The Melbourne weekend

Right I'll split the weekend's posts into two - the Saturday and the Sunday.

I got up to Melbourne mid-morning Saturday and despite check in at the hotel not being until 3pm, they had a room ready and I was able to check in about 10.30, bonus!  Dropped my bags off and then headed up to the MCG.  There she was, by this time the next day, all things being equal, I would have done my victory lap!

I had a wander around the expo and collected my show bag, which had a very nice hat in the half marathon show bag, and then my Sydney friends found me.  Diala, Sue and Karen.  I had met Diala and Karen before, but it was a first time meeting with Sue.  How funny we are in this day and age, all old friends online, just still yet to meet!  So so happy to meet up with these girls, so did a bit more looking about the expo.  Bought some more Balega socks, they have become my sock of choice, they are a USA brand and have the comfort factor I like.  I also bought a Flip Belt.   I had seen these advertised and had my doubts that they would be comfy, but I was able to try one on and bought it.  I'm still yet to run with one, so jury is still out.  I'll report back.

So we had a meet up planned in Federation Square for lunch for anyone from our 12wbt Runners Connect group that wanted to attend.  Some of the ladies I had met before.   Some I had not.  Karen and I shot down to Queen Street to pick up the cow balloon, Karen's first time on a tram apparently!  The cow knocked a few people in the head on the tram, ha!  It was quite huge as you can see.

What a lovely bunch of ladies.  We are all ages, sizes, abilities, and yet we come together with a common love of running and all having done or doing 12wbt at one point.  I feel so soooooo incredibly fortunate to know these wonderful inspirational awe-inspiring ladies.

Some left and even more arrived !!!   I ended up staying at lunch till it was about 5.30 or getting onto 6pm!!

And it was Jacque's birthday on Marathon Day (yes, she was running a marathon on her birthday! Yikes)   And the ever amazing Karen made cow icing toppers for cupcakes (and not to mention brought them all the way from Sydney).  Well we had to carb load right?  There'd be carbs in cupcakes wouldn't there???  ;-)

So I ended up leaving the lunch full of good feelings and laughter and made my way back to the hotel for a bit and then popped down to one of the outdoor cafes in the arcade and had a small pasta dish for dinner.  Just alone with my thoughts, which is what I wanted.  Then back to the hotel for a lazy early night.  Got my gear ready, how colour co-ordinated I was going to be!!   Made sure everything was ready and alarm set for 5am for Sunday.

And got this message from the little one!  Well being that he is 16 months old I'm thinking his mum had a hand in deciphering, ha!   Really, what more do you need right?  This is what it's all about, health and fitness and being a good role model for family and friends.

Lights out!