A Glance at the Past, Before Bounding to the Future

     First and foremost I want to take a glance back at the best year of my life, and reflect on the new beginning.  Priorities shift, lives change, but it is all what you make out of it that counts.  This past year was not just the best, but it was by far the busiest.  Graduating college, working, running, starting graduate school, did I mention I got married?!?!  It was the worst decision of my life and I would never advise it for anyone.
     From April to August life revolved around work, grad school, and wedding planning.  With not much time to spare running took a back seat.  Graduation was thrown in there some where and an attempt at my first 50 miler off of very little training. Going out with some of the best guys in the country you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the result.  I'll pull a line from one of the greatest basketball coach's of all time John Wooden "Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail."  Failures can be some of life's greatest memories though.  How can you not have fun limping/walking through an 8 mile loop reciting one liner's from Dumb & Dumber with Whitlock.  The two of us that day could of made far better sequel to that movie.  Throwing in the towel early my soon to be wife had to be wondering what she was thinking agreeing to marry me.
     Going off a rope swing on the side of a steep cliff at midnight, seems crazy.  Doing it with some of your best friends not knowing how safe it is just makes for an epic bachelors party.  Releasing my grip on the rope out over the water, flying through the air twisting in wierd contorted positions I asked myself why am I doing this?  Coming up out of the water in pain, I remembered...ohh yea I'm getting married tomorrow.  Everything was perfect, life could not get any better. What more could a guy ask for camping out the night before his wedding?? Thunderstorms? NO!!!!
     Racing back on four wheelers and a pick up truck in the rain through the numerous Iowa cornfields, I knew this would be a 24 hours I would be sure never to forget.  After being cooped up with to many guys to count in a small living room, I could not wait for a shake out run before I gave my life away.  The wedding was like a dream and went off without a hitch. Shoving cake in each others faces and dancing the night away with my wife, and friends! With our minister my best friend going nuts with a tie around his head, unforgettable is the only way I can describe this night. Surprisingly my wife and I managed to plan the whole thing by ourselves!  Decorations, music, floral, the whole works!  We could not believe we pulled it off and we will reminisce about it for years to come.

     The honeymoon week was indescribable, being in the tropical paradise of Riviera Maya, Mexico.  Snorkeling, zip lining, underwater river rafting, or just laying on a beach bed it could not get any better.  All the food and drinks we could consume and no running to be done; let's just say we soaked in every moment.  The time in Mexico was way to short but it was exciting to be back in the burg living in an apartment without any male odor or messes every where.  A nice apartment, beautiful wife that loves to cook; I had nothing to complain about except maybe my job; But theAid Station quickly solved that problem.  Thanks to Jeremy and Dr. Zealand less then a month later I was working in a running store which sure beat standing on concrete for 8hrs. folding clothes.  This helped bring a rebirth to my running adventures.

       My wife and I were loving life and enjoying every moment.  Dragging her out to the mountains for some long runs she began to get the itch to do something crazy.  Hence her 3rd place finish in her first ultra, Mountain Masochist!  It might have been a rough choice for an opener but I think she is hooked.  2012 should be filled with ultra adventures in the Reed home!  As for me, I gave JFK a shot and was satisfied with my 9th place finish but know I have more then a little room for improvement as training was sub par at best.
       By this point your probably wondering why I said marriage was the worst decision of my life and I wouldn't advise it for anyone.  Evidently when typing computers do not translate sarcasm very well. Handing my life way, is a horrible way to put it! My wife is my best friend and the best thing that has ever happened to me; and I can not wait to see what God has in store for us in 2012.
      Now back into the full swing of things running again, I have big goals and aspirations for 2012.  First on the list is simply to enjoy life to the fullest.  With a wife who loves adventure and a best friend itching for more long trail experiences this year is sure to be memorable.  With plans for races across the country running will make a return to a higher priority this year.  I am stoked to get back in the mountains where I feel at home, where secluded camaraderie began.