Sunday Funday -- 5K and Polo!

Sunday was fabulous!  I woke up to do the Bucktown 5k which I have never done before.  It was a sunny, crisp morning for a run.  Loved the race since we were winding around the streets of Bucktown, my favorite Chicago neighborhood! I will say there were some spots that the race was way too crowded and there were way too many walkers who stopped right in the middle of the road...but other than that it was a great morning for a run with 6,000 other people!  And who can complain about the awesome goody bag jacket!?  Jason and Cooper were even there to cheer me on.  Can I tell you how freaking cute it was to come to an end of a road to see my husband and Cooper standing on the corner?  Huge smile on my face just thinking about it. :) Oh and I ran a 10:15 pace...getting closer to less than a 10 which is my goal! :)

Where the race was way too crowded but about to run passed one of my favorite restaurants...Silver Cloud

After the race...Cooper made a new friend at the Fest

Then in the afternoon we went to the North Avenue Polo Beach World Cup.  It was a gorgeous day to be outside on the beach watching horses and the game of polo.  I've never been to a game before and this turned out to be way more exciting than I'd have ever imagined.  No one has to tell me that riding a horse is a true sport but then to add the game of polo to it.  So impressive!!  About an hour into the games they announced that one of the players would be coming out to the general admission area and select 10 people to go into the arena (is that the right word for beach polo?) and use a mallet to hit the ball and the 2 people who score a goal will be upgraded to VIP (a $150 per person ticket.)  I was one of the people who were selected (well I volunteered when she came around) and was quickly not too excited to have to go in front of all these people and attempt to hit a ball in with a mallet I never even got to practice with, but it sure paid off.  Even though I didn't even get the ball halfway to the goal. (oh my gosh this really showed how hard the game of polo is!) all of us who attempted were given VIP wristbands!  Everyone who was in this "contest" was with their significant other or a friend...I was the only one who went alone, so the wristband was rather useless unless I could take Jason in so I asked for another wristband for him and she gave me the last one.  So there our day really began.  We were able to eat and drink all we wanted and got a much better view of the game (and really enjoyed not having to look into the sun!)  The games went on until around 5:30 so we spent our entire day watching polo.  It was great...I cannot wait to go to another game again. I am so glad Jason suggested we go and wow, did that day really turn out wonderful!

View from General Admission seats - beautiful city!

Awesome day!  LOVED polo!