Athens Adventure Saturday July 2

discount coffee? I'm in!

Go Molly! you are doing great!

staying strong!

another medal?! Awesome!

Molly, Coach Sherrie and Patty

Molly and her roomate and relay team mate Lauren

scab broke open...oh man, at least it's after the races!

donut shishkabobs! Cousins, you would love these!

Greek Blog Saturday July 2 2011
Last day of competition for Miss Molly! We are up at 6am to shower and get organized, then, remembering the other day, we slam some yogurt and muesli into the kiddo’s and we are on our way. The streets are calm and empty, as is the subway. It is Saturday so things are light, and perhaps the Athenians have decided the beach or islands sounds more appealing than tear gas in the square!  We chat with a family from Canada on the way out, and Jerry makes plans to meet in the Port Huron Area to play them in basketball. What fun! The gentleman also has lots of pins, and trades with Danny, who is happy to score a nice one. Danny’s favourite so far is his first pin that he got when we were checking in at Helixpo. He got a pair of Peruvian Dolls that are so bright and colorfulJ
And off we walk to the competition venue and the last two races.  I am pretty nervous again, though I don’t know why…I guess I just want her to do okay and feel proud.  When the heat comes out, it is all the same girls, even the one who pulled out of the race, the girl from Costa Rica. This seems a bit unfair, because everyone else had to run the whole 5000 and she did not…hmmmm.   The gun goes off and Molly goes out strong, staying with the girls from Ecuador and Russia and really working hard at the start.. She has obviously come prepared to race today, and thankfully, from a Mom’s perspective, someone has FINALLY done her hair! She is rockin a French braid with her blue USA singlet and shorts!  The top girls pull away, but Mol never gives in, even working on passing a couple of girls that she had actually lapped, but probably didn’t know!  She runs a fabulous 27:56, which is her fastest time this year! What a time to peak, right?!
As it turns out, they divided the heat into two, and the Costa Rican girl, who had an incomplete in the heat, gets slotted in with the slow girls, while Mol is put in with the 2 speedys( 23 minutes won the race). But you know what, molly ran with the champions and came off with a bronze medal, so could we be prouder? NO WAY!!  We enjoy the medal ceremony, Molly beaming with pride. Is there a happier moment for parents? I don’t think so! We have time before the 4X400 and are able to zip up to Jerry’s favourite grocery store and score the famous meatballs he has been craving! We also pick up cherries, a yogurt for me, and the burger sandwiches for the two super-fan siblings! Our friend from Michigan, Sabra’s Mom Mary Shelton, has been hanging out with us all day and cheering Molly on. It is a real pleasure to have a friend here!  The relays have many heats, and finally Molly’s time has come. As expected, Andy, the second leg, is extremely slow, so Molly has to wait while everyone else runs by, but he finally comes in and she gets the baton and races off. She can see that they are far behind, but she absolutely gives it her 100% best effort, as we would  expect from her.. Her split time is a blazing 1:38, 3 seconds off her best 400 time ever! And Molly closes out her events with maximum effort, and a medal count of 1 silver and 2 bronze…In the World Games!
GOOOOOOO MOLLLY!!!!!
There is a dance tonight out at the stadium, but we find out that it is just families, not athletes, and so I think we’ll skip it. No offense, but we really would like to hang with Molly and pals if we are going to make the 30 minute trip back out.  Kids a chill-laxin, playing leapster and DS, Jerry reading USA today that Mary gave him from her hotel(he is Happy!!) and me…typing the blog of course!