Shakopee Auction

My usual stomping ground is Northeast Minneapolis, Uptown, South Minneapolis, etc. This is as much a function of where I live as where I prefer to wander. But I like getting out of the city.  There's something to be said for less stoplights and a supper for 2 that clocks in for less than $30 (with tip). Throw in a beautiful church, friendly faces, and the opportunity to bid on 20+ pairs of earrings for $25 and I'm officially charmed by downtown Shakopee.

This was my second time to the Friday night Shakopee Auction. It's a bit intimidating walking in if you've never participated before.  You register at the payment window and they give you a number for bidding.  You can wander the room and poke around at the various goods for sale.  If you're just there to watch and non-committal about bidding, just grab a seat and see if anything strikes your fancy.  I went with my Dad and we decided to express bid a box of costume jewelry.  To do so, you just grab the item (the "lot") you want and are willing to pay at least $10 for, and place it on the shelf at the front of the auction hall. From there you wait for your goods to be called and hope for the best! We thought the box was a good buy for $30 or less and grabbed it with $5 to spare on our rough budget.  And having poked more thoroughly through the haul at home, we did well! 25 pairs of earrings, 3 necklaces, 2 nice pins, and a couple Care Bear bracelets (good for laughs, even if they're headed for the trash) is well worth the $25. My kid sister is already excited about the jewelry-laden care package in her future.

My Dad bid on a luggage rack a few minutes later and lucked out at $5.  Couches and other furniture went for as low as $15 so if you're looking for furniture odds and ends, you could get lucky. You can review the items up for auction online beforehand so if you're serious about certain types of goods, you can peruse the offerings before committing to attending. But even without a spending agenda, it's just a fun way to spend a Friday evening.  They usually have food (this evening's provider canceled so they ended up ordering Domino's), always have cokes for purchase, and the atmosphere is very family-friendly (although, fair warning, there were stuffed animals up for bid and if I had been 7, I would have begged my Dad til I was blue in the face for anything cute). 

It's not a typical Friday night for me, but maybe it should be.

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Bear Water Run 20 Miler

It has been nearly a month since my last post and I blame marathon training for that (less eating out, more time spent running, more napping).  It's fitting then that my first post after the marathon training hiatus is a race review for my last big run before race day.

I've done the Bear Water 20 Miler twice before and both those times it was boiling hot and humid.  So I sighed the sigh of the doomed when I signed up a couple months ago.  But evidently God was smiling on we running folk today because it was fantastic running weather, mid-50s at the start, mid-60s by the time I finished.  If marathon day could feel like that or a touch cooler, I'd be thrilled.

The race is hosted by the White Bear Lake Lions Club to support their many charities and they do a wonderful, wonderful job. For a very reasonable price of $45 (or $50 on race day) you get a perfectly supported race, chip timed, enthusiastic volunteers, and a course that winds (twice) around White Bear Lake.  They host a 10 miler at the same time so the lucky 20 milers get to watch the 10 milers cross the finish and wander over for free 5 minute massages from a local chiropractor while they get to start their second lap.

The course itself is fairly hilly, with sizable stretches of flats between rolling hills.  I like that aspect of it because the Twin Cities Marathon is so flat, I feel like White Bear is a tough 20 miles and therefore, a good practice run for the later race. There are water stops every two miles and each is manned by high-fiving, supportive volunteers.  Several stops were manned by local high schoolers in various costumes. The 50s sock hop crew was my favorite, complete with girls in poodle skirts and a cool guy leaning against an old pickup, a pack of cigarettes rolled into his white t-shirt.

The typical bananas, bagels, and oranges are waiting at the finish, as well as an impressive swag bag considering how the race price.  I've been to many $75 half-marathons that give you a shirt and not much else.  For significantly less money (and a significantly longer distance) you get a shirt plus typical race swag bag doodahs.  And I'm a sucker for doodahs.  A water bottle? Seriously? Can I give you a hug? I love water bottles.

Any year I am nuts enough to sign up for the Twin Cities Marathon, I'll be at the Bear Water Run a few weeks before. It always feels like the kick-off to my last few weeks of training, and it was a great kick-off this year.

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