A weekend of wonderdfulness!

I don't know if wonderfulness is a word, but you know what I mean!  It was a weekend of great friends, great fun and a lot of awesome things done!

I guess it started on Friday with an easy 110k ride to get some miles in.  For the first time this season, I went in the other direction.  I guess I may have created a bit of a pattern always heading out for rides in the same direction so I thought I would change it up.  I went out towards the city following a route along the lake and beaches. One of the benefits is that it is flat.  I suppose another benefit is the scenery change is always nice as well.  It was a good ride, nothing too hard or crazy, just turn the legs drink and enjoy!

After the ride Friday we headed up to a friends farm for the weekend.  A group of friends who swim, bike, run and play together were all invited to a friends farm for the weekend for some fun and relaxation.  It was a 2.5 hour drive out of the city, which in itself was an awesome relief from the craziness.  As we made our way closer I could see all kinds of lights in the distance, it looked more like a huge outdoor wedding than a gathering of a few friends.  WOW!  They had set the place up in the best and most awesome style for the visit.  They had a marquis tent, huge fire pit, beer fridge that would make Training Payne jealous, food for 100 people!  It was an unbelievable scene that they had put together!  The games were only about to begin!

As the day started on Saturday, the weather was the first thing to be grateful for.  It was incredible, not a cloud in the sky and deep blue as far as the eye could see!  We started with a great breakfast outside under the tent enjoying stories from the night before.  As breakfast was finished and we rested a bit, they had organized a run through the farm property.

The property is 500 acres of farm land and forest along the Saugeen River.  They had spent the summer planning and cutting trails and completing a route that would give 2 course distances.  The entire group at the event are type A runner/triathlete types, so options for distance was necessary. There was a 11k course and an additional 12k for the hardcore crowd.  Along the route they had set up manned water and aid stations and had patrols riding along the route to make certain that everyone was good.  The course was a definite trail run.  MISSZIPPY talked about the challenges of trail running and she was not kidding.  Every step you take you have to be aware, up hills around corners, down into creeks, up more hills!  It was a tough as hell run!  But the scenery was above amazing.  I was very aware not to turn an ankle and blow a summer of training as I ran along.  I didn't turn my ankle and I had a blast doing the 22k course.

After the run, they has arranged horse drawn wagon rides through the property for the kids and the adults alike.  Another great way to make sure that the entire crowd has fun.  While we were getting ready for the ride I held a yoga practice in the field for all the runners.  It was a great class, beer for hydration, flexibility challenged to non existent in some cases.  But, a desire to try and a great spirit to have fun(possible induced by the beer) was in full force!
The entire day continued to get better!  We sat around and told race stories and enjoyed the sun.  Drinks were flowing and jokes getting better by the hour.  Mid afternoon as huge bbq came rolling in on hte back of a trailer with smoke billowing out.  What was that all about?  They had ordered a side of beef and a pork which was coming in on a smoker on the trailer.  It was getting better still!  Caterers were walking around with tasty treats feeding us awesome food and it was never ending.  We ate drank and were merry into the night.  As the sun set and the fire got roaring, in came the live entertainment for the night.  He was great playing his guitar getting everyone to sign along with him.  It was an awesome party in the making!  The drinks kept flowing, in itself that was entertaining.  I decided last weekend that I would not have any drinks until IMWI, many people thought that was a crazy thing.  Time and time again they would ask, each time getting the same answer.  It was great being on the sidelines watching the entertaining antics build.  The evening was amazing!

Sunday morning was again a beautiful sunny day with blue sky forever!  We started with another awesome breakfast.  The stories were even better than they were on Saturday morning,  i think  I went to bed a little early and missed the creation of some great stories!
After breakfast they has planned a great ride for the group.  Once again, they had  55k and a 110k ride.  It was not a double loop, the entire route unique with great rolling hills and awesome scenery along the way.  The sun was shining brightly as we rode along in the slight wind.  Past the cows, Lake Huron, rivers, pasture and small rural towns.  A great ride with an awesome change of scenery.  I loved every minute of the ride.
The weekend was an overall huge bundle of activity and fun.  Our hosts went to every means to plan a weekend that would please every person in attendance.  The kids are and played awesome games, the adults had fun satisfying their athletic indulgences to the extreme they chose.  Every turn presented something greater than what you has just enjoyed.
It was a great weekend of exercise and relaxation!  Thank you a ton to our hosts for going through the effort to see that everyone had such a great time!
As I played a trained, many were out doing IM Canada and Louisville!  Congratulations to all of you who were out there!  I have always been inspired by people who go out and push themselves to that extreme, I have a different appreciation today than before, greater admiration than ever!   Be proud of what you accomplished and the work you did!  It is awesome!  YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!