Summertime is Here | Eric Todd
Posted on June 21, 2016 at 12:00 AM
The past couple months of school were quite interesting and turned out to be some of the most challenging in my tenure. While I loved every minute of it, I was emotionally drained by the end of the year. I guess the school thought I did a pretty good job however, as I received several accolades. Our leadership team at Kearney Junior High chose me as Teacher of the Year! This put me in the running for the Kearney school district Teacher of the Year, where I finished in the top 3. My nomination was even recognized at the Northland Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Education banquet. Lastly, I just found out that I have been voted into the top three for the “Best of the Northland” awards, specifically as an 8-12th grade teacher, which is put forth by the newspapers of four northland communities. I will find out in July how I fared. It is quite flattering. Every other award I have ever received was one I specifically worked for; these were all merely byproducts of doing my job.
As a schoolteacher, one of the biggest (and most necessary) perks is summer vacation. Mine is not one of leisure, but the work I do is not emotionally draining like it can be in the classroom. In the summertime I maintain my Grandpa’s farm. I spend my days hand digging post holes and setting hedge posts, cutting brush, axe chopping a couple trees when I don’t feel like running back for the chainsaw, etc. Unfortunately last summer I had trouble walking due to a back injury. The lack of mobility is part of what led this stubborn fool to seek medical help. Now I am back to hard labor without issue.
My training is going pretty good as well. My deadlift is SLOWLY moving upwards. I am purposely progressing slowly to make sure I have rock solid form and build up any aging body parts. My pressing, particularly strict overhead is getting back to where it was. I actually have my sights set on a couple contests this fall that I have been training for: The Old Time Strongman Championships and the World Cup. I look forward to competing again and I am confident that through smart training along with my HMB and PEAK ATP regiment that I will continue to get stronger and better conditioned.
- Eric Todd, Teacher/Strength Athlete