What I Did During My Running Vacation

As you already know, I took the last two weeks off from running. So you may be asking, "what did you do during your running vacation?" Or maybe you aren't asking, but Im going to tell ya anyway!

Coaching Girls On The Run

In the last two weeks our girls have run a practice 5k, tapered and completed their program with a wild and stormy 5k at MCC Saturday night. I'll have an entire post dedicated to Girls on The Run sometime later this week. 

The ladies and Coach Molly

Annual Memorial Day Weekend Family Camping Trip

My parents met each other while both camping with their families at Cedar Point State Park in the 1000 Islands. Something like a million year ago. So in true cheesy Griswold family fashion, we have gone back to the scene of the crime every year for Memorial Day weekend. It has evolved into a not so roughing it vacation complete with tv, air conditioning, more food then we know what to do with and some friendly competitive mini golf. We have also gained more campers with the addition of my brother-in-law, niece and nephew and future husband. Plus lots of extended friends and family members we have convinced to join us along the way. This year the weather was pretty chilly and very windy. I am all for jeans and a sweatshirt but when you are nursing marathon feet, socks and full covered shoes aren't ideal. 

Me and Ainsley in her new sock monkey hat.

Even the paper towel dispenser was
my kind of people.

Meredith with Colin at the hole.

Colin wanted a photo of him taken at
each hole. This didn't last very long.

Dad "cooking" the foil dinners.

Can you guess what mine is shaped like?

Yummy!

Mom made one of my favorite kinds of cake
to celebrate my marathon endeavor.
Spice cake with cream cheese frosting.

Rob and the RV as we were packing up to head home.

Camp site #13.
Had to take a photo of my lucky #.

Celebrating Someone Special

While we were camping I found out that my Godmother Lynn had passed away. Lynn was diagnosed with cancer and given six months to a year to live. She only lived another two weeks. Lynn was an important figure throughout my entire life. And even though we didn't keep in touch as much as we used to, realizing she wouldn't be able to attend my wedding was pretty upsetting. An experience like this reminds you that it is important to let people know how you feel about them and to not take any day for granted. I wish I had known the severity of Lynn's illness and got to visit her one more time. The photo below was taken last year when Lynn and her husband Ron surprised me and drove to Rochester to watch me run my first half marathon. I was totally surprised and started crying in Blue Cross Arena. I loved having them there cheering me on and enjoyed our lunch at Dino BBQ. It is a fantastic last memory to have. 

Popping The Question- So To Speak

In case you have recently joined me, Rob and I got engaged in January at our local Fleet Feet. We are having a very small wedding party but I really wanted my niece and nephew to be involved. Colin is excited about the wedding and I know he is at a great age for it. Ainsley, maybe not so much. As Colin has gotten older I have enjoyed being able to do more activities with him, so I knew I wanted to do something special to ask him. Rob and I took him to Color Me Mine, to pick out and glaze a piece of pottery, and then we treated him to lunch at Corner Bakery Cafe. On the drive over he said he wanted a dinosaur, but when we got there his position was swayed by all the neat and big objects. Of course he wanted the giant $60 dino. But when I said it would take to long to paint and he wouldn't have anywhere to store it, he agreed to a smaller version. He started out by drawing spots on "Rex" and then glazed his entire body. His color choice was interesting but overall he did really well.

Painting the blue spots.

Working on the body.

While he was working on Rex I told him that we had a special date because Rob and I wanted him to be in the wedding. He wasn't quite sure about it at first. I think he actually said no because of the whole walking down the aisle thing. But I did my best to convince him that it will be fun and that he'll get to wear a cool outfit. So he finally agreed.

Rex & Colin

Towards the end he got a bit antsy and Rob was awesome at distracting him by drawing funny faces on the paper on the table while I paid. When we got to the restaurant he ordered a PB&J sandwich, chips and an apple. Ever try to cut up an apple with a butter knife? It was interesting. Overall everyone had a great time and hopefully he'll walk down the aisle in September. Someone has to keep Ainsley in line.