January Tready Marathon YIKES!

 With February 1 falling on Saturday, I’m determined to hit my goal today! 

That means tackling 26.2 miles on the treadmill. I’ve only got a few hours to go, so let’s make it happen—one step closer to success! 

I’ll admit it—today was mentally tough. I haven’t been running much lately, outside of teaching my classes and cycling, so my legs are absolutely on fire right now. It’s a clear reminder that I need to get back into running regularly, especially with how my body feels at the moment.

That said, I’m giving myself some grace. I taught a TRX class and a strength training class earlier today, which probably explains why I’m experiencing a bit of “heavy leg syndrome.” It’s a good lesson for me to listen to my body and acknowledge the work it’s already done.

Time to refocus and start building my running endurance back up!
#justkeeprunning #goals #runonthetready @ifit  

Marathon January Check!  
 

Goals!

This year has been incredibly stressful for our family, as I mentioned in a previous post, with the challenges we’ve faced regarding Korbin. Thankfully, Elsie is doing well academically, but we’re now faced with the decision of her transitioning her to a different school next year due to the administration at the middle/high school that Korbin experienced. Given our concerns about how the middle school/High School administration handles situations—failing to adequately protect victims—we are seriously considering alternative options for Elsie.

Despite the stress, I know it’s important to set personal goals to stay grounded and motivated. While I teach 10–12 fitness classes per week, those classes are designed for my participants, not for my own growth. To refocus on my personal goals, I’ve decided to challenge myself with a series of events this year. I plan to complete a marathon at the end of each month I will document my running starting today (I haven’t been running at all) and, in October, take on the Fall 50. Leading up to that, I’ll tackle a 40-mile mountain bike ride in September and another mountain biking event locally.

Looking further ahead, my sights are set on the Norseman Triathlon in 2026—a highly challenging event with a lottery-based entry. It’s a long-term goal that excites and motivates me.

“Setting goals is essential in life.” Without them, it’s easy to lose focus and become overwhelmed by everything else. Remember, you must take care of yourself first before you can effectively care for others. Prioritize yourself—you’re worth it.

This is the first e-mail I sent on November 8, 2024

This was sent to 10 people with administration. 

Our children have been attending the same school since grade school, and during that time, they’ve built friendships and gained so much knowledge. However, as middle school began, one of our children started to struggle with reading and math. The school initially offered support to help him catch up, but as he got older, we noticed a troubling pattern: he became a target for bullying because he wasn’t performing academically at the same level as some of his peers. We raised these concerns with the (past) principal at the time, but unfortunately, nothing was done, and the issue was brushed aside. Thankfully, by the end of that school year, the bullying subsided somewhat. Things seemed to turn around when our son’s passion for hockey and baseball. He truly thrived and enjoyed every moment of it. But when football season began during his freshman year, the excitement he felt quickly turned into dread. Despite loving the practices and the coaches, the bullying resurfaced, this time coming from kids he had grown up with. We immediately reported it to a teacher and the new principal, who took swift action. Even with the school’s intervention, we noticed a shift in our son’s attitude. He seemed withdrawn and unhappy. After some digging, we discovered that he was being targeted for his friendship with an 8th-grade girl he had known for years. His peers started name-calling and making cruel comments. Thankfully, our son stood up for himself and confronted them, stating that real friends wouldn’t treat him that way. However, instead of resolving the issue, it escalated, and he endured several tough weeks afterward. Then, about a week ago, something even more troubling happened. Two football players took our son’s phone out of his lunch box (without his knowledge) in the boys’ locker room and recorded themselves returning his phone to a locker positioned outward recording video footage of students changing into workout clothes. This was a serious invasion of privacy, and it added a tremendous amount of stress to our already overwhelmed son.

Upon discovering this video, I immediately contacted a trusted advisor (who works at the school) and the police department. After reviewing the situation, they concluded that while no one was physically harmed, it was serious enough to warrant further investigation. We were advised to gather more information before taking immediate legal action, so we brought it to the school’s attention first. The next day, I sat down with the principal and showed him the evidence. He was visibly shocked by what he saw, writing down the names of the kids who had taken the phone. We had a police officer come in to document the videos, using her own camera to record them directly from my phone due to the sensitive nature of the footage. Leaving that meeting, I was hopeful the school would do the right thing. After all, the students had violated both school policy and the Athletic Code of Conduct that every parent and student signs before participating in sports. To my disbelief, no immediate disciplinary action was taken, as I had talked to the school later that day. I will note I was in the office at 7:37am. The students involved—a sophomore and a junior—were still allowed to play in the football game that night. That weekend was a nightmare for our family. Our son was devastated, knowing that those responsible for invading his privacy faced no real consequences.

By Monday afternoon, my husband and I were back in the principal’s office, this time with the police officer present. We pressed the school on why they weren’t upholding the Code of Conduct, the Athletic Code, and other school policies. They informed us that they had created a “contract” for the two boys, outlining some vague guidelines they would need to follow. When we asked for specifics, they refused to disclose any details. Essentially, instead of enforcing the established codes of conduct, the school chose to implement a new, undefined “learning pathway” for these students, without notifying any parents of these changes. It felt like a complete disregard for the rules and a slap in the face to everyone who trusted the system to hold students accountable. At this point, it became clear that the school was not going to protect our son. The lack of accountability, the absence of an apology from the students involved, and the way other kids began to treat our son differently pushed us to make a heartbreaking decision.

For the sake of his mental health and our own, we are heavily considering withdrawing him from the school. It’s devastating, especially since this school prides itself on its values, community focus, and dedication to student welfare. This entire experience has shattered our faith in the school’s commitment to its principles. Our son deserves to be in an environment where he feels safe, supported, and valued. We are sharing our story not just for our family but for other families who might be silently suffering in similar situations. Schools must be held accountable for their promises, and parents deserve to know that their concerns will be addressed seriously and with integrity. Our kids deserve better, and it’s time for schools to prioritize the well-being and safety of every student they serve. I’m sharing this story because it’s been a tough journey for our family, and I believe in the importance of addressing bullying and standing up for what’s right.

Thank You we look forward to further discussion.

Blane and Danniela Neher

I have had people ask me why we took our son out of Aquinas

 This is my notes of what had happened

On October 31, 2024, my son Korbin stayed home from school because he had a headache. During the day, I decided to check his phone because he had previously faced challenges at Aquinas High School that had raised concerns. When I reviewed his phone, I found a video of two students I didn’t recognize playing with his phone. One of them said, “Let’s do this.”

Another video showed the students putting Korbin’s phone back in his lunchbox and positioning the camera to face outward through the mesh pocket. This setup allowed the phone to record about 27 minutes of footage of students in the locker room as they changed for a sporting event or PE class. Since the phone was hidden in Korbin’s lunchbox, no one knew they were being recorded except the two students involved. The recording started at 2:47 PM during school hours, and it seemed like these students had skipped study hall to do this.

I was shocked and contacted a trusted teacher, sharing a screenshot of the video and asking for help identifying the students. I didn’t know one of them. The teacher told me that one student was a junior on the football team, and the other was a sophomore (which I knew) who was also on the football team. After confirming their identities, I reported the incident to the local police department because it involved the illegal recording of students in a private space without their consent. I felt like I was dealing with something serious, like child pornography (since the kids were changing in the video). The responding officer assured me that there was no immediate danger and that they would handle the matter the next morning.

The next morning, I met with the school principal at 7:37 AM. I presented the evidence and discussed the situation. However, a different officer was in training, so the officer I had called arrived. The principal was shocked by the footage, especially the deliberate actions of the students, whom intentionally hid Korbin’s phone back in his lunch box. Subsequent investigations revealed that six students have been recorded while changing in the locker room.

Given the seriousness of the incident, I expected the two students responsible to face immediate suspension. However, later that day, around 2:30 PM, I was informed that they would not be suspended and would return to school on Monday. They would also be allowed to continue participating in sports, including a crucial football game that would determine the team’s advancement to the championship. This decision deeply concerned me because it violated multiple provisions of the school’s handbook and the athletic code of conduct, which all parents and students are required to sign before participating in school sports.

That evening, I received a message from a teacher, stating that a parent had questioned why the two students were suspended. The teacher asked for permission to share what had happened, which I granted. However, I later received another message stating that the two students were still allowed to play. Upon further investigation, I discovered that (MSK) had made the decision to let them participate. I couldn’t believe it!

On Saturday, I reached out to friends at Aquinas to learn more about this MSK. A friend helped me find his number, and I left a message requesting a meeting. He called me back about an hour later and invited me to his home. I shared the details of the incident and asked why he allowed the two students to play.

He explained that he had asked two questions: (1) Was the act intentional? and (2) Were the students suspended? Both answers, he said, were “no.” I expressed my disappointment, pointing out that it was impossible to determine intent at that stage since the police investigation was not yet complete. I also questioned whom he had consulted regarding the suspension—whether it was the principal, a teacher, or a parent because I heard from the teacher they were suspended.

MSK assured me that an investigation had been conducted and emphasized the Catholic Church’s high standards for student safety.

I then shared my experience as a PE teacher and cross-country coach at the school, where I underwent training based on the Catholic Church’s red and green handbooks. These handbooks emphasize the responsibility of teachers, coaches, and administrators to protect students and strictly adhere to policies. I expressed my concern that by allowing the students to play without fully understanding the situation or enforcing the school’s policies, he had failed to protect the students involved, including my son.

The following Monday, my husband and I met with the school administration for about 40-50 minutes. They informed us that instead of enforcing existing policies, the school planned to implement “contracts” for the students. These contracts stipulated that the kids would write apology letters to Korbin or have discussions with him. I was still upset with the situation and how the school had handled it. I also expressed my concerns that they were allowing the actions of what these two athletes of what they did in the locker room, and how they treated Korbin after they fact of what had happened, they should be treated the same as everyone else. Policies are established for a reason!

Leaving the school, we talked about what had happened and how disgusted we were with their decision. However, because Korbin was at school we were waiting to see if those kids apologized to Korbin, after football practice, we learned that they did not. On Tuesday, we found that there had been no apologies. This continued on Wednesday, and we were deeply troubled by the lack of remorse. I had actually called the school one time to have discussion with the principal on this and let him know what was going on at the school however, he did not call me back as my husband had also called and there was no callback from the principal.

Considering the three days of Korbin’s mental health struggles, the treatment he received from this school, and his pierces along with the messages he received, we decided to remove him from school immediately.

Bronze Sunshine!

I’m so excited to receive this!!
Completing in the Ironman 210.9 last September in Madison (which is a half Ironman on Saturday and the Full Ironman on Sunday) and earning the Bronze All-World Athlete recognition is truly an honor. I feel incredibly grateful for what I’m able to accomplish. As I look ahead, I’m excited to explore new challenges—mountain biking, running, perhaps even a marathon each month. Who knows what this year will bring? It’s time for a new chapter and new goals.
#ironmanathlete #awathlete #ironman210. #ironsunshine #itonmantri #marathon #mtbtraining #letsdothis #accomplissement #blessed #whatsnext 

I'm going to take these 7 weeks and see how much I can change my body!

Following my Ironman competitions, I recognized the need to eliminate excess body fat, which I term 'Cardio Fluff,' resulting from excessive cardio training at the expense of weight training. To achieve my new goal, I will implement the following strategies:

1. Achieve 10-12,000 steps daily through walking or jogging. 2. Prioritize protein intake (by tracking Macros). 3. Engage in weight training five times a week. 4. Ensure adequate hydration.

Goal November 15th see how much I can change ~ Photos after my challenge

 

How did you recover??

Following my 70.3 going into my Ironman event, I had numerous individuals inquired about my recovery strategy. Specifically, they asked about my nutritional intake. To alleviate severe cramping during the cycling segment, I recognized the need for potassium, magnesium, and sodium replenishment. I consumed substantial amounts of candy, bananas, chicken noodle soup, a bagel, portions of a hamburger, and a Gomacro bar. Prior to resting, I also took Calm, a magnesium supplement. I felt amazing the next morning and ready to race…

I finished!

Where to start? 

Training was incredible, I never did 6-hour rides, I never did over 3 hour runs, and I never swam more than an hour.  I know what? The main reason was I have kids, work and other family stuff triathlon is just a hobby, and my life couldn't be training every min. of the day! 

Now I will say I do teach classes so most of my weeks would be 

Monday Pilates- Swimming

Tuesday weight training- running

 Wednesday Pilates -swimming

Thursday Cycling -running

Friday Pilates- cycling 

Saturday Ride no longer then 3 hours 

Sunday Run maybe 2.5 hours 

With this schedule I would ride hills, high intensity training I would put as much into it as I could.

Training is one part of the race; however, MIND SET IS THE BIGGEST part of how you're going to do! 

The week before the race My sister contacted the news, we were going to do the race for suicide prevention. We both knew of people who had lost their lives to this, so we wanted to honor them along with others and of course bring awareness to suicide (it's incredible how many people don't want to talk about it) as my sister had said it's ok not to be ok!

Going to Madison~

The ride was so fun my sister and I road together, we talked about the race strategizing and having fun. We got there late, checked in talked to as many people as we could nothing like talking to other athletes who are in the same boat as you are .......nervous.... 

Friday morning, we wake up and do a nice easy swim it was cold! Went back to the hotel and cleaned up, went to check in, drop my bike off and organized myself for the next day. We had to find a running store local my sister needed shoes, we found one about 3 miles away walked there and found special shoes for her. Now I have to tell this story because on our way back from this beautiful 3-mile walk, we seen BIG rain clouds coming in and thought oh CRAP was going to get stuck in the rain and that's exactly what happened! Thank goodness we found a noodles and went to eat there, where we stayed there for 45 min.

Finally made it back to the hotel and hung out.

I couldn't sleep at all up all night waiting for 4:15am finally out of bed at 4:00 am made coffee had a bit of a banana went to the restroom. Got my bag organized and head out the door. It was great it was still dark out and just a little wind nothing to crazy YET!  Went to my bike talked to other athletes who were doing the double and others. I love talking to others who are just as nervous as you are before the race I love the feeling of the butterflies I get before the race, and as soon as that gun goes off there gone. 

As we head down to the water, I'm in the way, way, way back I spent time with my family and friends on top. However, as I was standing there with the other athletes the wind picked up a little bit more and I thought to myself this is going to be extra fun today! 

In the water I go all I kept thinking is go, go, go every buoy I would say this one is for ....... this one is for.... and so on and so on! As I came out a volunteer grabbed my arm and said great job! I sat down someone took off my wetsuit and off I went. I see my family gave them "wet kisses" and ran up the helix. I had to run forever my bike was at the very end. When I finally got to my bike, I put on my long sleeve shirt, gloves, ear covers and off I went. Time to catch as many people as I could on the bike (LOL just kidding) but I did know I wanted to finish the bike in 3 hours. By mile 31.6 I started to cramp so bad in my inner thighs, I couldn't believe it, I put my bike in an easy gear and road it out finally gone about mile 50 it was back however in both legs (what the heck?) Road it out again in easy gear, finally to the helix again I switch gears, and my chain falls off going up the helix (I think do I run it up or but it on and ride?) I put it on and road! 

I have to say with the bike being so cold and windy holy crap I felt bad for the athletes who didn't have gloves on or long sleeve shirts on. 

 

Off to the Run! 

Shoes on however, I couldn't put them on myself I was cramping so bad a volunteer helped me out, glasses on, belt on, hat on and go! 

I started running down the helix and holy schnikes I get an incredible cramp in the back of my leg I can't get it out! UGH.... I started to walk, and baby jog finally it's out. The run was tough for me I have lots of GI issues (Imodium ad is my friend) and have for a long time, so I just kept thinking keep the pace stay in the race and that's what I did. I really didn't care about my time, I just wanted to finish my goal the 210.9. I finished the race and went to my family who are always there for me I truly appreciate it! 

Race 1 70.3 Check! 

Recovery! 

Right away I got my bike put it where it needs to be for the Ironman got my timing chip! Then off to eat, I ate chicken noodle soup, a sandwich, lots of PEEPS (yes, your read that right) chips and anything else I could find that was salty! 

I went and sat in the Ice bath for 3 min. went to the recovery boots and went to the hotel to get my bags ready for IRONMAN. Thankfully I had most of them ready. Walked them down to the drop off and back up to the room. I really just rested my legs as much as I could, put compression socks on and kept them up ate, ate, drank, drank!! 

IRONMAN MORNING! 

4:00 here we go! Wake my sister up and ate half banana and Peeps! 

Walked down to the helix dropped off our bags, checked our bikes, pumped up the tires, ate more Peeps! Then went into the helix where we all meet with my family. We sat and talked, drank went to the bathroom 100 times, watch people. 

Then it was go time, as we walked down, I took in a gel. Gave my kids and hubby hugs and kisses and said I'll see you soon! 

Bethanne and I started in the 1:11:00 group let's just get in and get it done, as we got closer to the start of our day, I have my sister a kiss and said you're going to do amazing, stay InControl "don't panic" and keep your mind on where you're going "the finish line".. As I was in the hands of the volunteer my goggles were on, I was ready to roll! 

Ding~ his arms went down, and I was off it was crazy, I felt like I was back in the mass start (which I love) the first loop awesome counting buoys saying names yada yada! The second loop more craziness, the faster swimmers were swimming over the slower ones and man oh man keep your head on! As I was coming around the back end, I seen a women kind of looking around, I could see a little bit of panic on her face, I stop my race and went to her! "Hey, you, ok? As I was looking right into her eyes (she had clear goggles on) her words were I'm going to die, "I said not today!" As I grabbed her arm and swam with her to the kayak, I said hold on to this and talk to them ok,,,,, I was kicking myself as I left that I didn't read her number on her swim cap! Back at it I swam under the timing buoy and out of the water I went, as I ran sat down, got my wet suit stripped off seen my family again gave them wet kisses (as they all had HUGE smiles on their faces) Ran up the helix grabbed my bag and incredible volunteer (Sue) grabbed my bag and said "let's go"

Got changed off to the Bike! 

The wind wasn't as bad as the 70.3 so I just road I talked to as many people as I could commenting on how great they were doing, their jersey's yada, yada again this was a race yes but I really wanted to finish it! 

I took in my nutrition, drank every chance I could the roads were full of potholes, I kept thinking I'm going to get a flat...UGH!

The Police were incredible, I was almost taken out by a driver until the officer came running out of the spot, he was in YELLING at the car to stop! I couldn't believe it! 

I have to say I love that bike course, I love the hills, the fun people on it and of course the Clown hill! 

I was so happy when I heard my sister was at mile 25 of the bike I almost cried, I know that swim was tough but, then again, I know my sister is tougher! 

As I'm going back on the "Stick they call it" my little legs started cramping again OMG I only have less then 12 miles to go, easy gear and just keep moving! I made it, I made it to the helix now to get up and say bye, bye to my bike!! 

The Run or I should say WALK! 

I knew it was going to be a walk my legs were cramping and a few times I would have sweet little sweats going, or a little bit of puking sensations. So, a walk it was going to be, I see my sister and said see you in a little bit keep the pace stay in the race. 

When I got to my second loop, wowza it got dark fast, I normally come in about 7PM during Ironman's however, not this time. The course was not lit up like it was when Bace Performance what there, they would bring the party, music, lights, salt and craziness. I have to say it was a bit dangerous with the bikers, runners, walkers and no lights. As I'm coming back, I see my sister give a high five and let her know I will see you at the finish line, love ya!  

As I'm coming in, I just take it all in the soreness goes away and I'm running down into the finish line, I hear my mom and dad yelling for me, I see my kids and husband waiting for me I'm so overwhelmed with happiness I just finished the 210.0 back-to-back! 

I get my plank star photo and off to see my family!   

I cannot thank my family enough for being there, I love you more then you'll ever know! 

I also can't thank Amy Becker and (family), Eric Frydenlund and (family) for letting me put their family name on the back of my shirt! I can't go into that too much, but they understand. Forever in our hears! 

I have to say I qualified for Kona with the rolldown and for 70.3 world championships with this race! I can't believe it! 

Now to figure out what's next

 

The Warmup!

The Warmup!

2 Hour cycling

90 min. run

Weight training

Shopping with my littles!

Fri-YaY Fun!

The Warmup!

45 min. Pilates

90 min. Run started outside then rain ended on the tready!!