Today, my family ran it's first 5k. My husband and one son went on a camping trip, so I got to be a single mom today. I got up at 6:30 in order to get everything ready. The kids were up and ready to go in just a couple of minutes. I checked the thermometer when I woke up. It was 1 degree above freezing!
We ate a quick breakfast, and I fed the baby and got him dressed, and we headed out. We had gotten mixed information about the start of the race. We heard both 8:00 and 8:30. We got to the school at about 8:10, and after getting the stroller all packed up and getting into the school, it was after 8:15. We got our numbers, and bags of goodies, pined on our numbers as fast as we could, and then headed to the car to drop off our loot, which was right next to the starting line, luckily. It had warmed up quite a bit, and the weather was just perfect. It was sunny, but still pretty cool. About a minute after we got to the starting line, they started us off. I lost track of all my kids right from the start. I started in the back, and after about 1/8th of a mile, most of the people in front of me started walking. I moved out to the road to get in front of all the walkers. We ran along a busy street, and then a dirt road next to a canal. I was a little nervous about my kids.
There were 2 races on the same course, one for a mile, and then the 5k. Just past the point where the 1 milers turned around to head back, I found my 7 year old, walking along. He grabbed onto the side of the stroller, and hung on for the rest of the race. We ran and talked the entire race. My baby loved the dirt road. He sang for most of the time as he bumped along. It made us laugh. There were several people who would run, and then walk, and we took turns passing each other. When we had about a 1/2 a mile left, my 7 year old really started complaining, and letting me know he just couldn't go on anymore. I kept pointing out how close we were, and he hung in there, and ran pretty much the whole time.
I hadn't seen my older 2 runners anywhere along the route. When we crossed the finish line, my 15 year old was sitting on the curb on the side of the road. When I asked him how he did, he held up his 1st place ribbon (for his age division). I whooped and hollered like a mad woman. I am so proud of him. When I found my daughter she showed me her 2nd place ribbon (for her age division). I found out that they actually ran the last part of the race together. We walked around, and visited some booths at the health fair and ate some breakfast. My son told us to go check how we placed. He took us to a table where we were supposed to check in when we finished the race. They gave my 7 year old a second place ribbon. As we were leaving I noticed a massive clock sitting in the back of a truck right next to the finish line. I was so excited about finishing the race, that I didn't even notice my time.
It ws a fun first race. I think the kids each saw how much their training helped them out, and I definitely saw how it helped me. I am planning to run a 5k on July 4th without the kids, and I'm excited to see what I can do when I can just concentrate on myself.
