Shamrock Shuffle 2010

Two weeks ago The Wife and I headed up to Logan with Mom and Dad to join Grandma in the annual Shamrock Shuffle!  (Thanks for Mary, from whose blog I stole the above photo.)  This marked a year from Julie's visit when we became secretly engaged, and it seemed quite fitting we should venture up to Logan as we did last year to visit Grandma and run this fun race.  After a nice evening of visiting and delicious Grandma Soup, we were able to get plenty of rest before the 10:00 am start time (and really, that is the BEST time to start a 5K, I say).  We met up with a couple of local Francis relatives there and made ready.  It's a fun, inexpensive, and pretty well-attended race, and if you wear green (as I had the wherewithal to do this year), you get a dollar off!  It wasn't quite as cold as it was last year, but the course also wasn't quite as flat and moderate as I remember it being last year.  Much to my own amazement, I reached a new PB of 20:57, placed 13th overall, and for the first time ever placed 1st in my age group!  (I am all for the 20-24 and 25-29 age groups, by the way...  20-29 is just way too big a difference.)  But I wasn't the only one!  Mom, Julie and Grandma all placed as well, and this year Dad decided to step up from his usual role of "athletic supporter" and run along with us, and he did great for his first race in many years.  Keep it up, Dad!  Every single one of us placed in our respective age groups!  What a victory!

 

After the race, we went to look at a display of some of Grandma's giant journals at the library and then for some free samples at the cheese factory, and after a well-deserved rest, we all went to see Alice in Wonderland and, by Grandma's recommendation, tried the new barbecue restaurant near the theater.  Ribs... *dies*

It was a great weekend, and we'll see you next March in Logan!