Race against me in 2014!

So, if you know me you know I need goals. Better than that: I need goals that others know about to keep me honest. Best still: I want goals that push others to do things alongside me, or even with me. So that's the real purpose of this: it's a challenge for you to join me in one or another (or all?!) of these things, or to do something similar.

So far this year I've done the local "Just for the Health of It" 5k in Hallock, and then I participated in the Crookston Duathlon (see a recap here).

Here's what I'm up to the rest of 2014:

Friday, June 27 (hey, that's tomorrow!): The Celebrate Kennedy FTB Troll Stroll

A 5-mile run from Donaldson to Kennedy. Weather looks iffy, but last year we ran through lightning, so...

Saturday, August 9: The Ngede Challenge 50k 

Probably my favorite event that I've ever finished (covered here from 2012). This is a 10k road run, 10k mountain bike, 25k road bike, and 5(make that 6)k trail run. It's benefits a great cause, takes place in the area around Ox Lake Bible Camp near Amery, Wisconsin, and basically it's a bunch of Lutherans trying to survive/thrive in a very difficult event. I'm aiming to beat my 2012 time of 2 hours, 59 minutes, 10 seconds.

 Sunday, August 24: The Lakes Country Triathlon

It didn't work in my schedule to fit in an Olympic triathlon this summer so it will have to be a sprint variety in Baxter. If you don't want to join me there, then come along with Kate for her first ever tri the day before in Hudson, Wisconsin. It's for first-timers only and called "My First Tri" (click here for more info).

 Saturday, September 13: Grasshopper Run, Roll, Ride Half Marathon and 10k run

One of my favorite local events, this is a 13.1 mile run, rollerblade or bike ride (or combination thereof) between Hallock and Lancaster. You can also do a 10k run where you start at Grasshopper corner (the event's namesake). Last year a ridiculous tailwind helped me average 25 mph on the bike leg. This year I haven't decided if it's a run or ride kind of year. Perhaps my first half marathon? We'll see...

TBD (potentially Sunday, September 21): A Bike/Roll/Run-athon fundraiser for the 2015 ELCA National Youth Gathering

Details are not confirmed (including the date), but we're looking forward to a four-hour relay (or individual if you're up for it!) race/fundraiser in Hallock to help send our youth to the 2015 ELCA National Youth Gathering. Runners will tackle a 1-mile run course, rollerbladers a 1.5 mile course, and bicyclists will have a 2 mile course. Teams can be all runners, all cyclists, all rollerbladers, or a mix of the three. Most laps in four hours wins! But everybody is raising money for a great cause. More info coming soon!