Bring It On...one year later
Today was our town's 32nd Annual Spring Run. We have known about this event for weeks, signed up for it, paid to enter, were given cool t-shirts to wear & even a fancy number to pin on the front. Brian has been prepping the girls for a few weeks about this 1.2 mile run. Several nights this week they practiced the course together, while the twins, Titus and I waited 500ft from finish line in the car-windows rolled down. Once we saw them coming, we'd start to drive slowly while blasting the Jackson 5's ABC-123 to motivate them to the finish line. We're a sight to behold, I know. Even Brian's bedtime stories have centered around running, racing & finishing.
There are 3 rules to this practice & race: 1) No crying and/or whining 2) No stopping and 3) No pushing each other (they jockey for position & box each other out-good 'old healthy sibling rivalry) . If you'll remember last year around this time, Emma was the throws of several competitions, all of which she was more interested about ribbon colors & styles than the actual opportunity to win. Check here for a trip down memory lane.
Brian was on a mission this year to change the lack-luster competitive tone around here. Everyone in the Spring Run gets a ribbon (this is how it is these days) & the top 3 in each age group get a medal.
The goal- A medal.
Brian's goal- a gold medal, attached to a blue ribbon.
No yellow ribbons this year, no trophies for best style. Bring on the Blue, baby!
We show up early, get parked, stretched, & make sure shoe laces are double knotted. I'm in charge of everybody 2 & under. Stroller, slings, fruit snacks, bottles coming out my ears. No running for me (bummer...not really). I think I'd rather push another Willmer out of me, than run anywhere :) Brian gets the crew as close as possible to the front line of the race. In our race-day game planning, we knew this would be a key component to victory.
Suddenly the countdown was on for the start of the race...10-9-8-7....3-2-1! BANG!
And the runners were off!! The little ones and I waited where we used to wait in the car with the Jackson 5 cued up. Eventually the runners came running in. High schoolers, dads, a few kids, and then I spot Emma. She came trucking around the corner on a mission. Brian knew at the halfway point he would have to unleash her (like a good horse in the Kentucky Derby), and he would hang back with Addie. Emma came running by all cute and red-cheeked. As we were cheering-she yells out, "Addie fell. She went down at the beginning of the race!!" Oh no! No one likes falling- especially Addie. This little sweet thing likes to have Barbie Band-Aids on anything with a hint of red in it, and I was sure Brian was not carrying a Barbie Band Aid. They come trucking around the corner about 45 seconds later. I get the low-down at the finish line.
I guess upon the start, as everyone narrows to take a shorter route, Addie tripped on one of those yellow street bumps & fell. Brian got down close to her to inspect the knees and suddenly he was flocked with the Spring Run First Aid team. "Let's move her to the side to evaluate her!" "Let's get that cleaned up." "We'll help." Um, are they not aware of the Willmer rules?? #2 is No Stopping. We're Willmer's. We've practiced for this fun run. We have goals. Folks, we are in it to win it. Brian scooped her up & said something like, "We are not quitting. You can do it Addie. It's all about finishing the race and doing your best." Fending off the attentive first aid squad, they got back in the race. Picking off other dad's and kids left and right. Catching more speed with every stride, until they passed through the finish line together.
We hung around for the awards. Already prepping for damage control, Brian was trying to get a good read from me on where they finished. I knew it was a little under 10 minutes, but there were a lot of kids?! They began reading off the results starting with 3rd place, then 2nd, and then 1st..."Addie Wilmer!" What? We both looked at each other, puzzled. Did they feel bad for her? Was this a sympathy medal? Nope. She was the first 5 & under to come running through (and the only one who practiced, no doubt). And then for the 6-7 year olds...3rd place, 2nd place, and the winner is...."Emma Willmer!" I was already telling her it was the experience that mattered & learning to try your hardest when they announced her name over the loudspeaker. What a day!
As Brian and I drove home we just laughed at ourselves. Joyed in how good God is to have the girls get this special memory together. And loved the sisters up really hard, for all their hard work & determination. Brian also recalled the event, the fall-of-all-falls & the onslaught of first aid people, to me on the car-ride home.
He confessed, "I was that dad."
You know the dad that will do what it takes at all costs. No shame hubby, Addie has a medal to show off along with her asphalt knee burns. And we have kids who just may have a little competitive streak in them afterall. Phew :)
Check out the sea of gold & blue!
There are 3 rules to this practice & race: 1) No crying and/or whining 2) No stopping and 3) No pushing each other (they jockey for position & box each other out-good 'old healthy sibling rivalry) . If you'll remember last year around this time, Emma was the throws of several competitions, all of which she was more interested about ribbon colors & styles than the actual opportunity to win. Check here for a trip down memory lane.
Brian was on a mission this year to change the lack-luster competitive tone around here. Everyone in the Spring Run gets a ribbon (this is how it is these days) & the top 3 in each age group get a medal.
The goal- A medal.
Brian's goal- a gold medal, attached to a blue ribbon.
No yellow ribbons this year, no trophies for best style. Bring on the Blue, baby!
We show up early, get parked, stretched, & make sure shoe laces are double knotted. I'm in charge of everybody 2 & under. Stroller, slings, fruit snacks, bottles coming out my ears. No running for me (bummer...not really). I think I'd rather push another Willmer out of me, than run anywhere :) Brian gets the crew as close as possible to the front line of the race. In our race-day game planning, we knew this would be a key component to victory.
Suddenly the countdown was on for the start of the race...10-9-8-7....3-2-1! BANG!
And the runners were off!! The little ones and I waited where we used to wait in the car with the Jackson 5 cued up. Eventually the runners came running in. High schoolers, dads, a few kids, and then I spot Emma. She came trucking around the corner on a mission. Brian knew at the halfway point he would have to unleash her (like a good horse in the Kentucky Derby), and he would hang back with Addie. Emma came running by all cute and red-cheeked. As we were cheering-she yells out, "Addie fell. She went down at the beginning of the race!!" Oh no! No one likes falling- especially Addie. This little sweet thing likes to have Barbie Band-Aids on anything with a hint of red in it, and I was sure Brian was not carrying a Barbie Band Aid. They come trucking around the corner about 45 seconds later. I get the low-down at the finish line.
I guess upon the start, as everyone narrows to take a shorter route, Addie tripped on one of those yellow street bumps & fell. Brian got down close to her to inspect the knees and suddenly he was flocked with the Spring Run First Aid team. "Let's move her to the side to evaluate her!" "Let's get that cleaned up." "We'll help." Um, are they not aware of the Willmer rules?? #2 is No Stopping. We're Willmer's. We've practiced for this fun run. We have goals. Folks, we are in it to win it. Brian scooped her up & said something like, "We are not quitting. You can do it Addie. It's all about finishing the race and doing your best." Fending off the attentive first aid squad, they got back in the race. Picking off other dad's and kids left and right. Catching more speed with every stride, until they passed through the finish line together.
We hung around for the awards. Already prepping for damage control, Brian was trying to get a good read from me on where they finished. I knew it was a little under 10 minutes, but there were a lot of kids?! They began reading off the results starting with 3rd place, then 2nd, and then 1st..."Addie Wilmer!" What? We both looked at each other, puzzled. Did they feel bad for her? Was this a sympathy medal? Nope. She was the first 5 & under to come running through (and the only one who practiced, no doubt). And then for the 6-7 year olds...3rd place, 2nd place, and the winner is...."Emma Willmer!" I was already telling her it was the experience that mattered & learning to try your hardest when they announced her name over the loudspeaker. What a day!
As Brian and I drove home we just laughed at ourselves. Joyed in how good God is to have the girls get this special memory together. And loved the sisters up really hard, for all their hard work & determination. Brian also recalled the event, the fall-of-all-falls & the onslaught of first aid people, to me on the car-ride home.
He confessed, "I was that dad."
You know the dad that will do what it takes at all costs. No shame hubby, Addie has a medal to show off along with her asphalt knee burns. And we have kids who just may have a little competitive streak in them afterall. Phew :)
Check out the sea of gold & blue!
Now all I have to say is...
Bring It on!
Bring It on!
Comments
Love,
Aunt Kathy and Uncle Hector