Dave is #1

This weekend we took off on Friday for a long weekend up to the north woods in Wisconsin. Eagle River to be exact.

This is a fuzzy map to show you the 296 or so miles we drove.

We drove there to do the Journey’s Marathon Half Marathon Powerwalk.

So off we went. Dave hurried me Friday morning and I wasn’t as prepared for a trip as I usually am. Think not enough food or coffee on the trip. We did stop and refill the coffee, and Dave got some new shoes and wind pants which obviously gave him lightening speed.

So we managed. The weather, however, wasn’t quite as cooperative.

For all of March and April without snow, or maybe even freezing temps, last weekend it decided to snow, and freeze. So, as we drove along, it started to look like this.

It’s getting a little bit snowy and gray out. And the snow is starting to stick a little bit on the grass there. But we pushed on.

We stayed at the Eagle River Inn.

                            This is what it looks like on a nice day.

When we got there, it was more like this.

Hard to see exactly-maybe a close up

See the snow?

But we settled in. I did remember one important thing….

Yeah, uh huh. Dave is mentally preparing for the 13.1 mile walk. He also beat my score on Bejeweled, and then commented that it was ironic that he would beat me on my computer. Ok.

On Friday the view out the back looked like this

And when we got up Saturday, it looked like this.

So we decided to wear long underwear. We caught the bus and got a ride to the start.

In spite of the snow, people were in good moods and it was quite spectacular, out there in the woods.

We enjoyed it.

 

There were people in shorts and tee shirts too, but they were runners. Hopefully, they generated enough heat to last through the several temperate zones on the course.

So, off we went.

The course was really pretty, walking through the woods. We saw all sorts of sights.

Notice, sort of sunny, kind of cloudy, and of course, a little windy and snowy.

Can you see the blowy snow?

Anyway, as we got towards the finish, it got a little nicer and sunnier, because the sun always shines on the finish line.

WooHoo-we are done!

We returned to the hotel for a much needed sit down, and then went to the buffet dinner. While enjoying a cool margarita we ran into this guy who ran  the marathon in a mouse suit. We know this because he passed us. Not sure why he was in a mouse suit, but he still had the hat with him so he kindly posed with me for posterity.

He probably thought I was nuts too.

The next morning, the day dawned clear and sunny. Of course.

And when we checked the results, we saw this

Journey's Marathon 2010

Power Walk 13.1 Miles

May 8, 2010 in Eagle River, WI

Dave Melde 

division place:
1 out of 4

time:
3:12:27

pace:
14:41

Look at that-Dave is first in his age division! We set a blistering pace (almost literally) and took 24 minutes off our total time (from our last powerwalk in Sept), and 2 minutes off our pace. Man.

It was quite the weekend.

And it was a Happy Mother’s Day too.