I'm racing through the entrance of civic field with a child in each arm. There's a line to check in. Three arm bands that will have to wait to be put on, only time to make 2 name tags right now. Running across the field with 2 children, applying wrist bands mid run. Plop toddler down on the track within seconds of the start of the 2 year old hurdles. We're not going to be late for my race, ha! I may as well be running tomorrow. It's track season kiddos!
Track meets with kids: help 2 yr old with race, wait around while 5 yr old demands turn. 2 decides race was not long enough, is about 100 meters away. Aww, she's an ultra toddler. 5 is running circles around the javelin. Help 5 yr old with race. Suprisingly, or not surprisingly, after all that waiting 5 is not ready to start race, takes about a 5 second delayed start. That'll kill your 50 meter chances. Find 2 who is climbing bleachers. Long jump time. Except not really, it's really just a big sandbox. We need to go across the track for 2's next race. But I'm playing sand box! Mom you's a BAD GUY! Collect 2 and 2 and 5's shoes and run across field while getting hit for spoiling play time. 5 is playing in the bleachers. 2 is actually a pretty good racer ("I ran fast at track meet. I won!) At 2 if you can run in a straight line all the way to the finish line without being distracted you are 90th percentile. 2 loves blue! Now 5 has disappeared. Gather 2 to look behind bleachers for 5. There is no 5. There is no 5! 5 has disappeared! Ask officials if they have seen 5, run around carrying 2 in panic looking for 5. Finally see her at the other end of the bleachers, crying with an adult. 5 ran to other end of the bleachers near finish line to watch 2's race and was hiding for some reason and is now traumatized. Comfort 5. Dad, who showed up about 5 minutes ago declares time to leave. 5 is cheered up enough to run her race which has just started. Runs 50 meters. Despite the short race distance 5 finds time to chat with fellow participants who look baffled as to why someone would be bothering them while they are racing. 5 loves green! Dad takes 2 and 5 home. Ahhhh.
Now it's only 2 hours until the 5k. My first chance to sit down all day. Feel like I'm in college again. Just sitting at a track meet all day, waiting for my turn to run, while getting increasingly anxious, except now two thirds of my anxiety has gone home. Anyone who has ever been to a youth track meet will not be shocked to hear that the 100 takes longer than the 5k. Once the 100 is over most people have left. Yet somehow the 200 still takes 15 minutes longer than is allocated for it on the schedule. It is almost 9 o'clock, in the pm, yet still light out. 2 and 5 are probably still awake, ok, the 200 can last a little longer.
My unofficial goal is to run under 21 minutes. That's about 1:40 a lap. This is basically sprinting for me. In some ways the 5k is harder than the half marathon. I say unofficial because I have doubts I can run this fast anymore. But my race goes really well. I ran 20:34, which is my fastest 5k since 2013.
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