The Santa Run

Matthew, Anna and I participated in a Santa 5K this year.  Each participant gets a Santa suit (plus beard) to run in so its like a bunch of Santas running along.  I thought it sounded fun.  Here is John wearing Matthew's outfit.  John really wanted to participate so he ended up coming along with us and Grandpa stayed with him during the race.

Anna made Grant a small beard with a single cotton ball.  It looks like he needs to grow this beard out a little.

Matthew ready to go on race day.  The smallest suit size was adult small, so my mom hemmed his pants for him.

Anna's registration was free with an adult so she didn't get a full suit.

She looked good though.  We got her a Santa shirt.

The run was at the Riverwoods in Provo up and down the Provo river trail.

Here we are at the starting line ready to go.

Matthew has Santa experience so he knew just what to do.

And here we are ready for the race to begin.

I don't know if I would want to run this event again - there were some logistical issues and I didn't love running in the Santa suit.  I would have preferred a red long sleeve T-shirt.  A lot of people ripped their suits off along the way (or were just wearing tattered shreds by the end).  The hats that came with the suit were really thin and cheap too.  These hats that we're wearing here are the cheapy ones from Walmart which were much better quality.  Anyway, we had fun still.  There was milk and cookies (and water) at a few rest stops along the course and the kids liked that.  Anna blazed through the first mile and a half - leaving Matthew and I in the dust - and then she pooped out and whined/wanted to be carried the last half of the course.  Once she wasn't running anymore she got colder and colder (it was probably in the 50s and dropping as the sun went down).  The race was at 4pm.  So the last mile or so seemed really long!  I walked with the kids (and sometimes carried Anna) but felt eager to run.  At the last half mile of the run there was a cut off you could just head to the finish line without doing the last half mile.  Anna didn't want to run anymore, so she stood at the cut off with some race officials while Matthew and I ran the last half mile quickly.  Then we all walked/ran the last little bit.  I think I got my slowest 5K time ever - 52 minutes - and I'm not sure I want to do another one with kids for a while.  But I'm glad we tried it.

Here are the kids at the finish line.  Anna was pretty upset but managed a smile for the camera.  She told me she never wanted to run again, which of course is not at all the response I was hoping for.  Maybe she'll feel better running in warmer temperatures or a shorter distance. 3 miles is a lot for a 7 year old.  She (and Matthew) actually did very well considering.  So maybe I'll just run by myself for a while.