The Outlaws

Earlier this year, Bryan, Brian, and Leah signed up to run the San Antonio Rock-n-Roll Half-Marathon. Calling themselves The Outlaws, they trained and prepared to run 13.1 miles through downtown San Antonio on a cool November morning.

While the guys drove in early for the Expo, Lisa and I brought the kids up on Saturday evening and shared a hotel room. Five kids, cousins, can be a little hectic and very loud. We planned sleeping arrangements carefully, thinking that the kids would fight over who had to sleep on the floor. Instead, they fought over who got to sleep on the floor. In a moment of inspiration, I told them that whichever two behaved themselves best at dinner and after would get the honor of sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags. It worked better than I could have predicted. One word or look from me and any hint of misbehaving instantly corrected itself. In the end I couldn't honestly say that anyone had misbehaved, so I folded up the couch, stood the rollaway bed in the corner and announced that all five could sleep on the floor.

Understandably there was a little bit of excitement as everyone took their place and tried to settle down. I let them read and whisper for a little while, but when it was time for sleep, they would be quiet. I told them that the rollaway bed wasn't in the hallway, and if I came out from taking my shower and they weren't quiet and/or asleep, then I was going to make everyone get off the floor and crowd into the beds.

Lisa told me that they tried really hard, but kept getting excited while I was in the shower. However, the instant that the shower water cut off - BOOM - everyone immediately went still. Sure enough when I came out of the bathroom, Brenna, Daniel and Laurie were asleep while Cameron and Ashley just looked at me with silent big eyes.

The next morning by 7:20 a.m. we were in position at Alamo Plaza in front of the Menger Hotel waiting for the runners. The race officially began at 7:30 but it was after 8 a.m. before we received a text message that Bryan, Brian, and Leah had left their corral and crossed the starting line.

Brian and Leah passed us at mile 2 and a few minutes later, Bryan came running by. Despite the crowds lining the roads, I think we were pretty hard to miss.

We found Pat & Bob, who were there cheering for both of their sons, and also met up with David & Alex, who were cheering Leah & Sarah. We saw the runners again just after mile marker 8 and then made our way to the home stretch and the finish line. Lisa & David figured that Brian & Leah had already passed mile 12, so they went to the Alamodome. I took the girls and staked out a spot to wait along the street.

Bryan ran by about twenty minutes later and looked very happy to see us there. His hip, which would later be diagnosed with moderate osteoarthritis, was really bothering him. After he passed we walked over to the Alamodome, but couldn't see him cross the finish line. We could only gather in the family reunion area and wait for the runners to come to us.

Even though Leah crossed the finish line first, Brian found us before her. Leah followed shortly, and then Sarah.

Bryan came up and found us about twenty to thirty minutes after he crossed the finish line.

We were really proud of him for finishing his second half-marathon. Congratulations to all our our "Outlaws!"