Our family ran in the Thanksgiving Point Races again this year. Our daughter was hoping to run one more half-marathon before she left on her LDS mission to Lima Peru. We thought we would be able to train together, and we did a little bit, however, her departure date was moved up two weeks from May 23rd to May 8th, so we didn’t have as much time to train as we had hoped. Still, it was a great time and the Tulip Festival was in full swing.
Lots of beautiful flowers (and people)
The first half of the course was beautiful, and there is just something mesmerizing about running through the flowers with the dazzling colors, the peaceful tranquility, and the wonderful fragrances. The second half of the course is also pretty stunning, but lots of little hills around the edges of the golf course make it quite challenging.
At the Finish Line
Another twist to the race this year is that they allowed golfers out on the course while we were running the race, which made things a lot more exciting as you ducked and weaved your way around errant golf balls. It also paid to have one of your earbuds out so you could listen for anyone to shout “Fore!”At one point near the 17th green, I had a ball bounce across the cart path in front of me, and for the next quarter-mile, I was sprinting. No matter what happened, though, I was determined to beat my time from last year, and I did, finishing in 1:55. Not my best time ever, but not bad. (OK, I made up the parts about the golfers — they weren’t really golfing while we ran, but I think it sure would liven the race up a little bit).
Christ and the Woman at the Well
After the race, we went back into the gardens and took our time as we wandered and meandered through the pretty flowers. One of my favorite parts of the gardens is the Light of the World exhibit, which is still under construction. When it is finished, it will consist of several life-size statues of scenes from the life of Christ scattered through one section of the garden.
Christ walking on the water
For now, there are several smaller models and a few big ones to whet your appetite. When it is complete, it should look incredible. If you get a chance to visit the gardens at Thanksgiving Point, I would highly recommend seeking out these amazing works of art.
© Copyright 2013 Jeff, All rights Reserved. Written For: Jeffrey Olsen