Back to running after a weekend of rest

I'm back on track today after a couple of days of rest.  I ran 5 miles today and felt really good.   It's funny how fresh your legs feel when you take a couple of days off.   

I needed to take a couple of days off to share in my brother Ryan's wedding.   It was tons of fun.  There was good food, good music and most importantly amazing people present to help celebrate Ryan and Christine joining forces. 

Here were a couple of highlights:

1. Rehearsal Dinner:

After a lengthy rehearsal with an extremely detailed wedding coordinator supplied by the church and a ring bearer who was filled with more than trepidation , we went to Jack Stack BBQ.  

They like to eat their pigs at Jack Stack

I fortunately had run 11 miles that morning so I was starving.   It's partly true that when you run you can eat whatever you want . . . however, I find that when I'm training for long races I usually gain weight rather than lose it.  Mentally I think I can eat anything and everything . . . physically, even a run of 11 miles burns around 1100 calories . . . which isn't anything and everything.   Regardless, I destroyed a bunch of ribs, brisket, sausage and burnt ends. . . . yum.

2. Wedding Day:
I've been in a few weddings before and even officiated at 3 . . . but this wedding wins the prize for the most challenging to coordinate.  I'm sure that had something to do with Karyn, Grayson (3.5 years old) and I being in the wedding as well as having a 14 month old who wanted to make an appearance.   With two different babysitters and some near tantrums we survived.   Special thanks to my parents for being invaluable and our two babysitters for helping two small children get to sleep in a hotel room.  

The ceremony was beautiful and really well officiated.  I thought the minister had some great things to say about marriage that avoided many of the cliches and traditional images that had been the norm in a patriarchal society where the man is considered the head of the household.   Definitely a good spirit about the service . . .

AND Grayson made it down the aisle as a ring bearer.  He looked great and chose to walk down the aisle holding his mom's hand.  Both looked great and if I can get a picture I'll post it.  (Do you think we had time to take good pictures and run after two little boys in suits?)

The reception was tons of fun, they had a great band and my toast went off reasonably well:

Something I said, must have made them laugh . . . either that or there was food poisoning.  


3. Sunday brunch - We had Sunday Brunch at Lydia's in downtown KC.  Having spent most of my formative years in the suburbs of KC and then essentially moving away at 18, I am always surprised by the many things that Kansas City has to offer.  I feel like sometime soon we need to spend a week exploring Kansas City.  Lydia's was some great Italian food.  We all left full.

yum!

4. The return home - After lunch, battling food comas - We set out for Denver.   We've made this drive across Kansas a few times in the last few months.  It's 10 hours for us to do it and the boys do great.   Karyn and I were so tired that we barely made it.   But we did.  Everyone slept well last night.  This morning I learned that we've already raised $710.00 for HealthEd Connect so that definitely made my day!

And this morning we discovered what happens when you forget to pick your zucchini before a vacation:

Great Weekend and I hope Ryan and Christine are having a good honeymoon and that Ryan doesn't run at all!