Today I am turning 40 years old and I feel better than I have in a long time. Turning 40 seems like a big deal for some reason, but I am excited for this next phase in my life. My twenties were all about starting my career and enjoying the independence of being an unmarried young adult. I focused on my career and myself, still trying to train and race seriously. I don’t remember many concerns or worries about the future during this time.
When I was 28 I married my beautiful wife and soon after turned 30. =) I vividly remember celebrating my 30th birthday with her and some friends. The next decade our lives would change dramatically and provide a lot of stress as well as amazing memories. I started my doctorate the year I turned 30, then just prior to my 32nd birthday we had our son. Eleven months later we moved to Southern California where I took my first head coaching position. The first six months there were some of the best of our marriage. We didn’t know anyone and it all seemed like such an adventure.
By the time I turned 33 I was just getting ready to defend my dissertation and finish my doctorate. We had settled into life in Southern California and I was finally getting a comfortable in my new job. We also spent a lot of time at Disneyland during these years. One year after completing my dissertation we welcomed our 2nd son into the family. He was born three weeks after my 35thd birthday.
We continued to enjoy all that Southern California had to offer and I was having a lot of success at work. Our teams were continually improving and being recognized. As fun as all that was it felt like the stress to maintain or continue or improve our results just built. Fortunately, we had built and amazing network of friends. By the time I time I turned 37 we welcomed son number 3 into the family.
I was travelling more and more for work and feeling like I couldn’t spend as much time with my wife and boys as I wanted, but I was also enjoying all the success and recognition that came at work. By my 38th birthday I was fairly confident I couldn’t sustain what I was doing and be the father and husband I wanted to be.
This past year I was presented an opportunity to move back to Boise and take on a full time faculty position at a university here. After much contemplation we decided this would be the best move for our family and we accepted the position. Coaching wasn’t necessarily in the picture, but after we moved the chance to coach at the university part time came up and I accepted. This move has given me more time with my kids and wife as well more energy to do what I want to do.
Back in December of 2017 I ran the California International Marathon with a former athlete and friend who wanted to qualify for Boston. I hadn’t raced since finishing 6th at the Napa Valley Marathon in 2009. Qualifying for Boston seemed simple enough and I didn’t really prepare for the race. I ended up running my slowest marathon by around 25 minutes and barely squeaking under the qualifying time. That was humbling for me and made me realize that I didn’t have the residual fitness that I assumed I had.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to run Boston because I wasn’t sure I would prepare how I wanted to. With this move I feel like I have been renewed with my running and training. Now as my birthday is here and I am 8 weeks out from Boston I feel like I am in the best shape since college and excited to see what I can do.
Approaching my 40’s I’m excited to be an athlete again and for the decade ahead where I can focus on my family and myself enjoying each day. Instead of feeling like I’m getting older I just feel like I’m getting more mature and confident in myself and who I want to be. The last ten years have been an adventure I never could have imagined. I can’t wait to see what these next ten will bring for myself and our family.
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