Packers Training Camp 5k

Packers Training Camp kicked off on Friday and Saturday night was the 4th annual Training Camp 5K.  I have been looking forward to this event for several weeks now for several reasons.  This was the 1st run I was doing in Green Bay in over a month (no traveling this weekend!), this was also the 1st race that I would be running with Matt since the Bellin (he did the Brewers Sausage 5k, but walked with Molly) and the weather was supposed to be perfect!

After the last week, I was hesitant on how I was going to be able to pull this run off.  After camping last weekend, even though I stayed away from John and his summer cold, I still managed to get a cold.  My last run was the Miller Park Sausage 5K last weekend.  I even ended up cancelling my training session at the gym on Tuesday and missed work on Wednesday.  I went out for a walk on Thursday and then again on Friday.  On my walk Friday, I did a little bit of running and it was tough.  I felt fine while I was running , but whenever I stopped running, I would start coughing.  I managed to run the last 3/4 of a mile at a good steady pace and when I got home, I spent 5 minutes coughing.  I told Matt that I was not sure what I was going to be able to to on Saturday.  He reassured me that I needed to do what was best for me and that my health was more important than anything.

Matt and I waiting for the race to start

After a relaxing day at home and a short nap, Saturday evening arrived.  Wendy and Tom picked me up and we were headed to Lambeau Field!  We got to the stadium early and I had time to wander around and find Andrea, who was there with friends, in town for training camp and the run.  It was awesome seeing her again after the Color Run in Madison a few weeks ago!  Once Matt got to the stadium, we headed down to the start corrals.  When I signed up for the run, apparently I accidentally signed up for wave 4 (11:00 minute plus miles) instead of Wave 3 (9:00 to 11:00 minute mile runners).  Matt was in in wave 3.  oops.  We figured that we would see if we could both get into wave 3 so that we could start there... if we got stopped going into the corral, he said he would just join me in wave 4.  No one stopped us so we were in the clear!

As we were waiting for the run to start we were laughing that Matt was actually wearing the same pants and sweatshirt that he wore for the first 5k that we did together - the St Patricks Day 5k back in March - but then it was below freezing!  This was July and the temps were in the mid 50's!  So much for the normal July temps that we had last week!  I, however, was looking forward to running tonight with the mild temperatures!

Finally, we were off!  As soon as we started running, I was feeling great and had a really good feeling about tonight!  I kept pretty good pace with Matt for the first mile and was pleasantly to find that I was keeping a 0:09:39 pace!  The question is, would I be able to keep it up?  I kept pushing on!  Matt did keep his pace even though I slowed down just a little.  However, being the awesome friend and running partner that he is, he slowed down and checked to make sure I was still behind him.  Once he found me in the crowd and I gave him the thumbs up, he would keep pushing on.

During the second mile, my phone started having issues and my app was not recording accurately so was going to have to wait to get my official time at the end since I knew that my time was going to be off because the app kept pausing.  I kept pushing and Matt continued to make sure I was behind him.  I was feeling great!!  Just as I was coming into the parking lot back at Lambeau Field, I could not help but smile - there was Matt waiting for me so that we could run through the stadium and finish together.

We were making great time and just had the last stretch to go!!  We found ourselves slowed down though when we were trying to get into the stadium.  There was a bottle neck at the entrance to the tunnel leading into the field and we were almost at a stand still a few times.  Finally we made it into the stadium and made our lap around the field (of course having to run around people that were stopping to take pictures inside the stadium), then it was back into the tunnel and dealing with another bottle neck getting out.  Once we hit the bottom of the stairs coming out of the stadium, the final push was on.  Matt turned and told me to kick it in... he didn't need to say anything more.  I was going for it!  The hill coming up from the back of the tunnel was tough but that was not going to stop me now!

I am not really sure where that final burst of energy came from but I was on the move.  Hopefully my body was not going to make me regret it later!

When we crossed the finish line, it was a great feeling to know that I just conquered that 5k with everything that I had and did my best!  Time to head to the results tent to see just how well we did...

Official time - 0:30:09!  Missed breaking that 30 minute 5k but 8 seconds!!!!  If it was not for the bottle neck in and out of the stadium, that milestone would have been mine!  However, given the fact that I just finished that run after not running for a week and having dealt with a cold for the last week, I was ecstatic!

I know that I can break that 30 minute 5k barrier!! I give great thanks to Matt for believing in my and pushing me to do my best!  I am forever grateful!!  Together we will run through every goal we set for ourselves this summer!

Post race campfire at Matt and Molly's

Next weekend, Warrior Dash Wisconsin!  Get prepared to get muddy!!

Milwaukee, Friends, Brewers Baseball and running - summer fun in Wisconsin!

It's finally here - the long awaited for Milwaukee weekend!  Then again, it seems like lately, every weekend can be described as something that I have been waiting for all summer.  Each weekend brings new adventure, fun and challenges!!  

This weekend is no different!  Wendy and I headed to Milwaukee right after work on Friday to meet up with Matt and Molly to take in the Brewers game...  Another thing to add to my list of firsts for this summer - my first MLB game and first time even inside Miller Park!  Maybe I should have started a list of all the new things that I got to do or try this year, like a good friend of mine did.  I always look forward to hearing Dan's additions to his list each time I see him!  

First time inside Miller Mark!

What a a perfect way to start the weekend!  It was a great night for baseball - the roof was open, the sun was shining and I was with some amazing friends!! Plus the Brewers won!  It ended up being a late night and we had to get up early to be at the stadium for the run, but the short night of sleep was worth every minute!  Thank you Matt for suggesting the game!

Bright and early Saturday morning we were headed bad Miller Park for the annual Sausage Run 5K.  When we all left the hotel, was looking like the perfect morning for a run around and through the stadium!  Temps were in the mid 60's with a slight breeze.

Molly, Matt, Myself and Wendy - before the run

Unfortunately, the temps started to climb before the race started... it was going to be a warm one.  When we finally heading towards the starting line, the temperature was up to 73 and the breeze seemed to be fading.  We were determined to make the best of it and enjoy the day!  Wendy and I headed to our start corral to run, while Matt and Molly headed to their corral to walk the course together.  The way the temps were climbing, I would not want to be one of the Brewers Racing Sausages today, out running on this course in the bright sun and heat!

The first mile was spent weaving in and out of other runners so we probably ran more than just a mile by the time we got to the first mile marker and water station!  Just before mile one, we would pass the first 2 of the racing sausages - Hot Dog was plugging away with a small group of kids running along side, then a short distance later we would find ourselves passing Chirizo!  I give these guys so much credit for being out there!  I can't imagine how warm it can get in those costumes!

According to my phone, mile 1 was under 10 minutes - a good start!  This would end up being our fastest mile of the day.  The temps were climbing and the majority of the course was around the parking lot, so there was not a lot of shade to be found.  The little bit of shade in the second mile was a welcome change, but it was not enough to really make much of a difference!  The 3rd mile of course took us right through Miller Park, coming in and running the warning track along the 1st base line, around home plate then out past 3rd base.  I thought about stopping to take some pictures, but I decided to hope that one of my other friends that were doing the run took some!  I just wanted to keep going and see what I could do with this run in the heat!

As we were coming long the back side of the parking lot, getting closer to the 3 mile mark, Wendy turned around and asked me how I was doing...  "Dying" was all I could get out.  She asked if I needed to stop and walk and I said no, I was going to finish this strong!  I knew we were nearing the end and I was going to push it to the end!

Wendy and I - after race, waiting for water!

Final official time - 0:31:31!  Not quite the 30 minutes that I have been striving for, but with the head today, I am not going to complain one bit!

After a Brewers game and running through Miller Park, what could make this weekend better?  Camping with Matt and Molly!  Relaxing around the campfire with a few beers, friends and laughs!  I was only planning on staying 1 night, but Molly decided that they were kidnapping me and not letting me leave until Monday to go to work... Ok, I guess it's not really kidnapping if I agree to stay!  2 nights of quiet, relaxation with great friends was the perfect way to end an awesome weekend!

Next up... Packers Training Camp 5k next weekend!  

Wausau Bike Weekend, part 2

After Wendy and I surrendered to the trail and hitched a ride to Wausau with John and Tom, we made it to Wendy's parents house.  My first thought as we were arriving?  I am so glad that we didn't' have to bike up that last hill to the house!  Mosinee Hill is not a hill to have to go up at the end a 90+ mile bike ride!  Once we got the bikes and everything else unloaded, we had two things in mind... showers and food!  

And yes, in that order!

Once showers were done a a beer consumed, we were off to find food at the Great Dane Brewing Company.  On my agenda for the evening?  An awesome burger and a beer!  My apologies to all my foodie friends, the Great Dane Burger, topped with homemade artichoke dip was amazing, but I was so hungry that I forgot to take a picture of it before I inhaled it!  That burger washed down by a nice light home brewed ale was just was ordered after a fabulous day out on the bike trails!

Next big stop on the agenda was the Wausau Balloon Rally and Rib Fest.  We arrived just in time for the start of the evening festivities and many balloons were already in the process of being inflated.  There were several that we recognized from the several rallies that we hit last yeas as well as a few new ones.  The one pictured to the left with all the sea animals on it has always been one of our favorites. The weather was a bit breezy but not enough to deter many of the teams to show off their balloons.

After the long busy day, we didn't stay at the festival too long, but we were there long enough to find Sara, David and Jamie!  It was great to see David and Sara after way too many years, and to finally meet Jamie.  What an awesome family! We definitely  need to try and find time to get together more often - Wausau is not really that far from Green Bay!!

By the time we got back to the house, I was ready to crash!!  It was a full day and tomorrow was going to be more fun and adventures!

Saturday morning brought more fun and adventures!  We headed to downtown Wausau for the annual Chalk Fest.  This again was another event that we discovered last year and wanted to check out again.  For the entire weekend, local artists take over Downtown Wausau and transform the sidewalks into amazing works of art!  This is an awesome event that we are glad we heard about and greatly enjoy the talent that is showcased.  I am always impressed by the vast variety of ages and talent that is showcased at the event.  One of these years we will actually remember to check out the event on Sunday so that we can see more of the finished masterpieces! 

Our final stop on this weekend adventure was at Doc's Timeline Bar and Saloon in Bonduel for a late lunch.  We have driven past here more times that I care to count and have never stopped in.  One of these we will have to stop back when it's not a super busy Saturday afternoon so that we can actually take some to check out all the fun features and nostalgia of the restaurant and bar.  We opted to sit at the bar and were greeted promptly by the awesome bartender (sorry, don't remember her name but I will definitely recognize here when we go back next time!).  

While we were waiting for our lunch to arrive, we had the chance to try the Musket Balls that Tom ordered.  What is a Musket Ball you might ask?  A Musket Ball is Doc's version of a corn fritter, complete with whole kernels of corn inside them, deep fried to a golden brown and then rolled in powered sugar.  Delish!  Finally it was time for the main event!  The Pulled Pork Platter was awesome!  Perfectly cooked, juicy and soaked up the flavor from each of the different sauces that they had to offer.  Our favorite?  Hands down it was the Captain Morgan Sauce!  Best part?  There was enough food on our platters for a second meal!  Dinner tonight was going to be just as awesome as lunch!!

John enjoying Tom's Musket Balls

Pulled Park Platter, served naked, allowing us to enjoy all the sauces!

Thanks again Wendy for an amazing weekend, riding the trail with me, John and Tom for driving the SAG wagon for us and picking is up when we called it a day and surrendered to the trail and for all of you that stand behind me and support me in all of these crazy adventures that I get myself into!

Until next time my friends...

Next up?  Miller Park Sausage Race 5k in Milwaukee!

Wausau Bike Weekend Adventure! Part 1

After thinking about it for several months and planning for several weeks, the biking adventure of the summer is upon us!  It all started out as a joke that we should ride our bikes to Wendy's mom, via the Mountain Bay Trail.   The trail begins just north of Green Bay in Howard and travels across Wisconsin, ending in Weston, just outside of Wausau.  From end to end the trail is roughly 83 miles.  After laughing about it for a short time, we realized that we could do it! 90+ miles on the trail and then through Wausau to get to her parents will be a tough mission, but we were going to give it our all!!! Or at least we were going to try!  We compared our calendars and found a weekend that we were both free.  Then we just had to wait!

Now, that long awaited weekend had arrived!  Just getting through the day on Thursday was hard enough, knowing that we were heading on our adventure in the morning!  Thursday night was spent packing multiple bags.  Yes, multiple bags for our trek... 1) my overnight bag that John will be bringing with him when he and Tom drive to Wausau after work, 2) my pack on my bike, filled with trail munches, frozen bottles of water (ok those went in Friday morning), sunscreen, bug spray, tire repair kit ( which I don't even know if I would remember how to use it if I needed to) and tire pump. 3) my camelbak with phone charger, wallet, trail pass, and if course water!

Ready to hit to road!

I think I was actually up before my alarm went off on Friday morning,  I was ready to hit the trail for the ride of the summer! Wendy and I were ready to roll am hit the road at 6:30am. The guys would be leaving in the afternoon, once John got done with work.  We were able to hop on the Mountain Bay not too far from her house.

Our first pitstop was in Pulaski, a short 12 miles from where we started.  During that first stretch of the trail, Wendy started keeping track on critters we saw on the trail - mainly rabbits at this point in time, along with a few chipmunks.  It was a beautiful morning with a fabulous breeze.  We knew that the cooler weather was not going to last, so we were determined to get as far as we could before it started to get too warm!

About an hour past Pulaski we made our first official food stop on an awesome little bridge of the one of the many creeks that we would pass on our journey.  It was at this point that I needed to lose the light jacket that I was wearing and cover myself with sunscreen and bus spray.  We were enjoying the peaceful serenity of the trail all morning!  The only thing that you could hear (aside from us chatting as we rode) was the breeze through the trees and birds that frequented them.  Every once in a while we would hear something scurry away from the trail under the cover of all the grass, bushes and trees along the trail.

We soon realized that the only time that we actually saw people out on the trail was when we were nearing or going through towns!  We were truly in our own little world!

Once we left Brown county, the trail switches from a packed gravel trail to a packed trail that reminded me of many of the woodsy "roads" in the UP - just a wide trail, worn where vehicle tires frequently pass with a grassy "trail" down the middle.  It was still an awesome, quiet, maintained trail to ride on, so we are not going to complain!!  We made it to Shawano by 10:30am - 32 miles traveled. and were ready for some food!  Just off the trail as we came into town we found Perkins and that was just what our spirits ordered!  We washed off some trail dirt (and bugs), sat down and relaxed for a while, enjoying a fabulous lunch, refilling our camelbaks and getting ready for the next part of our journey!  I didn't realize how hungry I had been until my salad landed in front of me and I started eating.  I think my salad was half gone before I actually tasted it!

Traveling through Shawano, the trail goes right through town on an awesome paved path, weaving around through business and residential areas and crossing over the river right near the dam.  This Bridge was calling to us as an amazing photo opp, so of course I had to stop!  Once we past this bridge Wendy was checking out her maps.  From the information that she received from a friend of hers, we knew that the trail didn't go through in one section so we were going to be traveling the county roads.  We only made one error on our travels through here... because a street sign was turned 90 degrees!  We ended up going straight where we should have turned left (right where her directions told us to) and added a short 2-ish mile detour to our afternoon.  Once we got back on the right track, we started seeing the trail signed again so we knew we were at least going in the right direction!

One of my biggest concerns for this ride was my knees.  After my week of rest last month, I have not had any problems with any knee pain so I was feeling good going in!  While we were traveling the country roads in Shawano I did notice that my left knee was starting to bother me a little, but only when I was going uphill.  I kept a close on on it and once we got back to the trail and we were back on a flat surface, it stopped bothering me.  YAY!!!

Our next pit stop was at the Long Branch Saloon near Gresham.  No, we were not stopping for a refreshment break (if we did, we might not get back on the trail!), but rather to use their restrooms.  It was 1:30 in the afternoon, so there were only a few patrons in the bar.  It was at this time, when talking with the bartender that we found out that when you take the trail from Green Bay to Wausau, you are virtually going at a slight uphill grade the entire way!  Great... nice time to find this out!  Oh well.  It really has not been a noticeable uphill climb so it can't be all that bad!  Note to self, next time, start the ride in Wausau and bike back home to Green Bay!

At some point during the ride, Wendy realized that she was collecting more bugs on her arms and legs than me... the result of the difference in sunscreen and bug spray that we each used!  It was decided that her new trail/superhero name now was The Human Flypaper!  She was catching the pesky buggers without even trying!  A short time after we made our stop at the Long Branch, my bike started squeaking.  We determined that it was something in my gears, as it only squeaked when I was peddling.  After a few stops to try and figure out what it was, we thought that maybe there was a rock or something stuck that was causing the squeaking.   I did the only left to try... since I had tried everything else, I grabbed the straw from my camelpak and started squirting it into the gears, hoping that I could wash out whatever was stuck.

It worked!  The squeaking was gone!  Unfortunately Wendy already decided that I was now Squeaky... the Human Flypaper's sidekick!  I suppose there could be worse things to be called!

At Mile 50 we stopped to get a photo of that monumental point in our trek!  I was mentally trying to figure out how much further I was going to make it.  I was starting to feel it in my legs... not sure if it was my knees or just the muscles, I knew at this point the full trail was not going to be on my agenda for the day.  Now the big decision... how much further would we make it?

Once we started out again after our 50 mile break, it was evident that my day was quickly coming to and end.  We were both extremely proud of the miles that we put on today and we completely content with calling our day short.  I remembered seeing a sign a few miles back that we were withing 6 miles of Bowler.  That was our new final destination...  more specifically, Bonnie Place Bar and Grill (we had seen a few signs for this fine establishment several times along the trail and figured that this was THE place to stop.

That last 5 miles to Bowler was the longest 5 miles of the day!  I was beginning to think we were never going to get there!  Finally we started seeing signs of life - mainly houses along the side of the trail!    We finally made it to Bowler and stopped at the gas station just off the trail to as for directions to Bonnie's.  That half mile from the trail to Bonnie's was all that was between us and a cold beverage and a restroom!

Bonnie's Place did not disappoint!  We found a quiet bar (it was 3pm when we got there so the dinner crowd had not started coming in yet).  We sent messages to the guys to let them know where to pick us up and had an hour to relax, unwind and enjoy our chilled beverages while we waited.  The bartender was awesome - quick to get us some drink and even found a place just under the bar so that we could plug our dying cell phones in.  I think that was one of the best testing beers that I have had in a long time!

A short time later, John and Tom caught up with us, loaded up the bikes, had a drink with us and we were on the way to Wausau for the second part of our weekend adventure...

By the time we made to Bonnie's we traveled just shy of 58 miles, saw numerous rabbits (mostly in Brown county), several deer, and too many cows to count!  6.5 hours in a bike seat makes for one exhausting but satisfying day!

Stay tuned, Wausau Balloon Rally and Chalk Fest are next on the agenda!  Updates soon to follow!

Happy Birthday USA

Liberty 5K in Baraga this morning was the perfect way to start the holiday festivities!  I put in my Black Rock Star Flower and was ready to run strong to the end.

Zena and I met up at the start line bright and early.  After spending the better part of this week training together for this run, we were ready.  It was awesome to actually run this event in my hometown, running some of the same streets that we had to run in high school for track practice.  I remember how much I hated running these hill then, don't think it is going to be any better today! Before the run started I ran into several friends from high school that (aside from Facebook) I have not seen in many many years.  Being about to reconnect with them made the morning that much more enjoyable.

This event was definitely smaller than the 5k's that I usually run, but it was a nice change after running the Bellin this year with it's record breaking crowd (20,000 runners/walkers).  The weather was also perfect for a run.

Right from the start, Zena was off like a rocket.  I already knew that I was never going to keep pace with her.  I was feeling good and was going to run my race and run it the best that I could!  Running with friends along the course made it that much more enjoyable!  

Shortly after the race started I found myself running with a high school classmate (Tina) and we ran together for a short time.  This was her first ever 5K that she was running - So proud of her for getting out there and challenging herself!  At several points during the race, we would find ourselves running together, even if just for a short distance at a time.  Whenever she was in front of me, I made sure that I didn't get her get too far ahead (thanks for pushing me to keep moving up those hills!).  The one big hill on the course was just as much of a killer as I remember from High School, but I was determined to give it my all and not let it get the best of me!  (the black line on the photo to the right is the elevation change on the course... Mile 2 was not a friend to anyone today!)

I conquered the main part of the hill but then also had the rest of mile 2 to get through (virtually the entire mile was all uphill!)  Just as I was finally nearing the top of the up hilly stretch, I also had the honor of running a short part of this race with Fellow Flowers Co-Founder Tori Sager's Dad, Scott (aka Coach or Mr K).  Scott was one of the coaches when I was in school as well as one of my teachers.  (yes the joys of running in my small hometown)!  It was great to see him out on the course today, enjoying the day with everyone else and giving it his all!  Tori, you should be very proud of your dad - I know he will rock that half marathon in Marquette!!  I was also happy to see several other flowers in the crowd for the race today!

 A short distance from the finish line, Tina and I found ourselves in step again.  My Runtastic App told me that I had just his 3 miles and a time of 0:29:30.  I had 30 seconds to make the last stretch and break that under 30 minute wall. We made our push for the finish line together.  I told her that we were finishing this strong!  I picked up my step and she was right behind me all the way!  You are a rock star Tina!  Well done!!

In the end, my official time was 0:30:22... SO CLOSE!  That hill by the Drive-in Restaurant that we had to climb got the best of me (as well as having to stop and tie my shoe!).  I will never complain about todays run though - I shaved almost 2 minutes off my 5K PR for this summer!!  Average pace, 0:09:49 minute/mile!  I also finished 3rd in my division, not too far behind Zena who pulled out a first place finish in our age division!

Also very proud of my son!  Darrin ran his first race in the last year today!  With very little training, he finished in a very respectable 45 minutes!  Way to go my little goober!  You did awesome!!

While we were waiting for the awards ceremony after our race, I also found out that Matt finished his 5K this morning in Kaukauna in under 30 minutes!  His official time was 0:29:01!  So proud of him for reaching that under 30 milestone!  

Time to get out and enjoy the rest of the day!  Hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July!

Color me Happy - part 2

After spending last night laughing and hanging out at the hotel with wonderful friends (both old and new) I was awake before my alarm!  How I was awake that early, considering I didn't get to sleep until after midnight, will always amaze me!  I guess I was just too excited to sleep!

The guys and their tutu's!

Even though I wasn't really hungry, I made myself eat some breakfast before we headed out to the "Happiest 5k on the Planet".  Of course, John broke out the camera and got some awesome photos before we headed out.  I will have to post a link to those once he has a chance to go through them and get them posted on his website.  We had an amazing group of 8 crazy friends heading over for the festivities.  John and Chad, along with Beth and Cari, put on their tutu's, we all strategically placed our HAPPY tattoo's, Color Run socks, headbands and t-shirts and made the short trek across the hwy to the the festivities.  It was really nice to be able to stay that close to the event for several reasons... no worrying about parking at the event, but better yet, we didn't have to worry about climbing into the car afterwards when we are all covered in paint!

John and I before the color explosion

It started out as a very blah and dreary morning with sporadic rain showers.  A little rain today was not going to ruin our fun... it was only going to make it messier and all that much more entertaining!

The festivities were already rocking when we got there, to include one of the largest outdoor Zumba parties that I have ever seen!  I have no idea how may people were in front of that stage enjoying the dance party, but the energy was obvious!  Everyone was ready to have fun!

With my cellphone sealed in a ziploc baggie and tucked away in my beltpack, we headed towards the start line to get this adventure on its way!  We lost Heather, Andrea and Lexi as we headed toward the start line, but we knew we would find them later.  They were on a mission to try and run at least part of the course.  The rest of us were walking the course today.

The start line

Normally, I would also be running, but once John decided yesterday that he was going to join the fun and complete his first ever 5k, I wanted to be there to walk it with him!  I will have plenty of other events to run this summer, this one was about enjoying the festivities and crossing the finish line together.  I am very proud of him for joining us for this awesome event and finishing his first 5K.

While we were waiting to start, the rains did let up for a while, but by the time we got up to the front of the pack for our start wave, it started up again!  Let the party begin!

Once we hit the first of many color stations, we learned a few things...

Blue - the last of the color stations before the finish line party

1.  Don't inhale!  The powered paint is harmless, but getting it into your mouth does not taste good!  Not to mention makes you want to sneeze!
2.  There is no need to walk or even take you time going through the color stations... the volunteers working the stations will make sure you get a nice coating of color before you get to the end of each station!
3.  Even if it is a dreary rainy day, sunglasses are a must - that way you have eye protection as you go through the color stations and can actually keep your eyes open somewhat so you can see where you are going!
4.  Once your feet get wet from the rain, it is pointless to try and go around or over the puddles, Just walk, run or jump right through the middle of them... your shoes are already going to be a mess when you are done, so you may as well enjoy playing in the water.

Like I mentioned, John took some awesome pictures that I will have to post a link to later ones he has a chance to go through them all and get them posed on his website.

After we all finished the course, we met up at the finish line, opened up our color packets and made sure that we each were adequately colored!  It was then time to head to the party at the stage!  More color packets were bring thrown from the stage to create massive color explosions that would further coat us with even more layers of fun!  After walking through the rain and being coated with powered paint, the walk back to the hotel gave everything a change to dry into a nice colorful "crust".  I would definitely not want to be part of the house keeping staff in the hotel today - there was potential for some torrential messes while everyone was getting cleaned up!  In the end, we managed to not make a huge mess in the hotel rooms, however, the clothes we were wearing, including our shoes, will never be the same again!

Our crazy bunch after the run but before the after party!

After this amazing morning, John and I had the change to spend the afternoon and evening hanging out with Matt and Molly at the campground (with their 3 cats that were along on vacation too!).  I can't think of a better want to end this awesome day than to spend the evening sitting outside, campfire crackling, watching the Brewers game on TV and enjoying some cold beer with more awesome friends!

I am truly blessed with amazing friends that have, with which I am able to create and share these awesome memories with!  I am glad that each and every one of you was part of this awesome weekend!

My summer vacation continues... next stop:  Liberty Run 5k on the 4th in Baraga!

Color me Happy - part 1

When I started this blog, my goal was to focus on the changes that I was making to break those old habits that kept be from being the person that I wanted to be.  I have come to realize that these changes are more than just food and exercise related!  There are so many more aspects of my life that also play a huge roll in achieving these goals!  Spending time with my friends and family has always been something that I enjoy and I am finding that I have some absolutely wonderful people in my life that have a huge influence in making my into the person that I am today (you all better know who you are!) and I can't imagine this adventure without each one of you!  This weekend was one of those weekends that I was able to spent time with several of those friends, as well as meeting several other amazing people that I am now proud to call my friends!

This past weekend was the much awaited for Color Run in Madison!  When Beth and I saw this event posted many months ago, we didn't waste any time getting signed up and booking our hotel!  Then we had to wait...

But the weekend finally arrived and the wait was over!  We all took Friday off from work and headed to Madison bright and early.  Along the way, John and I stopped and did some shopping at the outlet mall in Oshkosh, since we never get down that way anymore.  Shopping for new running clothes has become one of my new favorite things to do.  Not only does a new pair of shorts or a cute tank give me motivation to get out for another run, but my running clothes are the most comfortable things in my closet these days! I wish I could wear them everyday - but I guess that would not be appropriate for the workplace!  I can at least get away with wearing my running shoes at work, so that is a start!

Beth and I

By the time we made it to Madison (after shopping and lunch), our hotel room was ready early, Chad and Beth were already there and it was off to an afternoon of fun!  Our first stop?  The Alliant Energy Center to pick up my race packet for tomorrow.  While I was getting checked in, little did I know that Beth was working on talking John into joining us for the fun tomorrow!  By the time I got my packet and t-shirt and was browsing the goodies in the Color Run Store, her work was done.  He was signing up! But not only was he signing up for the event... he bought himself a multi colored tutu to wear for the walk/run tomorrow. This was going to be an awesome weekend!

John in his new tutu!

Of course, on the way back to the parking lot, we had to stop and take some pictures by the race signs.  Our favorite?  "Jump if you are happy!!  How could we not be happy?  It was the start of a fun filled weekend with
wonderful friends!

Next stop, The New Glarus Brewery just south of Madison!  What an amazing place!  Their new location (which opened in 2008) sits up top of the hill overlooking town.  There is still work going on around the property and we will have to make another trip down to see the work in progress!    We each grabbed a pint of beer (ok, Beth, Chad and myself did anyway, since John doesn't drink beer) and made our way through the self guided tour.  The hard hat tours that they offer would have been interesting, but those need to be booked in advance and we didn't plan that far ahead.  Maybe next time...

New Glarus Brewery

I could have probably spent hours wandering around the property and buildings, but since closing time was quickly sneaking up on us, we will have to save that for the next trip!  Just getting a brief look at the architecture and ambiance of the property is enough to make me want to come back again next time we are in the area.

We also spent some time wandering around downtown New Glarus, checking out some of the small shops.  Our main reason for visiting downtown was to check out the New Glarus Bakery!  YUM!  By the time we left, we had more treats to keep us going for the weekend than we will even need!

Our final stop of the day was at Ella's Deli for dinner.  Wendy pointed this treasure out to me when we were in Madison last month for our Winery and Trader Joe's/Whole Foods run.  How could you not want to stop at a place that has a HUGE fully operational carousel out front???  From the time we walked through the front door until we left, we kept finding cool things to check out!  The carousel outside was just the start!  There were animated characters everywhere!  Spongebob was actually flying over our table, Mighty Mouse was over near one window and the Genie (from Aladdin) was near another window!

Dinner was good, but the highlight of any dinner at Ella's Deli is the dessert menu - it's 18 pages long!  From traditional banana splits to their Pound Cake Sunday' there is something for everyone.  However for the extremely brave sweet tooth, you will have to check out the Sparkled Kazoo!  This monstrosity is a total of 32 scoops of ice cream and sherbet, covered in sundae sauces and whipped cream!  No, we did not even attempt this creation, but I know several people who would like to try and conquer it!  If you are ever in Madison and enjoy checking out the interesting hidden gems of an area, this is a place you really should check out!

What a day!  And this was only the first day of the amazing weekend!