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The Dopey Challenge
Since 2023 is slated to be my last big year of marathon running, I wanted to challenge myself as much as possible. In late November I was able to snag a charity bib for the Dopey Challenge down at Disney in Orlando. This challenge consists of four races over four days: I figured this “Dopey Challenge” was a great way to kick off this crazy year of running and racing. Having never done this race before, I was fortunate to have many experienced, crazy friends who could show me the ropes. Before We Were Dopey Race week kicked off on Wednesday with a quick trip to “ESPN Wide World of…
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The Great Arizona Escape
Ahhh November…the forecast dipping into near freezing temperatures and snow on the horizon. I decided it was time to look for an opportunity to escape from it all. A few of my friends were doing the Ironman Arizona the coming weekend. I thought it would be fun to show up and support them while they accomplished amazing by things. After some further social media scanning I discovered that I had a completely different group of friends headed do Scottsdale for a Women’s only half marathon. The decision was made, flights were booked and before I knew it I was on my way to sunny and warm Arizona for four days.…
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The Best of 2022
As a couple of people who value experiences, we’ve learned fun ways to remember everything we’ve done over the year. One of our favorites is our corkboard. We tack up things there like theater tickets, paper wrist bands, and bar coasters. On New Years Eve, we take down these mementos to place them in an envelope and write about where we’ve been. We also, of course, take lots of pictures to share with you all. So as we wind down the year, let us share with you the best of 2022! The Dinner of the Year Adventura Not only was their restaurant beautiful inside and out, they had olives. They…
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The Fantastic Florida Holiday Escape
It all began in the fall of 2021. I had a dream that I could get myself to run 13.1 miles again. At the time I had this dream, I couldn’t really run at all. The most I could do was 4 minutes running before needing to catch my breath. What this dream ended up being was far more than I could have imagined! Our quick trip for a race stretched into Thanksgiving with our friends, watching a rocket launch on the beach, riding the Hogwarts Express and seeing masterpieces by Salvador Dali. Stay with us as we unpack part 1 of our Fantastic Florida holiday escape. The Escape As…
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The NYC Marathon – More than a Walk in the Park
Our third day in NYC, we were finally doing the thing for which we travelled!. Nope, it wasn’t Hamilton on Broadway (though that WAS really fun.) It was the NYC Marathon – which is far more than a walk in the Park! Join us for a fun day in the boroughs with the 2022 NYC Race Report. This is the race where you take a ferry, to take a bus, to run 26.2 miles! The Wakeup Wake up time on race day was 5 am. I actually slept pretty well the night before. Even though we were out late the night before to see Hamilton, I still managed 6 hours…
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The Saturday Tour of the Revolution
Have you ever started out a day with a loose plan and ended up with something far cooler, far more “thematic” than you ever would have thought? That’s the story of our second day in NYC. It ended up being The Saturday Tour of the Revolution! We started the day at Hamilton’s grave and ended up watching his show on Broadway. Oh and we sort of hit a hidden restaurant right smack in the middle of it all and visited a fake grave. The Morning Stroll at Trinity Church After a quick breakfast at George’s, we made our way over to Trinity Church. Although it is the place the Nick…
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Our Unexpected Trip to Harrisburg
When it comes to traveling, the best advice we’ve received is probably to be flexible and expect the unexpected. That certainly came into play on our journey to the NYC Marathon this past weekend. Let us tell you how it all started with our unexpected trip to Harrisburg. A Solid Start We like to fly early to minimize delays. So we were up at 3:30 am and out the door to the airport by 4:15. Even though we were able to pack in carryon bags we checked them. That way we didn’t have to lug them around the airport or worry about fighting for overhead bin space on the plane.…
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Adventure at the Famous Eloise Asylum
One lonely, boring evening about 20 years ago, I convinced a friend to go on a ghost hunt. I had never done a ghost hunt before, mind you, but I had a solid plan. Step 1: Go somewhere people claim is haunted. Step 2: Look around. On our way back home from William Ganong Cemetery, the most haunted cemetery in Michigan, I got a little lost. I was heading back toward the freeway when I came across a complex of buildings surrounding a tall, brick smoke stack. My Spidey senses made me turn into the driveway for my first Adventure at the Famous Eloise Asylum. The History Below is a…
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Adventure to the Most Haunted Cemetery in Michigan
If you’re anything like me, you go on “kicks” from time to time. Maybe it’s making your own pizza dough or teaching yourself to play the piano. In my case, it was collecting and reading every book about haunted places in Michigan. Some of it was “meh”, like ANOTHER story about a haunted lighthouse. Some of it was FRIGHTENING, like account of the little girl who liked to watch television. (Also known as “Ah HELL NAH!” Some little ghost girl in my living room with my family??? We’re moving!!) And some of the stories made we want to go and see for myself. Join me for an adventure to the…
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The Mystery of The Winchester Mystery House
Don’t you just LOVE a good mystery? If you’re anything like me, mysteries and unusual things are especially memorable. For instance, when someone says “Hey we’re going to X”, my brain digs up an extremely fringe fact about that place. Key West? Ernest Hemmingway had a house there. Rome? I read about this thing called the Alchemist’s Gate. Prague? I think there is a church made of bones near there. And San Jose? Well, that’s where the Winchester House is. Since it’s purported to be extremely haunted, I naturally remembered it! Doors that don’t open. Stairs that lead to nowhere. Sound fun? Join us as we unpack the mystery of…
