Run the Reagan half marathon

Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious! I had planned to run this half marathon with Tonya, but she had to cancel last minute to fly to Wisconsin to be with her mom who is in the hospital. I almost backed out, since I haven't run anything over 6 miles in the past month and wasn't sure about leaving kiddo home alone for the morning because she woke with a sore throat on Friday.

But... Friday after school, kiddo called me and said she has a group science project due on Monday and the kids needed to get together to work on it. They ended up at Ally's house. Later I called to check on their progress, and spoke to Ally's mom. She asked if I was going to run the race and said they always volunteer. Then it clicked!... I remembered seeing them at an aid station during the last few years! I explained my predicament, that kiddo was originally going to spend the night with Tonya's family, but that fell through so I was backing out of it rather than leaving kiddo home alone. She said that she was more than welcome to spend the night with them and help them at their aid station in the race, which is the last one before the turn around point. Kiddo wanted to, so now the race was back on.

Best part of the race? Kiddo ran with me for the middle mile of the half marathon, from aid station to turn around and back to her aid station. That was such a boost! She wanted to run faster, but I explained the importance of a slower pace in a longer race, and she stuck with me. Since she compromised for me, I compromised for her and "raced" her the last 20'ish yards back to the aid station. She won, of course!

The 5K was underway as I arrived at their turn around point. Running with the 5K people the last mile and a half of the race was also a huge encouragement. Some were running, some were walking, most were breathing hard and I was experiencing brain fog as I pushed as hard as I could to the finish. I saw my neighbor, Sarah, just ahead of me in her first 5K ever. I was a little disappointed in the medal; the one last year was so much cooler, but this year isn't the ugliest one I've received.

After the last half marathoner went through the turn-around aid station, they packed up and went to the finish line. Kiddo saw one of her classmates running the 5K. Now she wants to run the half marathon next year. She's only 12 and hated running until a month ago. Woohoo!

(after we got home, she wanted to go to the park to run. She wanted to run 3 miles faster than her classmate ran the 5K this morning. I was shocked and impressed!)

Groundhog Day #18 - "Think it will be an early spring?" Yes... I should have worn sunscreen. Was 68 degrees and sunny at the end of the race. Then I had to drive with the top down, and go to the park, etc. All day in the sun without sunscreen was not a smart move. OW, my face is fried!