Fun Run

Today was an exciting one for the girls: they got to run in their first ever road race!  I had signed the three of us up for the One Mile Fun Run, one of several races run today to raise money for BIGGSteps, a foundation set up in honor of the father of Julia's best friend from preschool, who passed away last year. 

The kids were thrilled to get to do a REAL race, like the one they watched me run in last month.  We even got tee-shirts as part of our registration benefits, although the tees are definitely an adult size small.  As I carried the tee-shirts to our car, along with our race numbers, I warned the girls that the shirts would likely not fit very well.

ME: So, these tee-shirts are pretty big, so they'll probably be more like a nightgown than a shirt.
JULIA: (brightly) That's okay!
MADELEINE: But Mama?  Can you put the thing that's kind of like a NIGHTGOWN right HERE on my fleece?  (pointing at her belly)
ME: Um...well, we're not going to wear the shirts right now...oh, wait a minute.  Do you mean you want your NUMBER on your fleece?
MADELEINE: (relieved to be understood) Um...YES!
ME: Yeah, we're going to pin it on in just a second.  I'm just putting the tee-shirts in the car.  The number isn't like a nightgown.  The SHIRTS are.

Madeleine didn't care about the distinction, so long as she got to pin her number to her belly and look like an official runner.

After the numbers were pinned, I attempted to take a picture of the girls by the official race banner.  Madeleine was so excited she was literally jumping for joy.

ME: Okay, girls.  Look at the camera!  Madeleine, stop hopping for a second.
JULIA: (posing perfectly still and giving me her best fake smile)
MADELEINE: (hopping up and down)
ME: Madeleine, stay still!
MADELEINE: (hopping up and down)
ME: Madeleine, honey, the picture's going to come out blurry if you don't stop hopping.
MADELEINE: (hopping up and down)
ME: Okay, stop hopping for a second.
MADELEINE: (hopping up and down)
ME: Madeleine.  Stay still.
JULIA: (finally losing it) MADELEINE!  Will you just STOP HOPPING so Mommy can take the picture?

Madeleine couldn't handle not hopping.  This is how the picture came out:

A man from the newspaper also tried to take a photo of the girls.  Madeleine was simply too broken-hearted over the no-hopping imposition that she couldn't bring herself to smile.

Luckily, a little later on, she came out of her funk so we got a couple of happy photos:

As we stood waiting for the race to officially start, I suggested to the girls that we all do some stretches.  I modeled a hamstring stretch for them, pointing my leg out to the side and bending my body over the pointed leg.  Madeleine took my example to mean she should flail her own body over her leg and conk her ginormous noggin into mine in the process.  I guess when Madeleine's around, you can get injured doing just about anything, even stretching.

As we lined up at the start, the girls began to wriggle in excitement, and at the cue, we all took off running.  And when I say "took off," I mean it literally in Julia's case.  I think I saw a glimpse of her for about ten seconds and then she was out of my sight, running near the front of the pack with a bunch of older kids. 

Madeleine and I ran together, holding hands throughout most of the race, although when we hit a huge downhill, she wanted to run ahead of me at top speed.

ME: Okay, honey, just be careful.  There's a bunch of wet leaves and I don't want you to slip on them and fall down.
MADELEINE: (shouting back to me) Don't worry, Mama, because I am an EXPERT at running and walking on WET LEAVES!

She's also an expert at wiping out, but THANKFULLY she made it down the hill without face-planting.  In fact, she seemed truly full of joy to be out running:

While she had to slow down to a shuffle at a few points, Madeleine was a real trooper, and made it through the entire race without stopping - or even walking - once.  As she crossed the finish line, I saw Julia waiting for us, having already finished well before we did.  Madeleine and I joined Julia to find out how her race had gone, and it turns out she finished in a speedy eight minutes.  Go Jules!  I guess all her Gallop Time has helped her build up some mighty endurance power!

ME: So, Jules, were you excited to see Madeleine and I approaching the finish line
JULIA: Yes!
ME: And did you feel so proud of Madeleine when you saw her finish?
JULIA: Well, mostly I feel proud of MYSELF!

Totally not surprised by that answer.  Although she definitely deserves to feel pride in her accomplishment!

We stopped for water over by the registration tent, and while I attempted to get one last  candid shot of the girls,:

Madeleine decided it was Fashion Shoot time.

MADELEINE: Mama!  Take a picture of just ME!
ME: Okay.  Smile!  Oh.  I see.  You're doing fierce.

Work it, Runner Girl!