we are still battling the winter showers and 40 degree temperatures. However, this has not delayed the start of Bellarmine Track and Field. Last week was our first official meet, a duel meet against Olympia High School, and this coming weekend will be our first Relay meet: an all day event hosting around 25 teams. It will be exciting to see how our athletes perform against some great competition.
Dallas is also doing some coaching of his own. He was recently selected to be the Ft. Lewis 10-Mile Team Coach!! Last year, Dal flew to Washington D.C. to represent the U.S. Army in the international section of the Army Ten-Miler. In the same race, teams from each base raced against each other for rights to hold up the Commanders Cup: A coveted award that Dallas will attempt to coach his athletes into winning this year. In 2011, the Ft. Lewis team lost the trophy by a miniscule 8 second differential-something Dal knows they can overcome in 2012. To accomplish this, we have been recruiting athletes at on-base road races, and plan to hold time trials in the months of April, May and July. After the first time trial, Dal will be forming individual training plans along with holding practices in the early mornings of every work day and Saturdays. By October, Dal will have six athletes on a Women's Open, Men's Open, Women's Master's, and Men's Masters squad hungry for the Commander's Cup honor.
In other news... :) About a month ago I received acceptance into the Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program at Franklin Pierce University! The FPU College of Graduate and Professional Studies campus is located outside of Phoenix, Arizona. I will be heading down in August to start graduate studies. The great thing about the program is that FPU front loads course work and back loads rotations. This means that the first ~year and a half will be studies, while the remaining third year is dedicated to rotations in clinics and hospitals-something that can be done in any place of our choosing, in any location in the US. For Dallas and I, this is the best option we could hope for. Dallas will be in Captain's schooling and possibly overseas during the first year and a half. Which means that we will inevitably be separated anyway. One thing is for sure, flying will become our new best friend. The plan is to fly to each other every three weeks and every holiday/break. I can't write about Phoenix without pointing out the vast difference in the environment. From the rainforest to the desert; it will be quite the experience!
That's pretty much all for us, hope everyone is going well for you guys!
