Four Sport Triathlon

Now, of course, I should be packing, but, instead, I'm getting caught up on some remarkably delayed blogging. I am doing laundry and have already worked out - and made arrangements to get my hair cut at 4:30 - so I am doing some constructive work (sort of). The end of the year - as well as the upcoming trip - have put me in a very reflective mood. As I think back upon the last year I am just consistently amazed at one extraordinary friends I have. And here is concrete evidence: the Four Sport Triathlon. Erik Eskilsen, one of Champlain's great unkown evil geniuses (besides just being a regular run of the mill genius - and an extraordinarily great guy) put together arguably the great sporting competition since the golden age of the ancient Greek Olympics. The competition featured minature golf, bowling, pool and darts. It was truly a competition for only the best and brightest, and one that severely tested even the hardiest of souls - especially when you calculate in the consumption of greasy food groups and adult beverages at every step along the way.

Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that I guard my birthday pretty tenaciously, and it was my belief that no one at Champlain (with the exception of a couple trusted souls) even knew my birthday. Normally I tell everyone I meet a different date to throw off the hounds. So, when I saw that Erik had scheduled the Four Sport Triathlon for my birthday, I figured it was a complete coincidence since there was no discussion involving the significance of that date. Needless to say, I was a big shocked when I showed up and discovered that the inaugural Four Sports Triahlon bore my name, which was proudly emblazened on the rules sheet. Beyond putting together the sports and calculating out the sporting venue logistics, Erik had also produced a remarkably complicated set of rules (and every page had a different picture of me, all swiped from the Internet).

Anyway, it was an amazing time. As it turns out I was only able to stick around for the first part of the competition because of a previous engagement, but from all accounts it was the stuff of legend. In the end Andy Burkhardt, probably because of his extreme youth, was able to outlast the last competitor and receive the laurel crown at Ake's Place (at around 2:30 in the morning, a more fourteen hours after the opening ceremonies).

Again, I am so blessed to have such amazing friends.