Chicago and Marine Corps Marathon Training Recap, Week 12…and Maybe a Little Bit of Wedding Weekend

Welcome to my recap of the end of Week 12 of training, AKA a thinly veiled recap of my son’s wedding this past weekend! For those of you who have been following along, I’ve been sharing some of my excitement as the weeks have gone by, and we were not disappointed with the final celebration. It was an absolutely perfect weekend, but first, a little bit of training:

Sunday, 9/10:  45 minute strength training followed by a 5 mile run

Monday, 9/11:  12-hour work day

Tuesday, 9/12:  Rest day

Wednesday, 9/13:  Rest day

Thursday, 9/14:  45 minute strength training

Friday, 9/15:  35 minute cardio/10 minute strength training

Saturday, 9/16:  Wedding Day!!! 4 hours of non-stop dancing – that’s a marathon itself!

I only got one run in for the week, but managed to get some cardio and strength training in, making this one of my better weeks of late. I also knocked off six pounds in the past six weeks (resulting in a last-minute panic and need for dress alterations!), which has helped me on my running speed and endurance. With the Chicago Marathon now less than three weeks away, I’m hoping to keep a steady pace and at least match my 2016 time.

And now the (more) fun part! The wedding was absolutely fantastic, and more than any of us could have hoped for. We started out with the bride and groom inviting both sets of parents to dinner on Thursday evening so we can spend some time together before the big day. They treated us to fabulous food and wine at Tango Sur in the city and it was uh-mazing! We had so much fun getting to know our future in-laws even better. We are so happy and blessed to be joining such a wonderful family.

On Friday evening we hosted the rehearsal dinner at Roots Handmade Pizza. There are two Roots in Chicago. We chose the one on Chicago Avenue, since it has a private room. We had a great time getting to know the bridal party and their dates over lots of pizza, wine, and beer. If you live in the Chicago area, I would highly recommend Roots. Their pizza is uniquely different and their service is phenomenal!

Before we knew it, the big day had arrived! We were staying in the city for the weekend, so my husband and I took an Uber to my middle son’s apartment, where we and the groomsmen would get ready. Our eldest son (the groom) also lives in the city, but we chose the 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom apartment over the 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment for the 10 of us to get ready. Smart choice, for sure! We had loads of fun, all captured on film by one of the husband and wife team of professional photographers, and I can’t wait to see the final product. I spotted him snapping pictures of me putting on my THE shoes. I’ll have to post a pic when they are available, since I’ve dragged all of you along that crazy journey. What fun it was watching my son and his brothers and friends clown around like they’ve been doing for over 20 years. I’m never as happy as I am when they are all together.

We Ubered it to the church where the wedding went off without a hitch (well, except for the actual hitch). I held it completely together until my youngest son (one of the groomsmen) made it to the front of the church and hugged his brother, followed by my middle son (the best man) who did the same. The faucets were dripping, and then the bride entered the church and they were turned on full blast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the ceremony, we were picked up by a trolley and taken around the city for group photos. The first stop was at Wrigley Field (of course!), followed by a stop at the newlyweds’ favorite watering hole, and then last at Olive Park for beautiful pictures along the lakefront. The trolley ride itself was a blast, with the best fun being the stop at Four Moon Tavern, where the back room was decorated in anticipation of our arrival. You know, in case we didn’t have enough beer on the trolley.

 

 

 

 

Then on to the reception, for (more) beer, wine, good eats, and good fun! The bride and groom danced their first dance to Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together, followed by the father-daughter dance to Frank Sinatra’s The Way You Look Tonight, and then the mother-son dance to none other than Chubby Checker’s The Twist (in those 4-inch heels, no less!). Midway through the dance, we summoned the bride, her parents, my husband, and then the rest of the bridal party, and finally the wedding guests to join us, and the non-stop party was on! We seriously danced all night.

And the party didn’t end there! The following day, 35 of us watched our beloved Cubbies beat the Cardinals on what turned out to be a beautiful last weekend of summer day. What a wonderful way to end such a happy weekend for all of us!

Sorry not sorry for this extremely long post. My baby is married! And we are so, so very happy!!! How was your weekend?!