Dagwaagig Run Series Final Day

It was a cold day on Wednesday but that didn't stop over 40 kids, parents, and community members from running or walking the final event of the Dagwaagig (Fall) Run Series. The 6 week run series has offered a 1 and 2 mile option for participants, but this last week everyone completed 2 miles. The final day was celebrated with a feast and awards in the gymnasium. Runners who participated in at least 4 of the runs received either a sweatshirt or tshirt. Few things feel better after a nice run than the soft fuzzy fabric of a new sweatshirt. The weather is getting cooler and it is time to dress a bit warmer if we are going to go play outside. It won't be long before we are making ski tracks and enjoying the Club's outdoor ice rink.

Jazzy and I practicing our form and getting ready to run fast

Hailey, Paige, Sam and I enjoying an after-school snack and working on home work

Canoeing and Movie Fridays

At the end of August I went on my first real canoe trip. I joined a few friends and went to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area for four days. I had canoed a few times before, but the trip was the first time I realized how great canoeing is in the Midwest. There are so many lakes to explore.

Fridays are canoe and movie night at the Boys and Girls Club. Canoeing has really been a popular activity. When I joined the kids the van was full and we filled all 8 canoes with 3 people in each.

Shaylina captaining and steering the boat. We were the crazy boat for a while traveling in zig-zags but once she got the hang of it we navigated flawlessly.

Leon and I looking for wildlife on Green Lake.
We saw two bald eagles, a turtle, and several beaver lodges.

It is pretty late in the year for lilly pad flowers, but this one was hanging tough.
Green Lake was a lot of fun.

We are all looking forward to exploring a new lake this Friday. I have the Flip Video camera working now so hopefully we will get some good clips. It is starting to get cold out so hopefully no one tips a canoe.

Nordic Walking in fields of Blackberries

Blackberry pie is delicious, one of the few things better than fresh blackberry pie is picking berries fresh off of the bush. Monday afternoon at the Boys and Girls Club we strapped in to several pairs of One Way nordic walking poles and set off to search for the biggest, juiciest and best blackberries in the forest.

Shalina finding a snack along the trail

Nordic walking is a great workout for your entire body. In addition to working our upper and lower body muscles we focused a lot on coordination. Moving fluidly with long sticks in each hand can be a challenge so we practiced tossing and juggling our poles. Another challenge we gave our minds and muscles was the Figure 8 Clock. Standing in a circle we raised one foot and rotated it clockwise while trying to draw a figure 8 in the palm of our hand. Think it is easy? Give it a try yourself.

After about 45 minutes we came across a really big patch of blackberries. A path was even smashed down in a few sections so that we could get to the really good ones. Perhaps a bear had lunch here earlier today?

Shalina, Cheyenne, Francine, Railena, and Trinity take a break from harvesting blackberries

Although I was starting to get kind of tired the kids were eager to find more berries and explore more of the trails. Our nordic walk ended up being pretty long and I was impressed that we were out for 1.5 hours. There were a lot of berries that were still red and I look forward to them being nice and ripe for next time. Maybe we can harvest enough to make a blackberry pie.

I am sitting in a dorm room at the US Olympic Education Center and Northern Michigan University where I have been living, breathing and sleeping cross country skiing for the past two weeks. I love everything about it. My CXC teammates and I have been roller skiing, pole bounding, ski walking, running, and weight lifting together everyday. We have hard days and easy days, but during camp training are always just a bit more intense than normal.

A few days ago I learned some great news. I am excited to be named to the In The Arena team. I heard about the In The Arena program through my friend Laura Valaas as an excellent opportunity to give back to the community while directly supporting your athletic goals and dreams. After graduating college I packed up my station wagon and drove from Alaska to my new hometown Hayward, WI. I really enjoy the Hayward area and have met many great people throughout the community. Growing up in a small town I enjoy having a close relationship with those around me. I am excited to get to know my community and its youth better through my work as a mentor at the Lac Courte Oreille Boys and Girls Club.