Lyon, France - (Week 2)

Hello Family and Friends,

Second week in Lyon and still not feeling it. Furthermore, Lyon is suppose to be this foodie capital of France and claims gastronomical capital of the world. However, I have yet to find exceptional food. The best meal we have had thus far is Popeyes...in the mall. Now I love me some Popeyes chicken sandwiches, but if that is the best, that is sad. Not only have we not found exceptional food, we have found food that was downright inedible: places we would never eat at again. Lyon, does have some very niche grocery stores. Brett says in Lyon maybe we need a kitchen to really experience the food.

But week 2's highlight isn't about Lyon, it is about Brussels and going to see the Diamond League track final in person. I am a major track nerd. I love everything about watching people running in a circle. I remember asking my uncle why he watched shows about football players and analysis about games that have already happened. Now I understand why he did that. Everything track I consume. And I don't just watch American athletes. If someone is making moves in the sport, I'm watching regardless of the country. And this year the women's 800m is all the rage. We have three women who have real potential of breaking a 30 year old record. This is the first year a women has run a 1:53 and change for two laps around the track. And she didn't do it once, but twice. So being able to go to this diamond league meet in person and see Audrey Werro from Switzerland and Femke Borders-Bol compete in the 800m was an opportunity to see, in person, a possible world record go down. A literal bucket list item!

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/c45804_841c22163bc642ffa68d7e873d91c549/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Watching the women's 100m diamond league final where 2024 Olympic Champion, Sha'carri Richardson was competing. I'm yelling in the video and living my best life.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/c45804_5b0fa5eb174d4f3d98dede6f605a2290/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Druing the men's 5000m race, these drummers played the entire race and whenever the men would come down the home stretch they would play faster.

All the diamond league winners holding their trophies.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/c45804_b8719895760749deb4c7dac8105a23c6/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Audrey Werro, the fastest women in the 800m, waving at me. That is me screaming in the background.

Honestly I wasn't sure if I would like going to a live track meet, I honestly thought it would move too slow. But that isn't the case at all. Between track events there were field events in which I got to watch world record holder Mahuchikh from Ukraine jump almost 2m. Just like any live athletic event the energy is so much fun! And for me, seeing these people that I only ever watch online, in person, was the most absolutely incredible! Words can't describe the dream I was living! Oh, and I fist bumped Kung-Fu Kenny.