Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Keeping Up









The kids are great. We signed up as a family to do a fun run at Michigan Stadium two weeks ago. We each had our own race numbers (the kids loved that part). The race was one mile starting outside the stadium, around the parking lot, through the players tunnel, and around the field, finishing on the 50 yard line with a video shot of us finishing on the big screen! It was awesome (BTW, awesome is Robbie's favorite word right now).

We arrived in Ann Arbor. Just as we hopped out of the car they wanted their race numbers pinned to their shirts. I had the 2-kid jogging pram (oops, that's Aussie talk for stroller). I didn't think the kids would make it. There were no kids 4 or 6. The kids were older or younger. The younger were much younger and in strollers. The older were running on their own. We started in back. They were impatient while the leader was on the mega-phone going, "Blah-blah-blah...great thing for charity....blah-blah-blah." They just wanted to go. When the gun went off, they both started jogging in place with no where to go because the pack wasn't moving yet. Jogging in place...it was so damn cute. (It's OK for a guy to say cute if he say damn first!) The pack started moving and they knew the rule - don't run ahead of other people and leave mommy behind. They did an excellent job of following the rule. They did weave in and out of people to pass them but only as long as mommy could too. I was left in the back with the stroller because it was too packed to pass until after the first turn at 1/4 mile.

After that turn though, boy, watch out. I was doing all I could to keep up. They were passing many people. I was fortunate enough to be behind them because I heard so many complements that my chest almost exploded with me puffing it out so much. Most of the time I'm told that it's my head that is going to explode from me becoming big-headed from a compliment but my kids expand my chest.

The kids made it up to the water table, stopped for a quick gulp, and quickly raced away again. Robbie didn't finish his water. He was too intent on racing like Lightening McQueen. About 3/4 mile mommy made them walk a bit. But they started running again as they made their way up to the stadium and the fans were cheering for the runners. They raced down the tunnel, exploded out onto the field, and ran around then up to the 50-yard line. They got to watch themselves on the TV. They thought it was "Awesome".

They took in the sights too. There was a balloon man that made them each a sword with holster. They wanted to go running through the endless rows of seats. They played/danced in the end zone on the M in front of the band. And they complained about walking up about 92 rows to get out while mommy and daddy carried the stroller up the same stairs.


They both took their race bibs in to school on the following Monday. The kids both still tell their stories about the race. Yesterday morning Robbie took his race number back into school because one teacher wasn't there when he brought it in last week. He told his best friend's dad, "I ran the whole race, by myself, without stopping....except when mommy made me walk. But I wasn't tired. Only she was."

1 comment:

Unknown said...

best of all- MICHIGAN stadium. might as well get the kids some nice memories from inside there. too bad there not of the football kind!