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Friend in town

Had a busy but great weekend doing things I normally wouldn’t have done as one of our High School friends were in town. So the three of us made an adventure out of his short time here by doing the following:

  • Fri Night: St. Paul Saints game - They were playing the Iowa Cubs who won pretty easily. Was kind of hard to know who to cheer for as we are all Iowa kids.
  • Sat Lunch: Maynard’s - Sat outside by the Lake which was not to bad out.
  • Sat Dinner: Butcher & The Boar, Minneapolis - Such good food but I am still way to full from this.
  • Sat Night: Acme Comedy Club - We didn’t really know what to expect as we hadn’t heard of Jeff Dye before we purchased the tickets. Overall, he wasn’t too bad if anything some people in the crowd as we were at the late show might have had to much and shouldn’t have joined the fun.

Three people smiling in a cozy venue with red curtains and rows of seating. Ceiling lights create a warm atmosphere.

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After eating way too much food last night I really needed to get out for a run today to just move after not doing much yesterday as well. With the food, lack of good sleep last night, and heat today made this short run feel miserable.

A lush, green forest with a narrow dirt path winding through dense vegetation and tall trees, leading towards a sunlit clearing.

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Glad to have gotten this longer run in today and I was able to add a mile longer than last week which was good. However, by the time I got done I was drenched due to the humidity and heat. The only saving grace was that it was overcast and not full sun. 🥵

A red wooden bridge spans a lush, green area filled with tall grass and dense trees under a cloudy sky.

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Wanted to get a couple of miles in today and probably picked a real bad time as mid day it was warm out. 🥵

A paved pathway curves through a lush, green forest. Tall trees cast shadows over the path, while the sky is clear and blue with fluffy clouds.

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I was on the fence about doing this run in the morning vs holding off to do it later today. It wasn’t to bad out today and somehow there was a rainbow out this morning. Maybe good sign for the day? 🌈

A curved road bordered by lush green trees under a blue sky with scattered clouds and a faint rainbow.

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Great way to start off a new week is to get some miles in before really hitting work hard today. The weather was OK, but I could tell there is still smoke in the air and it was very humid. It did rain a little bit and I think that helped things but who knows it was still pretty humid out. A straight, narrow dirt path is surrounded by lush, green trees that form a canopy overhead, creating a serene, tunnel-like effect in a wooded area.|354x266

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🤯 I just realized that in the Obsidian note Properties section I can make links to other notes. I guess it makes sense I just didn’t realize I could do it till now. This will be very helpful as I sometimes wish I could easily link my blog posts files to other internal files in Obsidian.

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2025 Zone Championship Meet

What a great first experience for our youngest at a Zone Championship where she was able to swim for Team Minnesota! I still can not believe that less than a year ago she was only dipping her toe into swimming and it was just a “fun” thing to do when she was not dancing.

In the past year she went from being in bronze to a silver swim group (highest for her age) and during that same time didn’t have a time for state in the fall to not only qualifying the maximum number at state but then geting 4 zone times securing her a spot on Team Minnesota as well as putting her in the two fastest relays. I can’t express how proud I am for all she has worked on this year with determination and focus. Seeing her happy about her own success this year in swimming as well as making memories with friends from her team as well as other Minnesota swimmers was just great to see.

Here are a couple of highlights from the Zone meet:

  • Her 100M free was her first race and she got 5th overall which earned her a medal
  • Was the 2nd leg of the 200 Freestyle extending the teams lead that ultimately allowed them to get 2nd overall
  • Helped anchor her 200 Meter Medley team (with the freestyle stroke) to give them a smashing first place victory
  • Got 6th in her individual 50 free which was really tight race because between 6th to 4th there was only a .02 second difference.

A young swimmer stands smiling with numerous medals draped around her neck and a green ribbon for 13th place in her hand. She is in front of a background featuring logos of USA Swimming and the Rochester Swim Club. Gretchen with all of her hardware

A young girl wearing a bright yellow t-shirt smiles while holding a medal in her mouth and showing a “number one” sign with her finger. She is adorned with multiple medals draped around her neck, standing in a busy indoor setting with people and Another pose with the hardware

A group photo featuring five individuals smiling together outdoors. They display a sense of celebration, with one girl wearing multiple medals around her neck. The group includes three girls and two adults, with trees in the background. The whole family came to cheer her on during Day 1

A young girl stands proudly in the center, wearing multiple medals around her neck, flanked by two adults who are smiling at the camera. The background features a blue tent, grass, and a few people sitting in chairs. Mom and Dad with the Swimmer

Three young people pose together outdoors. Two girls are smiling, one wearing a medal and a backpack, and the other holding a water bottle. A boy in a black t-shirt stands in the middle with his arm around one girl. They are in a The siblings after race 1 with their sister

Two young swimmers sit together at a poolside during a competition. One girl, wearing a swim cap and goggles, smiles brightly over her shoulder, while the other, wrapped in a light blue towel, grins at the camera. The background features a Hanging out with Friends was also a highlight of hers (even though it is a FoxJet friend)

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Was able to get a longer run in this morning and in fact my son was going to join me for 3 of these miles but I got a text at 1 AM with him bailing. That is ok, I still kept with my own plan and the weather was not to bad out. Also, glad to hit double digits again.

Tranquil lake with a hazy sky during sunrise, surrounded by dense trees. The water reflects the soft sunlight, and a few buoys are visible in the distance.

A narrow dirt path winds through a lush, green forest, surrounded by tall trees and dense foliage. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating dappled patterns on the ground.

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Not sure if it was because of all the smoke in the air today or because it was a long day or maybe the last two days with longer runs. However, this run felt like more work than it should have for being short. I actually had thought of going a little longer but decided against it.

A lush, green wetland landscape with dense grass and a small tree on the right. The sky is overcast, creating a hazy, serene atmosphere in the background. Yes that is smoke in the air, not fog… 😶‍🌫️

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The trail we wanted along the Minnesota river was washed out so we decided to take a tour around Shakopee and actually found a nice Greenway to run on after checking out Canterbury and an old Brick making site.

A paved path winds through a lush, green park with trees lining the sides. The sun sets in the background, casting a warm glow across the sky. Scenic Heights Park to Tahpah Park

Overgrown greenery partially conceals an old, crumbling brick wall with missing sections, suggesting decay and abandonment in a forest setting. Lime kiln from the Schroeder Brick & Lime

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We are supposed to have a heat advisory later today so not as early as I should have done this run but still got it done in the AM today. Didn’t feel to bad at all after a weekend of traveling and not running.

A tranquil forest scene featuring a small stream flowing through lush greenery. Sunlight filters through the trees, creating dappled shadows on the water. A fallen tree lies across the stream, and rocks are scattered along the bank.

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I love how determined this girl is about swimming! Not only has she had a banner year and will be swimming for Team Minnesota this week but she had to come on her own to do a practice from the coach and she didn’t complain at all. Not to mention as you can see she is smiling along the way.

A swimmer with a cap and goggles joyfully raises their arms in a pool, near a bottle of water on the deck.

A swimmer in a black swimsuit and swim cap smiles while resting at the edge of an indoor pool, holding a water bottle. Lane dividers stretch across the pool in the background.

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Had to take the hockey player to morning practice today so I figured I should get a run in as I will be in the car later today. I used ever minute I could not knowing if I will get another run in this week but the weather was already humid and the air quality was not great either.

A gravel path lined with lush, green trees on both sides, leading into the distance under a canopy of branches.

A narrow dirt path winding through a dense, green forest with tall trees and lush undergrowth, bathed in soft, dappled sunlight.

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I had exactly 30 min to get this run in done before I needed to head down to watch day two of State Swimming for our youngest. Probably not the most ideal time to run due to the heat but I had a long afternoon/evening ahead of sitting.

A path leads to a small, shady tunnel under a road, surrounded by lush green grass and dense foliage.

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Well I finally got around to creating my first POAP! I wasn’t really sure what it would involve so figured I would give it a go for the MN Age Group State that will happen at the Univerity of Minnesota. It seems to have worked and if anyone is in the area or looking for the code after the fact let me know I have a couple saved off to the side.

Event card for “2025 MN Age Group State Championships,” held July 23-27, 2025, in Minneapolis, USA. The image shows a colorful pool-themed logo with event details, including location at the University of Minnesota. There are options for POAPs, mints, and

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Always hard to get all of us together when outside of the hockey season where we see each other daily but it is always great to find the time when we can to catch up.

A cocktail garnished with a lime slice sits on a napkin on a wooden table, surrounded by other drinks and glasses in a bar setting.

📍 Flying Dutchman Spirits Distillery & Lounge , Eden Prairie

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I had to drop my Jeep off to get the screw pulled from the tire so I decided to just run home after. I am not sure I am glad I got this out of the way early today or not as it was pretty bad out even at 6:30am. I guess if anything I am thankful that I was “forced” to run as I needed to get home.

A serene wetland landscape with lush green vegetation and tall grasses bordering a narrow, algae-covered waterway under a cloudy sky. Distant treeline visible at the horizon.

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Felt really good today on this very wet run as it rained the whole time. If it wasn’t for a meeting and picking up a kid from practice I might have just extended the millage on this one. Even with the rain it wasn’t bad outside.

A white egret stands on a black metal railing beside a wet road, with lush green trees in the background on a cloudy day.

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My family keeps thinking I should take our younger but bigger dog for runs with me so I decided to give it a try again. About .4 miles in he just refused to go he was done. So we walked back to the house and then I went out and ran on my own. He was happy for a little bit of our run together.

A black dog with a short coat and a neon harness is being walked on a purple leash across a sunny, paved street. The grass and sidewalk are visible in the background.