Sunday, September 13, 2009

All in the Family... a Bank to Bay Race Report

Shortly before we left the house for Sunday's Bank to Bay race, Lisa disappeared into the bedroom with an old blue rag and a pair of scissors. She emerged a few minutes later, coyly proclaiming, "I made a Flashdance sweatshirt." It was a big morning... Payton's first race. Fashion was paramount.

Words can't describe how happy it made me to see these two line up for the 1k fun run. Payton's racing style tells me we may have a track star on our hands. Accelerate wildly, burn up all the fuel, walk for a bit to recover, repeat. Her mom was so proud to pin on the number, and Payton can't wait to show off her race shirt at school. So it begins.

I admired my Dad on this day, too, as he lined up for his latest of hundreds, maybe thousands of road races. For the first time, he's been feeling some pain from the awful, creeping cancer. But he lined up all the same, to do this race with family. The guy rarely runs anymore, but still cranks off 7:30 miles like he never quit. He would tell you that is almost unbearably slow. I find it amazing.

My race was decent, though I really would've liked to crack 40 minutes. It was the "secret goal" I didn't tell anyone about. But I'll get it next time. Felt strong, ran hard, and enjoyed the waning moments of a sunny Tacoma summer.

Bank to Bay 10K | Sunday, September 13, 2009
Time: 40:25 | Pace: 6:31 | Place: 29/796 | Age Place: 5/66

5 comments:

Brianna said...

Great pictures from a great day. I think your stats are very impressive as are your dad's! Glad everyone had fun. Go Peyton!!

Mona said...

Man, Michael you are faasstt! You'll be under 40 min in no time.

Eileen said...

I also was so impressed by my husband's courage. I had tears in my eyes as I saw the pain on his face as he raced past me to the finish line. Out of all the millions of times I have watched him go over a finish line, that was the one that hit my heart and made me so proud of him.

Roy Scribner said...

Congratulations! Seriously, though, do we really want to expose our children to the 80's? :)

#@!&*#^*#@! said...

Another great day. Is that our little Payton with the Flashdancer? Did she stretch over the summer or what? Soon all your children will be calling you and Lisa "Shorty 1" & "Shorty 2."