Memorial Day

When we moved here last year, I was totally thinking that come Memorial Day, we’d all go up to Boulder to run the famous Bolder Boulder 10K.  I ran that race many years ago when I lived here as a single twenty-something and it is a HUGE but fun race.  Much to my dismay, it became clear a few months ago that I really shouldn’t be running more than a couple miles at a time right now, due to my knee issues that are STILL plaguing me.  I was bummed until I heard that our neighborhood does a fun run every Memorial Day that is the perfect distance for my aging and decrepit knees—TWO MILES!

Our whole family entered (if you count Emery in the jogging stroller) and Kendall and Berkeley were pumped since it was their first real race.  We all started together, but it quickly became clear that we were not all going to be able to keep the same pace.  Berkeley wanted to RUN and Kendall was fine with running interspersed with walking.  My knees were actually feeling surprisingly good and I felt like I could have really pushed it, but it was important to me that this was a family event, so I stayed with Kendall.  Berkeley and Patrick were quickly out of my sight, so I didn’t see them until Kendall and I crossed the finish line.  Berkeley immediately ran up to me and said, “Mom, they said I got third place!”  She doesn’t have the best track record for being 100% honest, so I have to admit that I didn’t believe her for a second. . . until they were announcing the winners from the race and I hear a guy say, “And the third place winner for the Girls 8 & Under category is Berkeley McKinnon!”

Say what?

First time I’ve ever been wrong.  But I was pretty proud of my little 6 year old who was determined enough to run the entire way and smoked a lot of the kids who were much older than her!  She was proud of herself too, and was even more excited that the spoils included a ten dollar bill!  I think I may have found my little protégé. . .

Kendall did well too.  While she may not have placed, she worked hard and finished in the top third of all the participants. 

I am slowly getting closer to my dream of having our WHOLE family of five running a race together. . . fingers crossed that my stupid knees don’t ruin it for me!