End in 3? Good for me!

This story should have just been a twitter post but I feel like adding a bit more!

1983: Year of My Birth!

I was born three months early as an identical twin, and weighed only one pound ten ounces. Growing up I thought this was fairly normal, but if you’re ever unlucky enough to see me with my shirt off you’ll notice a scar below my belly button where they had to connect directly to my stomach system to give me nutrients, because as the story goes I got down to one pound three ounces becuase I kept pulling out the feeding tube.

Still, I’ve always considered myself lucky to be alive. No real negative effects from being a preemie except bad tooth enamel and some asthma.

1993: Inspired to Teach

In 1993 I would have been in fifth grade and there met a teacher named Mr Stie who, perhaps because he was the first male teacher I’d had, inspired me to be a teacher. I went back years later (probably early college) to tell him that and he still remembered me, which was cool. A lot happened between that and 2003…

2003: College — elected ASFPC VP

In late 2001, I’d started an outreach ‘ministry’ to the next door senior citizens center, to bring them internet through donated and fixed up computers. I had about a half dozen computers to start with, and ran classes, ended up getting more volunteers involved etc. I didn’t see it as anything spectacular, but was torn between humble about it and proud — which meant it didn’t get as much attention as it could have.

I gave a speech about all of this going on in an Oral Communications class and people were surprised I hadn’t talked more about it or that other people didn’t know. Anyway, Seth Yates who was running for President that year approached me as VP because I had no experience, but he was impressed with what I’d been able to do without calling attention to it and on what I saw as a large budget of $1,000 which I’d raised but most people would say was a shoestring.

Before college, I’d often been known as quiet and lacked confidence. I’d never really put myself out there or if I did it hadn’t gone well. Running for (and winning) vice president gave me a sense of confidence and community that I could achieve things that laid the groundwork for the later Tri-This efforts, what I still consider the best ‘thing’ I’ve ever done.

2013

In 2013, I went to South Korea with my 90 year old grandfather, helped kickstart a youth cyclocross series, did a spartan race, hiked up Mt Whitney, backpacked across the Sierras, finished a Masters Degree, and started teaching at Fresno Pacific University…

After being married for a few years, a half ironman in 2011, 2012 was focused on my masters degree and starting at a new school etc. 2013 I felt confident enough to get back to my own athletic pursuits as Tri-This was starting to change focus from year round training to focused more on events/clinics/time-boxed events. Thus, I finally gave myself some big goals! I did a Spartan race with some friends, hiked Mt Whitney and Meagan and I backpacked from Mammoth Springs to Yosemite Valley floor — about 70 miles.

Truly it was an epic year, and just happened to be the year before we would have our first child, Madelyn!

2023

In late 2022 I set some personal and professional goals for training/racing,

professional development and personal development. I was going to complete four Data Science courses from Coursera by May — I’ve completed two already and have just one assignment left on the third. Work-wise I’ve made strides in streamlining my workflow and being more intentional about how I

spend my time. A blog I wrote in December about AI and its applications has been read (not just viewed) over 1,000 a times and been linked to on several other education blogs. I’m still working on some of those coding-specific goals. I’ve also started teaching Data Science for educators at Fresno Pacific with a 2 hour night class once a week and it’s great to be inspired by my students and have fun working with engaged learners.

Fitness -wise I’m making strong progress towards twin goals I have for this year — a sub two hour half marathon (again but for the first time since about 2008) and completing a half ironman. I was going to do a half ironman in July, but now had to change it to May due to some unexpected travel plans that have come up.

The only bad thing that’s happened thus far in January is getting food poisoning or the flu last week and being stuck in bed for 3 days… still recovering, but hopeful for a long zwift and run this week.