Lucky Number 13

Our first overnight trip as a family of five had some moments, but overall it was a success and it was definitely worth it to watch my handsome youngest brother, in the maroon and gold on the far right, get on the medal stand.

That's right the medal stand! He had been injured most of the season and this was only his third race back so we were just excited he was at state. He was ranked 34th coming in, so when we saw him at 13th (and top 16 medal) we were so excited and I went into the crazy screaming/cheering mode as if my voice could somehow compel him to keep his spot as they went down the final little hill and down the chute. Keep his spot he did and he ended up with great time and 13th in state.

Little Man loved being there and running around watching all the races. He was thrilled when he learned Marcus got a medal and took everything in wide eyed and talking about how all the running was good training for his race (the race he ran last summer and is already looking forward to doing again.) He dreams of running like his uncles and could probably spend all day watching races. Kiwi's face in the above picture about captures how she felt about being there. She does not love to attend sporting events, but she was a trooper and did a good job. And she does love her Uncle Marcus and yelled her loudest for him.

This little guy got a lot of attention in his bright red Elmo suit. For a good chunk of the meet, I had in in the front pack and people kept coming up to see the baby under all that red. We got a couple of "starting him young" comments to which I smiled. Although I would love my kids to be runners, we will support them in whatever they want to do.

The night before and the morning of the meet, the kids enjoyed the hotel swimming pool. It even had a little wading pool perfect for little kids.

Friday night the whole family went swimming and even Mason got in on the action. I didn't get a picture of him in the water, but here he is back in the hotel room in his teeny, tiny board shorts.

Although his face may not register a lot of emotion in this picture, the arm waving indicates that he is, indeed, excited

He really enjoyed it for about ten minutes and then started to get cold, so he and I observed from the side while I put my feet in and he sat wrapped in a big fluffy towel.

Being at state brought back memories of myself running this same course eleven years ago. And memories of the years when I did not qualify, but went and supported my team mate who did. Memories like twenty of us girls sleeping wall to wall in a hotel room (I didn't think much of it at the time, but I think I know now when my coach had us come through the side door) or a big group of wandering around town after dinner trying to find the hotel of some male runners we had met at a restaurant and who had given us their information on a napkin.
State was always fun and this time was no exception.

A different fun, but still fun. Instead of carbo loading at an Italian restaurant
and meeting other runners, I was sitting across from my handsome husband at the Old Country buffet balancing a baby on one knee and pretending not to notice that when Little Man came back after his uncle helped him get food that his plate did not contain anything of any nutritional value. We enjoyed visiting with my parents and brother Michael (Marcus was with his fellow runners eating pasta somewhere) and were only interrupted by a somewhat fussy baby and both Little Man and Kiwi each spilling their entire dish of ice cream everywhere.

Being seventeen was great, but I would pick being 29 any day.

Overall it was a great weekend, the DVD players Mike bought for the car ride were life savers, and watching Marcus run was definitely worth the trip. We are already looking forward to next year!