We have taken part of a couple races lately and the weather has been great for it!
Our church is in a 7 week series called Transformed and each week we are supposed to make a goal for a certain area of our lives.
It was my post baby and Financial Health goal to run the Hot Chocolate 15K.
I decided I was going to do it and started training way too late.
Like 2 weeks before the race.
But, I did a couple weekend training runs with Stacee and Leslie who were training and running too and we got it done!
It was perfect weather for a race day. It started cool and a little overcast but as the morning went on it was sunny and gorgeous. The race was really well put together and such a fun time. I was shocked by how crowded the race was though.
Like nonstop people the entire time.
I kept thinking we could find a clearing and have a little room to run but, nope we were weaving and dodging people the whole way.
I was also surprised by the hills.
LOTS of hills.
Like mile 9 up a hill, against the wind.
Thankfully Stacee and I ran one training run with lots of hills otherwise I would have been dying I think.
They handed out sweet treats every few miles with the gatorade and water like marshmallows, tootsie rolls, chocolate chips, etc. I wanted to embrace the spirit of the race and try some but the thought of some of those was just gross during the race.
The end however was so fun and the finishers mug had lots of yummy chocolate goodness. Hot chocolate, chocolate fondue, a banana, marshmallows, graham crackers, cookies, etc.
It was a really fun race.
I ended up with a 9:45 minute average pace which I was ok with considering how little I trained and how crowded it was.
Then a couple weeks later we participated in the 3K Walk for Kason Gabbard a precious boy of a sweet friend at our church with Cerebral Palsy.
He is amazing and their family is inspiring and we try to take part in any event we can to support Kason. It was really a kids race that parents were allowed to run in too.
Kinley took it to heart and truly did amazing.
She ran almost the entire thing.
3K is like 1.86 miles and I bet she really ran 1.7 miles of it.
She rarely walked.
Ben pushed the stroller with Dylan and Ty most the time but for about .5 mile Ty jumped out and ran ahead with Kinley and I. He got tired quick and thankfully Rodney was to the rescue and let Ty switch with Ryland and jump on Payton's stroller.
Kinley and I ran the rest of the way with Ryland.
I was so impressed with these kids who pushed themselves. I was trying to use it as a teachable moment for Kinley and tell her not to quit and to push herself past what she was comfortable doing because that's what Kason does everyday.
He works so incredibly hard at multiple therapies and is just amazing.
When we finished we looked over and saw Kason in his walker doing the path of the race too and I think that's when it really hit home for Kinley.
She was moved, as we all were.
Thank you Gabbards for hosting such an amazing race and for letting us learn from Kason and your family. If you want to know more about sweet Kason, check out their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/teamkason
No comments:
Post a Comment