Soggy Bottoms

Iver has been missing running (as his fall cross-country season is over) and when he heard about a local three-mile run sponsored by Six Rivers Running Club, he wanted to sign up!  This was a distance longer than the ~two-mile races run by the older (3-5th grade) kids in the previous meets in which he "ran up," but he was up for the challenge and wanted me to run with him, although I hardly ever run these days, and only at a very slow pace for exercise. ("Don't leave me behind at the end, ok, mom?" "That would be quite unlikely, son.") There was also an eight-mile race which started a quarter-hour before ours.

Our friend Beth and her girls Sophia and Olivia, all of whom are amazing athletes, also participated! 

Unfortunately, the weather this morning was terrible, and reminiscent of the soggy duathlon that Iver did a couple of months ago, which was his very first race.  We had rainjackets, hats, and handwarmers, and were still chilly!  I actually think I ran faster than I would have ordinarily because I wanted to get out of the downpour but ended up being overbundled by the end (and carrying Iver's extra layers)!  

The course left Iver's elementary school and St. Mary's church out in a figure-of-eight shape on the paved (but somewhat pot-holed) roads and past the farms and fields of Arcata's "Bottoms" (a flat plain).   There were a couple of monitors directing traffic, and we passed various farmlife along the way. 

The pack at the start  (you can spot Iver in a green shirt)

Sophia is in the red on the right

Iver and Olivia, his bud and top finisher in most of the K-2 races this fall, started out quickly and were near the front of the pack.   However, Olivia and I dropped back while Iver kept up a good pace for the rest of the race, averaging about a nine-minute mile and finishing in 27:24!  He shed some layers (to mom, behind him), and finished strong despite being drenched by the pouring rain! 

It's perfectly ok to finish behind seven- and nine-year-olds (I was about a half-minute behind Iver)!

Official Results were posted later, and I included the times/ages below but omitted the other participants' names. Iver was impressed that 62-year-olds still run (and quickly!).

3M

Place Name                G/age    Time      Bib#

 1                         M29     18:00     598

 2                         M50     20:07     592

 3                         M34     21:14     396

 4                         M46     21:54     460

 5                         F57     21:58     392

 6                         M53     22:13     398

 7                         F43     22:22     459

 8                         M58     24:00     591

 9                         M62     24:40     600

10                         M13     24:51     397

11                         F59     25:05     447

12                         F40     26:01     449

13                         M10     26:29     700

14 Iver V             M07     27:24     582

15                         F43     27:37     596

16                         F09     27:51     595

17 Tara V            F40     27:59     583

We then watched Sophia and Olivia bring it home.

Beth (an Ironman athlete), smiling all the way!

We were sooooo wet after the race-- all Iver wanted to do was to go home and get in a warm bath. I had some hot cocoa.

Bedraggled bunch! 

I actually signed us up for a family running club membership before the race today, which covered the fee for today and those for the next year. I anticipate we'll do some more local races as a family in the coming months and years. I just hope for better weather next time!