tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36943210764202451082024-03-15T18:10:10.030-07:00Running Toward a Higher CallingPursuing God, running, and the quest for a more meaningful lifeRichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-73718162367640268782012-09-24T21:49:00.000-07:002012-09-24T21:59:02.918-07:00Well geez... where have YOU been?Every time I sit down to write a post, my brain freezes up. I don't know what to write. I haven't written a blog entry in almost a year. Perhaps I should start close to where I left off...<br />
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After our trip to Savannah, where Mark and I both earned PRs at the Rock 'N' Roll Savannah Half-Marathon, I got extremely addicted to <a href="http://www.rovio.com/en/our-work/games/view/1/angry-birds">Angry Birds</a>. Good thing we had finished writing all our thank you cards (for our wedding gifts) by that point! Reading blogs and writing entries definitely fell by the wayside... sorry about that!<br />
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Two days before Thanksgiving, I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my right foot. Post-Savannah, I tried out a couple new pairs of running shoes, hoping to find something lighter than my Saucony Omni 9s. Unfortunately, both pairs I wore contributed to the dull, but growing ache in the middle of my right foot. The podiatrist I had seen diagnosed a stress fracture in my second metatarsal, and just like that, I couldn't run. I missed out on the Turkey Day 5K for the first time since I started running it in 2005 and missed having the opportunity to run with my husband.<br />
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I was frustrated that I couldn't run when I wanted to so much. Reading running blogs was even more difficult because it reminded me of how much I was missing. So, I decided to give up blogging entirely while I was healing. I needed to focus my mind on other things.<br />
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While my foot healed, I took a swimming class from late November into early February. The class was offered through a local school district's continuing education program, and focused on stroke development and efficiency. Although it would have been nice to take a class that focused on triathlon swimming training, I liked the variety and the structure of the workouts, which focused on the four main swimming strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle). I would often swim around 4000 yards per class, and this, coupled with gentle yoga and the strength training that I was able to do, helped keep me in shape during the holidays.<br />
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I also started making jewelry again, learning new techniques and bulking up my inventory for future sales. My hard work paid off in May, where I sold a lot of my jewelry at an art/music night at <a href="http://thebeatcoffee.com/">The Beat Coffeehouse</a> and at <a href="http://nemaa.org/art-a-whirl">Art-A-Whirl</a>. I currently sell my jewelry at <a href="http://www.thebuzzmn.com/">The Buzz Coffee Shop</a> in Burnsville and <a href="http://www.oldcreameryquiltshop.com/">The Old Creamery Quilt Shop</a> in Randall.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgn3rt1_AtrNLS67Ml_rnG44kpoO-ljDqc-lsn-8LFT_YN1Pi-9hdJYjqnqOprPUgtVrcYVfujmjH6HnLO-8Ddjeu8MlOczbKiiTu0Kp7qrriDE_N_Pe3d0ITdx-5fFIXKdCLqzWq-PU/s1600/IMG_7220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgn3rt1_AtrNLS67Ml_rnG44kpoO-ljDqc-lsn-8LFT_YN1Pi-9hdJYjqnqOprPUgtVrcYVfujmjH6HnLO-8Ddjeu8MlOczbKiiTu0Kp7qrriDE_N_Pe3d0ITdx-5fFIXKdCLqzWq-PU/s320/IMG_7220.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree of Life necklace</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swirl ring</td></tr>
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After eleven weeks off from running (with three unexpected weeks in <a href="http://www.electro-medical.com/product_images/additional/large/3497/aircast-sp-walker-walking-boot-0806490.jpg">"the boot"</a>), I finally started up again in February. The only running shoes I could wear at this point were an old pair of Saucony Guide 3s that were in my closet, but they helped me get back into running shape. In March, I ran the <a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/events/100_irish_for_a_day/">100% Irish for a Day 5K</a> and the <a href="http://www.getluckytc.org/">Get Lucky 7K</a>. Being able to run and complete races felt incredible! I had an opportunity to run the <a href="http://www.madisonfestivals.com/marathon/races%2010K/">Madison 10K</a> while I was volunteering at the <a href="http://www.madisonfestivals.com/marathon/expo/">Madison Marathon Expo</a> for Team Ortho, and that nighttime race was a fun experience.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhB3K5CtLr8ZnPplitVxWA-W5cigDEMq0hhFffpYFTZY1DiOXzbXci2l-F8tP6d5glmiT3Q4-yxKH6N4RWxZAUKTXX1dCdKzqjGshKxZXPyOKtsdEAtlzFRFhPM3u7h52FhmyA6ekfzG8/s1600/Mad10K1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhB3K5CtLr8ZnPplitVxWA-W5cigDEMq0hhFffpYFTZY1DiOXzbXci2l-F8tP6d5glmiT3Q4-yxKH6N4RWxZAUKTXX1dCdKzqjGshKxZXPyOKtsdEAtlzFRFhPM3u7h52FhmyA6ekfzG8/s320/Mad10K1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Slowly I built up my mileage and completed my goal spring/early summer race, the <a href="http://grandmasmarathon.com/site/index.php?page=garry-bjorklund-half-marathon">Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon</a>. My training didn't go like I wanted it to (I had to take time off after the Madison 10K due to plantar fasciitis), but I enjoyed the race experience and still finished under two hours.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark and I both ran the race :)</td></tr>
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I experienced some knee pain whenever I ran eight miles or more in my Guide 3s, so I went to a local running store to pick out a new pair of shoes. I totally thought I would be getting the Guide 5s, but after the employee checked the wear patterns of my shoes and watched me walk and squat, she told me "Why are you wearing stability shoes? You should be wearing neutral shoes." I didn't believe her, so I got a second opinion (an employee at a different running store), and he said the same thing. I bought a pair of Saucony Ride 5s and haven't gone back to stability shoes. Those shoes have carried me through several races (a 12-miler, four half-marathons within a month's time, and a 20-miler) this summer and will carry me through October 7, where I plan to run <a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/events/medtronic_twin_cities_marathon_weekend/marathon/">my very first marathon</a>.<br />
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I can't guarantee that I'll be a regular blogger again, but I do hope to write some pre-marathon thoughts, a marathon race recap, and final thoughts over the next few weeks. Maybe I'll finally get around to posting that recap of the <a href="http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/savannah">RNR Savannah Half-Marathon</a> (it really was a great race), too!<br />
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I hope you all are doing well and have been running healthy and strong. <b> What have you been up to the last several months?</b>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-46259598626001205652011-12-10T23:10:00.000-08:002011-12-10T23:10:19.676-08:00Happy Holidays!<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="height: 494px; width: 425px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif); height: 6px;"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-y; height: 482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px; width: 105px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none; padding: 0;" /></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height: 350px; padding: 0; text-align: center;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0BZNXDVs5ZNHdg&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET&eid=118"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/0BZNXDVs5ZNG/0BZNXDVs5ZNGdh/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1323587299000/0/" style="background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none; padding: 0;" /></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="background-color: #f4f4e9; height: 55px; line-height: 19px; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; text-align: center;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;"><span>Photo Card</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif); height: 6px;"></div></div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-37886955889133036962011-10-29T15:14:00.000-07:002011-10-29T15:14:21.587-07:00Race Report: Medtronic TC 10 MileA few of you have asked me when I'm going to post wedding pictures. Mark and I are still waiting to receive the disk of photos from our photographer, and also hoping she will post a few teaser photos on Facebook (she hasn't done that yet, but she's a busy mom of two along with being a wedding photographer, so I need to cut her some slack). Hopefully I will have a wedding-related post next week.<br />
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In the meantime, I've got a race report for you! Mark and I ran the <a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/events/medtronic_twin_cities_marathon_weekend/10_mile/">Medtronic TC 10 Mile</a> on October 2. This race is held the same day as the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, but it starts earlier than the marathon. The course starts just outside the Metrodome in Minneapolis, then runs along West River Parkway until crossing the Franklin Avenue bridge to St. Paul. The last 6-7 miles of the course, along St. Paul's grand and historic Summit Avenue, follow the final miles of the marathon course.<br />
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I ran this race for the first time in 2008, having only one month to train because of a knee injury earlier in the summer. I persevered with a slow and steady pace that year and finished in 1:37:52.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_IWRLS1ufQURESN70NDpT6g4qY8rloZ0jq3Safvp8IBR5x1TXwvXb46Ge6jp1DE4GgCuldhltPLZHj20hhTT5xJRyvihQ2FZzw-pxVmOFuk1okHKB_F22vuJHRr1hfPuUcpiot8TByc/s1600/DSCN3310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_IWRLS1ufQURESN70NDpT6g4qY8rloZ0jq3Safvp8IBR5x1TXwvXb46Ge6jp1DE4GgCuldhltPLZHj20hhTT5xJRyvihQ2FZzw-pxVmOFuk1okHKB_F22vuJHRr1hfPuUcpiot8TByc/s320/DSCN3310.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By the time I neared the finish, the clouds opened and poured rain.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfHupqrg9hE8fFe_NRzsSGPlvVRYq_xpdQBTOCVto0YszK-rdKYFrEB1eVDcxWbq5oY2IXu1gbJyAOzJLq8HWkaq5nF6NUg4kOU7mpKV41X4W12vYlqRX45vzlMkWrOiUW2Ya1sA9ePg/s1600/DSCN3311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEfHupqrg9hE8fFe_NRzsSGPlvVRYq_xpdQBTOCVto0YszK-rdKYFrEB1eVDcxWbq5oY2IXu1gbJyAOzJLq8HWkaq5nF6NUg4kOU7mpKV41X4W12vYlqRX45vzlMkWrOiUW2Ya1sA9ePg/s320/DSCN3311.JPG" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So excited to be finished!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mark ran the TC 10 last year and enjoyed perfect weather conditions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkGHW9ihIrHdEXK2hOpQBZjggPN2RirL1CiTlFUz4JKwGAahpIRc8Z30B2STlNFUcb7YeFWNEDp6RmwyU9xhA5SlFMfsscHKcykEwk-E414eeJFO2pdvXbPojjz2suGFW8kx1i1rz9LI/s1600/IMG_4307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqkGHW9ihIrHdEXK2hOpQBZjggPN2RirL1CiTlFUz4JKwGAahpIRc8Z30B2STlNFUcb7YeFWNEDp6RmwyU9xhA5SlFMfsscHKcykEwk-E414eeJFO2pdvXbPojjz2suGFW8kx1i1rz9LI/s320/IMG_4307.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was Mark's best race of the year.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We entered the race lottery this summer. Mark was picked, but I wasn't. However, I decided to purchase a charity entry. I paid an extra $100 to run the race, and that money went to the <a href="https://www.ymcatwincities.org/">YMCA</a> and <a href="http://www.bolderoptions.org/">Bolder Options</a>. I don't mind paying extra for a race as long as the money goes towards a good cause (or several).<br />
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On race morning this year, Mark and I were up super early (like about 4:30 a.m.) to get ready. We parked our car at the Fort Snelling light rail station and took LRT up to the Metrodome stop. Once we got off the train, we were near the start. We stood in line for the porta-potties, and after doing our business, found our respective corrals. I was in Corral 2 this year, just like in 2008, but Mark was in the last corral (#5). He didn't mind... he would go on to enjoy picking off people as he reached the later miles of the race.<br />
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I ran into Keith, the CFO of the company I work for, in my corral and we hugged. He ran the marathon last year, and was looking forward to running along Summit Avenue with lots of energy in the tank instead of feeling completely dead from running 20 miles before that. We wished each other good luck. He was hoping for a 1:40.<br />
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Corral 1 started at 7:09, after the USATF 10-Mile Championship waves started. My corral started just a few minutes later. I chatted with some nearby runners for a few minutes before we crossed the start line.<br />
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My main goal was to enjoy the race. I was coming off of injury the last time I ran it, so I was excited to run the race this year healthy and strong. With our wedding occurring the third weekend in September, and a honeymoon following (I did run a little on our honeymoon, but not as much as usual), I wasn't sure what my race pace would be. I figured I would easily beat my 2008 TC 10 Mile time, but in my mind, I decided to shoot for 1:25 and see what would happen.<br />
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The first mile was spent settling into my pace. We passed by the Guthrie Theater (always a treat for me) and then turned onto West River Parkway to run along the Mississippi River. Passing under the newer I-35W bridge, I was reminded of that fateful day in 2007 when the old I-35W bridge collapsed into the river. Most Minnesotans (well, mostly those in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area) remember precisely what they were doing when they found out about the bridge collapse, kind of like 9/11.<br />
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<b>Mile 1 - 8:16</b><br />
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We runners hit a nice downhill stretch as we continued along the river. I coasted along, enjoying the cool morning. Several male runners headed into the bushes to relieve themselves. Too bad women don't have it that easy!<br />
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<b>Mile 2 - 8:02</b><br />
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I ditched my gloves shortly after the mile 2 mark, as my hands were nice and toasty. I felt perfectly comfortable with what I was wearing: an old race t-shirt, my InkNBurn sleeves, lululemon crops with shorts on over the top. I had a long-sleeved throwaway shirt on, too, and I threw that away before crossing the Franklin Avenue bridge.<br />
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Once we got to the bridge, the number of spectators exponentially increased. I loved hearing their cheers and cowbells. I saw Kim, a Team Ortho staffer, cheering on the runners and gave her a high five.<br />
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Once crossing the bridge, we were in St. Paul.<br />
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<b>Mile 3 - 8:45</b> (I had walked through a water stop)<br />
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Remember this wall from the <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/06/race-report-alarc-legends-10k.html">ALARC Legends 10K</a>?<br />
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"The Wall" was located just before mile 4 on the 10-mile course, but mile 20 of the marathon course. I wonder if having a visualization of "the wall" helped or hindered the marathoners.<br />
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I was still enjoying the weather, the course, the spectators and the run. I felt great.<br />
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<b>Mile 4 - 8:25</b><br />
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We passed by <a href="http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/">Shriners Hospital</a> and the Team Ortho cheer zone. I high-fived the TO staffers and volunteers I knew that were cheering on the runners.<br />
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I enjoyed reading the spectators' signs. "Worst Parade Ever" was one of my favorites.<br />
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<b>Mile 5 - 8:37</b><br />
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We headed up a small hill to Summit Avenue. More spectators lined the course. Several of the trees had leaves that were turning color, and the sun shining on them made the hues more vibrant. I was having a blast running along Summit. I continued to feel great, even though I was working hard, and thrived off of the energy of the crowd and the beautiful fall day.<br />
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<b>Mile 6 - 8:46</b><br />
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I took a strawberry Clif Shot Blok around mile 6. I usually take some form of gel or chew earlier in the race. With the hit or miss luck I've had with Gu, I decided to go back to an old Clif standard. My stomach felt just fine.<br />
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There are several old mansions along Summit, and I enjoyed running past them, admiring their architecture as much as I could without running into another runner.<br />
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<b>Mile 7 - 8:29</b><br />
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I kept my eyes peeled for Rachel and Matt, who were going to be cheering on a few friends of theirs that were running the marathon, but I didn't see them. I figured they were probably still sleeping, or they had gone to an earlier spectator point along the marathon course to cheer on their friends.<br />
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I noticed that my pace had slowed some. Summit has a few slight rolling hills, with overall a very gradual incline as it heads into downtown St. Paul. I wondered what it was like to run this part of the race as a marathoner. I plan to find out next year, but instead of making this my first marathon, I am seriously considering <a href="http://grandmasmarathon.com/site/">Grandma's Marathon</a> in Duluth.<br />
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<b>Mile 8 - 8:25</b><br />
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I still felt great, loving the crowds, scenery and weather. I was having my best race of the year.<br />
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I thought about picking up the pace a little bit, but I held back because I wanted to see how I felt at mile 9. <br />
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<b>Mile 9 - 8:30</b><br />
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I had enough in the tank to put the hammer down for the final mile. I knew I didn't have that much farther to go, and I was excited to push the pace. Once I passed the Cathedral of St. Paul, the course was literally downhill from there. I checked The Red Dragon and saw that I was way off PR pace, but figured I might be able to finish under 1:25.<br />
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I saw a gigantic American flag flying above the final approach and the finish line in the distance. I thought about my first time running this course, and how this time was so different. I coasted downhill towards the finish, speeding up, with a smile on my face. Hearing the cheering crowds made my smile grow even wider.<br />
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What a beautiful day!<br />
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I stayed all smiles as I crossed the finish line. This race went so much better than I ever expected.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm just to the right of the lady in the bright pink.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing strong!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Mile 10 - 7:39</b> (told you that downhill helped!)<br />
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Here are my results:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Official finish time: 1:24:02</b><br />
Average pace: 8:25/mile</div><div style="text-align: center;">Overall place: 1857/7549 <br />
Gender place: 661/4632<br />
Division place: 174/1036 (22-29 age group)</div><br />
After finishing, I received my finisher medal and a mylar blanket, then made my way through the food area. This race had an awesome food spread, but my favorite thing were the cups of chicken (or veggie for vegetarians and vegans) broth. Nothing like a hot liquid to warm you up after running in cool fall weather!<br />
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After getting my photo taken, I headed towards the tables full of finisher shirts. When I saw the bright green color, I was immediately disappointed. The color is so bright that I will only wear that shirt at night (nighttime Ragnar Relay leg, anyone?). The design of the shirt is otherwise nice, and I was able to get the size shirt that I wanted (XS because they only had unisex sizes), but I wish that <a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/">Twin Cities in Motion</a> had chosen a different color for the finisher shirts. Neon colors should NEVER be allowed!<br />
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I picked up my bag from bag check, then proceeded to join the other spectators in watching the 10-milers finish. I was on the lookout for my handsome hubby.<br />
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Finally, I saw him.<br />
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Mark finished in <b>1:57:00</b>. What an easy finish time to remember!<br />
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I kept track of him from the spectator side as he made his way through the finish chute.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading towards the food. Look at the smile on his face! The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, you know. ;-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In line for the broth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Finally, I was able to give him a smooch and take his picture.<br />
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I waited for him to get his bag, then he left the secured finisher area and joined me. We walked over to some of the vendor tents and decided to get our medals engraved with our finish times. This was my first race as a married woman, and I was so excited to have a medal engraved with my new last name!<br />
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Before we boarded the shuttle buses that would take us back to the Metrodome, we ran into our friend <a href="http://stephtalksthai.blogspot.com/">Steph</a>. We hadn't seen her since Christmas. She spent a long time in Thailand helping out refugees along the Thai-Burma border, but is back in the States and will be moving to California next year to continue serving the poorest of the poor. It was so good to see her again!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a photo with Steph</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuswh2Kv5OiMCPht0MDkc8jYY97Z02Qgb5-2nlhZzYnK5PrYzukk02LcpmktmuypQtUzMelTk0BMDmyCATF4m0g7KUHYt2JSvQyDYbN7_EArm0IwRfWY3hxAwoaucJhqlX9U5geJWUgWM/s1600/IMG_6546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuswh2Kv5OiMCPht0MDkc8jYY97Z02Qgb5-2nlhZzYnK5PrYzukk02LcpmktmuypQtUzMelTk0BMDmyCATF4m0g7KUHYt2JSvQyDYbN7_EArm0IwRfWY3hxAwoaucJhqlX9U5geJWUgWM/s320/IMG_6546.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group shot!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Even though I didn't get a PR, I had one of my best races this year. I beat my 2008 finish time by over 13 minutes! Everything about the day was perfect (except for the finisher shirt, but it will serve a purpose!), and it was so wonderful to run into an old friend and chat with her.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEqnc9Z2KbjgEAuNEfF-YtTbv8-l7-dQzo4UTi0fys6_ViAjz9rICxqNgJDU_g5lNaBBcjlsedd-1CjOgRNkWgiX3PkjM7ViqDZgCWwzqglek-IRTdFgoBhiWxQOq7Y7wgc6Wn4vi6S8/s1600/IMG_6547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEqnc9Z2KbjgEAuNEfF-YtTbv8-l7-dQzo4UTi0fys6_ViAjz9rICxqNgJDU_g5lNaBBcjlsedd-1CjOgRNkWgiX3PkjM7ViqDZgCWwzqglek-IRTdFgoBhiWxQOq7Y7wgc6Wn4vi6S8/s320/IMG_6547.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The newlyweds</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>What has been your favorite race this year and why?</b><br />
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<b>Do you know of any bloggers doing the Rock 'N' Roll Savannah Marathon or Half-Marathon?</b> Mark and I are checking to see if there will be a blogger meetup.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-39759529680272737862011-10-22T19:32:00.000-07:002011-10-29T14:01:13.727-07:00Home Sweet HomeIn the midst of planning our wedding, Mark and I purchased a condo. We were lucky to find a place that was move-in ready, close to where I work, and a steal of a deal ($30,000). We closed on August 12.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVao2dWOB97_4psPLGYgeoQXUTP8e60pAL1R-ST0TRo6nj1-g3RgT41b7teSg_Dtoxxvp7G2GIUMdM4pHPbC34iLJdFjbGNTy1BTYVh6EtLZqz_uMcL64nPLVCKcMSjVu15NfhI5fjTaM/s1600/IMG_5633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVao2dWOB97_4psPLGYgeoQXUTP8e60pAL1R-ST0TRo6nj1-g3RgT41b7teSg_Dtoxxvp7G2GIUMdM4pHPbC34iLJdFjbGNTy1BTYVh6EtLZqz_uMcL64nPLVCKcMSjVu15NfhI5fjTaM/s320/IMG_5633.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got the key to our condo just before our closing appointment. Happy day indeed!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We both took the 12th off from work for the closing appointment and so we could start moving our stuff in. Well, technically, it was my stuff because I moved into the condo first. My parents and Mark's parents came the following day to move the big stuff (bed, dressers, desk, coffee tables, etc.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN5OjhAeOyAzs30xXOFFIeUAs8h3l3l-fWF2L2oqvmtJMVA0B8DSqCLd5qQ32cfEBDuAYNLUXmCvXOmfQtk__HsmLBjEgVrrMTqGI1pEKMfxUsW89eamnUyO4JhuFgOFAdHHfVTPePwI/s1600/IMG_5634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN5OjhAeOyAzs30xXOFFIeUAs8h3l3l-fWF2L2oqvmtJMVA0B8DSqCLd5qQ32cfEBDuAYNLUXmCvXOmfQtk__HsmLBjEgVrrMTqGI1pEKMfxUsW89eamnUyO4JhuFgOFAdHHfVTPePwI/s320/IMG_5634.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our kitchen is galley-style and small. But there are plenty of cabinets!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32ZLlVRpH6xls1TcdVlLOD-ktg-d3waDt2fphCtp2dHwok8_bX7-3xBwvsWAu22z4JJvXoXj_Cq2I9izKpjfomxPMahWMKzO-LeAjU-GY33hyP7VynmiGUCq81SHNeOyMQc_7513KY9k/s1600/IMG_5635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32ZLlVRpH6xls1TcdVlLOD-ktg-d3waDt2fphCtp2dHwok8_bX7-3xBwvsWAu22z4JJvXoXj_Cq2I9izKpjfomxPMahWMKzO-LeAjU-GY33hyP7VynmiGUCq81SHNeOyMQc_7513KY9k/s320/IMG_5635.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like the green paint on the walls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcCMOtdQuBKtZuFTeopvnyrv1BtU-0UcoYvdlre0T7EyFlc71gYi5kOOTgVoL1AFvhIdQi-SoZmKC4XXckNozxrZt-gSNzlho8ZkvyyVQjGmcTGGQvB5afkSXmCJqBIzExpg7mUGkKWM/s1600/IMG_5636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcCMOtdQuBKtZuFTeopvnyrv1BtU-0UcoYvdlre0T7EyFlc71gYi5kOOTgVoL1AFvhIdQi-SoZmKC4XXckNozxrZt-gSNzlho8ZkvyyVQjGmcTGGQvB5afkSXmCJqBIzExpg7mUGkKWM/s320/IMG_5636.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron, Dad and Bette take a break. Behind those mirrored doors are more shelves.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mark moved his stuff over gradually, finishing up just days before our wedding. I wouldn't recommend moving only a month before your wedding, but luckily for us, everything worked out fine and went smoothly.<br />
<br />
Here are more pictures of our condo...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmr5xFmiUbR00XFbhAC0X2mI3emUCi9jlluNN_sKP1B80c_V54TaUUF6gPOd6r56hCleXERolY4_PTk4zmXoUmnKD5gY4To559b1PWrJizlmcuCTa2hZ1IXVs96LPWyAoa3O1vP7q9Q4s/s1600/IMG_6574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmr5xFmiUbR00XFbhAC0X2mI3emUCi9jlluNN_sKP1B80c_V54TaUUF6gPOd6r56hCleXERolY4_PTk4zmXoUmnKD5gY4To559b1PWrJizlmcuCTa2hZ1IXVs96LPWyAoa3O1vP7q9Q4s/s320/IMG_6574.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bathroom is one of our favorite rooms in the condo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkt-oJGBQcY9Af2ftQkrOAOOvEHZAPNW9CRfYTIyqqn21i15ToZAlPJXf0TCFbwM6KuGc6lscTCJ6Bc-fo8dwaKb582WqU7DAUuT45NMlN4W_cLL7gSZNOnpF6qRpZGhkvgflwbHnN_Kk/s1600/IMG_6575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkt-oJGBQcY9Af2ftQkrOAOOvEHZAPNW9CRfYTIyqqn21i15ToZAlPJXf0TCFbwM6KuGc6lscTCJ6Bc-fo8dwaKb582WqU7DAUuT45NMlN4W_cLL7gSZNOnpF6qRpZGhkvgflwbHnN_Kk/s320/IMG_6575.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our decor matches very well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdSqXugG2dPO4z1a8DaEB8Uc0m4KF-tu6AUloD_xUBuXCoPd8mIjtjcbY9LaS3RH_SnYYR10v4KQzvwkoVspJGk2AwOQlRGE44IB0Bq7hrRDKPEAwW9zJqdAxWS17Yx7SQKaA4f9eHkQ/s1600/IMG_6576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdSqXugG2dPO4z1a8DaEB8Uc0m4KF-tu6AUloD_xUBuXCoPd8mIjtjcbY9LaS3RH_SnYYR10v4KQzvwkoVspJGk2AwOQlRGE44IB0Bq7hrRDKPEAwW9zJqdAxWS17Yx7SQKaA4f9eHkQ/s320/IMG_6576.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ba-xqjmzXmOnLNvlP6QZEFyKkBC4Pq7nObUXytSR5Ug65zFlWH4mRZ1o7UCfg-OgIWDeRq4VftyxM2HFBwzdXi8ORhr19PYwDQ9iv7qkSvoUsVj6H-oqZLUz29gKLjXBMLY7O7j8xGI/s1600/IMG_6578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ba-xqjmzXmOnLNvlP6QZEFyKkBC4Pq7nObUXytSR5Ug65zFlWH4mRZ1o7UCfg-OgIWDeRq4VftyxM2HFBwzdXi8ORhr19PYwDQ9iv7qkSvoUsVj6H-oqZLUz29gKLjXBMLY7O7j8xGI/s320/IMG_6578.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-G0Mm84Jav6qWO-xFpyxn2olAJtAEvl-LTEf9uhvmiDH2FEkpG-eLtATPuTmf0NhYrm09RMKaJMXijjDqcbBvX1lTL6J1quoblJZqVt1qa1ehgOlSBXht-_39QR_qhyphenhyphenEMQdIys-jGnk/s1600/IMG_6580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-G0Mm84Jav6qWO-xFpyxn2olAJtAEvl-LTEf9uhvmiDH2FEkpG-eLtATPuTmf0NhYrm09RMKaJMXijjDqcbBvX1lTL6J1quoblJZqVt1qa1ehgOlSBXht-_39QR_qhyphenhyphenEMQdIys-jGnk/s320/IMG_6580.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guest bedroom was previously a nursery. We turned it into the guest/craft/running room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherQQzeDktPUDGoEd_5kZTczEqi8s1WCeEFe4EMgcDy56pIynvGSkwf56rWr5Z3XltEtHFTJALPHaqBIlHgbz2JL8mQAg2mgfRta2jDkdC9hSK9swCsy6DW3XomoTlFhqmr-LkY76msog/s1600/IMG_6582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherQQzeDktPUDGoEd_5kZTczEqi8s1WCeEFe4EMgcDy56pIynvGSkwf56rWr5Z3XltEtHFTJALPHaqBIlHgbz2JL8mQAg2mgfRta2jDkdC9hSK9swCsy6DW3XomoTlFhqmr-LkY76msog/s320/IMG_6582.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Besides having the running bibs on the wall, I have other random posters and photos.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbbHTonkNthddrbHz6KiRsB4C_p3ldnSsp1GsHXPj6uJicdcBBPfB9F5vp_0MzxonsfC59kQ3WbRXgchzR1wuOu9ocW92Fd_xi4qPz8XeEh6MYjR4-TC5iRLiTlYM0abrK08oocrhiPA/s1600/IMG_6583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbbHTonkNthddrbHz6KiRsB4C_p3ldnSsp1GsHXPj6uJicdcBBPfB9F5vp_0MzxonsfC59kQ3WbRXgchzR1wuOu9ocW92Fd_xi4qPz8XeEh6MYjR4-TC5iRLiTlYM0abrK08oocrhiPA/s320/IMG_6583.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These closet doors look really nice, but are a pain to open and close.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUedix0TnpUnviDqPZauRV76FWo72tmYyG70Zr_NFXSUerlsFWoqKvupDnKNvLT9ABMFCZZf5D-4CRiAIWlklyCDI8oFHqWDpeM_XwHFvZ22Sg2_MgjLG3J2md85gOG3yw6Q4RkUvAjk/s1600/IMG_6584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUedix0TnpUnviDqPZauRV76FWo72tmYyG70Zr_NFXSUerlsFWoqKvupDnKNvLT9ABMFCZZf5D-4CRiAIWlklyCDI8oFHqWDpeM_XwHFvZ22Sg2_MgjLG3J2md85gOG3yw6Q4RkUvAjk/s320/IMG_6584.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master bedroom. Yes, we need more stuff on the walls!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwS2cJAghyphenhyphenRS8tS7IDzpJZSy_kkVcJB_UZ4BvMuTIH-qXkk80cwc4pxqfywBgVfreMqtP6CnGxEEBXMepCg2IMXZXyjatWTzyP_ZNrdOrhzBT5OWAJENDoRKlmo0gI2-f3x4E8KYVPQf4/s1600/IMG_6585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwS2cJAghyphenhyphenRS8tS7IDzpJZSy_kkVcJB_UZ4BvMuTIH-qXkk80cwc4pxqfywBgVfreMqtP6CnGxEEBXMepCg2IMXZXyjatWTzyP_ZNrdOrhzBT5OWAJENDoRKlmo0gI2-f3x4E8KYVPQf4/s320/IMG_6585.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I purchased this a long time ago, and am glad it's finally getting used!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-HONeEBcm6TiS0amkDvGg_Ea-z6xO_fq2c4KnHiXEd1p7RzpfReAoXO0IAPJoM-GvBar8vtgFHemW9j-fR3wCFWsHP8PsPbfrejZM01pSMVI2HMXcTwnw9dkgqog0irDRB9qh-I0CV4/s1600/IMG_6586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE-HONeEBcm6TiS0amkDvGg_Ea-z6xO_fq2c4KnHiXEd1p7RzpfReAoXO0IAPJoM-GvBar8vtgFHemW9j-fR3wCFWsHP8PsPbfrejZM01pSMVI2HMXcTwnw9dkgqog0irDRB9qh-I0CV4/s320/IMG_6586.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have a few items on one of the bedroom walls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2NyYVx2g8CaPudJKQ3pLeApDVvkeZM8HkbS7DBa1KY_8RByXV0ugbifQ7UheeiCuyVNAQtVE96VYSEaXx0nee94Fl5_4nD5X2GxrRGaZ4ouE_thMkZiFAyT7_pDHTenrVUnbHNikExc/s1600/IMG_6587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2NyYVx2g8CaPudJKQ3pLeApDVvkeZM8HkbS7DBa1KY_8RByXV0ugbifQ7UheeiCuyVNAQtVE96VYSEaXx0nee94Fl5_4nD5X2GxrRGaZ4ouE_thMkZiFAyT7_pDHTenrVUnbHNikExc/s320/IMG_6587.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got this china hutch off of Craigslist. The previous owner even delivered it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4OVS1kBXMQTqNhL3tHRapve4M6oSM8PVjP916B4gGz6ijPEWKnw8dASs0YSE3qs9MBpSTNZrU0Hm4CQD7B20T5E8B54dwmT8OnuY70wsGzYwfTrLb5qgr_gTlw9EBF9axf3rsyMgces/s1600/IMG_6589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4OVS1kBXMQTqNhL3tHRapve4M6oSM8PVjP916B4gGz6ijPEWKnw8dASs0YSE3qs9MBpSTNZrU0Hm4CQD7B20T5E8B54dwmT8OnuY70wsGzYwfTrLb5qgr_gTlw9EBF9axf3rsyMgces/s320/IMG_6589.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The previous owners converted a closet into an office. We made it the "Cloffbrary" (closet-office-library).</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3EuP8JAhWLjns-VXUHJu8eIU-hhovBvg02Z1WrI1lSccRpiYzvofzhSsGzOc-rb2zBXmtP4zWeGUa4i2jDiarMTDnUfk1tLQ0MM751sW-DzJ16fYTnNkxIA-SC5mQLaDzz6wZMZ0kkA/s1600/IMG_6590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK3EuP8JAhWLjns-VXUHJu8eIU-hhovBvg02Z1WrI1lSccRpiYzvofzhSsGzOc-rb2zBXmtP4zWeGUa4i2jDiarMTDnUfk1tLQ0MM751sW-DzJ16fYTnNkxIA-SC5mQLaDzz6wZMZ0kkA/s320/IMG_6590.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our books, DVDs, CDs, games, and other assorted items are in the cloffbrary.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGs_dGnKd7bMVOFXjRQT8z6yNLE2LJjSoiowi7IME70fBcGBZ1pOJdbURMpFQfbF48oykZJ-9a4ofvvEd3voGVt_iUnyvO7Yvh2dLJ8fRjs0jy9WSUk1ocOmrJ0S7Q6T_UtfCBJ2ROfzE/s1600/IMG_6592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGs_dGnKd7bMVOFXjRQT8z6yNLE2LJjSoiowi7IME70fBcGBZ1pOJdbURMpFQfbF48oykZJ-9a4ofvvEd3voGVt_iUnyvO7Yvh2dLJ8fRjs0jy9WSUk1ocOmrJ0S7Q6T_UtfCBJ2ROfzE/s320/IMG_6592.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See... those mirrored doors do hide shelves. Our condo has awesome storage!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We love our condo... it's the right amount of space for us at this point, and we live just a short walk away from one of my favorite aunts. :) Mark and I are so glad to have a place that is completely ours.<br />
<br />
<b>If you are or have ever been a homeowner (or condo-owner), describe what your first home was like.</b>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-54653888033103229232011-10-06T23:08:00.000-07:002011-10-12T22:20:14.528-07:00Race Report: City of Lakes 25KLast year, Mark (at the time he was future hubs, now he's my hubby... yay!) ran the <a href="http://www.cityoflakes25k.com/">City of Lakes 25K</a> on a whim. There was a workplace competition going on, and he wanted to challenge himself, so he ran this race. I played personal race photographer for him.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsvSFuoaF5UYPe49DymPOFZeTn9LL6UzIhCPI1Ypb5lDgqaDxlZO92P1gUpqV2PVE1dwGAag6jrsivw1xVLdRIsLw8O2THmueD8-m8dcq0kWPgbmiT68_JJeTYshTds4OMaQIXkHqgYc/s1600/IMG_3688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsvSFuoaF5UYPe49DymPOFZeTn9LL6UzIhCPI1Ypb5lDgqaDxlZO92P1gUpqV2PVE1dwGAag6jrsivw1xVLdRIsLw8O2THmueD8-m8dcq0kWPgbmiT68_JJeTYshTds4OMaQIXkHqgYc/s320/IMG_3688.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stretching out before the 2010 race</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnXfeCZ7_Uwh_8F7XbWXkdQ8gKnUC0cze9EvUmphq5xuytpK9jH_shGq-fK4TMJqEYlD4kLqFa4UZfetpIOWYw1CECWsVLPb9WVd1xTfSguWetaVQN-3dTdS2zNt9zWyH1wPLLRhJ40w/s1600/IMG_3698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnXfeCZ7_Uwh_8F7XbWXkdQ8gKnUC0cze9EvUmphq5xuytpK9jH_shGq-fK4TMJqEYlD4kLqFa4UZfetpIOWYw1CECWsVLPb9WVd1xTfSguWetaVQN-3dTdS2zNt9zWyH1wPLLRhJ40w/s320/IMG_3698.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strong stride</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQyBmeRwsrTyG4eJYL0Uqv2IFVX1oEkJgkDz4qUGQcCY1eQJctBxSRaXZqtF7wGMBDlc1PaGwwMQRKW8ycIsd7nXZ994BduY2gRvSjto1Hg8EPVS4mxUSVHUsYslnKBjd7SpHWRHtgtM/s1600/IMG_3712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQyBmeRwsrTyG4eJYL0Uqv2IFVX1oEkJgkDz4qUGQcCY1eQJctBxSRaXZqtF7wGMBDlc1PaGwwMQRKW8ycIsd7nXZ994BduY2gRvSjto1Hg8EPVS4mxUSVHUsYslnKBjd7SpHWRHtgtM/s320/IMG_3712.JPG" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE42lDvkiJ1OIBK5WkPZ3yJU2O5IGj-KoxoO85jRf_AVwJrz63DhFwvnCxWijR36jbhIhN8LLO8i9UDPpHalrbbXJzJmkMaxTezENcXfyxbkKLDyhEftgI9QvWJweBtduwe9HHDn5jz5k/s1600/IMG_3717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE42lDvkiJ1OIBK5WkPZ3yJU2O5IGj-KoxoO85jRf_AVwJrz63DhFwvnCxWijR36jbhIhN8LLO8i9UDPpHalrbbXJzJmkMaxTezENcXfyxbkKLDyhEftgI9QvWJweBtduwe9HHDn5jz5k/s320/IMG_3717.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His expression belies the pain he's feeling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>While he was running, I mentally kicked myself for not doing the race too. My goal half (Portland Half-Marathon) was a month away, and I didn't want to risk injury, so I played it safe. But I vowed that in 2011, I would challenge myself and run the 25K (15.5 miles).<br />
<br />
I delayed registering for this year's race because I was worried about injury. However, my knees had been feeling great all summer, and even with all the wedding prep and work stress and the fact that my long runs the two weekends prior were only 10 miles each, I was determined not to let anything prevent me from running the race. I signed up for it four days beforehand. <b>This would be the longest distance I'd ever covered at one time</b>, and I hoped that it would give me much-needed confidence for marathon training next year.<br />
<br />
I had a costume planned for months for this race: <b>I dressed as a bride-to-be</b>. I wore the veil from my bachelorette party, a cheap tiara I picked up at a race expo last year, a bride-to-be sash from Joann Fabrics, a white tank emblazoned with "Running to the Altar" on the front and "6 Days 'Til the Wedding" on the back, and my trusty Saucony Omni 9s (a newer pair) and Mizuno running shorts. Because the race was held on <b>9/11</b>, I wrote those numbers on the back of my white tank as a tribute to those who lost their lives 10 years ago.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXqm7vM-v5ZL-5WFiqSgDhkIIMZDe-mjKR5JCo9gDt7Jsg9vTmcsAWD1basAUvOb60GlCr7jTbc_gdF8edNRa034hM3BOgXgZRQubn6FGwaoTn7YAkOUhLSWx7PFoYvzZd6Y0oV-reHc/s1600/IMG_2922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXqm7vM-v5ZL-5WFiqSgDhkIIMZDe-mjKR5JCo9gDt7Jsg9vTmcsAWD1basAUvOb60GlCr7jTbc_gdF8edNRa034hM3BOgXgZRQubn6FGwaoTn7YAkOUhLSWx7PFoYvzZd6Y0oV-reHc/s320/IMG_2922.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Being goofy before the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUK9LB0PUUWonEobHqJgM9csRqSeNNgsnL1F34ftOWJ4Tkz6qAOuiPEoNsfwawBbW9_WpZ9T6WrFFHOdzmFoIku6cWYzEkhOzVknbkTnAq9mTO_EI5rrmzMDe4w8dt7TcMnp9ua3gHB6I/s1600/IMG_2923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUK9LB0PUUWonEobHqJgM9csRqSeNNgsnL1F34ftOWJ4Tkz6qAOuiPEoNsfwawBbW9_WpZ9T6WrFFHOdzmFoIku6cWYzEkhOzVknbkTnAq9mTO_EI5rrmzMDe4w8dt7TcMnp9ua3gHB6I/s320/IMG_2923.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tough strength-training workouts earlier in the week made my glutes sore. Here's hoping a little massage helps! :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This year, Mark played my personal race photographer. We arrived to the start area about 7:15-ish and I got in line to wait for the porta-potties. I didn't see anyone else in costume, so I felt like I was breaking some unspoken rule. Oh well... <b>if you can't have fun with running, why do it at all?!</b><br />
<br />
While in line for the porta-potties, I chatted with Juli and Lisa from Team Ortho (and the MN Running Wild club) and Bri, a friend of Mark's from high school. All of them were using this race as a tune-up for the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon on Oct. 2.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxu0gMmaqV-paYWBs8Tc2T5L1riR24FxAYeKbPTkWZxRrRWzutP_DSMAdW7tfEPtmvneibT8aexZ13zCSfnYrGMHFS9BBLxswItu3BnHOIpsbXQgi066sVaYvP7126J-6U14faL2mCQk/s1600/IMG_2928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxu0gMmaqV-paYWBs8Tc2T5L1riR24FxAYeKbPTkWZxRrRWzutP_DSMAdW7tfEPtmvneibT8aexZ13zCSfnYrGMHFS9BBLxswItu3BnHOIpsbXQgi066sVaYvP7126J-6U14faL2mCQk/s320/IMG_2928.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lining up at the start. Juli is in front of me wearing the white visor, and Lisa is to her left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>At 8:00 a.m. sharp, the race started. My goal was to finish the race, so an easy pace was in order. I knew it would also warm up considerably in the morning. I do not run well in the heat, so a slow pace was necessary.<br />
<br />
During the first mile, Chris, a Van 1 member of my <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/08/race-report-ragnar-relay-great-river_26.html">Ragnar Relay team</a> passed by me and chatted with me before speeding ahead. It was so nice to see and talk with him, even though it was for a short period of time. He had a great race.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 1 - 8:53</b><br />
<br />
Throughout the race, spectators and racers alike noticed my costume and congratulated me. Some asked if I had just gotten married, others asked if I was a runaway bride. Hearing their well-wishes and cheers definitely kept a smile on my face that morning.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 2 - 8:54</b><br />
<br />
The course started at one end of Lake Harriet and made 2+ loops of that lake and 2 loops of Lake Calhoun. These are some of my favorite running grounds, so it was nice to run on a familiar course.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1m3cdkv09BeNAsIpBX3XKC6sZ2uFeBGUWSHiXwEMtGe6KDbIkqqSb8G61dnN4khmUyHMUbbo7cC09s-GHLe1go5h7pw4jQmypTWqTCERbQNi5cFVbkRUojr9NgiDB0O93xVjVZWTbuQ/s1600/COL+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy1m3cdkv09BeNAsIpBX3XKC6sZ2uFeBGUWSHiXwEMtGe6KDbIkqqSb8G61dnN4khmUyHMUbbo7cC09s-GHLe1go5h7pw4jQmypTWqTCERbQNi5cFVbkRUojr9NgiDB0O93xVjVZWTbuQ/s320/COL+map.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br />
A side stitch developed. <i>Oh no, not already!</i> I thought. Fortunately after a short walk, it went away. Back to running!<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 3 - 8:48</b><br />
<br />
These first few miles were just buzzing by. The pace was easy and I felt like I could keep running for a long time. I kept my brain occupied by listening to my tunes on my iPod and scoping out spectators. I liked seeing people's reactions and hearing their comments when they saw my costume.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 4 - 9:01</b><br />
<br />
Mark situated himself between the two lakes so he could see me as I headed out to make my loops around Lake Calhoun and when I returned to make my loops around Lake Harriet. He enjoyed photographing other race participants and the beautiful early fall day.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXpziTOurjVJ0ylYW0xkgsl0wONg1ZhlV9dICoj-APZGzZRXh2yiHCe8MoI1_ZiEBoK3jg4sLNHu-Sdnj60eXjXULpxVxpHpf2GZGLzqPMrfaQaHMi-wE8J3C_ptMd_x_rQjWN1By4Zs/s1600/IMG_2924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXpziTOurjVJ0ylYW0xkgsl0wONg1ZhlV9dICoj-APZGzZRXh2yiHCe8MoI1_ZiEBoK3jg4sLNHu-Sdnj60eXjXULpxVxpHpf2GZGLzqPMrfaQaHMi-wE8J3C_ptMd_x_rQjWN1By4Zs/s320/IMG_2924.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a beautiful sunrise the morning of the race</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JeGRJ-SsEBX7cA7LJVWpp53AZXwBGOOUfl9yA4CuZ1RicHv33y8AAzjghXkh0wwv5FOKYPzyovms2uUfFd6PXA9cgC2c1HAee3nO-C0TCIziIUWRbFMlyIZGjsF_qjMijoQcKTpCjyQ/s1600/IMG_2931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JeGRJ-SsEBX7cA7LJVWpp53AZXwBGOOUfl9yA4CuZ1RicHv33y8AAzjghXkh0wwv5FOKYPzyovms2uUfFd6PXA9cgC2c1HAee3nO-C0TCIziIUWRbFMlyIZGjsF_qjMijoQcKTpCjyQ/s320/IMG_2931.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, we know these people. Jilena and Dain also used this race as one of their final long runs before TCM.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtQPMwGl0kPo5udZrM1SJsBbdIn6SGP7aRboxNTC7XbEeV20jrrAEEmR6Wq3LH0xRX7MquAgiFFpn3f4IaJEYdinGsXAY4O5v6IinEw8-uD9HhveNVYO-ebXAjdSufp8pCEzlRCkYmzI/s1600/IMG_2933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtQPMwGl0kPo5udZrM1SJsBbdIn6SGP7aRboxNTC7XbEeV20jrrAEEmR6Wq3LH0xRX7MquAgiFFpn3f4IaJEYdinGsXAY4O5v6IinEw8-uD9HhveNVYO-ebXAjdSufp8pCEzlRCkYmzI/s320/IMG_2933.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This speedster would go on to win the race.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusqOeBteMxORlmkb9kkVY_wmA8KxVWqDfspSQAhuDJj6CY_4qjwA4QttSPGfNHsu9WwFghtxSKqt5csr5J-Mg4BFPb650m0dgTI__1Pql84DmqD2u8iqz6urrgWADILV5bXMts-N3MNU/s1600/IMG_2941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusqOeBteMxORlmkb9kkVY_wmA8KxVWqDfspSQAhuDJj6CY_4qjwA4QttSPGfNHsu9WwFghtxSKqt5csr5J-Mg4BFPb650m0dgTI__1Pql84DmqD2u8iqz6urrgWADILV5bXMts-N3MNU/s320/IMG_2941.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another small pack of uber-fast runners, including Willie (in the pink Run N Fun tank), a local elite we know</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Mile 5 - 8:42</b><br />
<br />
I had just finished my first loop of Lake Calhoun and stopped at the water stop between the two lakes. I was still feeling good. I took a Gu, reveled in the well-wishes from the water stop volunteers, and continued running. I also knew I'd be seeing Mark soon. :)<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtf_aKPbBsptUi13c9aAZRy1ErJq3A2zWE8hs7QMvJWkuSPjxK2JY8BFWOJeE4802X3ThvJCHoQ83TCGs6vpEHNzlheZnppqXUr4fSZd-EC7-SziMKUGOMoYaqOcae4tM6Ranu3JalTU/s1600/IMG_2944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtf_aKPbBsptUi13c9aAZRy1ErJq3A2zWE8hs7QMvJWkuSPjxK2JY8BFWOJeE4802X3ThvJCHoQ83TCGs6vpEHNzlheZnppqXUr4fSZd-EC7-SziMKUGOMoYaqOcae4tM6Ranu3JalTU/s320/IMG_2944.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading towards Lake Harriet from William Berry Parkway</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3X3AXmQxoBIfDAoP0K1-8Npybvg-Ua8oLw8jzMglcxOcp6PVW8YKwdCNGULYfu4xc8Yas8wmq3OsDqp0mxegypUp2UXI8YPbKWSX93Jm1Lrkx7QhdKmhce6WRYfApIN0xvouBBjJwwA/s1600/IMG_2945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3X3AXmQxoBIfDAoP0K1-8Npybvg-Ua8oLw8jzMglcxOcp6PVW8YKwdCNGULYfu4xc8Yas8wmq3OsDqp0mxegypUp2UXI8YPbKWSX93Jm1Lrkx7QhdKmhce6WRYfApIN0xvouBBjJwwA/s320/IMG_2945.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still have a smile on my face</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Mile 6 - 9:16</b><br />
<br />
Fortunately, I had <b>no costume malfunctions</b>. The veil stayed put and its blowing in the breeze actually helped me feel a little cooler as the temps warmed up. I also pinned my sash to my shirt to keep it from moving around too much.<br />
<br />
A fellow runner asked me if it was more difficult planning a wedding or running 15+ miles. Wedding planning, of course! :) <br />
<br />
<b>Mile 7 - 9:19</b><br />
<br />
The weather was warming up. Most of Lake Harriet Parkway was shaded, so that helped me stay cool. I wondered how much my pace would suffer as the mercury rose.<br />
<br />
As I approached the parkway between the two lakes, I saw Mark once again. :)<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUjzTFzedP7ZQ1IUxpcnNz3U4vtViBWY6zSIFZ4dLjoVpxEFPDo33jVTq3VtF-DS6yiUl28hDwYIKZVKjm1l_OD_BdJEtu52eJ3POffXv9H3mmksBs_ER2fBTz8bFisrnYAQLSFCKvgw/s1600/IMG_2951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUjzTFzedP7ZQ1IUxpcnNz3U4vtViBWY6zSIFZ4dLjoVpxEFPDo33jVTq3VtF-DS6yiUl28hDwYIKZVKjm1l_OD_BdJEtu52eJ3POffXv9H3mmksBs_ER2fBTz8bFisrnYAQLSFCKvgw/s320/IMG_2951.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still lookin' good!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Mile 8 - 8:55</b><br />
<br />
Just before the water stop between the two lakes, Juli passed me. She looked strong. Lisa hadn't passed me yet and I wondered if she would.<br />
<br />
I approached the water stop between the two lakes, and a couple volunteers shouted, "Hey, it's the bride again!" The volunteers at the Lake Calhoun water stop would say the same thing as I made my second trip around the lake.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 9 - 9:16</b><br />
<br />
I was beginning to fatigue, mostly due to the heat. I had slowly consumed the Gu, but it still wasn't sitting well in my stomach. I had eaten that same kind of gel (tri-berry flavored) the week before during my long run and I felt fine. Running 17 miles total at Ragnar provided OK training for this race, but I was hoping to get a 12 or 13-miler in two weeks before the race, not just a 10-miler. No wonder why I was slowing down by mile 10!<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 10 - 9:35</b><br />
<br />
At this point in the race, I was also beginning to walk more, lingering longer at the water stops. I tried to keep my focus on a consistent pace.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 11 - 9:55</b><br />
<br />
I thought about doing run/walk intervals and decided to try a couple out. Run for 4 minutes, walk for 1, repeat. It seemed to work for a little while, but the heat was really getting to me.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 12 - 10:04</b><br />
<br />
I passed the water stop between the two lakes for the last time and saw a Running Room employee from the Burnsville location that has helped me purchase shoes in the past. He recognized me.<br />
<br />
I walked up the small hill on the parkway between the two lakes. It was right after that water stop. Once I neared the top, I started running again.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_IJQCIH0v0IodKhmUH8I3uku_MK94mDdVv5e_ZDmDcAMvphfeilydhjLPprc_0fj4o8YSAwVr3uGiYufnswurLZ9ZUv6-5mL0b8W2FRIDH6CDmqtneCN6s-bpMGteCNMCGKhki-xslY/s1600/IMG_2959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_IJQCIH0v0IodKhmUH8I3uku_MK94mDdVv5e_ZDmDcAMvphfeilydhjLPprc_0fj4o8YSAwVr3uGiYufnswurLZ9ZUv6-5mL0b8W2FRIDH6CDmqtneCN6s-bpMGteCNMCGKhki-xslY/s320/IMG_2959.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hunkering down for the final miles</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHTEobazKG2rbs9tJ_TJZIRHasoGn8cq_MtbOkbWvpLTHEhXt7I-UltVf3t0ICc_GJMLpz4guexZ8fl_viG9b7_B-wo-eXEmo8Ugl1PLmtiCCQ9k3lQSvSCS73jd6uGoa2LtOHsZKpKc/s1600/IMG_2960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHTEobazKG2rbs9tJ_TJZIRHasoGn8cq_MtbOkbWvpLTHEhXt7I-UltVf3t0ICc_GJMLpz4guexZ8fl_viG9b7_B-wo-eXEmo8Ugl1PLmtiCCQ9k3lQSvSCS73jd6uGoa2LtOHsZKpKc/s320/IMG_2960.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mustered up a small smile for Mark. I told him, "I'm so tired!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKUa9LLjO82xAsN40S2iJIKNzQ5xt7VICxYxNmi1cHeEHuDTCBOB4mfuec5TSMDhPi2ygZQeOiUYwjX4IdHG-1h7QXhyphenhyphen8Zn6YtjtCrUCDu-lDNu_vT8mQTADrEy3vHwOBR3xPrhm5epc/s1600/IMG_2961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKUa9LLjO82xAsN40S2iJIKNzQ5xt7VICxYxNmi1cHeEHuDTCBOB4mfuec5TSMDhPi2ygZQeOiUYwjX4IdHG-1h7QXhyphenhyphen8Zn6YtjtCrUCDu-lDNu_vT8mQTADrEy3vHwOBR3xPrhm5epc/s320/IMG_2961.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading for my final loop around Lake Harriet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lisa passed me right around the mile 13 mark.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 13 - 10:20</b><br />
<b>Half-Marathon Split - 2:03:50</b><br />
<br />
I tried catching up with Lisa and I succeeded, but then I needed to walk, so then she got ahead of me. I kept her in my sights, but I never caught up with her again. I didn't have the willpower left to try to reach her.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 14 - 10:11</b><br />
<br />
I alternated between running and walking. I was so looking forward to being done running. Hearing cheers from the few spectators helped, but I really just wanted to be finished.<br />
<br />
Just before mile 15, I was walking and a runner that had already finished said "You're almost done. Start running again." I told him that I would once I passed the mile 15 marker and I did. That got a cheer from him!<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 15 - 10:26</b><br />
<br />
<i>Just a half-mile left to go</i>, I told myself. I vowed that I wouldn't walk at all during this final half-mile. <i>Just keep a steady pace, Richelle!</i><br />
<br />
Soon I was nearing the finish chute, and the enormity of what I was about to accomplish as a runner started sinking in. <b>I was going to finish my longest race ever.</b> I smiled, but also started tearing up. I felt the same way I did after finishing my very first half-marathon back in 2007.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiG3ExOgdSarzITYnKRqSi7VbykBWguDFbBi7eQ7JVMSwUmpsk8P8cYvPrxdzdlPf1BWNeX1Vyj4ossz0RPnu0o2MMCqTsp9JYzcB_50hKaIfdUueUoo-CGWIPsJD7A_DgXS_jjUKJl_8/s1600/IMG_2966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiG3ExOgdSarzITYnKRqSi7VbykBWguDFbBi7eQ7JVMSwUmpsk8P8cYvPrxdzdlPf1BWNeX1Vyj4ossz0RPnu0o2MMCqTsp9JYzcB_50hKaIfdUueUoo-CGWIPsJD7A_DgXS_jjUKJl_8/s320/IMG_2966.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The homestretch</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHCXNr7Ztleuio5rM2pWfEtaCBArNA1XRlTnSJ1jR5t1UhefzKvewm63LusmqFWmI0_HHfkv-CZJR95tb47nj__qUQQTDne4xNwQq3EoYHJL5r-vT4fyUlhouwxMs3_-lJA3J1rW3uLo/s1600/IMG_2967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHCXNr7Ztleuio5rM2pWfEtaCBArNA1XRlTnSJ1jR5t1UhefzKvewm63LusmqFWmI0_HHfkv-CZJR95tb47nj__qUQQTDne4xNwQq3EoYHJL5r-vT4fyUlhouwxMs3_-lJA3J1rW3uLo/s320/IMG_2967.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting passed in the homestretch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I pulled my sash out of the way so anyone at the finish could read the "Running to the Altar" phrase I wrote on my white tank with fabric markers. This bride-to-be was running to the finish, and her future husband was waiting for her with a big smile on his face!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOx-tvzqBNptENIYendMf4x-xHIr8zLGrpkeais7ieU6C2TsGoLM65QzbaNxApCN15lk74b7We_3XDVpVXkRevhJTwUTHnPYMHNfzxMAJevFtMaP6jek2TitmnnvwFvEIwOgbIG4osSk/s1600/IMG_2969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOx-tvzqBNptENIYendMf4x-xHIr8zLGrpkeais7ieU6C2TsGoLM65QzbaNxApCN15lk74b7We_3XDVpVXkRevhJTwUTHnPYMHNfzxMAJevFtMaP6jek2TitmnnvwFvEIwOgbIG4osSk/s320/IMG_2969.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ink from the fabric marker was running onto my bib number. Oh well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqm0nW-vI3aycB9zYosQrMsIBGKTKkvHNhdynE67I8G0gonrKg9VNlT-XfN7Iwqok1wiS11ClF0-r28Xz0JeGEsnaWIf3OxeIlOKFXjQLQHM7OEx-WZoDppLwv3NK-lHnyUojCy9WWHY/s1600/IMG_2970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqm0nW-vI3aycB9zYosQrMsIBGKTKkvHNhdynE67I8G0gonrKg9VNlT-XfN7Iwqok1wiS11ClF0-r28Xz0JeGEsnaWIf3OxeIlOKFXjQLQHM7OEx-WZoDppLwv3NK-lHnyUojCy9WWHY/s320/IMG_2970.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The determination, fatigue and elation are all there, along with the ink the pink sash left behind on my white tank. ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I finally crossed the timing mat. The announcer said my name and congratulated me, both for finishing and for my upcoming marriage.<br />
<br />
<b>Last .5 miles - 9:58 pace</b><br />
<br />
Here are the results:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Official finish time: 2:28:09</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Average pace: 9:34/mile</div><div style="text-align: center;">Overall place: 435/623</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gender place: 137/240</div><div style="text-align: center;">Division place: 36/62 (20-29 age group)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQC97jLdszMVAwS6S8KlmB5DPssK7btO9B8OUsYfMvGFw83J0DIYKmY_3XKGQGg9AdTg0jRsBjUeE-fV4_FwIpeCDP6MBb-tlDn61vHKScWHESxcM3Qa0xMaObH2PnQQMBENpOYu6jdzg/s1600/IMG_2976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQC97jLdszMVAwS6S8KlmB5DPssK7btO9B8OUsYfMvGFw83J0DIYKmY_3XKGQGg9AdTg0jRsBjUeE-fV4_FwIpeCDP6MBb-tlDn61vHKScWHESxcM3Qa0xMaObH2PnQQMBENpOYu6jdzg/s320/IMG_2976.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I felt so tired and sore after the race. I also had a hard time eating the post race food, but I forced myself to eat the chocolate chip cookie because it was delicious and it was from <a href="http://www.greatharvestmn.com/">Great Harvest Bread Company</a>. Once I had the chance to "walk it out" and drink water and sit down for a little while, I felt better.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Mark told me often how proud he was of me. :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In the finish area, I also collect my race swag: a finisher's stein. Because this year was the 30th running of the City of Lakes 25K, race organizers also gave runners a finisher's medal. Sweet! Running 25 kilometers totally deserves a finisher's medal. :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQf1ozPvuMzYI2tSjcDehX9wNU72kJuHY5Nydgiomugs91CAzECFOfbUotz2sl4juT8VWhTksxNtZZSg3otykIEe2WrY4s90FQhM_tnt5SzxHBei1Lp4N6wNZ3PvQ-0Qdw7FPpr7RMtc/s1600/IMG_2972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQf1ozPvuMzYI2tSjcDehX9wNU72kJuHY5Nydgiomugs91CAzECFOfbUotz2sl4juT8VWhTksxNtZZSg3otykIEe2WrY4s90FQhM_tnt5SzxHBei1Lp4N6wNZ3PvQ-0Qdw7FPpr7RMtc/s320/IMG_2972.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">As Mark and I walked back to the car, we passed several members of MN Running Wild, who were tailgating post-race. We were each offered a bottle of beer, which we happily downed, and had a great time chatting with the other runners about the race. I'm technically a member of the group (I joined on Facebook), and should receive my MNRW running singlet in the mail soon. Can't wait!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Even though the heat got to me the last few miles of the race and I slowed down, I still felt like I ran a <b>smart race</b>. I kept the pace as consistent as I could and didn't start out too fast. I completed my longest distance ever, and now I've got my eye on an even longer and tougher distance. I liked running the City of Lakes 25K, and thought this was the perfect race to do for <b>my last race as a single woman</b>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZU_LRkI5XpVsfNcI-2A8DimC6ELJ0282wBfs0tzcghZyVeUCWpSJ5FicRCv2PBFlOuwbZ9IbHNuyOfLD59DRRr3hJmUY5CD1jvYg708Dl7FdimY4yoopz-GpatI5UXwjBBph8Ky2VT_I/s1600/IMG_5920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZU_LRkI5XpVsfNcI-2A8DimC6ELJ0282wBfs0tzcghZyVeUCWpSJ5FicRCv2PBFlOuwbZ9IbHNuyOfLD59DRRr3hJmUY5CD1jvYg708Dl7FdimY4yoopz-GpatI5UXwjBBph8Ky2VT_I/s320/IMG_5920.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My bib number, medal and stein</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Question for my readers: What unique distances have you covered in your racing career? </b>(you don't see many 25Ks here in the US)</div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-14204740978177059882011-09-30T20:11:00.000-07:002011-09-30T20:11:58.604-07:00Epic Bachelorette PartyWow, I can't believe it's been over a month since I've posted an entry! Time really flies when you're having fun and extremely busy. Taking the time away from blogging (although I missed you all) was really beneficial for me as it allowed me to focus on moving into our condo, final wedding preparations, the wedding itself (it was wonderful!), honeymoon, and getting back into the swing of things at home and work. Now, I have the opportunity to catch all of you up on what I've been up to since the end of the August!<br />
<br />
On September 1, my dear friend Seth (and my man of honor in the wedding) hosted a bachelorette party for me. When I asked him in early 2010 if he would be my man of honor for the wedding, the first thing he said was, "Do I get to plan the bachelorette party?" After I told him yes, he wouldn't stop giggling for five minutes! :) I'm so glad he was excited to play such an important role for my wedding. I had a hand in the bachelorette party planning, mostly with choosing the date (the Thursday right before Labor Day weekend) and a couple of the destinations for the evening. Seth wanted to do a pub crawl for the night, and it was a blast.<br />
<br />
At 5:30, we all met up at Seth and his girlfriend's house.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlfE3d8DuzwRqUVDlvIRVOwfGxRuma3wdpen21zDGe_gq2WMGeP8y0qNfyZ1KSjvAFzzmYSjqhGzHvxjVkfzmYDCYJpn_Sl6mfgSEtYKiALaUdsI0FRkgnrXsIFJWvd9FV4RmDoRq2pI/s1600/IMG_5779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlfE3d8DuzwRqUVDlvIRVOwfGxRuma3wdpen21zDGe_gq2WMGeP8y0qNfyZ1KSjvAFzzmYSjqhGzHvxjVkfzmYDCYJpn_Sl6mfgSEtYKiALaUdsI0FRkgnrXsIFJWvd9FV4RmDoRq2pI/s320/IMG_5779.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D4 Reunion: Emily (on left), Maggie (on right) and I were roommates during our college years</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDkQ-8fVI7UjPuCpkGuwY6L9Rm6tYTd2BCchqMrp-HkvD9KIflV9jod5dO8YH4OziHftuoNUhtzc7TCz8hmbwYaJvYYGxvb-tdnjJ9XxuWZHXTkukXPn7DXpnr4FXUsNA9CuaDBoioOg/s1600/IMG_5780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDkQ-8fVI7UjPuCpkGuwY6L9Rm6tYTd2BCchqMrp-HkvD9KIflV9jod5dO8YH4OziHftuoNUhtzc7TCz8hmbwYaJvYYGxvb-tdnjJ9XxuWZHXTkukXPn7DXpnr4FXUsNA9CuaDBoioOg/s320/IMG_5780.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seth bestows on me a tiara for the night. It was a really nice tiara!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uVURW16KDJZux3agTLVSdPAjGX7UzWh7nuoYh6uJ9sKnZiI77LJkz8lLigiRmLgKrhIfX9VpA9rvhVWa7w4bOPL3P7kRk_7TAJWqmjQDvvMeprbOyPjeyuW1YJOoVva6sX6HK0kxJiY/s1600/IMG_5783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uVURW16KDJZux3agTLVSdPAjGX7UzWh7nuoYh6uJ9sKnZiI77LJkz8lLigiRmLgKrhIfX9VpA9rvhVWa7w4bOPL3P7kRk_7TAJWqmjQDvvMeprbOyPjeyuW1YJOoVva6sX6HK0kxJiY/s320/IMG_5783.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting on the veil</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusTXTsvIbO1tz6CBJSdxSDbwc8lJgGi6SEKPQmTm2L-eMN_wZqtE_2oNEmYZjWpoy7R4wT-cXWA71P_OKVt_wPeFfJkAhgg2yuQTz3aeEXIPEXAMPmm1vnYtoyTtr4SIoYPg-PNdRPXc/s1600/IMG_5786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusTXTsvIbO1tz6CBJSdxSDbwc8lJgGi6SEKPQmTm2L-eMN_wZqtE_2oNEmYZjWpoy7R4wT-cXWA71P_OKVt_wPeFfJkAhgg2yuQTz3aeEXIPEXAMPmm1vnYtoyTtr4SIoYPg-PNdRPXc/s320/IMG_5786.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seth couldn't find the "Bride-to-Be" sash that he wanted, so he fashioned one out of special Caution tape</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-ji8XbhiRQ3pnm8I3TJPwzS9GKJieGx3D0OeRSKmt8bqf91eKtl69yOG0adpqYkmI93-WtBSVcKUDNzgmcjRMCJYNxZC1rxTXGuPlsYTki7yfUQSapqXSCyTWy0JJcMxHQZOM5CfC2Y/s1600/IMG_5788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-ji8XbhiRQ3pnm8I3TJPwzS9GKJieGx3D0OeRSKmt8bqf91eKtl69yOG0adpqYkmI93-WtBSVcKUDNzgmcjRMCJYNxZC1rxTXGuPlsYTki7yfUQSapqXSCyTWy0JJcMxHQZOM5CfC2Y/s320/IMG_5788.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caution: Look out for this "wild girl!" :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Then, it was time to head to our first destination of the night: <a href="http://psychosuzis.com/">Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge</a> in northeast Minneapolis.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mMvN7re1OGaDGHSfT24t0SQuA_nrlygy6fmXVruWUMzJmHIhrF_3LapzrAxnkEE9vYjXZkO1JYJHgUzIMS36Q_thRa-AnWUPedGTSnV8Rh_8e3PL-96N3Qa8MCClLszdAqUodkVGKLk/s1600/IMG_5789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mMvN7re1OGaDGHSfT24t0SQuA_nrlygy6fmXVruWUMzJmHIhrF_3LapzrAxnkEE9vYjXZkO1JYJHgUzIMS36Q_thRa-AnWUPedGTSnV8Rh_8e3PL-96N3Qa8MCClLszdAqUodkVGKLk/s320/IMG_5789.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piling into the party van. We really should have put some of that caution tape on it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-gQrlsr2z8sMa8Df9mW0ki8-Ivd7BWtIjCZ9Ny9iYJUS-klwGhtM0qMYR37uvLq5Hcckfp7htCP5gwZi83bdc2E5wUAbcWXfJFfQoRt5ija40tbYvgV1ADoHDRM3dXajSlS1719NmU0/s1600/IMG_5790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-gQrlsr2z8sMa8Df9mW0ki8-Ivd7BWtIjCZ9Ny9iYJUS-klwGhtM0qMYR37uvLq5Hcckfp7htCP5gwZi83bdc2E5wUAbcWXfJFfQoRt5ija40tbYvgV1ADoHDRM3dXajSlS1719NmU0/s320/IMG_5790.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt was our van driver for the night. What a nice guy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JKE__6fEUAF1ORGwb5cZ3oHzrHxmyCOD1mCD7jv6Cmp4n1hv_7gmRYkzN7ZNhDDrPxBsq8QGvpjKPNfcD4sOGdnHD6mGCKT1kJYX1F5lf91n1y5DBBU5fT_A1xvpsf41Ox9eri99A7I/s1600/IMG_5791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JKE__6fEUAF1ORGwb5cZ3oHzrHxmyCOD1mCD7jv6Cmp4n1hv_7gmRYkzN7ZNhDDrPxBsq8QGvpjKPNfcD4sOGdnHD6mGCKT1kJYX1F5lf91n1y5DBBU5fT_A1xvpsf41Ox9eri99A7I/s320/IMG_5791.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seth's already living it up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8xozgPzIkf1NT1sp0MJX3NtYvbDtu6fdixIJn95CCWidXl3jtwGMkMoHmqarSx635cL9e_OWs_RW7TJ-50OW_CmfoVyx218ZakgepivNGqty0SaEuBInCnuu27bgj8ycRs2l4ioMxN4/s1600/IMG_5793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8xozgPzIkf1NT1sp0MJX3NtYvbDtu6fdixIJn95CCWidXl3jtwGMkMoHmqarSx635cL9e_OWs_RW7TJ-50OW_CmfoVyx218ZakgepivNGqty0SaEuBInCnuu27bgj8ycRs2l4ioMxN4/s320/IMG_5793.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I even brought my own "Bride-to-Be" bling to wear, which I had won at a Halloween party a few years ago.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMXvHkgsCfl94Hgnnw9ZKJeUbjMMPb_a446vjnV0TEJMxnotcn-dSN7LdHDa07Nz9ttYBkCWdkXR2Kf1TZrixjoLHWk1vIGUK6AlmK6LNQ_EJMe3bk9irntADxSvscgrc31qX7CQoe7g/s1600/IMG_5796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMXvHkgsCfl94Hgnnw9ZKJeUbjMMPb_a446vjnV0TEJMxnotcn-dSN7LdHDa07Nz9ttYBkCWdkXR2Kf1TZrixjoLHWk1vIGUK6AlmK6LNQ_EJMe3bk9irntADxSvscgrc31qX7CQoe7g/s320/IMG_5796.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiki drinks and a garlic hummus pita bread plate at Psycho Suzi's... yum!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After eating dinner, I opened up the gifts I had received from my friends. The best part about these photos is watching Seth's expression. So priceless!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCC61CgUB13dHvLcDbVwAVA9_9ZC50bhJoskejl9DsuWZz-sAZSkG1Ug3cWjkW5J5oA7B-kei7RumpUIhtqqZ8H6qo4L4-u_9-6V8iSLFNC1hqXAC_HZyns9HPqWFufeeqoe3FGdpx0-4/s1600/IMG_5799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCC61CgUB13dHvLcDbVwAVA9_9ZC50bhJoskejl9DsuWZz-sAZSkG1Ug3cWjkW5J5oA7B-kei7RumpUIhtqqZ8H6qo4L4-u_9-6V8iSLFNC1hqXAC_HZyns9HPqWFufeeqoe3FGdpx0-4/s320/IMG_5799.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seth was mostly all smiles...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxTQ5dj6bg_XjLd5FNuIOoWAZ1Gubt4le9j9gJzpKbrEOkSIfDCwxuK3CSycXc9DZ2NnUe1TF4E0-SKl6Nq2nBcaJbuAFNbHptY77mqfbvrkeJcueIpuy-1LXF8Txy5NdnuP9XMgkDPE/s1600/IMG_5801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxTQ5dj6bg_XjLd5FNuIOoWAZ1Gubt4le9j9gJzpKbrEOkSIfDCwxuK3CSycXc9DZ2NnUe1TF4E0-SKl6Nq2nBcaJbuAFNbHptY77mqfbvrkeJcueIpuy-1LXF8Txy5NdnuP9XMgkDPE/s320/IMG_5801.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... but here he's wondering what I'm going to open next!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5CU7hexGAkExp-_UoC8RjtbMjq3aWzrmPjEQXjpCFD0Uwxa4u5TC8cZAkHxJ9JMeORxGdQioKSH1_Qzv-thA-ruq_knwniS4UZqt84OvqbDK7UbUOdmL3iF6LEdudNYS1WJXlxWbIt0/s1600/IMG_5802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5CU7hexGAkExp-_UoC8RjtbMjq3aWzrmPjEQXjpCFD0Uwxa4u5TC8cZAkHxJ9JMeORxGdQioKSH1_Qzv-thA-ruq_knwniS4UZqt84OvqbDK7UbUOdmL3iF6LEdudNYS1WJXlxWbIt0/s320/IMG_5802.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was obviously something funny written in the card!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44YplsGmcxFL5sji8RK15e2T3Vq61LWIg42y1aD9vGnVuiH1CUt6kXeLxzwUGfpZVZZNTJiRtZlolJF4zk9A96gI4D6xqFMTUakNLVWw3lZHhyRhf_TFbLfi1elchiB3JGGTofT9rkW0/s1600/IMG_5804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44YplsGmcxFL5sji8RK15e2T3Vq61LWIg42y1aD9vGnVuiH1CUt6kXeLxzwUGfpZVZZNTJiRtZlolJF4zk9A96gI4D6xqFMTUakNLVWw3lZHhyRhf_TFbLfi1elchiB3JGGTofT9rkW0/s320/IMG_5804.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll take edible gifts, too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0B6X5izglW-OIvEYMGetaA2Gjrdm7rXQyFhLTvXLwotG3UDgTKIwYBiWtSrGQ5Kl_c6GVxbJH9025hCM25iaLvOteOkwhEgo23rSS8P0mYD6geBc-q_cRI-uQATXzIBgAPvIAO6RPxg/s1600/IMG_5810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0B6X5izglW-OIvEYMGetaA2Gjrdm7rXQyFhLTvXLwotG3UDgTKIwYBiWtSrGQ5Kl_c6GVxbJH9025hCM25iaLvOteOkwhEgo23rSS8P0mYD6geBc-q_cRI-uQATXzIBgAPvIAO6RPxg/s320/IMG_5810.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know Seth is wondering what his girlfriend would look like wearing lingerie like that!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyytxaiBMlc3jMUUM1tZi7Jeiqs6e6-m7DKxjDN9J6xEetnaVXw1SF74qzb6w1tB1cu5p-VnXcjiTnjp4gK3Mj2mRtEaCzuRlLlYIE9mYU0jHy2wnXI-mMPJc0YjuNAciz6IuAAcRCNYk/s1600/IMG_5813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyytxaiBMlc3jMUUM1tZi7Jeiqs6e6-m7DKxjDN9J6xEetnaVXw1SF74qzb6w1tB1cu5p-VnXcjiTnjp4gK3Mj2mRtEaCzuRlLlYIE9mYU0jHy2wnXI-mMPJc0YjuNAciz6IuAAcRCNYk/s320/IMG_5813.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hadn't shown Seth the front of the thong my aunt gave me yet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We all had a great time at Psycho Suzi's. :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB94ubPk_jQr_3gXPLSqSUTu2-qcJaBdG0IniUAXk1R6b7ZI1MXPACXxsVnzUoY_A4UYxaj3xQUoaYuQRQvmhBPYmDfml9W9slsC70gFge-tjuYU65dTMdq-SByNRnfdLi4TBJqEAzjeY/s1600/IMG_5815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB94ubPk_jQr_3gXPLSqSUTu2-qcJaBdG0IniUAXk1R6b7ZI1MXPACXxsVnzUoY_A4UYxaj3xQUoaYuQRQvmhBPYmDfml9W9slsC70gFge-tjuYU65dTMdq-SByNRnfdLi4TBJqEAzjeY/s320/IMG_5815.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crew</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuO8h5oUUKcZaCa4z_plC5nrJjRuPUshRlzvn8rZyzbACwmTepbwNcFNoH9zcZ_t3Dbf_9F2ze8j5yYraq4zM1gTbV449m8OaUzAGA8rqPT3OXQQQrbqUiz67nEEfY8MPqPGBz4GNbYhA/s1600/IMG_5818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuO8h5oUUKcZaCa4z_plC5nrJjRuPUshRlzvn8rZyzbACwmTepbwNcFNoH9zcZ_t3Dbf_9F2ze8j5yYraq4zM1gTbV449m8OaUzAGA8rqPT3OXQQQrbqUiz67nEEfY8MPqPGBz4GNbYhA/s320/IMG_5818.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone left a little note about the night in the women's bathroom!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The second bar of the night was <a href="http://www.keeganspub.com/">Keegan's Pub</a>, just a short drive away from Psycho Suzi's. The following two stops were also close by, and Matt parked the van so we could walk.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_lgeQoQ_kTCpe2SO5d6erKgtTnbA07c3FRo8xJD5Y-bdJcW_Zm7zA8q49Ddx7dUJP3MDQA9PQ202blufHVXJsKACXED_EoqW7Z-CBQRZbhCWWaf7lg_ugPWs7h4dXoTucOP0yGTgKaY/s1600/IMG_5821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_lgeQoQ_kTCpe2SO5d6erKgtTnbA07c3FRo8xJD5Y-bdJcW_Zm7zA8q49Ddx7dUJP3MDQA9PQ202blufHVXJsKACXED_EoqW7Z-CBQRZbhCWWaf7lg_ugPWs7h4dXoTucOP0yGTgKaY/s320/IMG_5821.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdohoGlPywhGhD9ujdqgHN_B5oiesCXfyR8-9aGrZc57VERbA-rsCXjxeTLIeeM5BfB_H5j0aa1Yp5rNLwNVUBFPsY7Yi1o3SJMOX9tQTJdJLocEMKksJGT-kmWGHXsDFDOgNFpdbEgw/s1600/IMG_5822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdohoGlPywhGhD9ujdqgHN_B5oiesCXfyR8-9aGrZc57VERbA-rsCXjxeTLIeeM5BfB_H5j0aa1Yp5rNLwNVUBFPsY7Yi1o3SJMOX9tQTJdJLocEMKksJGT-kmWGHXsDFDOgNFpdbEgw/s320/IMG_5822.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachel, my aunt Mary (a.k.a. Old Auntie) and Seth wait for drinks at the outdoor patio</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZifS6ROI0CWqJhoRlogtypqwtOsnMLHx4pvvE-UoCWTxxuTkLi4tCIpxDGVSDYnbDecCm0bzommkJj8JPW6gjZsWa48TOiekybFvhcTc_d0Je_f6NXt_jIh3epA27OVT0SndvdvuiBgw/s1600/IMG_5823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZifS6ROI0CWqJhoRlogtypqwtOsnMLHx4pvvE-UoCWTxxuTkLi4tCIpxDGVSDYnbDecCm0bzommkJj8JPW6gjZsWa48TOiekybFvhcTc_d0Je_f6NXt_jIh3epA27OVT0SndvdvuiBgw/s320/IMG_5823.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the first time I tried a Baby Guinness... very tasty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCmX0ajKBAdfzZhkKkV9fpOUcO2ZhL-y11T5yPdpPymIifrdwpRuyoaQ0V08rmCQd-SUTcoJu3aU_e0XAbSWj8IQcIiZhss6WRUpGwJXhBziJkqmPbqwhLxJFK9ptiLx869-5sptLDQI/s1600/IMG_5824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCmX0ajKBAdfzZhkKkV9fpOUcO2ZhL-y11T5yPdpPymIifrdwpRuyoaQ0V08rmCQd-SUTcoJu3aU_e0XAbSWj8IQcIiZhss6WRUpGwJXhBziJkqmPbqwhLxJFK9ptiLx869-5sptLDQI/s320/IMG_5824.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtry-Awx6qdjTTs2xx9Dv8bkMxBCpkuURk2aekTExCB7qg-WM1Bp6Ja-1juUolXsovBxscMEI_xvBt32g5wxGcASM75MwFNayJlrDGUCsbCFa9Kx6sL5d64M8aqqbcMWV2YAG5LS5bHo/s1600/IMG_5825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtry-Awx6qdjTTs2xx9Dv8bkMxBCpkuURk2aekTExCB7qg-WM1Bp6Ja-1juUolXsovBxscMEI_xvBt32g5wxGcASM75MwFNayJlrDGUCsbCFa9Kx6sL5d64M8aqqbcMWV2YAG5LS5bHo/s320/IMG_5825.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horizontal fives, baby!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzuLXo-MXeOugf0gL6zx79rm2Th_zWGUpQGg7mjKK5ctyZk2I4dlVUAeYnfV0SBSg9eHgGHK7XJFMN_cygRSA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
From Keegan's, we walked over to what was everyone's favorite destination of the night: <a href="http://www.nyespolonaise.com/">Nye's Polonaise Room</a>. Everyone goes here for the atmosphere: retro, Polish-influenced, with an awesome piano bar and polka lounge, and dangerously strong martinis!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4aj2w4U0PQVtZSshGu1EH9ba2ffFmKjoafVIdslPI8BJV1hbT4aXIN_KqxXzy9pJfPEVI4sWlYHjU_rI-E9Y7oo1SlAuGNQ2USqBJ65p5hF3CVguSEdB6Pt2UTedcF0RWpKjAqr07Z70/s1600/IMG_5827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4aj2w4U0PQVtZSshGu1EH9ba2ffFmKjoafVIdslPI8BJV1hbT4aXIN_KqxXzy9pJfPEVI4sWlYHjU_rI-E9Y7oo1SlAuGNQ2USqBJ65p5hF3CVguSEdB6Pt2UTedcF0RWpKjAqr07Z70/s320/IMG_5827.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The list o' martinis!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbdcdkOkktHXDq57K7ynT0w2el8ZqZ8mgxx8Lsnb4h0uAhc4StSrBocIJvJh34kS5S5_pI94c9MqUUqlzPdqUjPqnNjeFtlgCEPgpkAnEbGqgKqfOF44nU1JuqzI-g0JRMkySupBTXHs/s1600/IMG_5829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbdcdkOkktHXDq57K7ynT0w2el8ZqZ8mgxx8Lsnb4h0uAhc4StSrBocIJvJh34kS5S5_pI94c9MqUUqlzPdqUjPqnNjeFtlgCEPgpkAnEbGqgKqfOF44nU1JuqzI-g0JRMkySupBTXHs/s320/IMG_5829.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The man of honor and bride... good friends indeed!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgte6uD2CrjmQCIb_XlDEjSVen0jgHOcB3uYK3eFJ0B5ze57vHAxukD9XNyuxUkCDlCpig-X9v1LVAvNcmGFzjmx7NS2gYQeZH_VB8iAbyR2hhpIMaEscZ8GFO2zQC0w_mi1TDPgdnSSI4/s1600/IMG_5830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgte6uD2CrjmQCIb_XlDEjSVen0jgHOcB3uYK3eFJ0B5ze57vHAxukD9XNyuxUkCDlCpig-X9v1LVAvNcmGFzjmx7NS2gYQeZH_VB8iAbyR2hhpIMaEscZ8GFO2zQC0w_mi1TDPgdnSSI4/s320/IMG_5830.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt and Roxy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXEmXsEMBAtmRNg6SKRBsqfDusjzgUNVB4SCFGMUYTIKjE1oAOuBl636OSuOfvAXHxQKbld92Gm6jwnXJrpitrMnxeV1iPLBJRJb9-mp8i0AXnbvg8SXyFi7JMtvUizXm9sKINOpj-To/s1600/IMG_5832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXEmXsEMBAtmRNg6SKRBsqfDusjzgUNVB4SCFGMUYTIKjE1oAOuBl636OSuOfvAXHxQKbld92Gm6jwnXJrpitrMnxeV1iPLBJRJb9-mp8i0AXnbvg8SXyFi7JMtvUizXm9sKINOpj-To/s320/IMG_5832.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laurie, Maggie, Emily and Erika</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_L78gvOY858IOvFr0CmOimWrUdnyCCU73caIGVtqK3sxrg5gIRnWGB-bRlg-FJxhuHapFeFKuvlUK4-uits-HQEP1RQq7RcyetlNsE7ZDiiissJ0e5YjItmPxn-tNYPl9pUcsoZuiec/s1600/IMG_5834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_L78gvOY858IOvFr0CmOimWrUdnyCCU73caIGVtqK3sxrg5gIRnWGB-bRlg-FJxhuHapFeFKuvlUK4-uits-HQEP1RQq7RcyetlNsE7ZDiiissJ0e5YjItmPxn-tNYPl9pUcsoZuiec/s320/IMG_5834.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I drank the Nordeaster Martini... very good and strong!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Several of us sang at the piano bar, once we had a little liquid courage in us. :) Matt's rendition of "Friends in Low Places" was awesome, as was Rachel's version of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." We made friends with the locals that were also singing at the bar, and thought the old guy wearing the Dick Tracy shirt was flirting with some of the single ladies in the group.<br />
<br />
I sang "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" from the musical <i>Oklahoma</i> (which Seth said was a highlight of his night), and a little Johnny Cash. Check out the YouTube video below (you can see the Dick Tracy guy at 1:00):<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hG9KapWkvi4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
From Nye's, we crossed the street and walked down the stairs to <a href="http://www.honeympls.com/">Honey,</a> a music lounge and bar.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpeFxgYNd-cNYoEGwAKgWK0O5KXsmP8qRedlepcdAJpMEuEvnB_GvJmQpEPbGDeMxQK8ahmErL6eJpwEimzMXTzz_Us4HiEEy1SxR5an8UohlFST94qf2Jc2bU69j6SwQ7y-OXMaWc9w/s1600/IMG_5841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpeFxgYNd-cNYoEGwAKgWK0O5KXsmP8qRedlepcdAJpMEuEvnB_GvJmQpEPbGDeMxQK8ahmErL6eJpwEimzMXTzz_Us4HiEEy1SxR5an8UohlFST94qf2Jc2bU69j6SwQ7y-OXMaWc9w/s320/IMG_5841.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Their drinks were good, too... and strong!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkdq-ykne-ve5SuVpiKhyrzE2GibhiT4Jh2hPJZCG5eY3RDO7inPhnFLCRzOLdwc3lWvnR1LLgLZQLF5ksgEtDql1d44kvBASKDWSb15cMNfjdwhMWfPBbihQkVQ3dpkMCexaE5OvSBA/s1600/IMG_5843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkdq-ykne-ve5SuVpiKhyrzE2GibhiT4Jh2hPJZCG5eY3RDO7inPhnFLCRzOLdwc3lWvnR1LLgLZQLF5ksgEtDql1d44kvBASKDWSb15cMNfjdwhMWfPBbihQkVQ3dpkMCexaE5OvSBA/s320/IMG_5843.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seth and Rachel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unfortunately, instead of the usual jazz music playing, there was an awful underground hip-hop artist performing. A few of us danced on the floor to try to get into the music, but it wasn't working. We didn't stay very long.<br />
<br />
Finally, we headed to the last stop of the night, <a href="http://donnydirks.com/">Donny Dirk's Zombie Den</a> in north Minneapolis. Yes, you read that right... Donny Dirk's is a zombie bar. The bartenders dress like Shaun of the Dead, drinks are zombie-themed, and zombie movies play on all the TVs in the bar.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2eqKni0Y2-qorsr8zo0RacK_Zil0M8QAJZgqc0TG3WGk_h5XMYdxyTo5cx7Snqi8MfQkdIJ1B-YtLF9D1nmkzoOREKNmXJLsQD-ddPC97JXlg-_hDtE4DNMCjh4svQEPDoy8tHQldwI/s1600/IMG_5846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2eqKni0Y2-qorsr8zo0RacK_Zil0M8QAJZgqc0TG3WGk_h5XMYdxyTo5cx7Snqi8MfQkdIJ1B-YtLF9D1nmkzoOREKNmXJLsQD-ddPC97JXlg-_hDtE4DNMCjh4svQEPDoy8tHQldwI/s320/IMG_5846.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bathrooms had black toilets. Awesome!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hlLXe68O5cq6VDwlmt8GYVvheeBKWywhwHeh9rDF99TsJk3cbzxROqMPy0f3ZIEcoAbjZymR1SmwDRjr7VcGHreFrUcBrqN1KcYeydeqYu_iam-tdO2v3V59SAEnM4INtT82kIOWNb8/s1600/IMG_5849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hlLXe68O5cq6VDwlmt8GYVvheeBKWywhwHeh9rDF99TsJk3cbzxROqMPy0f3ZIEcoAbjZymR1SmwDRjr7VcGHreFrUcBrqN1KcYeydeqYu_iam-tdO2v3V59SAEnM4INtT82kIOWNb8/s320/IMG_5849.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of the zombie bar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKifHdYk1zcB9opIpNBiQCmroZQoZtiteUn5cFmts_HphMHHnPnbxaChiDaJ77flA4DtKlLIrWwT2ClhauEeCP82O87IMhQOKADOzBos9vbwVkRtOWRyCk1m5QnjClkWBUYgvLydjufk/s1600/IMG_5856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKifHdYk1zcB9opIpNBiQCmroZQoZtiteUn5cFmts_HphMHHnPnbxaChiDaJ77flA4DtKlLIrWwT2ClhauEeCP82O87IMhQOKADOzBos9vbwVkRtOWRyCk1m5QnjClkWBUYgvLydjufk/s320/IMG_5856.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Auntie and Seth</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dgCCiBrgPPmCstJvJB3Utyn6IFxtnqgC2VYPIEIiQSFDpaOtDgqxLKx7kzunzZNnmi0wTmt3BU-0HGFdIU0zcmSWr0dlAzVp3C_p14zH5XF4V9Pq71P5bjepYzQnqel3AZtFL90IjsU/s1600/IMG_5858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dgCCiBrgPPmCstJvJB3Utyn6IFxtnqgC2VYPIEIiQSFDpaOtDgqxLKx7kzunzZNnmi0wTmt3BU-0HGFdIU0zcmSWr0dlAzVp3C_p14zH5XF4V9Pq71P5bjepYzQnqel3AZtFL90IjsU/s320/IMG_5858.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt successfully photobombed this one!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYV2KryJDU2vkV6tj0s3RYdNxKvLurCUogaYT17bjzVuyyaqHA1YBhHOQXPxj9mx7XhE3leClRl7-lnrIojg0AHrRrj7PdarRq5snxv7LKHT6SmcNr7ng_ZKOUmnrHAkImfqPG4AropM/s1600/IMG_5861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYV2KryJDU2vkV6tj0s3RYdNxKvLurCUogaYT17bjzVuyyaqHA1YBhHOQXPxj9mx7XhE3leClRl7-lnrIojg0AHrRrj7PdarRq5snxv7LKHT6SmcNr7ng_ZKOUmnrHAkImfqPG4AropM/s320/IMG_5861.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5MzT4SphgEsXMLStcynqVXTjUHsgrsb_HRagg3pgFzZhX7d34MWGJ17xOXZFErk2LZQyZEhL2ut5PlWYJhlguGzbfaApu3HSGtHjxpAeM14axOV2Zm3F9Egdbddq9f9nxCthVa1zwhw/s1600/IMG_5862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5MzT4SphgEsXMLStcynqVXTjUHsgrsb_HRagg3pgFzZhX7d34MWGJ17xOXZFErk2LZQyZEhL2ut5PlWYJhlguGzbfaApu3HSGtHjxpAeM14axOV2Zm3F9Egdbddq9f9nxCthVa1zwhw/s320/IMG_5862.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As one of Rachel's friends said, "We should be in show biz."</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfyTyUSSAGjCYo8yGwxy02D-kl8WysBRaIwfoJSSo6b9SCx8WWNcZgLrHJfloUwYrUtwNzgRi6atMx0YDm_rv9PF4BIHZM_a5uPionwENFuYaPQt9QNTlcK_lvfYM1H772-ls262RhBg/s1600/IMG_5863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfyTyUSSAGjCYo8yGwxy02D-kl8WysBRaIwfoJSSo6b9SCx8WWNcZgLrHJfloUwYrUtwNzgRi6atMx0YDm_rv9PF4BIHZM_a5uPionwENFuYaPQt9QNTlcK_lvfYM1H772-ls262RhBg/s320/IMG_5863.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Everyone tried their best sexy Alan Rickman look.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q115/edenza919/rickman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q115/edenza919/rickman.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The man himself. (<a href="http://www.sodahead.com/fun/does-alan-rickman-have-a-sexy-voice/question-200716/?link=ibaf&q=alan+rickman+sexy&imgurl=http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q115/edenza919/rickman.jpg">source</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Some were more successful than others.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCcwidwpLkRVCThlvnzJhwI9nH2hOPVjk6cRHHyltHslqdUF3Jn_6T1DDoOSlAQzXZ8XfkWMGjX0-xoCLTh2-3EtfAuUJo8ugQ9pM9NWVhr_l1g9Nn98UCYp3ceOKUqh2CBikv7cYQgo/s1600/IMG_5864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFCcwidwpLkRVCThlvnzJhwI9nH2hOPVjk6cRHHyltHslqdUF3Jn_6T1DDoOSlAQzXZ8XfkWMGjX0-xoCLTh2-3EtfAuUJo8ugQ9pM9NWVhr_l1g9Nn98UCYp3ceOKUqh2CBikv7cYQgo/s320/IMG_5864.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nickie and Roxy give it a go... not bad!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8K3lSCuVNPah52xNxbzR3K71vke7nWyvlnP3z4b4Onalfwr_sb7v00R-xjuHjCqyRLXIO9K_iYC3cK3eTd58Z8CPYq56ta9ovmIFjYn_Z036YSF10ARbX4KHmC8vEeXC0WheW1NHQTg/s1600/IMG_5866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8K3lSCuVNPah52xNxbzR3K71vke7nWyvlnP3z4b4Onalfwr_sb7v00R-xjuHjCqyRLXIO9K_iYC3cK3eTd58Z8CPYq56ta9ovmIFjYn_Z036YSF10ARbX4KHmC8vEeXC0WheW1NHQTg/s320/IMG_5866.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maggie's trying too hard not to laugh</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTFoagbErc98N5SN0NFitpFnoTeCyqWDn-bw-me9YSckcedsNAdx3naQY2foRwcDAoHlOH-v1TLzX5uzjr7Pp1gTg9wu87Dk3HLprnQ744ovoZGtb_kz33Xq1D7ekunaWGd_5OM-QCrM/s1600/IMG_5867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTFoagbErc98N5SN0NFitpFnoTeCyqWDn-bw-me9YSckcedsNAdx3naQY2foRwcDAoHlOH-v1TLzX5uzjr7Pp1gTg9wu87Dk3HLprnQ744ovoZGtb_kz33Xq1D7ekunaWGd_5OM-QCrM/s320/IMG_5867.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emily just looks good wearing The Hat!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirl3VPs8hQ13FtQToCMqr8RbuE7dYrbD7Nss2M54H-lYiANoxHkz10k2LGpgJQl2dYdFbaSvHxwuQKZM8shHykBuhi3gR2sO-Q8Ui_oqJN_thMg1TQyl6mrPVRJbQDsP2Z9MS9KFUdsf4/s1600/IMG_5869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirl3VPs8hQ13FtQToCMqr8RbuE7dYrbD7Nss2M54H-lYiANoxHkz10k2LGpgJQl2dYdFbaSvHxwuQKZM8shHykBuhi3gR2sO-Q8Ui_oqJN_thMg1TQyl6mrPVRJbQDsP2Z9MS9KFUdsf4/s320/IMG_5869.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Em looks like she's being interrogated</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9C0vyaloogd646yYpORGMo5UWWDHSGrU5C8ZIQ3bLlWYPQkl9A3dWx83TnL_2t0Qob5bHyWc6EUqBxKmZHQK8Za6r7CWFfgJidTumtweJ5gWMAV3vYfVOGjYuYG1ORmAVblwUlpyKOpk/s1600/IMG_5873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9C0vyaloogd646yYpORGMo5UWWDHSGrU5C8ZIQ3bLlWYPQkl9A3dWx83TnL_2t0Qob5bHyWc6EUqBxKmZHQK8Za6r7CWFfgJidTumtweJ5gWMAV3vYfVOGjYuYG1ORmAVblwUlpyKOpk/s320/IMG_5873.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seth has a decent rendition</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We also worked on mad libs, little pieces of paper where you fill in the blanks with nouns, adjectives, etc., resulting in hilarious and nonsensical sentences.<br />
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Here's a video:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/jqdGPcgyTtE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
Several of us crashed at Seth and Laurie's, including me. I did make an appearance at work the next day, but not until nearly 2:00 in the afternoon. <br />
<br />
I had one of the best nights of my life at my bachelorette party. I called it epic, a term often reserved for literary sagas and movie trilogies like <i>Lord of the Rings</i>. To me, it was epic. Several of my really good friends and one of my favorite aunts were there and we all had a fabulous time. It meant so much to me that they came to the party. So many fun memories were created that night, and will be reminisced upon for years to come.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-4759927880392118462011-08-28T23:26:00.000-07:002011-08-28T23:30:36.948-07:00Race Report: Twins Territory TC 4KFuture hubs and I ran the <a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/events/twins_territory_tc_4k/">Twins Territory TC 4K</a> on Sunday, August 7. Most people wouldn't register for such a short race, but <a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/">Twin Cities in Motion</a> puts out all the stops for this event. Your entry fee includes a ticket for a Twins game the weekend of the race (if you sign up after the cutoff date, however, you don't get a ticket and instead just pay for the race). You get a plain cotton race tee, but the finisher medal makes up for it! Plus, there's a delicious post-race food spread. The proceeds from this race benefit the <a href="http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/community/min_community_fund.jsp">Twins Community Fund</a>.<br />
<br />
Mark and I registered for the race after the cut-off date for purchasing the race entry fee with ticket since we already had tickets for the Twins vs. White Sox game that Sunday. We were excited for the race and for the day, especially because our game tickets were in the swanky Champions Club.<br />
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Future hubs and I arrived at the start area about 45 minutes before the race. I was decked out in a Twins t-shirt and the sparkly red running skirt I wore for the <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/07/race-report-red-white-boom-tc-half.html">Red, White & Boom TC Half Marathon</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFUGma5BHEBINsw75hgJw1EGnwzr8aJ72_fsTvDRQwTzDkFlz2UVgGQyEy67IxuctHWcAqRfqRFeq77JLqwzGgx0nwmhbUG0B-_K7PQUtvfnYaaFPnDEdj4uMIXak6_r-GFIrQX5X0Hg/s1600/IMG_5569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFUGma5BHEBINsw75hgJw1EGnwzr8aJ72_fsTvDRQwTzDkFlz2UVgGQyEy67IxuctHWcAqRfqRFeq77JLqwzGgx0nwmhbUG0B-_K7PQUtvfnYaaFPnDEdj4uMIXak6_r-GFIrQX5X0Hg/s320/IMG_5569.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We chatted with Luther and his friend for a while and also saw other Team Ortho people, like Kim and her son Atticus, and Mike S.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSZtXpxYsW2pAcofuyXBbKEzKDJH5EpNTEBLAWx1LJl9r1jZAxTsfYBpcy1X9kRl5aOUVxQgbi3NGdOru-qvkya0tEUFaZIBQ7JBHEooGuvlazBctQNPZdofP9LzmA4hg0TB_Jr8cAk8/s1600/IMG_5570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSZtXpxYsW2pAcofuyXBbKEzKDJH5EpNTEBLAWx1LJl9r1jZAxTsfYBpcy1X9kRl5aOUVxQgbi3NGdOru-qvkya0tEUFaZIBQ7JBHEooGuvlazBctQNPZdofP9LzmA4hg0TB_Jr8cAk8/s320/IMG_5570.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luther, a friend of his, me and Mark</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyvrmt4s6oGCkl_9adMF1R8KeGX0vYzBF45Qw2BlS9Za22cm2kkIEJpm9zddEhIv9OhCxAaOid9YhkX1DmmySPMBffKh1cMkXMoI5Eh2shcDDQv__III9fy7st0TKqk_fH0svkKVtqPo/s1600/IMG_5571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyvrmt4s6oGCkl_9adMF1R8KeGX0vYzBF45Qw2BlS9Za22cm2kkIEJpm9zddEhIv9OhCxAaOid9YhkX1DmmySPMBffKh1cMkXMoI5Eh2shcDDQv__III9fy7st0TKqk_fH0svkKVtqPo/s320/IMG_5571.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark plays with Atticus</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-SsWFXOhNDznVf1ibbmQW5WW2NKccrsl_bkojEe5qabUelN3jxMcPjUX_0mlQO96PXQUg93zW0_dMa6jIvmFaqeP_IbVOekG4vtWZ90SWE6pLdiELo64ocVvX5dL9sxD87cOqkkFFH8/s1600/IMG_5572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-SsWFXOhNDznVf1ibbmQW5WW2NKccrsl_bkojEe5qabUelN3jxMcPjUX_0mlQO96PXQUg93zW0_dMa6jIvmFaqeP_IbVOekG4vtWZ90SWE6pLdiELo64ocVvX5dL9sxD87cOqkkFFH8/s320/IMG_5572.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim and Atticus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I usually don't bring my camera with me when I'm running, but since this was a fun run, I decided to bring it. This race also provided the rare opportunity for me to run with future hubs. We hardly ever run together since our natural paces are different, but every once in a while, we run together.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECj4GdJPy9NyFANWLhmhpVkRnsVQ3sntbxAdXpcPkmz5MNqJvYX8W1iyVBmnGDiykZDXxfi9g2wkftZkFuU8F3bsqmP064X5MRuW_YF8f7GVaSItHDlZv3tA1mAwjilDmKcRe04WslsY/s1600/IMG_5573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECj4GdJPy9NyFANWLhmhpVkRnsVQ3sntbxAdXpcPkmz5MNqJvYX8W1iyVBmnGDiykZDXxfi9g2wkftZkFuU8F3bsqmP064X5MRuW_YF8f7GVaSItHDlZv3tA1mAwjilDmKcRe04WslsY/s320/IMG_5573.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Runners gather near the start</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The weather was surprisingly cooler than it had been for the whole summer, which all the runners and I appreciated. We've been getting very sick of the hot, sticky weather!<br />
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At 7:00 a.m., the race started. TC, the Twins mascot, was at the start line cheering on the runners.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkU0WuDo5xwPL3Ysp6U8ItIjfq1A7eypy__JGZAdQ0da00B9KAfbfLNcSj7EW_QIN3A1hPN9RmVp-VsIuCuBpvRae8tJRS2zQEldDGkah69CwtQ6-sKMlNA_C9VZrp5_46_cSZ1gsXj0/s1600/IMG_5574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkU0WuDo5xwPL3Ysp6U8ItIjfq1A7eypy__JGZAdQ0da00B9KAfbfLNcSj7EW_QIN3A1hPN9RmVp-VsIuCuBpvRae8tJRS2zQEldDGkah69CwtQ6-sKMlNA_C9VZrp5_46_cSZ1gsXj0/s320/IMG_5574.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The small start line</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJvTKivm6TEFPQ-KgfyH3qg9tL6oLLfzeAL2pu1ayIqrkuPg9Y2jfHE7oDKBxnzPhkbIOPxbW8k8_ceWilb4BhmuaGXf6Pxgs9KLth7Gp-S163OlTtjLVK6dT9uhXq0_-TE6z4Cgl0kw/s1600/IMG_5575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJvTKivm6TEFPQ-KgfyH3qg9tL6oLLfzeAL2pu1ayIqrkuPg9Y2jfHE7oDKBxnzPhkbIOPxbW8k8_ceWilb4BhmuaGXf6Pxgs9KLth7Gp-S163OlTtjLVK6dT9uhXq0_-TE6z4Cgl0kw/s320/IMG_5575.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TC peeks his head out over the crowd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mark and I found an easy pace right away. I enjoyed the slower pace and running next to my handsome fiance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WCNww8ZlX4Wltl6J0SpVCOd_PLiAdHEnn2RY7nmQUZgr4QTCi-g0OP2AhEUEUj3mm7BW-KcKVvP4dWm5wuEYLAXxnb_eqX4wBmTuarP2PBv9kgjXvaw4OuAR-ugVLy7D8SemJOnbeIo/s1600/IMG_5577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WCNww8ZlX4Wltl6J0SpVCOd_PLiAdHEnn2RY7nmQUZgr4QTCi-g0OP2AhEUEUj3mm7BW-KcKVvP4dWm5wuEYLAXxnb_eqX4wBmTuarP2PBv9kgjXvaw4OuAR-ugVLy7D8SemJOnbeIo/s320/IMG_5577.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The iconic blue <a href="http://www.guthrietheater.org/">Guthrie Theater</a> is just ahead of us</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3sFQ1k960qAOc61aDSiDCLwHr-gB2rwn37-IfnAMTMY_1jocsd3Wr0rXRtDwgh2gdEhBv57us96Uji6AhjOliInZ6CNlUk_2WB0Y0RralgK88wpXZkRqMzJo_jYtIGAem8cRAiyxnvA/s1600/IMG_5578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3sFQ1k960qAOc61aDSiDCLwHr-gB2rwn37-IfnAMTMY_1jocsd3Wr0rXRtDwgh2gdEhBv57us96Uji6AhjOliInZ6CNlUk_2WB0Y0RralgK88wpXZkRqMzJo_jYtIGAem8cRAiyxnvA/s320/IMG_5578.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passing by the <a href="http://www.millcitymuseum.org/">Mill City Museum</a>... always a fun place to tour</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaaosrp7aAEJmiksLY4mIfAHXW0X-W503E74fK4ZTzl-9UlNktl3R1mQC1b6YiJrFWXbZjDU5OTtm1Uxoy07QQcWcO09NMY1AjToqnVXhWA7-Hl91YWJ9d_vzV2ByQBUQOFJQjctTusU/s1600/IMG_5579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBaaosrp7aAEJmiksLY4mIfAHXW0X-W503E74fK4ZTzl-9UlNktl3R1mQC1b6YiJrFWXbZjDU5OTtm1Uxoy07QQcWcO09NMY1AjToqnVXhWA7-Hl91YWJ9d_vzV2ByQBUQOFJQjctTusU/s320/IMG_5579.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every kilometer was marked by a "base"... how clever!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0cAbOyH3xyqL8msL7BntDQvLO-ccQAnXyq9ILrrlz3a9MA69F2vGHQM0ow42lKryOcdOjF5N6scy2jcacw1cpnJ4cOcY-CFTVTctbkwu5hXRBbeDAhxZ4W6Iu-00DprvlYRjry8u3hs/s1600/IMG_5580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0cAbOyH3xyqL8msL7BntDQvLO-ccQAnXyq9ILrrlz3a9MA69F2vGHQM0ow42lKryOcdOjF5N6scy2jcacw1cpnJ4cOcY-CFTVTctbkwu5hXRBbeDAhxZ4W6Iu-00DprvlYRjry8u3hs/s320/IMG_5580.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark ran the race in his Vibrams... you can see his right foot in this photo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPK-Iz5-Sj0nNUY-zGA8cpqyuVx__DoQLniQGyr6E7u3YALS3R1pmRp-4ffk7iXp-_vxaEIfzCzBLLS5zJDtAR-3ehZdjL16i8FVfzMkT-DmWBVNfjAKdCjE6JDw9GdI8w_dSlc_AbrLg/s1600/IMG_5581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPK-Iz5-Sj0nNUY-zGA8cpqyuVx__DoQLniQGyr6E7u3YALS3R1pmRp-4ffk7iXp-_vxaEIfzCzBLLS5zJDtAR-3ehZdjL16i8FVfzMkT-DmWBVNfjAKdCjE6JDw9GdI8w_dSlc_AbrLg/s320/IMG_5581.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading towards the North Loop neighborhood</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGVpN4PTz5F6nJj_kG9jTCVYQDgozrtFdCB0tV_9Gr6Y0fIzXQhVBs9Kt4vnxGmEpNquwsRIMNLw130eu5qqS3HFJTcImQooy0BdiFz5_S6IJ7Op686c9pXPnk2rl9xfyEdwdgGhUCWk/s1600/IMG_5582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGVpN4PTz5F6nJj_kG9jTCVYQDgozrtFdCB0tV_9Gr6Y0fIzXQhVBs9Kt4vnxGmEpNquwsRIMNLw130eu5qqS3HFJTcImQooy0BdiFz5_S6IJ7Op686c9pXPnk2rl9xfyEdwdgGhUCWk/s320/IMG_5582.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Target Field is just off to the left</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFKvlkqCHKzysMuHsryu5zveCDCO-DgBb-dstxdRXFbfpNaIK3iGWeRA73bpOOewEkXgZU7bc3-4aZQoinO3NXm-Mdz4wipehYlBjJ7lrKuqY0dKcSzYRs3tNwaxXS0jygu6IpflWC9w/s1600/IMG_5583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFKvlkqCHKzysMuHsryu5zveCDCO-DgBb-dstxdRXFbfpNaIK3iGWeRA73bpOOewEkXgZU7bc3-4aZQoinO3NXm-Mdz4wipehYlBjJ7lrKuqY0dKcSzYRs3tNwaxXS0jygu6IpflWC9w/s320/IMG_5583.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one kilometer to go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBO6b7Ms_ztlBLVWDJcrXKReN9vmVQusDezotk6Y-2vj5Ehi1RglNfitMVs3Nn5GRBYiQUo5jdgSk7et15lHm1w07w_pkTUeGJbRGyVmRbeQwwH2FtN77nvNUTexYkgyvhU_sFj0Ly0V8/s1600/IMG_5584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBO6b7Ms_ztlBLVWDJcrXKReN9vmVQusDezotk6Y-2vj5Ehi1RglNfitMVs3Nn5GRBYiQUo5jdgSk7et15lHm1w07w_pkTUeGJbRGyVmRbeQwwH2FtN77nvNUTexYkgyvhU_sFj0Ly0V8/s320/IMG_5584.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearing the finish at Target Field</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Future hubs' goal this year was to run the entire race without slowing down to walk. I checked in with him often to see how he was doing, and he never wavered. He ran such a great race, and I'm glad I was there with him every step of the way.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTnqmhdstlh7XO5rdxJQnZUXGGhVT59Z3IYxUUGCq1v1cVwKtV34e24irtRpIMm2pi6Ga_6NQW1XC7hy10JNVyixXQ9lk2ok-0ubS4IWjoBeeAG48R92DyZyFKZOciwQb-En3cSqD2B4/s1600/IMG_5585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcTnqmhdstlh7XO5rdxJQnZUXGGhVT59Z3IYxUUGCq1v1cVwKtV34e24irtRpIMm2pi6Ga_6NQW1XC7hy10JNVyixXQ9lk2ok-0ubS4IWjoBeeAG48R92DyZyFKZOciwQb-En3cSqD2B4/s320/IMG_5585.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Target Field</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqguH4dYYjaU4tIxxOibVf7NHzyhL4LLBMV0f94tkVNOcd-ZGHium-9OODzyJJMCgX4JM7JatO3W241WGyCCGDgmkDRmvMdW0BrSydD-E_LhmtW9sBLEaLPM-C7oHoFJj_SXlZFbT_mk/s1600/IMG_5586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqguH4dYYjaU4tIxxOibVf7NHzyhL4LLBMV0f94tkVNOcd-ZGHium-9OODzyJJMCgX4JM7JatO3W241WGyCCGDgmkDRmvMdW0BrSydD-E_LhmtW9sBLEaLPM-C7oHoFJj_SXlZFbT_mk/s320/IMG_5586.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mascot TC high-fives participants just before they cross the finish line</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mark and I finished hand-in-hand with smiles on our faces. :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoe6ZuO-rUxBio5W90K014Ixt6Vo37B_Ub0OTWD17x_fEVwAD8qvu23ZuWlLbR2nS0VBV3pvh05fLW083xvYb8rsI-21FCuGjap8Zn7cCHO5MtaWbqeipO_foInfoBcvNtpqtrzz1mNw/s1600/IMG_5587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoe6ZuO-rUxBio5W90K014Ixt6Vo37B_Ub0OTWD17x_fEVwAD8qvu23ZuWlLbR2nS0VBV3pvh05fLW083xvYb8rsI-21FCuGjap8Zn7cCHO5MtaWbqeipO_foInfoBcvNtpqtrzz1mNw/s320/IMG_5587.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Other Twin Cities in Motion mascots (Harry the hare and Shelly the tortoise) greet runners at the finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwVtR5QBopdbeqfRjjh1Ulwa89NgotZMcwZau3DA3KCB_ofMptMaJGJ2xArkyU9irxHymUOhP6z2dnacmQNX-OCkBXleuX-ubAZFbmOqoroGIHgUlTGVVu72aA0RiXy6-uXjhXzvbUPQ/s1600/IMG_5588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwVtR5QBopdbeqfRjjh1Ulwa89NgotZMcwZau3DA3KCB_ofMptMaJGJ2xArkyU9irxHymUOhP6z2dnacmQNX-OCkBXleuX-ubAZFbmOqoroGIHgUlTGVVu72aA0RiXy6-uXjhXzvbUPQ/s320/IMG_5588.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Runners head towards the post-race food spread and receive their finisher medals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I forgot to stop my Garmin right after the race, so I'm not exactly sure what our real finish time was. Mark said he thought we finished the race in 24 minutes. That sounds about right.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHDG7_xbiL_uy2_Ea1qnsrt4G-W4hfYtfhJm_8zhXpjdG6rkPUML3Q4zbVItHy-SYIpHVxcXlyVsColoq6xnJw86oz3JqzU_BsvHBocjai_ETrDecbttQLmdj1HhQqZm_pypvaHf1aSc/s1600/IMG_5590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHDG7_xbiL_uy2_Ea1qnsrt4G-W4hfYtfhJm_8zhXpjdG6rkPUML3Q4zbVItHy-SYIpHVxcXlyVsColoq6xnJw86oz3JqzU_BsvHBocjai_ETrDecbttQLmdj1HhQqZm_pypvaHf1aSc/s320/IMG_5590.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Future hubs and I get our photo taken in the glove</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7a7GSbzoTrqjqWshFBIKB8hFmocDRqn5aO-A1e9dnoD0cJdJOrPAmPM2wGW9SvvRWaXxpvRsTk-WhLKoaPrSMjnpY0VjufXat8UljUBe2RhrvYDzGpEAlMf132v9AMJm2ayHV5WXMl5E/s1600/IMG_5591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7a7GSbzoTrqjqWshFBIKB8hFmocDRqn5aO-A1e9dnoD0cJdJOrPAmPM2wGW9SvvRWaXxpvRsTk-WhLKoaPrSMjnpY0VjufXat8UljUBe2RhrvYDzGpEAlMf132v9AMJm2ayHV5WXMl5E/s320/IMG_5591.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Other runners got their photos snapped with Target Field in the background</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfLRICo-UYI3_hsngYmzROz23px0-m6irOvA1bi6gooH95EvQM2iv-UFUcYRyOZn6fGoyMkfKoGNuREcA621xltPd7Nmbesl_KFoAuWvoCswN83Y-97Y4_O4zOj8mtcCtr2INGssfahg/s1600/IMG_5592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfLRICo-UYI3_hsngYmzROz23px0-m6irOvA1bi6gooH95EvQM2iv-UFUcYRyOZn6fGoyMkfKoGNuREcA621xltPd7Nmbesl_KFoAuWvoCswN83Y-97Y4_O4zOj8mtcCtr2INGssfahg/s320/IMG_5592.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the statues around the plaza</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMd4Hv5hyphenhyphenv5Z99V57RPhYY6H5_f_M8chu1bYLX23w79P7yJ-l_wZA7-pciWWx4Enc-BYJr9gCOohqeQBRlcD-jrpikr7PIFsnawlUSdjKjRyipmcVH067V4J1MnCB0dOOh06zjeLFQl2o/s1600/IMG_5593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMd4Hv5hyphenhyphenv5Z99V57RPhYY6H5_f_M8chu1bYLX23w79P7yJ-l_wZA7-pciWWx4Enc-BYJr9gCOohqeQBRlcD-jrpikr7PIFsnawlUSdjKjRyipmcVH067V4J1MnCB0dOOh06zjeLFQl2o/s320/IMG_5593.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One kind runner even gave <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Hartman">Sid Hartman</a> (the "voice" of Twins baseball for many years) a medal</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbt-3w_gd6JQvgWl508zRjhhOonBNaK41xIBJ5CsRJwxXwafOud65XZQdPJkeVpoKbN2yk_3GabZb7u43wgJgkW3SG1bRfczZZ_88sk4r2vtNITaXEThQj8emLvmjDdPt5IZv4sepmWA/s320/IMG_5594.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The swag: t-shirt, bib number, awesome medal, and some of the post-race snacks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mark and I had a great time at the race this year and plan on doing it again next year. We also had a great time at the Twins game. We were so spoiled sitting in the Champions Club... I'm glad my boss is so generous (we got those tickets for free!). :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynxWb-k4GhDxA2XKMpMSIckuqBwh3GAK1fypyqFYg_NKqflHqz-Ix2hj3681fYwLnNI_yncD6iE5AJUWGZQuLzTlRofe7kMhIneeTiqvQByJxH2BVjSVYiou6VR_hMBG2Ik9wJKj7Gp4/s1600/IMG_5598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynxWb-k4GhDxA2XKMpMSIckuqBwh3GAK1fypyqFYg_NKqflHqz-Ix2hj3681fYwLnNI_yncD6iE5AJUWGZQuLzTlRofe7kMhIneeTiqvQByJxH2BVjSVYiou6VR_hMBG2Ik9wJKj7Gp4/s320/IMG_5598.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a valet parked Mark's Ford Taurus, we walked into a private entrance featuring a swanky club with fireplaces</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6M69tJ4JHi1T2qrngX6nBJreDCFynCTw6Amt_tMfmI-1W4lZJPKKdaS3NAW9UpfvfsiYRIgtkfgCGnOh7BTAOaTxJuetQXjcI18PXdG_DnfRGlpbycSvXnLe8hesT-z6j0bXz02DEdI/s1600/IMG_5599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6M69tJ4JHi1T2qrngX6nBJreDCFynCTw6Amt_tMfmI-1W4lZJPKKdaS3NAW9UpfvfsiYRIgtkfgCGnOh7BTAOaTxJuetQXjcI18PXdG_DnfRGlpbycSvXnLe8hesT-z6j0bXz02DEdI/s320/IMG_5599.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champions Club ticket holders enjoyed a buffet meal with free house beer or wine. Yum!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tSCb9dei6_lf68kyut0QDvwaVoTY0CJx1obyMzKlVniTEtMfrZn7NBA0oOsIEpBxeV4ik0Pq58kTkikxincFRajZGgzoBbjHunK1aUO6-9CFtEStkMwHiP3YDWx8odQpSK3vc3YMWWo/s1600/IMG_5603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tSCb9dei6_lf68kyut0QDvwaVoTY0CJx1obyMzKlVniTEtMfrZn7NBA0oOsIEpBxeV4ik0Pq58kTkikxincFRajZGgzoBbjHunK1aUO6-9CFtEStkMwHiP3YDWx8odQpSK3vc3YMWWo/s320/IMG_5603.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark and I in our cushioned seats</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNP6tZsDTbvMaPBoFwq1miqHgxDZ7sV6A18-4Bxnlwka8sTJYMTDEsCrqWqAWCVRi0DTuqfxFdLTQPkbPcjP43nZKNXJM4-vGMBd0ji8UN32QUEF_NjlI6ztJIctqJKL8q_VzwFxgTEI/s1600/IMG_5607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNP6tZsDTbvMaPBoFwq1miqHgxDZ7sV6A18-4Bxnlwka8sTJYMTDEsCrqWqAWCVRi0DTuqfxFdLTQPkbPcjP43nZKNXJM4-vGMBd0ji8UN32QUEF_NjlI6ztJIctqJKL8q_VzwFxgTEI/s320/IMG_5607.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were *this close* to the action!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfF8OyVIBg7YC57Kol5wAm0VCR2YMp5KIC5TZXMxIr3iFapL_R4CVCERl9T1ZnxR_nyu9SfG9hQ6lAWynahcwtt7U_BuORY_8Y1yce13PLvXvb5lqPmwdjJezTwEJduuar4aAcCgM4nE/s1600/IMG_5609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfF8OyVIBg7YC57Kol5wAm0VCR2YMp5KIC5TZXMxIr3iFapL_R4CVCERl9T1ZnxR_nyu9SfG9hQ6lAWynahcwtt7U_BuORY_8Y1yce13PLvXvb5lqPmwdjJezTwEJduuar4aAcCgM4nE/s320/IMG_5609.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took advantage of the soft serve ice cream later on in the game...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoY3o4zTjlqZDWqrUfAfUosCqbALvdUDaFQ7VKwOyGb7zJjG0WlKp0yGyJvh6MePxWnW5uIy6tLQAYPJc26Qey80XRubuIIBj3AGkACfVb8cbBZyphmrickSdb1-ecBIokPtHUaRqI7oE/s1600/IMG_5610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoY3o4zTjlqZDWqrUfAfUosCqbALvdUDaFQ7VKwOyGb7zJjG0WlKp0yGyJvh6MePxWnW5uIy6tLQAYPJc26Qey80XRubuIIBj3AGkACfVb8cbBZyphmrickSdb1-ecBIokPtHUaRqI7oE/s320/IMG_5610.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... along with all the toppings!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2WKugEyAxSdJyO9fJNDZcX335yxe8HFrcsCBa42T0pQx2d3m8DeccbTgH5Dia976eoPDOzN0N1DhOCJzOZuPN6oRjYeIypuNa0tgRMnJ2kqIAOgrgHpHPG6PzO0IfebufWPu08lAiT0/s1600/IMG_5611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2WKugEyAxSdJyO9fJNDZcX335yxe8HFrcsCBa42T0pQx2d3m8DeccbTgH5Dia976eoPDOzN0N1DhOCJzOZuPN6oRjYeIypuNa0tgRMnJ2kqIAOgrgHpHPG6PzO0IfebufWPu08lAiT0/s320/IMG_5611.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful day for a baseball game!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqlnvCEIleW9LVg2ARQexGuKGuT0JTtyTTFyb2wGUFIL7EC16fFgT58afhIM-o_sE7gHJZZbQySUsALUeTyP00wgs9SjthQIgrbWxdc2GiZVxgw2lhpUQOj_ScYRjujsi2LBV0fQ1yXQ/s1600/IMG_5613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqlnvCEIleW9LVg2ARQexGuKGuT0JTtyTTFyb2wGUFIL7EC16fFgT58afhIM-o_sE7gHJZZbQySUsALUeTyP00wgs9SjthQIgrbWxdc2GiZVxgw2lhpUQOj_ScYRjujsi2LBV0fQ1yXQ/s320/IMG_5613.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twins dugout</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbRMZKeSIlW5pac5z_Ei_nxv3oj23AhIf9lMxB5UKnpWfpZpfo8jOa6evYGvnyCSFlDbTpRifgMNxo0ts1S4L1Q5G5CE0aj5d1SOtwsjZJidv7RWrJ7qRouWDdJiwytjWgemVwJiv7as/s1600/IMG_5615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbRMZKeSIlW5pac5z_Ei_nxv3oj23AhIf9lMxB5UKnpWfpZpfo8jOa6evYGvnyCSFlDbTpRifgMNxo0ts1S4L1Q5G5CE0aj5d1SOtwsjZJidv7RWrJ7qRouWDdJiwytjWgemVwJiv7as/s320/IMG_5615.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got my photo taken with TC!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPvbDpN0yE4lGLwr_nWyPZMvb3GwZ6mJjhts4PWmZosflFnGEdAuhSAP0G5gSHtu0p9Zm_l8rnI3-u05_A3Oj1RdeGlIdiUnvsrjvN4wo2roBXdWRIXGpShwWFgVaxVISDeEsztZ7x84/s1600/IMG_5618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPvbDpN0yE4lGLwr_nWyPZMvb3GwZ6mJjhts4PWmZosflFnGEdAuhSAP0G5gSHtu0p9Zm_l8rnI3-u05_A3Oj1RdeGlIdiUnvsrjvN4wo2roBXdWRIXGpShwWFgVaxVISDeEsztZ7x84/s320/IMG_5618.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah... we had great seats!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-uO8j9502srJuytBcr1OwlVbffqHT7fzX7PnCD1QIeUq_kxIz-mjpuy-kZwvDB7ZLg2DeSIfGXWxUI1HR7B23b-bCkRazVq_QcME1ztNDVKndpjvneKaUc2mFPaYSiHxDs6CNzjm7QE/s1600/IMG_5619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-uO8j9502srJuytBcr1OwlVbffqHT7fzX7PnCD1QIeUq_kxIz-mjpuy-kZwvDB7ZLg2DeSIfGXWxUI1HR7B23b-bCkRazVq_QcME1ztNDVKndpjvneKaUc2mFPaYSiHxDs6CNzjm7QE/s320/IMG_5619.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhjnNxtTLRSblYYaS2piNpDSQqNs4mCQVA7JRPLPoo5bj1hBnytMuavLqYOhJ3z_SJbsqnqJHeA05EhOKT5HGqizQgPEN_wpdohaz60pkKC7YGQNnJbY_D1rrYEIWUZecqP74Q6EECGc/s1600/IMG_5627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhjnNxtTLRSblYYaS2piNpDSQqNs4mCQVA7JRPLPoo5bj1hBnytMuavLqYOhJ3z_SJbsqnqJHeA05EhOKT5HGqizQgPEN_wpdohaz60pkKC7YGQNnJbY_D1rrYEIWUZecqP74Q6EECGc/s320/IMG_5627.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBkBrc5SqA9i4EjX5cfRENGsbG-evoEdmLseSyNk8-dbFW8JMTNB03oM3wrGoUWL8DtSQwkm6eZ0i-6ZIoBEYwWCLEifaz7pLbnSwFlCGI3tpxOuTE_8Ajuf7V08XT821Ko3Tq4_YFWM/s1600/IMG_5628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBkBrc5SqA9i4EjX5cfRENGsbG-evoEdmLseSyNk8-dbFW8JMTNB03oM3wrGoUWL8DtSQwkm6eZ0i-6ZIoBEYwWCLEifaz7pLbnSwFlCGI3tpxOuTE_8Ajuf7V08XT821Ko3Tq4_YFWM/s320/IMG_5628.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
What a fun day! The Twins lost, but we had a great time. We loved being completely spoiled for the afternoon, and it was a nice break from wedding preparations and packing for the move into the new condo.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-18358867098600251692011-08-26T08:00:00.000-07:002011-08-26T08:00:48.610-07:00Race Report: Ragnar Relay - Great River (Part 3)For Part 1, click <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/08/race-report-ragnar-relay-great-river.html">HERE</a>.<br />
For Part 2, click <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/08/race-report-ragnar-relay-great-river_24.html">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
I felt so much better after taking a shower at Stillwater Junior High School. I tried to get a little sleep in the van after that, but to no avail. At least I was able to "rest my eyes" in a way.<br />
<br />
Around 8:00 a.m. Saturday, we headed towards Exchange 30, located at Tartan Park outside Lake Elmo, MN. Volunteers at the park were serving a pancake breakfast, but I knew that I'd be running soon, so I didn't eat anything. I had eaten something (half a bagel with peanut butter and some fruit) before taking a shower.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0HQRH27PoOwzv56AgMy5t06Odry3zy32topXPrLb_usOyaR6jvXaaC7vrJyE1rXR-s9MOQHJMtOPD4qg2qcxL5MYoLIjwMslDhktny3TSvBQqB_PER1hXIjtgV6qgZfw0WiKt4oHFwg/s1600/IMG_5696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0HQRH27PoOwzv56AgMy5t06Odry3zy32topXPrLb_usOyaR6jvXaaC7vrJyE1rXR-s9MOQHJMtOPD4qg2qcxL5MYoLIjwMslDhktny3TSvBQqB_PER1hXIjtgV6qgZfw0WiKt4oHFwg/s320/IMG_5696.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So true!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQxXNx09blByirAcU_lnCnms0GTKcMi47UNIO037m8yO6DgGbtBf5yqv8cZZXCyxYucjppRZ9uLBEci1_SSEa1gquSo3CMHz6btcfhgtSh7Kti-UDzOjfUd4kDjY0C8Z8jN1ngUGYcxI/s1600/IMG_5697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQxXNx09blByirAcU_lnCnms0GTKcMi47UNIO037m8yO6DgGbtBf5yqv8cZZXCyxYucjppRZ9uLBEci1_SSEa1gquSo3CMHz6btcfhgtSh7Kti-UDzOjfUd4kDjY0C8Z8jN1ngUGYcxI/s320/IMG_5697.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKB40yaJiSdftlo-HHD46xd9bXUg-VuB93I7gPHUUXuYyokGh-rFdLNkoXjfpNdMrqeTyRs66Jd-x8io2JA_HZd80aFtelbV7uNDIzoYG5p2sbiEUeApusra0-s09Ne3dYaJWqjVMvTgg/s1600/IMG_5698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKB40yaJiSdftlo-HHD46xd9bXUg-VuB93I7gPHUUXuYyokGh-rFdLNkoXjfpNdMrqeTyRs66Jd-x8io2JA_HZd80aFtelbV7uNDIzoYG5p2sbiEUeApusra0-s09Ne3dYaJWqjVMvTgg/s320/IMG_5698.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This awesome volunteer played the bagpipes for us at Tartan Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>About 10 minutes before 9:00, Jack got a call from team captain Mark stating that Gregg only had about 10 minutes left of his last leg. They gained another half-hour of time due to the cool weather, so our team at this point was an hour ahead of our original projected finish time. I headed to the exchange chute and waited for him to show up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSircjLyr5s7tSrjipfSOdRGg8fuuuVubH2roaeuhyl5OX7oUp-SUQtmhdU_k0PHu8T4T0H7KbTY5aO6uyz4KW8Q9z0RUSdKo7UKsNe0sc-GfP92KAPqlx-3PEKsFt12EGKfRMMjvOKZ8/s1600/IMG_5701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSircjLyr5s7tSrjipfSOdRGg8fuuuVubH2roaeuhyl5OX7oUp-SUQtmhdU_k0PHu8T4T0H7KbTY5aO6uyz4KW8Q9z0RUSdKo7UKsNe0sc-GfP92KAPqlx-3PEKsFt12EGKfRMMjvOKZ8/s320/IMG_5701.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheering Gregg on</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2t8JPzt3hMyGjc-RlVN-gQ58HduwlG9egU3rw14BkrJCOrwQialLdB2BwSm1cjkhi_KFHG9CDJ2HkxMboA_kCQ2ey3kS0PwDJEGFFBANl9WamTuRawHvxYxiBQBgYkbJYocR_nLdxn4/s1600/IMG_5702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2t8JPzt3hMyGjc-RlVN-gQ58HduwlG9egU3rw14BkrJCOrwQialLdB2BwSm1cjkhi_KFHG9CDJ2HkxMboA_kCQ2ey3kS0PwDJEGFFBANl9WamTuRawHvxYxiBQBgYkbJYocR_nLdxn4/s320/IMG_5702.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The handoff</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The morning was nice and cool and I found a nice pace right away, but the sun was shining and I knew it would warm up quickly. At 6.5 miles (The Red Dragon actually measured a <i>longer</i> distance), it was my longest leg of the relay.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 1 - 8:22</b><br />
<br />
I thought I kept hearing <i>gunshots</i>. Turns out, I was running along the southern outskirts of the <a href="https://www.oakdalegunclub.org/">Oakdale Gun Club</a>. I hope Ragnar staff change the course next year because that was scary!<br />
<br />
The sun burned the clouds away and the temperature was getting warmer.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 2 - 8:41</b><br />
<br />
I encountered a hill between miles 2 and 3. It wasn't nearly as steep as the one during my first leg, but I was so mentally and physically drained by this point in the relay, due to no sleep and having run twice already, that I walked more than I wanted to.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 3 - 10:00</b><br />
<br />
After that hill, I just couldn't keep up the pace that I wanted. I took more walk breaks than I usually do. I also regretted my decision to fill my <a href="http://www.rei.com/product/782104/nathan-sprint-handheld-flask">Nathan sprint hand-held</a> with Gatorade instead of water. It wasn't sitting well in my stomach.<br />
<br />
By now, the course was more familiar to me, as I had finally reached the portion of it that was the same as last year. An additional 3.2 miles were added on to this leg of the relay.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 4 - 9:02</b><br />
<br />
I saw more vans and teams along the course and they cheered me on as I ran by. This encouragement really helped because I was feeling disappointed that I wasn't running faster.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 5 - 9:52</b><br />
<br />
There were no photos taken of me during this leg of the relay, which I was thankful for. I was tired, I felt like I wasn't running well, and I'm sure my running form was suffering too due to the fatigue.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 6 - 10:11</b><br />
<br />
The next exchange point couldn't come soon enough for me. I tried to kick it into a higher gear for this last part and it seemed to work.<br />
<br />
<b>Last .67 miles</b> (according to The Red Dragon) <b>- 8:21 pace</b><br />
<br />
Whew! I was finally done running. 17 miles over the course of three legs! Completing this distance will, I believe, give me some confidence as I train for my first marathon next year.<br />
<br />
On to the rest of the team! Everyone in my van seemed to handle the increasing heat better than I did.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrqxIQePRRi7ckZ_uLiRyqsJkgd1dBBVGMW9oQ3Ucm2XFogH9THePdAT95ipgXAK9Nu2Ur6814D1E4DR29AsfbMtttoYjoKDAcKKcWmUTpVTSm_IQ5VKk9IynZbv-6nnpQM33aZF2mpA/s1600/IMG_5703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrqxIQePRRi7ckZ_uLiRyqsJkgd1dBBVGMW9oQ3Ucm2XFogH9THePdAT95ipgXAK9Nu2Ur6814D1E4DR29AsfbMtttoYjoKDAcKKcWmUTpVTSm_IQ5VKk9IynZbv-6nnpQM33aZF2mpA/s320/IMG_5703.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim, who ran a total of 20 miles, is still looking strong</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbYSaukYUujGUL1Y5Mq1BAtPdYga3rU9Y1atoa7sZsZ6eP4Pmoj7f7an2OD5WE8eo426hYbGRelHPGp2-jjZsKankbzMqQHm5dglmeFcADU8JaRxde_iKt0OpyNlY8b1naJh1f5zwdbw/s1600/IMG_5704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbYSaukYUujGUL1Y5Mq1BAtPdYga3rU9Y1atoa7sZsZ6eP4Pmoj7f7an2OD5WE8eo426hYbGRelHPGp2-jjZsKankbzMqQHm5dglmeFcADU8JaRxde_iKt0OpyNlY8b1naJh1f5zwdbw/s320/IMG_5704.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaH0x_qrc1ct_2Yimh6Nbt08IdmzbeUeVMJPkDzVSegLplCjfWZDssBWwwM85xblGvWbDj2dQiMKqYz3UtUn6s0EEQs_88TEorCn4C3bZ1Amzf_OOzdDPX4Lod25Pq5E2C80LyEwI4p4/s1600/IMG_5705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaH0x_qrc1ct_2Yimh6Nbt08IdmzbeUeVMJPkDzVSegLplCjfWZDssBWwwM85xblGvWbDj2dQiMKqYz3UtUn6s0EEQs_88TEorCn4C3bZ1Amzf_OOzdDPX4Lod25Pq5E2C80LyEwI4p4/s320/IMG_5705.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dain gives Jim a water refill</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpV_prCuLAX2q6kN97-abWHxhvHz5xiJR9LhArRZmfa8FNYLlqJNV7Bqzj36xFcszx-rV9ApRScp5kQ6qkB2NOzB2u5J1nMIO_L3AKnc1m8dAIeldwhCr9XB2S_SGT4-eyFaLNGQaUHVc/s1600/IMG_5706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpV_prCuLAX2q6kN97-abWHxhvHz5xiJR9LhArRZmfa8FNYLlqJNV7Bqzj36xFcszx-rV9ApRScp5kQ6qkB2NOzB2u5J1nMIO_L3AKnc1m8dAIeldwhCr9XB2S_SGT4-eyFaLNGQaUHVc/s320/IMG_5706.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim hands off to Jack at the exchange</td></tr>
</tbody></table>At this same exchange, I ran into Shannon from <a href="http://shannonssummations.blogspot.com/">Running Injury Free</a>. She's an awesome Minnesota blogger I met at the <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/03/five-for-friday-into-early-saturday.html">Get Lucky 7K packet pickup</a> earlier this year. We only had time for a quick chat before she was off and running.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HrwA3XdrPtUQTxG1Twf7mi4c8hI0vccDCOqBnO0H-SkeuefLbAoNL69-KapepLWsivNm7wixqMtXAP8on2YNtDvDCtk7irPszXGSvo3rGyC3vEIuIvBfiZzoHtOeidrX0OfDeYJpVI4/s1600/IMG_5707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HrwA3XdrPtUQTxG1Twf7mi4c8hI0vccDCOqBnO0H-SkeuefLbAoNL69-KapepLWsivNm7wixqMtXAP8on2YNtDvDCtk7irPszXGSvo3rGyC3vEIuIvBfiZzoHtOeidrX0OfDeYJpVI4/s320/IMG_5707.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shannon, on the left, receives the slap-bracelet baton from her teammate</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now for more photos!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTy-uvssS79Jxb8avCK2O7pg0aGSlcFM7WXvtpR4DwBi_ms8jp50Dq7o2kpKWAQmMR8m7x_ujIdbAdaii5Al9HBgjcQscMtnkSFfujeWu3bBE0AENRAK_cY3vdGf1kgcnr589MXvLy14/s1600/IMG_5708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTy-uvssS79Jxb8avCK2O7pg0aGSlcFM7WXvtpR4DwBi_ms8jp50Dq7o2kpKWAQmMR8m7x_ujIdbAdaii5Al9HBgjcQscMtnkSFfujeWu3bBE0AENRAK_cY3vdGf1kgcnr589MXvLy14/s320/IMG_5708.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each teammate sat in the "Sweaty Throne" after they finished their respective legs. Why get ALL the van seats sweaty?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVDK2PxZNcw_SR7M3FV39RJqZSf_TdT0_aXrB7F0xsjnTGZa-wLDTyJJQ8D6cjo6SeCLAKS5K_UMuVbhDKrkfCYNY15KVDQ9WF4e855gavEOERzqLAhaK1XPrWI5uhTfbUN3CcANUTYA/s1600/IMG_5709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVDK2PxZNcw_SR7M3FV39RJqZSf_TdT0_aXrB7F0xsjnTGZa-wLDTyJJQ8D6cjo6SeCLAKS5K_UMuVbhDKrkfCYNY15KVDQ9WF4e855gavEOERzqLAhaK1XPrWI5uhTfbUN3CcANUTYA/s320/IMG_5709.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack looks strong as he makes his way down Shepard Road in St. Paul</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlWYB3FZYanukIMDTeZaqkjAb6_DMUZUiPaJ8ZHTWN7qOeI_3iNxUjETCEEtlNEgoYAKqInUNx8hA8EwWu50Ed4m2Hh4YwLsYZlH6cFRzG-MSMJNYuXpwCciposy4KWJyhKvSTk_RxE4/s1600/IMG_5710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlWYB3FZYanukIMDTeZaqkjAb6_DMUZUiPaJ8ZHTWN7qOeI_3iNxUjETCEEtlNEgoYAKqInUNx8hA8EwWu50Ed4m2Hh4YwLsYZlH6cFRzG-MSMJNYuXpwCciposy4KWJyhKvSTk_RxE4/s320/IMG_5710.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack hands off to Mark B.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGOqa29JuS4o2nzYb1KZCbdoJkee5D0pmrLRzgqk38AKfyDbDtZVjtxtaQK3tqYXBuwvHrySzW8hf3khuUSOpxHcUT-bEhruHtixlJPQp-SuUByheJ_Y4hKGXU9912LGyu2Sz5Aubql8/s1600/IMG_5711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGOqa29JuS4o2nzYb1KZCbdoJkee5D0pmrLRzgqk38AKfyDbDtZVjtxtaQK3tqYXBuwvHrySzW8hf3khuUSOpxHcUT-bEhruHtixlJPQp-SuUByheJ_Y4hKGXU9912LGyu2Sz5Aubql8/s320/IMG_5711.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, there were so many fun costumes at Ragnar this year!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvN17PJZ_LRlv0xAWeomHKEX3D9ILbjSMEqNYUfEqHYcZDbkWNc-YxF-yi6GhyphenhyphenJmHyEhg6SHy8H7czaoV-xFgIdn8DhlIw2g68cJhB9-5C1ppFpvmiCrB02IQrMHm_4zYGHYCvi9QiYSY/s1600/IMG_5712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvN17PJZ_LRlv0xAWeomHKEX3D9ILbjSMEqNYUfEqHYcZDbkWNc-YxF-yi6GhyphenhyphenJmHyEhg6SHy8H7czaoV-xFgIdn8DhlIw2g68cJhB9-5C1ppFpvmiCrB02IQrMHm_4zYGHYCvi9QiYSY/s320/IMG_5712.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ragnar participants cheered for "normal" people out for their Saturday runs and bike rides. More cowbell, baby!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUNCoixNjlCsXVjza4Wy_xIg4DIK72ThCy0ow2sRvpLwZEgLPI-nHmwPK6M-s5B-_OMn4HVJuERVUeIYgwPEiu2lawcaJ6wrJcIGDXJW7O2LE2xSyc26oCRHjpwq-QEHfbdMUQIr1b-4/s1600/IMG_5713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUNCoixNjlCsXVjza4Wy_xIg4DIK72ThCy0ow2sRvpLwZEgLPI-nHmwPK6M-s5B-_OMn4HVJuERVUeIYgwPEiu2lawcaJ6wrJcIGDXJW7O2LE2xSyc26oCRHjpwq-QEHfbdMUQIr1b-4/s320/IMG_5713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shannon and I finally got our picture taken at one of the exchanges. Congrats to you and your team, girl!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FjmQGdL0MorMnqmtnRN-yjkcwBXeWaFcnyJry0olE36vmYXu4bIuHyO6yWREtnQn6krNEsXuz9HKz7FJIwtegsCPagX9hLYydZE2Ds_ObNv2qB6vKfyyguSflg9vtCp9k_dTEUYCp0E/s1600/IMG_5714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FjmQGdL0MorMnqmtnRN-yjkcwBXeWaFcnyJry0olE36vmYXu4bIuHyO6yWREtnQn6krNEsXuz9HKz7FJIwtegsCPagX9hLYydZE2Ds_ObNv2qB6vKfyyguSflg9vtCp9k_dTEUYCp0E/s320/IMG_5714.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark B. books it towards the exchange chute</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vN1hKnoA_KAc2NtXOmR5NJbMbEdfxxLZKYy-yV2fobQz1cVswmAPFDPnI7Gr-RH-1kdp0eEkVAD_3n7R8zuGE6nBAk4JzTSMMLXr-fNTaxfcK_688clGjhP6pX9Wpc93oBjJ23NQIBQ/s1600/IMG_5715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vN1hKnoA_KAc2NtXOmR5NJbMbEdfxxLZKYy-yV2fobQz1cVswmAPFDPnI7Gr-RH-1kdp0eEkVAD_3n7R8zuGE6nBAk4JzTSMMLXr-fNTaxfcK_688clGjhP6pX9Wpc93oBjJ23NQIBQ/s320/IMG_5715.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another runner got in the way, but the handoff took place</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We almost missed Jilena at Exchange 35! We drove along the course and stopped at where we thought was at least two miles into her route. We waited and waited and didn't see her. Finally, we looked at the time and realized that at the pace she ran, she would finish her leg in five minutes. She would have had to wait to run until we showed up! We sped to Exchange 35, and Jilena was only a half-mile away! We dropped Dain off, then the rest of us parked the van. Whew, that was close! Sorry, Jilena!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYC1XqdWeGBFBiN1E0CMstcAmXffGR-d2wpULQiPLWVKkTwg7LAjwOdSVs8Oh9PeGrVgsYHMqB5aPKMqEzxxSsQBGqJ8g0M24tPo6Lz9E5w1Y9sREabudKr8rPyl__7zQOSi7SkKlw2U4/s1600/IMG_5716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYC1XqdWeGBFBiN1E0CMstcAmXffGR-d2wpULQiPLWVKkTwg7LAjwOdSVs8Oh9PeGrVgsYHMqB5aPKMqEzxxSsQBGqJ8g0M24tPo6Lz9E5w1Y9sREabudKr8rPyl__7zQOSi7SkKlw2U4/s320/IMG_5716.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jilena kicks it to the exchange</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SrKK4Wv3YkSx2sRxAj-s_P5CcX2MQ3FAJxWk5cYq9UHEu4LrsIivYyoVS7cVZkSGkR1R3YTcJmpdswVr7AKdgooPm2vvE0bncOrPCAMLjpXDH0qQwgrM1ApQhdI0_pyZS0UMYhxFZ_w/s1600/IMG_5717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9SrKK4Wv3YkSx2sRxAj-s_P5CcX2MQ3FAJxWk5cYq9UHEu4LrsIivYyoVS7cVZkSGkR1R3YTcJmpdswVr7AKdgooPm2vvE0bncOrPCAMLjpXDH0qQwgrM1ApQhdI0_pyZS0UMYhxFZ_w/s320/IMG_5717.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A volunteer got in my way of viewing the handoff to Dain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>At this point, I could not contain my excitement! Our team was almost done running Ragnar!<br />
<br />
We headed to East River Flats, close to the University of Minnesota campus, to wait for Dain. Race village was a sight to behold.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUaj2vANw5AcVKPefyhSIw-5aqQtNZk8WQhQ7h47nDOL0GjGjsYXxUD4BoHE72d5s8F4GTAVdp-7Kq4lEADpavbINrIbxQN9wc5nQtkSti33-pNuk4XZyQe-J7v4QuE6Qis0mQs8LtQs/s1600/IMG_5718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUaj2vANw5AcVKPefyhSIw-5aqQtNZk8WQhQ7h47nDOL0GjGjsYXxUD4BoHE72d5s8F4GTAVdp-7Kq4lEADpavbINrIbxQN9wc5nQtkSti33-pNuk4XZyQe-J7v4QuE6Qis0mQs8LtQs/s320/IMG_5718.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "promised land" - as Jim dubbed it - contained the orange finish arch, beer garden, vendor and merch tents, and lots of people!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We joined the other teams near the finish line who were waiting for their final runner. Van 1 would not be joining us for the finish, as everyone wanted to go home and crash. I was a little disappointed that we couldn't finish together, but this happened last year too, so I knew what to expect. Ragnar participants usually bond the most with the people in their van anyway.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUcQHZcG_VVBIDH2mlgnftF3zw1R1QBQzi2GzXCKhgtZn5Sm_Ath94x_vBdIaFQoDjwb_S01s355aEjc3OEaxDHeCKQ6TPNzNChPal-E1LgCvqGtUYDfop4cbVzkfHZRmeVuYzZqDbrQ/s1600/IMG_5719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUcQHZcG_VVBIDH2mlgnftF3zw1R1QBQzi2GzXCKhgtZn5Sm_Ath94x_vBdIaFQoDjwb_S01s355aEjc3OEaxDHeCKQ6TPNzNChPal-E1LgCvqGtUYDfop4cbVzkfHZRmeVuYzZqDbrQ/s320/IMG_5719.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team "Wonder Women" heads toward the finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4_BMpRZbDEwMG9HgmstFoRMP9Q6Uz43yfiCmOhsDrDTd_O_5HtGK9jlu4fLSgMFg4DKmnzyPnPHZwyXlbt8QpLuy6OO45G25jfbNaeTWARR_V3BtCxzPIIIQ8a0wsXuxkW58PCU30xY/s1600/IMG_5720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4_BMpRZbDEwMG9HgmstFoRMP9Q6Uz43yfiCmOhsDrDTd_O_5HtGK9jlu4fLSgMFg4DKmnzyPnPHZwyXlbt8QpLuy6OO45G25jfbNaeTWARR_V3BtCxzPIIIQ8a0wsXuxkW58PCU30xY/s320/IMG_5720.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shannon's team (We Like to Move It Move It) prepares to finish Ragnar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Finally, we saw the Salty Nuts team shirt that Dain was wearing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsd_1vU5hO-Tarz4h-d74jwuBw6JOcgSRKWPPT1MU3hQ5MpUmfHquPXTC7-OXT5myPxkpD9vd4M-t-gPHym9B2FTUJXcePIpe4wACg_PWOY_d63qAGPWgybzsQCrAWzVxVqV05clikf0k/s1600/IMG_5721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsd_1vU5hO-Tarz4h-d74jwuBw6JOcgSRKWPPT1MU3hQ5MpUmfHquPXTC7-OXT5myPxkpD9vd4M-t-gPHym9B2FTUJXcePIpe4wACg_PWOY_d63qAGPWgybzsQCrAWzVxVqV05clikf0k/s320/IMG_5721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dain sprints towards the finish. We had to tell him to slow down so our tired legs could run with him.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>About 1:35 p.m. on Saturday, Van 2 of the Salty Nuts crossed the Ragnar Relay finish line. We did it! What an accomplishment!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gtL9zKpPTYBEaLs_X3M60KQfx09EuQ75iS3hPUPIrjycM9Jln0IYrjuB2mPng_hndnmbEoqI3Sh2D4-fXvCy_tS77VNWuy7iTZWV9XDdJmcj0EtsUJTx1O8M4K290A2nVVLLKjcT-Ak/s1600/IMG_5722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gtL9zKpPTYBEaLs_X3M60KQfx09EuQ75iS3hPUPIrjycM9Jln0IYrjuB2mPng_hndnmbEoqI3Sh2D4-fXvCy_tS77VNWuy7iTZWV9XDdJmcj0EtsUJTx1O8M4K290A2nVVLLKjcT-Ak/s320/IMG_5722.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark B. shows off his Ragnar finisher medal</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_j589mRpR7gVEMJx64yKyks2jZJWk6irXzYp6UAoPjLyLIETQpzwp6uDhS2-U4BPMihOmqIvW8cv4lpGdEBQ2NnmD9dHbizlacNfKMnu0WvzcPL7ENUe6AeU0LvQlkGvk2WSyktiPX0Q/s1600/IMG_5723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_j589mRpR7gVEMJx64yKyks2jZJWk6irXzYp6UAoPjLyLIETQpzwp6uDhS2-U4BPMihOmqIvW8cv4lpGdEBQ2NnmD9dHbizlacNfKMnu0WvzcPL7ENUe6AeU0LvQlkGvk2WSyktiPX0Q/s320/IMG_5723.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jilena at the finish arch</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEh4Fen88QTA8nIhV3VjQBhV99MIvUDpaiUaay7CyLPCgQEW0MU43z21S5vLnhjfdMIH-rr8eCJu_vQ6YrCvbCm0X0pJVC3kBiHMnaPrQsaQK-zNuk0umcKf-1MgA_mL_4d3EF6NgSHE/s1600/IMG_5725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEh4Fen88QTA8nIhV3VjQBhV99MIvUDpaiUaay7CyLPCgQEW0MU43z21S5vLnhjfdMIH-rr8eCJu_vQ6YrCvbCm0X0pJVC3kBiHMnaPrQsaQK-zNuk0umcKf-1MgA_mL_4d3EF6NgSHE/s320/IMG_5725.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Van 2 photo - what a good-looking crew! Our smiles hide how tired we actually are!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We headed toward the pizza tent to pick up our free pizzas (we got two pizzas because Van 1 decided not to get their free pizza), and then to the beer garden to redeem our free beer tickets, sit down, and enjoy our post-race food and reflect on our journey.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGq-PV8WPbJCZqqiJ7LsT2N_tAKarteqh6oOv71HD9hqMzBetLc7sxYwt4WG-k7RbeQ9E-5_eITKZtRZWAtBM7VVQuSCulq2drtnlV6KD_9Xl87ulK0_4O9AgS5bHwEmZeWAwabsIVnU/s1600/IMG_5726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGq-PV8WPbJCZqqiJ7LsT2N_tAKarteqh6oOv71HD9hqMzBetLc7sxYwt4WG-k7RbeQ9E-5_eITKZtRZWAtBM7VVQuSCulq2drtnlV6KD_9Xl87ulK0_4O9AgS5bHwEmZeWAwabsIVnU/s320/IMG_5726.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmm... Toppers pizza and Finnegans beer! Yummy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOTmgdRvUgH4LudRaqG2zJwCNiRgdKZJNVgxiKOJ1SkURw3VhUEh1h1_w6zyhCuGYCT7OQOjHz7KY-lZgRi2gQ6a1v748c365Oz_JMpPGh7CwbT7slO8XCVhJsgbiqJ-YmQi0ZeAeYVU/s1600/IMG_5727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOTmgdRvUgH4LudRaqG2zJwCNiRgdKZJNVgxiKOJ1SkURw3VhUEh1h1_w6zyhCuGYCT7OQOjHz7KY-lZgRi2gQ6a1v748c365Oz_JMpPGh7CwbT7slO8XCVhJsgbiqJ-YmQi0ZeAeYVU/s320/IMG_5727.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pizza and beer ALWAYS taste the best after finishing a Ragnar Relay!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I stopped by the merchandise tent to buy a shirt for future hubs, and then we headed back to St. Paul to unload the van, say goodbye, and head home. I brought Mark and Jim home, then went back to my new condo and slept for <i>12 hours straight</i>! So worth it!<br />
<br />
Here are our results:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Official finish time: 28:32:18</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Average pace: 8:47/mile</div><div style="text-align: center;">Overall place: 109/280</div><div style="text-align: center;">Division place: 25/46 (Open Men Regular)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We finished an hour-and-a-half faster than last year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie771pasxAso4Wy8ffJ8U4YLe9BizOLjUUjknlUaR1MJQCVbe1pA8pDQVb39MwNdttBBjVNRKoDqgEGeHuJ4kG-JvvG1b5NNVL5I8UZrqF-xDFNPGXyLVjU3uW3z_z1U6t1Wn05H3ezLg/s1600/IMG_5729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie771pasxAso4Wy8ffJ8U4YLe9BizOLjUUjknlUaR1MJQCVbe1pA8pDQVb39MwNdttBBjVNRKoDqgEGeHuJ4kG-JvvG1b5NNVL5I8UZrqF-xDFNPGXyLVjU3uW3z_z1U6t1Wn05H3ezLg/s320/IMG_5729.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The swag: medal, bib number (which took a beating during the relay), and shirt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">Considering the major snafus that occurred just before the race (having to find not one but two substitutes), I am so proud of our team! Yes, future hubs was missed this year, but we couldn't have asked for better substitutes than Mark B. and Jim. We gelled well as a team, and their presence was much appreciated. I hope they consider returning to the Salty Nuts next year. You know that I'll be back next year! :)</div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-63529440880927521002011-08-24T23:07:00.000-07:002011-08-24T23:07:30.241-07:00Race Report: Ragnar Relay - Great River (Part 2)To read Part 1, go <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/08/race-report-ragnar-relay-great-river.html">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
We left off after Van 2 handed off the slap-bracelet baton to Van 1 in Stockholm, WI. Van 1 headed out to follow their first runner. Those of us in Van 2 headed into the tiny Wisconsin town to find something more substantial to eat besides pretzels, fruit, energy bars and Gatorade.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wnBZZP0mg7KH9W1sfTKESwHM5l6F1VVkZ4MGHOafHNfZ5nfa-MjCB5Fz8J-j9ZFZ0cvXVGkBk9ojWT2-8UdiuJ6Bt81GSMOdbO-H9E1v8U6Vl_bapRopxmspz5nr4Fo65l90NQcGBmc/s1600/IMG_5691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wnBZZP0mg7KH9W1sfTKESwHM5l6F1VVkZ4MGHOafHNfZ5nfa-MjCB5Fz8J-j9ZFZ0cvXVGkBk9ojWT2-8UdiuJ6Bt81GSMOdbO-H9E1v8U6Vl_bapRopxmspz5nr4Fo65l90NQcGBmc/s320/IMG_5691.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Gelly's Pub had a great Ragnar special going on: $10 each got us a pulled pork or chicken sandwich, pasta salad, chips, fresh fruit, and a homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. Yum!<br />
<br />
We left Stockholm after we walked back to our van after supper. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPn26Eimnsnn2AaPeGbzCW9gQGBs5Fw8xBKqqaeieXXcPiCXho26rrYukaegHDFRW1wyzkdR8xIab3q1aISgWhPwu_o2XU2xbo5fo2nKLyF2r_9SAzGMmA4dp8aZRfYKrUbtHUjKauYw/s1600/IMG_5692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPn26Eimnsnn2AaPeGbzCW9gQGBs5Fw8xBKqqaeieXXcPiCXho26rrYukaegHDFRW1wyzkdR8xIab3q1aISgWhPwu_o2XU2xbo5fo2nKLyF2r_9SAzGMmA4dp8aZRfYKrUbtHUjKauYw/s320/IMG_5692.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving Exchange 12. Everyone is sporting their reflective vests, as "nighttime hours" are now in effect.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>A couple of us in the van tried to nap, but most stayed awake as we drove through rural Wisconsin.<br />
<br />
We drove through an area where we hit so many bugs with the van that it sounded like it was raining outside! Eww! At the next available gas station, we cleaned the carcasses off the front of the van.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktlF9zbXK2N5xojQYp0TfjPUeoFUf1USvxX6OFnPyLvMXkMrCJmq-WK9f3J405GDm_APleJUTTnJb2-woMLjnr9OfwuzFhwctmQykIwztHi7IJ1zz9_47tdlewpZEk_v7R4bD7K3lPLo/s1600/IMG_5693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktlF9zbXK2N5xojQYp0TfjPUeoFUf1USvxX6OFnPyLvMXkMrCJmq-WK9f3J405GDm_APleJUTTnJb2-woMLjnr9OfwuzFhwctmQykIwztHi7IJ1zz9_47tdlewpZEk_v7R4bD7K3lPLo/s320/IMG_5693.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack and Jim clean off the windshield</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We drove a little longer until we made it to the Pierce County Fairgrounds in Ellsworth, WI, the site of Exchange 18. Here, we would wait and try to get a little sleep before Van 1 rolled in and Gregg handed off the bracelet-baton to me.<br />
<br />
Jim and I took up space in the van to try to get a little shut-eye, while the rest of the van took their sleeping bags and pillows outside in the designated sleeping areas. I was smart enough to bring earplugs this year to drown out the background noise, but I still couldn't sleep. I didn't sleep a wink last year, and it looked like I might follow suit again this year.<br />
<br />
Around midnight, Van 1 rolled in. Gregg handed off to me, and I was on my way. The nighttime leg of Ragnar is by far my favorite leg. Running at night is surreal and scary at the same time. Ahead of you are runners, their vests illuminated by the light of your headlamp, bouncing up and down. The crickets are out and chirping, creating their own soundtrack. Everything is, in its own way, so peaceful. And then you see shadows in the distance and you wonder what else is out there that you can't see!<br />
<br />
The temperatures were in the mid-50s (degrees F) by the time I started running, and I definitely appreciated the break from the heat. I felt light and fast as I ticked off each mile of my 4.5-mile leg.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 1 - 8:11</b><br />
<b>Mile 2 - 8:19</b><br />
<b>Mile 3 - 7:43</b><br />
<b>Mile 4 - 8:14</b><br />
<b>Final half-mile - 7:59 pace</b><br />
<br />
Everyone in our van sped up during the nighttime leg due to the cooler temps.<br />
<br />
In this video, Jim hands off to Jack.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwem5G6i9oTGV7dZ9ejEzIzGO0wxF8NrUUzDVF8QDI29sykVLjSMQ6z7c9gN-M6QUeO1rn4i4jSdfNWXQL7Qg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mark B., the speed demon in our van, said his average pace during his leg was around 6:49/mile! Boy, I wish I could run that fast!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxqCPVLwKSjmlAQ9MqNV5iPbndrKHqntWs-K0p23tk8RrxNxigpBevSSZrbdy2Ohf_AAy0bb_qgThOO2qVIEA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
We had gained about a half-hour of time compared to our projected pace by the time we made it to Exchange 24 in Stillwater, MN. Once Dain passed off the slap bracelet, the first thing we did was look for showers at Stillwater Junior High School. I knew I'd feel a lot better after showering, and I did. :) Then, we tried to get a little shuteye once again. I wasn't successful.<br />
<br />
Keep your eyes peeled for Part 3 (the final portion) of this race report! :)Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-41782313811540561142011-08-24T19:48:00.000-07:002011-08-24T20:51:23.965-07:00Race Report: Ragnar Relay - Great River (Part 1)For the second year in a row, the Salty Nuts ran <a href="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/race/greatriver">Ragnar Relay - Great River</a>. We had five veterans (myself, along with Jack from Van 2, and team captain Mark, Ralph and Tom from Van 1) returning and seven newbies. Those of you who noticed <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/08/help-we-need-somebody.html">my frantic post last Tuesday</a> know that our team had a major complication just days before the race: future hubs was unable to get time off from work to run the relay! I posted a notification here and on my Facebook page, but I had no takers (er rather, those who were <i>available</i> to run the race). Fortunately, I turned to my old college friend Mark B., who I ran into at the <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/07/race-report-red-white-boom-tc-half.html">Red, White and Boom! half-marathon</a>, and he was available to run the race. Problem solved! But after I announced to the team that we had a replacement for my fiance, our van captain told me that another one of our team members was injured. So, I scoured through my list of running friends on Facebook to determine who was already running Ragnar and who wasn't. I came across Jim, a fellow <a href="http://www.teamortho.us/">Team Ortho</a> volunteer, and asked him if he'd be willing to fill in for our injured runner. Jim had already been asked twice to be a substitute on other friends' Ragnar teams, but for some reason, he picked mine. Our team was so fortunate that he did. We finally had a full team!<br />
<br />
Late Friday morning (August 19), I picked up Mark B. and Jim and we headed over to Jack's condo in St. Paul, where we would meet up with the rest of our team and pack up the van. For some reason, it seemed like we had less room in the van this year than last year, but maybe it was my imagination. By 11:30, we were on the road, but we snapped a quick van photo before we left.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDVvdsHJIziCv6ByKEowI7cDsv6D0-5FbotCJVgJFLYos02MJ0a4mGb-xMGxB63jC_bz_jxsO6TLEFkvHwkuTsLrfEbjPL0aYnZhblMDk4CiSve4lMbmWVXfPG93egy2EfG9K908vWv8/s1600/IMG_5640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDVvdsHJIziCv6ByKEowI7cDsv6D0-5FbotCJVgJFLYos02MJ0a4mGb-xMGxB63jC_bz_jxsO6TLEFkvHwkuTsLrfEbjPL0aYnZhblMDk4CiSve4lMbmWVXfPG93egy2EfG9K908vWv8/s320/IMG_5640.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Dain, Jilena, Mark B., Jim, me and Jack</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Van 1 of the Salty Nuts had started at 9:00 a.m. in Winona, so they were well underway by the time we headed towards Wisconsin. The rest of our team had fun getting to know the two replacements on our drive, and we also checked in with Van 1 via cell phone to see how they were faring.<br />
<br />
Once we crossed the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, we started seeing evidence that a Ragnar Relay was in progress:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykGf6JLtT5L3xdE6cTK5fMtJTwTFk6mbFQVc_sBGynd8fqSv3d0K_dA463tp3h8viDF3cm2Z8r9Zcm1M-5snKjKyA0_NPJgXdeI8zEQVEzjWxaP860kbTIKFitk6iPJY84qgsJioCn40/s1600/IMG_5641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykGf6JLtT5L3xdE6cTK5fMtJTwTFk6mbFQVc_sBGynd8fqSv3d0K_dA463tp3h8viDF3cm2Z8r9Zcm1M-5snKjKyA0_NPJgXdeI8zEQVEzjWxaP860kbTIKFitk6iPJY84qgsJioCn40/s320/IMG_5641.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Van 2 of "Ricky's Dirty Dozen"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EuVG3CHPuuR4_G0dUO0-tRsfD1qlXq5V9NJ8rcduhw3MBpkk7BiyX-yOgsszsvxBLcWmz6A0jUObu6Dimc6OxvW11pxyNV9ElMBqebj8sFkrQUHBq1mTwXd6RkuwrfcA0sQKbL85E-4/s1600/IMG_5642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EuVG3CHPuuR4_G0dUO0-tRsfD1qlXq5V9NJ8rcduhw3MBpkk7BiyX-yOgsszsvxBLcWmz6A0jUObu6Dimc6OxvW11pxyNV9ElMBqebj8sFkrQUHBq1mTwXd6RkuwrfcA0sQKbL85E-4/s320/IMG_5642.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passing by Exchange 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5wDpPn8vbpUH99g9X5RkdpVf_asxlkV76A-K_y_D7_3jaOKKwjvjBhRUlxARFpza6vUW4y-1F77bHXen8FvRVds7pD284hOofkceNE_VOwH6pBz-2klLXGFDpH9Rnn_EO8eo_XRSZk0/s1600/IMG_5643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5wDpPn8vbpUH99g9X5RkdpVf_asxlkV76A-K_y_D7_3jaOKKwjvjBhRUlxARFpza6vUW4y-1F77bHXen8FvRVds7pD284hOofkceNE_VOwH6pBz-2klLXGFDpH9Rnn_EO8eo_XRSZk0/s320/IMG_5643.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign says it all!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYl_rXeOsavNbLIvLpM2sBb9GzYSYlOyl4PmeJ_tTj6GRAcM3RInw8fMGYB0xwJjgx_fnsZvt76M1JWQfdarERv5b2Xqelz9U56wsRdE3JntadRUrKlCMjY4wfX0DFOP4BxiuI7-z1NkQ/s1600/IMG_5644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYl_rXeOsavNbLIvLpM2sBb9GzYSYlOyl4PmeJ_tTj6GRAcM3RInw8fMGYB0xwJjgx_fnsZvt76M1JWQfdarERv5b2Xqelz9U56wsRdE3JntadRUrKlCMjY4wfX0DFOP4BxiuI7-z1NkQ/s320/IMG_5644.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leg #7 runners pounding out the miles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Finally, Exchange 6 was in sight! This is where Van 1 would hand off the slap-bracelet baton to the first runner in our van (me!) and everyone in our van would run their first leg of the relay.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8Hm3lmFpyNllCf5qCTIGy15j_kWV84Z29UQW1I6DcHzMGM54ZHFzJDQA5oDV8pIG62-m2_tT8J_MvBYEeQ1UAB_GGzWL-3_I0USI2TbmYUU2rLSW99NoeWso-iJlI9RDvtU-GC1j0vQ/s1600/IMG_5645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8Hm3lmFpyNllCf5qCTIGy15j_kWV84Z29UQW1I6DcHzMGM54ZHFzJDQA5oDV8pIG62-m2_tT8J_MvBYEeQ1UAB_GGzWL-3_I0USI2TbmYUU2rLSW99NoeWso-iJlI9RDvtU-GC1j0vQ/s320/IMG_5645.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exchange 6 in Modena, WI was a like a small city!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Our van went through the mandatory safety training and also picked up our bib numbers and road crossing flags and waited for Van 1 to show up. I changed into a tank and shorts because it was hot and humid. Yuck!<br />
<br />
Van 1 eventually found us while their sixth runner was running, and dropped off Mark L., our team captain, who had a bunch of goodies for us. We all got our race shirts and van bag loaded with Clif bars, Gu gels, temporary tattoos, car decals, and even a Ragnar cowbell! Once the van called Mark back to tell him where Gregg (runner #6) was located, I headed to the exchange chute to wait for him to show up.<br />
<br />
For the second year in a row, I chose to be runner #7. No one wanted to tackle the nasty hill during the first leg except me. My total mileage increased this year from 13.2 miles to 17, but I figured if I ran smart, I would be okay. I was even looking forward to tacking that hill again. Me and the hill had some unfinished business! :)<br />
<br />
Gregg made his way to exchange #6 about 3:00 p.m. and passed off the slap bracelet baton to me. I was off and running!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_9Vi7XZF4NT_feo_Q-y21SUl4B1pxYtKgilVRsumElRI42t_uw9bLMLHSNEMNvYpAQgRowbWC9sRTXVjEe5PcpejHXtys5Tb2N5eH24woeqjre5vVijINJCU1-3BMwfWtHr6fNKX6K0/s1600/IMG_5646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_9Vi7XZF4NT_feo_Q-y21SUl4B1pxYtKgilVRsumElRI42t_uw9bLMLHSNEMNvYpAQgRowbWC9sRTXVjEe5PcpejHXtys5Tb2N5eH24woeqjre5vVijINJCU1-3BMwfWtHr6fNKX6K0/s320/IMG_5646.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack, our van captain and main driver, keeps on the lookout for me</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju33fAZ6nY9PfZK7Z2keAZM5uDr0NCBaRQz0dxFAI6YX3TjEu1sVDCzdXg1Yas9ktQgAjoWqwMAOGAvEjBoHgD-ziJZGJEVEAU7pYyn8Dse1sQ_EgpLo98Zl7h0Y7RWHU2t58lBFDkGDA/s1600/IMG_5647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju33fAZ6nY9PfZK7Z2keAZM5uDr0NCBaRQz0dxFAI6YX3TjEu1sVDCzdXg1Yas9ktQgAjoWqwMAOGAvEjBoHgD-ziJZGJEVEAU7pYyn8Dse1sQ_EgpLo98Zl7h0Y7RWHU2t58lBFDkGDA/s320/IMG_5647.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jilena is excited, but Mark has no idea what he's getting himself into!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGATiVsqLBfKQ8VU7h7J-pb_NSIgLUlfC_wqTUoBb3TvUDmxgVJLpLu11ZP5pCwvjwPKtBaZhLCnU-lNP-xlIAwsTWDeDUITvAOQJsIBBXJmmveQ-vruc2TLkqb4T07niblri6P8kp00Y/s1600/IMG_5648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGATiVsqLBfKQ8VU7h7J-pb_NSIgLUlfC_wqTUoBb3TvUDmxgVJLpLu11ZP5pCwvjwPKtBaZhLCnU-lNP-xlIAwsTWDeDUITvAOQJsIBBXJmmveQ-vruc2TLkqb4T07niblri6P8kp00Y/s320/IMG_5648.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm keeping up a nice pace so far.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aCyAVp5EjyDYdIlsFRzbKZRPMys_xFjfdhR0TcvUjc54KYjsuItYZZ9kmxW69xUVI-f67RZfjEhSIP02Dcu6PMqI7-sLX41kg8exMB5vGcAVh1MnSNd0BQ-bki7OVIXcaWt0dztkPQ8/s1600/IMG_5649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aCyAVp5EjyDYdIlsFRzbKZRPMys_xFjfdhR0TcvUjc54KYjsuItYZZ9kmxW69xUVI-f67RZfjEhSIP02Dcu6PMqI7-sLX41kg8exMB5vGcAVh1MnSNd0BQ-bki7OVIXcaWt0dztkPQ8/s320/IMG_5649.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm feeling good at this point, but the heat and humidity would take its toll.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Like always, the first mile felt easy. The Red Dragon clocked an average pace of <b>8:18 for the first mile</b>.<br />
<br />
By the second mile, I had already taken a couple walk breaks due to the heat and humidity. It felt even hotter than last year, and last year was HOT! Fortunately, my van had a fresh bottle of water waiting for me.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9dWV_rOWKtM6XL-a25vMGGQCMEYqZd6XSiT-HQB9yT7NeMnNTBoZJRz0lv22o6OQJ5d7TFv_S597Xt-__GSVo_y7sIUJ6QCDa8Yj5eOe1KHEMMbHf0OUgu5jCqzV8us6NuwRG8d2OfM/s1600/IMG_5650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9dWV_rOWKtM6XL-a25vMGGQCMEYqZd6XSiT-HQB9yT7NeMnNTBoZJRz0lv22o6OQJ5d7TFv_S597Xt-__GSVo_y7sIUJ6QCDa8Yj5eOe1KHEMMbHf0OUgu5jCqzV8us6NuwRG8d2OfM/s320/IMG_5650.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading towards Dain and a fresh bottle of water</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI04rvzpR6p0swn5WIFR3FSFkF1GRXYwS4FhkMgLoNmLggO3HC6X8wCHPeA6_BRABdZ4SeenbAvHEb7KuW_N6BNy3Uh1rmkUqVgr_857ykw51pbxX3Lxe6o_X6dGjO9lRWVNGTGLZmXvA/s1600/IMG_5651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI04rvzpR6p0swn5WIFR3FSFkF1GRXYwS4FhkMgLoNmLggO3HC6X8wCHPeA6_BRABdZ4SeenbAvHEb7KuW_N6BNy3Uh1rmkUqVgr_857ykw51pbxX3Lxe6o_X6dGjO9lRWVNGTGLZmXvA/s320/IMG_5651.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmm... so refreshing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBG0T7XOwypezTk5-_1vWj0QFcrHeWZpfhClE4w6rSRBIwKwq5lJMoFcBbKtcOGHUcf-OyqTN77Z5-soUnFLGW34XiKIADt53s0LMa37429IEpsEoUKSnAsU8SLWty7wGLyL3vJYHxK0/s1600/IMG_5653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBG0T7XOwypezTk5-_1vWj0QFcrHeWZpfhClE4w6rSRBIwKwq5lJMoFcBbKtcOGHUcf-OyqTN77Z5-soUnFLGW34XiKIADt53s0LMa37429IEpsEoUKSnAsU8SLWty7wGLyL3vJYHxK0/s320/IMG_5653.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Continuing on my way!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Mile 2 - 9:33</b><br />
<br />
The last part of the third mile contained the dreaded hill: an incline of 400+ feet over the course of less than a mile. I remembered it from last year, but that knowledge only made running the hill easier with the fact that I knew I had conquered it before. I did slow to a walk three or four times while making my way up the hill, but I kept trucking up it all the same.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dm5oXbMXNoERhbACEM-VEnnwr7Sxj6hW0hAt-E3S8QYTtOtErqFp0aoF1STMS7yhQ27gfbc_CeIyxhYkszCbEZ40D_XKI3BF4h5iMFDz_fZp4cc5RTntj2MvKntd9_tFtBuZrcrz5yw/s1600/IMG_5654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dm5oXbMXNoERhbACEM-VEnnwr7Sxj6hW0hAt-E3S8QYTtOtErqFp0aoF1STMS7yhQ27gfbc_CeIyxhYkszCbEZ40D_XKI3BF4h5iMFDz_fZp4cc5RTntj2MvKntd9_tFtBuZrcrz5yw/s320/IMG_5654.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Mile 3 - 11:20</b><br />
<br />
Another team's van passed me as I was making my way up the hill, and the driver shouted to me, "You make running up that hill look so easy!" That comment definitely motivated me to run my best!<br />
<br />
Once I crested the hill, it was all downhill from there. Scaling the hill, along with the hot weather, had left me worse for the wear, but my pace quickened some. I still took walk breaks here and there. I needed to!<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 4 - 9:27</b><br />
<b>Mile 5 - 9:22</b><br />
<br />
Finally, I could see the exchange chute! I couldn't wait to be done running and pass off the slap-bracelet baton to Jim.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF8ZvehDfhavUn3X2YGSiWQe-NtBpZU0OrB8pFokT5yIv0nOmLzWwBFBZMvxQ7Wv0XZtHwGfYUpdOvC7k4r-6D6kvL-McHvX2WHm_M71Yfnwyt6xut5PjfsLa1nIipF6Bpyb8-qAelDM/s1600/IMG_5655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuF8ZvehDfhavUn3X2YGSiWQe-NtBpZU0OrB8pFokT5yIv0nOmLzWwBFBZMvxQ7Wv0XZtHwGfYUpdOvC7k4r-6D6kvL-McHvX2WHm_M71Yfnwyt6xut5PjfsLa1nIipF6Bpyb8-qAelDM/s320/IMG_5655.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost there! Mark B. cheers me on from the sidelines.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxaSIAiXEa9PUvL1uKEpukeMgLiylMV45Mge23j8V62aWe5PvCJCtO_RHjOL9M3VH3qaQT-GRfKHYo2p5jMAkSXX_7wMl4tDg-K4IBX8YhWOmsX1twD4f_lW8qgJ_iAeXY9REiUUbarY/s1600/IMG_5656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxaSIAiXEa9PUvL1uKEpukeMgLiylMV45Mge23j8V62aWe5PvCJCtO_RHjOL9M3VH3qaQT-GRfKHYo2p5jMAkSXX_7wMl4tDg-K4IBX8YhWOmsX1twD4f_lW8qgJ_iAeXY9REiUUbarY/s320/IMG_5656.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hand-off to Jim</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Mile 6 - 9:27</b><br />
<br />
I was so glad to be done running! I ate some pretzels and grapes and drank some Gatorade while I cooled down. We continued driving along the course to check on Jim, as he ran over seven miles during his first leg.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tPnblHunxs3a9AQD29GQwt_yi-XTj7IzciaZk2ENIx7K_xjcAtbrYOrHMJ9hzBEv1LVVRxA99_WNelP1TrS8sGz4naXT9HYdR0-XXbULdCP5exH9omscEwDfqHhOrsx6xZdMCsAJnZk/s1600/IMG_5657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tPnblHunxs3a9AQD29GQwt_yi-XTj7IzciaZk2ENIx7K_xjcAtbrYOrHMJ9hzBEv1LVVRxA99_WNelP1TrS8sGz4naXT9HYdR0-XXbULdCP5exH9omscEwDfqHhOrsx6xZdMCsAJnZk/s320/IMG_5657.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lookin' good, Jim!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJE3KzR2nUee3OoQiQz3HHdQfclGEZLg0uAUjkjpDogcNKoBBJoV6nCzVBtlGD6M7jiF0IXtqsxFztZEnRoP-HpnktqDYoCvHCQF0UZyrb-3B7GKff0rWfLyt5TcqRY62hNM2Na6oHphY/s1600/IMG_5658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJE3KzR2nUee3OoQiQz3HHdQfclGEZLg0uAUjkjpDogcNKoBBJoV6nCzVBtlGD6M7jiF0IXtqsxFztZEnRoP-HpnktqDYoCvHCQF0UZyrb-3B7GKff0rWfLyt5TcqRY62hNM2Na6oHphY/s320/IMG_5658.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim still looks good even after cresting the first hill of his first leg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The rest of this "Part 1" post will consist of photos. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxyySbO-wGKVK9Z0wTnfK69unNFHaY0O6SWgcXIbYNvI61K2tD8F6A_CwblfTVgcbKxNtMMapVYTPJuqRU9CDvoqYqAOxjiJk4ElYwAGdo7wjka-wVMCNsuFc49yhMB5-16l0JcEhT68/s1600/IMG_5659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxyySbO-wGKVK9Z0wTnfK69unNFHaY0O6SWgcXIbYNvI61K2tD8F6A_CwblfTVgcbKxNtMMapVYTPJuqRU9CDvoqYqAOxjiJk4ElYwAGdo7wjka-wVMCNsuFc49yhMB5-16l0JcEhT68/s320/IMG_5659.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim had to walk up part of the second hill. It was too tiring!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxEgcARYPthhHmy_n3uRLcOIgfmcIOVFR_2luv1cmG0rIgk-SEi9S-DTq8l8Fi12Gc4XtA4TflhhXkos_76y3vaSbSXxUhW7vaT6z2c9Y7vlRml655Up9IzTPKOsUqHO70an8_3Mm-pU/s1600/IMG_5660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxEgcARYPthhHmy_n3uRLcOIgfmcIOVFR_2luv1cmG0rIgk-SEi9S-DTq8l8Fi12Gc4XtA4TflhhXkos_76y3vaSbSXxUhW7vaT6z2c9Y7vlRml655Up9IzTPKOsUqHO70an8_3Mm-pU/s320/IMG_5660.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team "Ragnar 911" was back again for the second year in a row!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPzjhSrpw-T1ARQaWPBl3vJIvvOXMM2r-aeVjVK6QAcPSgmq-cjp4-TWT_LdpX1nICl_cbx4SBv62yLkZErLLsm61-fa_OzftHH8z0WBRzZDOWCCV_009gLGNjiQtJ9nduYC-88qv23Y/s1600/IMG_5662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPzjhSrpw-T1ARQaWPBl3vJIvvOXMM2r-aeVjVK6QAcPSgmq-cjp4-TWT_LdpX1nICl_cbx4SBv62yLkZErLLsm61-fa_OzftHH8z0WBRzZDOWCCV_009gLGNjiQtJ9nduYC-88qv23Y/s320/IMG_5662.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We leap-frogged Team "Shuffle Zombie Shuffle" throughout the course of the relay.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1lXSL2hLg1yv_1CIej9oKY0r5fZ7CQwQAu2E7XbQB80V21UiZOj6RlutiOmUI37mpuSHAzXH8Nc-_dn9gG3vAYOS6HzPlMna5uUnQ6OoWU2E2661J8XObB32NMnJV72_AIOKbZR00L8/s1600/IMG_5664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1lXSL2hLg1yv_1CIej9oKY0r5fZ7CQwQAu2E7XbQB80V21UiZOj6RlutiOmUI37mpuSHAzXH8Nc-_dn9gG3vAYOS6HzPlMna5uUnQ6OoWU2E2661J8XObB32NMnJV72_AIOKbZR00L8/s320/IMG_5664.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim hands off to Jack</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90A7jNa92ksDfUCP2Oda7v1yJ0aiCJImUwLJolFowupSfv1d7sqTo8wCblj6nrWRY5thHxyKvY_2wunVYYT__vo24RegkalpTF5Sev3ZnmYr-wVqA88k3qUXQauMlkbbEaTdGB6jJ9wQ/s1600/IMG_5665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90A7jNa92ksDfUCP2Oda7v1yJ0aiCJImUwLJolFowupSfv1d7sqTo8wCblj6nrWRY5thHxyKvY_2wunVYYT__vo24RegkalpTF5Sev3ZnmYr-wVqA88k3qUXQauMlkbbEaTdGB6jJ9wQ/s320/IMG_5665.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course Jack is feeling good... he is only running 2.9 miles!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXanFIB4IidL3Hwf6i3XfQmmDv6ub3WiTstAXC7nBWR-sShsPE7Uik0DwVs-mbatnS5qsiYKEMG-CGX9eWA2niA9C3VUJevp17A31xxDBpL9Q452R8ai3frgA1ZHxv5d3oyROsDoZ24-A/s1600/IMG_5666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXanFIB4IidL3Hwf6i3XfQmmDv6ub3WiTstAXC7nBWR-sShsPE7Uik0DwVs-mbatnS5qsiYKEMG-CGX9eWA2niA9C3VUJevp17A31xxDBpL9Q452R8ai3frgA1ZHxv5d3oyROsDoZ24-A/s320/IMG_5666.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack heads towards the exchange point</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_jYwWZKNA_45kUChG7z3IaR8iAXr0MVpO32OAel3od-YKmYSj21hbtAABslueRsYfnkHkn8joe5SQm3OBZe9Yr_rMm8TXYlKKi8xMYPTzuDphVzyL9rNsH3sC8b7gjZozCj9ad2vNao/s1600/IMG_5667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_jYwWZKNA_45kUChG7z3IaR8iAXr0MVpO32OAel3od-YKmYSj21hbtAABslueRsYfnkHkn8joe5SQm3OBZe9Yr_rMm8TXYlKKi8xMYPTzuDphVzyL9rNsH3sC8b7gjZozCj9ad2vNao/s320/IMG_5667.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack hands off to Mark</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qxkop9iLIDYwHNjjun166sBLTyHxQ4wo6NZUvWOpvv56u4wD6Wcl4pVQ6nWynIRx2xHEsY5SY8nQ2rNEaSv7pKEnGIDnAM6DOmOAjUA3sybgAHUOGe1bHMUH_N6bchthRu0i0vHYdvY/s1600/IMG_5668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qxkop9iLIDYwHNjjun166sBLTyHxQ4wo6NZUvWOpvv56u4wD6Wcl4pVQ6nWynIRx2xHEsY5SY8nQ2rNEaSv7pKEnGIDnAM6DOmOAjUA3sybgAHUOGe1bHMUH_N6bchthRu0i0vHYdvY/s320/IMG_5668.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark added a much needed jolt of speed to our team.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PV1lt5DTSgcFAxafPrSdWUzVL70vfCR7glJJobMhDQ1FwLuYGmLVLq9-kqH_70Tr8TkXjtGNlrDNlZu6rF8cg0XzXvoPfe1MHNNM3vAxNPFgy84BA7nOxsVLvi22NHo-6dXiZFC4nDI/s1600/IMG_5669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PV1lt5DTSgcFAxafPrSdWUzVL70vfCR7glJJobMhDQ1FwLuYGmLVLq9-kqH_70Tr8TkXjtGNlrDNlZu6rF8cg0XzXvoPfe1MHNNM3vAxNPFgy84BA7nOxsVLvi22NHo-6dXiZFC4nDI/s320/IMG_5669.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark clocked an average 7:27/mile pace during his first leg of the relay!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1U2h_JhymNMqp1PvHsqE6TwL1Nj9_0AwHiit_OqGHdD3AlnI_E5AP9odLHm_GWiK725TOFrBlyIyaFCxsxxmHASUkfwCrZGxepv8Z7eb0VOCHpqIaCS8ZSRdN5eMiERR7Q8Koof99l0/s1600/IMG_5671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1U2h_JhymNMqp1PvHsqE6TwL1Nj9_0AwHiit_OqGHdD3AlnI_E5AP9odLHm_GWiK725TOFrBlyIyaFCxsxxmHASUkfwCrZGxepv8Z7eb0VOCHpqIaCS8ZSRdN5eMiERR7Q8Koof99l0/s320/IMG_5671.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team "Ernst-Young Tax Titans"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rCoh1yFIBM0IhWoWEbJdQoHzzU8e8mjb-t5NZ1xSWfINDct3ILewhL10C9pDg4vonIQlGpzYgcaV6QmcG5HKoiho5oqTfDMlamVnKUxiUAioixcyFTiib1jpEpTe1voQZEcB3qNn7c0/s1600/IMG_5672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rCoh1yFIBM0IhWoWEbJdQoHzzU8e8mjb-t5NZ1xSWfINDct3ILewhL10C9pDg4vonIQlGpzYgcaV6QmcG5HKoiho5oqTfDMlamVnKUxiUAioixcyFTiib1jpEpTe1voQZEcB3qNn7c0/s320/IMG_5672.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wonder if anyone from this van dressed like William Shatner...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnncFzGeZ8IiLFANV3Jn1z4iacyYAogaltpddW9nR0FgLsnPcSK_EQVkChSb3nZsagxdxCEtu73GnsvP9yqBQzU1_11mFpi05zLvzeOV5FcyoSdQVfajruD_kQzOiD3qgIyVCKN6L_3YY/s1600/IMG_5673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnncFzGeZ8IiLFANV3Jn1z4iacyYAogaltpddW9nR0FgLsnPcSK_EQVkChSb3nZsagxdxCEtu73GnsvP9yqBQzU1_11mFpi05zLvzeOV5FcyoSdQVfajruD_kQzOiD3qgIyVCKN6L_3YY/s320/IMG_5673.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark heads towards the exchange, where Jilena is waiting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6KM_nQDplJ9rVzhp55eBngn8G-sA4fVFzavko9oeV-VlZKlxDQ9bI0QodlDr0lh-6TTVBx8MpRdzmOcEztBAtA2rbmp_3hn07HyBOm0B9uOq8N9vX9WBkyHTqnYlGM3SX-wZ503vqhI/s1600/IMG_5675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6KM_nQDplJ9rVzhp55eBngn8G-sA4fVFzavko9oeV-VlZKlxDQ9bI0QodlDr0lh-6TTVBx8MpRdzmOcEztBAtA2rbmp_3hn07HyBOm0B9uOq8N9vX9WBkyHTqnYlGM3SX-wZ503vqhI/s320/IMG_5675.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few members from Ragnar 911 "rough up" a fellow Ragnar participant</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5DlTF2BaFVh_BPp0sSz1w7Pqlel9rETWKeJOhS4n66AVDzXW8WY8MSpqbjICtd7xm0FCz0KC277Unp2DKYU5a8FrVPIoSX-VHaIhdUkzxQnkQKW5kSC1jaAmOW8ZzRuv7riqInyoEas/s1600/IMG_5676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5DlTF2BaFVh_BPp0sSz1w7Pqlel9rETWKeJOhS4n66AVDzXW8WY8MSpqbjICtd7xm0FCz0KC277Unp2DKYU5a8FrVPIoSX-VHaIhdUkzxQnkQKW5kSC1jaAmOW8ZzRuv7riqInyoEas/s320/IMG_5676.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A couple members from Team "Off Like a Prom Dress"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBDGWZPIE2fGVGiBrwxKWnpExyrEq3VhElrb2jz1y8qxshtR7X2fnOedvwLe-yymbJFkhP276T5ZZk7nm2JNBWyrSitLMRcxsUAqvpLL1m7cZVYiH03YcDl2R1ZbLXnYgY304ulfY4rk/s1600/IMG_5677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBDGWZPIE2fGVGiBrwxKWnpExyrEq3VhElrb2jz1y8qxshtR7X2fnOedvwLe-yymbJFkhP276T5ZZk7nm2JNBWyrSitLMRcxsUAqvpLL1m7cZVYiH03YcDl2R1ZbLXnYgY304ulfY4rk/s320/IMG_5677.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Residents who lived along the Ragnar course had the best seat in the house!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDB0lP9PYuwKkDYWCVhEFZDm4bUTujg2BK3SWgMagzJhNsB-WRfBhrboJWcCuFSNM9jnd-rdKito4dzRmZJZeQyx285VlRsCciy4qcbp_Eii3nz1Hvs0MeEbIqlIEU-neN9Il_UckPNKI/s1600/IMG_5678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDB0lP9PYuwKkDYWCVhEFZDm4bUTujg2BK3SWgMagzJhNsB-WRfBhrboJWcCuFSNM9jnd-rdKito4dzRmZJZeQyx285VlRsCciy4qcbp_Eii3nz1Hvs0MeEbIqlIEU-neN9Il_UckPNKI/s320/IMG_5678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jilena is about to hand off to Dain</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9n0iMsBaX3fM2pclCev47YsaJ4-r8_q5un8i8hDDEpJBwSvu56t-t8ilKNziTNOCZvdGTLyXDOkDVR5VDs3BBIxDNQBOAh5q40Aq8fCjgc3Uun5AQkaubn7RQFbW3yZlV9JFoOTvEVoM/s1600/IMG_5680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9n0iMsBaX3fM2pclCev47YsaJ4-r8_q5un8i8hDDEpJBwSvu56t-t8ilKNziTNOCZvdGTLyXDOkDVR5VDs3BBIxDNQBOAh5q40Aq8fCjgc3Uun5AQkaubn7RQFbW3yZlV9JFoOTvEVoM/s320/IMG_5680.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dain said he pushed himself during his first leg. The cooling temps definitely helped!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2EzWlPz0IBBjTtt2eonNwVtQxNHWp9mpdv9m-TqPPV-WMe-uKlWSB1uTHQB12M45ENI2nITf97bNZ6feRLp4zLPLny7w3xcnIaUEhbCDhUlR5P0ttbFirhK_hWyrtyxgiAv6Fu0ivUM/s1600/IMG_5681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2EzWlPz0IBBjTtt2eonNwVtQxNHWp9mpdv9m-TqPPV-WMe-uKlWSB1uTHQB12M45ENI2nITf97bNZ6feRLp4zLPLny7w3xcnIaUEhbCDhUlR5P0ttbFirhK_hWyrtyxgiAv6Fu0ivUM/s320/IMG_5681.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I liked this lady's costume</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2Y5rBoAYjhgog22LUFae7YKTr6rcCxpmX4Hy9iu66hkBTiw2qv8t3wcJLXK9v5bwtRaIKW5NLV8MLil8ZYXIwHSJLSRGJ1ioGT_7pWXj2NIzvQr5fjpZqtIiaA9XwvWDXEQbFm22r64/s1600/IMG_5682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2Y5rBoAYjhgog22LUFae7YKTr6rcCxpmX4Hy9iu66hkBTiw2qv8t3wcJLXK9v5bwtRaIKW5NLV8MLil8ZYXIwHSJLSRGJ1ioGT_7pWXj2NIzvQr5fjpZqtIiaA9XwvWDXEQbFm22r64/s320/IMG_5682.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had some pretty scenery along the course</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabSCqdsw8Lj1aWlgGUoSsPJx_pPBWfnTPgG4RrU_mTwKTGZ5WNtDpvUxeyOPj3sUK9d0yovv2131djOHnV4bkxcSSSZsHqHOBtxKNSeY8ZuoFvjwXZry9ex6EifOQZC04U3o3Ud6vutY/s1600/IMG_5684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabSCqdsw8Lj1aWlgGUoSsPJx_pPBWfnTPgG4RrU_mTwKTGZ5WNtDpvUxeyOPj3sUK9d0yovv2131djOHnV4bkxcSSSZsHqHOBtxKNSeY8ZuoFvjwXZry9ex6EifOQZC04U3o3Ud6vutY/s320/IMG_5684.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dain is still looking strong!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__3lwTZtkSSB8_GndG-ySI7Dhw89Fq0TM5_EOp8SchPCOROC-fMlSN1n0vTlvPBHd47fl2EPPZQV0pqrabtv29ozEcwpErgrZVaQ8qhGUg4nFQd5dIycSYpOjZEjM99glt4lzJsnfTk8/s1600/IMG_5685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__3lwTZtkSSB8_GndG-ySI7Dhw89Fq0TM5_EOp8SchPCOROC-fMlSN1n0vTlvPBHd47fl2EPPZQV0pqrabtv29ozEcwpErgrZVaQ8qhGUg4nFQd5dIycSYpOjZEjM99glt4lzJsnfTk8/s320/IMG_5685.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Rico's van makes an appearance at Exchange 12</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ro6SQNWCKLGIlprDbzmyNBO5zAsvAXTEe4S1ZXGgh6CK1yCyxD5upZG-5qiIUAHvi8ISOzeZmyn2ACEMqz2g4fB1gQu7WyVyFnQ8dZmLaVaDgJ4sCLWIIjTjN1csPj0efJ8qqtd-MNo/s1600/IMG_5686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ro6SQNWCKLGIlprDbzmyNBO5zAsvAXTEe4S1ZXGgh6CK1yCyxD5upZG-5qiIUAHvi8ISOzeZmyn2ACEMqz2g4fB1gQu7WyVyFnQ8dZmLaVaDgJ4sCLWIIjTjN1csPj0efJ8qqtd-MNo/s320/IMG_5686.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four of the members of Van 1: Ralph, Gregg, Josh and Mark (team captain)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTTdBFpGfFgaZ1X_wsKCpkP5poaGJn-SFIDRoqrylTSN4jmlfZIbDWgAg0ORaB6etwA3VWjFuqOt5pa8r-Gu6HK5wEho6fPGZ2AUUnvHpKMQcYYZefMaaxefcfUloJeXYqqxaq130AvQ/s1600/IMG_5687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTTdBFpGfFgaZ1X_wsKCpkP5poaGJn-SFIDRoqrylTSN4jmlfZIbDWgAg0ORaB6etwA3VWjFuqOt5pa8r-Gu6HK5wEho6fPGZ2AUUnvHpKMQcYYZefMaaxefcfUloJeXYqqxaq130AvQ/s320/IMG_5687.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team "Running Wild"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglt4kPgo10I0CozYJv-be63C50voDxGJq8-nY0AAC0XgrPx75IorFgRvsAw2TtmkgdxBRW7vOjsvOVD3Pbc6NXoCl2DUQs12QtMAIBwzvHzDt9JCCeJsVAwvHbRFolDddBVnHPtu89_8/s1600/IMG_5688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglt4kPgo10I0CozYJv-be63C50voDxGJq8-nY0AAC0XgrPx75IorFgRvsAw2TtmkgdxBRW7vOjsvOVD3Pbc6NXoCl2DUQs12QtMAIBwzvHzDt9JCCeJsVAwvHbRFolDddBVnHPtu89_8/s320/IMG_5688.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved seeing all the clever van decorations the teams created!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMYSPqDVwUtImjEpl5JIx7fBAdSZNqJ-_jueCCEKLZLmiWmfHOMgSnQtgXouvQMUjy4td_FAEV1UrilE1_lp_ferJrKNznzusj8zo3gKbZLN00djnRPh9UmNg8xKajxWMCxEc5qmJn_o/s1600/IMG_5689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMYSPqDVwUtImjEpl5JIx7fBAdSZNqJ-_jueCCEKLZLmiWmfHOMgSnQtgXouvQMUjy4td_FAEV1UrilE1_lp_ferJrKNznzusj8zo3gKbZLN00djnRPh9UmNg8xKajxWMCxEc5qmJn_o/s320/IMG_5689.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again... Team "Running Wild"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>At Exchange 12 in Stockholm, WI, Dain handed off to Chris from Van 1, meaning that our van had a few hours of break time. It was time for supper and, hopefully, a couple hours of rest before we started running again.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of my 2011 Ragnar Relay experience!Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-27035546412494243172011-08-16T19:33:00.000-07:002011-08-16T19:33:08.390-07:00Help! We need somebody!I found out today that future hubs will be unable to run the <a href="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/race/greatriver">Ragnar Relay</a> this year due to a work scheduling conflict. Our whole team is devastated, but none more so than Mark because he was greatly looking forward to participating in the event again this year. That means that we are short one runner. If you are reading this and you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and would want to join our team, please contact me ASAP at richelle(dot)maciej(at)gmail(dot)com.<br />
<br />
Thanks!Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-76831861395736071202011-08-08T19:20:00.000-07:002011-08-08T19:22:05.984-07:00Race Report: Run for Blood Quarter-MarathonOn the morning of July 30, future hubs and I ran the <a href="http://www.runforblood5k.com/">Run for Blood Quarter-Marathon</a>. Our friend, Luther, is a financial planner, and <a href="http://www.hagenfinancialadvantage.com/new/hagenfinancial/">his company</a> was the title sponsor. He'd spent the last couple years persuading us to do his race (the quarter-marathon was added this year; before, it was just the 5K), but Mark and I always had something else going on the day of the race. This year, we made sure we added it to our race calendar <i>early</i>! Plus, the distance was unique... an instant PR! :)<br />
<br />
The race started at 8:30. With the hot, muggy weather we've been experiencing this summer, I was hopeful that we may catch a break with a nice cool day, but the weather was not in our favor. There were few clouds in the sky, and it was plenty warm by the time we started the race.<br />
<br />
We arrived early enough to chat with Luther, as well as other people we knew through Team Ortho (e.g. Kim, Lisa, Don, and John). We also made sure we got our photo taken with the local Elvis impersonator.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZCeoSM-TKe_cLmPSnIMwf0YzlCyDaaY5YfMSTjpCvZqee2bNfpExs5Z0brmqyYeez6z0frQTlTMQRcP8pyugkoZJWl2db6J9lICd9NshOJJQiNVxwgahQ-beRqc1lrW_-y-nmSlGmjo/s1600/R4B-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZCeoSM-TKe_cLmPSnIMwf0YzlCyDaaY5YfMSTjpCvZqee2bNfpExs5Z0brmqyYeez6z0frQTlTMQRcP8pyugkoZJWl2db6J9lICd9NshOJJQiNVxwgahQ-beRqc1lrW_-y-nmSlGmjo/s320/R4B-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.wkphotography.com/">Wayne Kryduba Photography</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I also participated in the group warmup, led by <a href="http://loistiedemann.com/">Lois Tiedemann Koffi</a>, a personal trainer and race sponsor.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LUA73go2IliqYwde-1XrJKuPoHyNxSuq-V6AjIxGRpQl9vG-JxY7XDoKA33ij0w4O34uIc4kSk7l051xEVr7PvqUqCAZgVbf8YL5fQCUfjmtpD41Q1Qkb5RU72T8CpxeHCWC1Y6lX-0/s1600/R4B-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LUA73go2IliqYwde-1XrJKuPoHyNxSuq-V6AjIxGRpQl9vG-JxY7XDoKA33ij0w4O34uIc4kSk7l051xEVr7PvqUqCAZgVbf8YL5fQCUfjmtpD41Q1Qkb5RU72T8CpxeHCWC1Y6lX-0/s320/R4B-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see me off to the left in the yellow Adidas singlet? Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.wkphotography.com/">Wayne Kryduba Photography</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As the runners congregated before the start, I positioned myself between the 8:00/mile pacer and the 8:30/mile pacer. I have a tendency to start out too fast and fade at the end, but I thought that I might be able to keep an 8:20/mile pace going. Mark was back by the 11:00/mile and 11:30/mile pacers.<br />
<br />
At 8:30, Elvis started the race with a "One for the money/Two for the show/Three to get ready/Now go, go, go!" Best race start ever!<br />
<br />
I kept the 8:00 pacer in my sights for the first mile and tried to reign in my pace. I didn't want to start out too fast, but I noticed my pace dip below 8:00s a couple times. The first mile always feels too easy.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 1 - 8:09</b><br />
<br />
The quarter-marathon circled twice around <a href="http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=4&parkid=263">Lake Calhoun</a> in Minneapolis. I run around Calhoun a lot during the summertime, particularly during my long runs, and plenty of local races are held at the lake each year. It was nice to run a familiar course. I'm glad I reigned in the pace a little more.<br />
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<b>Mile 2 - 8:20</b><br />
<br />
For such a short race, there was plenty of on-course entertainment. Besides Elvis at the start line, bagpipers, belly dancers, Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Timberwolves cheerleaders, and a cheer squad and drumline from Eastview High School in Apple Valley lined the course. Plenty of distractions!<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 3 - 8:13</b><br />
<br />
The leaders from the 5K race, which started five minutes after the quarter-marathon, had passed us by this point in the race. For a split-second, I wished that I had done the 5K because the mercury was rising and I was sweating buckets.<br />
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<b>Mile 4 - 8:35</b><br />
<br />
By this point in the race, I lost the 8:00 pacer. The heat was getting to me, and I noticed I was spending more time lingering at the water stops. I was taking a few more walk breaks than I wanted to as well. Why is it so difficult for me to acclimate to the heat?!<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 5 - 9:03</b><br />
<br />
At this point, the 8:30 pacer had caught up with me. I stayed on him for a while and passed him, but he passed me again when I took a walk break, and I never caught up with him again. However, I did keep him in my sights for the rest of the race. He proved to be a nice carrot for me, the rabbit, to chase. :)<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 6 - 8:31</b><br />
<br />
My gosh, I couldn't wait to be done running! The sun was beaming down on us runners and there was barely any breeze. The finish line couldn't come soon enough!<br />
<br />
<b>Last .55 miles - 8:18 pace</b><br />
<br />
I finished strong across the finish line, but immediately after I finished the race, I thought "Where are the porta-potties?" I had to go to the bathroom <i>so bad!</i> This never happens to me at races! I got my finisher medal and headed straight for the race village. Fortunately, there were no lines for the porta-potties, but I certainly wish they smelled better!<br />
<br />
After my potty break, I picked up a bottle of water, a cookie and a sample of a sub from Subway. I was mostly thirsty, but also hungry. Starbucks also had a booth in race village, so I picked up an iced tea and headed back to the start line to wait for Mark.<br />
<br />
Kim crossed before Mark and mentioned that he twisted his ankle. Immediately, I was concerned and asked if he was okay. Kim said that he was walking a lot, but that he was doing okay and that his ankle had been bothering him yesterday. That's funny... he never told me about it before the race. Perhaps he thought that my knowing his slight injury would make me worried or stressed out. I kept my eyes peeled for him as I watched runner after runner finish the race.<br />
<br />
Finally I saw him, running across the finish line in 1:22:18. I accompanied him as he made his way through the finish chute and on to the race village to get some food and beverage. Mark said his ankle was bothering him, but he walked a lot just to be safe. He appeared to be walking normally, so my concern lessened.<br />
<br />
Here are my stats:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Official finish time: 55:42</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Average pace: 8:35/mile (according to the results site; The Red Dragon listed a faster pace)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Overall place: 48/208</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gender place:13/123</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Division place: 2/23 </b>(25-29 age group)</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, I won second in my age group! Trust me, no one was more shocked than I was. I felt like I didn't run the race as well as I could have, and I definitely had one of the slower age-group-winner finish times. However, I did the best I could in the weather. I won a $50 gift certificate for a personal training session at <a href="http://www.fitness19.com/">Fitness 19</a>. Too bad it expires on the 15th of this month!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTnabyfVoFy9xXvOa6_lwClQ3kSTVThDjTRq9Vqow6WAYh8mwW8T1sXp7cwxnlf4KlYWnMFeeq7753LV9N1iFPleWnI1_POAgLzL52_PYTDMzYNUHQezeAogvf3TAF_w5xdeSz8_n6sQ/s1600/IMG_5493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTnabyfVoFy9xXvOa6_lwClQ3kSTVThDjTRq9Vqow6WAYh8mwW8T1sXp7cwxnlf4KlYWnMFeeq7753LV9N1iFPleWnI1_POAgLzL52_PYTDMzYNUHQezeAogvf3TAF_w5xdeSz8_n6sQ/s320/IMG_5493.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The swag: shirt, medal, bib number and coupons!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuFulya46MaNyd03xY7pMWcdyCDP7paL6lyy8BTKkiOLUo7PhwOdqGUPhXwFuWkGIt-ZR7LCzu7eN2srCW5XtdCsPA1IQUT7fckW0Kx4HEm9rqIhJESYWkOGz1edbhwqx4A8hiwTuAuQ/s1600/IMG_5495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuFulya46MaNyd03xY7pMWcdyCDP7paL6lyy8BTKkiOLUo7PhwOdqGUPhXwFuWkGIt-ZR7LCzu7eN2srCW5XtdCsPA1IQUT7fckW0Kx4HEm9rqIhJESYWkOGz1edbhwqx4A8hiwTuAuQ/s320/IMG_5495.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of the finisher medal. We liked the medals!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">Overall, Mark and I liked the race and hope to participate in it next year. I just hope they start at least an hour earlier next year because of the hot, humid Minnesota summer weather! We also hope to donate blood at the Bloodmobile they have at the race site. We didn't want to this year due to the <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/08/showered-with-love-part-2.html">wedding shower that was hosted for us</a> later that day, but we'll plan on it for next year. :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-6142463573838271702011-08-04T19:44:00.000-07:002011-08-04T19:44:57.196-07:00Showered with Love, Part 2Hi everybody! My gosh, I've missed you all! I've missed blogging, too. Life has been crazy busy around here. Future hubs and I close on our condo August 12, so I've been packing up all my stuff. When you've lived in the same place for almost five years, you accumulate a lot of things. Wedding-related preparations have also continued, of course!<br />
<br />
On Saturday, July 30, my aunt Jan (my mom's sister) and cousin Rebecca (my goddaughter's mother) hosted a wedding shower for Mark and me. They went all out on this event, setting the standard for future wedding/bridal showers in the family. Mark and I also enjoyed the rare opportunity to chat with family we hadn't seen for several years. The shower was absolutely wonderful. Here are some photos:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTD7EE3YpDCxn6PnOKXzhe9e06mIogHJkHMn8Jp6xav3tJuOQAnyReKNmg4o89lKE4QxlcK9VzLN4FccKsfvGBJQr6A7qXsgPw8quHpbLUP3aRiGuxhadDwDEJfR3a7rq25DxfGlTQOs/s1600/IMG_5500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXTD7EE3YpDCxn6PnOKXzhe9e06mIogHJkHMn8Jp6xav3tJuOQAnyReKNmg4o89lKE4QxlcK9VzLN4FccKsfvGBJQr6A7qXsgPw8quHpbLUP3aRiGuxhadDwDEJfR3a7rq25DxfGlTQOs/s320/IMG_5500.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan and Rebecca set up a wine tasting station featuring four different wines paired with distinct cheeses</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxv0CxTsktJixp76TfXePGk-uU4880CLaA1dK9eMoBeXVqjSen7eQBqiNiaPh5Rl05AH06KKTPUFwrWEkveM7c7Xqn475R6HMetVOt18GrAEpEBlAxguSoWzXq5FBz3QuMUGq52Dn0HE/s1600/IMG_5502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxv0CxTsktJixp76TfXePGk-uU4880CLaA1dK9eMoBeXVqjSen7eQBqiNiaPh5Rl05AH06KKTPUFwrWEkveM7c7Xqn475R6HMetVOt18GrAEpEBlAxguSoWzXq5FBz3QuMUGq52Dn0HE/s320/IMG_5502.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No dinner was served, but the hors d'oeurves were absolutely fabulous!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1joAd6gXa2d2TpX5W8i8AR90UvucRwUTiJ4L0RTbKWOEjDGvcdlAGzHu54waiaAD72qMs9jlU0RND5VGNTbbw2OLQsTZWQqOkNb6xxFmnckdDQuBs2l8IkcyAXU0xQ8PaGI5Wtdi09U/s1600/IMG_5504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1joAd6gXa2d2TpX5W8i8AR90UvucRwUTiJ4L0RTbKWOEjDGvcdlAGzHu54waiaAD72qMs9jlU0RND5VGNTbbw2OLQsTZWQqOkNb6xxFmnckdDQuBs2l8IkcyAXU0xQ8PaGI5Wtdi09U/s320/IMG_5504.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm... this pizza was tasty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdyR8CJjD7CZQsP2nroS9I0NcrAy6CIHNZjk2WU7WB_Omp0h54f-EPNsA1xpY17GvtN2MeUjSUNs0xD3K3whFhgiw0Q9vO9EVid7a1wZ6JACGxpanA4CS5bCNiTbN_yZr0zydLqNogtg/s1600/IMG_5505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdyR8CJjD7CZQsP2nroS9I0NcrAy6CIHNZjk2WU7WB_Omp0h54f-EPNsA1xpY17GvtN2MeUjSUNs0xD3K3whFhgiw0Q9vO9EVid7a1wZ6JACGxpanA4CS5bCNiTbN_yZr0zydLqNogtg/s320/IMG_5505.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pork and peach skewers were the most popular food item. Yum!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgqiwC5sXl8jtLL-MIG1gxniDr3EZUo-7V0hvif2FDqwl_LNUvj2f7QB08hLnIAUmZ905ZkFyn-tOdsw9p1UsdXgjCD9cjazBaUZ6t6bJnS6BtHaSDv-IzJCoNRmBq0So65UJS49cIQM/s1600/IMG_5506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgqiwC5sXl8jtLL-MIG1gxniDr3EZUo-7V0hvif2FDqwl_LNUvj2f7QB08hLnIAUmZ905ZkFyn-tOdsw9p1UsdXgjCD9cjazBaUZ6t6bJnS6BtHaSDv-IzJCoNRmBq0So65UJS49cIQM/s320/IMG_5506.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crostini, fruit skewers, Greek and antipasto skewers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9U-0rwsZ7Y0oFFjnho0a-MinnCHSbtlczxcM1b6oeyAGzRNTBHQepbzSCIZfDITq65YhaAzeWUWvVJUuwDheuHykDoGFkqz_ddeVrS4jUAiMDSAP7sVwCtt3ZlQ_3RvBU9SLAyY6m5g/s1600/IMG_5508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9U-0rwsZ7Y0oFFjnho0a-MinnCHSbtlczxcM1b6oeyAGzRNTBHQepbzSCIZfDITq65YhaAzeWUWvVJUuwDheuHykDoGFkqz_ddeVrS4jUAiMDSAP7sVwCtt3ZlQ_3RvBU9SLAyY6m5g/s320/IMG_5508.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo collage of Mark and me. We were cute kids, weren't we? :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-PtiwhiTvXBRKtyvW928Rkb0YQ7YqGLMwIOI0C4RjZpUb2UyGV4exVT-I5Ua__UZNO9sp7101GCSNxX-ZrLOyrMLFaWwYvdiKZHbEjaopPYlxNQ3w9eK3wuJKckVkFJDJDt7K57DLVc/s1600/IMG_5521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-PtiwhiTvXBRKtyvW928Rkb0YQ7YqGLMwIOI0C4RjZpUb2UyGV4exVT-I5Ua__UZNO9sp7101GCSNxX-ZrLOyrMLFaWwYvdiKZHbEjaopPYlxNQ3w9eK3wuJKckVkFJDJDt7K57DLVc/s320/IMG_5521.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening up gifts. My mom (far right, wearing black) records the gifts and the gift-givers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlNVArnYatCrU1GGNHWZ2Jgsh8bPJg7ekaVbJz0TNV9yosb6tq4iKHf5_zXLxIpyxb0xNvCK6B4vK7aU8EoflrG8FAdShCWS1Yj3NEyVHx9Cb8mNOHt4puDrPb9Uuz7S0BT1COTEGNO0/s1600/IMG_5522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlNVArnYatCrU1GGNHWZ2Jgsh8bPJg7ekaVbJz0TNV9yosb6tq4iKHf5_zXLxIpyxb0xNvCK6B4vK7aU8EoflrG8FAdShCWS1Yj3NEyVHx9Cb8mNOHt4puDrPb9Uuz7S0BT1COTEGNO0/s320/IMG_5522.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark seems a little confused in this photo...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharjue2i4UZFSI2prcZ6H_VWa77x7uJbjI4AH5UzjQ75_5nGhU_TeIGBDejieSY5vvg0CtZHpaIc1dfZluC-34SW9RnBPcM-mjkFy7aFonUpFXZ1GQt850CAlIv-74ePytBEKNyPUGXoI/s1600/IMG_5535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEharjue2i4UZFSI2prcZ6H_VWa77x7uJbjI4AH5UzjQ75_5nGhU_TeIGBDejieSY5vvg0CtZHpaIc1dfZluC-34SW9RnBPcM-mjkFy7aFonUpFXZ1GQt850CAlIv-74ePytBEKNyPUGXoI/s320/IMG_5535.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom and some of the other guests (L to R: co-worker Karen, landlady/roommate Judy, Mark's mom)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3C5LAZjF0T2rOX5EToPwks_UMc0L9VtBp4uyhPcvrRbFA-UKUuX1pI1BbYX_f_T2NqjrWsL9WVxVe-a-vLB0OUWjEow4new3xe7u7nGIhcSVpSnAX7UFlyjPdEvm3tpDaiRvdSD0BbHE/s1600/IMG_5537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3C5LAZjF0T2rOX5EToPwks_UMc0L9VtBp4uyhPcvrRbFA-UKUuX1pI1BbYX_f_T2NqjrWsL9WVxVe-a-vLB0OUWjEow4new3xe7u7nGIhcSVpSnAX7UFlyjPdEvm3tpDaiRvdSD0BbHE/s320/IMG_5537.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best game ever!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-A9B8jMYxBCUG118UmpVZ6MzSSNJIBQqBd9k7_oh3zUHkiSIvOipTzWX54ciFwmg9hTCiPenntLk75SsjEiMorYi_jBvjyF5TjNVq7yaKkJrkSWe_Uq2kABqlSCXBrdgbcT55D-GCnI4/s1600/IMG_5544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-A9B8jMYxBCUG118UmpVZ6MzSSNJIBQqBd9k7_oh3zUHkiSIvOipTzWX54ciFwmg9hTCiPenntLk75SsjEiMorYi_jBvjyF5TjNVq7yaKkJrkSWe_Uq2kABqlSCXBrdgbcT55D-GCnI4/s320/IMG_5544.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was one of our favorite gifts... a frame containing childhood photos of Mark and me, plus our favorite engagement photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkeblxsjb9lDuCMOBvKSVwHtwaEBFxYKitLlBNmnnFRmSNdCjGdRteMuIHkVsY4NpAqLDzlPoKpQXgTZixzQnYzv6zd5UB7rL01bDtDIEOpxA-3kah7yPRqRqjEsVxAXEQp5V2rBDCEQ/s1600/IMG_5553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxkeblxsjb9lDuCMOBvKSVwHtwaEBFxYKitLlBNmnnFRmSNdCjGdRteMuIHkVsY4NpAqLDzlPoKpQXgTZixzQnYzv6zd5UB7rL01bDtDIEOpxA-3kah7yPRqRqjEsVxAXEQp5V2rBDCEQ/s320/IMG_5553.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark tries to tease me... ha!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2BALSGxacx4o_11403ceOts8QEMCNThTDUzdeGrAbOiH3DMX35eHOc0tR5SAwoM8N15X3r4chx4bnsItoO6uP3nb8A3EksWAylgLMiVK_9s_YMu1GyjLUHu7CMwx8AOc9V4EWzpNkPY/s1600/IMG_5555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2BALSGxacx4o_11403ceOts8QEMCNThTDUzdeGrAbOiH3DMX35eHOc0tR5SAwoM8N15X3r4chx4bnsItoO6uP3nb8A3EksWAylgLMiVK_9s_YMu1GyjLUHu7CMwx8AOc9V4EWzpNkPY/s320/IMG_5555.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The plaque reads "Less Santa, More Mistletoe"... yes indeed!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-xRxvhXMzQW4ECWrNuOPJ-9lf2pwFAhJ-xXM3GrQk7k5FzXxI60Uc9MLOirf0iAT8tv8Nce-eZpqPYz-s17hLKbmh81wFNLMeeXufdQm-rZXVHnWqUYNWaeHiHBLvEjrjHKZZAWMO5Y/s1600/IMG_5556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-xRxvhXMzQW4ECWrNuOPJ-9lf2pwFAhJ-xXM3GrQk7k5FzXxI60Uc9MLOirf0iAT8tv8Nce-eZpqPYz-s17hLKbmh81wFNLMeeXufdQm-rZXVHnWqUYNWaeHiHBLvEjrjHKZZAWMO5Y/s320/IMG_5556.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening up the box containing all the Christmas ornaments my mom had made for me since I was born</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQ2a-qeYp35wAYUc6LgRO0NFCPHNES8EaZr93dZueUMscIJRwUNY-MnRRWS_IYlcXTI7l2-PyFTqR7ij0u7ZU4j_MI-FFlEXlJ3K2O_6jc0AQ7oo5s0IZQEF45e_RdaxzB6tcAKAnaSA/s1600/IMG_5560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQ2a-qeYp35wAYUc6LgRO0NFCPHNES8EaZr93dZueUMscIJRwUNY-MnRRWS_IYlcXTI7l2-PyFTqR7ij0u7ZU4j_MI-FFlEXlJ3K2O_6jc0AQ7oo5s0IZQEF45e_RdaxzB6tcAKAnaSA/s320/IMG_5560.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the last shower, there's a photo of us kissing with my mom sticking her head in the middle. This time, Mark's mom makes an appearance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAv-j-xFJ2onUN5V6aTBoQzG51tf6lakVnrHBgSp98_U01sui7cTXxpZ4oCSB6UTZdVIBMl0XaGizSZXUmlEaEzRMfjKcNPvHXa5shAeq2d0AGNpdlmw8FXbbd50Efp1zWpIuZPM-J3Hw/s1600/IMG_5562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAv-j-xFJ2onUN5V6aTBoQzG51tf6lakVnrHBgSp98_U01sui7cTXxpZ4oCSB6UTZdVIBMl0XaGizSZXUmlEaEzRMfjKcNPvHXa5shAeq2d0AGNpdlmw8FXbbd50Efp1zWpIuZPM-J3Hw/s320/IMG_5562.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was my favorite dessert. :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvTGtBXUYd7YljvXLyv_x8dr8Oc7nHhYfAikxx4xlH0tTBUYCmQz3YsaeIc1D1RmNd47lw_Lg2qyhaf1kIrgLD7NLSMPiIO7WdUeI7AwSXyct4caNRYXcsPWxF4aAfeXI51RnhiaOpAw/s1600/IMG_5563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvTGtBXUYd7YljvXLyv_x8dr8Oc7nHhYfAikxx4xlH0tTBUYCmQz3YsaeIc1D1RmNd47lw_Lg2qyhaf1kIrgLD7NLSMPiIO7WdUeI7AwSXyct4caNRYXcsPWxF4aAfeXI51RnhiaOpAw/s320/IMG_5563.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessert table. Like I said, Jan and Rebecca went all out on this party. The standard has been set.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOhj_5AMfmA6RbNCHAMbM9rOdGsM7Rt-El9gDFO5HFDMGB8I6xXAlZW0P2qbNEgJoqHE9QlPap8ly9aVk5B7ilsLVBmKpXWtACukrOoKE3sD1isFytV3k2P2b-GJ00QCvF2NzylvcX7g/s1600/IMG_5566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOhj_5AMfmA6RbNCHAMbM9rOdGsM7Rt-El9gDFO5HFDMGB8I6xXAlZW0P2qbNEgJoqHE9QlPap8ly9aVk5B7ilsLVBmKpXWtACukrOoKE3sD1isFytV3k2P2b-GJ00QCvF2NzylvcX7g/s320/IMG_5566.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark and I opened up a wedding gift after the shower... Waterford crystal champagne flutes to use during the wedding dinner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We are so incredibly loved and blessed by our family and friends, and we can't thank them enough for their support.<br />
<br />
<b>What are your plans for the weekend?</b><br />
I will continue packing, along with donating items that I don't need. Future hubs and I are going to a Twins baseball game on Sunday afternoon. We are running a fun run that morning.Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-32533523379147345572011-07-25T20:40:00.000-07:002011-07-25T20:42:36.507-07:00Showered with Love, Part 1On Sunday, my aunt Mary (my dad's sister, whom we lovingly refer to as "Old Auntie") hosted a running-themed wedding shower for future hubs and me. We had a great time, and it was fun to share the day with family and friends.<br />
<br />
Here are some photos from the day:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqEE7SqlR49Q2TpvE8FjYjKUkFX4gvM-cg0_B-4wGTT88O27A3_g_sQinv64Vg0Lan30exSmbRN0hpK9kaxBEZo14w4G2MnQR-K56eRxXjMurC3sAez9cV0y-b3-jVFZg2O8YJgMfuG4/s1600/IMG_5377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqEE7SqlR49Q2TpvE8FjYjKUkFX4gvM-cg0_B-4wGTT88O27A3_g_sQinv64Vg0Lan30exSmbRN0hpK9kaxBEZo14w4G2MnQR-K56eRxXjMurC3sAez9cV0y-b3-jVFZg2O8YJgMfuG4/s320/IMG_5377.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going with the running theme, the cake featured photos of Mark and me running, along with our favorite engagement photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LdiqXkwYM6pbfbNruU1HtCqA9h7qeMtSud-edLLQdgjZfcEQvLR_0WnGVgYnxqkpyTDQ0xQO31MuyvkO5uaTeSb87CKOzG-q6T9nlAjkhDeEpS8dpuojjCuqIXCq09duH1ZbIt-rDH4/s1600/IMG_5378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LdiqXkwYM6pbfbNruU1HtCqA9h7qeMtSud-edLLQdgjZfcEQvLR_0WnGVgYnxqkpyTDQ0xQO31MuyvkO5uaTeSb87CKOzG-q6T9nlAjkhDeEpS8dpuojjCuqIXCq09duH1ZbIt-rDH4/s320/IMG_5378.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bride-to-be and the groom-to-be with their beers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3jVpcsGNQh53OXPyQiuOp6U9KHELYBnTeLUYX5ZIWtE_DsHvpnsGIJa9zTFL3GX6i8dCN0rC03K2ouDyrlkJlz7mnH-XLGVKAyHyc8xI1aS_61wwVsh2C7ttN_BK9lqE78yfBow3fW0/s1600/IMG_5380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3jVpcsGNQh53OXPyQiuOp6U9KHELYBnTeLUYX5ZIWtE_DsHvpnsGIJa9zTFL3GX6i8dCN0rC03K2ouDyrlkJlz7mnH-XLGVKAyHyc8xI1aS_61wwVsh2C7ttN_BK9lqE78yfBow3fW0/s320/IMG_5380.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My aunt whipped up some delicious food for the shower. My faves were the pasta salad and the blueberry cheesecake pudding.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXyGOWxDqn8yTNBqIyFwia024-EnBiIt0mjqVkJmv6LVFJEF5_xUqibBLEXQ1SR2xnlUayaPjYK6yzro7JZIYaVSxaqVCm3B-a14hocHXHUDZ-Yh-0sFaS7YYOcGpnzzAyWSprHRLoNM/s1600/IMG_5381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXyGOWxDqn8yTNBqIyFwia024-EnBiIt0mjqVkJmv6LVFJEF5_xUqibBLEXQ1SR2xnlUayaPjYK6yzro7JZIYaVSxaqVCm3B-a14hocHXHUDZ-Yh-0sFaS7YYOcGpnzzAyWSprHRLoNM/s320/IMG_5381.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Auntie explains the first game, where Mark and I passed a tray of running-related items around</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpNftmyuQ-kMmwRWts0V8X2GvKNRm7D9-m3m10l4-m4MPY4lYlne1MhAvGreZQhfraGPn6V4Do-3hX_JWe4U_zTY2GJYig5njsQofq1I1ARXeNEYZYF8Comx97YtwL-VMqx2jTltWgC4/s1600/IMG_5382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPpNftmyuQ-kMmwRWts0V8X2GvKNRm7D9-m3m10l4-m4MPY4lYlne1MhAvGreZQhfraGPn6V4Do-3hX_JWe4U_zTY2GJYig5njsQofq1I1ARXeNEYZYF8Comx97YtwL-VMqx2jTltWgC4/s320/IMG_5382.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most thought they would have to write down as many items as they remembered, but they actually had to remember the colors in my corsage</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yPc8bs5GmPIZNSa3-px9Jp8MN-6wxekyr2y8HhymSifU5eULZyfwfV_iDtrfLs8fSEqo6ZXk5zBr_bkG7CekkOnCpaF_oU_DTndyLWWX5KS1UYEYkrErEe-rr1p1b2Re1EuxPFlyUlU/s1600/IMG_5383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yPc8bs5GmPIZNSa3-px9Jp8MN-6wxekyr2y8HhymSifU5eULZyfwfV_iDtrfLs8fSEqo6ZXk5zBr_bkG7CekkOnCpaF_oU_DTndyLWWX5KS1UYEYkrErEe-rr1p1b2Re1EuxPFlyUlU/s320/IMG_5383.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relatives chatting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jthEGfr6flo-E7HAhHx79DXK-GST8XFNWFUOtNBI_yjrxDjUMygUyJol-QCrHJRySV0Swlo0HMcrLmTkSmITyvBsBVhIWUv9rX0xoJ5tg02Q2gdb2dvoNFXSQ-RG5iqY8mJrGoQjgi4/s1600/IMG_5387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jthEGfr6flo-E7HAhHx79DXK-GST8XFNWFUOtNBI_yjrxDjUMygUyJol-QCrHJRySV0Swlo0HMcrLmTkSmITyvBsBVhIWUv9rX0xoJ5tg02Q2gdb2dvoNFXSQ-RG5iqY8mJrGoQjgi4/s320/IMG_5387.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second game consisted of me trying to guess which leg belonged to my fiance while blindfolded. Here, I'm feeling up my uncle, who happens to be a priest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEX7dNJ5EKVtgGW08oON_aKleU0HAZKEgrBUGlqJY5flsgw4D2f9plwrc7S8PBac5fzatPFPHdEUKXQ_jL3dTnK5wD3ZkgCR2N9BLRixb-c3GtX9Yzh4CCnc7_dlie1BKqA7Xl5pkAfk/s1600/IMG_5391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcEX7dNJ5EKVtgGW08oON_aKleU0HAZKEgrBUGlqJY5flsgw4D2f9plwrc7S8PBac5fzatPFPHdEUKXQ_jL3dTnK5wD3ZkgCR2N9BLRixb-c3GtX9Yzh4CCnc7_dlie1BKqA7Xl5pkAfk/s320/IMG_5391.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was *this close* to saying that Mark's father's leg was his. The legs must run in the family!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0J3KLJYGV6x1MBpTR7LrQMbySJejVZ8fNEwNSDOJ_RfkcKGEci4G_8qcifEQDp8dbmVvs-99GZ1JOKadv8rsxtpC0EhgqirpoiGqnI-9A1jeYTcKHAHlcw1V3nnSjODY_0esyFaOve8/s1600/IMG_5393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0J3KLJYGV6x1MBpTR7LrQMbySJejVZ8fNEwNSDOJ_RfkcKGEci4G_8qcifEQDp8dbmVvs-99GZ1JOKadv8rsxtpC0EhgqirpoiGqnI-9A1jeYTcKHAHlcw1V3nnSjODY_0esyFaOve8/s320/IMG_5393.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank God my fiance wore sandals! Shoes and socks meant that my fiance was not in front of me. In this photo, my uncle Bob is getting his leg felt up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBF6doVNlvXVKAmP-8cGGFaGq2g1Wrzo1C3ow0jLNLIs3qPUCGnRGlAxXkmMiBxZQrzeFgAxmHT5umDge1bSmT-PcCOSpWoiVI_fUU5EekzfGXuuPJjdYkvnrSZ1uIhJ7NfLhHb6dDds/s1600/IMG_5394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBF6doVNlvXVKAmP-8cGGFaGq2g1Wrzo1C3ow0jLNLIs3qPUCGnRGlAxXkmMiBxZQrzeFgAxmHT5umDge1bSmT-PcCOSpWoiVI_fUU5EekzfGXuuPJjdYkvnrSZ1uIhJ7NfLhHb6dDds/s320/IMG_5394.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I could tell that my cousin's son Sean was in front of me because his leg was too soft, thin and hairless to be Mark's!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhiJgw2dcQN0cXT6HRxUA0wQgwQu5rfJxOZ7sallcLPm5MIoXESw-U6ugQIqIgJsuKdp0UFWbNbM9vIyfuHYhr3A6b8dgod1GSzztNbAVTRDLMRKvgDmQr4OuNzjmqsiklFw636bXLqs/s1600/IMG_5395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhiJgw2dcQN0cXT6HRxUA0wQgwQu5rfJxOZ7sallcLPm5MIoXESw-U6ugQIqIgJsuKdp0UFWbNbM9vIyfuHYhr3A6b8dgod1GSzztNbAVTRDLMRKvgDmQr4OuNzjmqsiklFw636bXLqs/s320/IMG_5395.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cousin Mike feels totally embarrassed by this game. I am too... notice how red my face is!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I did correctly guess which leg was Mark's, in case you were wondering. :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjNVDA0GSNUZD4H_DjMkUr1PhNWQkf1_z5PISLYXiy0Tr8ny6-Uio_wLUOCTBOX_-1X8DLczUF3QEBRojkZJ3DwFs2zFbG1I2kpcWFdBpkwxY4U6JqTP7gGHNSuL-yujqvPj6Yz3EN1I/s1600/IMG_5403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjNVDA0GSNUZD4H_DjMkUr1PhNWQkf1_z5PISLYXiy0Tr8ny6-Uio_wLUOCTBOX_-1X8DLczUF3QEBRojkZJ3DwFs2zFbG1I2kpcWFdBpkwxY4U6JqTP7gGHNSuL-yujqvPj6Yz3EN1I/s320/IMG_5403.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening gifts</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWfpn_s7Vk31-MVX_2TP7uyUEeaqojKLyq8ZhsTGZIKs0Kp-mZvHQDoYU7cVYSlTeP-nLNv4yd5Yskj1jJoO6GGu97rPehe9MQOnyPb8pPp8oHNr0ZBDlfE45BKRCrtJapnUaT8jsq55U/s1600/IMG_5404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWfpn_s7Vk31-MVX_2TP7uyUEeaqojKLyq8ZhsTGZIKs0Kp-mZvHQDoYU7cVYSlTeP-nLNv4yd5Yskj1jJoO6GGu97rPehe9MQOnyPb8pPp8oHNr0ZBDlfE45BKRCrtJapnUaT8jsq55U/s320/IMG_5404.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark's aunt gave us toasting goblets for the wedding. Cheers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipz-NlOY9XjLoWRCcbJ6x8TjsLbdtEq5u6jCGOB_477bbUCsa64BXUzTGQ2yURQiLV4f3SAnEbTvwAHrEGLH_23mXKQx3cupUIojg2Q4GdRyP8KoY_GG_WmT965Wrn-QZ-AuYv2UBlRZ4/s1600/IMG_5418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipz-NlOY9XjLoWRCcbJ6x8TjsLbdtEq5u6jCGOB_477bbUCsa64BXUzTGQ2yURQiLV4f3SAnEbTvwAHrEGLH_23mXKQx3cupUIojg2Q4GdRyP8KoY_GG_WmT965Wrn-QZ-AuYv2UBlRZ4/s320/IMG_5418.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone said something funny</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98m7Kpo_uZZSQiw5QfYk0LyDPh1SRA9zTg73N4o7ARiOVyL0faYmVYipaRJEVCL_QNMMTo0VzZFv4CpwR7y6cXDVN_xAbjGvHe8r5Oj8QnHepOXZs2RqG8b1UuSsAdcb-FdNCPCh0ADQ/s1600/IMG_5420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98m7Kpo_uZZSQiw5QfYk0LyDPh1SRA9zTg73N4o7ARiOVyL0faYmVYipaRJEVCL_QNMMTo0VzZFv4CpwR7y6cXDVN_xAbjGvHe8r5Oj8QnHepOXZs2RqG8b1UuSsAdcb-FdNCPCh0ADQ/s320/IMG_5420.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the end of the party, everyone released blue balloons containing tiny slips of paper</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjqiKn3lRc1fYPHJj8xi7Ya6Mil2KnA1ljbaRRosidKOv5emX7RmJ-rV4W0A2iuCfzp_0n9ZMWftng3W880j0z4UAp4e3jRzOQkc9xCPDuhLpB6JadvEzmJGvJ0nNwLU2Mc6tpaZpsJI/s1600/IMG_5421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjqiKn3lRc1fYPHJj8xi7Ya6Mil2KnA1ljbaRRosidKOv5emX7RmJ-rV4W0A2iuCfzp_0n9ZMWftng3W880j0z4UAp4e3jRzOQkc9xCPDuhLpB6JadvEzmJGvJ0nNwLU2Mc6tpaZpsJI/s320/IMG_5421.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone wrote well-wishes for us on those little slips of paper inside the balloons</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9lNYZo-hWj4QsHuL9krTgG7FatKakG2S24bmvapn7-LZQlxqsla2LBOZxFmmYhg3_Tl7Mn7MdXzNVcK6Wsfb2r8Fe37ATp0SQcs6fc0-EJbuZ3UbkHjS1HFf4ukvXNzAsulc9r773l0/s1600/IMG_5423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9lNYZo-hWj4QsHuL9krTgG7FatKakG2S24bmvapn7-LZQlxqsla2LBOZxFmmYhg3_Tl7Mn7MdXzNVcK6Wsfb2r8Fe37ATp0SQcs6fc0-EJbuZ3UbkHjS1HFf4ukvXNzAsulc9r773l0/s320/IMG_5423.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our wishes float up to the heavens</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7bn3Z8vZm4uHLCBf-niFVz46dGFvFIb3QgsA8i2Ch8RcI-0mEz2INBaEGzsxF_g7iyznYe0L-Jcp3Bsce5k-vYXxrf0Q-Fm1KYy-FcmQML25dCaiCVfTLqtjq-xlLx2tPST8aLbp028/s1600/IMG_5424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI7bn3Z8vZm4uHLCBf-niFVz46dGFvFIb3QgsA8i2Ch8RcI-0mEz2INBaEGzsxF_g7iyznYe0L-Jcp3Bsce5k-vYXxrf0Q-Fm1KYy-FcmQML25dCaiCVfTLqtjq-xlLx2tPST8aLbp028/s320/IMG_5424.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xlzDXYeI4U_N31W9IXvwcvXq5c9OAOHVnrO265NNsbgLCUBUadWmG1-tfzALE62gLHf-TBcJy4WHoAWvXy4NZgAPZPvlCZfQQekGhxseILA8H72_CRPXGOQBvfAufoCFubCsJ_HjYI8/s1600/IMG_5425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xlzDXYeI4U_N31W9IXvwcvXq5c9OAOHVnrO265NNsbgLCUBUadWmG1-tfzALE62gLHf-TBcJy4WHoAWvXy4NZgAPZPvlCZfQQekGhxseILA8H72_CRPXGOQBvfAufoCFubCsJ_HjYI8/s320/IMG_5425.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the balloons until they're outta sight</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWrad9SGxosaDmMHuLpF26Yk5Gnaa3R0dpRAsYzCPCfNofkk56TIVn_icGY3jsZuquV2tz9H1bASro1GJQ_PQ_gbQwTYemQ1gywaX_d6XhxnN_v7fOB2XhyphenhyphenTkkNmW5J8L3Ow-783E340/s1600/IMG_5426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWrad9SGxosaDmMHuLpF26Yk5Gnaa3R0dpRAsYzCPCfNofkk56TIVn_icGY3jsZuquV2tz9H1bASro1GJQ_PQ_gbQwTYemQ1gywaX_d6XhxnN_v7fOB2XhyphenhyphenTkkNmW5J8L3Ow-783E340/s320/IMG_5426.JPG" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark and I are so loved by our family and friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Life has been extremely busy around here. Future hubs and I close on our condo on August 12, so we're hoping and praying for everything to go smoothly. I am beginning to pack up my stuff and compiling a few bags of items to donate to Goodwill. We both have this Wednesday off, so we're meeting with my uncle Fr. Dave (our officiant) to finish up the last of the paperwork for the ceremony. On that day, we are also applying for our marriage license, meeting with the vocalist, and visiting the site of the rehearsal dinner to determine the menu for the evening. Whew... there's so much going on!<br />
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My mom's sister Jan and my cousin Rebecca is hosting a shower for us this Saturday, so I will post a few photos from that event. Mark and I are running a race that morning, so expect a race recap, too!<br />
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OK... time for me to write out some thank-you notes! I hope your week is starting out well!Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-31268729086737020562011-07-18T19:37:00.000-07:002011-07-18T19:37:16.073-07:00Good news, and a farewell of sortsThis past weekend at home was very productive. I finished addressing invitation envelopes, and my awesome mom stamped them. Wedding invitations were sent out today, thanks to Mom who dropped them off at the post office in my hometown. I distributed the invites for my co-workers at work today.<br />
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We have a new vocalist for our wedding, who happens to be one of my old high school English teachers. :) She has a beautiful voice and I'm so excited she will be singing at our wedding.<br />
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I met with our wedding cake vendor over the weekend, and I'm liking our Plan B cake more and more. It will look awesome!<br />
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Finally, my Realtor called me at work today. We got the condo! Yay! Now, I know (thanks, <a href="http://runwithsam.blogspot.com/">Sam</a>!) that we really won't get the condo until the keys are in hand at closing, but I still can't help but be ecstatic about the news. I was squealing so much at work that my co-workers thought I was crazy! Closing should take place before August 25, and I'm hoping to move all my stuff in the last weekend in August and Labor Day weekend. I can't wait!<br />
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It's now less than two months before future hubs and I get married, and it's crunch time. Don't be surprised if you see me blogging and commenting on your entries less. However, this doesn't mean that I don't care about you! I love you guys and I thank you for reading my thoughts and following me on my journey. I will continue to pray for good races for you all and for good things to happen in your lives. I will probably post a race report here and there, when I'm not busy doing wedding stuff and moving. I will be back in full force after September 17 (our wedding day!!!!) and our honeymoon, which will happen immediately after the wedding. I hope to write even more and make this blog really take off!<br />
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Have a great week!Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-4741717159634683512011-07-15T06:01:00.000-07:002011-07-15T06:01:18.503-07:00Four for Friday: Wedding Edition1. If you're planning a wedding, be prepared for something (or multiple things) to go wrong. Just this week, I learned that my cake vendor couldn't make the cake future hubs and I had originally envisioned. Fortunately, Mark and I have a Plan B design and she can do that one.<br />
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2. Along with the cake snafu, we learned that our original vocalist for the ceremony backed out. This issue bothered me more than the cake problem, especially because our vocalist could have mentioned she wasn't singing for our wedding oh, I don't know, a few <i>months</i> ago! Thankfully, a former high school English teacher of mine who regularly sings at weddings in my hometown during the summer is free the weekend we're getting married. We are so hiring her!<br />
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3. One of my co-workers saw me eating a small snack at work yesterday and commented "That's fattening, you know. You won't be able to fit in your wedding dress." I countered with, "Oh well, I'll just run more." Seriously... the <i>nerve</i> of some people. I just wish I would have retorted with something more witty.<br />
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4. I am spending the weekend in my hometown and will finish addressing all the invitation envelopes. The post office will love me as I mail out all those invitations! :)<br />
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<b>If you're married, what went wrong during your wedding?</b><br />
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<b>Do you think well on your feet?</b><br />
I certainly don't!Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-53607017266659130772011-07-10T16:16:00.000-07:002011-07-10T16:16:56.704-07:00Switching Gears and Run.Love.BrideWith my <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/07/race-report-red-white-boom-tc-half.html">first half-marathon of the year</a> under my belt (I've done six half-marathons since 2007 in case you were wondering), I am now focusing my training on one of my goal races for the year... the <a href="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/race/greatriver">Ragnar Relay</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqq283nR4PbIANUcpzbzcoRrQVYlhXVstn-SkqHuQxoroYqv3Kht2cZOWzMfMA0QnzxGLMzMKBJEOZ2dSUGVMRgbKUks8xsC-T9VSROK1QbX1VZG5CSH1EqTj83qcdpLIkADTXChMR1E/s1600/RRGR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqq283nR4PbIANUcpzbzcoRrQVYlhXVstn-SkqHuQxoroYqv3Kht2cZOWzMfMA0QnzxGLMzMKBJEOZ2dSUGVMRgbKUks8xsC-T9VSROK1QbX1VZG5CSH1EqTj83qcdpLIkADTXChMR1E/s320/RRGR2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Official "Van 2" photo (with my goddaughter being held by Travis) from the 2010 relay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The training program I developed for myself last year worked great, so I'm revisiting it again this year. What makes it so helpful are the following guidelines:<br />
<br />
<b>1. </b><b>Run in the heat to get used to race day conditions.</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb1uaU23TPgPowm8ZbMuYiO0Zr9HaeojFDRO8WPr57Ahirrrs4e_IGSfPndVh4_16u2qj2fm5Td3qaZMUKUrLda7Yk6qLcpC75JJHlGUHCHQSJgzqHiCv_Hk3hN1bWwJQIWcOHrMRzcQ/s1600/IMG_3576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb1uaU23TPgPowm8ZbMuYiO0Zr9HaeojFDRO8WPr57Ahirrrs4e_IGSfPndVh4_16u2qj2fm5Td3qaZMUKUrLda7Yk6qLcpC75JJHlGUHCHQSJgzqHiCv_Hk3hN1bWwJQIWcOHrMRzcQ/s320/IMG_3576.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was already scorching hot early on in my first leg of the relay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I will be doing plenty of running after work when temps are in the 80s and 90s.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Hill training</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFaayl6DKVIcs93Y4RQyzS8zmxZp6y0_-xaeup04zXvsoWUuZvKar3o1qJdigFWBZ-yHrWSlqxiZtmtrvWCUGvseBJsGaXQ2su5MNhIM0Zd1e26Vd2cFcUQ7Gkuolx1N9DTT14GObZyQ/s1600/IMG_3585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFaayl6DKVIcs93Y4RQyzS8zmxZp6y0_-xaeup04zXvsoWUuZvKar3o1qJdigFWBZ-yHrWSlqxiZtmtrvWCUGvseBJsGaXQ2su5MNhIM0Zd1e26Vd2cFcUQ7Gkuolx1N9DTT14GObZyQ/s320/IMG_3585.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teammate Jack crests a nasty hill during his first leg of the relay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I have a few hilly routes that I run specifically for Ragnar training.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Run 2 to 3 in 24</b> (run two or three times within a 24-hour period).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6XXukdsUfWSpXwlTGCWRcMdMOdsGFbrXAAyk31aTPf_8XjrfDm4XBtPOA0nzUY02b7-aHVP6arPq-1kP4vaqut9WN47EQqyRt7K_d4L_Fa3ho7VXbhMjtJbmWDLyXn-2Ry5Y0FGjgK4/s1600/IMG_5372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6XXukdsUfWSpXwlTGCWRcMdMOdsGFbrXAAyk31aTPf_8XjrfDm4XBtPOA0nzUY02b7-aHVP6arPq-1kP4vaqut9WN47EQqyRt7K_d4L_Fa3ho7VXbhMjtJbmWDLyXn-2Ry5Y0FGjgK4/s320/IMG_5372.JPG" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken after yesterday morning's run. I ran Friday evening, as well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Last year during the relay, I ran my first leg about 5:00 Friday afternoon, my second leg about 3:00 in the morning Saturday, and my third leg about eight hours later. Relay runners need to get used to running on tired legs. I usually do 2 in 24 every week or every two weeks: run 2-4 miles on Friday evening, followed by a Saturday morning run of 5-7 miles. In August, I will have the opportunity to do 3 in 24 with a training run sandwiched between two races I'm planning to register for.<br />
<br />
I probably do a lot more training for Ragnar than other people, but I like to be prepared. :)<br />
<br />
-----------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
If you follow Linzi over at <a href="http://destination262.wordpress.com/">beyond DESTINATION 26.2</a>, then you know she is getting married this month! Hooray!<br />
<br />
Aneta over at <a href="http://www.runningbucket.com/">My Running Bucket</a> is hosting a <a href="http://www.runningbucket.com/2011/06/runlovebride.html">virtual race</a> in honor of Linzi.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ts3oGBhnCVA/TgC1McwX_7I/AAAAAAAACRc/YJM7pAtCics/s1600/runlovebride.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ts3oGBhnCVA/TgC1McwX_7I/AAAAAAAACRc/YJM7pAtCics/s320/runlovebride.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I chose to dedicate my Saturday morning run of <b>5.6 miles</b> to Linzi. This run was a tough one, having already put in 3 miles the night before AND running in heat and humidity yesterday. But I gutted it out and finished in <b>52:55</b>.<br />
<br />
I'm going to be jumping on board the marriage bandwagon come September, so I don't have any advice for her that comes from my own experience. All I know, from what others have told me, is that <b>marriage is wonderful but it's also hard work</b>. It's a lot like running. Sometimes, you have awesome training runs and races where everything goes perfectly, and then sometimes you have runs (like mine on Saturday) where it's hot and your legs are feeling sluggish and you want to give up but you tough it out anyway. Marriage will be the same way: you'll have periods where everything is great, but then you'll have some rough patches along the way (sickness, financial problems, career woes, etc.).<br />
<br />
Future hubs and I are going to have a well-known Scripture passage read during our wedding. Even if you're not Christian, this passage can still serve as a way to gauge your relationship. <b>Is my marriage (or my relationships with my parents, siblings, children, etc.) reflecting love in this way, even in the rough patches?</b><br />
<br />
<i>Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. </i>(1 Corinthians 13:4-8, New International Version)<br />
<br />
Best wishes to Linzi and J. Alabama as you start your new life together!<br />
<br />
<b>If you have any advice or well wishes for Linzi, be sure to visit <a href="http://destination262.wordpress.com/">her blog</a> and leave a comment.</b>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-75393491476285444262011-07-08T20:16:00.000-07:002011-07-08T20:17:31.441-07:00Foto Friday (with videos, too!)My friend <a href="http://paninogirl.livejournal.com/">Rachel</a> recently celebrated her 30th birthday, and she decided to do something fun and outrageous for her birthday party. No, I'm not talking about skydiving (although she has done that... brave woman!). I'm talking about the <a href="http://www.pedalpub.com/twincities/index.htm">Pedal Pub</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDxnDwJrswvTWvAGujPapLQNBk7gem5bkbjRbFXsJ1mwbut0B64ve7qPQ-YaZjSAnWKpEupZNOJ-b2HQqREcSizhdeE6fH9xEJXzkX8EWI32cRPp4sXGos4qKMosUjfoaYA-uxJIYbTo/s1600/IMG_5319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDxnDwJrswvTWvAGujPapLQNBk7gem5bkbjRbFXsJ1mwbut0B64ve7qPQ-YaZjSAnWKpEupZNOJ-b2HQqREcSizhdeE6fH9xEJXzkX8EWI32cRPp4sXGos4qKMosUjfoaYA-uxJIYbTo/s320/IMG_5319.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Yes, it's a pub on wheels! The Pedal Pub holds up to 16 people, plus the driver, and has 10 pedaling seats. It's a great way to carbo-load while getting your sweat on!<br />
<br />
First off, however, Rachel made dinner reservations for us at <a href="http://fabulousferns.com/">Fabulous Fern's</a> in St. Paul. Yum!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pMs2d1pTlVB7JIWeE32qwcPh_fp5MwtEksAyyyhPKEswOhxDRhW_IlmnXhCNCgxh4qopWMaGoKscRnZUM96CrY58ci9TPnzuB33cnIWgIYAAfpyP7MgMnqAfHaZEby1hEX99w5WWFL4/s1600/IMG_5314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pMs2d1pTlVB7JIWeE32qwcPh_fp5MwtEksAyyyhPKEswOhxDRhW_IlmnXhCNCgxh4qopWMaGoKscRnZUM96CrY58ci9TPnzuB33cnIWgIYAAfpyP7MgMnqAfHaZEby1hEX99w5WWFL4/s320/IMG_5314.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For gifts, Rachel requested 30 of something. I gave her 30 mini Clif bars, 30 cat stickers, and 330 temporary tattoos.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9E-CL_414arS5L1cmDNlwDq1btTwqI5XWy_eIYs4NXHjySm97cmG24ZtgWdNi1aZbxSTiw9pGaLkqnFQUlcoIKgtHHCQ4fMy7Ja4W9ErLvvDrsAA-tLDA3LkDG2StVXGCO-JBomxi3-s/s1600/IMG_5315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9E-CL_414arS5L1cmDNlwDq1btTwqI5XWy_eIYs4NXHjySm97cmG24ZtgWdNi1aZbxSTiw9pGaLkqnFQUlcoIKgtHHCQ4fMy7Ja4W9ErLvvDrsAA-tLDA3LkDG2StVXGCO-JBomxi3-s/s320/IMG_5315.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachel and her fiance, Matt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEeoRiFf7DGblGV8bnm3z5AsFphll_r06zcYzDBpb6v9McPJG2WQc-bBxX2Wqy3IZPWfGzc1P4i83vF_kZcFxrHLdgOSERhcdNszyRKLUcSPPaaLo7fo4GHQ41WDPW-Vo_gnSNSdEaIo/s1600/IMG_5316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEeoRiFf7DGblGV8bnm3z5AsFphll_r06zcYzDBpb6v9McPJG2WQc-bBxX2Wqy3IZPWfGzc1P4i83vF_kZcFxrHLdgOSERhcdNszyRKLUcSPPaaLo7fo4GHQ41WDPW-Vo_gnSNSdEaIo/s320/IMG_5316.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having fun with one of her 30 "gifts that came from the Dollar Store and use your mouth"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXf3TRJ_zMZIeY4ys8qXQnWKW-AIYbXW3DbzVK_cLSC5AvGIh0LuA-7i4t5a6S0l1r_6uio9Rpb6JJEoGHITuhp4cOGr-NTPTpMopGRq8gQJv3hxBBTgZiOa92-ui1mKCGoYm0nPAi-Y/s1600/IMG_5317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXf3TRJ_zMZIeY4ys8qXQnWKW-AIYbXW3DbzVK_cLSC5AvGIh0LuA-7i4t5a6S0l1r_6uio9Rpb6JJEoGHITuhp4cOGr-NTPTpMopGRq8gQJv3hxBBTgZiOa92-ui1mKCGoYm0nPAi-Y/s320/IMG_5317.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seth and Laurie give Rachel 30 hugs and kisses</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After dinner, it was time for the Pedal Pub.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6P3HjuNUHB6cwmSjjZhjqnQjrJFlwlu-NzrTxzLI3n__kU2Edk9Pmhmk_ZY3pQZxoBqCyJlkKnnoQJZIv1GxkCULKkYlj06FGrCQZ3QsW518Xx-lw08trQpZuDy8iVaYeadNTB-dZU8/s1600/IMG_5321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6P3HjuNUHB6cwmSjjZhjqnQjrJFlwlu-NzrTxzLI3n__kU2Edk9Pmhmk_ZY3pQZxoBqCyJlkKnnoQJZIv1GxkCULKkYlj06FGrCQZ3QsW518Xx-lw08trQpZuDy8iVaYeadNTB-dZU8/s320/IMG_5321.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our driver</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZEDpDy1hpuOQeZd49csfOi71RHY5hLIkiONKRLT_Mer8U8QjUpE0tAMFXMLh6p6btvV0XJXdrG8iEv8bVbAlIojJ5yQhv0IusmUI1W0jaMPD_UVUyI7t8D145aVpFQNos6lYBT-JFQs/s1600/IMG_5322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZEDpDy1hpuOQeZd49csfOi71RHY5hLIkiONKRLT_Mer8U8QjUpE0tAMFXMLh6p6btvV0XJXdrG8iEv8bVbAlIojJ5yQhv0IusmUI1W0jaMPD_UVUyI7t8D145aVpFQNos6lYBT-JFQs/s320/IMG_5322.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riders have to provide their own alcohol, but there is a nice tap set up for a keg</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicticVEbHYLlmo8fvdxjBbgfdBYfafsqBsDhr3IajLsSHcZYROC2TObskxEaD8unEmpfRn_Ras-xVLmZdoUtTA03LSrIBTLaumpe4CR8E-mgpHnnsjjEpGmMNcWxj9gszHdt4foJWNai4/s1600/IMG_5325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicticVEbHYLlmo8fvdxjBbgfdBYfafsqBsDhr3IajLsSHcZYROC2TObskxEaD8unEmpfRn_Ras-xVLmZdoUtTA03LSrIBTLaumpe4CR8E-mgpHnnsjjEpGmMNcWxj9gszHdt4foJWNai4/s320/IMG_5325.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting started down the street</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsf6YoAYTXrT36B-dl_fToAnWIVAjUK9R54Y4u46dzp3Z45-fcEJTUvDaJ3O4Fn6QvPWwdKAfpKBCPCg_y1Ato8gQTUJSaKhmOrUC62F5BKZGzDtA8X75dq54hOT6gZbZt0oeA3fvKmY/s1600/IMG_5327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsf6YoAYTXrT36B-dl_fToAnWIVAjUK9R54Y4u46dzp3Z45-fcEJTUvDaJ3O4Fn6QvPWwdKAfpKBCPCg_y1Ato8gQTUJSaKhmOrUC62F5BKZGzDtA8X75dq54hOT6gZbZt0oeA3fvKmY/s320/IMG_5327.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We backed up traffic until those vehicles following us could pass us</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGGRc0tkW743ocJERpeTzQWVV0E6HJmoqte6WVNajy2VFWL8vI5qAeAJ0bSnIqgfqoJ5T0k6bJGEhL4xM9Xo6Is2w1HV-RNoSejgFLi0RO7skhZK07P8QJ7rfoaiXfhvNrbJmUEaU7ig/s1600/IMG_5328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGGRc0tkW743ocJERpeTzQWVV0E6HJmoqte6WVNajy2VFWL8vI5qAeAJ0bSnIqgfqoJ5T0k6bJGEhL4xM9Xo6Is2w1HV-RNoSejgFLi0RO7skhZK07P8QJ7rfoaiXfhvNrbJmUEaU7ig/s320/IMG_5328.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Future hubs is having a good time as we head down Selby Avenue</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvIZ3jFf4w_veU-MCvhLsFNqQx7E46fLa0spOBlqkvLtch18WcORR00YLPh1DIK2-tpJWMqkZEjuyGNpgEdf6fLdsBvF4p-SbyowwFew68fJmLFZiAcsOmAz6kbXvHv_md_TnHhFRWCY/s1600/IMG_5331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyvIZ3jFf4w_veU-MCvhLsFNqQx7E46fLa0spOBlqkvLtch18WcORR00YLPh1DIK2-tpJWMqkZEjuyGNpgEdf6fLdsBvF4p-SbyowwFew68fJmLFZiAcsOmAz6kbXvHv_md_TnHhFRWCY/s320/IMG_5331.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here's a video of us pedaling away...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxlVgROzG1biql9g7j8k_oLeLqV-rTS_DlNEeLU3xwGyKE1tT8CuiXb9kieblYTEN8XcEAVIGZfmWzt0QURkQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
... and heading downhill...<br />
<br />
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Those of us who sat on pedal seats got quite the workout!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a breather</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rachel ordered a delicious German chocolate cake from Cafe Latte, so we made a stop along the way to pick it up and eat it on the Pedal Pub.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4WRAyAfWk5Bev8_Iztsg4te1If7I_xtFX_cdARct8oQ3V_ee-k4oC8gNQFAhUG6mONjUrAhyAjfl69TyLRIJJF7m7B710J7KUyQ2gQXHhVnqXi8W0_RnJpDGh79vAmC7xd2uhU-lOCQ/s1600/IMG_5349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4WRAyAfWk5Bev8_Iztsg4te1If7I_xtFX_cdARct8oQ3V_ee-k4oC8gNQFAhUG6mONjUrAhyAjfl69TyLRIJJF7m7B710J7KUyQ2gQXHhVnqXi8W0_RnJpDGh79vAmC7xd2uhU-lOCQ/s320/IMG_5349.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Singing "Happy Birthday" to our dear friend</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting the cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cake and Surly Hell (great beer, btw!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvtoFgYxiacc6hFoxf5Awy5XyG3potbiKKufDYO7tX8FiM6D9g4Vc1FD6jpMUQShL95qxUswn8V-yKNpqTg-9cx3y1La36ITt6VeAqw9eR1zmzvmHugAVUt89woTJzbpppo1LX43mttU/s1600/IMG_5361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvtoFgYxiacc6hFoxf5Awy5XyG3potbiKKufDYO7tX8FiM6D9g4Vc1FD6jpMUQShL95qxUswn8V-yKNpqTg-9cx3y1La36ITt6VeAqw9eR1zmzvmHugAVUt89woTJzbpppo1LX43mttU/s320/IMG_5361.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQ2gBJpGUl2CYTzedq9CYGwiy_W7NFLNiI12oXZoOkwvNJtarizErXNryG7-ZTqIP5MlUO9EM7L-icljrmFsXFzY1YmXiGNzkdolzpJuthJPf6lBE4b8EybjbA75_QeJNeFzSLlhpq-8/s1600/IMG_5362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQ2gBJpGUl2CYTzedq9CYGwiy_W7NFLNiI12oXZoOkwvNJtarizErXNryG7-ZTqIP5MlUO9EM7L-icljrmFsXFzY1YmXiGNzkdolzpJuthJPf6lBE4b8EybjbA75_QeJNeFzSLlhpq-8/s320/IMG_5362.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finger-licking good!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After consuming that delicious cake, we headed on our merry way again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We cracked open the mini-keg of Bell's Oberon</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These bikers didn't intimidate us!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We stopped at the <a href="http://muddypig.com/">Muddy Pig</a> for a few drinks. I had had enough beer at this point, and was content to watch the birthday girl take shots.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsraCD-Ry1fiVGdvpS8JXmLGAHwAaDg4hhJwzy9Tbkm-y5SmeqEtNX-25bubvB5khl_N2qfGsEqRl9hXyTvEDvKYYUQL5JSaOhDG1CTRgwq0MrHyW0msgYGs0f-cAinEfzcGPMIEsOvUg/s1600/IMG_5368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsraCD-Ry1fiVGdvpS8JXmLGAHwAaDg4hhJwzy9Tbkm-y5SmeqEtNX-25bubvB5khl_N2qfGsEqRl9hXyTvEDvKYYUQL5JSaOhDG1CTRgwq0MrHyW0msgYGs0f-cAinEfzcGPMIEsOvUg/s320/IMG_5368.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the end of the night, we helped the driver get the Pub back onto the trailer so he could transport it to the garage.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzmwv8FRhWjqrjtk-1g65rgolSjgsp8h9ZTZTcNztw6wo1OTI22Ml2ivds0GMSFrqvwVoClAHzY_OhYpani1w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Everyone had a great time on the Pedal Pub and sending our friend into her 30s with plenty of fun memories.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzI6qNyNuoHz6EHHApVjbex9yy8KZRLRf7jx1uTe3azs07KCod24sT5Q5QNdPlmnM1yd46i_PSrD0IdwqSU_rS8dqdKS9XfJa-Joy2Bk2vqTWVx59oEXjGTa6PL5ZLLQEOZr1eLyPdiy8/s1600/IMG_5351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzI6qNyNuoHz6EHHApVjbex9yy8KZRLRf7jx1uTe3azs07KCod24sT5Q5QNdPlmnM1yd46i_PSrD0IdwqSU_rS8dqdKS9XfJa-Joy2Bk2vqTWVx59oEXjGTa6PL5ZLLQEOZr1eLyPdiy8/s320/IMG_5351.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crew</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Have you ever done a pub crawl or something like the Pedal Pub before? If so, what was your experience like?</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-71396325049079149332011-07-07T00:18:00.000-07:002011-07-09T16:25:38.724-07:00Race Report: Red, White & Boom! TC Half-MarathonBear with me because this is gonna be a <i>long</i> post...<br />
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A 6:30 a.m. start time meant a 4:00 a.m. wake-up call for me. I only got about 3 1/2 hours of sleep because some of my neighbors were setting off fireworks until the wee hours of the morning. Ugh!<br />
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Future hubs and I headed over to northeast Minneapolis around 5:00 a.m. and found on-street parking (meters don't run on holidays, yay!) near the start of the course. We were happy we didn't have to pay to park at a parking ramp. I had picked up our race packets on Friday afternoon, so there wasn't much for us to do but wait until the start and chat with anyone we knew. We were perhaps a <i>tad</i> bit early (sorry, Mark!).<br />
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<a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/">Twin Cities in Motion</a> added a team component to this race through <a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/events/red_white__boom_tc_half_marathon/team_up_for_the_boom/">Team Up for the Boom!</a> Teams of 2, 5 or 10 paid an extra fee ($10/person) to receive the following perks:<br />
<ul><li>Separate porta-potties and bag check at the Team Up for the Boom! tent</li>
<li>An event-themed messenger bag</li>
<li>Special holiday-themed food after finishing the race</li>
<li>Team photo</li>
<li>A chance to win guaranteed entry into the Medtronic TC 10 Mile (held this fall) and other prizes</li>
</ul>Mark and I decided to pair up as <b>Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch</b>. And, as hinted in previous blog entries, we wore costumes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvxYBP69kAqSQWLFydrwZyBUQgRTXbABj24q5lXhr8_zwsAe2VxxYpX8XzLzWV8GTSGzkZ3Lp1VXe_2MY-lII8DH3YH5W0MUETGKnjdy-d3OA9zDNWDSPPmKmUq8TsgQxN0rERJO6AGk/s1600/MM+F%2526B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvxYBP69kAqSQWLFydrwZyBUQgRTXbABj24q5lXhr8_zwsAe2VxxYpX8XzLzWV8GTSGzkZ3Lp1VXe_2MY-lII8DH3YH5W0MUETGKnjdy-d3OA9zDNWDSPPmKmUq8TsgQxN0rERJO6AGk/s320/MM+F%2526B.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlBdWmcL1dvrUTUDqzBIAFFzyPBrpNa78C0D5fqOwaT7TVLbit5AXdmKrzOjhrverzUBAGJd7vNB-4qit-4XOrhJ1MAHrjCTgZjcLPFUhBkC75sIHiU8U8oHfuNvIdTiuJTvxFDCgprw/s1600/FB+F%2526B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBlBdWmcL1dvrUTUDqzBIAFFzyPBrpNa78C0D5fqOwaT7TVLbit5AXdmKrzOjhrverzUBAGJd7vNB-4qit-4XOrhJ1MAHrjCTgZjcLPFUhBkC75sIHiU8U8oHfuNvIdTiuJTvxFDCgprw/s320/FB+F%2526B.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJ_CUQ9U3u8UiSU9P1eHnDndfeEa4VIM3VfqXDWf-KkjlMTxTqP7t8Q-ARoexG_UY7QZ-04KHoPxNe4kj4Qlu4gbsR-eEmh7GUcCKs3TvA2uXtCkY1jqFt1F_vJChi7YXNPEKg1jXX0U/s1600/IMG_5278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJ_CUQ9U3u8UiSU9P1eHnDndfeEa4VIM3VfqXDWf-KkjlMTxTqP7t8Q-ARoexG_UY7QZ-04KHoPxNe4kj4Qlu4gbsR-eEmh7GUcCKs3TvA2uXtCkY1jqFt1F_vJChi7YXNPEKg1jXX0U/s320/IMG_5278.JPG" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "RWB" on the front of our shirts stands for Red, White and Boom!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Besides the starry red headband, my other favorite part of my costume was my red sparkly skirt from <a href="http://www.sparkleskirts.com/">Sparkle Skirts</a>. I loved wearing it and I had no "wardrobe malfunctions" during the race. I just may order a blue sparkle skirt so I have one in my favorite color. :)<br />
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I was in costume from head to toe (and fingertips!)...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4yWloC3YEe8jWO12ywm-7o1G2_LkERYpkHgIQX87wmQokJjrLgOvj9gnC7TKWavxaVyjv0RKWbds3sJ4R5D5pnDJWQW-eNVG4uaiWK6ZWywM14baZnnJv3FViefdpGx8OQ_WE7SZ9VQ/s1600/IMG_5275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4yWloC3YEe8jWO12ywm-7o1G2_LkERYpkHgIQX87wmQokJjrLgOvj9gnC7TKWavxaVyjv0RKWbds3sJ4R5D5pnDJWQW-eNVG4uaiWK6ZWywM14baZnnJv3FViefdpGx8OQ_WE7SZ9VQ/s320/IMG_5275.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Thanks to <a href="http://mystorychapter2.blogspot.com/">Wells L</a> for the nail polish inspiration!<br />
<br />
Future hubs and I hung out at the Team Up for the Boom! tent before race start, chatting with some of our Team Ortho friends that were doing the race. We got our team photo taken, checked our bags, and I hit up the porta-potties. It was so nice to not have to wait in line (and I saw the lines that the other race participants had to endure... sooooo long!). I also ran into an old friend of mine from college that I hadn't seen in over five years. We spent some time catching up. He just ran his first marathon (<a href="http://grandmasmarathon.com/site/">Grandma's Marathon</a> in Duluth) a few weeks ago and did well.<br />
<br />
Mark and I headed over to the start corral about 6:15. We kissed, hugged and prayed for each other before going our separate ways. I found the 2:00 pacer and noticed that three of the Team Ortho friends we chatted with before were nearby, so I made my way through the crowd to get to them. I asked them what pace they were planning to run (most were gunning for 2:05-2:07), and when Juli mentioned that she was going to try for a sub-2, I stood by her. I figured we could run together for a while. We inched forward through the crowd so we were between the 1:50 pacer and the 2:00 pacer.<br />
<br />
The horn sounded and we were off! Juli and I didn't expend a lot of energy weaving around runners during this first mile. I enjoyed watching the spectators lined along Main Street cheering on the runners. We kept the pace easy during this first mile.<br />
<br />
Here is the course, which winds through several neighborhoods in "Nordeast" (northeast Minneapolis), in case you were interested in checking it out:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWoVxcjLzTAKa5IaAXvJyMxwX4EhQ4dLKPiOcDylTP17gfzdSyeljh_RmFOqGwgD0ukR22qrMjbuV4jTzEChVXjqGZRawKSePVOcCRpN7Wa6OKTvG3aYD-BidZT5CyHbJnHcG2WvAFQo/s1600/RWB+Course+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWoVxcjLzTAKa5IaAXvJyMxwX4EhQ4dLKPiOcDylTP17gfzdSyeljh_RmFOqGwgD0ukR22qrMjbuV4jTzEChVXjqGZRawKSePVOcCRpN7Wa6OKTvG3aYD-BidZT5CyHbJnHcG2WvAFQo/s320/RWB+Course+Map.jpg" width="188" /></a></div><br />
<b>Mile 1 - 8:40</b><br />
<br />
The course turned onto Marshall St. and we picked up the pace just a little bit, but it still felt comfortable. I'm not a very talkative runner, and I mentioned that to Juli. She was fine with it. She's a pacer for the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Minnesota-Pacers-Pace-Team/274510046403">Minnesota Pacers Pace Team</a>, and she said she liked the break from the constant gabbing.<br />
<br />
I enjoyed running past several old churches, restaurants and bars, and houses. There was always something to see. So many runners were wearing red, white and blue, and some were in costume as well, including a guy wearing a Spiderman costume. He must have been roasting in that getup!<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 2 - 8:14</b><br />
<br />
The sun was shining bright and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Temps were in the upper 60s/low 70s at the start, but it was beginning to warm up. Juli and I continued along and the pace still felt comfortable. We walked through the first water stop at mile 2.5.<br />
<br />
Few spectators lined the course, but that was because it was still so early in the morning. Every once in a while, Juli would go into pacer mode and give me a tip, but we were content to run side by side and not chat. Good tunes from my iPod filled my ears.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 3 - 8:22</b><br />
<br />
We continued along Marshall St. and then turned onto St. Anthony Parkway. Trees and houses lined the road, providing some shade. There was a slight downhill during this portion, so our pace picked up a little bit.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 4 - 8:08</b><br />
<br />
Juli took a gel at this point and I followed suit with a margarita-flavored Clif Shot Blok. I chewed slowly, keeping my eye out for the next water stop that would come somewhere around mile 5.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 5 - 8:20</b><br />
<br />
We walked through the water stop, drinking as we went along, then started running again. Next up was a small incline over a bridge, followed by a slight downhill and then another short hill. We slowed the pace so we'd be able to run up both ascents. Mission accomplished! We were rewarded with a nice little downhill and some shade, as a golf course bordered the left side of the street.<br />
<br />
More spectators lined the course at this point, particularly at the bridge, and several of them complimented me on my costume...<br />
<br />
"Love the skirt!" <br />
"Nice antenna!"<br />
"Cute costume!"<br />
<br />
Hearing all those remarks put a smile on my face, as well as Juli's. I think she liked running next to someone who was popular.<br />
<br />
A guy passed us wearing a shirt that said on the back, "If you pass me, then you are a Communist." Worst shirt ever! <br />
<br />
<b>Mile 6 - 8:40</b><br />
<br />
At this point, I was beginning to fatigue. The temperature felt like it had warmed up 5-10 degrees since the start of the race. I was looking forward to the next water stop. The heat and the sunshine were getting to me.<br />
<br />
The big hill, Deming Hill, had arrived. Juli and I slowed our pace down and trucked up the hill, but a couple minutes in, I requested we take a 30-second walk break. Juli advised to walk fast, not too slowly, so we did. The walk break helped and we started running again, but I requested another 30-second walk break before the top of the hill. Juli was beginning to check her Garmin a lot more frequently, and I could tell she was getting antsy to pick up the pace a little more, but fortunately she was patient with me as we made it up the hill.<br />
<br />
Once we crested the hill, she said that my strategy for tackling the hill was smart. The downhill afterward was steep, so it was hard to go really fast, but we did speed up. I could tell, however, that getting back to the speed we had been at earlier in the race was going to be difficult for me.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 7 - 9:17</b><br />
<br />
Juli was feeling good and said that at mile 8, she wanted to pick up the pace. I told her I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep up with her anymore. The heat was wearing me out, and that hill didn't help either. We walked through the water stop at mile 7.5, taking water. I took a second cup and doused my arms to try to cool off.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 8 - 9:01</b><br />
<br />
Once we passed the mile marker, I wished Juli good luck and she took off, looking strong. Just like that, my pacer was gone. We didn't talk much, but I liked running by her side. Her presence made the miles go by faster.<br />
<br />
I walked for about a minute and took my second Shot Blok, then started running again but at a slower pace. I walked again before the mile 9 marker. I just couldn't keep a steady running pace anymore.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 9 - 9:17</b><br />
<br />
I'm so glad I was wearing a costume. Seeing spectators smile when they saw what I was wearing and hearing their positive comments on my outfit made me smile and kept my spirits high. I was struggling with the heat.<br />
<br />
I tried to walk in areas where there weren't many spectators. I'm sure that helped me keep my overall pace up. More people were passing me, however, and that was disheartening to me. I would run for 4-5 minutes, then walk for 30 seconds to a minute, even though the course now had a net downhill.<br />
<br />
I walked through the water stop just before mile 10 and took a cup of Powerade this time. I had another gel I could have taken, but I wanted some liquid electrolytes instead. I doubt it helped me much. I also grabbed a cup of water and got my arms wet again. That cooled me down for a couple minutes.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 10 - 9:58</b><br />
<br />
Somewhere after the mile 10 marker, a lady was handing out small American flags. I grabbed one and held onto it. Eventually, I started looking for a young kid I could give the flag to. That gave me something to focus on.<br />
<br />
A lady passed me dribbling a basketball. Seriously... who let that woman on the course?! My gosh, she was so annoying. I hated hearing the basketball strike the ground... bounce... bounce... bounce. I turned up the volume on my iPod a little more to try to drown her out.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 11 - 9:11</b><br />
<br />
<i>I want to be done running</i>, I thought <i>The finish line can't come soon enough.</i> I kept looking at The Red Dragon, trying to figure out if I'd still be able to finish under two hours. Math is difficult for me when I'm running, as I've mentioned in previous blog posts.<br />
<br />
I grabbed two cups of water at the next water stop, one to drink and one to cool off my arms. A little relief, but relief nonetheless. <br />
<br />
We crossed the Plymouth Avenue bridge, and since a good chunk of that was uphill, I walked a lot. I started running again once I crested the highest part of the bridge. <i>Ugh, it's so hot out!</i> Then, we turned onto West River Parkway.<br />
<br />
I saw two kids with their mother along the parkway. The little boy was holding a flag, but the girl wasn't. I wanted her to have a flag to wave, too. I ran up to the girl and held out the flag to her, saying "Here you go." She looked at me tentatively, but then her mom said "Go on," and the girl took it. The mom thanked me and then I took off. I had the biggest smile on my face.<br />
<br />
Seriously, I'm so glad I wore a costume. Several runners even told me that they liked my costume, especially my sparkle skirt. That really cheered me up.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 12 - 10:22</b><br />
<br />
I couldn't <i>wait</i> to be finished with the race. I knew the Stone Arch Bridge was coming up soon, and my goal was to run across the entire bridge to the finish line. I did not want to stop and walk at all.<br />
<br />
Lots of spectators lined the bridge, but there was absolutely no shade. Ugh... so hot! It seemed like it took me forever to get to the finish line.<br />
<br />
<b>Mile 13 - 9:13</b><br />
<br />
<i>Keep going, Richelle! You're almost there! Finish strong!</i><br />
<br />
I heard the announcer call my name (butchering my difficult last name like always). As I crossed the finish line, I put my fist in the air. Thank God, I'm done!<br />
<br />
<b>Final stretch - 8:37 pace</b> (The Red Dragon said I covered a total of 13.21 miles.)<br />
<br />
Here are my official stats:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Official finish time: 1:58:35</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Average pace: 9:04/mile</div><div style="text-align: center;">Overall place: 658/1804</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gender place: 238/944</div><div style="text-align: center;">Division place: 45/189 (25-29 age group)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I made sure the man dressed in the Uncle Sam costume awarded me my finisher medal. :) I really like the finisher medals this year... they have a nice design.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">As I headed toward the food area, a woman stopped me: "Hi, I'm ______ from Twin Cities in Motion. On behalf of TCM, we'd like to give you a Middle of the Pack Award." TCM gives out prize packs to average runners during their biggest running events like Twin Cities Marathon and the TC 10 Mile. Because I was a "middle of the pack" finisher and also because I was dressed festively for the race, I won a bag full of goodies. A picture of them is at the end of the blog entry. What a pleasant surprise!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This race had one of the best post-race food spreads ever! Not only did they have water, bananas, rolls from Great Harvest Bread Company, and typical Minnesotan fare like Old Dutch potato chips and Pearson's salted nut rolls, but they also had chocolate milk, hot dogs and <a href="http://www.kemps.com/products/prodDetail.aspx?cid=703&plc=20&pcc=52">rocket pops</a>. The popsicles were my favorite and definitely cooled me off after the race.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Juli also found me in the finish area and congratulated me. I later found out that if I had been able to keep up with her, I would have had a new half-marathon PR. That's OK... it wasn't a PR day. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">After stopping by the team tent to pick up my camera, I headed back to the finish line to wait for future hubs to finish his race.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMSM1opuhnTvgfP7btfBQCjncR5cbRy951aUCXVJOaJV_XSDusbiHf4ZawTdgZPW33ga8uvHx502rmrce5izpHdvFW1_he41joxIGzKo-T3tgr8ANO30x8Zes6wu7fxleAKKEdlW3H3k/s1600/IMG_5289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMSM1opuhnTvgfP7btfBQCjncR5cbRy951aUCXVJOaJV_XSDusbiHf4ZawTdgZPW33ga8uvHx502rmrce5izpHdvFW1_he41joxIGzKo-T3tgr8ANO30x8Zes6wu7fxleAKKEdlW3H3k/s320/IMG_5289.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I liked the tutus these ladies were wearing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9802ejYmzGl7scU2fFo1K9h5lqM7UTeoNNWUAagGGPZuQSptD27Va5PtY2qunbt0z2vQ9u-RROYJwYO7ZCdyPHEnX2llxqmhvJfSDbiXmpkG8a9voqpOW_Kcj8AyR0sesh2o7zj2Elkw/s1600/IMG_5290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9802ejYmzGl7scU2fFo1K9h5lqM7UTeoNNWUAagGGPZuQSptD27Va5PtY2qunbt0z2vQ9u-RROYJwYO7ZCdyPHEnX2llxqmhvJfSDbiXmpkG8a9voqpOW_Kcj8AyR0sesh2o7zj2Elkw/s320/IMG_5290.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim, a Team Ortho friend, finishes the race</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAmndnuYOFITJ2dw-K99_jrcI74yAPQl5OaGwNUdbN_2FNwNmJ14fUByvvRNbVWPWPgXvSUJrZ7LPuQGcv-7Cg0qEbsmcB90qC1jwLM6Ecojq2FPtIF4NKAX1J9_V0pybJJN8HBWUie8/s1600/IMG_5293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyAmndnuYOFITJ2dw-K99_jrcI74yAPQl5OaGwNUdbN_2FNwNmJ14fUByvvRNbVWPWPgXvSUJrZ7LPuQGcv-7Cg0qEbsmcB90qC1jwLM6Ecojq2FPtIF4NKAX1J9_V0pybJJN8HBWUie8/s320/IMG_5293.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark heads for the finish line, along with a married couple he ran with for a good portion of the race</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SphKj1Y9-JF9jsklo7H3G2SRiqFbne16AVGNXcsjKv7LevEwauJfBasnqko9PJ2NUMd4HvBEoAREdoKEO-o_KZvIcWcnqyAvdZ3u0nSqpH_0eoQ2lz1r2T53hr0PGha_09Aj60Lt4JA/s1600/IMG_5294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SphKj1Y9-JF9jsklo7H3G2SRiqFbne16AVGNXcsjKv7LevEwauJfBasnqko9PJ2NUMd4HvBEoAREdoKEO-o_KZvIcWcnqyAvdZ3u0nSqpH_0eoQ2lz1r2T53hr0PGha_09Aj60Lt4JA/s320/IMG_5294.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking strong</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fOW8A4u_EduAmGYiqD_lqWkYe8H3QJGuGM2sUzBrYnLGHWrjw9gwsBJCC2J6k-oWWGTWp3_SWHwYm01ZEDH1fJqN-Ji0h3yLS_CUb88B3dH19TIwlh5lqfs9BE5cry80wc9nABP6Tqw/s1600/IMG_5295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fOW8A4u_EduAmGYiqD_lqWkYe8H3QJGuGM2sUzBrYnLGHWrjw9gwsBJCC2J6k-oWWGTWp3_SWHwYm01ZEDH1fJqN-Ji0h3yLS_CUb88B3dH19TIwlh5lqfs9BE5cry80wc9nABP6Tqw/s320/IMG_5295.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay... all done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">Mark's official finish time was <b>2:52:27</b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I was let back into the finish area so we could have our photo taken together.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12ioLASicDWMZE1OTckIpx2iiqAT4mfH5cxv4G_SPVEhLHr6PQ6CgpXkn10lUyQ4b_ozumIIfudiuO9ASiWPTfDdSNlgLqanSkhoYfVBBDCRjJE_twUfVQFxVAmddNp6XWgLpycC8tp0/s1600/IMG_5296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12ioLASicDWMZE1OTckIpx2iiqAT4mfH5cxv4G_SPVEhLHr6PQ6CgpXkn10lUyQ4b_ozumIIfudiuO9ASiWPTfDdSNlgLqanSkhoYfVBBDCRjJE_twUfVQFxVAmddNp6XWgLpycC8tp0/s320/IMG_5296.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div>I followed Mark through the food area. This time, I grabbed a hot dog.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark grabbed one, too</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">At the team tent, several other goodies were waiting for us:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoa32VE-NxAqFdVwxebGrdHF908XEJR5Ol52svlI6-NGVkXP-PMF99ODTGVHMK-6f0QSgGgePkzZbqIadpKaSSmCVzPxXA5kRQtyoMZ2j82_WSOdlNbMFp1qlMTjwWhnUX1pZF-iSljwc/s1600/IMG_5285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoa32VE-NxAqFdVwxebGrdHF908XEJR5Ol52svlI6-NGVkXP-PMF99ODTGVHMK-6f0QSgGgePkzZbqIadpKaSSmCVzPxXA5kRQtyoMZ2j82_WSOdlNbMFp1qlMTjwWhnUX1pZF-iSljwc/s320/IMG_5285.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmm... cupcakes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LRHEGY3CaigUChvcQxfwBkwnxxr9aGn-WeePctcacNEJznLMjEsV7xOx9iIqZ-tmPDqmyA0Ot6oihBWAzzgkvA_RrettdluISW_dRC326fimxlEKvif3NSqjmI7VnNuRLfD68qTvKoM/s1600/IMG_5286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LRHEGY3CaigUChvcQxfwBkwnxxr9aGn-WeePctcacNEJznLMjEsV7xOx9iIqZ-tmPDqmyA0Ot6oihBWAzzgkvA_RrettdluISW_dRC326fimxlEKvif3NSqjmI7VnNuRLfD68qTvKoM/s320/IMG_5286.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watermelon and Powerade</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc935nsMR-7KNP3PtnU8pjxz_MwTJKkkf5lQeuAHSulDMIZ4bDGd96IiBMeIxOsdkdbT7amOSCzohU2alOuheQxzUIsBCzXoA2glEjKnHVFPdv-0iqxE3qbVBRIYayi-ggTp-1fC05A7I/s1600/IMG_5305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc935nsMR-7KNP3PtnU8pjxz_MwTJKkkf5lQeuAHSulDMIZ4bDGd96IiBMeIxOsdkdbT7amOSCzohU2alOuheQxzUIsBCzXoA2glEjKnHVFPdv-0iqxE3qbVBRIYayi-ggTp-1fC05A7I/s320/IMG_5305.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The team gift: a messenger bag</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">I met some of the people Mark ran with during the race; they were a lot of fun. Once we finished our food and picked up our stuff at the tent (the tent volunteers even gave us some extra water and milk), we headed home. Ice baths awaited us, which helped speed recovery.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sIQ1n66nGEtUpMXf5xrwlDWfLNdmLj1Y33dgwM9K8FB8wNohjKOcGh4J0pTnM_ngG31jRqxqM7Gdg2K65cZeUQvoOHWGAvwwkHhYqXARc6aJQHLbXDTLDNtI6V9c_4KmOzBV_dTPPdw/s1600/IMG_5306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sIQ1n66nGEtUpMXf5xrwlDWfLNdmLj1Y33dgwM9K8FB8wNohjKOcGh4J0pTnM_ngG31jRqxqM7Gdg2K65cZeUQvoOHWGAvwwkHhYqXARc6aJQHLbXDTLDNtI6V9c_4KmOzBV_dTPPdw/s320/IMG_5306.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The swag</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprf73_D277C6x_68u5QagHHtrVexIAAz8YazJATPtoHmpr0ZcWo38vBOpIFoQi5cXTAgDn_P_LExbtaB-aYAfiWOyBXV6QV3W65say0Tn8f5s-lg7GFnwLjwiBhBNbV_C6boqLW-flWs/s1600/IMG_5309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprf73_D277C6x_68u5QagHHtrVexIAAz8YazJATPtoHmpr0ZcWo38vBOpIFoQi5cXTAgDn_P_LExbtaB-aYAfiWOyBXV6QV3W65say0Tn8f5s-lg7GFnwLjwiBhBNbV_C6boqLW-flWs/s320/IMG_5309.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of the finisher medal and pint glass</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Vlk-HOOMaIJWDdpQNVOMnwCpXifZVfkDLbjNMTswpaIxhrTO8cPrdfHnD1icewxwKR9_qgRlHGCBaK7YHNQ-eO3eoh35GT4OSeZ_kSvkBRJLVw-RRhm4JsLz75FbKQruC6lTkEdOFB8/s1600/IMG_5310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Vlk-HOOMaIJWDdpQNVOMnwCpXifZVfkDLbjNMTswpaIxhrTO8cPrdfHnD1icewxwKR9_qgRlHGCBaK7YHNQ-eO3eoh35GT4OSeZ_kSvkBRJLVw-RRhm4JsLz75FbKQruC6lTkEdOFB8/s320/IMG_5310.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temporary tattoos!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23J9ILA3mmBtcIAFpoKtVwOXGIGO57mRHzHKfFVaaaAn_MEljpxKzhWW1K74NXIlLMMn6-GIr_mxrPGRATdP5tB8S2RIijWMeL4wXqiAKhy48VklOEWGvBy71g-WVKnzmSMN7SJQzP2w/s1600/IMG_5311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23J9ILA3mmBtcIAFpoKtVwOXGIGO57mRHzHKfFVaaaAn_MEljpxKzhWW1K74NXIlLMMn6-GIr_mxrPGRATdP5tB8S2RIijWMeL4wXqiAKhy48VklOEWGvBy71g-WVKnzmSMN7SJQzP2w/s320/IMG_5311.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Middle of the Pack Award: TCM cinch bag, RWB water bottle, beach towel and ball, socks, sunblock, cooling neck wrap, and a magnet</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj117pAt7Va04dMtgguhJF71rV0jiYeo5_pQ8873OTXmORI4HTiNm0RPROvkGffC1fBSPYZxDtQULDI7F3S7xaKLlPT0FTkKOQli53E-eGpOm7UfFEO7u9ZM38b2pD0nIV9rBlxL9gpU6g/s1600/IMG_5313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj117pAt7Va04dMtgguhJF71rV0jiYeo5_pQ8873OTXmORI4HTiNm0RPROvkGffC1fBSPYZxDtQULDI7F3S7xaKLlPT0FTkKOQli53E-eGpOm7UfFEO7u9ZM38b2pD0nIV9rBlxL9gpU6g/s320/IMG_5313.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the magnet's quote! The prize pack also included a $15 iTunes giftcard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">My goal to have fun at "the Boom" was achieved. I LOVED wearing my costume and am glad it brought joy into other people's lives, even if it was for a split-second. I'm pleased that even with the heat, I finished the race in under two hours. I spent time with several Team Ortho peeps and got to experience the race with future hubs. The swag was awesome and the Middle of the Pack Award was an unexpected blessing after a tough race. I don't know if Mark and I will do this race next year because of the weather, but I'm glad we decided to do it this year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Do you ever run a race with a pacer?</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What has been your favorite post-race food?</b></div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-11241095743709281842011-07-03T15:43:00.000-07:002011-07-03T15:48:04.540-07:00Mentors, Strawberries and GoalsOn Friday, my uncle Gerry celebrated his 70th birthday. His wife, two sons and their families threw him a surprise birthday party. The party was a lot of fun, except for the thunderstorm that caused the power to go out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUvJg_73WpGoMRG2osZ76a_Kj-DXL63WQct0xMiGRGxPvNVPbOaLD2vOIgAPOwO_GxV44Z-Q_oESu3jZkLnzZ4Cp8Xg3ovIdBVREOxt18v4ydIIbVn8VkKX5bR80B23mGhGi7JOum9ME/s1600/IMG_5250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUvJg_73WpGoMRG2osZ76a_Kj-DXL63WQct0xMiGRGxPvNVPbOaLD2vOIgAPOwO_GxV44Z-Q_oESu3jZkLnzZ4Cp8Xg3ovIdBVREOxt18v4ydIIbVn8VkKX5bR80B23mGhGi7JOum9ME/s320/IMG_5250.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing like a few strategically placed candles to light the way</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Gerry has been running since the 1970s, since <i>before</i> the running boom. Hearing tales about local races and his experiences running marathons all over the country peaked my interest about running. He encouraged me to start running, and for that I am forever grateful and indebted to him. I get a big smile on my face whenever he tells someone that "Richelle is one of the runners in the family."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_w4Ea-H-H75swvKs955CND0q7eDftbW4ahaU6AFkCQVs9T6ldQ4lBH2cnv2H-eL8lUntgJPaFhqpQvJc4XZwmbV9PXeXndX3oP8cfPouFctIsdpYzNUnkgxR7NBQ-mF8hrAXE1XlaNG4/s1600/IMG_5252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_w4Ea-H-H75swvKs955CND0q7eDftbW4ahaU6AFkCQVs9T6ldQ4lBH2cnv2H-eL8lUntgJPaFhqpQvJc4XZwmbV9PXeXndX3oP8cfPouFctIsdpYzNUnkgxR7NBQ-mF8hrAXE1XlaNG4/s320/IMG_5252.JPG" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gerry ran Boston back in 1992</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I love having the opportunity to run with him. For several years, we've run the Turkey Day 5K on Thanksgiving together. Last year, we were on the same <a href="http://www.ragnarrelay.com/race/greatriver">Ragnar Relay</a> team.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGK0FJwEjlnBzpApan2rBIUAq1kTuBS9WuJEQKyOc13d7RzPGoSWKUJUvN7Dn52pEe4V_NrORNLMlqpuWAowjKsrjoid2h507MV1rtXp9Wf00Nia-7116_XVPUH5KqCJj9W65s-mwL46I/s1600/RRGR1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGK0FJwEjlnBzpApan2rBIUAq1kTuBS9WuJEQKyOc13d7RzPGoSWKUJUvN7Dn52pEe4V_NrORNLMlqpuWAowjKsrjoid2h507MV1rtXp9Wf00Nia-7116_XVPUH5KqCJj9W65s-mwL46I/s320/RRGR1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gerry leads our van to the finish line</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At 70, he is still in fantastic shape and does several local races a year (no marathons, but usually one half-marathon, and a few 10Ks and 5Ks). I hope I'm still running when I'm his age. Happy birthday, Gerry!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also had the opportunity to spend some time with my cute little goddaughter, Rachel, at the birthday party. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCAypzpFoRmBx90nfqbCBMQm0_SSKzJjctdKyEZeXJ5DCctIRdkUU48glCiSUPm7Kk-5Iqw4yIOCKqcOiSzmffqUZYb9KBadB4nuZ1a8a_XbaGUPf1LIGzSrHrbU-XfjnVOwI4fCfU-c/s1600/IMG_5258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCAypzpFoRmBx90nfqbCBMQm0_SSKzJjctdKyEZeXJ5DCctIRdkUU48glCiSUPm7Kk-5Iqw4yIOCKqcOiSzmffqUZYb9KBadB4nuZ1a8a_XbaGUPf1LIGzSrHrbU-XfjnVOwI4fCfU-c/s320/IMG_5258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yesterday, my friend Kim organized a group of people to pick strawberries at <a href="http://www.pinetreeappleorchard.com/">Pine Tree Apple Orchard</a> up in White Bear Lake. I hadn't picked strawberries since I was a kid, so having the opportunity to do so was a lot of fun for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a tractor ride out to the strawberry patch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOTS of people were picking strawberries yesterday</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmm... so plump, juicy and sweet!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaJzThxS30x96opLNouYoq-q_zzH0Q6qlydH2DAWQDAJeI5lPn7gSbUw0gRqEUajk9pskO3pNDHqWGNIcjOvFWEOFXT80RhUozq4lxuzoqFeMP8OBfkjLRama93frOjGz1XZE66kT_Wc/s1600/IMG_5264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaJzThxS30x96opLNouYoq-q_zzH0Q6qlydH2DAWQDAJeI5lPn7gSbUw0gRqEUajk9pskO3pNDHqWGNIcjOvFWEOFXT80RhUozq4lxuzoqFeMP8OBfkjLRama93frOjGz1XZE66kT_Wc/s320/IMG_5264.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A flat full of berries</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A couple of us stayed at Kim's house to help her make strawberry jam. I had never done any canning before, so this was a new experience. It was messy and fun and I hope to do a little bit more canning this summer, if I can find the time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pouring sugar into the strawberry and Sure-Jell mixture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladling the jam into the jars</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p9TwRkxLotvJfHUP_6BhoPO2ZBMFqgDdN_mmrxFpckn1JC02RbFS_U4d7em_dfkO9vekNg6XAZVpXc2Psl6nY2EMPx9_imxVNnik4y0KIzDRjWZ_r-NnUo0wgs2pF3YarO2p4JHEfvU/s1600/IMG_5271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0p9TwRkxLotvJfHUP_6BhoPO2ZBMFqgDdN_mmrxFpckn1JC02RbFS_U4d7em_dfkO9vekNg6XAZVpXc2Psl6nY2EMPx9_imxVNnik4y0KIzDRjWZ_r-NnUo0wgs2pF3YarO2p4JHEfvU/s320/IMG_5271.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water bath</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_f40ZlnDHDdoDusMsaXOlEJiqNh_lZMKB8K6M2KoDkSOeU6c-BG8BqQK5SP-j3EK4jcstRCLsv2PxbXzgL-_J2rgskNrqEOjh2UXN_o1StFtnph4tonLgt3ur-dyzor08w3dvnEPNWI/s1600/IMG_5272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_f40ZlnDHDdoDusMsaXOlEJiqNh_lZMKB8K6M2KoDkSOeU6c-BG8BqQK5SP-j3EK4jcstRCLsv2PxbXzgL-_J2rgskNrqEOjh2UXN_o1StFtnph4tonLgt3ur-dyzor08w3dvnEPNWI/s320/IMG_5272.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yum - the finished product! :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been cooking up a storm myself, trying to use as many of my flat of berries as possible. So far, I've made <span id="goog_1493484255"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/">strawberry salsa<span id="goog_1493484256"></span></a> and a loaf of <a href="http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/12/dairy-egg-and-nut-free-strawberry-bread/">strawberry bread</a> that contains no eggs, dairy or nuts. I'm not allergic to any of those foods... I was making food out of what I currently have available in my house. :) I also went back to my bartending roots (I worked part-time as a bartender for two-and-a-half years) and have some <a href="http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-infused-vodkas-s,0,3116138.story">strawberry-infused sake</a> and a strawberry liqueur in the works. My house smells fabulous.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tomorrow, future hubs and I are running the <a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/events/red_white__boom_tc_half_marathon/">Red, White and Boom! TC Half-Marathon</a>. I've been keeping an eye on the weather forecast and it's going to be a warm one (highs in the upper 80s), but hopefully not as humid as it was on Thursday and Friday. I'm glad the race starts at 6:30 a.m.! I only have one goal for this race...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>HAVE FUN!</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mark and I are wearing costumes, and this will be our longest race wearing festive getup. However, if the weather isn't too warm, I think I might be able to pull off a sub-2 hour half. We will have to wait and see. :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Who influenced you to start running?</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <b>Have you ever gone to a strawberry patch to pick strawberries before?</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-17711722967594449302011-07-01T15:25:00.000-07:002011-07-01T15:25:46.426-07:00Race Report: River Rat 5K<div style="font-family: inherit;">Last Saturday, I ran the <a href="http://www.riverrat5krun.com/">River Rat 5K</a> in my hometown. I completed this race last year and loved it: the course was scenic and flat, it was a small race and I knew several participants, plus I liked the race swag. This year's race was on my calendar well in advance, and for $15, I couldn't beat the price.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Another nice thing about racing in my hometown is that my parents have the opportunity to watch me run. I am so grateful for all the support they've given me throughout my life. They've made plenty of sacrifices for my brothers and me.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Mom, Dad and I headed over to Belle Prairie Park, on the outskirts of town, just before 7:30 a.m. I like to arrive early to the race start, and this time, I got a nice pre-race jog in along with several potty breaks and picking up my race packet.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicN1ILqfrW6sCRQGwiC5SvCSXZV5rk2BJLNqf83Uh6w_X9C47RWXwR6IgE_xKhT3Sn3mmL8N_PylW0By4KQlAD-KcTtIH9EEtdNVPD0_l9aSJEht0pIEMh42dnNOXJbnPbm7poXa4vP2s/s1600/IMG_5224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicN1ILqfrW6sCRQGwiC5SvCSXZV5rk2BJLNqf83Uh6w_X9C47RWXwR6IgE_xKhT3Sn3mmL8N_PylW0By4KQlAD-KcTtIH9EEtdNVPD0_l9aSJEht0pIEMh42dnNOXJbnPbm7poXa4vP2s/s320/IMG_5224.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">The sun was out and the temperatures were warming up fast, so I changed into a running tank, ditching a 2009 race t-shirt I had been wearing. Like last year, my parents and I saw and talked to several people that we knew. I also chatted with a girl from up by the Fargo area and she was super nice.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">My goals for the race were to beat last year's time (25:16) and to finish second in my age group like I did last year. I figured I could beat last year's time, but age group placements often depend on who shows up to the race.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">At 8:30, a lone gunshot started off the race. The small number of participants made it easy to find my race pace quickly. Mom and Dad positioned themselves near the finish line, and since the course looped the paved path three times, they saw me four times during the course of the race.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">These photos were taken just after the start of the race: </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNXkJlTxr64RkXh_1B24dIg3mX_T-M95g2pvBhNBY6IGELExErpxDNInN3v04OCmZKeMbbMnz_puRtDL50Zt0qlHY9lhrMYbqD5Nf13EkDRZG1e9BwLBZlINlPEKnVGHzsZebEtoDf0Q/s1600/IMG_5225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNXkJlTxr64RkXh_1B24dIg3mX_T-M95g2pvBhNBY6IGELExErpxDNInN3v04OCmZKeMbbMnz_puRtDL50Zt0qlHY9lhrMYbqD5Nf13EkDRZG1e9BwLBZlINlPEKnVGHzsZebEtoDf0Q/s320/IMG_5225.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom cut me off in this picture... you can see my right arm and a smile on the right side of the photo :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2bPUyViSsQ1PPMgs8nnwhASN1919FOfQXU19y6SR75-rG0uOJv4r5oGFwQcph2QdjZP_HMkarSu4eT2-SlrY1nAqvuS6RzT43tL50-LDnbWHwz7cZVVJDRknf0VYWEcNMkyoakxVGm0/s1600/IMG_5226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2bPUyViSsQ1PPMgs8nnwhASN1919FOfQXU19y6SR75-rG0uOJv4r5oGFwQcph2QdjZP_HMkarSu4eT2-SlrY1nAqvuS6RzT43tL50-LDnbWHwz7cZVVJDRknf0VYWEcNMkyoakxVGm0/s320/IMG_5226.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shot of my back side... I'm in the pink tank and black/blue shorts</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit;">I tend to go out way too fast in races, so I tried to rein it in as much as I could while still maintaining a fast pace. The weather wasn't nearly as humid as last year, and I dressed better for the race this time around.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Mile 1 - 7:56</b></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Jj6cWNHNo8NdBYYiAclJ5hrgbVmry14ahPiY8DZuyYUycBx35b1USNbEYgYlAsajuViv9MRl5BgyoTv1-d3thJtvPpIF1vYd4nWj4rj5aUUM1f4AhUbQ7LHFymcEsmYssuVTdut9JgQ/s1600/IMG_5227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Jj6cWNHNo8NdBYYiAclJ5hrgbVmry14ahPiY8DZuyYUycBx35b1USNbEYgYlAsajuViv9MRl5BgyoTv1-d3thJtvPpIF1vYd4nWj4rj5aUUM1f4AhUbQ7LHFymcEsmYssuVTdut9JgQ/s320/IMG_5227.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chasing down the kid after the first loop of the course. I didn't want to let him beat me!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix58_bdeN6GmFEnm_XzVoztxS_1BhUuMbm0sGLGovVc6xNG2lJjnxogWmldgU3dJ_ZPyClipQJQt1VWJ4bzUTzC-47_c8mVPAEIR6_dnQwKa-2BeZljL5BiQBxiWHZ5gHSLN1ioeS1Jt8/s1600/IMG_5228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix58_bdeN6GmFEnm_XzVoztxS_1BhUuMbm0sGLGovVc6xNG2lJjnxogWmldgU3dJ_ZPyClipQJQt1VWJ4bzUTzC-47_c8mVPAEIR6_dnQwKa-2BeZljL5BiQBxiWHZ5gHSLN1ioeS1Jt8/s320/IMG_5228.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A portion of the course was right next to the Mississippi River</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit;">I was getting bored with my usual race day playlist, so I listened to Christian hip-hop artist <a href="http://www.myspace.com/13670510">J. Alan</a>, who also happens to be future hubs's brother. His clever <a href="http://youtu.be/rod8FiKjGIQ">lyrics</a> and beats are the perfect music to listen to when I'm running.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"></div><div style="font-family: inherit;">During the second loop, I found myself surrounded by the same three guys. We kept jockeying positions, although there was only one that I wanted to catch. His name is John and he's a family friend. His daughter and I graduated from high school together. He beat me last year, so this year I wanted to beat him.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjz5v5EW4Olitgjqz1ZV2T6soSs6QIuRVYZ9ZGIMyXasPNrfb-udrKdZoAN0iYwIwqkdJKggamKFdpGdKgkgHeCd9jtTO_xtAmFn93oNhKDosoOYxLjnUNmiwmS4d6i5sj5VXsZ6hz5s/s1600/IMG_5229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjz5v5EW4Olitgjqz1ZV2T6soSs6QIuRVYZ9ZGIMyXasPNrfb-udrKdZoAN0iYwIwqkdJKggamKFdpGdKgkgHeCd9jtTO_xtAmFn93oNhKDosoOYxLjnUNmiwmS4d6i5sj5VXsZ6hz5s/s320/IMG_5229.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John (pointing at the camera) says hi to my folks. I'm gaining on him!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Mile 2 - 7:59</b></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A3298gPnWDdwF7sQJ9OP1cfoJIS-WKYpVKlWMxR2mjifkR8lxVBx3f6pmqFOaDW5SWjgX_78nHnL1sdOGowYjbPMTcZ0kpthg3iil40bWw70difOxBuC57IQmCUrA6wzg9jKiTfO6Rk/s1600/IMG_5230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8A3298gPnWDdwF7sQJ9OP1cfoJIS-WKYpVKlWMxR2mjifkR8lxVBx3f6pmqFOaDW5SWjgX_78nHnL1sdOGowYjbPMTcZ0kpthg3iil40bWw70difOxBuC57IQmCUrA6wzg9jKiTfO6Rk/s320/IMG_5230.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting the third and final loop of the course</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit;">Because I was sick the day before the race, I was concerned how my stomach would affect my run. Fortunately, my tummy gave me no problems during the race.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">I kept a comfortably difficult pace going for the race. I knew I could keep it going for the race, but I also knew that I didn't want to go any faster than that. I didn't want to shoot for a new PR. I slowed down for a brief period during the final loop of the course, but picked it up again.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Having run this race last year, I knew when to kick it in. I passed John with about a quarter-mile left to go.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Mile 3 - 8:03</b></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquCshgoL4aTGQ0YKI6-M-rIxPb35LCg2ngwDtrho2L0xib4QPHYzj_t6_aDAVJC6LaeWygCDyl3MAGWfMjlOZ7HMzT32OktqCdZSYuTiGDPnb_cTOEAt94HSkPJWQX4YmI7OgxnfHhjE/s1600/IMG_5232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquCshgoL4aTGQ0YKI6-M-rIxPb35LCg2ngwDtrho2L0xib4QPHYzj_t6_aDAVJC6LaeWygCDyl3MAGWfMjlOZ7HMzT32OktqCdZSYuTiGDPnb_cTOEAt94HSkPJWQX4YmI7OgxnfHhjE/s320/IMG_5232.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading towards the finish line</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Final .10-mile - 0:37</b> (7:16 pace)</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">Just like at the <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/06/race-report-alarc-legends-10k.html">ALARC Legends 10K</a>, there was an old-school finish chute where a race volunteer ripped the tag off the bottom of my race bib. Once I made my way out of the chute, I found my parents and then grabbed a banana to eat and a cup of water.</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">John found me after the race and congratulated me, but then said "Next year, it's on!" I like our little rivalry. Bring it, John!</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">The "River Rat" (a high school kid wearing a rat costume) made a brief appearance. I didn't get a photo of her, but I did get one with the giant mousetrap. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd6GRoUgHYVllLe7PQcw6QiBVGiy6lACiBUMZZX6s_bZ26qCvrdMfQNeq9VXnc2Y-z77uFQOxmYhyphenhyphenCAsvvpZI1YPcNstebhu8EYKhGCUIx9UxicfWd8D6ty2Vno1wzJroLXAKV_mOpAA/s1600/IMG_5235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd6GRoUgHYVllLe7PQcw6QiBVGiy6lACiBUMZZX6s_bZ26qCvrdMfQNeq9VXnc2Y-z77uFQOxmYhyphenhyphenCAsvvpZI1YPcNstebhu8EYKhGCUIx9UxicfWd8D6ty2Vno1wzJroLXAKV_mOpAA/s320/IMG_5235.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next year, I'll get a photo with the River Rat :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit;">Here are the official results:</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Official finish time: 24:33</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Average pace: 7:54/mile </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Overall place: 45/185</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Gender place: 12/112</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Division place: 2/16</b> (20-29 age group)</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: inherit;">Door prizes and awards were given out once the kids' fun run finished up:</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuj8_YszxFQSyGeZY5Gw-75LSdnohred2bij3mgNUdLkPaEOe0Zh_sHqw50gkKbJpZIlv72je3r0JD5cbSgcHGakKdqIgyYJxRO13q_FTUwJ1pIGz0J7GD_h5ajXO-O_84sodZ-8QSvxQ/s1600/IMG_5237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuj8_YszxFQSyGeZY5Gw-75LSdnohred2bij3mgNUdLkPaEOe0Zh_sHqw50gkKbJpZIlv72je3r0JD5cbSgcHGakKdqIgyYJxRO13q_FTUwJ1pIGz0J7GD_h5ajXO-O_84sodZ-8QSvxQ/s320/IMG_5237.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;">I won a door prize this year: a bright yellow <a href="http://andersonraces.com/">Anderson Race Management</a> cinch bag.<br />
<br />
Age group awards were "chamber bucks" - $5 to be spent at any business in town that is a member of the local chamber of commerce. <br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrW28z98USNGoNhWgEtEEV8jij0O9KW9R-Ya7d73XH0Hk284i_-1FdNZYISFztlSLzqq4ouD3kPKi9b36x0yp7aH1tpsr4USu0uF0yeBYWcW2XC9hD394jOvOXq1EFpzhyJmcSNyX7-ew/s1600/IMG_5238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrW28z98USNGoNhWgEtEEV8jij0O9KW9R-Ya7d73XH0Hk284i_-1FdNZYISFztlSLzqq4ouD3kPKi9b36x0yp7aH1tpsr4USu0uF0yeBYWcW2XC9hD394jOvOXq1EFpzhyJmcSNyX7-ew/s320/IMG_5238.JPG" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receiving my chamber bucks (AG award)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: inherit;">Mom and Dad also had a good time watching the race and chatting with several people they knew.</div></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdFpBeU5jo1O7dpkcSF_dmh5EWn-fHLKU3SaTUcVxw1tuAjR_rfzjERmXUYiWn6p-VOtldaQauShsEhHLW5d8pDcY9Gv0e90g1qB22IS-hQ4-mcZBgLxWx4c4uCEl-Myb8EbrRjY_RjE/s1600/IMG_5245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdFpBeU5jo1O7dpkcSF_dmh5EWn-fHLKU3SaTUcVxw1tuAjR_rfzjERmXUYiWn6p-VOtldaQauShsEhHLW5d8pDcY9Gv0e90g1qB22IS-hQ4-mcZBgLxWx4c4uCEl-Myb8EbrRjY_RjE/s320/IMG_5245.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The swag: a chocolate-colored t-shirt, coupons, bib number, and my AG chamber bucks</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: inherit;">I thoroughly enjoyed the race. It's always nice to come home to do a race. I'm also pleased that I reached my two goals for the race. Yay!<br />
<br />
<b>Is there a local race that you enjoy participating in year after year?</b><br />
Beside the River Rat 5K, I also like doing the Turkey Day 5K in Minneapolis on Thanksgiving with my uncle and future hubs.<br />
</div></div>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-88519122933995901552011-06-28T20:53:00.000-07:002011-06-28T22:23:30.960-07:00Wine, racing and envelopes, oh my!As mentioned <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/06/three-x-2-things-thursday.html">two posts ago</a>, I spent a long weekend in my hometown. I enjoyed having a day-and-a-half off from work. :)<br />
<br />
Thursday evening, my parents and I attended the <a href="http://www.horizonhealthservices.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=YtpgXdCq0Pc%3D&tabid=55">Better With Age/Evening in White wine and beer tasting fundraiser</a>. We had a blast at this event. Here are some photos:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuN1zCVLPv-pCnCidGDRwCfUFFXcDh3-BDsuE3Lm_uQAdW1TwUVgJKIHIuLCmQLFGJBhBHB9A88KXsxCJTWzl_Cre8tSZqUuUI9JNn_bERGXuKE-A9XhAG8i756L3fMJfw7ZgLVCsn0Ic/s1600/IMG_5194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuN1zCVLPv-pCnCidGDRwCfUFFXcDh3-BDsuE3Lm_uQAdW1TwUVgJKIHIuLCmQLFGJBhBHB9A88KXsxCJTWzl_Cre8tSZqUuUI9JNn_bERGXuKE-A9XhAG8i756L3fMJfw7ZgLVCsn0Ic/s320/IMG_5194.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tasting tent was full of people sampling wine, beer and appetizers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJSv034ZamX_LCWPmB_XEF8OeDsHTCggCs6TnPgF28tf2kMLyyozECehYzGMi5KytjHfyglyObGBnliWHTWr0bclzwFKUKb1R-J-Wxym_JUgPdWDLGfNBy-aGyusXiXx-kofIdRR89Ng/s1600/IMG_5199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJSv034ZamX_LCWPmB_XEF8OeDsHTCggCs6TnPgF28tf2kMLyyozECehYzGMi5KytjHfyglyObGBnliWHTWr0bclzwFKUKb1R-J-Wxym_JUgPdWDLGfNBy-aGyusXiXx-kofIdRR89Ng/s320/IMG_5199.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom, Dad and me. All attendees were encouraged to wear something white.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5HXRoBlIxMpHPrsN-s_hp8d7l-ebZDdGUXYewKRH7n47F7jbDSk0-W3-p-RcoXHQDcIsgZSslB_o6XCwAaZHUzNiRqXrjICPMz4MW6gFAGQLhjkCZTJHojXhzWlNNJH_9ZYHusDCPWlQ/s1600/IMG_5201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5HXRoBlIxMpHPrsN-s_hp8d7l-ebZDdGUXYewKRH7n47F7jbDSk0-W3-p-RcoXHQDcIsgZSslB_o6XCwAaZHUzNiRqXrjICPMz4MW6gFAGQLhjkCZTJHojXhzWlNNJH_9ZYHusDCPWlQ/s320/IMG_5201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner was served on the lawn of the Linden Hill property, framed by the historic Weyerhauser and Musser mansions</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3A2-laictPcDO5tjDba6cgdRwff2ciSbdXiMVnvF9tEOooEN1HbHbU7aNu5PpRuG_tW2zf3Eo-W_WF2ZbuKTFf-WHyne3ludpZsQGcd8s6IRpPsFgTgwSvep8GzIAtgxLK3kk8fjXXQw/s1600/IMG_5203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3A2-laictPcDO5tjDba6cgdRwff2ciSbdXiMVnvF9tEOooEN1HbHbU7aNu5PpRuG_tW2zf3Eo-W_WF2ZbuKTFf-WHyne3ludpZsQGcd8s6IRpPsFgTgwSvep8GzIAtgxLK3kk8fjXXQw/s320/IMG_5203.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff Anderson, wine sommelier, gave three mini wine classes throughout the evening</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXobKpKWi44cCz_t7QCh2st1rfCLlEYE0ZxlHMs53SwIWwAWBFh3pWJfEcIvlLskpX49ZgH-HOcxSdHALKIbeTB-uSE9FwoOciuOrnHdFGZelkCKHDbFkNNKA9KlIyhI868I7a2QyrFk/s1600/IMG_5204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXobKpKWi44cCz_t7QCh2st1rfCLlEYE0ZxlHMs53SwIWwAWBFh3pWJfEcIvlLskpX49ZgH-HOcxSdHALKIbeTB-uSE9FwoOciuOrnHdFGZelkCKHDbFkNNKA9KlIyhI868I7a2QyrFk/s320/IMG_5204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved the lighting in the music room of the Musser home, where the wine classes were held</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B4Hi0sacVRPPZbbRO5IUrLtyfpKTm1qtVhk1lPBqm55a5S8EJPV2Vb0TIZnK4pLBVd9MLs3qACB0HX5eUVGPE8Bdd-qLuv8i9HuJoLLsAzuHjvxqTdR1ljKFiTIvsA0-dCYG25iUtvg/s1600/IMG_5208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B4Hi0sacVRPPZbbRO5IUrLtyfpKTm1qtVhk1lPBqm55a5S8EJPV2Vb0TIZnK4pLBVd9MLs3qACB0HX5eUVGPE8Bdd-qLuv8i9HuJoLLsAzuHjvxqTdR1ljKFiTIvsA0-dCYG25iUtvg/s320/IMG_5208.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner was served at 7:30. Yum!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsbH-AVPYvPgGiQK6OAn-5ZrvoBjpXzDJcO6NPJJs8pwJiH1VPh7UvMjP97jI7mZKtW8dUO-SmFVA1ECHKT9SSrzA5drjPDMAY6VtNGhIatSDR3W1CrdNSNpDG0Ipg8cwMeLPjLO-3rE/s1600/IMG_5209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsbH-AVPYvPgGiQK6OAn-5ZrvoBjpXzDJcO6NPJJs8pwJiH1VPh7UvMjP97jI7mZKtW8dUO-SmFVA1ECHKT9SSrzA5drjPDMAY6VtNGhIatSDR3W1CrdNSNpDG0Ipg8cwMeLPjLO-3rE/s320/IMG_5209.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessert from DQ!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcK7nIS9pmQI-xNMYaKRVbZHpvRbOuTZIDXCl0MTJAUlp0Ja_3OaJ_bMq5whKvMq7pa2PnXCDBUxhK6uGgsxVpU3wg2MP6_52TOuMqIAYpDk3ecRtGMy4EwGqT115peDc6pS25ElwsA0/s1600/IMG_5210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcK7nIS9pmQI-xNMYaKRVbZHpvRbOuTZIDXCl0MTJAUlp0Ja_3OaJ_bMq5whKvMq7pa2PnXCDBUxhK6uGgsxVpU3wg2MP6_52TOuMqIAYpDk3ecRtGMy4EwGqT115peDc6pS25ElwsA0/s320/IMG_5210.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The live auction raised money for Horizon Health and the Friends of Linden Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgj4JG8emuTK6ctgxeG1OTtK-L6howxZlBga5H1i4y6LuHXU9opASp7JtnwhKkFFPr_cUb-Naa8-hTmIiFAZ4mtM04IkdFUIkP6p_UrMbXkhN926nNjznf-B28NxSyOcDVZhOnIzjoMlQ/s1600/IMG_5212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgj4JG8emuTK6ctgxeG1OTtK-L6howxZlBga5H1i4y6LuHXU9opASp7JtnwhKkFFPr_cUb-Naa8-hTmIiFAZ4mtM04IkdFUIkP6p_UrMbXkhN926nNjznf-B28NxSyOcDVZhOnIzjoMlQ/s320/IMG_5212.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attendees could purchase and release "wish lanterns"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2p_YY-dXS9jFr64KhlzdUTLULSmPqPT7mvqFVbs98ekOTq8BgAfYrSi48GzY4o5gaey1AjZ5JeNKe4ZrZtquwVrjvw_K1bkr28P_Bu-2OaKBHV8djS5MPfdDEDu73Gd5lES4DOwlO9A/s1600/IMG_5214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2p_YY-dXS9jFr64KhlzdUTLULSmPqPT7mvqFVbs98ekOTq8BgAfYrSi48GzY4o5gaey1AjZ5JeNKe4ZrZtquwVrjvw_K1bkr28P_Bu-2OaKBHV8djS5MPfdDEDu73Gd5lES4DOwlO9A/s320/IMG_5214.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hope this person's wish will come true!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnrBylMvBlbKkflAXgG4Xli-bnj8xIXlhyphenhyphen-dyR1WCgU4veTGMpNfaJM0RCcOj_h7h9KgwSQRaryFnEXVSwY_9y5OcMEPSArSUspJ2nGN901nnZrw9INy6nt2rAdX12g_4U0AQLCAQuAY/s1600/IMG_5216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnrBylMvBlbKkflAXgG4Xli-bnj8xIXlhyphenhyphen-dyR1WCgU4veTGMpNfaJM0RCcOj_h7h9KgwSQRaryFnEXVSwY_9y5OcMEPSArSUspJ2nGN901nnZrw9INy6nt2rAdX12g_4U0AQLCAQuAY/s320/IMG_5216.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFLy8auLDR2LJyBFQBgyIFYCWbysizL7s-gGB8sB4NiaxkKcw37w-hOPtV8WKqj1on4Xkc5i8TNH7SOiNgnfASRR-xaP3t58aa9HBbv0d9h5cd3IwaOznbWE0QarUXCm3Fu-U4TY0j0w/s1600/IMG_5217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFLy8auLDR2LJyBFQBgyIFYCWbysizL7s-gGB8sB4NiaxkKcw37w-hOPtV8WKqj1on4Xkc5i8TNH7SOiNgnfASRR-xaP3t58aa9HBbv0d9h5cd3IwaOznbWE0QarUXCm3Fu-U4TY0j0w/s320/IMG_5217.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Club Ramone provided music for the evening</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO0rnMOx6gALi9FOuPXiZyAG1rX5e1lZH_PQ0Vouhx74FcbxA7Y36ssiS68iskJyOMdRM_UHiDa3lRIDRdnmsJ7DSWhtpJjRQN5m5uVBrS1us81EcseO3MAR0WOqhLkhRkQtfRTTqWOg/s1600/IMG_5218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO0rnMOx6gALi9FOuPXiZyAG1rX5e1lZH_PQ0Vouhx74FcbxA7Y36ssiS68iskJyOMdRM_UHiDa3lRIDRdnmsJ7DSWhtpJjRQN5m5uVBrS1us81EcseO3MAR0WOqhLkhRkQtfRTTqWOg/s320/IMG_5218.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and Dad danced the evening away. I joined in on the fun, too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We plan to attend next year's event because we had so much fun this year.<br />
<br />
Friday was not a pleasant day for me, however, which made running errands in town difficult. I felt nauseated the whole day, with occasional periods of lightheadedness. I suspect it was the rich food at the wine tasting that upset my stomach, but my stomach had been feeling weird earlier in the week, so this bout may have been a continuation of the earlier stomach issues. I took a three-hour nap in the afternoon and felt a little better after that.<br />
<br />
I was concerned that my stomach problems would have prevented me from participating in Saturday's <a href="http://www.riverrat5krun.com/">River Rat 5K</a>, but I felt fine when I woke up that morning and had a great race. I will post a race recap later this week. I ran six miles after the race to count towards my last long run before the <a href="https://www.tcmevents.org/events/red_white__boom_tc_half_marathon/">half-marathon I'm running on July 4</a>, and that was a hot and sluggish run. I expect weather conditions to be similar on that race day, so it was good to experience them beforehand.<br />
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The rest of the weekend, I worked on addressing wedding invitation envelopes. I am two-thirds done. I still need to get addresses from several people, so that will be one of my major projects for the week.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Have you ever attended a wine or beer tasting before? Are you able to push through stomach pain during a race or does it sideline you?</b>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-81830300483443182652011-06-24T17:35:00.000-07:002011-06-24T17:35:38.896-07:00We Have a Winner!Ladies and gentlemen... drumroll please!<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://random.org/">Random.org</a>, I now have a winner for my <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/06/ultimate-minnesota-nice-giveaway.html">Ultimate Minnesota Nice Giveaway</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPG83-32jHfR21A3T_pXGvlh_BPNBNXP3c51fPaS6LFt4sBwA_V3uwxEQwdd9b4ikkzbA7vp-4Yq3c8gr3hD7RVzB_dTyeJckCsGxSY1itCVA-so3hUaYE-ONFMGyrHEl_3DCTfubWjA/s1600/random-number.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPG83-32jHfR21A3T_pXGvlh_BPNBNXP3c51fPaS6LFt4sBwA_V3uwxEQwdd9b4ikkzbA7vp-4Yq3c8gr3hD7RVzB_dTyeJckCsGxSY1itCVA-so3hUaYE-ONFMGyrHEl_3DCTfubWjA/s1600/random-number.JPG" /></a></div><br />
#42 is the following comment:<br />
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Congratulations, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/16200802296574563968">~K~</a>! Please e-mail me at richelle(dot)maciej(at)gmail(dot)com and I will get your goodies out in the mail to you!<br />
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Thank you to all that entered my giveaway and thank you for reading my blog!Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-84059875923426985252011-06-23T05:53:00.000-07:002011-06-23T05:53:33.262-07:00Three x 2 Things Thursday1. Today is the last day for you to enter <a href="http://rtahc.blogspot.com/2011/06/ultimate-minnesota-nice-giveaway.html">my "Minnesota Nice" giveaway</a>. Seriously, there are lots of fun goodies you could win, so make sure you do so before 11:59 p.m. Central Time tonight. I will post the winner tomorrow. Good luck to all who have entered!<br />
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2. Life is getting busier around here now that future hubs and I will be getting married in less than three months (yay!). I can't believe how fast time is flying! Invitations will be going out soon, and we need to pick out music for the wedding ceremony so we can notify our musicians. Other minor details need to be figured out, too.<br />
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3. Mark and I made an offer on a condo on Tuesday. It's a short sale, so it may take up to two months or longer for us to find out if the bank approves our offer. We really want this condo for several reasons:<br />
<ul><li>It's close enough to my workplace, a grocery store, and several restaurants that we could walk there</li>
<li>It's move-in ready (once the current occupants move out, that is)</li>
<li>It's had several updates, and has a fantastic deck with a nice view</li>
<li>It's the right amount of space for us at this point in our lives</li>
<li>We can't beat the price (around $33,000) </li>
</ul> Mark and I are hoping and praying that the condo will become ours.<br />
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4. This week is the week for aches and pains of several kinds for me. Not only is it "that time of the month" for me (sorry for the TMI!), but my stomach and right knee have been feeling wonky. However, I'm feeling better. I skipped my usual Wednesday night run and went for a four-miler this morning. That extra rest day helped! My stomach appears to be back to normal, too.<br />
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<b>Have you ever lost a toenail before due to running?</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mind the gap!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I did last year. It felt like a blister was forming underneath the toenail, and my toe felt tender when I pressed on the nail. Eventually, I ripped off the nail. Ironically, I feel like I'm going to lose the nail from that same toe again this year. I'm not sure why; it's not my socks, and I'm wearing different shoes this year compared to last year. <b>Do you know why we runners lose toenails?</b><br />
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5. I have the best fiance ever... :-)<br />
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6. <b>What's on tap for you this weekend?</b> I took a couple days off from work so I could enjoy a long weekend in my hometown. I'm attending a wine tasting this evening, running a 5K race on Saturday, and working on addressing wedding invites.<br />
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<b>Good luck to everyone who is racing this weekend!</b>Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3694321076420245108.post-73795897736219893272011-06-19T22:55:00.000-07:002011-06-19T22:56:42.211-07:00Father FigureMy dad is an awesome guy.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtafGjWTX3xDqbw7WorONUz8sS_vRsSis4Etsvyt9r5tToSV1k_TahVup6hwBa0JnSd4P8gPjoP5IEvoiMljcPayiyQtITI0mBZGs6V6wojX0-OuzZQQ9sD0KVJxys-SH34qHldGNxJK0/s1600/DSCN3611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtafGjWTX3xDqbw7WorONUz8sS_vRsSis4Etsvyt9r5tToSV1k_TahVup6hwBa0JnSd4P8gPjoP5IEvoiMljcPayiyQtITI0mBZGs6V6wojX0-OuzZQQ9sD0KVJxys-SH34qHldGNxJK0/s320/DSCN3611.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with my dad, snow tubing at Eagle Mountain on Boxing Day 2008</td></tr>
</tbody></table>He checks my car (a.k.a. Miss Pinot Noir) every time I drive up for the weekend, and every 3,000 miles, he services her (i.e. oil change, checking tire pressure, etc.). This next weekend, he will fix a problem with the front bumper.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt42Z41lald1Jkl4y90N1mOApBGn5CX4XW_uLrXvkZd2KxkwOK2R3SP3jdx0cTPr0R3o316pxdGYkPfnHWRx4VreFWCjcEd_9NZj5CLzp_dXNLEbc_K-4wKnogdb8w4NqBDEteHx2BYFg/s1600/IMG_3031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt42Z41lald1Jkl4y90N1mOApBGn5CX4XW_uLrXvkZd2KxkwOK2R3SP3jdx0cTPr0R3o316pxdGYkPfnHWRx4VreFWCjcEd_9NZj5CLzp_dXNLEbc_K-4wKnogdb8w4NqBDEteHx2BYFg/s320/IMG_3031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking at Cascade River State Park last summer </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Dad accompanied me to Omaha in 2007 just so I could run a half-marathon and visit a state I had never been to before.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCN_DX99mM9hu5F8AGzB0IshzxwdKlFdDPngDkBTf2qBf2OVYslRLCb5FdoN57JoGTofOzk3RFXcM4Jdvbz1wv6C9aQl9UO-iwxdvf06wgWfKbiiRfRS-QMDTbB6GJ3ORMMOsL1ibiJyo/s1600/DSCN1700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCN_DX99mM9hu5F8AGzB0IshzxwdKlFdDPngDkBTf2qBf2OVYslRLCb5FdoN57JoGTofOzk3RFXcM4Jdvbz1wv6C9aQl9UO-iwxdvf06wgWfKbiiRfRS-QMDTbB6GJ3ORMMOsL1ibiJyo/s320/DSCN1700.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad reading a placard along the Missouri River</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLmB01ShJWeQgi18SPLyUKi7i4pqJ99A8Ed3l1eGmUJIzkYsIP6RMKo5A9a3ZJiPMXLxgF2wCfN34nlI8E9HoEGEZmOn5TJQzHbZikgTzFgdNBdjJT-GMMNYxb3vjMpMqzVnBj1o0khc/s1600/DSCN1731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLmB01ShJWeQgi18SPLyUKi7i4pqJ99A8Ed3l1eGmUJIzkYsIP6RMKo5A9a3ZJiPMXLxgF2wCfN34nlI8E9HoEGEZmOn5TJQzHbZikgTzFgdNBdjJT-GMMNYxb3vjMpMqzVnBj1o0khc/s320/DSCN1731.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad took this photo of me at the 10K mark of the half-marathon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>He puts up with a lot of crap from the women in his life, ha ha!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP10BzWOGn8UPQ4ZBY8BBvGtibJ3edhWk48ypBCyAGAlhnpdG-exa1Pe7GjKC84-BICtJfqyikTqRHpCBahA6jzOCxCmT5HrxQ3tGgNYyGMd8GeAJXh8RnW7u2i3vpHuoLJZ7kzHkAVE/s1600/IMG_3084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP10BzWOGn8UPQ4ZBY8BBvGtibJ3edhWk48ypBCyAGAlhnpdG-exa1Pe7GjKC84-BICtJfqyikTqRHpCBahA6jzOCxCmT5HrxQ3tGgNYyGMd8GeAJXh8RnW7u2i3vpHuoLJZ7kzHkAVE/s320/IMG_3084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom takes a breather after a long hike</td></tr>
</tbody></table>He has given me plenty of good advice over the years and has been so encouraging and supportive of my crazy ideas and dreams. He has always been a good provider for my family. He is now retired and loves to spend time tinkering in the garage, hunting, fishing, hiking and reading.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15kC0ZjIrx-CRrU5Bp8Khuwl-pomDTG43onr0JTPH-u0u0Ur-xeLa7WUlcnuHMcAJiQk7WpqtOYaQUl6m5esAD0qzoWRJ-oDjnqIyd-K6gaJJEoBEd3KCHmq7fbnTrhv37IfS-x-iAaI/s1600/IMG_0702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj15kC0ZjIrx-CRrU5Bp8Khuwl-pomDTG43onr0JTPH-u0u0Ur-xeLa7WUlcnuHMcAJiQk7WpqtOYaQUl6m5esAD0qzoWRJ-oDjnqIyd-K6gaJJEoBEd3KCHmq7fbnTrhv37IfS-x-iAaI/s320/IMG_0702.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad and me at Temperance River State Park in 2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm truly blessed to have such a great dad. Happy Father's Day!Richellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03392437691492957659noreply@blogger.com8