Bring it on 2021!

 

You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.  Steve Jobs

2020 was challenging; we all know it.   I started to list why it was horrible and quickly turned the page and started writing why it was an amazing year!

- I Co-Founded NYX Endurance with 2 amazing women, who I love and respect.  They are my business partners, friends, confident, and we are better together.  Better in that we generate ideas that build on each other, laugh, and know-how to call each other out.  We come together with a shared vision to create an amazing community under the guise of Triathlon!   So far, so good!  

- NYX Endurance grew!  Nearly all of our athletes trusted in us and trusted in NYX, and joined our vision.  And we added athletes in a year of canceled races. 

- Epic Challenges.  #noracesnoproblem was our mantra.  We had some epic events
    - Everesting - biking 29.029 feet on a bike in one day
    - Running 5 miles every 4 hours for 24 hours: 5.4.24
    - Running 4 miles every 4 hours for 49 hours: 4.4.48
    - BINGO: an epic month of swimming, biking, running, hiking, strength challenges
    - Running 50K

    - R2R2R 

    - 12 Days of Christmas Core Challenge

- Family: I am so thankful my parents are healthy; despite some scares, fractures, and hospital visits, they are COVID Free.  My sister is fighting Cancer and winning; yes, it sucks, but I am thankful to have been able to help out a few times, my only real travel.  My kids are thriving; while this is hard, they are crushing life right now!  I miss them like crazy, but sometime in 2021, we will see each other.  We did not have a family Thanksgiving or Christmas.  And I'm most thankful for my partner, John, there is no one else I would rather pandemic with. 

-Social Justice:  George Floyd's murder awakened something in me.  I could not sit at home in my comfortable house and no nothing.  I joined my first protest, and many thereafter. I discovered Encinitas4Equality and met some amazing people committed to chance.  I lead Run4Breonna weekly runs, volunteer, when I can, and found a great spot helping feed the homeless in Oceanside.  I have opened my eyes, recognized White Privilege, and commit to not stop protesting when I see wrong. 

- Friends:  So many amazing friends to swim, bike, and run with.  Thankfully exercise was not shut down.  No Masters swimming, but we swam a lot in the lagoon and the ocean.  We mask up and bike and run, and this is my salvation.   I'd be lost without exercise and am so thankful for this social outlet. 

There is so much I miss, so much I am sad about, but when I reflect on all the good!   2020 was not all terrible. 

With the turn on the calendar, life will not change, but there is hope on the horizon.  We have a new President, a vaccine that is coming.  I am confident we will have races, we will once again hug each other, have a table full of friends inside, but a lot will never be the same, and that is life,

We  need to stay patient a bit longer, mask up, stay home, and sometime this year, we will be free(er)