Here are my Badger State Games boys!

As a family, we went out to compete in the Badger State Games two weeks ago. Joey and Marty surprised both my wife and I with their stamina and energy to sprint the entire kids race. They were rewarded with their very own medals, proudly on display in the picture above.

My race went equally as well, but with a lot less energy. It was simply painful. I’ve done several 5K runs, 10K runs, a half marathon, triathlons, and who knows how many hundreds or maybe thousands of forced Army runs and ruck marches over the last 16 years, but this was among the most painful endurance event I’ve experienced. Maybe I’m getting old? Five kilometers, 3.1 miles, running on snowshoes. And to think some people decided to do the 10 kilometer version. From the beginning, I knew I was in trouble. Looking around, everyone had small, ultralight snowshoes designed just for this purpose. Several made comments regarding my bulky footwear. Sporting my trusty snowshoes, made for adventure in the woods, I was determined.

Coming in at just over 35 minutes, I was happy with my time and took home the gold. Pretty easy when you’re the only one in your age class:)

Recovery took a few days, but it was totally worth the pain. The crowd was also right. It would be worth investing in lighter snowshoes in the future. Along with meeting a lot of great people, we discovered a unique winter culture of snowshoeing. An entire series of races are held throughout the winter with one interesting series called the Braveheart Series. Now, the kilts makes sense! It’s a great way to stay active during our long winters, meet some new friends, and just have fun.