Fun Run

Today was Rock Canyon's annual Fun Run, or, as it is known chez Barrus, the Not So Fun Run.  Blythe doesn't love to run.  She gets that from me.  Knowing this, I was surprised when she told me that she and Lilly were going to start with the competitive runners and try and place in their age group.  I pointed out that Blythe has done no training or conditioning and that she hasn't been running at all.  She didn't seem to care.  Typical.  Whatever.

She was lined up at the front with all the competitive runners when I went to take her picture at the starting line, and I encouraged her to run "like the wind."  I wanted to be positive.   She was embarrassed.  

That's Blythe's head circled in orange.

There she is again, taking off at a run.

The opening moments of a race are always thrilling!

The thrill didn't last long.  Runners went all the way around Sertoma Park, almost right back to where they started, so as a watcher/cheerer, I made my way over to where they would pass as they ran around.  By the time Blythe got around the field, she was no longer in contention.  I dare say, halfway around the field, she was no longer in contention.  I cheered as she came by, and wished her good luck, then settled in for a long wait for the finish.  It was wet and rainy, but the race went on and Blythe kept moving, slowly but surely getting closer to the end.    She came in before the last runners, but far from the first runners.  She and Lilly finished together, and I think she would say it wasn't horrible.  She would probably also say that I forced her to run and that she's glad she'll be in sixth grade next year and will only have one more year to compete in the Not So Fun Run.