{"id":40142,"date":"2018-10-30T02:39:40","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T07:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/?p=40142"},"modified":"2018-10-30T03:16:29","modified_gmt":"2018-10-30T08:16:29","slug":"the-marathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/?p=40142","title":{"rendered":"The Marathon"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We are back from a long weekend full of excitement. It all started Thursday when I flew to Jordan\u2019s in Charlotte and went with her and Charles to see \u201c<em>Hamilton<\/em>.\u201d It was one of the best shows I have ever seen and in fact is rivaling \u201c<em>Lion King<\/em>\u201d as my all-time favorite Broadway production.\u00a0\u00a0 The story, the music, the costumes, and the choreography were off the charts. If you get a chance to see it, go. It will be money well spent.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>On Friday, Jordan, Little Miss, and I headed to Washington, DC but stopped first to spend the night with my parents at their home in West Virginia. Mother will be 92 in two weeks, and Daddy is 95, and they are still living independently, and Mother\u2019s fried chicken is still the best I have ever eaten. It\u2019s always fun to spend time with them, but we could only be there for one night.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40165\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Screen-Shot-2018-10-30-at-3.58.49-AM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"421\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Screen-Shot-2018-10-30-at-3.58.49-AM.png 613w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Screen-Shot-2018-10-30-at-3.58.49-AM-430x241.png 430w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Screen-Shot-2018-10-30-at-3.58.49-AM-300x168.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Saturday morning we headed to DC for an event packed two days. My daughter-in-law Josie is an award winning documentary film maker, and her film, \u201c<em>Storm the Gates<\/em>\u201d, which is about women running for office, had its premiere that night. The film will be released on election day on Huffpost\u2019s website. Some of the candidates who were in the film had a question\/answer session along with Josie afterwards.\u00a0 I love to hear about &#8220;behind the scenes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40159\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2642-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2642-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2642-242x323.jpg 242w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2642-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Then the next morning, our son Cory ran his first marathon. Cory is a jock. He played college basketball for a Division 1 school, yet he had not yet run a marathon like his sister, brother-in-law and wife. He is 6 feet 7 inches tall and never considered himself a runner.\u00a0 He decided to enter the lottery for the annual Marine Corp Marathon held on the last Sunday in October, and if he were selected, then he would train for the race. Well, his name was picked, and so he followed a training program and entered the race along with 20,000 plus other runners.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40148\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2587-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2587-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2587-242x323.jpg 242w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2587-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We packed up the kiddos, and we all left early and rode the Metro to cheer him on. (He left two hours before us to get to the starting line on time.)<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40143\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2619-660x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"993\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2619-660x1024.jpg 660w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2619-208x323.jpg 208w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2619-768x1191.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2619-300x465.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Jordan made shirts for all of us with marathon related quotes on them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40150\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2603-679x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"966\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2603-679x1024.jpg 679w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2603-214x323.jpg 214w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2603-768x1159.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2603-300x453.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The one Charles wore got the most comments.\u00a0 It&#8217;s not a political statement on our part.\u00a0 We just thought it was a fun shirt for Washington, DC.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40157\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2626-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2626-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2626-242x323.jpg 242w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2626-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We were able to meet up with Cory at mile 10, mile 17, mile 20 with nourishment and at the end. He said that knowing he would see us along the route was great encouragement for him.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40161\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8895-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8895-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8895-242x323.jpg 242w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8895-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The marathon is like one big day long party. There were bands and DJ\u2019s, balloons, food trucks, signs, flyovers by helicopters, runners of all ages, sizes, and physical capabilities, and tons of spectators to cheer them on. There were also stories of sacrifice.\u00a0 A runner had one leg and a prosthesis, and he pushed a wounded warrior in a wheel chair the whole route.\u00a0 Others pushed loved ones and wounded soldiers in wheel chairs.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40158\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2637-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2637-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2637-242x323.jpg 242w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2637-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There were first responders running in full gear, and many people ran while carrying American flags. Many people ran for fallen soldiers, and it was an emotional and heart tugging event.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40144\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2623-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2623-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2623-242x323.jpg 242w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2623-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>At mile 17 Jordan, Charles and Little Miss handed out hundreds of Life Saver mints.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40155\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2613-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2613-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2613-242x323.jpg 242w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_2613-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The runners really appreciated small gestures like that.\u00a0 They also loved seeing handmade signs of encouragement that spectators held along the route.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-40145\" src=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8908-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8908-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8908-242x323.jpg 242w, http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/IMG_8908-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I am happy to report that Cory finished strong. We were all so proud of him, and it is once again proof that with hard work and determination, anything can be achieved.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Take care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We are back from a long weekend full of excitement. It all started Thursday when I flew to Jordan\u2019s in Charlotte and went with her and Charles to see \u201cHamilton.\u201d It was one of the best shows I have ever seen and in fact is rivaling \u201cLion King\u201d as my all-time favorite Broadway production.\u00a0\u00a0 The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":40145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"categories":[9,4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40142"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=40142"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40169,"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40142\/revisions\/40169"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/40145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=40142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=40142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/the2seasons.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=40142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}