As I get ready to move into my 34th year on this earth, I
found some time to look back on the past 12 months that made up 33...
I turned 33 in Indianapolis, on the road trip with the MN Lynx. We got to Indy and were told we had to meet in the Coach's room for film and that we (the support staff) were to be there too as there was an issue with the baggage we were responsible for. I showed up ready to throw the skycap guys under the bus for taking so long but it turned out they had a cake for me and sang happy birthday, a much better surprise than getting yelled at for the baggage being slow.
Later that month my buddy Cano came into town from Florida, we headed up to Duluth and ran the Voyageur 50 mile race, running through 48 degree temps and pouring rain for at least 8 of the 12+ hours we were out there. Covered in mud, sliding down the power line trails, on our hands and knees trying to get back up the other side, it was a trip and one of the most fun races I have run. During it I remember thinking, I wish this would never end, I don't want to go back to a normal life, I love being out here tasked with just moving from one place to another under my own power. It was a beautiful thing being a part of nature and really just being, no phones or internet, people pulling you in different directions like at work just moving and focused on one thing and doing it to the best of my ability.
I turned 33 in Indianapolis, on the road trip with the MN Lynx. We got to Indy and were told we had to meet in the Coach's room for film and that we (the support staff) were to be there too as there was an issue with the baggage we were responsible for. I showed up ready to throw the skycap guys under the bus for taking so long but it turned out they had a cake for me and sang happy birthday, a much better surprise than getting yelled at for the baggage being slow.
Later that month my buddy Cano came into town from Florida, we headed up to Duluth and ran the Voyageur 50 mile race, running through 48 degree temps and pouring rain for at least 8 of the 12+ hours we were out there. Covered in mud, sliding down the power line trails, on our hands and knees trying to get back up the other side, it was a trip and one of the most fun races I have run. During it I remember thinking, I wish this would never end, I don't want to go back to a normal life, I love being out here tasked with just moving from one place to another under my own power. It was a beautiful thing being a part of nature and really just being, no phones or internet, people pulling you in different directions like at work just moving and focused on one thing and doing it to the best of my ability.
Earlier that year I had become an ambassador for the Patagonia International Marathon, in September I flew to Chile and spent 10 days on my own in Santiago, Punta Arenas and Torres Del Paine. I got to see places I never thought I would, met some great people, learned a lot about an area I didn't know much about and fell in love with the landscape there. The whole trip was amazing, learning how to communicate without being able to speak the language, and listening. Really having to listen to what people were saying to decipher something, rather than listening distractedly like we do here.
8 days after the Patagonia 63K, I made it home to run the Twin Cities marathon with my bro (or at least start it with Alex and run the 1st mile before he took off)
Not sure how I got my body to point where it was able to do that, but I just dialed in and was able to summon a focus I didn't know I had and plow through 26.2 miles from Mpls to St. Paul in under four hours and then head into work game one of the WNBA Finals.
And the Finals...Lynx swept through the playoffs capturing another WNBA Title and Alan and I got to be a part of it, riding in the parade (and getting confused looks from all the spectators 'who are they??' haha) and hosting the trophy presentation was amazing, the energy of the crowd and being on stage like that was a blast.
A week later Sparky came to town and we blasted up to the Cabin, his first visit and now he's hooked (and how couldn't you be, it's the greatest place on earth) the following week I met up with Mitch and we ran the Surf the Murph 55K, starting in the dark and running by headlamp for an hour or so, my 3rd marathon + distance in 5 weeks...the following day I met Ali and remember her asking me about running the 63K in Patagonia she said 'Will you ever run another ultra?' to which I replied 'I did one yesterday...' haha
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Wolves season started and I started to ski, pounded out the Double Loppet in January-February, 26.2mi City of Lakes Ski Loppet one weekend followed by the Mora Vasa Loppet with Matt (35K) the following weekend then up to Gunflint with Johnny, Ted and Stephen.
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Throughout this time Mitch, Greg and I were planning our trip to the Grand Canyon to run the Rim to Rim to Rim, a 46mile run from the south rim of the canyon to the north and back...what an adventure that was. To prepare Greg and I ran the Trail Mix 50K in April, then we flew out May 1st, ran May 2nd and then Ali and I spent another 7 days touring the Southwest, seeing the red rock of Sedona, the canyon lands of Zion and southern Utah and then back to the Grand Canyon to hike down to the river and back up in one day.
The WNBA season started upon my return from the Southwest and I found myself tagging along with the team for their trip to the White House to be honored for their Championship, and getting to see Paul, Adrianna and Lil B out in Seattle.
Along the way, Big Tom and Little Sue both retired, Alex made it through his first season at Hamline and Paul and his family came for Thanksgiving, a very fun and eventful year...can't wait for 34...
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