This is the stuff beer commercials and summer movies are made of

My favorite memories from Pond Mile 3 (in no particular order, though roughly chronological):

• "I have a spot reserved for you!"
• Personalized beer mugs!
• 3-4 table long flip cup
• PARTY FOUL!!!!
• Alex slipping down the mud hill... It was bound to happen to someone
• All good parties turn into dance parties
• "You should patent that!"
• Everyone holding hands and jumping around in a circle to "You Spin Me Right Round"
• Falling on the wooden frame of the couch-y thing after falling down from said dance circle
• "You're a pussy you're a cunt I'm gonna cum allllll over you smoosh it reaaaal gooooooood".... Oh my.
• Dan and I realizing previous txt the next morning
• Breakfast!
• Westy walking around with the pizza crust
• Mark in the huge sunglasses and the hi-liter yellow trucker hat first thing in the morning - hilarious!!!
• Stella coming out of VJ and Sue's tent like it was a clown car
• Preparation and anxiety for the race
• Matt sinking the half-inflated raft in his Red Baron costume!!!!!
• Matt re-inflating the raft with a beer in his hand Cousin Eddie-style... "Shitter was full!"
• The idea of running the entire race with flippers on
• Lining up for the race and the general feeling of imminent failure
• Josh in the pink garters
• Losing my hat before the first beer stop - NOOOO - and stopping to go back and get it
• How freakin hard it was to chug that first beer.... This is not a favorite memory, but I want to remember it nonetheless.
• Similarly - wishing so hard that I could belch!!!!
• The third beer stop essentially becoming the Team Shenanigans team hangout
• The steep hill - felt good!
• The gradual incline - I thought I was going to die!
• 'Someone' behind me - "Go, Bethany, go!" - Hearing the running feet behind me, and the vocal encouragement, took me through that last 100m like I've NEVER run before. Teammate Sue and I practically ran through the finish line together... What teamwork!!!!!! This is one of the proudest moments for me, ever, in my whole life. Thank you, Sue!
• 15:10.... Total surprise to myself and to everyone! 4th girl, 13th overall!
• The flood of Blue through the finish line in quick succession - GO TEAM SHENANIGANS!!!!
• Actually being a part of a winning race team!!!!!!!
• I will forever appreciate every person who told me, "Holy shit, you kicked ass!!!"
• The intense relief after the race was over. What agony, what relief, what a rush.
• Probably THE proudest moment in my athletic history: Josh asking me, "Why didn't you run in high school?"
• Chillin in the pond!
• Matt's little pinwheel spinning in his aviator hat
• Getting the mole under my left boob bitten by a fish, which drew blood
• Dan rallying for my t-shirt design
• Actually having my t-shirt design produced even though it didn't win the contest, and even on a pink shirt... :D I was extremely touched, and honored.
• Krissy immediately wearing said shirt - again with feeling honored
• The sawdust pile!
• Trading Laffy Taffy for Silly Bands
• Krissy's squirt gun full of liquor - genius
• Tooling around in an inner tube with flippers, fetching Pong balls gone awry
• Megan's kabobs
• Matt winning the beer basket in the raffle - Yeah!
• Accidentally guzzling my beer during flip cup when it was totally James's turn..... oops
• And Josh's response: "That was AWESOME!"
• Team Shenanigans drinking delicious champagne from a trophy cup while singing "We Are The Champions"
• Jeremy singing Love Shack.... holy shit that was amazing
• Getting one last dip in the pond before leaving the next day... Until the inevitable fish bite
• Josh uncomfortably swimming around on the blowup shark
• Pulling away still feeling all the highs of the previous 36 hours.

I know I'm forgetting so much in this list... All in all, this past weekend was seriously amazing, and provided me many favorite experiences and memories that I will never lose. Josh and Kim's hospitality, organization, thoughfulness, enthusiasm - they seriously thought of everything down to the last detail. We owe you so much thanks and appreciation for all you have done. And all of the attendees - this one event brought so many of us together. The new connections made with strangers, past acquaintances, friends old and current - I hope to never lose such wonderful friendships. And, I really hope to have the opportunity to see these folks more than once/year.

Pond Mile 3 was truly an epic milestone in my life - and I CAN'T WAIT for Pond Mile 4!!!

<3 you all.

-Bethany