BK5K 2015

When we crawled in to bed Friday night, I told Sam the forecast said there might be rain and thunder at start time.  "Awwwwww," he said "I want to run the 5K.  Will they still have the race if there is rain?"  I told him rain, yes, but thunderstorms no.

And when I got up early to eat some breakfast and drink a little coffee before waking Sam, the rain was coming down pretty hard.  The radar showed rain continuing to move in for several hours, but the race website said the race was still on and volunteers were waiting for runners to pick up their race packets.  TT and her sisters started milling around drinking coffee and laughing about what body parts hurt, and as Sam got his shoes on I explained to Grandma where the race was and how to get there.   The rain was coming down in sheets as Sam and I pulled out of the garage and headed north in to town and I really didn't expect the race would go as scheduled.

Within a few miles of our drive the rain stopped, and as we maneuvered through the roundabout near the cemetery, Sam spotted a patch of blue sky to the west.  I texted Mom that the skies in town were clear and we parked within walking distance of the finish line before heading over to the start.  We stepped around large deep puddles everywhere and Sam was excited and nervous as the Star Spangled Banner broadcast near Lake Lodge. But as soon as he saw Scott and fistbumped him at the starting line, Sam calmed a little and told me he wanted to run by himself, told me he didn't need me to stay by him.  They announced that only the fastest runners should be up near the start so we meandered back a ways and lined up near some old neighbors from Trempealeau before the starting gun exploded and Sam was off in to the crowd and running on his own.  I had intentionally dressed him in a bright unique color so I could find him in the crowd, and I watched him fighting to pace himself (as we had practiced) rather than sprinting, and by about mile 2 I was sure I'd never catch him.  When he turned to look around behind him just before the route crossed Huff again, I waved and he was already starting to walk.  From Huff we ran/walked together, me giving him short goals... just thirty steps then you can walk again, just to that big tree, just to that sign...  We had passed Lake Lodge and were circling around near the finish when we saw TT and Aunt Nancy and Aunt Judy (and Eva, who jumped in and started running with me) standing in the grass alongside the race path, and Sam kicked it in to high gear and finished strong.  His first full 5K.  Followed by much celebration and fistbumping and highfiving with Scott and TT and the aunts.

45 minutes later he lined up to do the kids race while I stood with Eva in the 4-year-old staging area.  Sam had asked me if he could walk the whole thing and still get a medal, and I told him yes.  So I shouldn't have been surprised when I was standing there after all the other 7-year-olds had finished the kids race watching for Sam to stumble across the finish for his medal.

Eva and I lined up and she insisted she wanted me to run with her right up until the Ready-Set-Go.  And she was off in a flash and didn't look back.  She was confident and proud and determined to win, and I cut across the grass to see her come in at the finish, her smile big and proud as TT and the aunts high-fived her and cheered her on.

What a beautiful morning filled with sunshine and laughter and family and friends.  Sam didn't understand why he didn't get a medal for being the 2nd 7-year-old to finish the full 5K but he got a medal for finishing the kids race last.  I told him that races don't always make sense and it's not about the medals and the place you finish anyway.  It's about getting out there doing it, setting a goal and finishing.  I told him I was very proud of him.

"When can we do it again?!"  he smiled.

Before the start of the 5K

5K finishers, Sam doused with water by his adoring fans

 Eva before her race

 Eva closing in on the finish

 My racers

 Sam's proud grandma

The racers and their adoring fans

Trinona 2015 - Mother and Son

 

SWIM.  BIKE.  RUN.  FINISH.  CELEBRATE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mommy Time in Duluth

Coming in strong with my second PR this spring

 

The planning for the weekend started back in the deep dark cold of winter.  And the first thing I did before getting a hotel reservation or coordinating with the other 5 group members who wanted to register in the lottery was check with Jamie to see if she could watch the kids.  I plan nothing without figuring out where my kids will be first.  And when I dropped them off on Friday morning with their pajamas and Ipads and sandals and the epi-pen, they hardly noticed that I was disappearing for a few days.  But after months of planning and some last minute drama related to hotels and transportation, I walked out to the curb in front of Jamie's house and exhaled and allowed myself to be excited about the trip to Duluth. 

 

What a weekend.  What a great group of people.  I can honestly say that this is the most fun I've ever had running.  And I even thought that during every single mile of the half marathon leading in to Duluth.  The fog kept us from seeing much of Lake Superior during the run but the course is flat and the local fan support was amazing.  I laughed at the signs and the people offering bacon and beer shots and watermelon slices and pork chops on a stick.  And as I approached that last mile I felt like I could easily run another 5 miles so I kicked it in to gear and came in strong for another PR.  What a treat to see Tif and Korbin near the finish and then to find my friend and partner in crime Sarah in the gear check area.  We had just enough time to walk around and sample some of the post race food and shower at a friend's hotel before all our friends who were tackling the full 26.2 came in.

 

Truly blessed to not only have this amazing community to inspire and entertain me, but to have an amazing friend who was taking care of my kids so their weekend was as fun as mine. 

 

A photo Jamie sent while I was in Duluth

 

Pasta and a Beer at Grandma's Saloon

 

 

Waiting in the race chute with garbage bags to keep us warm

 

LOVING the run

 

Another awesome race with my friend Sarah

 

Hanging out with Tif and Korbin and Willie and Jake while we wait for the marathoners

 

 Mike coming in strong

 

Carol and Scott happy to know the end is near

 

Coolest running partners ever, crossed the finish line holding hands

 

Lisa, Carol, Scott and Sue

 

Having our traditional post-race bloodies at Grandma's

 

 Scott and Lisa at Lake Avenue Café where the whole group caught up

 

 

 

It Takes A Village to Do a Family Race

There are some things that might be a little challenging as a single parent that I can still manage to pull off, but running in a race and then having my kids at the finish so they can run in the kids race immediately afterwards is not one of them. But thanks to a lot of friends who tag-teamed to watch my kids and entertain my kids and hold my kids' race bibs and tennis shoes and epi-pens, and basically just give me an overall secure feeling when my 6-year-old raced off in to the crowd by himself, all three of us were able to race in the annual BK5K.  Last year it was Sam's first big race, and this year even Eva got in on the action.  The strong winds that were forecast for race time never really materialized, and the sky just lightly spit on us a few times before the kids race.  Everything took a little longer than we expected (except my PR), but both kids ran the entire 1K and both kids beamed with delight at the finish line cheers and both kids got medals and both kids immediately told me they were hungry and wanted a slushy and a hot dog.  It turned out to be a beautiful day for a family race, and I am so grateful for our village of caretaking friends that showed up to make it all possible.