Spring into action!

And baby #2 is still three months away! Life is exciting around Dayton the past couple of months. We are doing our best to "adjust" ahead of the curve. Janet is working hard and adjusting at her new job (since last Nov) as an office administrator. Lots of new challenges. Thirty hours a week is more than enough. She went on her first business conference in the beginning of this month. Just Wed. thru Fri. in San Diego. I am very proud of her. It is definitely not skin care and make up. The little boy in her belly is an active lad. He lets her know he's there most all day long. She is amaizing. I was running the other day, thinking about races and training, and I began to marvel about how what she is going though is so much bigger than anything I could ever accomplish. I am so proud of her. She is my #1!

Bijou on mommy's old toy horse.

We celebrated Easter early this year because of vacations and what not. We had a fantastic day. Starting with our first church Sunday service that Janet Bijou and I had attended. We felt at home again with worship and the message was fantastic. It is so good to connect with the church again.
After church we meet up with Erin and Adison and headed down to Mary and Bills for Easter brunch. A relaxing afternoon and fantastic food as always.

Adison and Bijou getting Easter coloring presents.

Bijou is fantastic. Practically running. Picking up words here and there. Nose, eye, mouth, waffle, egg, hi, by, dog, puppy, and a hand full more. It is so incredibly exciting to watch her develop. She tries to sing with us and do actions to songs. I could go on and on. I am so excited to see her with her brother. She is going to be a fantastic big sister.

We purchased our new family vehicle. We happened upon a used Honda Pilot and purchased it. It is perfect for us. I am very excited to do lots of family stuff in our new vehicle. We are so blessed, life is so exciting. So very blessed by so many things.

Training with TNT has been great. Slowly working our way into heavier training. After the Lifetime Tri July 12, I have my first Half Ironman in Wisconsin July 20. My training for that will start in the next couple of weeks. Sean Pease and I ran our first race of the season. We raced in the "100% Irish for a day" race around Lakes Harriet and Calhoun in Minneapolis. Not just a 5k or 10k....A full 10 mile race. It was a great challange. It was much colder than it should have been, but way warmer than it has been. Race results are posted here http://andresonraces.com/Results/Irish10mrs08.htm

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. – Helen Keller

Thanksgiving in Feburary

This afternoon I was trying on new shoes. My first "real" pair of running shoes have all but lost their support. I recall wearing out soccer shoes back in the "glory days," but wearing out a pair of running shoes gives you a real sense of accomplishment.

Saturday was our second team run at lake Calhoun. I have been taking the training very lightly lately. Schedules have been pretty tight for daily training, and honestly I have been enjoying being able to focus on other things. I found out Saturday that I need to get back into it soon. We break our team up into three running abilities on team runs, so to fit where everyone is at. I thought I had time to take things easy for a while. I found out differently on Sat when my group decided to work in sprints and hill sprints to our 3.5mile workout. I knew to keep things light but the more we did our sprints the more I wanted to get into it. The second hill sprint got me. I love hills, I love to attack them. I am not ready to do hill sprints. My heart rate spiked on the second one and never really calmed down much after that. Not a big deal. Rather frustrating though. I am thankful for the extra money I spent on a heart rate monitor last year. I know my threshold and I was able to monitor where I should have been. I lightly jogged out the rest of the run and felt good to know where I am at.

I am super excited about the group of guys that will be pushing me during this season. There is a group of about eight of us that will challenge each other to greater heights. So I'll have to get back into the swing of things soon or I'll get left in the dust.

The rest of life training has me in a season of thanksgiving. Spring is ready to start cracking its thick shell and that is certainly something to be thankful for. Most exciting is the places that God has brought me to in respects to relationships that are very important to me. These endurance events have showed me to be patient, and I have applied that to many things in my life. I have never been much of a patient person. I see good or bad, what ever I see I want to react to and take action. Life has shone me to be more sensitive when I am not the only one involved in any given situation. It is amaizing the things you learn when you really strive to be less of your self and more Christlike. Simple concept, but difficult to put into action. It requires giving up. There is nothing that can't be achieved when you honestly give up and look to God for guidance. I have found surrender to be the most powerful action I could ever take. I know that great things are in store.

I look ahead to the next 10 months of my life and I am excited. Excited for the good and the bad. I doubt that it will be a smooth ride, but it will be what I make it. I pray that it will have more evidence of Gods fingerprints than mine. One day at a time. Every day every moment I have a choice.

Winter Wait

Training is back in swing. I am taking my time getting back into things. I went for my first run since the marathon last Sat. It felt great to run again. It felt even better to be training with TNT. This season of training will be very fun and different. The race is local and the team is 140 racers strong. I was curious how training would go with that many people, but it is fantastic. Our coaches have done a great job of handling all of us well and still are able to cater to all the different physical abilities. I can't say enough good things about TNT.

I am epically excited to be training with Erek Swenson and Wes Aldinger. It is extra special to be training with friends that know why I race and fund raise.

More than anything this time of year really challenges me mentally. Winter seems to drag on and the sun seems to hide more than anything. My challenges have been epically difficult this year. Loosing Adam is a difficult enough task to deal with, but when relationships in your life break down because of it, the adjustment becomes down right painful. It is interesting because loosing Adam was never painful to me, I don't think anyways? Adam understood exactly what was happening and he faced it with courage and only worried because he knew that his absence would be painful for others. I respect that, and it is what has inspired me to being better. My heart aches for him at times. I sometimes wonder what job he's working on when I see a Lakeland truck on the road and then remember that he's gone. That's weird. His faith never wavered and God comforted him and guided him through his cancer. I cannot be bitter about that. I hate cancer. I hate that any one of us is vulnerable to it. I hate that kids have to experience it. I know full well that life is not fair. So I don't expect much when it comes to the basics of life. I know that God will provide for me in any circumstance. The big picture is more important and Adam knew what that was. I am confident in what that is. I have seen amaizing things too many times to deny the awesome power of God. A loss like this is painful when your relationships around you break down. Not much in life goes according to "our plan," so why worry about it.

Healing comes with honesty and unity. Pain is born out of all of the things that honesty and respect do not represent. It is easy to have "issues" with one another when we solely focus in each other. We will always disappoint each other. That is to be expected. We are commanded to look to God for strength and wisdom and to focus on him for the answers. There is where we find forgiveness. I don't think that I take it seriously enough. I can't say that I have spent any extra time praying for situations like these in my life. I am foolish enough to sit and wait for thing to happen. I am confident that things will work out in due time.

Waiting is difficult.

Praying is what I need to do.

Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost. – Helen Keller

Oh Boy

Winter in Minnesota. This year had so much promise. Lots of snow early. Temperatures were not bad at all. What happened? There has not been too much to get excited about as of late, and that's not a bad thing. After the marathon I have not been out for any runs. The days that I could have it was -0. Just a couple of swims. Weekly broomball is enough fitness for now. So what is there to get excited about this winter.

For the Prest family it's the news that we will be bringing another boy into the family come June. My suspicions were were confirmed last Wednesday during the ultra-sound appointment. We are now 19 weeks along and have a healthy baby boy on the way. Janet has adjusted well to the news. She has been pretty nervous about having a boy but our friends and family have been calming her nerves that boys really are not that hard to raise :) She came from a family of four girls, so this will be an adjustment. We are very excited to have another baby coming into our lives.

Bijou is walking 90% of the time now. She has been taking steps since around Christmas and has taken her time to make it a full time thing. It is very fun to see her exploring her world at her new level and speed. Still an angel. Not too much for words yet. Happy all the time.

My summer training schedule just got better. It looks something like this. I am going to wing a 5k or 10k or half marathon in here or there. There is the Gear West Duathlon Sunday, May 18. It is a 5k run, 28k bike, 4k run. Good to get the race year going before the lakes defrost. I will probably find something to do in June supr of the moment (there is a baby on the way). I had thought I was going to take a year off of fund raising and not do a race for TNT. Then I went to a meeting with a friend and saw that the local Lifetime Fitness Tri is on Adams birthday July 12. So today I went to the season kick off party and signed up. It's a $2,100 frundraise and I don't have to travel. I really would have had a hard time going cold turkey from TNT anyways. I am very excited to be part of the team again and racing on Adams B-day. Sunday July 20 is the Spirit of Racine race. My first half Iron. 70.3 miles of swimming, biking and running. I am excited to challenge my endurance to a new level. August 16th is the annual sprint tri that I do with Clark and his uncle Steve every year in Waupaca Wi. I look forward to this race every year. If you are interested in trying a tri yourself this is the perfect race to get your feet wet on. To end the season Sep 7 is another half iron, Square Lake. It is a local race just north of Stillwater. Many "tri heads" rave about this race because of the clear lake water and challenging hill bike piece. I am looking forward to the challenge of this season as I ramp up to trying a full Ironman in 09.

I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to race for TNT and the inspiration and support to push myself to greater heights, both physically and mentally. I am most excited to watching our family grow and hope that all this crazyness melds together as we go. If not, my hopes and dreams of these races can wait. Not every race is perfect and timing is everything.

Twenty-Six Point Two

Event weekends for Team in Training are special. You train hard for months. Fund raise your tail off. Then before you know it your on a plane. Thankfully things are busy building up to the race. Meetings, race expo, and then my favorite, the pasta party. TNT throws a big banquet for all the racers, complete with fantastic speakers and great food. During the night you see the pictures of all the people from around the country that you are racing for. There are people we are racing in honor of and people we race in memory. Adams picture flashed at all three races and it hit me like a ton of bricks every time. It's just so crazy that he's gone. My emotions range from disbelief, that he's gone, to pride, "that's my bro, what an amaizing man." Each pasta party I made a choice to channel those emotions to good come race day.
This pasta party hit me extra hard because the weight and sacrifice of all three events hit hard. So many letters. So many inspiring responses. So many miles of training. I was there and the race was just hours away.

This was my first marathon, and I had no idea what to expect. I knew that I could run a good race but how good? I did the Las Vegas half Dec. 2 and finished 1:31, but that's half. I gave that race everything I had. That weekend was our honored team mate Mckenna's funeral. McKenna was just 10 and delt with cancer since she was two. She was a princess and loosing her really hit me hard. I didn't know her, but things like that shouldn't happen to kids. Parents shouldn't have to deal with burying a child. Reality is painful, life is hard and certainly not fair. I am thankful there is more that this life. I am thankful we have a choice to be better and not bitter.
I ran the Las Vegas half with all I had. After the race my legs felt weak. I knew that I would have to train a lot harder if I expected to do that for 26.2.
So I did. No skipping runs during the week. I followed my training schedule and come Phoenix my legs felt strong. My coach said that typically you can double your half marathon time and add ten minuets and that will give you a close finish time. I knew I had a chance. But what would happen after mile 20?

Everyone I have ever talked to about a marathon has always told me their horror stories about what happens after mile 20. Your body is trained for 20, it's after that when it gets tricky.
My race prep all weekend felt great. Food was good, sleep was good enough. Great focus and a new "race" hair cut, the mo-hawk. I felt fast anyways? I had written Adams name in big letters on my left forearm in black sharpie marker. On my right I wrote Dan (my mentor/pastor who was taken by cancer in 03). On my wrist was a pink silk "princess" bracelet that I tied on and on another bracelet I wrote McKenna. As a team we painted our finger nails and toe nails pink. I wimped out and just did my thumbs and pinkies. It still looked fast! I knew that when people would cheer for me I would raise my arms and they would see why I'm running. What a gift that turned out to be.
At each big race there are "pace" people that will finish exactly what their jersey sign says. So if you want a 3:10 time you run with that guy and you will finish at 3:10. That was my plan. Don't think just follow. I am a classic over-thinker so this is a good thing. Race starts and I felt good. The pace felt do-able....that was mile one. Mile two my shins started to feel tender. Mile three they felt hot. I was nervous.....keep running, pray it goes away. Mile four was better. Mile five better yet, but now I had to pee! I didn't want to stop once. Now I gotta go. I knew at some point I would have to take care of that because it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. I was feeling really good at this point, (around mile 8) my plan was to pace ahead of the group for a while and quick go. I broke ahead slowly and when I got in front I felt great, strong, like I could keep going at that new pace for the rest of the race. Two problems, we wern't half way done and I had to pee. So I took care of my business by some bushes and watched my 3:10 group go right on by. I really had to go. Finally, done. I was about 100 yards back but I had no panic. I took my time and slowly caught back up. Feeling comfortable, back with the group, I started dreaming how great it felt pulling away, how strong my legs were. I started to wonder how soon was too soon to pull a head for good. Patience, just focus and run.
Man it was fun. There was a live band playing every mile and a school cheer leading squads in between each band. Every time people would see my name on my jersey and cheer me on I raised my arms to Adam, Dan and McKenna and it sent chills up the back of my neck every time. Focus, be smart, save your energy, mile 20 lay ahead!

13.1 came and I took mental stock on how I felt. Those questions of "when should I pull ahead" disappeared. Those thoughts turned into, "can I keep this pace and hold on to this group?" Around then I started to put my nutrition plan into play. I wore a race belt, loaded with 32 ounces of my Gatorade/power mix, and some gummy shot blocks and race goos. Over the next 8 miles I slowly ingested my calories and hydrated. Mile 20 came and I was good.
In the group I was running with were two big, shirtless, tattooed runners. They looked fast and intimidating, they made it look easy. I figured them for cocky runners that were too cool for everyone else. Over the miles they were great. Talking to everyone and making it look too easy. One other thing that caught my eye in our group was a guy that was wearing a real Florida Ironman race jersey. He was a bit older and built like a brick-house. All I know is, I wanna be cool like that.

So happy sticking with the group mile 22 comes and a group of 5 starts to pull ahead. Wouldn't you know. The two tattooed guys and the Ironman jersey were part of the group. I had a second to think about it......and I was gone.
At this point of the race I drew back to the century bike race. I remembered how important drafting was and I figured it could help here too. So I pulled in behind the group of five and pretended like I fit in. I kept my mouth shut and watched what they did. I studied their efficient strides (just like my coach Suzanne had explained earlier in the summer) and followed their lead. I knew I was taking a gamble and did my best to ignore my tired legs. When ever I began to pay attention to fatigue I immediately focused on old memories with Adam. All the adventures, laughter and projects. Eventually you loose that focus and the body reminds you that your tired. Immediately go to the amaizing memories of Dan Roelofs and all the things he taught me. Body flashes back and recall all the generosity and letters that encouraged me to get there. The promise I gave, to give it my all! Body fades back in "Leg's are getting tired here," immediately go to McKenna the reason our team is racing. Run for her memory and her parents in such a hard time of life. That really got me strong. I'm rarely the smartest guy in the room, but I know that running is easier that loosing a child. There was no room for weakness. I will run strong!

Mile 23 a hill is coming. I'm running the loop in my head and the guys are talking about how we were on pace to come in at 3:07. Holy %#@*! I couldn't believe that I was with them, but I was. But slowly I was dropping. They were really picking it up. So, keep pretending and do your best. I'm at this point, back a good 7-8 strides, and one of the tattooed duds slowly drops back. He gets back to me and says "all-right?" I replied "All-right is a good word......you?" He says "yea, I'm just all right....thought I would drop pace a little bit.....you good with that?" I wanted to scream in celebration! I replied "Yea, I guess I could drop a bit."
Guess I could drop a bit?! I was all ready dropping. And here this guy just happens to do it at the same time. I have to say, I do not find this a to be lucky or happen-stance. This happened in all three of my races and all at the crucial gut check times of all three races. I praise my God and King for that stuff because He knew exactly what I needed.
Mile 24 over the bridge. I trained on hills every day, no bother right, but now it's a hill on a 26 mile run. I go back to my mental loop and think about my amaizing wife and our little girl. What a gift! I draw off the little baby growing inside Janet and think it may be a boy. I have to set the bar high. Can't slow up now, gotta set the bar high! Mile 25 took forever. Mentally you know it's over soon but you can't see the finish yet. I hated the end because it was one turn after another and no sight of the finish. Finally someone says, "three more turns and the final stretch." I looked for something left in my tank. I saw empty. I was proud, you never want extra for the final stretch. My coach said from the Disney tri, "If you can sprint for the finish you didn't give enough earlier, make sure you have nothing left. Leave it all on the track!"
I did, I stretched out my stride and picked up what little I had left. My airway got tight as I came down that final stretch. I did not get passed and I raised my arms in joyful triumph as I crossed the finish line.

The phrase I would use to describe how I felt at the finish line is "mentally wiped out." I made it I used everything I had within me, and now I'm done. The emotions of the summer rushed. The emotions of the race flooded. The hole in my heart felt huge. I didn't know where to go or what to do. Race helpers looking at me asking "is everything ok?" Of course I'm ok, I'm done. But my brother is still gone, Dan is gone, Mckenna is still gone. I turned the corner and slouched over a fence and sobbed.
Eventually someone came over and asked if I was going to be all right. I replied, "Oh yeah, it's my first time, and that was a strong finish!"

Finish time 3:08:38
205th / 6489 overall
pace 7:12

I miss you bro!

That is worth running for, training for, fund raising for. We are making a difference. Get excited, Get involved! http://www.teamintraining.org/
If you don't have time to get involved and you want me to keep going. Click on the link at the top of the page.

3:10 to Boston

Marathon weekend.....where do I begin. I just have time to give the quick update. The final event for me this season was the Phoenix Marathon this past Sunday. The weight of so many things encompassed it. At times I felt very overwhelmed but I knew that if I focused properly that I could us it to run a great race.
I had a great time getting to know everyone on the team better, many of them I had never meet for one reason or another. All in all I was very impressed with everyone on the team and very proud that everyone was a finisher. A Hero! A difference maker! I am so proud to be a part of that group!
Our chapter raised close to $100 thousand dollars for cancer research and support. All chapters in total at the race (2000 + racers) raised 3.6 million dollars over the season and that weekend! That is worth running for, training for, fund raising for. We are making a difference. Get excited, Get involved! http://www.teamintraining.org/
I may have run the race of my life because of the things and people that inspired me to run. I promise to share the details of my race because honestly, there was more to it than just my legs moving. My finish time was 3:08:38. That put me 205th overall out of 6489 finishers. 162 out of males and 30th in the age class 30-35. My pace was 7min 12 second miles on average. And I honestly have goosebumps thinking about the amaizing experience it was.
I can honestly say it was the most physically and mentally demanding thing I have ever done, and if anything was different that day the results would have been very different.
I am so proud to have honored Adam, McKenna and Dan in this race.
I can honestly say "I gave it my all" to everyone who supported me with your generous gifts and thought, letters and prayers. THANK YOU for getting me there!

I will share pictures and the amaizing thought and details soon!

Golden Birthday!

Happy Golden Birthday Bijou!

I'm hoping that the phrase, "better late than never" applies. It has been a very busy two weeks around here and I have wanted to get this up since the first, but sacrificing sleep before the big race is not a prudent thing. I must say that Bijou's birthday was very special. Janet and many helping hands worked hard to make it special.
Our theme, being a new year baby, and her name meaning jewel, was "JEWELS."
Pretty original, I know. Crowns, rings, necklaces and other pretty things.
Bijou got in a good afternoon nap and we were ready to party!

My two princesses.

Eventually she forgot about the crown on her head.

Grandma can always get a big smile!

She loved her card's, and sat very patiently while we read to her.

She lover her hat she got from auntie Erin.

Her favorite toy was "Elmo's world cart" from The Bone family. Derby, Brad and Amy
She still can't get enough of it!
Lots of help from Derby and cousin Adison.

Time for the cake!

The moment Janet was fearing. She loved SUGAR!

There is literally nothing she dose not like to eat. And cake was no exception. She was a two fisted little princess once she hit that chocolate cake!

Eventually we had to stop her or I'm pretty sure she would have finished the entire thing.

What a special time it was. It was so neat to see her with everyone who was there. We have been so blessed with Bijou and the special relationships that have blossomed because our precious little girl. Life is so precious, it was before, and it is now. We have experienced so much in the past two years. From deep loss to blessed life. It is so important to give each day, each moment perspective. We serve an awesome, gracious God, who gives us the ability to endure the darkest of valleys, to the most joyful mountain peaks.

Everyday is a chance for new beginnings!
Happy Birthday!