Backing Up a Bit...

Because doing my day job is overrated, I'm going to devote some more attention to the time sink that is going to be this blog tonight :-)  Many of you might know most of this, but just in case, here's a little backstory into Ryan's ITI adventure.

While this 1000 mile attempt is 3x the attempt he's made to date, this isn't Ryan's first rodeo.  A many times over 100 miler, a Gnarly Bandit, and a Leadman, he found his "thing" in winter ultras.  Don't tell Ron Ruhs, but Hitchcock 100, a snowy December course in a hilly part of Iowa, might have got him hooked on going long in the cold.  His first attempt at a "real" winter ultra was about as big as it gets...the Arrowhead 135 in International Falls, MN.  The race where rookies aren't supposed to finish tested Ryan like never before, going further in distance and pulling a sled...in a polar vortex (rumor has it temps reached -53).  He was DFL (dead effing last), but one of only 13 finishers and well within the 60 hour cutoff. He applied to the 2020 Iditarod Trail Invitational 350 believing it would take years to get accepted...little did he know how much pull having finished Arrowhead in the "polar vortex year" would have.  A ticket to Anchorage please!

I was on sabbatical that year, and so we got to spend a few weeks in Anchorage.  Our Alaska family, Tim and Alice Samuelson put us up (like they so graciously did for Ryan this year!) and we had a time!  

Ryan took to the trail and I took to exploring Alaska with friends and family (love you Katie, Meg, and Mom!). He finished the 350 is 8 days and was forever changed.  As was the world...we literally landed and within the week the world stopped for the COVID-19 pandemic.  In terms of Ryan's racing, obviously races like 2020 Hitchcock 100, 2020/2021 Tuscobia 160 in WI, and 2021 Arrowhead 135 were cancelled.  But, given the time of year (first weekend in March), ITI was likely to go...just not the 1000 mile version Ryan had signed up for.  An altered 350 course had racers do an out-and-back, Knik to Rohn to Big Lake.  Ryan used it as recon for when the 1000 mile did happen...read: drank red wine at every stop to ensure he was hitting the 1000 mile pace, not the "rushed" 350 pace ;-)  He again was successful, had a great time with new friends (thanks again for all the wisdom and camaraderie Eric Johnson!), and came back dreaming of a 1000 mile trek to Nome.

Cut to 2022, where Ryan found out in January he was off the waitlist and set for Nome if he was willing and able.  Luckily George signed off on the adventure, even helped with packing (side note: George was the exact opposite of helpful when it came to packing...all.the.whining.).  Ryan bought all of the outdoor gear on the planet (most of which he probably already had...but have you seen our garage!?!), sewed his own custom sled bag and jacket (thanks Beeks for the moral support and sewing machine tutorial), sent roughly 35lbs of Reece's Pieces to various villages across Alaska, and boarded a plan to do the damn thing this past Wednesday. Phew. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. At least I'm not cold though.

Ryan will be embarrassed by all of this.  He didn't mention this journey to anyone, save his family about two weeks in advance. I'm a horrible secret keeper and told a select few...I had to talk about it with someone!  In part, this was close to the chest because (as mentioned before) the odds of finishing are long.  It was also close to the chest because I ask enough questions for all the world and facing one more might kill him ;-)  But I know he is so excited, and when he returns the next beers on him and he'll have plenty of stories to share!