A message from Steve Carlsen...

My dad wanted me to add this to the blog...I'll happily be a part of this!!!

Dear Teammates:

I have just had an interview with our local newspaper.  I am asking people in my school district to donate money per mile that I run.  I am running a total of 13 + miles.  I am putting in my office phone number and hopefully people will donate at least dollar per mile.

For those of you that don't know, I am the Superintendent of North Summit School District, that is in Coalville and the relay goes right through main street of our little town.  The money is going to be donated and used for North Summit Elementary Reading Achievement & Recognition so we can do as much as possible to encourage and reward our elementary students to read.  This article will come out on June 5th and I will get a copy and have Kip post it on the Website.

Also I would like to dedicate this race from our team to Grandma & Grandpa Carlsen  The four non-family members don't know them but they are my mom & dad and the rest of the team's grandma and grandpa.  Grandma had half her foot removed last year and has had constant problems with diabetes.  Grandpa had a stroke about 3 or 4 years ago and he really took a turn for the worst this year.  He has spent about 3 or 4 months in and out of hospital/nursing/ rehabilitation places in Logan.  He came home about three weeks ago but lost his strength and is back at rehab trying to regain enough strength to be able to go home and not fall and hurt himself.  As a son it has been very hard to watch two hard working wonderful parents age and not be doing very well.  Brady and Casey's dad (Doug) along with Uncle Chuck have done a wonderful job doing all they can to help out.  The rest of the kids live along way away.

Anyway, if you all wouldn't mind the extra hassle I am going to get a white handkerchief and write on it with a sharpie.  Something like dedicated to Garth & Elaine Carlsen our thoughts, love and prayers are with you from the Wagnar Welay Wunnos.  Then if each of you would sign the handkerchief and put how many miles you run and then as we pass the relay bracelet we could also pass the hanky and stick it in a pocket or in our waistband or wherever.  Hopefully we can then get it to the finish line.

Then on July 4th all of you and any of the other family that might run in the KVSI fun run, I'll have them sign it too.  Then when I pass grandma and grandpa's house I will go up and give them the hanky.  For those of you who don't know the KVSI fun run is 8.6 miles and it ends a  1/2 block from my mom & dad's house.

I know this is a little extra pain, but I have needed something besides myself to help motivate me.  This has been a hard training session.  I have come much further than I thought I would about two months ago.  I started at 245 lbs. and weighed 232 lbs. this morning after a great 4 miler.  I about died Saturday when I ran 5.5 in the heat.  I hope to be about 225 by race day.  Pray for me not to get injured.  The feet hurt badly.

Thanks for being my teammates and allowing an old guy to be with you young yahoos.

God Bless you all

Steve-O-