November 13 – “Race Day”

I received a lesson in socking-putting-on from Luke.  I drew that particular task as we were getting ready to head out for the day at the race.  He climbed into my lap and patiently waited for me to slide each one his tiny little feet.  I finished up and reached for his shoes – well, I thought I was finished.  He then very calmly and gently informed me, “No, DadDad.  See?  I learned do it dis way.”  He then proceeded to grab the top of each sock with his fingers and pull it as tight as it would go up his leg.  “Now.  I ready.”  Well, OK.  I’m learning.

So on to the run itself.  The start and finish line was located at the Waco Zoo, so there was plenty of action to be had for the non-runners.  They had a bounce house set up near the finish line (That’s where Caleb headed.  He was disappointed not to be running in the big race, but this was to be Dad and Zak’s special thing together.  His turn will come), as well as face painters.  An announcer had the unenviable task of announcing each and every runner as he or she crossed the finish line.  And to top that task off, there were late finishers coming across from the 10K at the same time as the 5K’ers.  He was pretty amazing. 

Josh and Zak joined the throng of almost nine hundred (or so the announcer reported later) for the start of the race, and we took up our spot at the first mile marker.  It wasn’t long before the two of them came zipping past us.  Zak waved shyly and Josh swooped around to give high fives to the crowd (especially Luke and Caleb).  Christi and Caleb held up a sign they had made encouraging Dad and Zak to run fast.  That moment lasted just that – about a moment.  And then we headed over to the finish line to wait. 

Christi said they had been taking around 45 minutes to finish three miles during their training runs.  I knew that there is something special about being in an actual race, though.  The adrenaline just kicks in.  I predicted somewhere under 40 minutes.  We saw the winner come across in at just under 17 minutes.  He was a tall, lanky youngster of only 17 years.  We joked that the kid’s legs alone were almost as tall as Zak was.  Christi met his Mom.  She told her that he was in training to get a college scholarship.  He needs to shave a few more seconds off his time, but I hope he gets there. 

Josh said they slowed to a walk several times, and even strolled for a while at about the halfway point so they could catch a few Pokemons.  And still they came running around the bend to finish in 36 minutes and 24 seconds.  Not a bad time at all for a couple of neighborhood joggers in their first race together.  Hey, they knocked almost ten minutes off their personal best times.  We found out later that Zak finished tenth in his age group.  All in all, it was quite a successful morning.  We even found time to make our way around the zoo.  But that’s a story for another day.

Ephesians 2:4 says, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.”

Father, thank you for your protection for the runners.  And thank you for the success they all experienced as they crossed the finish line.  Amen.