2011 began with an amazing day followed by a flight back to Kansas. Back in Kansas I began what would be my last months as an assistant coach at Baker University. Through the spring I focused on coaching and my faith as I was in a very volatile situation. Luckily, the distance squad I was coaching ran very well, helping lead Baker to its first men’s team conference championship in over 60 years. I then went on to watch five months of hard work pay off for Megan Rosa who ended up 9th in the nation in the marathon at nationals. All in all, it was a fantastic spring of coaching. June came, and I knew it was time to move on. Back in Colorado, I was jobless and very nervous as I wondered where I would be coaching and living in the fall.
My faith had been growing as I had finished my Men’s Fraternity Class, and I was trying to implement what I had learned into my day-to-day life. SOAPing in my Bible regularly, attending great church services at Morningstar, and spending time with strong Christian friends who helped me grow, I couldn’t have been stronger or happier. Granted, there are always setbacks; however, with support and prayer I have done very well moving forward in my life.
Summer came and went with too many workouts and not enough hours with my friends of Buena Park Circle. Being unsure of my future, applying for jobs, and training was very stressful, but Ben Martinez and the rest of the gang kept me laughing and smiling. Most afternoons were spent sunbathing on the front yard recovering from the morning workouts until everyone else was off work. Summer also brought my Golden Birthday, turning 25 on June 25th at the Golden Bee with my best friends there to share it with me. The 2011 racing season went fairly well but left me hungry for 2012. In spite of the negative aspects of 2011, the memories of this past summer are as fond a memory as any summer I have ever had. It came to a close with a fantastic job offer, allowing me to maximize my enjoyment of the entire summer before accepting a position in August.
Much of the fall was stressful, considering I had been hired at Kansas Wesleyan with just one athlete returning. Now, with transfers I have taken the team to six runners and plan to bring in another ten to fourteen next year. Building a program from scratch has its advantages but also has taken so many hours of recruiting and coaching. I have found a church, friends, and some great places to run. 2012 in Salina is already looking brighter now that I have settled in.
While home for Christmas break, I learned that the “green bridge” along highway 24 is about to be demolished. Although it is not the prettiest or most famous landmark in Colorado, it is truly memorable. Almost everyone knows the bridge if you have ever made the trip to Colorado Springs. After many years it is going to be destroyed, and a new larger bridge will be built in its place. Many locals fought to have it moved and used somewhere else but to no avail. I am truly sad to see it go. I have many memories of trekking underneath it, looking at the jail cells underneath and just enjoying the view of Pikes Peak from there. Although it will be gone, my memories remain, just like the year 2011, gone but not forgotten. In all reality, it is not the bridge or 2011 that matters; what matters are the memories and the lessons learned. What also matters is what I do in 2012. Another year has come and gone, and I have achieved my career goal. Now it’s time for new goals. Making the most of my life is very important and seeing how quickly another year has flown by, it shows clearly that time is short, and I want to make the most of it. All that I have achieved has come from hard work and not always waiting for the opportune time but putting my nose to the grindstone and following my dreams no matter how crazy they may be. 2012, here I come!
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