through Santa Barbara, making our way to Huntington Beach.
- Setting up on race morning at the Surf City Marathon amidst torrential wind and rain, consequently soaking us and everything in our possesion.
- Getting stranded in Flagstaff, AZ due to a flash blizzard on my way to the Grand Canyon (which we never made it to) after going 10 mph losing sight of the road as semi's flew by. I pulled off, checked into a HIE and got Moons Over My Hammy from Denny's across the parking lot. The drive the next morning with new fallen snow and the sun shining was easily one of the best.
- Surprising Whitney in Vegas at the airport, eventhough it didn't quite go according to plan.
- Running in my first event, the Gate River Run 15K in Jacksonville, FL and driving over the drawbridge at sunrise with Stephen, which allowed me to get out and take a great picture (not how sore I was for a week after that).
- Getting my new computer, which undoubtedly saved me countless hours over having to use my old one for the whole tour.
- The trips back to OU to see Whitney at school. Athens is so much fun and such an amazing place, we were very lucky to spend as much time there as we did.
- Our night out in New Orleans, followed by Easter Sunday in the Big Easy. This was really the only night, all tour, when we went out to the bars as a team, but it was a lot of fun.
- Being at the Boston Marathon.
- One night in Louisville during Derby Week. Phillip convinced me to go to a concert one evening during a three day stop over in the Bluegrass State which turned out to be amazing. The weather was beautiful, Brett Dennen and Mason Jennings were on stage, fireworks went off, steamboats went by on the river next to the park - very cool.
- Wine tasting in VA with Whitney - who knew there was great wine there?!
- Watching my mom win her age group in the Denver Danskin Tri, backwards wetsuit and all!
- Whitney calling with news of not one, but two simultaneous job offers and her decision to move to Dallas and work for TMA.
- Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, 4th of July. There are a multiple reasons this weekend was memorable: said goodbye to the last of the first team and welcomed in the second team, guerilla marketing plan to run in crocs and make a video of the whole event (which turned out pretty cool), and watching the fireworks from Stephen's hotel balcony (overlooking of the madness that was Olympic Park).
- Stopping for a rendezvous in Nashville with the team and Whitney. Hotel Indigo, BBQ, and relaxation.
- The weekend in Copper, with a laid back event, perfect weather, lots of outdoor activities, and staying right on the mountain.
- Surprising Whitney by coming down to Dallas, riding the trolley for the first time, and setting up meetings that would eventually lead to another memorable moment.
- Going to a game at Yankee Stadium.
- Chicago Marathon. Huge event, great marketing, better food, and the Crocs Block with spray-chalked logos and big balloons.
- Running to Canada and back in the Detroit Half Marathon (followed by an awful decision on the part of my team to buy a case of White Castle sliders - and my awful decision to eat 7 of them).
- My two most memorable events of 2008, both taking place less than a week apart: 1) Running the Marine Corps Marathon with my mom and 2) getting a call on Halloween in NYC Macy's with my mom and Auntie Chris that there was a job at hawkeye, after SIX months of persistence and hope.
- One crazy week in November: driving from NYC to Denver, finally signing my hawkeye contract, packing the Crocs truck with all my things for Dallas, and moving in to our new apartment.
- My last event with Crocs in San Antonio on one day and starting my new job the very next day, realizing everything had FINALLY come together.
- Spending Thanksgiving at home and spending the next week in SF with my sister for my first TNF event.
- Getting a chance to see so many friends and family throughout the year.
- Being able to start the New Year in a great place, with a great job and a great girl.

And now the most important list - best food of 2008! I ate my face off last year. I ate out for practically every meal (because we had to) and was lucky enough to taste delicious cuisine from all over the country - here's my best, in no particular order:

- Black Bean and Steak Chili from the Weber Grill in Chicago
- Beignets from Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans
- Chocolate Chip Cannoli from Mike's Pastries in Boston
- Joe T. Garcia's in Fort Worth
- Filipi's Pizza Grotto in San Diego
- Oregano's in Scottsdale
- Fish tacos in SoCal
- NY pizza from Rosa's
- Chop't in DC
- Jack's BBQ in Nashville
- Mars Cheese Castle outside of Kenosha, WI
- The Buckhead Diner in Atlanta
- Crabcakes from Clyde's on M Street in Georgetown
- Corned Beef from Attman's in Baltimore
- Lou Malnati's in Chicago - best deep dish pizza by far, although Gino's East and Giordanno's aren't bad
- In-n-Out Burger
- Tony Luke's Philly Cheesesteaks...in Philly
- The Med in Boulder
(I'm sure I've forgotten some, so please call me out on it)

2008 was one heck of a year, crazy to say the least - here's hoping 2009 is even better, for everyone!!