Yes, I am alive after my 50K ultramarathon.

Finished in 9:20. (You're reading that right. It means 9 hours and 20 minutes.)

These are my two fabulous running friends, Lisa and Tim, who danced through the dirt with me.

This next picture shows part of the course. Which way through would you choose?

I went straight through the first time, gritting my teeth.

The second loop through, I dashed across a log, hoping I wouldn't take a dunker into the mess.

I ran most of the first 17 mile loop.

The second loop was a combination of running, hiking, and (let's be honest here) limping.

If you're good at math and distances, you'll recognize that this was a long 50K (34 miles instead of the usual 31, but that's trail running for you. Plus we got lost once. Our fault entirely.)

I also learned a new running catch phrase: "airborne shuffle." An example is posted below.

My goal race is a 50K (somewhere around 31 miles, but I've heard Surf the Murf runs "long") next month, but as "training" I ran the Superior Trail Moose Marathon this weekend, reportedly the HARDEST MARATHON in the U.S.

Also perhaps the most beautiful.

This is why I'm having a bit of trouble managing stairs today, but the views were SO WORTH IT.

What a fun, exciting, gorgeous marathon!

FUNDRAISING PAGE DEDICATED TO JERRY ANDERSON

In memory of my father, Jerry Anderson, who suffered from chronic lymphocytic leukemia for many years before his death on October 10th, 2009, I’m asking you to donate to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society via my fundraising page for TNT (Team in Training). 

This time, I'm setting up my own race to run to honor my father. The race I've chosen is the Surf the Murf 50k ultra marathon, held in Savage, MN on October 24th, 2015.

Your donation will help fund treatments  to discover cures and ensure access to treatments for blood cancer patients. Every single donation helps save a life with breakthrough therapies such as immunotherapies that use a person’s own immune system to kill cancer.

Patients need these cures and they need your support.

Please make a donation in support of my efforts with Team In Training and help get us all closer to a world without blood cancers.

Thank you!

Dad Cheating on Mom’s Diets by Eating at Dairy Queen on the Way Home from Work and then Mom Complaining that Dad was losing more Weight than She Was (Ann’s memory)

“If you could sleep through class and still get an ‘A’ like Jerry Anderson, I’d let you sleep too…” (a college professor)

Spilling a Full Glass of Water on Dolores on their First Date on a Really Cold Winter Night

Wearing Hair Grease on his Honeymoon with Dolores and Attracting a Large Number of Insects to his Head

Taking my Hand to Help me Cross the Street as a small Child and Taking me Down with Him as he Fell (Ann’s memory)

Grandma Pernot’s Old Yellow Mansion where Dad rented an Apartment by Campus

Reading Little House on the Prairie Books to Me before Bed (Ann’s memory)

Working Out Physics Problems on Restaurant Paper Napkins

His One Beer a Year Rule

“That’s for the birds” (Jerry-ism)

“Cards or Bed” (Jerry’s Grandma to the kids)

Coffee (Jerry’s primary fluid intake)

“Wasn’t Worth a Hill of Beans” (Jerry-ism)

Me Taking my Father Pants Shopping and Him Expanding his Gut with Air in an Effort to make Everything Look Too Tight (Ann’s memory)

Jerry Failing his Military Physical Exam and Being Told to get Out of the Pool “Before he Drowned”  (when swimming was the one thing that Dad thought he wouldn’t embarrass himself doing)

Hardware Stores, Pocket Protectors, Old Blue Striped Sweatshirt, Crossword Puzzles, Picture Puzzles, Band Concerts, Mini Van, Ping-Pong, Quadratic Formula, E=mc²  V=IR, Ice Cream, Hot Chocolate, Graham Crackers, Mechanical Pencils, Slide Projector, Tape Measure, Tool Bench, Volt Meter, UWEC Physics Department, State Parks, Popcorn, Yatzee, Rack-O, chess, Chinese checkers, Red-checkered shirts, Colorado Mountains, Ceylon, MN, Duct Tape, The Sound of Music, Lawrence Welk Show, “Doggie Melon”, Full Moon, Tinkering in The Basement, Fall Colors, Christmas Lights, Ave Maria