tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-372029612012-01-30T11:09:59.863-05:00New Year's Resolution 2005, I decided it would be fun to "tri", so one day I went out for a swim, bike, and run and the rest is history. . .VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-91437572569459061392009-07-30T15:08:00.017-04:002009-08-17T21:06:04.917-04:00

I will attempt to keep this race report short...as it wasn't my finest experience!First, I want to thank everyone who donated to Team PVA and helping us raise money for paralyzed Veterans. It is sincerely appreciated, and I am constantly reminded just how lucky I am that I can participate in races and have so far been kept safe during my military career. Thank you so much for your support!All

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-15187282582250553602009-06-06T15:46:00.010-04:002009-06-06T16:10:24.823-04:00

The weather finally cooperated today, and I awoke to ~60 degrees, cloudy/overcast buy most importantly....NOT rainy skies!Met up with Jess, Peggy Sue and Lindsey and we headed down to the mall. The runners and walkers were separated; I was the only one in our foursome who was running, and my race was supposed to start at 8am. I ran ahead to get down on the Mall at the right location....little

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-71864192701203530652009-06-04T14:44:00.001-04:002009-06-04T14:46:50.289-04:00

I wanted to thank you all again for supporting my participation in the Komen Global Race for the Cure. I have surpassed my fundraising goal, raising $600, and I am looking forward to the race this Saturday, June 6th! My inspiration for this event, Catherine, will be arriving in DC the evening of the race, and I can't wait to share with her the experience I will have had with so many runners

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-69473563159313394712008-09-29T13:49:00.006-04:002008-10-06T11:34:14.057-04:00

Let me just first say that on Saturday, I ran 20.8 miles in nasty, muggy, tropical weather. Well, I ran 20 and walked/limped .8. I then proceeded to lie on my couch for most of the remainder of the day second-guessing whether or not I'll actually finish this marathon. UGH. I hate running.But I love biking! And I love Cyclo-cross! This is my second year doing CX races, and my first year that

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-21562067871630987242008-09-11T21:39:00.004-04:002008-09-11T22:20:00.815-04:00

I don't yet have photos, but wanted to get this post up today.Today, I was honored to be a guest at the Pentgon Memorial Dedication Ceremony for the 184 Americans who lost their lives 7 years ago.I truly cannot describe in words how awesome (the orginial meaning of the word, not the California-slang) it was to be sitting in the audience today.For those who don't know, the Pentagon's first day of

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-50482493802908955792008-08-19T11:05:00.000-04:002008-08-20T11:51:57.137-04:00

Almost Heaven, western Virginia. For whatever reason, as soon as I see a sign that says "Shenendoah River" I immediately start singing the classic John Denver tune.It was no different on Monday, when I headed out with some friends after the Luray Triathlon to do an "84-mile ride" in the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.After volunteering for the sprint distance race on

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-7266115035793882692008-08-17T09:38:00.008-04:002008-08-21T14:41:48.096-04:00

I had been looking forward to Luray for months....this was to be my "big vacation" this year, 4 days in the mountains of Northern Virginia. A far cry from last summer's 2 week vacation in the south of France, but I'll take what I can get in the turning economy....So, Friday afternoon I headed out on the 2 hour drive to the tiny mountain town of Luray. Traffic, as always, was not great, but

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-31564299623590721332008-06-09T16:56:00.001-04:002008-06-09T16:56:26.459-04:00

View my page on iAmTri

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-11348998691752534822008-05-24T10:00:00.001-04:002008-08-14T16:36:11.423-04:00

How it went from January to May so quickly, I have no idea!I swore last year that I'd be ready for the hills of Columbia, but wow, I just really underestimated how much time I lost over the winter being distracted by non-triathlon things!The biggest issue of this race was that I had to race it in my glasses! I was still waiting to get my eye surgery, so I raced in prescription goggles, and then

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-69352700252298255362008-03-28T11:21:00.006-04:002008-03-30T11:55:19.522-04:00

March 1st I took a new job, working for U.S. Central Command's Legislative Affairs Office. My job entails providing Congress with the information they need to make informed decisions about the budget and policies relating to the US and coalition forces efforts over in the Middle East.The first day on the job I was escorting Admiral William "Fox" Fallon, the Commander of Central Command to

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-76797963415234161132008-03-23T12:02:00.009-04:002008-03-30T12:30:54.767-04:00

Easter came so early this year! It awlays amazes me how we cannot have Santa and Christmas trees in school, and yet both Christmas and Easter are tied to the two pagen rituals of the Winter and Spring solstice! But I digress. It turns out that Easter is determined by the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring solstice....and this year is the absolute earliest Easter can ever

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-61430342529939615092008-03-19T10:47:00.014-04:002008-03-30T11:19:52.619-04:00

I try to get back to San Diego at least once a quarter, just so I remember that DC really isn't where I want to end up. So, while "in between" jobs, I decided to leave the cold weather and head to San Diego to get in some tri training and hang with all my friends who are out west.I flew out Thursday-Tuesday of St. Patty's Day weekend, and wouldn't you know that it had been 80 degrees all week,

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-48839158606817342512008-02-28T10:05:00.001-05:002008-03-30T10:44:13.939-04:00

Being from Steamboat Springs, the idea of taking a vacation to Vail, the Disneyland of ski resorts, didn't appeal to me. I tried everything I could to convince my girlfriends that we needed to go to Steamboat or Winter Park, but they were having none of it. Vail had "hot, tall men who buy us drinks" and that's where we absolutely had to go.Having just ended yet another relationship, I was all

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-61222519568666689532008-01-01T22:02:00.000-05:002008-01-26T14:50:14.901-05:00

The end of 2007. Wow, seems like it was only yesterday that is was 1999 and we were wondering if the world would end with "Y2K". Fortunately, it didn't, and life has been going well!I never would have imagined being in Washington DC in 2007, and certainly never would have imagined that I'd be loving every minute of it! But it's hard not to be happy when you've got a fantastic network of new

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-29860103867216301052007-12-19T21:51:00.000-05:002008-01-26T14:24:59.646-05:00

A wonderful tradition in DC, is the annual Christmas Light Run. This year I got to enjoy it with alot of my running friends, as well as many of the DC Tri Club members. We began at Union Station, which overlooks the US Capitol, then headed down to the National Mall across to the Washington Monument, and then over to the White House eliptical where we stopped and sang carols at the National

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-78455956521792141572007-12-18T21:27:00.000-05:002008-01-26T15:07:35.426-05:00

What the hell does that mean? Well, today I turned 35. The absolute LAST milestone birthday until I'm eligible for AARP. Yup, my driving insurance is now at the lowest it will ever be, and I can offically put my name in the hat for President of the United States.Which seems somewhat fitting now that I'm living in Washington, DC. However, oddly enough, today I want nothing to do with DC or

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-34060124515444676312007-12-15T21:36:00.000-05:002008-01-26T15:18:14.390-05:00

Every year at precisely noon, at every National Cemetery across the country, thousands of wreaths are laid at the base of the headstones of the brave men and women who gave their lives to this country and our pursit of liberty and freedom for all.It was a great treat, although it was freezing, to get to see the wreath-laying ceremony and all those wreaths that adorn the markers at Arlington

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-73234763793421176472007-12-14T21:48:00.000-05:002008-01-26T15:06:20.140-05:00

Live, from the White House! Today we got to take the hottest tour in town, a White House Christmas Tour! It was beautiful. This is the only time of year that us "commonfolk" are allowed to actually take photos inside the White House, so I hope you enjoy the pictures!I was fortunate enough to have a friend who works in the White House, across the hall from the First Lady's Office, and she was

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-23645383908184085722007-12-08T15:28:00.000-05:002007-12-11T16:00:49.989-05:00

Back in September I decided to volunteer as a coach for a program called Girls On The Run! Myself along with two other gals, Mandie and Anna, coached seventeen 3rd and 4th grade girls in an afterschool "life-changing, non-competitive, non-profit prevention program to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living." Wow, what an experience! First off, do you have

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-44745407896026976342007-12-06T14:46:00.000-05:002007-12-11T15:06:59.526-05:00

The first snow of the season has arrived! It snowed all day Wednesday, and into the night, but I couldn't get out for a run. So today at lunch I headed out into the very chilly 30 degree air and had an UNBELIEVABLE run in the snow today! The sun was shining gloriously upon the pure white snow, the Monuments looked so serene and beautiful against the blue background of the sky and the shimmering

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-4282773247635958922007-11-17T17:43:00.000-05:002007-11-20T09:12:57.611-05:00

DISCLAIMER: I have never been ashore in Iraq. I was last stationed off the Northern Arabian Gulf in 2004, but have never been stationed ashore, and am not currently there. That is a very sensitive distinction, as I'm sure all can appreciate. There are thousands of Navy personnel currently serving ashore in Iraq and Afganistan, in very dangerous, important positions helping out the other

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-10006423247819127152007-11-11T12:41:00.000-05:002007-11-14T16:44:43.725-05:00

Today was my second cyclo-cross race. Had to leave DC at 7am to head up to Sykesville, MD for my 9am race.Marisa was the only other Bella there, but Jean and Lindsey from Coppi were also racing, and a few other gals I know from the road scene were there too. It was actually a pretty good-sized field--16 starters, 13 finishers. The course was VERY hilly, and had alot of off-camber turns, and

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-58049382299180958362007-10-28T12:44:00.000-04:002007-11-14T16:37:20.214-05:00

Today I attempted my very first cyclocross race! What is Cyclocross you ask? Courtesy of Wikipedia:Cyclo-cross (Cyclocross, CX, cyclo-X or 'cross) is a form of bicycle racing. Races take place in the autumn and winter, and consists of many laps of a short (1.5–2 mile) course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and obstacles requiring the rider to quickly dismount, carry the

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-357096415442749102007-10-27T15:15:00.000-04:002007-10-27T15:37:50.457-04:00

The frame has been sitting around my house for almost a year, but this week I finally got all the various parts and pieces together, thanks to sponsors Kona, Easton, Giro, Crank Brothers, Bikeman, and my favorite bike shop, Conte's , who built up my bike.She's soooo pretty! I'm thinking that I need a pink saddle too. Maybe Santa's watching!I'll be doing my very first Cyclocross race on the bike

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37202961.post-56821718720262122092007-10-15T11:26:00.001-04:002007-10-16T09:34:14.760-04:00

With Ironman Kona World Championships being held Saturday, triathlon season is officially over. And while I've been on a workout hiatus (mostly to let my plantar fasciitis heal in my feet), I've been enjoying the other things life has to offer!So, on Saturday, I went to "Renn Fest" overwise known as the Maryland Rennaisance Festival. It's been a very long time since I've been to one, but it

VELOBELLATRIGIRLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04943606491745685169noreply@blogger.com0