Time Machine

Have you ever held a thought in your mind and as you process the thoughts, you have a strong desire to record them. I experience this almost daily. Sometimes they are random thoughts born out of my life's experience but sometimes they are divine thoughts generated through my imperfect life. Almost always they come to me while I am running, biking or swimming. It is these divine moments that weigh on my conscience and it is about time that I start to reflect on them via this blog. So much time has gone by since I have posted in this blog that I wish I had a time machine. Not to go back and relive but to go back and record what God was doing in our lives specifically in those moments. Since 2009 I have experienced three different "career changes." None to performances issues which leaves me to ponder so many things. It is in these moments of pondering that I have grown much. I have kept up on my endurance life with mostly running and some swimming. The bike has become a expense that will not fit our current lifestyle. I am so thankful for the time to listen and process life's blessings and challenges. To sum up all the time gone by I will put it into one word...FAMILY. I am so blessed by my family. My beautiful wife that keeps me sharp and makes me go weak in the knees. My fantastic children so fun, sweet, crazy and wonderful in every way! My parents and extended family that support us in so many way both thick and thin. The extended family of God that supports us is overwhelming at times. Our friends that we share is a blessing beyond words. To sum up so many great experiences I have had over the months, I will share last night. We now live on a beautiful lot in the city of Buffalo MN. It is a full acre, complete with a hill, a shop, a garden, a canopy of mature trees, a creek that leads to the lake, a meadow with our "hiking/running" trail, a fire pit and a shed that houses Adams old Honda 3 wheeler. Last night we had Adison (Adam's son) and his little brother Rider for a sleepover. After another amazing dinner by Janet that the kids devoured (steak, rice, veggies) we went out for a 3 wheeler ride up and down the hill and around the meadow. Followed by a fire that we all built together. Janet set us up with smores as Armand told spooky stories. The key moment for me was watching Adison start to climb a pine tree that was not an easy climb. Immediately my mind went back to the days Adam and I climbed every tree within 2 blocks of our house in Maple Grove. There was no easy way of getting up to the first set of branches but he figured it out. After he settle in on the branches I joined him and was transported back to one of the strongest bonds I shared with my brother. We took our time looking at the different options to get higher and higher. With the strong request of Janet we began our decent, helping each other find the best way down. What a blessed moment with my kids running wild in the yard and Adison and I doing what his dad and I did every moment we could when we were kids. After more running around the yard and putting away the 3 wheeler we went in for movie night where the kids were going to camp out. This life can sure be messy but this is our life and it is our place....it is beautiful. God has walked with us in the mess and in the moments that shine! That is his promise to all of us as we navigate our time here in this place.

What Running Taught Me About Life

This is a copy of a speech I gave at the Minneapolis Marathon Pasta Party for Team In Training June 4 2011

Many, many of us run for similar reasons…we all have stories to tell…and those stories are often times painful in the TNT family….but those stories that we have… are part of our lives..they are important because it is those stories that make us who we are today.

I was invited here tonight because I have a story to tell and I am honored to share it with you in hopes…that it encourages you…to challenge yourself a little more tomorrow during the race. More importantly, that my words tonight might challenge you a little more the days after that…and each moment after that. If there is one thing that all of us runners can understand…is that a race is not just about race day. It is about training, discipline, commitment and mental toughness. If you are sitting here tonight…and you are racing tomorrow…and you don’t feel that you are good at one of those things…no worries….you have all day tomorrow to get better at it.

I joined TNT the summer of 07 after the loss of my brother Adam to Cancer on November 10^th of 2006. I will never forget the feeling that I had the moment that he drew has last breath. I just wanted to run. It was a rather bizarre and intense feeling because I was not a runner. Running was a fantastically boring sport to me. But in the intensity of the moment…my emotion caused me burst out of his house…and all I wanted to do was run forever. I took about three strides and collapsed by a tree and sobbed…it was a moment that never seems too far away and it will be five years ago this November.

I wish I could stand here and tell you the story of his life because he was a fantastic man. He was 11 months 353 days older than me. A newly married man, and an even newer father. We lived the story book lives as neighbors on the Crow River in Dayton, MN. We both were in the construction trades and we were always working on house projects together.

Our houses, the neighbors house, a friends house, it didn’t matter we just loved to work on things…often together. Life was grand until that day cancer entered our lives. Not too say that the nine months that he lived with cancer were not joyful from time to time…but it no doubt changes things. I would love to have the time…to share with you details about hi…and his life…and the adventures we lived…but I have so many other places to go in tonight’s talk..that I have to move on to another chapter.

Just three years prior we went through a similar loss when our close friend and pastor died from cancer on his 33 birthday. His life was so amazing to me. He was a magnetic person that loved to serve others. I connected strongly to Dan Roelofs and it was fantastically sad to see his life end…yet he taught me so many things about life…and as he died, he intentionally used his experience with cancer to teach everyone around him about life. When Dan left us March of 2003… I prayed that I would never have to go thru that experience again but if I did that I would remember the things that I learned as we experienced life to its end with Dan.

As you know, it was only three years later that Adam life was cut short…but I sadly…we knew how we would get through it.

Many of us here tonight have lived through…or are currently living in the shadow of cancer…and as you all well know there is nothing anyone can say to make things better. But tonight I want to encourage you with some simple things that my experience has taught me.

At that point of extreme loss with my brother Adam I was at a clear crossroad in my life.

I had a choice - To continue to live in the shadow of that cancer and his death. Or I could choose to honor my brother’s life and reflect his goodness in each moment going forward.

That is never an easy choice when you are broken. And at times that brokenness seems to come out of nowhere. There is an amazing hole that is left by someone that dies that can never be filled. Time can sometimes be a healer but there are still times that emptiness comes out of nowhere that can overwhelm you like it all just happened.

There is a phrase that I was blessed with as I prepared to speak at my brother’s funeral…You see, he was never one to desire the limelight and he despised the fact that his death would cause anyone pain, yet that was inevitable. There was a common thread between Dan and my brother. They just wanted everyone to be happy.

It is and odd situation when you are caring for someone on their deathbed and their only concern…is for you and your own well being. That is an amazingly unselfish thing! If I could only remember half of the jokes they told as their days grew shorter. Only wanting everyone around to smile and be happy.

It was clear to me as I mourned Adams loss and prepared some words for his funeral. His death was going to change me as a person…and I had a choice.

I could choose to allow the sadness to keep hold and cause me to be bitter.

Or I could honor his wish for me to be happy…thus I would choose for his death to make me better. A concept that I still cannot fully understand, but I knew in my heart …what was…and is the right decision. So the phrase has stuck with me.

“BE BETTER NOT BITTER.” It is a choice I have made not just every day but every moment.

Loosing someone close is a fantastically sad and painful thing. It is a game changer. But consider this for a moment. For one moment…would that person you lost feel good about the fact that your life changed for the worse because of them. Because of something that no one could control. NOT FOR ONE MOMENT. I cannot fully understand how this is accomplished on your own. I fully rely on God above to give me that strength because when Dan and Adam were living in the shadows of cancer…their only hope and strength with in Him. That is how they lived and that is how they died...relying on His grace and power because they knew that they could not do it alone.

I know that that GRACE AND LOVE will more than suffice for me too. Beyond that I fully know and trust that it is my duty to reflect their greatness in my life now that they are gone. Regardless of your circumstance you can never be to good at that….and that is not the important thing…that important thing is if you try…because it is not all about me it is about us….it is about them…it is about everyone I come in contact with from this moment forward and the attitude that I portray.

Always ask the question….IS IT POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE.

Be positive.

These are ideas that I knew to be true in my head but when I joined TNT in the summer of 07…but I was still in a bit of a fog. I was brought up more of a pessimist that an optimist and being a competitive person that causes a ton of challenges in the endurance world.

My first coach for my first event was and is a passionate TNT supporter. I am so thankful for the positive influence she had on my life. A wonderful person… but to me she came across a bit crazy. She was always preaching “positive energy” everything is “positive” “everything is good.” Those were not concepts that I identified with at all…nor was I in much of a positive mood…but as time went on I knew I needed to trust her theory. I had no Idea about endurance sports and my only option was to buy into to her philosophy. I began to pay attention to my attitude and the attitude of others around me. I saw how I was able to finish ahead of far superior athletes simply because of the attitude I had with anything that happened training or racing. I quickly realized that the concept had much more value in life than it did in racing and training.

For example: Did anyone here experience less than perfect weather conditions during you training?

Now if you allowed that bad weather to dampen your spirit and keep you from giving your best performance that day… what did you gain? On the other hand, if you looked at that weather and told yourself, “Race day may be a bad weather day, I should be prepared for that...most people are not crazy enough to be out here…I will have an advantage in this experience…and for nothing less…this is what today gave me….so I will enjoy what I have and give it my fullest effort and encourage everyone around me.” How different would that experience be? Your attitude allows yu to engage your mind and body to be stronger….although I can remember many, many uncomfortable training days…that could not be classified as fun but rather something that I could be proud of for being consistent and committed. I can say that those days did make me stronger as a person and as a racer. I can say that Dan and Adam would be proud of me…and I know they would give anything to experience just one more day regardless of the weather.

In any of my life challenges I remember the seriousness of Adams pain…the reality of his situation..and the smile on his face….the jokes that he told.

Life is full of challenge…enjoy it! Embrace it.

Training is important…the details are important. Anything you do…be it big or small is worth doing to the best of your ability…The attitude you carry as you do anything is important…do it all with joy…regardless of how you feel…regardless of the weather…life is full of joy if you allow it…it is a treasure…you are never alone.

I do not like racing alone..that Is one of the many reasons that I love TNT…Running a marathon is not easy…why do it alone…Life is not easy…why do it alone.

Tomorrow will be hard…good! There will be tremendous struggle…good…you are ready for it…you have been inspired all season.

Run with Joy tomorrow…through the pain and through the struggle…allow the positive things you know flood your mind as you run. Plan exactly what you will think about in different sections of the race. Allow those experiences and memories to inspire your run…and inspire those around you. INSPIRE THE TEAM!

And when you are done…be proud of what you did….not just on race day…but all season long. Look forward to the next challenge in life and inspire others with a positive attitude because after you survive tomorrow…you can do anything!

If you come up short…be positive…never in any circumstance…feel the affect of negativity…it is a waste of time…learn you lesson…keep you head high a… know your race is long …there is no time to hang you head…there are too many good things to do…so many races to run.

You are proud of an amazing group of people that inspire people in the shadows of cancer…do your best…inspire everyone around you…be patient…be strong…and do it with a smile…because you are amazing! What you have done this season..is amazing! What you will do tomorrow…will be amazing!

God belss you tomorrow as you run….but more importantly be a blessing all the moments after that. Life is so worth giving it your all!

GO TEAM!

Yesterday kicked off day one of training for the San Diego marathon. This year I am ahead of the curve slightly because I got out the running shoes about 6-8 weeks ago. This year is proving to be a year of new beginnings so far. I was blessed with full time employment at Turnkey Corrections last week and am really enjoying the challenges of learning a full spectrum of new things. It is a career that will take advantage of all my strengths and I am extremely excited and blessed. There will be many challenges with my training schedule as the office is in Hudson Wisconsin and we are still in Champlin.

I choose to simplify my race schedule as my new schedule will involve much travel and a ton of extra work learning my new position as an operations trainer for new installs. I can't thank all those that supported us over the past 14 months. It was a difficult challenge but I can say that we found blessing at every turn. Having to sell our house was difficult but we were blessed by being able to sell. We continue to be blessed by my parents as we are still living under their roof. There are many challenges to moving back home but I can say that the positives out weigh the negatives as we have had the opportunity to grow closer after loosing Adam and with Mom and Dad retiring at the end of the month from their business of 22 years.

I have learned much from my years of racing and training with TNT and one of the things that I am routinely reminded of is the choice we have to challenge ourselves and continue, or quit and loose the opportunity to learn and grow. That challenge has been so beneficial in the past year. So many things that happen in life don't come with answers and those things can sometimes paralyze our hope and joy. Life is so often about the simple things. Our expectations and business get in the way of understanding that blessing are all around us at every turn.

You and I have today....what a blessing! To me, waking up is a gift, what next! Be a blessing to someone else and see what happens next. Chances are you will be blessed beyond measure in return. If you don't see it keep looking, it's there at the end of every breath.

If you think you want a extra challenge this year, it is not too late to join me with Team in Training. Pick your sport. Marathon with me at San Diego or stay local for the Minneapolis marathon half or full. Join the Triathlon team for the Lifetime event or do a century bike ride around Lake Taho. Have an adventure of a lifetime with professional coaches while saving the life of someone else. They are the most flexible organization out there so give me or them a shout and check it out.

Hot Summer

What a summer it has been! Another TNT season has passed and we are head long into summer.

My lifetime race July 10 was great this year. The 2010 Triathlon teams raised $280,000 for the Leukemia, Lymphoma, Society!
It was an honor to serve as a "Team Captain" this season as we guided along many new athletes to the world of triathlon. I have so many highlights to the year, just like every season. I will share a couple that really stick with me. Racing with survivors of cancer really touches me. It inspires me to keep up the fight and get others to join. This season we trained and raced with eight survivors. Matt Haley a good friend from past marathon teams crossed over to the Tri world and had an exceptional race. Matt was in stage four cancer just two years ago and the new therapies backed by LLS have his cancer in remission. Josh Bertleson, our honored teammate, was working overtime this season as we watched him race Ironman Utah (st.george). After his triumphant finish at Ironman he came back to race with "team" at Lifetime in the sprint division and metaled in his age group. Josh is another person that has directly benefited from LLS backed treatments. Those are just two of the many stories that I was close to this season.
The other point of major inspiration this season was the Wilk family. Darrell Wilk had lost his wife just this past Dec when their family decided they would fundraise and race in her memory. Darrell, his son David, his daughter Jeanine and her husband Mike Roddy all trained and fundraised in the wake of tremendous loss this season. They all inspired the team to amazing heights this season and finished with incredible finishes on race day. I count myself lucky to have gotten to know the Wilk family and pray their continued healing.
Personally my race was one of my favorites for the listed reasons above. Numbers wise is not at all where I had trained to be, but you get what you get race day and I chose to love it! The swim was to warm for wet suits so that means slower swim times. That being said I loved the swim and was extremely happy with my swimming efforts. The bike felt great as I put out the strongest most consistent bike I could. It was a solid bike on a beautiful day. The run I found complications that allowed me to enjoy the course a while longer than I would have hoped. I had been experiencing some signs of a chest infection earlier in the week but was not concerned. Race day brought me a more restricted airway as I attempted to push as hard as I could on the final event. My body was ready but my airway would not let me push as hard as I wanted. Four weeks later and the chest infection still lingers.
Even though race day did not match my exceptions in terms of race time, I can say that it was my favorite season yet. I put very little stock in race time, it is the overall experience and the quality of training during the season that is the key. My season was amazing with incredible people striving to put more cancer survivors in the race.

With the season over I look forward to sleeping in Saturdays and not having to drive around town for training's, but I always do really miss group workouts.
The next race we need to finish is "Job Search 2010" it has been a challenging season in the job search field as my continued efforts to secure full time employment continues to elude me. The things I have (and continue) to learn about endurance training have come in handy as the search is now into its eighth month.

If there is a connection out there that may yield an opportunity out there for me I would appreciate any contact you would have.
We are very mobile in terms of being able to pick up and move. My background would translate well into most any field.

Thank you all for all the prayers and support over the last four years. Eight races and thousands of miles of training has been wonderful for me and my family.

"The miracle isn't that I finished...The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
-John "The Penguin" Bingham

Happy Fathers Day!

Hard to believe summer is now in full swing. So many things to do so little time to do it all with. Not a bad problem to have. As training ramps up for me I am reminded even more, of the value and the necessity of perspective.

One of the most valuable lessons endurance training reminds me of is perspective. There are special skill/talent sets that we all have uniquely, and on top of that only so much

time to to it all with, so finding a way to enjoy exactly who you are, and where you are at, is key to enjoying the blessings around you. Stress is such a joy stealer! Things never go exactly the way you want them to, and there is not much youcan do about it. Choose to accept it, or be crabby and affect everyone else around you. So often I see people that I train and race with that have good realistic goals for their training and racing. But once they get pulled from their goal it wrecks everything else they do. It happens everyday

to everyone no matter what you do.

I could make this the longest post ever if I started to explain all the things that have not gone the way I could/would have expected life to go in the past five years. It is what it is. These are the challenges I have been faced with, and I have been promised that I have the skills to handle each and every challenge weather I want to or not. I have lost great friends, Grandmothers, my brother, wisely chosen to move from the house we

built and loved,

excused from my job with no explanation, and I will never get an answer to

why on any of it? Is that unfair or what? I don't think so, not for a minute! This is what life has given me, and I know that as tough as much of it is, I am blessed beyond measure. There are hardships out there that make my situation look like a beautiful summer day.

It's fathers day today, and I went for an early morning jog (5am) with

my dear friend Angel that I had the honor of racing my first TNT race with in 07. As we ran and talked I reflected on Adam and my Mom and

Dad. I thought about how I could never possibly un

derstand the gravity of loosing a son. He was my brother and my longing for him grows stronger every year he is gone. But to loose a son....I marvel at the strength they have. The support they have given us. The joy they find in every day. Even if is just

a little. To find any joy after that loss is a marvel.

It's fathers day today and I miss my brother. It would have been so fun to see him with his son Adison as he grows up into the big boy he is today. It's the simple thing that are so precious. I am reminded of

it every time I hold my kids and am overwhelmed by the joy they bring to my life. The innocence they have, the seemingly limitless joy and excitement they have in the simplest things. It feels embarrassing to know that we loose so much of that joy as we get older, but I know it is never lost. We just have to slow down.....relax....turn off the distractions and find the joy all around us. I feel foolish every time I am tempted to turn the TV or radio on when my kids are around as if they are not worth all my attention.

Today I am jobless and my heart feels great loss, yet I look around and I am blessed beyond measure. My wife is my everything and is so amazing and trusting with our situation and were we are in life together. We live at home with mom and dad and sister again and I must say as challenging as it is to have seven in one house, it has brought us a level of healing together that would have never happened any other way. Funny to s

ay that I don't struggle to wonder why nothing has been working out for me these past six months. I know where I am at and it is a wonderful place, as difficult as it is sometimes.

I don't think it was God's plan for all this junk to happen in our lives. I do know that it is exactly His plan for us to trust that He will be our strength to get us through it and bless us beyond measure on the other end. I know what it is that gets my parents through the day after loosing their son, it is the grace and the passionate love of God and their choice to accept it. Honestly there is no other answer. Great things will likely be in store for us soon but I reflect on today and I feel blessed. I know we are exactly were we need to be and I am excited to see the doors open for us in a new and refreshing way.

I am in control of today and what I will do with it, and soon I am going to take a nap :) It's fathers day and soon we will enjoy the company of family and friends at the house here. Today started with my run with Angel at 5am for two hours then a swim in the river with five more friends from TNT for 2 miles. This daddy needs a nap!

Happy fathers day to all those fathers out there and a blessed day to those whom fathers day has a tint if sorrow. I pray that you find grace and peace where you are at, and make the time to see the blessings around you. It may not be the way you wanted it but it is exactly were you are at and I promise you it can be a good thing.

Season Opener!

Today was the Buffalo Triathlon, the unofficial season opener for the MN tri scene. It is a fantastic race that is super family/spectator friendly. This was my third year racing at Buffalo as it is a good practice race for the Lifetime race just six weeks away. Buffalo is a great race for first timers and I love to see their excitement when they finish the race. For many it is just the beginning of a wonderful and healthy past time that adds to the summer fun.

My training this year is solely focused on the Lifetime race and the Olympic distance (.9Swim/ 26Bike/6.2run). In years past I have done far too much and all over the map with Half-Iron distance Tri's and Marathons and half marathons. With life in such a major transition I felt it best to have simple focus. Two races shorter distance. With the help of specific coaching from my good friend and TNT coach Scott Beesley, I have really found a good mix of quality workouts that maximize my training schedule and keeps my priorities with my family and my job search. What a blessing he has been!

This past week has been packed with constant unpacking as we prepared for our TNT garage sale that helped me get close to my fundraising goal for this season. It was a great success as we raised all most $1400 for LLS. As touching as it was to see the generosity of friends and neighbors, it was equally touching to hear the personal stories of triumph and tragedy with cancer from people that we had never meet. Cancer, like many struggles in life, is one of life's unfair tragedies. It leaves us with the option to be better or bitter. I continue to race and fundraise because it helps me to be better. No amount of training or racing nor any level of success with it will ever fill the hole that we were left with when Adam left us. But I know that his legacy of goodness is reflected when I choose to help others in simple or great ways.

Today my race reflected comfort. This is my fourth season racing and although the race day jitters never go away, I was able to really enjoy the day and comfortably put fourth my best effort. Nothing this week went "as planned". Sleep was less then remotely ideal and the stress from the sale was a good factor. But race day is what it is, and there is no changing it, so you can take it for what it is and like it or let it get you down. I have gotten good at fooling myself into believing, "no matter what happens it only helps me to be stronger."

The weather was great. My swim was strong but I did not want to get too hot so I kept things in check in the water. My transition time was good from swim to bike. The first half of the bike was a struggle to find my legs. A bit of a head wind made it work. I did manage to find a groove by mile 21 that felt great but little to late to keep up with the big dogs. Transition from bike to run was great with one of my fastest times ever. The run was a challenge with slight cramping in my diaphragm and as the run course steadily climbed up hill I had to be careful as my quads were beginning to tighten up. Be that as it may I felt really good. Everything was manageable and I was able to keep the "wheel house" moving turning out a strong run to the half way point. The second half of a run is mental. After two hours of pushing the physical limits you really need to pay attention to the simple things and go far beyond yourself mentally to finish strong. Today was basic, drawing off the quiet strength that Adam always had. Cheering others on in their efforts and appreciating the ability (the gift) that we have to participate in such a challenging event. Be it first or last, finishing is the important thing. Appreciating who you are and where you are at and liking it is paramount. Focusing on the efforts of those around you is key as we fight our own physical and mental battles race day.

This year I improved my time my four minuets overall and even better felt great after the race all day long. Granted I have not gotten in a nap yet today and I am struggling to keep my eyes open right now but today was a great day. We finished!

Results

http://onlineraceresults.com/race/view_race.php?race_id=14429&submit_action=select_result&order_by=default&group_by=default#racetop

Garage Sale!

What an exciting time of the year. Summer! The tri season starts this Sunday in Buffalo and I can't believe where the time has gone. Up-dating the blog has been difficult this season to keep up but I will promise to be regular from here on because it is going to be non stop action from here out!

Life lessons have been strong this year. Patience and healing seem to be two main things that have been strong for learning. Choosing to move home after loosing my job has been a physical (space) challenge but as time has gone by it seems that it has been a blessing as the continued process of healing after loosing Adam (over three years ago) has been a comfort here at home. That being said it is exciting to look forward to having our own space again when we are blessed with a new job.

Team training has been fantastically fun this season with many new faces and new places to train. An extra special blessing has been the weather. Getting on road with the bikes and in the lake three weeks earlier than past seasons. I can say that I am a month a head of last seasons fitness levels. This is my fourth season focusing on tris and I am excited to see how I do as I am focusing on the Olympic distance (.9 swim/26mi bike/6.2mi run) with speed and efficiency.

My role on the team as a "Training Captain" has been wonderfully fulfilling. Not only have we witnessed new athletes develop before our eyes but they have blessed me with their new passion for fundraising for LLS. It has also been valuable during my personal training to hear myself echoing the "fundamentals" that I encourage the others with.

Yesterday I kicked off the "river swim" schedule. Memorial Day we swam from the Champlin boat launch to Mom & Dad's dock, a two and a half mile swim. It seems like last week we were in the pool for swim training. Seven of us made this years maiden voyage and it felt fantastic. We will do it three other Sundays this month with exception of this Sunday due to the Buffalo race.

The past three weeks have been my heavy load for training and I am excited that things are coming to a crest.

We are doing a fundraising garage sale for TNT this week! THURS-FRI-SAT

Come out and support TNT with your purchases and help us part with the glut of wonderful material things we have accumulated over the years. Adult and Kids clothes, kids toys galore, TV's and lost of other electronics, VHS/DVD/CD's, HOUSEWARES GALORE. The list could go on and on. Come out one and all. Don't forget to tell your friends.

Till next time.

God bless and Good luck!

Kickoff

This Saturday is the kickoff to a new summer season for TNT. This season will be fantastically fun. New coach, new people, fantastic life stories to be shared. I am really looking forward to having a frame work (schedule) to work around. Life has delivered us many changes in the past couple of months and I am excited about the future.

Understanding that you can only control what is in front of you I am eagerly awaiting new opportunities in the job market. I am one of the 1 in 10 americans in search of gainful employment. Here is what I am finding about myself in this process. First of all I am blessed beyond measure. We have all of life's basics in great measure. Shelter, food, health and at least one part time income. I am unbelievably blessed by my wonderful wife every day. She is an amazing support and through these challenging times we are finding new love and respect for one another. Marriage is just what many said it would be. You get out of it what you put into it. It has a lot of merit but beyond that our focus is what is key.

We spent years focusing solely on each other and often ended up frustrated with each other. Learning that we are first and foremost children of God and our focus needs to first be with Him, our lives together have been a blessing beyond words.

I think of the difficulties that we have shared and I am amazed that not only have we weathered the storms but we have grown closer together. I honestly don't believe that is anything short of God's amazing grace and His love for His children.

It has been a monumental change for me to not have a job to go to every morning. Not to have a house to come home to work on. No projects here or there. I of course have found things to do but I have also learned that projects cost money and we need to take a long break on our spending measures. That, and it is full on winter and you just can't do as much with the cold and snow. Being forced to like patience is a challenge. I will choose to like it. I will choose to make changes in the way I do things and think about things to have a more positive outcome. With my time, with my relationships. It has been a struggle. One that I am able to take on because I am not alone. I have the grace and love of my God and His Holy Spirit. I have the love of my wife our precious children and my family and friends.

So many thing to consider to find employment in this market. We will walk this path with a spirit of joy.

New Year

I am very excited about the new year. The end of the last one was a fantastic challenge. Choosing to sell the house, loosing a job and all of the awkward things that accompany those things made a personally challenging time. There have been many times when I have thought that I was at the end of my rope and I wanted to break, but whenever those moments have occurred, I am quickly reminded by that calm still voice that it is not about me and weather I am at the end of some kind of rope. I created the rope and I decide weather or not I have any more left to give. I am quickly reminded as a follower of Christ that the rope is not mine any more, I have given Him my rope and there is no end to it. In the past month I have felt as broken and emotionally challenged as any time in my life. Trust is such a easy thing to think about but when all of your wordily securities begin to fall away and you really need to trust, when you really need to make good decisions in light of fantastically painful situations, do you do it with joy. Is that trust stronger than your earthly securities that we all rely upon. As a couple Janet and I are in the myer of this challenge. I am so thankful every moment for the partner that God has blessed me with. She is my life saver.
I am excited about the things to come in the next year. I am hoping that our challenges begin to lessen some but know that if we continue to walk in this storm that He will guide us to brighter days. Typing that reminds me of a saying that a prof at College used to say often. In summary it was about how being a christian is not a fix it. Having God direct your life dose not guarentee good things will always happen. On the contrary you will face more challenges. As in life there will be dirty times, and as a christian those dirty times become dirtier because the devil wants noting more than to break you from your reliance upon your Creator. But if you find the joy in your pain you will experience joy like you could never otherwise experience on the other end. As dark and dirty your pitfalls will be will not compare to the joy and happiness you will experience on the other end. With Christ the joy is endless and beyond belief.
There is no doubt that we are in one of life's pitfalls but as we are here we know we are blessed. I am amazed by the things that continue to challenge us but those things that try to break us become really small when we take the focus off of ourselves. IT IS NOT ABOUT US, IT IS NOT ABOUT "ME" OR "I" as hard as it is for me to comprhend I know that placing my trust in God I give up the right to be offended. I am a tool to reflect His grace not my "feeling" and emotions. Those things are messy and his love and grace is endless and consistant. That is our challenge, reflect His love and grace. It is so hard but it is a joy to try. It is our command to try untill our days are through on this earth. I saw Adam do it while he was at his end I can cirtianlly do it now. I know I can't, but I know with his strength I can.
This has basically been a pep talk for myself but more than anything I hope it encourages you too.

Sold!

With all the new events transpiring in the last couple of weeks we decided to go back and take the offer we had previously had on the house. Selling right now and for the price we are letting it go for is not something I planned on but we must make tough decisions with the realities that we are now facing.

We are doing our best to keep our eyes looking forward to exciting new things that will come our way in the future. It is difficult to look back but honestly we are ready for a change of pace. This is not what we planned but we must be thankful for the opportunity to move forward and be thankful for what we have and the ability to build a even happier and healthier home.

Keep us in your thought and prayer for the coming days will be filled with major challenges. We have to be out of the house Dec 17. Finding a place for all our belonging is a challenge on short notice. The kids are excited. Were temporaly moving in with Grandpa and Grandma and they ask to go there every night. Be careful what you ask for. Janet and I are doing fine. It really is tough to leave behind our home but it is just a house and we continue to keep perspective on what really matters.

God Bless you all this Christmas season and have a happy New Year.

Crossroads

Training continues to be on the back burner. We listed the house on our own a couple of weeks ago and actually had it sold but the deal fell thru just recently. It is a challenge representing yourself on the home you built with your own hands. We know that selling is the best thing for our "family finances" so it is easy to let it go for those reasons. Still hard when you consider the times spent. Many of my greatest memories of this house/place was having Adam as a neighbor. Those days seem fresh in my mind but the realities of life present a different reality. It will be good to "turn that page," the way things are now.

Another challenge life has presented me with today is the need to find a different job ASAP. The place I have been for the past eight years would like to take a immediate change of course with me.
It is difficult to negotiate terms when the other sides only reaction is "I just cant" with no other reasons given. Not too much you can do when it has nothing to do with you. If that dose not make any sense then you are beginning to get the picture.
So perspective......I can't tell you how frustrating it is to be in this position but perspective says "everybody is healthy." I reflect on perspective often, I believe it is one of the ways the Holy Spirit communicates with us. I am so thankful for that gift we all have. It is at times difficult to clear the clutter for find it but it is a refuge when you find it.
Days, months down the road we will look back and be thankful for this change in direction. All ready so many have come to aid our situation. What a blessing it is to have such great friends. We are so blessed.
Good luck to all those looking for jobs or just at a crossroad in you life. Find "perspective" and never let a negative thought enter your situation or mind. One of the most valuable things endurance sports have taught me is that an ounce of negativity makes the finish line "feel" further away. I have seen many not finish because of negativity. Don't let that be you. Choose to be BETTER. Choose to trust and use the abilities you have reach your goal.
So now I'm training for a new race...a new job. Very exciting....great things are happening. Great things will happen!

Short Run

I went out for a run today for the first time in a month. Between the Marathon being such a mental and physical drain on the system, I also needed to tend to many other things that were on the back burner.
Today was a short run. I really did not want to do it but I knew the feeling I would get once I got out there. The same feeling of comfort that I have every time I get out for a run, bike or swim. Endurance sports have been a saving grace for me since the day we lost Adam. Three years today....it still dose not seem real. At the same time it feels like he has been gone longer than that. Once you get over the idea that he really wont be coming over you get used to life. Not a life that I would like to get used to. One of the many reasons endurance sports is such a blessing is the perspective you can find. As with life not everything goes according to plan. It's not all how YOU would want it. Training and racing are a mirror to that, and it reminds you all most daily that you can choose to like what you have and where you are at and build from there. Or you can sit in the situation, that you don't like to begin with, and stew.
I have been one to stew in the past and there is nothing good about it. My first training season with "Team In Training" taught me one of the greatest lessons I have ever learned. ALWAYS BE POSITIVE! Even when things don't go your way. Keep moving and do your best with what you have now. Push yourself to understand what you have, where you are at and make it better. Never ignore the truth, just make it/yourself better. It is usually not easy to do but the feeling you get when you get there is worth every drop of effort.

Today I got up early for that run that I did not want to take.
After I located all the stuff I needed and hit the road,
I found what I knew was out there.
Peace, and the ability to feel free.
To look out over the landscape and know that God is so big. That I am so small yet He loves me more than anything else in the world.

Getting out is a challenge but if you want to find peace and perspective you need to take the first step. My father has been making that choice for months now and I could not be more proud of him. He is starting to look like a different person.
I am going to shower up and suprise him at work today so I can spend the day with mom and dad at work today. It's just something I feel I need to do.

God bless you today. May He make the difference for you today. It is His love that has kept me going. His love gave us the strength we needed to cope with Adams cancer and it is His love that holds us while he is gone.
No one knows the loss better than Him. Today we are all blessed.
Make the choice to find His peace today and every day. He sacrificed everything to give it to you.
Find your place where you can accept it.

Long Awaited

No good excuses for not getting to this post sooner. Here it is none the less. If you don't want all the mental blather and would rather just read about the race forward down to "long story longer."

Twin Cities Marathon with "Team in Training." So as the tri season ended last July I needed one last fundraiser to put me over the top for the Lifetime race with TNT. The annual "Cornhole" tournament did just that and then some. Never wanting to miss a race I joined the TNT marathon group to do the Twin Cities race Oct 4.
It was a fair challenge going to high miles on the run right away but my legs were mostly ready for it having done two half marathons and a half Iron this season.
I went into the training wanting to post a "Boston" qualifying time and if I felt good during my high miles in training to push for a three hour finish.
I took training very seriously and really enjoyed it. I was lucky enough to have the majority of my trainings fit around work and home schedules. The biggest challenge for me was learning to enjoy the long runs by myself without distraction (music). I grew to really love it putting in solo runs of 17, 19, 21, 19 and 17. I really learned how to better pay attention to my body and its stride. My position, my breathing, nutrition and how each thing is affected by the other.
The biggest benefit I had this training season was training with the team. Coach Jan Ochocki from TNT has more running experience than I will ever have and she really pushed me and gave me incredible valuable training tips to make a three hour marathon goal a reality. Group runs, track workouts and hill repeats with the team are always my favorites and everything together made for a perfect race day.
Race day, providing the weather is fair, is typically a reflection of your training and your mental state of mind. The weather was just right Oct 4 and I have raced enough to prepare myself mentally and physically for a good race, but one thing put me over the top.
As race day drew near I neglected to finish my fund raising and put out a last minute email to raise the last dollars for TNT for my race. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of my fellow teammates that I have raced with in the past. It was so touching to know they had my back and carried me to the "fund raising finish line." With one of those donations came my mental focus from Emily Selenski whom I raced the Phoenix marathon with Jan 08.

"Good luck, Andrew! You've been able to accomplish so many goals, I know you'll make this one. Think 3...1 hour for Adam, 1 hour for Dan, 1 hour for McKenna. We're cheering for you!"

Emily Selenski Wed Sep 30 07:55:19 EDT 2009

I can honestly say that her formula was the key to my success. Racing is 80% mental and work coming into the last two weeks before the race was crazy busy. I had little time to relax and less time to reflect on anything mental. Not good coming into a race but you cannot control everything, so you just have to go with what you have. Emily's encouragement brought it all into focus.

Long story longer....

Race morning was beautiful and my dad was kind enough to drop me off at the Metrodome early so I could warm up. It was a great start to the morning having his support and not having to worry about picking up a car later because the race is a point to point race and finishes in St. Paul. I meet Dan D a good friend from TNT for a early morning jog/warm-up, then we went into the dome to meet the rest of the group. It did not hurt that the Twins were in the middle of their miracle season ending, so seeing the field was a definite inspiration.
As I was reading the night before the race in the "couse info book" I noticed that there was not a pace group for runners less than 3:10. I was mentally banking on not having to think much and just following a pack of runners and pretending like I belonged. Not having this, really threw a kink in my plan so I quickly learned to like the thought of not knowing what was going to happen.
I made my last stop at the "Biff" and headed to "corral 1" for the race start. I moved my way to get just in front of the 3:10 pace group and looked around for someone that looked willing to chat. I found that there are not too many people up front there and even less of them looked willing to chat. No matter. I asked the guy next to me what he was planning to run it in and he said that last year he did 2:55 and planned for the same this year. He assured me that he always starts very slow and about half way through he starts to slowly speed up until the finish. I said "great" and asked if I could try to keep up, he said "sure" and we were off. I did my best not to be a shadow to him. It was a great relief for me to have a pace setter. Of course his "slow" pace was a 6:50-7:00 minute mile :)
My legs felt good and the run felt fast but comfortable. I knew I could do it but we were just two miles in. About mile three you come around the Walker Art center and turn up behind a good hill. I love hills so I really had to keep myself in check as we came down around lake of the Isles I realized I needed to really get into a mental zone. I recalled Emily's hourly encouragement and began my mental race.

Hour one was for Dan. I needed to start with Dan because he one of the most impressive people I have ever known. His example in my life set the spiritual and moral frame work for me at a pivotal time in my life. As life sometimes happenes Dan lost his fight with cancer at the age of 32. Hour one with Dan was key for my to set the frame work of my day and reflect on God's love for us no matter what. Finding joy no matter what...knowing that it is not about us....loving and serving others above ourselves. Hour one was great and the time flew.
I was keeping pace with my pace setter but I really had to focus on being relaxed so not to over compensate with the rest of my body. I tend to tense up and that burns a lot of energy.

Hour two was going to be crucial. I gave that hour to the memory of McKenna Johnson our honored team mate who was lost to cancer during our Phoenix season. What an honor it was to be inspired by McKenna for hour two. She was a bright light in the world that was taken too soon. I have had the privileged to get to talk to her parents a few times since the Phoenix marathon season and they have been an incredible inspiration choosing to continue to work with TNT, fund raising and racing multiple races now. I cannot say enough about them and how they have inspired me. As I would reflect on them and loosing a daughter at such a young age. My mind would quickly jump to my family and the tenderness of childhood, the gift it is and the difficulties of so many that loose their children so early in life. That hour went the quickest. The half way point came and went and I felt great but I knew from my first marathon in Phoenix that those feeling would soon be fleeting. I did my best to end the hour on and inspirational note and did just that as I saw my pacing partner slowly start to pull away.

Time for work...hour three!

Hour three was a no brainier.....Adam. The embodiment of hard work, no nonsense, just do it stupid! His example of ignoring pain during his struggle with cancer has always been a weapon for me in endurance events. I needed Adam for hour three and he did not let me down. I had no doubt that I could keep a 7 minuite pace for the race but realizing that I needed a 6:50 pace just a couple days before the race put a new spin on things. That is where the mental game comes into play.
So my pacer is long gone now. I did my best to keep him in sight but he did just as he said and was really motoring my mile 17-18. I was solo now and coming into the hardest part of the race, miles 19-21. Mile 20 starts the St. Thomas hill. I love that hill, I have run it so many times but only once at mile 20 of a run, and when I did that one, I cramped up bad! What would race day bring me? Be smart listen to my body and "just do it stupid" as Adam would have said. I had been hitting my water and nutrition to that point perfectly and so when I came to the top of the St. Thomas hill feeling half way decent I felt like I had just won the race! I knew there was a long way to go but the major hill challenges were done and I was on pace for my 3 hr finish according the crowd. I headed up the steady gradual climb of summit doing my best to keep relaxed and just keep my wheels turning. I reflected on child hood memories ...skiing... climbing.... fishing... working...playing, often checking my watch to make sure I was keeping pace. As mile 23-24 came I realized that my pace was slowing and it was getting harder to keep even a 7 min pace. The mile markers seemed to get further and further apart and the legs were ready do be done. Mom and dad were at mile 22 giving me a huge boost, all though difficult to keep my emotions in check seeing them while focusing on Adam, I know they believed in me and that they were proud of my efforts no matter what and that made me want to dig deep and finish strong. Each mile now was an eternity and thankfully Janet and Jayna where there after Mom and Dad to give me a much needed boost. There were so many TNT team mates there in the later miles that gave me encouragement. What a gift! I never once wondered if I would make my goal of 3 hours. I just wanted to do my best to keep pace and whatever happened, happened. At mile 24 I made small goals. Knowing the course I told myself to just get past the bridge...then just make it to the church....then just keep that pace around the corner....and once you get to the top of Summit turn the corner it's all down hill! I wish it would have been that easy. It seemed like forever to get to the top but I made it. I knew I kept a decent enough pace to that point, and someone on the side made my day and said "keep it up your under three hours." Just 1.2 miles to go all down hill. The most beautiful part of the course going by one of the most beautiful churches in the country and finishing at the beautiful capitol. Problem is I have come to realize that I do not run faster down hill. My body enjoys going up better than going down so it was a lot of work to keep pace even going down hill. I was so thankful I was going down but it was not as easy I has anticipated. The crowd was loud and lifted my spirits at that point your are running on the clouds but all I could think about was Adam and how much I missed him. I really did not care that I just broke three hours...I missed my brother... but I was happy. I keep racing because he never gave up and neither will I. My goals are not to break records but to do the best I can, whatever that means.

I was able to finish under three because of the people around me. The people that partner with me to help families cope with cancer. I finish strong because of my team mates that I train and race with. I finish strong because the people that are closest to me love me and believe in me and just want me to do my best, what ever that is.

Summer's End

The official end to Summer is Tues so I hear. What a Summer is has been here at the Prest house!
The kiddies are growing like mad and discovering so many things in their wonderful world. Janet is still being challenged by working part time and taking care of the house and us kids. The house is still for sale and we have decided to let it go for a lesser price than it is worth but that is the economy right now and feel we would come out even with what we could purchase. We just have to find someone to want to live her first.
I myself am winding down from a long season of training with TNT. My original intention was to be done training and fund raising with TNT after the Lifetime Triathlon last July 11 but had just enough extra fund raising money to join the Twin Cities Marathon team. That race is two weeks away on Oct 4 and I am very excited to complete another race for TNT. I am however $275 short of my goal and would love it if you would consider joining me in the fight and fuel my race with a dollar a mile. I need just 10 people to join me with a $26.2 gift to TNT. With this race I will have raised over $20,000 for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society since 07.
I have been training to complete the race in approximately three hours. I would like to race the Boston Marathon next April 1. Qualifying time for Boston is 3:15, but I want to see if I can crack the 3 hr mark. The training for this has been fun but very challenging, rather hard on the body compared to Triathlon. If you are in town here it would be great to see you on the course cheering on our TNT team! If you are intrested in joining my race with a donition just click the link at the top of the page and follow the directions.


Here are some pictures from all the fun we have been having around here that has kept me from putting up regular posts.

Pa Pa Victor with Armand at the Fendelet Family Reunion

Janet golfing w/sister Jen and Vanesa in PA

Us with Grandpa Victor and Grandma Bernice in PA

Last tri if the year at Green Lake

Baby Armand not such a baby any more

Hiking on the North Shore

Lake Superior

State fair 09!

Down time at home

Adison's 4th Birthday

!

What a month. I just looked at the date on my last post (if you can call it that) ONE MONTH. If you were to measure time by the things you have done, that was the entire summer in one month.

I'll have to come back to much of it for details, but here are the bullet points.

> TNT Lifetime race week.

What and experience. Every TNT race is so fun and special in it's own way. The cause and the people make it that way. This race I was honored to be the speaker at the pre-race Pasta Party. Pasta parties are, in my opnion, just as exciting as the race. The message I has prepared was decent and then the night before, while I was going over things, I was inspired to go deeper. It is a special thing to be used to convay a message that God wants others to hear.
Race day was great! The team finished well. Everyone finished! My race was solid. I felt good on the swim, but lacked the ability to swim a strait line. The bike felt fast and powerful, but was not much different than last year. Happy for sure. The run gave me problems on the first lap around Lake Nicomas due to a painful stomach issue. Most likely due to consuming a expired Power Gu during the bike. Lesson learned. I was able to run through it and pick up the pace for the second lap. A super race none the less.
I did come close to placing third (by a long shot!) but fourth in the age group was a suprise and it would have been great to get TNT more attention by placing but the difference between 4th and 3rd was pretty huge. My favorite part of the day was jogging the run course in reverse after I finished to cheer on and encourage the rest of the team on the course. What and inspiration to see the determination and the effort put out by everyone. A proud moment to be part of something so much bigger than the race!

>Cornhole 09

What a blast to put on a party the day after Lifetime on Adams Birthday. Sunday July 12 was a day to remember Adam. Play, eat and reminice. A picture perfect day. No big fan fare, just a relaxing day with 70 friends and family doing what Adam loved.
Thank you all for being part of a special day and supporting our family through the years. Thank you also for helping me to reach my fundraising goal for this year with TNT. I was able to reach and exceed!....more to come on that.

>Canada Trip 09

The following Thursday from the Cornhole party Janet and I purchased a pop-up camper and headed to Canada for nine days. So many great memories made. We camped on night on the way up at Turtle Mountian Provential Forrest. Bijou and I swam in Adam Lake and Armand and I ran all the paved roads we could find.
The Fendelet family reunioun was next in Hafford Saskachuan. A super fun weekend meeting many new faces on Janet's dad's side of the family. 120 plus people in a small town makes for good times.
Next on the list was Prince Albert. Lots of time with Janet's sisters, Dad, Mom, and all the cousins. What a blessing it was to see the kids play together. Janet has three sisters and they each have two kiddies also. All close to the same age with exception to Rene who is 11 I think and one yet to be born but all the rest are close. What a blast. I was able to golf with the brother-in-laws once and got a couple of runs and bikes in myself but the best part for me was being with the kids for a whole week. Morining to night dad, mom and their kiddies for nine days. What a blessing that was. Makes one think about priorities. We are blessed.
It was fun to seen Janet spend quality time with her sister and her mom and dad. What a sacrifice she makes living here in Minnesota. What a blessing she is to so many.
Coming home was long but full of new family memories and lots of great experiences in our new pop-up camper.

>CBC Reunion

We were lucky to squeze in dinner with some college frineds from Covenant Bible College where Janet and I meet back in 1994. Faces we had not seen since then. What a blessing to reconnect with great people from such a life shaping time.

>Green Lake Tri 09

We started a new tradition with a new Tri race in Spicer MN last year with "Team Swenson"
It will most likely signal the end of the Tri season as it did last year and this year. Laura Swenson grew up close to the race start on Green Lake and her grandparents have a cabin on the lake so it makes for a wonderful time spent with the kiddies wives and us guys giving it one last hurrah as training leading up to the race is pretty much non existant. We all finished our seasons well this year giving it all we had. I had another good race this year. Struggling on the swim because I had not been in the water since the Lifetime race July 11, and really struggled on the run because I have been training for Twin Cities Marathon and so long miles and tired legs were not much good for a short six mile sprint. Not a complaint at though. I was able to place in my age group for the second year in a row placing 8th overall and 3rd in my age group.

>Another Race

As I had mentioned in the part about my fundraising during the Cornhole touranment. You all blessed me with enough to jump into another race. Crazy fool that I am. Lot's of thing inspired this one. Twin Cities is local. I am over half way to my fundraising goal, with another $800 to go (if you want to help me get there go to the link at the top of the page). We had wanted to do a TNT garage sale to help ration down our possessions anyways. So more to come on that fundraiser. I wanted to do a marathon this fall to re-qualify for Boston next April. I was able to qualify when I ran Pheonix with TNT in 08 but did not have the money to get out there the past two races. Now that Sun Country flys to Boston it is affortdable for Janet and I to make it a weekend out there.
So it is my goal to raise more money for a cause that I am passionate about. Qualify with a good race time and run Boston before I run out of gas and quit with all this training. You never know I may get sick of it?


So many pictures to share but my computer is having issues and I have not been able to link to add them for some reason.
So many thoughts to share along the way over the past month but they come and go ank there will be more to come in that department.

Time crunch

Thank you all so much for making my TNT "tri" season such a sucess.
Ending the year with a party in Adam's memory on his birthday was special beyond words. Thanks to all who joined us that special day.

More to come soon. I need to get pictures downloaded and such.

Can't wait to up date you all on...
Armand's birthday
Pacific Crest Half Iron
Nine year Anniversary
Lifetime Tri
and of course the Cornhole 09 tournament.

More to come soon

Cornhole 09!

The day is fast approaching. Pacific Crest Half Iron is June 27. Lifetime Olympic tri here in Lake Nicomas is July 11 and my TNT season is over. What better way to celebrate the end of another great year of fund raising and racing than have one more big bash on Adams birthday, July 12!

So, if you are reading this you are invited! We will have a super fun time doing all the things Adam loved to do most.....eat and play games!

It is designed to be a fundraiser for the Leukemia, Lymphoma Societies "Team in Training," for whom I have been racing for since the summer of 07. Of course it is a voluntary fundraiser. To play in the bean bag (cornhole) tournament there is a fee (donation).
The food and drink donations are suggested. I do want to raise as much money for cancer research and family support but know that not everyone is as excited about that as I am, and not everyone is in a position to give. That's plenty fine around here.
The reason for "Cornhole 09" is to remember an amazing man, my brother Adam Prest.

So come one come all. Give some, give lots, give none, let's all just have a great day doing what he really loved to do. I will have lot's of stories about this years training and racing. There will be many of my TNT mates there if you want to talk to others about TNT.
Enough blabbing....here are the details.

When: July 12......Let's say 1:30 food and fellowship...games start by 2:30

Where: Prest house....18641 Dayton St. Dayton, MN. 55327

What to do next: RSVP by making a donation via my safe TNT web site at
http://pages.teamintraining.org/mn/pctri09/aprest it is $10 per person, so $20 per team of two. If you have a team of two leave a comment with your team name. If you are solo, great! We will pair you up. That will secure you spot in the games and help me to know how many boards to have for game day.

If you are not playing or donating please RSVP via my email at drewprest@gmail.com
so we can get a estimate on who all is coming. Yes you can show up unannounced. We want you there RSVP or not!

There will be suggested donations of $5 for a food plate and $5 for a drink cup. We will have pop, water, beer, wine and a variety of other libations.

There will be prizes for winners and loosers of the tournament.

Bean bag game sets will be available for a $110 donation to LLS
You can also make this purchase via my online donation site. Just make comment that your donation is for a set of boards and they are yours! custom paint jobs available.

One set will be raffled off. Tickets available at the party or you can get your name in via the web with your online donation. $2 per ticket.....$10 buys you 7 tickets. Note in the comment box that your donation is for the raffle and your in. Do not have to be present to win.

Most of all we want to relax and remember our friend Adam so come out and enjoy the day.

If you have a dish or desert you would like to contribute let me know via the e mail and we would love to add your dish to the spread. drewprest@gmail.com or Andrew @ 763-286-5874