Tanner and Lori Run a 5K and Survive

Tanner joined a summer running club through our high school.  The kids run all summer keeping track of their miles and earning prizes for hitting milestones.  The goal is to keep these kids fit and ready to take on their Cross Country Track season at the beginning of the year.  Halfway through the summer, the running club decided to host a 5K and invite a few local high schools to join them.  They had a jr. high run, a high school run, and a parents' run.  Ever since Tanner picked up Cross Country last year I have had the desire to run a 5K with him.  When this opportunity came up, I thought it would be a great race to choose, as it was put on by his Cross Country team, it benefited a local charity, and it was free with a donation of canned food.  I also "thought" it would be pretty low key, since it wasn't a big corporate-sponsored race.  My goal was to just not be last place... however, when the parents lined up to start the race, I glanced around and counted 7 people in total including myself.  Two were boys who had recently graduated from high school and had participated in Cross Country, one was the girl's running coach, and the other three were parents who were passionate about running and are constantly training for races... and then there was me.  Before the start gun even went off I knew that I was going to have to shift my goal of "not being last" to not finishing 30 minutes behind everyone else.

As I started running that first mile and it was clear that I would be last, I began to realize a few things.  First, I realized what a beautiful day it was, second that we were the last race, and finally I made the connection that I would be the last place runner in the last race on a beautiful day... which meant that everyone that had come for the race would be waiting on ME to finish.  Needless to say my plan of walk a little run a little went out the door and I pushed myself to run the whole thing.  Which nearly killed me... but it didn't and I only finished a few minutes behind the mom in front of me.  It will probably be my best record for a 5K, not to mention my only record as I'm not sure I will ever do that again.

 

Tanner of course did amazing.  He is superhuman and it blows my mind what he is accomplishing.  I can't wait to watch him compete in his Cross Country season this Fall!