Family Fun Run

In an attempt to "journal" or "scrapbook" a bit more of 2010, I'm going to work my way through the first half of the year. To start have to go all the way back to Februrary 13, 2010 when the elementary school hosted their annual Fun Run and Family Fun Day.

Just like last year, the school hosted a 3K run and 1K walk. This year all four of us signed up for the 3K, though I wasn't really sure I would run. Temperatures were pretty cold that morning, you can see how bundled up we were in the photograph. True to form, we arrived late a few moments before the run began and had to check in and get our numbers. We told Brenna and Cameron not to hang back with us, but to run at their own pace and meet us back at the school.

I struggled through the first 1K and Bryan kept pace with me. Brenna and Cameron lapped us and finished well ahead of us, but I managed to keep a fast walk/slow jog and I actually finished 3K with Bryan pushing me the whole way.

After the race, we went home, showered, and came back to the school for the Family Fun Day. The girls enjoyed the Cake Walk, playing it three or four times until they'd both won a prize.

I had a volunteer shift at a pickle spin booth, where players spin a wheel hoping to land on green to win a huge dill pickle. Thankfully Cameron wanted to work the shift with me so she handled putting the pickles into the baggies.

Brenna found her Rodeo Art on display. Even though she wasn't chosen for display at The Arts Alliance of Clear Lake show earlier, she was very proud of her own creation.

At the awards ceremony Brenna received a medal for second place in her age/grade division (K-2). We asked her how she did it and she said she just ran. She said she was running with Hailey, who won first place, and that if she had known they were first and second she would have ran ahead of Hailey to win first!

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!"

Marathon Kids

Every year the girls' elementary school participate in a program called Marathon Kids, which encourages kids to run 26.2 miles during the school year. They accomplish this by running laps at school, with small toe token rewards for every five miles completed.

Each year Marathon Kids holds a kick-off event at one of the universities and we have never attended, but this year Brenna really wanted us to go.

We joined other students and teachers from our school in the stadium waiting for our turn to run two laps around the track.

Thankfully, I walked with two teachers holding the school banner around the short end of the track, and met Bryan & the girls at the finish line. Each runner received a plastic water bottle. Brenna and Cameron had theirs signed by the UH Cougar baseball and softball players.

Fun Run

What a beautiful morning for a Fun Run! Bryan signed up for the Houston Heights 5K Fun Run as a reminder that he's in training for the Rock-N-Roll Half-Marathon this November with "The Outlaws" (Leah, Brian, and Bryan). We all tagged along this morning to cheer him on.
Both girls were frustrated they couldn't do the 5K with him. Maybe next year. However, they were signed up to participate in the 1K Kids Run immediately following the 5K.


Bryan directed them in stretching for the run. Then they lined up and received directions.


And they're off! I stayed at the finish line and Bryan went to the turning point. He ran the last half-K with them to where I was standing.


Isn't this a great shot of the girls coming down the last block!!

Cameron put on a burst of speed as she passed me to pull ahead of her sister just before the finish line. This race wasn't timed, but both did really well! What a fun start to our Saturday weekend!