Firecracker Five and Geocaching

Yesterday was a rainy miserable day, but a conversation from my sister in Florida changed all that! She told me about geocaching, something I had tried with my kids almost 10 years ago, but has come a long way since then! They even have an app, with a free option, that uses GPS and a "compass" to help you find the treasure.
Oh, wait, maybe I should explain this a little better!
After we got the app, we started it up. After it figures out your location, it will give you the 3 closest geocaches. These are boxes, large or small, hidden somewhere, usually wooded areas, or parks. You find the box, sign the log book inside, and if there are trinkets inside, you swap one of yours for one of theirs. We have rubber bracelets, since they are easy to smush into any size box!
The first one was in a park within walking distance of our house, but since the rain was coming and going, we drove. Not long after we got there, it was raining again! UGH! Hellloooo mosquitos!
After following the gps, we fished around underneath the boardwalk they had built in a wooded area, and found it! They had covered a powdered juice container with camo tape. We signed the book, but didn't have the bracelets with us, so we left their trinkets behind (it's only fair!)

 A little while later, when the torrential downpour had stopped, we tried a few more times, but the rain kept getting in the way. Finally, another victory! This one involved a walk halfway over a bridge, jumping the rail and walking down a path.....Look where we found it:

a wooden rooster in a tree! Awesome!

This is a great, FREE activity you can do anywhere! We had so much fun and can't wait to get back out there and try again!


This morning was my second time running the Firecracker Five. It is a hilly race about 20 minutes from my house. Last year it was super humid, with scattering showers. This year was just humid. I was sweating before the race even started, and not from any type of exertion!
I met up with some friends before the race:

The race only has about 350 runners, and it runs through the back roads of the town. Lots of families come out with extra water stops, to cheer, to squirt you with hoses. I love this race! Last year it took me just over an hour to finish. This year my goal was at least 59:59! Shortly after we arrived however, I realized that I left my SPIBelt on the table at home. FAIL! I was so mad. No tunes, no Runtastic. Double FAIL!

you can tell it is the start, I am still smiling

 The first mile went fast. I hit the one mile mark in just over 10 minutes! I was amazed. I was sweaty. I was thirsty! I drank at every water stop!
Mile 2 I hit in about 21 minutes. Uh oh, slowing down! Mile 3 was about 33 minutes and just after the marker, I stopped to walk up a hill. It was just so HOT and I was dying! I hot mile 4, with a cheering section and a crazy man with a microphone trying to cheer us up, at about 44:45. Yikes! Slower still. The park that we ran through for the last mile is very hilly. I dreaded it. It was what killed my time last year! I managed to get through the whole thing without much walking, and after we left the park we were almost done. I rounded the last corner, and saw the hubs just before the finish line. He had a red rose for me. They give them out at the finish (the men get flags) and he was worried that I wouldn't get one.

I want to die here.

When I finished, the girl gave me another one! I told her I already had one, but she gave me one anyway! Woot!
I found my friends and we posed for a sweaty after-photo.

so sweaty! My eyes stung from the sweat!

me with my 2 roses! Isn't my outfit festive?

finisher photo, with a 3 minute PR

 I also completed the last day of the Run Streak! I was so proud that even with a vacation, and my son graduating, I managed ti finish my first Streak! Woot!

Did you race on the Fourth? Have you ever gone geocaching?