Even though Kevin’s too old to participate anymore, we continued our tradition of attending the Michigan Mile race. I’d have to admit it was an afterthought; we’ve been running everywhere for soccer and we didn’t register for this until the last minute.
before the race.,,,,,
Christopher: The Mile finishes up the Mileage Club event that the boys have been participating in school; Cpher hasn’t been the most diligent of runners (the best kids in the school ended up over 50 miles) but he did get to twenty, which is enough to get the coveted water bottle. Running isn’t Cpher’s strength (I don’t think he’s going to be very thrilled that we signed the boys up for the Okemos Track Club this summer….) so we weren’t at all sure how this would turn out.
Turns out it went pretty well. He finished in about 8 minutes, which is pretty good since he started way in the back. The best part for us is that he caught two of his more athletic friends and finished with them; I’m sure they didn’t go all out, but, Cpher started quite a ways behind them so I’m glad he kept up a solid pace for the whole race.
Matthew: Matthew’s Michigan Mile would be funny if it weren’t so sad, and it requires some explanation. Of all the boys, Matthew is the one who has found himself separated from us in public places the most….I can remember two or three PA announcements “Would Scott and Suzanne report to blank to meet Matthew” or something like that. I’m not sure why this is; I think once or twice he went off with Cpher and they became separated, but, that’s how it’s been.
And Matthew had some serious separation anxiety as it became time to line up for the Mile. Suzanne was at the top of the stadium getting ready to go collect Cpher and had sent Matthew down the aisle to find me (I was down in the stands helping Cpher get situated…the races were one right after the other). Matthew gets down to me and is almost in tears….he was upset that he couldn’t find me (he had to go down about 20 steps, it wasn’t all that far). I calm him down, and tell him when it’s time he needs to go sit over with the other nine-year olds. I tell him that I will wait and watch until he goes down to the field so that there aren’t any problems. He goes over when they call the kids, sits down, I turn my head for a second and he’s gone! Seat is empty..I’m looking around, and he’s walking back over to me. Gets to me, again almost in tears saying “I’m not going to do the race….you can’t make me do it. I won’t be able to find you at the end!”.
More talking. Another trip over to the seats where they kids need to wait. Another trip back over to me and more discussion. Suzanne calls, wondering where I am, I’m going to miss Cpher finishing his race (and I did miss every bit of that). Finally convince Matthew to stay with me until they call the kids down to the field (even through that means he’ll start near the very back of the group). I tell Matthew that I’ll walk out to the first part of the course so that he can see me and he can certainly find Mom at the end.
at the start. There were nine pictures taken at the start before this one…that’s how far back he started.
So off they go. I go up out of the stadium to see the kids and it takes a while, but, Matthew does finally come running along. He started way back but is passing all kinds of people as he runs along. I saw three kids that we know before I saw Matthew; he had passed two of them by the end of it. I don’t know what time he finished in, I missed the end because of all the drama at the beginning.
Matthew did find Mom and Dad quickly at the end of the race. Which I guess is all that really mattered.
