I would like to start by wishing my Angel Shannon a very Happy Birthday today! This week’s story is about my trip last weekend to watch Ryan’s race. I left on Thursday so I could do more research for my training program. I stopped at several Agriculture dealerships to do some secret shopping, and let me just say there are plenty of dealerships that could use customer service training. At one dealership, I waited fifteen minutes for the parts manager to come out and help the parts man find the part, (Which he never did.) I finally asked, “Should I just call you back and see if you’ve found it?” “Yeah, that’d be okay” the parts man replied. I’m sure glad it was going to be okay for me to call him back.
We arrived at the race early Saturday morning. It was extremely smoky from some fires in Canada. We were standing around talking with some of Ryan’s friends. They were talking about the smoke and what effect it might have on the race. One of the Dad’s jokingly said, “You guys should race in this more so you’re prepared for days like today.” “Who could have ever guessed second hand smoke was actually training” I replied. Us Dads are hilarious! I always appreciate the comradery and respect these athletes have for each other. I also admire the rigorous training schedule it takes to be able to compete in these events.
In the last few races, Ryan and his good friend Nick Hetro have been challenging each other back and forth. They have had a good competition over the years, and Nick has finally reached Ryan’s level. Ryan was ahead of Nick in the swim and the bike portion, then Nick caught him on the run and won by 16 seconds. They both bring out the best in each other. It makes me proud to watch Ryan compete against Nick, especially since he is 20 years older than Nick. Trust me, I know what it like to compete against younger athletes!
On Sunday morning, we went to Badger Mountain so Ryan could go for a run and Heather and I could hike to the top. Heather made it to the top in very good time. She was kind enough to wait for me to finally reach the top. It was a good workout, and it was a fantastic view of the valley. Heather and I made our way back down the mountain to wait for Ryan.
I want to thank Ryan and Heather for a fantastic weekend, and giving me more special memories. There were so many times I thought about Shannon, and all the races we came over to watch. I know she was with us this weekend, and had a big smile on her face. We will always LOVE AND MISS YOU sweetheart.
Next week: Roaring Youth Jam
P.S. I told them my reward for making it to the top of Badger Mountain was Sunday Brunch. It’s important to set goals.