VISTA Update!

It's fall in Fairbanks!  Included, are a few pictures I've taken over the past couple weeks of Alaska's changing colors.  The rest can be found on my Facebook profile.  To go along with these, here’s a quick update with what I have going on here within my VISTA role as well as outside of work:


1) I had a blast attending the RHYTTAC Conference with my colleagues in Anchorage last week where we came up with some steps to start a statewide network of agencies improving the at-risk youth population.  During my visit, I was able to hang with Hannah Torkelson and Hannah Albazari, two other VISTAs in Anchorage.


2) I’m in the final stages of starting up an exclusive art club for my homeless youth drop-in center with a local business called Chartreuse that will feature creative arts in sculpture, painting, sketching, and construction.  The first project our client participants will work on is a rather large, public Haunted House to be featured at the end of October in Chartreuse’s basement.  This will get our clients involved in their community, help them expand their creative skills, and learn new skills pertaining to future jobs they might encounter.

3) I’m in the final stages of starting up an exclusive radio show for my homeless youth drop-in center with UAF’s radio station KSUA called The SOAP Opera.  (SOAP stands for Street Outreach & Advocacy Program.)  We’ll be on the air Wednesdays from 2-4pm and can be heard on 91.5FM in the Fairbanks area or online worldwide at http://ksua.uaf.edu/.  This will help our clients explore their creative side, provide publicity for SOAP and awareness of their population, and expand their job skills training.


4) I’m running the Equinox Marathon this Saturday morning - yes, all 26.2 grueling miles of it.  It starts at UAF, runs along miles and miles of ski trails, some local roads, then 4000 feet of total elevation change up/down Ester Dome before heading back to UAF for the finish.  I’m doing the race in memory of my cousin Joe Vogel, who passed away to cancer a little over a month ago and has been a huge inspiration in my life and others.  You can read my cause and story here: http://runningforjoe.weebly.com.  Donations are gladly accepted, as well.  This will be my sixth marathon since 2006.  I’m looking for a top-10 and sub-3 hour, 30 minute finish, too.  :)

I’m loving living in Fairbanks and Alaska in general. It’s far from Minneapolis, but there’s enough similarities in nature and personality here that it feels like my home away from home.  As much as I’m not really looking forward to the -40 degree temperatures and winter darkness, I’m thinking the amazing northern lights and endless xc ski trails will completely make up for it.  Maybe check back with me in January and ask me that question again, haha.


I hope everyone else is doing well!  Until next time, peace out.

Equinox Marathon: 16 Days Away

Although I won’t be literally scaling a mountain by running on September 18th, the Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks will be my first version of long distance mountain running.  Below is the course for this year’s World Mountain Running Championships in Slovenia.  My friend Chris Lundstrom has been selected as one of several on the USA team.  Congrats and good luck to Chris!  Go Team USA!


I would also like to take the time to remind you that I'm running this marathon as a fundraiser and memorial to my cousin Joe Vogel, who passed away to cancer about a month ago.  He was a brilliant young man who's undying spirit will live in us forever.  His family would be eternally grateful if you could dedicate your thoughts, prayers, and any amount of financial means you feel comfortable offering.  His family and I have set up a web page for easier access to his story and my "paying it forward" in a way I know best.


My training for this race has been pretty shady at best this entire summer due to traveling as much of this amazing state as possible since getting here in April.  However, I got back on a more regular running schedule about two months ago and have ramped my mileage up to a certain extent, which has included some hefty, long hill runs.  My longest run to date is 18.5 miles.  We'll see if I can crack that 20-mile mark this week.  If not, I'll save it for race day.  I have a feeling I'll need the energy then, haha.  Thanks again for following my adventures, everyone!

Running For Joe

Equinox Marathon Course Map and its ridiculousness.

http://runningforjoe.weebly.com

Hey!  I wanted to plug that I’m running the tough-as-nails Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks on September 18th as a fundraiser for my cousin Joe Vogel and his family.  He's been a HUGE inspiration to me, my running and life in general.  The same can be said for so many other people's lives he's touched, too.  This makes-ya-wanna-sweat-just-looking-at-it course spends just over half of the distance traversing about 2,000 feet in elevation on mostly wooded, uphill ski trails within UAF, then connecting to Ester Dome Road and a few trails all the way to the top - only to repeat most of the same type of course on the way back down.  My legs will be screaming, "STOP!" many times, I'm sure, but doing it for Joe will only keep me going no matter what Alaska's terrain throws at me.


Please, show your support by visiting the website above and donate whatever your pocketbook might allow.  All thoughts, prayers, and contributions are greatly appreciated! :)