Race Day

I am a proud mama and wife, and I am about to brag. Stop reading here if you don't like bragging.

For weeks now Alli has been asking to run in a race that her school was sponsoring for Relay for Life. They were having a 1 mile race as well as a 5K. Blair agreed to run the 1 mile with her, and Lydia decided to join the fun too.

We got them registered and arrived in time for the 8:00 am race this morning. We got there and found out that the 1 mile was actually not until 9:00 am. Not one to ever want to "waste daylight", Blair convinced the girls that they should run the 5k instead of waiting around for over an hour.

I thought they were crazy.

I was sure that they were not mentally or physically prepared to run that far. Lydia was wearing jeans after all. (As well as earrings, necklace and matching headband. One should look beautiful even while running.)

Here they are right before the race.
Don't they all look happy and excited?

I drove over to the half-way point convinced that I would have to pick up exhausted, sobbing children. Instead, two sweaty, smiling girls ran right past me with a little wave. There was no sign of Blair so after a few minutes I headed to the finish line to see the girls come in.

I stood and watched fit, athletic adults cross the finish line and figured it would be a long time before I would see tired little girls drag themselves through the end. But in a minute, here came Alli in the distance sprinting with all she had for the finish line. Three minutes later, here came Lydia, jeans and all, at a dead sprint as well. They were smiling and excited.

I figured we might have to get in the truck and go looking for my sweet hubby, but about eight minutes after Lydia, we saw him in the distance. When he heard us cheering him on, he picked up his speed and sprinted on in. All three of my babies finished! And nobody was in last place! We stuck around to hear the awards given out and Alli got a medal for winning second place in her age catagory. I was so proud of them all.

Here are the girls after the race looking no worse for the wear.

This is them after the awards when we were on our way out. Notice that Blair is not smiling quite like he was in the before picture :)