Saturday, March 1, 2014

Meeting Meg

The social media is a strange thing. Through social media we share our highs and our lows with close friends, family and people that we have never met before. Through my blog, Twitter and various Facebook groups, I have come to know many new people, and I have even had the opportunity to meet a few of them. But not other face-to-face meeting has been quite as exciting as meeting Meg!

I don't know who found the other one first, but somehow through our blogs, Meg and I started an online friendship of epic proportions. My very first memory of Meg, is that she won my Nuun giveaway back in June, and after that we became fast friends, cheering each other on from afar! At that time, we knew we would meet face-to-face at the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon, but I don't think either one of us could have even guessed what an adventure that meeting would be, and how much fun we would have in the process!!

Now, Meg might remember things differently (she is younger!!), but I don't quite remember whose idea it was, or the exact way it evolved, but we somehow decided to hold a PHM weekend meet-up as a way to not only meet each other, but also meet other social media princesses! #RunnersLove was born!!

At first we had no clue how our meet-up would look, or how we would pull it off, but Meg and I are a fantastic team (which we learned right away) and soon we were planning an amazing meet-up! I think it was Meg's idea to have some giveaways, and to contact companies to help with the fun! Overall we contacted 100 companies, and we were met with grand enthusiasm! Over 45 companies donated to our meet-up! We had so much fun with this part of our meet-up! It was like Christmas! Each email we opened gave us better news than the last!

Treadmill Motivation
Through our planning process, Meg and I became more than just social media friends, we became partners in a cause, and real-life friends!

Tweets and Facebook messages turned into text messages, and shared pics. There wasn't a day that went by when we didn't talk, and it was through these interactions that we shared our daily lives.

We became virtual running buddies, sending pics and fun messages to get each other through the hours of training. I have seriously never laughed so much on a treadmill before!!

Sharing the sweat!
Meg pushed me through my training. When I thought I was only going to run 2 or 3 miles, she would text me that she was running 6 or 12 and I would have to step up and meet her there!! Meg's support got me through the brutally cold and snowy winter here, which drove me to run on a treadmill (not my norm!).

One particular treadmill conversation, which continued for a least an hour, was all about the Disney Princes, and what if they were strippers?!? Lol. The people in the gym thought I was nuts, giggling and laughing like a crazy person while running! But boy, it made that 12 mile run fly by!!!

As our meet-up and our personal meeting drew near, we chatted about costumes, and plans for Disney. Meg was staying with a friends at the same hotel as I was. I was traveling with my sister and 2 cousins to Disney, and invited Meg to spend as much time with us as possible. We decide that the first day of the trip would be a trip to Typhoon Lagoon, and Meg went out and bought a new swimming suit for the occasion!!

About a week before the trip, Meg and I decided that we needed to have our rooms be close to each other at the hotel, better yet, adjoining!!! This was going to be amazing!!

The day finally arrived, and I was off to Disney World!! I was nervous to meet Meg, we had shared so much, I hoped that she would like me in person!! Meg and I sent texts from the time I landed until the Magic Express pulled up at the hotel.

The anticipation was killing me, and Meg said she would meet us in the lobby. I didn't see her as we entered the lobby, so we went right to the check-in counter. As we were checking in, I turned around and there was Meg sitting on a bench in the lobby. It took everything I had not to leave the check-in counter and go hug her, but I waited. Finally, we were checked in, and I ran over to Meg!! It was seriously amazing meeting her!! I tried not to cry, but a few tears ran down my cheeks!

The rest of the trip was amazing, Meg was exactly as I thought she would be, and she fit right into our group so well. We had such a fun time together!!! I can't imagine what this trip would have been like without her!!



People who I talked to before the trip could not even believe that I was planning on spending more than a few hours with someone that I had never met before, but for me it was perfect, I have a new friend, and she is seriously more than just my #RBFF.

Words cannot describe how amazing this trip was, how special it was to meet Meg, and to live all of our PHM adventures together!!

Look for my upcoming blog posts about #Runnerslove and the entire PHM weekend! They are coming soon. I just had to devote this post to the person who made my PHM weekend amazing!!!


Thank you for everything, Meg!!! I had a blast, and cannot wait for our next adventure!!! :)

8 comments:

Two Runners Travel said...

What a sweet story Kristi. I am still very sad that I did not make it to your meet up and meet you too. That job working the expo and running GSC tuckered out this old lady runner. Next time for certain!

Two Runners Travel said...

And I spelled your name wrong....sorry Kristy!

Unknown said...

Thank you! It was a blast meeting Meg and spending the weekend together!! I am sad too, that you couldn't make it, NEXT TIME!!

No worries on the spelling….everyone spells it wrong! :)

Cyanne (RunStretchGo) said...

This is such a fun story! I love how close you are 😊

Congrats on a fun and fabulous weekend!

Unknown said...

Thanks, RunStretchGo!! I cannot believe how close we have become!! I feel like I have a new sister!! :)

Lauren said...

I absolutely love love love this story! Meeting you two was definitely one of the highlights of weekend, however brief it was for. You're both just the sweetest and happiest people! I wish I could've spend more time with you!

Meg Pudzianowski said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE you. I still cant believe I sent you that picture of my tongue after I bit it...ridiculous. Thank you for putting up with me! haha I had such a blast and would not change this vacation for the world! I only wish we lived closer, then we could hang out all the time!

I do feel like we are totally sisters! It's so awesome <3 <3 <3 Thank you for being so awesome!

Unknown said...

Lauren, thank you so much!! It was so awesome meeting you as well!! :) Yes, next time we will have to plan more time!!

Meg, I love you!!! :) I wish we lived closer too. You are my sister!!