Christmas 2013

2013 was an exciting year of change for us!

Merry Christmas and a happy new year from the Porath's!!

That big change came from Nichole, as she left her position as Finance Manager for Red Wing Shoes early in the year. She had been looking for an opportunity to focus on her training, racing, and coaching for a while, and has really enjoyed the change of pace that this new adventure has brought.  In the best possible way, our life is now more rewarding and love-filled, simple, and filled with various adventures - especially athletic adventures!

Rewarding and Love-Filled:

Nate’s dental practice is going strong. He has built a community in his Faribault office, and 3 ½ years out of dental school he is still excited to go to work each day with his great staff and patients. He is especially great with children, and receives high-fives almost weekly from difficult young patients :). The challenge and reward makes his day (and week!).

Some of Nate's "difficult" patients at the office :)

Nichole is now using her running experience and expertise in her own coaching business. She is working with a great (and growing!) group of athletes and has found working through others to be extremely fulfilling – plus so far everyone has set new personal bests, which is incredible!

We became an aunt and uncle again! Simon Bloxham was born in February!

Simon Daniel Bloxham!

Simple:

Nate built two garden beds in the backyard and we were able to plant a garden for the first time! We had a lot of fun “growing our own food” – and learning how to cook a lot of great new vegetable-based meals.

Nate constructed...

Nichole planted...

Look what grew (thanks to Nate's watering!)! Just gorgeous!!

Nichole was able to spend two different weeks visiting her family and sister in Marshall. She really enjoyed the time with them, learning how to can tomatoes, make homemade jam, and, of course, enjoying some fun training on the rolling country gravel roads.

Violet was born in December 2012

Nichole made her a Christmas stocking (all cross-stitch!)

MOA visit! Sierra was a little scared until aunt Nichole reminded her that it was a lot of "fun" to go up and down!

Nichole with Violet, ~8 months old

Nichole and Sierra making a dessert together. This was more of a challenge than you would think!

Nichole taking lessons from the "masters" on how to make homemade jam!

Nichole with her nieces at the SD Children's Museum!

Sierra and Violet came to visit in November!

Nate is enjoying the simplification of life as well – many more home-cooked meals, many evenings spent enjoying each others’ company, and less stress in general. Life is good!

Nichole as a cook - who would have imagined?

Athletic Adventures:

Nichole started the year with the incredible honor of being offered a professional shoe contract from Brooks. She is a professional runner! She took that momentum and ran 5 marathons this year. She started with a bang in January at the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon where she set a new World Record by 11 minutes, and won the race outright, beating all the men too!  

Nichole and her coach, Jerry, before the indoor marathon. If you're looking for pictures of her feet after the race, visit her blog :)

She followed this up with wins at the Whidbey Island and Fargo Marathons, to cap off an amazing spring!

Getting interviewed after "The Win!" at Fargo

Nate and Nichole post-marathon!

Nichole's family came to cheer. Nichole's brother Ben also ran his first full marathon (with an impressive 3:45 finish!)

Nichole continued to train through the summer for a fall marathon, hoping to hit the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials standard. She raced in both the Chicago Marathon and the NYC Marathon. Training and racing this fall didn’t go as well as hoped – but that just means she can chase the standard into 2014!


Both marathons were incredible experiences in their own ways: Chicago Marathon resulted in a Chicago Tribune photo of her cow-costumed cheer-crew “discussing” bike route options with a particularly “lovely” police officer.  Ha!

At the Chicago Marathon Expo

The cheer squad that made it into Chicago Tribune! Famous! And yes, there is a story behind the cow costumes :)

Nichole with her biggest cheerleader :)

NYC Marathon was a huge honor just to participate in, as she was one of the 16 invited Americans to race in the nationally televised Professional Women’s race. A dream, no doubt!

How cool to have a your NAME instead of a number on a bib for the NYC marathon?!?

When Nate wasn’t busy chasing Nichole around the country cheering at marathons he had his own success! 2013 was his 10^th year finishing the Birkie 50k ski marathon, and he had an awesome 39^th place finish!!

Winters sure are nicer with snow!

He put in lots of  hours training with Vakava Racing to prepare for the many ski races he did. He managed to fit in a couple canoe races and a bike race in addition to the running races he did. He also trained for and finished his first FULL marathon in Fargo in May, and followed that up with a trail marathon in the fall. He continues to find new fun ways to burn all the delicious calories he consumes.

Nate won the Musky Fest 10k! He should try to make it look less painful (says Nichole)...

Other Adventures:

Nichole was the featured speaker at the Whidbey Island Marathon Expo!

Nichole has taken her passion on the road to a number of speaking engagements. She was the featured speaker at the Whidbey Island Marathon Expo in Washington State, she was the speaker at a number of Twin Cities Run Clubs, and she even did a presentation in front of an entire middle school.  She has loved it, and she already has a corporate wellness presentation scheduled for 2014 and looks forward to encouraging others on their own journeys.

Woman's winner at Whidbey Island Marathon!

We spent a week in Colorado on vacation in July where we had the chance to visit Nichole’s sister and her family in Denver. We hiked, ran, and camped in Rocky Mountain National Park, and then spent a few days at a friend’s cabin in Breckenridge.  It was beautiful!

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Colorado!

More Colorado!

Nothing better than mountains and fresh air!

Hiking was fun! Although Nichole decided she prefers running on flat surfaces.

Those elk really wanted to get into our car.

Thanks Dr. Gustafson for letting us stay at your amazing cabin!

Mesa has become somewhat “famous” – as famous as a re-homed Vizsla can be! She logged thousands more miles with Nichole this year, and she is still undefeated in doggie 5ks, notching a 16:59 in May. She was featured at the Twin Cities Marathon expo, and a 10 foot tall banner featured her and Nichole at a Houston running expo. Recently she was interviewed by the magazine “Dog Fancy” – look for her in an issue this spring!

Who would have thought Mesa would become famous?!? :)

Like "larger than life" famous!

Mesa and Nichole dominated at the "Fast and the Furry" 5k: 16:59! Mesa is obviously very proud :)

We've had a lot of fun with her!

We are all looking forward to 2014 and the adventures it will bring. We hope to share many of these with you! 

Christmas blessings and best wishes for the New Year,

Nate and Nichole (& Mesa!)

Merry Christmas from the Porath's! :)