View Workout (Joe Uhan)
OFF - travel to MN & WI
September 4, 2015 (Morning)
Exercise Type: Other
Comments:
Slept OK and awoke OK, and super-smooth travel the entire day. Worked HARD on the presentation on the long flight to MSP, but didn't finish it.
It was HUMID AS FUCK in MSP when I arrived; unreal. Nice but quick ride to Hudson with my mom, who handed me off to Ryan Aschbrenner, a friend and fellow alum (from late '90s-era EC), and he and I drove to EC together.
Once there, we plopped down at Starbz and spent a good 2.5 hrs finishing the powerpoint, checked into the hotel, then went to campus.
I was a little nervous for the chat, but not terribly. I'd been apprehensive all week. Part of it was because coming back "here" (to the Midwest, in general) awakens old deamons of the "midlife crisis" and mistakes made, but ultimately I looked at this opportunity as a chance to be an authentic giving-back moment.
Once there, we waited around in the steamy multi-purpose gym and athletic building, when Sean Hartnett (my old coach) and another older alum rolled up. I invited the old alums to the chat and Sean - always my mega-mentor - was going to watch. That meant a lot.
Before long, we snuck into the lone big lecture hall in the athletic building and set up. Then the kids - all coming in from their daily run - settled in. And it was on!
It took a good hour-plus, and I think the kids were pretty well engaged. I REALLY enjoy public speaking and we talked a myriad of topics, did a little drill demo, then ended with a Q&A. On the mental side, Sean chimed in with one of the coolest "wow, big-time" stories of how Haile Gebresellasie "committed" to running sub 2:04 for the marathon. Again, it ROCKED to have him there. He's been a cool older coaching mentor for the kids, even though he's not head coach anymore.
Anyway, it was a fantastic experience. And it was great to have Ryan there - a budding ultra runner, himself, with a 6:00:14 JFK to his name last year (2nd overall!) to contribute.
PM: my brother Will attended the talk, so he and I went to get some food, chat about his summer - and some of his "spring term struggles" - and spend his last couple hours of pre-21. Then Asch and I met a couple alums for a nightcap before hitting the hotel.
Good day. :-)