Racing for the Rondezvous!

Dear Teacher,  

This past Saturday, March 7, marked the beginning of the Iditarod race in Anchorage, Alaska.  In order to build anticipation for the 53rd year of this historic Trail Sled Dog Race, the locals spend the entire weekend in Fur Rondy celebration.  Marked as a pre-race race, the pinnacle of these festivities is the Running of the Reindeer 5k, where hundreds of runners brave crowded streets and an onslaught of reindeer, trying to outrace the beasts.  Participants, many dressed in shorts or bare-chesting it, make a spectacle as they stand amongst antlers and Anchorage urbanism.  

Having watched my husband run this very race two years ago, I realized something important: The race went by fast, but the waiting was long.  During the 2023 race, runners were divided into heats, which did not at all mean they had literal heat.  Instead, as they waited patiently for their turn, poor locals and tourists alike shivering in the frigid temperatures.  Some started showing signs of hypothermia, needing coats handed to them by onlookers.  Others broke order and pushed into the front of the line, unable to wait any longer.  My own Hawaiian-shirted husband stood stiffly in the cold, regretting ever signing up for the experience.  On the sidelines, I watched with concern, wondering "Why is the waiting so long?"

And you, Teacher, there in your classroom, have been running a race yourself.  Through the 2025-2026 school year, you have braved crowded to-do lists and an onslaught of students.  Now, you're simply waiting...waiting for Spring Break to come.  You're likely showing signs of exhaustion and are tempted to push Spring Break a few days earlier, unable to wait any longer.  And you're asking the same question: "Why does the school year race go by so fast, but waiting for a break takes so long?"

So, before you regret ever signing up for this teaching experience in the first place, know that I'm watching you with concern.  Myself, your leadership, and your Superintendents, are on the sidelines cheering you on, ready to offer you warmth and rest when you need it.  

Anxiously waiting to Rendezvous with Spring Break,
Mindy
Christian Educator & School Counselor