Jingle Bell Fun

We are officially a road racing family. Yesterday all of us ran some version of the Southern Pines Jingle Bell Run/Egg Nog Jog in frigidly cold weather.  With snow flakes drifting over the runners at the 9am start, Maria, Anthony, Thomas and Bill took off while the other kids and I cheered them on.  Out of our family, Anthony finished the 5K first in 30 min, and Maria was only about 7 min behind him.  Maria especially worked hard for the race because Bill told her that if she didn't walk at all, she could have a banana split.  Our friend ran with her and encouraged her by saying, "C'mon Banana Split, you can do it!"

Thomas and Bill took longer because they ran the 10K (6.2 miles).  Thomas was one of only 6 kids between 1 and 15 to run it, and his training helped him keep a 10 min mile pace so he finished in just over an hour.  The best part was watching him sprint to the finish line so he could pass the runner ahead of him.

After our hardcore runners had finished their races, it was time for Charles, Cecilia, James and I to line up at the Egg Nog Jog start with our friends.  Sporting adjustable antlers and red noses from the cold, the little kids ran a quick lap and a half around the block--1/2 mile.  James got a sudden fit of nerves once we started, so he dragged his feet, looked worried, and helped me push Joseph in the baby jogger until he saw Bill on the sidelines.  Then his face lit up and he let go and ran as fast as he could to him.  Unfortunately, we were a half a block from the finish line (where I realized that a snow maker was contributing the snowflakes I had seen earlier) so he had a way to go before he was finally done and could slap hands (hooves?) with the Chick-fil-A cow.

Army 10 miler

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT! 


Or in the words of St. Paul:  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Here is a picture of Christie, Michelle, and me (freshly showered) about to go to the Metro for a 7:00 am train.  Hmmmm, somehow we forgot to take a picture of that.

Ok, here we are about drop off our stuff and head to the start line.  Notice how brightly the moon is shining over the Pentagon.  Oh, yeah, it's illegal to take pictures at the Pentagon.

Well, here is a picture of me on the race route smiling for the camera because every time I thought, "Why did I think this was fun?"  I would see a photographer and smile, and then the smile would grow because I realized that I was really doing this.  Ooops, race pictures won't be available until Wednesday.  

So here are the memories I'll keep and share with you and hope you can see what I see:

Michelle in a pink shirt and black pants with zippy pink stripes ahead of me with a determined look on her face moving through gaps in the runners.  I wasn't sure I was going to be able to keep up with her.

Christie in her red hat and green shirt calmly jogging up from nowhere to run beside me, looking like this whole thing was so not a big deal.

The fall leaves on the trees around the Kennedy Center which was the last DC sight I remember seeing along the race route.

21000 backsides

Being in a river of people streaming downhill which made my stomach drop when I realized I'd be in the river coming back up at mile 7.

Someone sitting on the side of a bridge offering shots of beer at mile 8.  The smell was nauseating.

The kind face of the grandfather who talked me through when I was at my weariest and then told me to go ahead because I could run faster.  Thank you.

The last steep uphill at mile 9 (an on-ramp?) and how far away the paratrooper balloon at the Pentagon looked and the solid wall of people between me and the finish line.

The excited sound of Bill's voice saying, "Wow, you did it!  I'm so proud of you!  Great job!" when I called him right after I finished.

The happy and tired looks on the faces of my friends when we realized that we had done it.

Official race times here.