Running like a 5-yr-old

Volunteering yesterday was fun- my mom came down to help, too!
We got set up, then she went out to the first water station while I "guarded" the shirts with the Major (which mostly meant taking about me being the official Race Director next year- squeeeeeee! Dream job!)

The turn out was better than expected, with 18 people- double what they had registered, so not bad for a first time 5k. I like to think my last-ditch papering of the town got at least a few of the walk ons.

The highlight for me, though, was running- with our friend's 5-year-old daughter. Before the race, the Major and Senior were telling me I "needed" to win, despite me telling them that my fastest 5k was in 26:11 (which is NOT fast by any means, and especially since the nearby running club has girls who always run sub-20). Makayla, meanwhile, had been tugging on me as usual and asked if she could run, then pleaded, saying it would make a dream come true- how can you say no to that?

We lined up at the back of the runners, and she was excited. They said go, we took off, and that little girl ran nearly 1/2 mile before she took her first walk break! She made it all the way to the turn around and a good w ay back before she made a single complaint, too. Most 5-year-olds I know might have made it a mile, tops, but not her- every time I told her in the beginning that we could turn around, she shook her head and said she wanted to finish "the Whoooooooole thing." So we did, in about 56 minutes. It was a combination of running and walking, with more walking at the end. She actually beat one of the walkers! Towards the finish, her dad started cheering her in, and she ran the last 50 meters like a champ, carrying a few found flowers, too.

That kid has more determination than many adults I know. Maybe next year, we can get her a PR!