The Runaround

A few weeks ago our family had the opportunity to participate in the Run Miles 4 Smiles run and help to raise money for Seattle Children's Hospital.  You know it is a good cause when I can convince my husband, my sister, my mother in law AND my mother to join me for a run:)

 

I was a bit nervous about this race because it was 4 miles and I have never run that far...3.5 is pretty much my limit.  But I REALLY wanted to run the whole thing.  It was my lucky day...my husband who has NOT been running decided to join me.  Even though he has not been working out...I pretty much knew that his competative nature would NOT allow him to stop running.  Emersyn, Ethan, Mom, Marilee, Creete and Jen were going to walk and Todd and I were going to run...but somehow things got a little confused when the race started. 

 Jen, Creete, and Emersyn took off running at the begining and Jen and Em made it about a mile.  Mom and Marilee stayed behind with the stroller.  So after the mile marker Todd and I passed Emersyn and Jen running, Creete panting, and Mom and Marilee and the stroller in the far back.  We continued on (my husband setting a much quicker pace than I was used to of course) and hit the 2 mile marker.  On the way back we passed Jenny CARRYING Emersyn (yes she weighs WAY too much for that) and never saw Mom, Marilee and the stroller....We kept going again. Todd and I finished the race...Him in  38:50 and me in 39:07..YES OF COURSE HE BEAT ME!!  We ate a snack, hung out, and then waited for the family....THEY NEVER CAME.  SOOO we decided to walk back and try to find them.  We walked and walked and walked and finally about a mile later we ran into Jenny...this time with Emersyn ON HER SHOULDERS!!!  I know what a crazy person.  She had apparently been carrying her for over a mile.  We sent them on their way and continued back for mom and the stroller. About ANOTHER mile down the road we found them.  Creete was pushing the stroller and The Moms were walking along with him.  SOOO we joined up and headed back. 

 We all finished the race (tecnically Todd and I finished it twice).  By the time we got done it was dark and I think the people in charge were starting to worry about us, but everyone made it.  That is why no pictures...I didn't know we would finish in the dark....bummer for bad cell pics!!! 

ANYWAY....it was a fun night and we raised some money for a good cause AND I proved to myself that I CAN make it 4 miles (although I have never done it again since). 

I am still running in the mornings and I have a few favorite new songs on my playlist.
1.  Phillip Phillips--HOME (I cannot get enough of this song...YAY for a new season soon!!)
2.  Train--50 Ways To Say Goodbye (LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!)
3.  Pitbull--Back In Time Clearly this is not my USUAL type of song, but how can you resist a smash up of Dirty Dancing and Pitbull???  It is a GREAT end of run song.  It makes me smile and think of all of the good times me and Bobbie had having dance parties in our cars...GOOD TIMES!!!

Anyway...I will leave you with the beautiful view I had on my run a few days ago (taken shortly after spotting a snake sunning itself on the trail and sort of taking out 2 bikers to get away from it).