My Boys Are Runners!

Marcus and Ethan got bit by the running bug.  I love it!  The cross country season ended with the finals on Halloween day.  The weather was sunny and cool and perfect for a race.  We arrived just in time to cheer Ethan on as he ran in the 1.8 mile course finishing 30th out of 128 runners.  I'm so proud of him because football season and cross country overlap so he was doing double duty.  On Mondays and Wednesdays he had cross country and football back-to-back, then followed by piano lessons or scouts.  He was a busy kid!  And tired.  I suggested multiple times that he drop cross country but he refused so we worked together to keep on top of things.  The best part for him was a noticeable difference in his speed on the football field.  He became the fastest on his team and finished ahead of his teammates on all the running drills, and that's a good feeling!  Even his coach noticed and started having Ethan play running back which is a very big deal because Ethan actually got to touch the ball for once.

 Ethan running through the sand a mile into the race

Ethan half a mile left with a looong line of runners behind him.

 Marcus is very particular about his pre-race music to get him in the zone and took his training very seriously.  He made sure to save his "leg day" at the gym for the day after the meets.  If this boy was as dedicated to his schoolwork as he was to exercise, we'd have another Harvard graduate in our family.  But maybe his dreams to run in the Olympics will pan out and that would be cool too.  For now, he's got the cross country coach at the high school very excited for next year. 

Here's the 7/8th grade boys lining up at the start.  In the sand!  Ugh!

The prettiest cross country course.  Except for the sand.

 Marcus battling it out for 3rd place and running a 5:15 mile

Marcus sprinting ahead to get 4th place out of 200+ runners and beating his friend in the process.

Marcus's friend Victor is a great runner and this was the only race Marcus beat him in all season

Marcus and Victor finished every race this way

Ethan and his friend Max

Randy sprinted through the parking lot to watch Ethan while I parked the car

Parker is thrilled this was the last race

The cool playground kept us busy while we waited for the runners and I actually documented Henry's first experience on a swing.  Wish these swings were around for all my boys!

I could kiss those cheeks all day.  Oh wait.  I already do. 

Heading home for some awesome trick-or-treating

And I love this pic of my boys at one of the earlier meets.  Parker is good about going to all these events and Henry should start crying if he knew how many of these things he'll be going to in the next five years of his life.  Poor boy.