Running the race ... it's a family thing!

Since I have nothing good to report about my own athletic endeavors, it's time to praise some other adult onset athletes in my life!! I've mentioned my kick-ass ultrarunner cousin more than once, but now there are others jumping on the bandwagon. Despite my complete lack of serious training this summer, I managed to inspire BJ to start running!! Like I did a year and a half ago, he is following the Cool Running Couch to 5K program which has made runners out of many people. Since he was nearing the end of his program, we looked at the local racing calendar to find a 5K to race. He hadn't run the full distance as of yet, but I had confidence in his ability to make it though :) He ended up running the Rollin' on the River 5K this past Saturday in North Little Rock and finished in a very respectable time of 31:50!! (I'm trying very hard not to feel jealous given that I was 3 & 1/2 minutes slower in my first race) I waited at the end to cheer for him and he looked great, just like a real runner! Like many before him, the thrill of racing has ignited a competitive drive and he's already looking for a longer distance to shoot for - we're tentatively planning the Route 66 half marathon in Tulsa for both of us.

The other big cheer goes out to my Momma and my Auntie K who race walked their first 10K yesterday! My Momma has always been one of those fast walkers, you know the type, always walks as if she's the white rabbit running late for an important date. She finally channeled that energy into a training program with Abe's Army, a local group in Springfield, IL that trains folks for the Abe's Amble 10K. She and her sister Auntie K signed up and have been racking up the miles all summer and I'm so proud of both of them! Momma finished in just over 1 hour 31 minutes which is very respectable for such a hilly course and Auntie K was right behind her!! Who knew that there could be so many athletes among us?!?!

and since I didn't have a photo of Momma from her race, I grabbed the only "racing" photo that I have .... her at the Tomorrowland Speedway at Disney World :)