3 for 1 race report

It was a busy running weekend,we started out Saturday morning with a" Girls on the run" 5K race. My daughter Amanda is teaching a 3rd gr. class for the last month of the year and the school she is at, was participating with Girls on the run. It's a program that helps girls shape positive self images through a cirriculum they teach along with training for a 5K race at the end of the program. Sometimes the girls need a running buddy to run with them during the race, a lot of times the girls parents will participate but thats not always possible so Amanda signed us up.I'm so glad we were able to help, it was such a great atmosphere about 400 9 & 10 yr. old girls so excited to race. the girl I ran with was named Skylar and she did great ! It was so so hot about 90 and full sun on the course the poor kids were all wearing their cotton T-shirts for the race.... pretty hot.It was very crowded for the first half lots of girls dressed in fun outfits and had their face's painted the you could feel their energy.

I talked the whole time with Skylar,we talked about race strategy I told her I like to start slow then at the end if we feel like it we could go fast, we talked a little race etiquette,thanking and encouraging people.She told me she was a swimmer,I kept telling her how great the end will be we walked through drink stations,then we did a combo run/walk to finish.As we got to the finish Skylar took off and sprinted it was great to see.



This race was the same day just at 6:30 at nightRace 2 5.5 miles in the sand on the beach and dunes.I was dreading

doing this race thinking why did I sign up for it it's so hard aaahhh,my two daughters Amanda 23 and Madeline 19 along with madelines friend Allie joined me for the race. It was still real hot at the start of the race probably around 85 to 90

but we were running directly along Lake Michigan in Gary IN and we had a beautiful breeze.This is a small race because it's so darn hard, but it really is so pretty. Madeline took off fast right away, Amanda stayed back and I decided I wouldn't leave Madeline's friend allie by herself in this crazy race. It's 2.5 miles of pure beach it's either fluffy sand or in the water with a significant slant for a little more packed sand. I told allie stay in the water it's our best bet. We went slow but steady,and really couldn't believe how nice the breeze was.We got off the beach for about .5 miles but it's was real hilly up and down up and down. Allie needed to walk a little and told me to go ahead I said nope I'm stay ing here,there were some local people out sipping wine and cheering us on so that was fun, and there was real nice shade on the street.My watched died about this time and I think it was a blessing, from then on I just ran and enjoyed the view and didn't worry about the clock. We got to the huge dunes and had no choice but to hike up them ,they are large but once you are up them it's a beautiful view so you get rewarded. We were nearing the beach and I heard both my daughters cheering us on and they ran the last stretch with us. I couldn't have thought of any place I would have rather been than on that beach with my girls covered in sand and sweat ,it was awesome. I haven't felt that genuinely happy and content in a long time it was a great night! Madeline,Amanda,and Allie all agreed it was one of the hardest things they had ever done and they loved it! Madeline ran a 9.24 pace and snaged 2nd in her age group she is getting very fast and strong.



Race 3 Sunday Morning cross country 3.1 in park (ended up being 3.5)

I chose this race because it's held in a park I love to run in and I thought it would be in the trails we normally run in the woods.It also supported a local animal shelter,I secretly was hopping it would be a small turn out and maybe I could place in age group.I really need to get over that......anyway, Madeline has been begging for a cat and they were going to have cats for adoption there.My husband is adamantly against another animal in the house we already have Dorothy, a snauzer mix who enjoys short runs herself.Madeline asked my husband if we won the race could we get a cat? He thought about it ,and said if we all placed 1st in our age groups we could have one. He thought he was clever because He thought both girls would be in the same div. making it impossible to achieve.

race morning brought more heat in the 90's again yikes! I'm not Randy,I hate the heat, and usually don't do well in it. We registered for race and I found out more bad news almost the entire race would be in the open field no nice cool woods to hide from the awful sun in........aarrrggghhh things aren't going well. My garmin had died the night before so I was running naked . 1st mile we started out fast but I felt good,it was hot but I was dying .Again Madeline took off leading us Amanda was just slightly ahead of me ,at mile 1.5 there was a huge turtle sitting in the middle of the course it was very irionic here's the turtle where's the hare? Mile 2 and I am real suprised I haven't had any kind of breakdown it's real hot and we have a huge hill looming Amanda is right in front of me and we just go,at this point we are passing a lot of people most of them are walking .The finish got messeed up I guess the first finishers were misdirected.and the people after them actually ran .5 more.I finished strong and was real happy.........



We started looking as the results came in,and I kept checking and rechecking there was no one my age ahead of me. Then we check Madeline 1st age group,Amanda 1st age group woo hoo we did it!!!!!!!

we now have a new addition to our family his name is Allen (named after Allen from the hangover) he is an orange and white tabby and Hes sassy and cute. Scott and Dorothy aren't that happy but we are.

My next race is Sunburst in South bend with Amanda and I'm thinking I will not wear my garmin and just run and see what happens:cheers:

Looks like you had a really nice time. Seems like a lot of fun. Great job.