Coincidence? Hey, that's... that's joincidence with a 'C'!

Title Source: FRIENDS (whats new right?)
- Phoebe: You guys, you know what I just realized? "Joker" is "poker" with a "J." Coincidence?
- Chandler: Hey, that's... that's "joincidence" with a "C!"

Quite the line of coincidences took place in my life recently.

It all started at the Art Museum Thursday evening. I was waiting to run the United Cerebral Palsy 5K when a group of guys in Mississippi State track uniforms came up and asked what our race was for. We told them and then found out they were here to run in the Penn Relays, a huge track meet held at Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania. They told us we should check it out, and although I didn't really seriously consider it at the time, the next day on a whim I decided that I would. I figured I would go, bask in the sun on a beautiful Friday afternoon, check out a few races and maybe study for my stats midterm between events.

I made it to the field just in time to see the Shuttle Hurdle Relay. After that race, I asked the man next to me if I could look at his program. I figured I wouldn't know anyone but maybe I would see someone from Michigan State that I could cheer for. As it turned out, Justin Switzer, who I ran with in high school was scheduled to run the distance medley in 15 minutes! So, of the three day meet that spans 33 hours, he just happened to be racing within the first hour I was there. So I watched the University of Michigan distance medley team come out and sure enough, there was Justin.

Next I hear someone two rows behind me yell, "Go Justin!" I turned around and see four parents in University of Michigan apparel. Not only is it very rare that I meet people from Michigan in Philly, its even more rare that I meet people who know my Waterford friends. I was so excited, I turned around and smiled at them, not even caring that they were probably wondering who this strange girl was sitting alone in the stands randomly smiling back at them (don't worry, when the race was over, I did go and introduce myself).

The cool thing is, that when I woke up on Friday, I figured I would have a typical day. I never would have guessed that I would get to go to one of the biggest track meets in the country and end up seeing someone I knew! To top it off, out of the entire stadium, I would choose to sit right in front of the University of Michigan cheering section and get to bond a bit with my fellow mitten-folk.

Ah... what can I say? I guess you never really know what is in store for you each day. And a little motivation and random luck can result in some pretty cool experiences...