Monday, November 10, 2025 – Day 454

Monday, November 10, 2025

Good morning! Welcome to a new week. Hope it’s a great one for everyone.

Cindy went solo to the HOA board meeting yesterday. She gave me an out, and I took it. No need for me to labor through the financials and everything that goes with it. I stayed upstairs, and since I didn’t hear any angry voices, I assumed all was well. The meeting wrapped up in just over an hour, and they even identified a possible replacement for me. 🥸

Thank you to everyone who offered to help swap out the Nest thermostat for us. It’s so nice to see people who will go out of their way to lend a hand with the little things. Last week, for example, we needed to disconnect the garden hose from the house before the freeze. Cindy couldn’t loosen it, so Mike came over and got it done. I’m grateful for our friends helping us, but still disappointed I can’t do these small tasks myself—it really does weigh on me. And honestly, it probably always will.

Catching up on last week’s activities: we met up with my old training buddies from Lake Forest. We called ourselves “The Idiots”—because who else gets up before dawn in the dead of winter to run in frostbite weather? Or swims in Lake Michigan in April when the water temperature is in the 40s? Only an Idiot.

What started as a marathon training group in the mid-’90s eventually morphed into a triathlon group. Sure, we still ran marathons, but triathlons brought a whole new level of excitement. Adding swimming and biking broke up the monotony of running and pushed us to new limits.

Eventually, the Ironman series added a race to its circuit in Madison, Wisconsin—September 2002. For those unfamiliar, an Ironman consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and, just for fun, a full marathon to finish it off. Back then, Ironman races were few and far between, so getting into one was a matter of luck. Rob (our anointed “Chief Idiot”) and I both got in—and we weren’t sure if that was a good thing or not! Having just started doing triathlons, we didn’t have the experience for an Ironman. But with over a year to prepare, we went all in—training nonstop and signing up for every triathlon we could find leading up to the big day.

When race day finally arrived, we were ready… and scared shitless. At 7:00 a.m., the horn sounded, and nearly 2,000 athletes hit the water—bobbing like salmon during spawning season. Swimming 2.4 miles of open water was intimidating. I honestly thought we might have a near-drowning experience—or worse. It’s a rational fear; the list of Ironman swim fatalities is longer than most people realize.

But nothing happened to us, and we both crossed that finish line in the dark of night. You’re given 17 hours to finish, with cutoffs for the swim and bike portions. Crossing that line, exhausted and elated, with Alex in my arms—it’s still my favorite race memory of all time. Nothing compares to hearing the announcer call out: “Andy Snarski, you are an Ironman!”

I’m so thankful for the friendship I share with these Idiots. Without them, I might never have become a triathlete. It was wonderful to reconnect after 20 years, laughing about all those cold mornings, grueling workouts, and unforgettable adventures.

Have a great Monday. Love you guys! ❤️