Race Day

Wow, folks! We have really been busy around here lately. I'm glad to be back to report all of our latest adventures with you, though. Let's start with this week's cross country race.

Middle school cross country races are typically 1.5 miles long whereas regular cross country teams typically run a 3.1 mile race (which is called a 5k.)

What would you do without me to let you in on all this running information?

Well, this Saturday was David's middle school cross country team's first full 5k. It was a chance for the kids to try out a longer distance and see how they would hold up.The race was right here in Macon and was a fund raiser for the Humane Society and their new shelter.

Of course since the race was "All About Animals," there were lots of doggies in attendance. I made it my job to pet every single fur ball there.

There were puppies...

and bulldogs...

and weiner dogs...

and mutts...

and this guy.

This was a fun race for the team because they were not really competing against other schools. It was a community organized race that they participated in simply for the experience of running a 5k. It was also especially fun because David got to run the race with them, rather than just getting to coach from the sidelines.

They were "all in it together," as they say on High School Musical. You have to be hip to things like High School Musical to hang with middle schoolers.

Here's the team stretching it out before the race. You have to stretch so you don't pull a hammy.

Look at this little group. Adorable. That's David in the black shirt and shorts. He is the Johnny Cash of running.

David loves these kids. He loves to run with them. He makes them love to run. He gives them popsicles.

Now, once the race actually started and everyone had taken off, I pet all the dogs again and then sat on a log to wait for the runners to come back in. This usually takes about 20ish minutes. While I was sitting on said log, something bit my toe. This bite has caused my toe to swell up to enormous proportions. 

I have since had to ice, medicate, lance, and soak my toe. I've was strung out on Benadryl all weekend.

Spectating ain't easy.

While I watched my toe swell and waited for the runners to arrive back at the finish line, I overheard some cross country parents talking to each other about how they thought that some of the kids were going to beat David. "I wonder how many of the kids will beat Coach Dark?" they snickered.

I, however, knew that Dave-O would dominate those children. Sorry parents...my man has still got it.

Coach Dark

4th Place Overall

1st Place in his Age Group

Boo-yah.

There was time after the race for canoodling with the puppies. Middle school cross country races are never too serious for a little canoodling. 

A fine time was had by all.

Melissa