Delano Mile Run 2012

Blondie got the first Delano Mile Run of her elementary school career behind her as of this morning.  I can't explain to you how much Towns was looking forward to it. And after hearing talk of how this is one of the most fun events of the school year, I was excited about it too!  The kids have had the opportunity to take part in a marathon of 26 miles that they completed both on their own and at school during PE.  Today was the mile run for the physical fitness test (that I refuse to tell Towns I despised when I was in school - our mile was four laps around a track on the playground - no hype, no event, no nothing) as well as their 26th mile needed to finish their marathon.  Some kids did more than that over the course of the school year, but we were doing good to log 25.2 before the run today.  Trust me.  Bethany was so sweet to take her to Delano last night and do a practice run with her.  Sister of the year award is coming your way, Bebs!

It was an event, no doubt about it.  It's a 5k atmosphere on an elementary school level which was beyond exciting for all the kids!  It was at the track in Delano Park a few streets over from our house, and with us being the newbies I was amazed at how big of a deal it really was.  Parents, teachers, kids all lined up around the track cheering on the grade that happened to be running at the time.  So fun!

It was pretty official stuff, you know.  They had these...

And these fancy timing chips...

Mrs. Propst's class was the first one to the starting line and they were all smiles...
But poor Towns and Emma, they've both had ailments in the past week and I think they were a little nervous...
When the 1st graders were all lined up, Coach Q went over the rules in hopes of preventing a major stampede...
They listened intently, and then they were off...
J and Cate ran over to get a spot where she'd be sure to see them cheering her on when she ran past...

She was struggling a little, bless her heart.  She's missed PE for the last week which means she's also missed running the mile a few times for practice.  She hasn't done much in the way of physical activity since her surgery so I was worried about her.  She kicked it into high gear when she saw us, though...
Two boys in her grade raced each other the entire way around the track and both finished in just over seven minutes with a huge crowd yelling for them...
At this point, it kind of hit me that this is one of the signs that the school year is almost over.  I'm ridiculous, I know.  But it took all I could do not to lose it right then and there.  I was standing with a friend who was also trying to hold it together, so I didn't feel so bad about being a major sap.  She just had a baby, so she has an excuse whereas I have nothing to blame my emotions on!  But then I saw Towns coming down the hill and around the bend and went into crazy, screaming mom mode...
In all the commotion I totally missed her crossing the finish line so I have no idea what her official time was.  And I missed the picture I'd been waiting for all morning of her running under the banner...
I could kick myself for missing it!!
One thing I definitely wasn't missing...
Let's try that again (there always has to be a second try when J's behind the camera)...
I love that little runner!
Her daddy had to have a turn with her, too...

All she really cared about at that moment was us leaving her alone to let her finish her popsicle and Gatorade!  Buggy found her way to the class cooler and helped herself, naturally...

She and her friends had a fun time cheering on the 2nd graders once they recovered from their own race...
The funny thing about that one is that I asked the four of them to get together so I could take a picture of them.  Tyler and Bo looked at each other and immediately moved two feet further away from the girls.  So I settled for an action shot.  Got to love 1st graders!
They all had a ball for the next little while before loading themselves on the school bus to head back to school...

Class picture full of hot, sweaty, precious kiddos...
And with that, we said adios to our first ever Delano Mile Run...
As with most everything at this age and stage I love, it came and went way too fast!
But Buggy couldn't wait to get her hands on her new baby Annie (who looks so real it's scary), so we came on home...

 If we can't have the real Annie P., this is the next best thing!