It’s my tradition to spend some time on New Year’s Eve reflecting on the previous year and doing a rundown of all the things that happened. And then 2020 happened.

The year started out with a bang for me, getting sick and landing in the hospital for the first time ever. I did get to enjoy a nice train ride across the SW of the United States before this happened, but the only reason I was on the train was because of my ear issues and not wanting to fly back. Then once things seemed to clear up a bit at home the pandemic hit and the rest of the year took a completely different turn.

Transitioning to working from home wasn’t too difficult for me, as I’m very comfortable with working with remote teams. Even some of my local jobs have involved managing teams that are spread out across the area, never in the same place all at once. After spending some time getting my office set up, and my wife moved in to her own office, things entered a state of normal. For the most part life then proceeded, just without the hassle of commuting.

Of course we also had to deal with not being around people. It wasn’t too hard at the start, but eventually being completely socially isolated became old. Thankfully, by summer we were able to do some socially distant gatherings, and in many ways, this summer didn’t feel a lot different than other summers. The Beer & Bikes gang did our rides, we did a lot of camping trips, and I still got out running/walking/biking as much as I could (despite a broken toe for 6 weeks). We all wore masks, stayed outside, and kept distance between us. We were blessed with a gentle Minnesota summer, and it helped make everything a lot more tolerable. The biggest thing missing was all of the races I usually go to. Not getting to see my trail family as much certainly hurt.

I also started a new adventure this year, eating as a vegan. It helped me drop 20 lbs of weight and improved some markers in my blood work. Overall, it’s been an interesting challenge, but I’m tolerating it well. I still miss cheese from time to time, but I know this is a better way for my body right now. Plus, it’s an incredible time to be vegan as there are tons of options out there for plant based eating. Also, I’m going to do a dry January to start 2021. I don’t drink to excess, but I figure this might help me shed a couple last pounds and give my body a break from all the beverages I do drink.

So much happened in 2020, and despite how much of it was bad, I’m happy to have made it through the year in one piece. I fully expect that 2021 will be an improvement, and if history is any guide, the next decade might be quite the roaring party. I’m not feeling terribly wordy tonight so I’m going to keep this one short. Happy New Year to everyone, and I can’t wait to see all of you in person soon!