Week #27

#181

College Tour continued.......

Winona University started off with a morning run with three of the cross country team's runners.  The afternoon was spent touring the beautiful campus.

#182

Stop number #2 - University of Minnesota Duluth.  

Stop #3 - St. Scholastica in Duluth

Just when you think a campus cannot get any more beautiful you walk the steps of this historic building.  We spent a great deal of time talking to the coach.  He was insanely knowledgeable about the sport of running and the physiological side of training a body to run long distances.  

 

Duluth is a wonderful city that I could see myself living in for the summer/fall months.  I hear that the winter months are brutal, so I am not sure I could be a full-time resident.

and of course........... we wouldn't leave the great city of Duluth without a fantastic coffee.  It is hard to see in the pic but the lift bridge is straight ahead.  We watched several barges and sail boats travel through the canal where all traffic (foot, bike, vehicle) stops.   The bridge lifts as high as needed to the let the boat pass through and then slowly lowers.  I just love how it forces you to slow down and just enjoy the moment and take in the scenery around.  Lake Superior is pretty fantastic!  If you have never been, I would highly recommend the North Shore of Minnesota.  

#183

College Tour Stop #4 - Hamline University - St. Paul

We spent the greatest amount of time at Hamline and yet forgot to take a picture.  Ireland toured Hamline four years ago and fell in love with it, however, since it is a private university the cost was just a bit much.  Of course, Aiden absolutely fell in love with Hamline as well.  Due to the smaller size of this university, the one-on-one attention Aiden received was heartwarming, from the tour guide, to the admissions counselor, and to the coaching staff that he met.  Coach Monson is from Thompson, ND and a great guy.  Tough decisions ahead for Aiden!  

Minnesota College Tour is over and now we get to spend time with family.  Eleanor asked Aiden if she could make him look like a princess and Aiden so sweetly said yes.  Time with cousins is precious and often goes way too quickly when we are all together.  

#184 - Race day

5:30 am - Mike thought Aiden might want a pre-race drink to get him going!  Pretty sure if Aiden would have even taken a sip of this questionable alcohol, he wouldn't have made it to the start line.

RED, WHITE, & BOOM 1/2 MARATHON - MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Early morning temps in the 70's and high humidity put the race in 'caution' zone.  Aiden's first 10 miles looked pretty comfortable for him as Jenna, Charlie, Greg, and I rode along side him with our bikes.  After mile 10, the facial expressions changed and looked not as pleasant. 

Here he is nearing the finish line and looking like "this was the dumbest idea I have had in a long time."  When he saw this photo he said it looks like he is crying and he wants to clarify that he did not cry (although it got pretty miserable toward the end).  I just love to watch this kid (I guess he is 18, so he technically is an adult) persevere through tough moments.  I was proud of his ability to continue running those last few miles even though his body was telling him to slow down or even stop.  He ended up finishing 6th in the race which is pretty amazing in my opinion.  Of course, he is hard on himself and wished his time would have been faster.  

It was so fun to ride along with him and cheer him on - although it was a complete workout for us as well.  At the pace he runs, we could not just leisurely coast along.    

Thank you to Jason, Jen, Heather, and Mike for watching Aiden cross the finish line.  It meant a lot to him to have his family there cheering him on!

Finished the night off with a fireworks display.  To the city of Edina..........well-done!


#185

A trip to Minneapolis would not be complete without a stop at the Mall of America.  Although, parking at MOA is overwhelming.

I have learned that instead of trying to remember where I parked, I started taking photos, so I am not aimlessly wandering floors and floors of parking ramps.  Just when I think I am technologically savvy, I find out there are apps for finding your parked car.  I guess you can also choose parked car in maps and that pinpoints where you parked.  Geesh - I still have a lot of learning to do!

#186

As much as I love to be on vacation and away from ND, there is nothing like driving down your street and into your own driveway.  I just wished I could take the comfort of this very familiar home and place it in the vicinity of my sibling's homes.  I get incredibly sad when I have to leave my family and hope to be closer to them someday!  

#187

Those of you who run might understand this............... random running thoughts.


These thoughts really have no rhyme or reason and often have no connection to anything in particular.

Today, I took off for an early morning run and the first thought that came to mind (other than, gosh I hate the first mile of running) was 'love the unloveable.'  I know this phrase has been used before by many, but why today did this thought come to me?  Was the thought placed upon my heart for a specific person or group of people?
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I continued to run and pondered what this meant for me in this moment!
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After a few miles, I came to the conclusion that God was telling me to simply LOVE all people, especially those that cross my path or are on the path with me.  Not all people who are intentionally placed in my life are there to make it easy or perfect.  They are hand-chosen by God to help me become a better person throughout my journey on Earth.

There are people in this world (including me) who have been unloveable, and as hard as it might be, those are the times to love another human more than ever.

What we can do for others is to love them like God does, which can be accomplished through our actions and our spoken and unspoken words.




Have a blessed week ahead!