Athletic Highlights

Tonight is a big night for Alabama. Apparently there is a big game on tonight and it involves a Mobile hometown favorite, Alabama, appropriately named. Pete, as any ex-quarterback football star, enjoys a good match up. Even someone as athletically illiterate as myself can enjoy the excitement others have over a good football game...I just love excitement, even if it is over football.

I am not what you would call an athlete. I played soccer in High School, purely for the bus ride. I liked all the team hoopla, the soccer and wet grass touching me I could have skipped altogether. Besides, everyone else had a Letterman jacket, even if our school colors were orange and blue, I'm not one to be left out of a fashion movement.

Things have not gotten any better in my advanced age. I do "run" daily. I am not sure it can be qualified as a run, but since there is no better adjective I am going to risk the use of it. You may be thinking that I am just exercising humility as I describe my athletic prowess. I assure you I am not.

I have tried to improve my running time. I have raced in 1 half marathon and several 5 K's and even more 10K's. All of this peppered between 7 pregnancies. The last "race" I participated in was in Sitka Alaska. It is a small town with really fast runners!! I say that because I entered to run the Whale Fest 10K and LOST!! I bet you did not think you could lose a 10K race. I came in last. Last, as in NO BODY WAS BEHIND ME!! I promise you I ran the whole time. I never stopped to pee, drink or blow my nose in the 10 degree November weather. I run about a 9:00 minute mile on average...not THAT bad. Even at that clip I had to face running to the finish line with just Pete and the race organizer guy with a worried look on their face. Watching someone be last is painful for all involved.

The girls TOTALLY remember this event. "Do you remember when you came in last at that race in Alaska Mama?" they will ask as another mom is asking my advice on running with kids....

And to make the event more painful the paper published the results...every last person to run in the race!! Gotta love a small town and kids with good memories.