The Shamrock Shuffle

Saturday was the 1st Annual Shamrock Shuffle in Marshfield. It was a 5k race (3.2 miles) and a Little Lad race for the kids. The kids ran 1 lap around Marshfield HS and Shook Elementary. The grownup race was four laps. First of all, let me just say that I haven't participated in a "race" (very loosely used and in quotation marks) for at least six years. I was actually somewhat athletice a few, okay, many years ago. Not so much now. In fact, I had the exact same pants dilemna I was having when I was looking for hiking pants. What to wear, what to wear. I mean seriously, who I am I trying to kid with my Nike spandex pants? I'm not athlete. Sadly, spandex was all that would fit, so Nike pants it was. I looked like some sort of misshapen fruit. Think apple or pear...I'm never really sure which one I am. Definately fruit though and probably overripe and soft and mushy in the middle.

Grace was really excited though. We coached her and gave her sage advice like don't look behind because she might fall down and to just do the best she could, you know, really running gems like that. We all three paid and signed up to run. We didn't pre-register so we weren't assured a t-shirt. It's not like we NEEDED any more t-shirts but you know how it is...you HAVE TO HAVE THE T-SHIRT or really, what's the point. Grace didn't know any different though. We got there way to early (my Type A fault) and paid up and then sat in the car and watched the race officials (Marshfield Optimist Club) try to get their ducks in a row. Let me tell you, it was cold. About 34 degrees. After about five minutes of waiting, dedicated athletes that we are, we decided to drive to McDonalds for hot cocoa. Grandpa Medley came with us (more on that story later), so the four of us killed twenty more minutes drinking hot chocolate while we sat in the parking lot at the HS waiting.

I got Grace a race number and we pinned it on the front of her fleece. She was READY!


Bryon decided he'd tag along with her because we didn't know if she would do it without one of us since most of the kids were older than her. Let me tell you, that girl can RUN! Bryon couldn't keep up with her and HE had to run too. Hehehehe. Sucker. She ran the ENTIRE WAY, and hard too. She finished about halfway through the pack and thought she won because they gave her a water bottle at the end. She was really excited. We were very proud of her.






Then it was time for the grownup race. Bryon wimped out when he figured out it was going to be four laps around. So Grandpa Medley decided he'd do part of it (walking) and I planned to walk too. We took our positions smack in the back of the pack and headed out like a herd of turtles. My goal was to just not be LAST and to beat this guy...

Grandpa and I did the first lap around then I tried to speed up a bit. About halfway through the second lap the front runners lapped me and I didn't see them again. I don't know how that happens but they were done before I finished the second lap.At the beginning of the third lap, Grace wanted to come with me. Grace ran the whole third lap AND the whole last lap but was finally slowing down the last half lap. She got stitches in both of her sides (no surprise there!). She wanted me to carry her. Heck, I could barely get myself there. I told her she'd have to walk. I finished in a blazing 52 minutes. I was NOT last. I beat the leprechan but Grace still beat me. That girl ran almost 3 miles Saturday. She's my new athletic hero :)

After the race we all headed to Freda's Cafe for stuffed french toast and hashbrowns. What? You think I got this shape eating fruit?