A Family Affair

Hubz running with my Mom early in the race

Do you think you'll still be running when you're 72 years old?  I sure hope I will. 

Would you try running for the first time at 72 years old, if you'd never run before?

This Spring my mother decided to do just that. She wanted to run a 5K race. 

She wanted the whole family to run, too. Unless you count my brother Adam who runs a couple of miles occasionally for fitness, no one else in my family runs. My father had a hip replacement two years ago and is plagued by arthritis. So this was a pretty big deal for my family.

After conferring with everyone, she signed us all up for a 5K (and my father for the 1 mile) in our small hometown in Kansas. With the Couch to 5K Program, and Hubz and I offering up advice and encouragement, everyone started training.

Except that I was sidelined with my tendon trouble. Other family members did varying degrees of training on a sporadic basis. Some did almost no training. But my mother did her training faithfully and put in 3 days of running for 10 weeks.

Even before race day, I was filled with pride and admiration for my mother.

 

Race day itself couldn't have been more perfect. The weather was ideal, cool and sunny.  

The whole family got to the start on time (no small feat!) and we fit in a short walking warmup. 

And then we were off! 

The race crossed the Spring Creek twice each way
on the out and back course

Hubz and I stuck with my Mom and everyone else ran their own pace. 

My niece was supposed to do the 1 mile with my father but as soon as we all took off there was no holding her back. She ran in spurts, and aside from a couple of shortcuts (ahem) she did pretty darn well. She might be the real talent in the family.

SIL Shannon, Niece, Mom and Hubz.

Brother Adam took the family win and 2nd in his age group

SIL Paulyn

Halfway there!
Notice the big blue sky, typical in Kansas.

Kansas field in the morning sunlight

Mom's triumphant finish! She even had a little kick at the end.

I am so proud of each and every member of my family for their efforts.  

I think everyone really enjoyed the race. Hubz won his age group and my brothers and mother all took 2nd in their age groups. Next year, my sisters-in-law and I will have to avenge being shut out of the awards. This may just become a new family tradition! 

The family celebrates

Brother David shows off his medal

The 5k was part of a weekend of events celebrating 150 years of the Union Pacific railroad. After the race we strolled around and tasted pork at the Big Blue Barbecue competition and looked at nearly 300 restored classic cars in the auto show on Main Street. 

This car was my favorite

Meanwhile my niece was still going strong, running around playing on giant carnival inflatables, one of which was a centipede with a rather visually disturbing exit.

Inflatable centipede

In church the next day, one of the other ladies my mother's age asked her if she thought she could train for a 5K. A seed is planted ...