Run, Bike. Zipline?!?

Yes, I think that would be the strangest triathlon ever.  It would also sum up one of the busiest weekends that I have been through in a VERY long time.

It started Friday evening with the 2012 Swamp Rabbit 5k. This would be the rest of the family's first 5k that they participated in, along with over 4,000 other people.  To say it was crowded would be an understatement.

Yes, that's the starting line way up there!

Even with the massive crowds, we had a good walk through Traveler's Rest and on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.  We ended up walking at the back of the pack, and had times near the 1 hour mark, but the goal was to enjoy the event instead of posting up record speeds.  I found out later that this is one of the biggest running events in the state, as well.  It also was interesting because of the climb that you have to do about 1/3 of the way through the course, as well as the hairpin turn around mile 2.  Afterwards I treated the girls to an ice cream cone and dinner at the cafe inside the hardware store.  It made for a late night for everyone, and I had an early day 2 the next morning!

What was day 2, you may ask?  It was a 30-mile charity cycling event for LLS that Ride-On Bicycles hosted!  I spend a lot of time in Matt's shop, and I feel that they are one of the best places in Greenville to get a bike, as well as get it serviced.  When they posted up that they were hosting a charity event, I knew that I wanted to support them.  Even if that meant that I would have an event packed weekend.  The ride was spectacular, as it was only my second time through the vineyards over in Laurens County, and I put forth several very good efforts.  I was glad to participate and help out a great shop and a great cause.



After the ride we ended up going to Free Comic Book day and just having a little more relaxing time at the house.  I really needed that because Day 3 of the weekend was another big event for us:  YMCA Camp Greenville Family Fun on the Mountain Day!  This year marks Camp Greenville's 100th anniversary (a Centennial, even), and I was very grateful to be able to spend the time up there.  They had so many activities going on that we couldn't even remotely do them all, but we managed to go to the horseback riding, zipline, birthday party for the park (with candy drop!) as well as Archery and spending some time at Pretty Place Chapel.  My only regret from yesterday was that we didn't get to do more in the day.  I found out that the Y has 6 volunteer days throughout the year to help with Camp Greenville.  I will definitely be putting as many of those as I can onto the calendar to help out whenever we can.  Hopefully we can send the girls to summer camp up there soon, although the price is rather prohibitive to us this year :(

FFotMD photos!

By the time we got home we were exhausted.  That said, there isn't a single event of the weekend that I would have not done.