Rowzee girls like to run

It's been a few weeks since the girls ran in the Awesome 3000, but I had to post about it! This was Avery's second year participating and it was Allie's first.

They have booths set up and I had to take a shot of my two blondies digging through corn kernels for candy. They look so much like twins!
I thought this was a funny and typical pic of Allie :)

Allie had to run with the pre-K kids, so a parent had to run with her. I don't even remember what the distance was, but it was just silly! Allie and I joined a crazy-big crowd of parents and preschoolers and tried to run not-even one lap around the track. She fell once and I scooped her up for fear of her being trampled! Next year she'll get to run on her own with other kindergarten girls. Don't even bother looking for us in this picture - I don't think we're in it! But that's our group!

Getting Avery ready for her big race - a 1.5 km distance. That's .932 miles. This is the same distance she ran last year. I was still pretty nervous for her, even though she did wonderfully last year. It feels a little crazy to let your tiny little kid out into a giant crowd of 250 kids and go sit in the stands and wait.

Since it was Mother's Day weekend, it seemed like fun to have both grandmas come cheer for the girls. Rich's parents and my parents both enjoyed the excitement of the day.

This is Avery's giant crowd of 248 first grade girls. I was hoping the pink pants would help me pick her out from the crowd. Apparently Avery's not the only one with a genius for a mom. Next year we're getting bright orange hair spray paint.
The first girl back into the stadium was running like the wind. I couldn't believe it! Her legs had to have been twice the size of Avery's and she was book'n it! A few more girls came in, and then my determined little runner-girl came running in! Forget that I have some serious issues with my voice and yelling sets me back days without much of a voice. And forget that there was no way she could hear me! I was cheering with all my might!

There's no one else around her because there are 240 girls still behind her. I'm sorry. I know as a mom I'm not supposed to brag. But I am just so darn proud of her!

I love this picture. Her grandparents were quite proud, too. She has run with me off and on lately and wanted to stop here and there as we ran. She got winded. I really didn't know what to expect with this race. I think that's why I'm even more proud of her. She got into "race mode" and just pushed herself as far as she could. I'm exceedingly proud of that kind of determination. She came in at the same place that she did last year, but with 100 more girls competing against her - 8th place.