Future Runners

I found several posts in my drafts folder. So some serious out of order will be going on while I finish them.

The last couple of years at camp meeting Dominic and I ran the race on Friday. But this year Caitlin wanted to run the 1 mile. Usually the 5k runners start and the Fun run starts about 5 minutes later. Caitlin is well known in our house for being incredibly slow. So Jon offered to run with her. Neither had run a mile before (if Jon has, it's been years).  But this year they changed things up and had the Fun run start first.

On Thursday afternoon it dawned on Caitlin that the race was the next morning. So she ran up and down the driveway three times. It was hilarious, especially because that's probably the most she'd ever run before. It takes 6 1/2 times around our back yard to make a mile. Caitlin hasn't ever gone more than 1/2 a lap around the yard. Baby girl just doesn't like to exert energy when it isn't necessary.

Caitlin took off with the biggest grin on her face. She was really excited.

I waited by the sidelines for what I thought was going to be a while. I had even given the camera to my father-in-law in case the 5k started before she returned.

Less than 11 minutes later my baby girl came into view running. According to a very tired Jon after the race, she ran the entire way and didn't show down. She finished her mile in 11:09.

 
Baby girl can move if she actually wants to. She came across the finish line with a smile on her face and no sign of being tired other than her pink cheeks.

Dominic and I waiting for the 5k to start. My cousin Matt is standing beside me in the white shirt.

This little boy cracks me up. Dramatic anyone?!

Dominic, as usual, took off like a cannon. I wanted to beat my time from last year so I wasn't too far behind him.

I finished the race and ran back to run Dominic in. I saw the little boy (right of the picture) and told Dominic to hurry. I wasn't sure where he was in his age division, but I wanted him to get a metal. He was running in the 7-9 age group. But that boy heard me and took off too. Poor Dominic ran his heart out at the end and just couldn't beat him. At one point he gasped that he just couldn't run any faster.

He was wasted at the end. 

Turns out the boy in the orange shirt was a small 10 yr old. 

So Dominic pulled a 2nd place in his age division. His time was 29: something (I've momentarily lost my running log).

Much to Jon's chagrin, he won 2nd place in his age division. So he gave the medal to Caitlin. There were a ton of girls in Caitlin's age division 5-7. So she didn't place. But she proudly showed her medal to everyone and told them she'd gotten 2nd place. I was so proud of how well she'd done that I didn't correct her.

My cousin Matt did very well also.
Very proud of the runners in my family!

Race Day

Several weeks before camp meeting Dominic asked if he could run the 5k instead of the 1 mile fun run. Since last year was his first race ever, I was a little apprehensive about it. So I told him if he trained by running around the back yard and ran with me some that I'd think about it.

Time went by and I wasn't really paying attention to his running. Six times around our back yard equals a mile. So he would come in and assure me that he'd run a mile. But I was pretty sure that he'd never run more than a mile and a half. So about two weeks before the race, I took him on my 3.26 loop. He ran most of the way without stopping and it was pretty hot and muggy. So I figured he could make it.

On race day (and for a few days before) I talked to him about how Grandpa and I would be running ahead of him, but we'd come back and run in with him. I also talked about not starting off too fast at the starting line.

Enter race day and Dominic has to be at the very front with his grandpa. (The race wasn't chipped, so this was actually the best spot to be - see my other blog post.)

Dominic is #196 and my dad is #181.

Dominic started off like a shot out of a cannon. I had to run pretty fast to catch up to him. When I finally caught up with him, he just wouldn't slow down. =)

So for Dominic's first 5k he finished with a time of 29:45. His age division was 0-10 and he finished 4th. He was pretty bummed to not receive a medal. But I was so impressed. Because the 3 boys who received medals were 8-10. So he was racing against kids who were at least 2 yrs older.

Not bad, little man!

Dominic and I before the race.

 Caitlin wearing my jacket.

 My dad and our friend, Pastor Ryan duking it out to the end.

 My dad and I running in with Dominic. You can see Grandma and a friend off to the left.

 Baby boy crosses the finish line in his first 5k.

 Resting with Caitlin and some friends.

 My dad placed first in his age division. This is him receiving his medal.

Very impressed with my dad and my son.

Camp Meeting Race

When I was a small child I would run the camp meeting 1 mile fun run. My dad always ran the 5k and once my sister got old enough she'd run with me.

My dad asked me to get the info so he could run this year and I thought it would be a good race for Dominic to start out on since it's promoted to families. I had intended to run the 5k. But when my parents and Jon told me that they weren't coming I was at a loss as to what to do with Dominic. The races are run simultaneously and I wanted to document Dominic's first race.

Turns out I didn't have to worry about it. Last week I was out taking pictures and twisted my ankle and knee. It wasn't bad, but I knew I couldn't run a race without damaging it further.

So I ran the 1 mile with Dominic. My cousin took some pictures, but here are mine.  

One excited little boy.

 Waiting on the 5k people to get started. It was so hard for me to see them leave without me. But I don't regret running with my little man. It was so fun and I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

 To get these shots, I would run quickly ahead and turn around just as quickly. Baby boy wasn't slowing down for anyone.

 I had to keep slowing him down so we could finish with a bang.

 When we were getting close we passed a little guy who was struggling to keep running. His fan club was cheering for him and two ladies were holding his hand, basically pulling him home.

He was Dominic's age and I so badly wanted Dominic to at least get 3rd place. Dominic's age division was 0-7 so I wasn't sure if it was even possible. But I really pushed Dominic to keep going and stay in front of him.

When we arrived I realized that because of the small amount of adults that I was going to place. How do you explain to a five year old that you are going to get a medal and he might not. I was on pins and needles until they called his name. He won 2nd place in his age division.

Talk about one proud mommy. I was more proud of his 2nd place medal than of my 1st place one.

 He wore this all day Friday and most of Sabbath.

Great job, Dominic!

Thanksgiving Vacation I

Our Thanksgiving vacation started early and had several stages.

Dominic was off for an entire week so most of my prep for company was done before he was out of school.

I enjoyed having him home so much. Amazingly, I miss the little guy when he's at school. =)

We read books, went to the museum and played games.

On Wednesday both sets of grandparents arrived. We ate lunch with Jon's parents and then my parents arrived around supper time. The kids had so much fun that day basking in grandparent love.

Caitlin was fascinated that Grandpa was wearing a hat "just like her". She leaned in to tell him something and the bills of the hats touched. She proceeded to do that over and over again while giggling. It was precious!

 Dominic asked me to take silly pictures. Then he posed about 20 different ways. I'll spare you from all of them and only post a few. =)

 

 

 Messing with Grandpa's hat again.

 Grandma's lap isn't quite big enough for two. But that didn't seem to stop them from trying.

 

 After baths she read to them again. 

If you look closely you'll see Dominic with his foot in Grandma's shoe. Much to her chagrin it almost fits him. =)

 The next day we headed out early so my dad and I could run our race.

The kids weren't quite awake, but seemed pretty excited for us.