Three Makes a Crowd

Not only did three make a crowd on Saturday, December 3 but just add 3,097 more and you have the largest ever Mistletoe 5K at the 28th annual Winston-Salem race!

That's right - Evan got to run with his friend Kevin and the Princess with her "princess" Santa hat enjoyed a solo run/walk! It was a nice way to end our 5K "Run with Mom" 2011 year!

Cheerleaders: Evan's dad, Evan's little brother, Evan's aunt/mom's sister and Kevin's mom (who also took some fun photos). So, it was super cold, at freezing, and we waited and waited since there were many last-minute registrations, the race was delayed about 30 minutes.

The Princess was not happy but she kept going and finally, finally felt her toes again about halfway through the race. Evan and Kevin must have done well since they finished in just over 30 minutes. And the Princess, well, she finished in under 45 minutes!

Results are as follows:
Evan was 82nd out of 112 in the 10-14 age division with a time of 32:39. Kevin was 83rd with a time of 32:41. Mom was 129th in her age range (pre-45 years :)) out of 155 runners with a time of 44:03.

Some photos, taken by mom Lorraine:

Princess in pink hat, red coat and purple stripe pants!

Kevin in gray sweatshirt with head turned toward Evan with Santa hat, black pants.

And all of us after the race, inside the YMCA drinking and drinking!

Evan and Kevin plan to run another 5K in 2012. Meanwhile, since the race was super crowded and food was outside (it was still cold), Kevin headed to Chic-Fil-A and the Johnson clan made the long trek back to the car with a Dunkin Donut stop on the way home.

Happy Running!

Sweet Run

Wow! It's been a long time but Evan and I have completed our 5K races for 2011!

The next to last one was on Saturday, November 12 and it was the Matt Gfeller Memorial Doughnut Run - perfect for the Turtle's sweet tooth!

We signed up as casual runners which meant we had to eat between 0 to 5 doughnuts halfway through the run. Challenger runners had to eat between 6 to 12!

Our usual cheerleaders - Eric, Dad, aunt/sister and grandmother/mom - were there to see us off and greet us on that cold Saturday morning at Reynolds High School, where the late Matt Gfeller was a student.

While not pictured actually warming up, Evan really did do it. Meanwhile, Eric inspired us:

Evan decided that since he had to eat doughnuts, he would:

"Mommy, since this is our fun run, I'm going to stay with you."

Isn't that sweet? It melted my heart:

I continue to have issues with talking while running but I enjoyed listening to Evan chat about the UNC Tarheels versus Michigan game on the Navy carrier the night before (we watched it with nachos and my sister); his P.E. teacher's races; and a little more about what he was doing in school.

At Summit School, Evan had two doughnuts and water and I managed to keep one doughnut down with water while we listened to the R.J. Reynolds High School Jazz Band. It was not fun to watch those challenger runners squish six doughnuts into a sandwich to eat fast!

At the end of the race, there were, of course, more DOUGHNUTS!

Our results which included keeping the doughnut in our tummies:

Evan came in at 47:21 or 298 out of 497 casual runners. I was 302nd with a time of 47:33. 

Happy (Sweet) Running!

One Week Later

Since Evan and I have two more 5K races left this year, we try to run on a regular basis but that didn't happen this past week.

But Saturday, October 22 was just too good to pass up and since our rock garden was complete, or at least until we find more rocks, it was time for a run:

So after Gmommy left, Evan and I headed back out watching for Parade of Homes traffic in the neighborhood...

"OK, I'll try to stay with you, Mom."

NOT!

But Evan did run, only stopped one time to watch a hawk flying over him. And yes, I tried to keep up with him and most of the time, he was in within sight. So again, we enjoyed solo runs on this sunny, 63-degrees day!

Dad got our picture pre-run, always a good idea now, since Evan finishes way before me:

And our stats, well, mainly mine show:


Time: 25:05
Distance: 1.532
Steps: 3458
Calories: 103.9
Pace: 3.7


Happy Running!

27:16

Evan the Turtle rocks!

On Saturday, October 15, he finished the HAWG 5K in 27:16, his best time yet and "that was the hardest race I've done, mommy, because of those hills."

The Princess would agree - downtown Lexington, NC, has quite the hills up and back Main Street. It was chilly too, upper 50s, but pleasant in the brief sunny spots.

So while the entire world practically is stuffing their tummies full of barbecue - Lexington style - the Princess creates this post on yet another beautiful NC day.

Dad and Brother were the cheerleaders last week. This race is probably the second least crowded one that we have been done. We decided that Dad and Brother probably could have done the one-mile fun run which was held before the 5K at 8:30.

Once we got our packages, we headed back to the car for a bit to stay warm. Then Mom checked out the Port-A-John and then it was time for stretching and finding a sunny spot for our cheerleaders. We began promptly at 8:30 and within just yards, Evan was off and Mom, well, she kept going even when the police officer was collecting the orange cones toward the end of the race. Mom came in at 41:06.

The official results: Evan came in at 86 and Mom at 235 out of 263 runners. Evan's pace was 8:48 and Mom was 13:15:

Since there were no doughnuts, we stopped at the closest convenience store and got some for all of us (cheerleaders really did a good job). Once we got home, we checked out our packet which included a long sleeve t-shirt:

We shared it at our church's fish fry that evening. Still haven't had barbecue but I'm sure it is yummy today and always!

Happy Running!

Helpful Evan and Kevin

Two days before Kevin's cross country meet, he ran with Evan on Thursday, September 29 through our neighborhood.

Kevin's mom said he was nervous about the long hill at the end of our neighborhood but we all made it up without injuries and still standing. Kevin and Evan ran while his mom and I walked up.

Evan used his pedometer and it clocked 1.71 miles. Kevin was supposed to run a total of two miles since he missed cross country practice that afternoon for an orthodontist appointment but he said that time was close enough.

Before the run, Kevin taught Evan another stretch:

Well obviously Evan didn't want to pose for the camera but he is attempting to stretch his arms here. He was hungry and ready for his guitar lesson :).

So while Kevin helps Evan ... it turns out that Evan helped Kevin. We found out that weekend that Kevin improved his 5K time by two minutes thanks to Evan (and the neighborhood hill).

Happy Running!

Princess Nerves

OK, the Princess is nervous!

It is less than a week until the Turtle and I participate in our next 5K but that is not why I'm nervous. This will be our first 5K where we do not know anyone that is doing it and it is in a different city. It is the HAWG 5K for the Lexington Barbecue Festival on October 15 in downtown Lexington.

I have been to the Barbecue Festival, with my college friend Maria, in 2008:

and I saw how crowded those streets get (despite the race being the weekend before) and I know how fast Evan runs and I know how slow I run, so I have a plan!

Our photographer (Dad) said that his Walkie Talkies work up to half a mile so we might try those but since I know how fast Evan runs, I'm going to have a special meeting place at the end of the race. Really I think we will be fine but I like to plan and I know how fast Evan runs and I know how slow I run :)! As always, my goal is to finish the 5K before they close the route (I have an hour next week) and Evan's is to do better than his last 5K.

So to check my pace and release some nervousness, I hit the road late Saturday afternoon on October 8 while the boys (all three) rode their bikes. Little brother Eric is actually about my pace when he is not talking so with Evan's pedometer, I came in at:

Distance: 1.90
Steps: 4,220

And that included pulling a fussy Eric on his bike up the hill, most of the neighborhood cul-de-sacs and a few stop and starts to keep Eric in sight.

Happy Running!

Bolton Run

Since the Turtle had to go to the doctor with the Princess as his driver and we always pass by Bolton Park - we decided to stop and take advantage of the path and the awesome weather on Wednesday, October 5.

The path is actually accessible for people in wheelchairs as well as the "stretching station," which Evan wanted to do first. The path is 1,320 feet or about 0.25 mile according to the sign.


Here we are doing our own thing with Evan being silly but really stretching that leg:

And again, getting limbered up by jumping over the bars:

Then there is me, jumping over the bars:

And stretching that leg:

Then we started on the concrete path that winds around at the edge of the park. I initially said six times but ended up go eight times. Evan of course out-ran all those people there that day, most of which were walking.

We talked about our upcoming 5K (HAWG/Lexington Barbecue Festival on Oct. 15); his homework since I had to pick him up a little early from school; and I gave him ideas for my birthday in a month. Evan was hungry so I often found him "resting" on one of the benches while I walked/ran.

The change of scenery was nice but it was HOT - had to be close to 80 degrees which just seemed too hot for October. Our stats:

Time: 27:51
Distance: 1.594
Steps: 3575
Calories: 108.9
Pace: 3.4

Happy Running!