Homecoming 5K

(Post-race)


Caitlin won her age group. Nathan might have, had he not been pushing the stroller loaded with the two littlest. Still a fun race. I love this race because I know I am not going to finish last. I was finisher #1416 of 1803.

Next year we'll be in the 40-49 age group! ACK!!!!

Fall is here

Probably the worst photo ever shared on the internet, but it gives you the idea

Family home evening apple tasting (Found online, not my own creativity)
We tested 8 apples  . . . and I would have picked some different ones, but this is what they had where I shopped that Monday:
Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jazz, Pink Lady, Gala, Honeycrisp, Sweet Tango.

We voted on Sweet, Juicy, Tart & Favorite.

Here are the Favorite winners:
Gala: Ed & Diana
Sweet Tango: Andrew & Caitlin
Honeycrisp: Beth & Nathan

When it was over, we cut up what was left and put in on the stove to bowl. We got a small bowl of applesauce, they each got one spoonful in the morning to add to their oatmeal.

I think this activity would work with lots of ages. I feel bad for the checker who has to check you out at the store, but he'll get over it.


Giant Pumpkin contest
Between morning and afternoon sessions of Saturday conference, we went to a nearby nursery to see their giant pumpkin contest. It was a great break to get outside. There were not very many pumpkins there, but the ones that showed up were impressive.

Quite a thing to move a pumpkin that big--this is the winner

Officially this is a "squash," not a pumpkin, so its 900lb weight didn't win . . . it was the biggest

2nd or 3rd place?

I can update weights in the morning after the kids remind me how much they were. Nathan was digging in the Berthoud Mud, so not pictured here. He earned his Mormon Helping Hands T-shirt for slogging in the mud that day.

CSU Homecoming 5K

It's kind of tradition for our family to participate in the Homecoming 5K. We've done it (at least one of us), every year since moving here, except last year when N & A were in UT for conference. It was a big group this year. Every one of our family members entered. It's sponsored by the department that Nathan works with for research, so it's giving back to them a bit. A lot of people, 2000+. Chip timing is a lovely thing. Everyone had someone to run with. Nathan stayed with Diana, Edwin stayed with me (mostly in a stroller, though I made him run over the finish line), Bryn, Cait & Andrew started together but Bryn finished ahead of them thanks to her many hours of cross country practice this fall. She finished first for our family.
We took a starting line pic, but I've been asked not to share it. (boo!)


Fall Leaf Drive

This afternoon we had commitments until after dinner, so after our meetings we went on a fall color drive. Most of the leaves here turn yellow, so we were on the hunt for orange, red, and brown leaves. It was pleasant. We drove up to Lory State Park, turned around because we didn't want to pay, and headed up the Reservoir road from the North. We've never been from that direction, so it was fun to approach it from a different way. We came down and checked out some of the city park area, finishing off with a stop at the flower gardens across from CSU. They have planted an annual garden to show how different types of annuals weather in the Rocky Mountains. It is a lovely place that will not look so lovely in a few weeks. Nathan had the camera, so perhaps I will get photos from him in the next couple of days.

Homecoming 5K 2011

(Or . . . . Running Circles around Me)

We did it!!! With the help of my parents, Nathan and I participated in five 5K races this summer. It's been great fun. We ended with the Homecoming 5K in perfect race weather. Caitlin decided to join in. She didn't have to walk until 2.5 miles. She stopped to walk a couple more times after that, but plugged ahead. We also ran into a friend from the ward, and Andrew's former 4th grade teacher. It is a large race--which makes it fun.

It was not my finest race, but I am happy to report I was able to run(jog) the whole way. Nathan hasn't run since his car accident. He stayed with Caitlin the whole time, so he was in a different pace group than he's used to. 
Our times were:
Caitlin:  36:37
Nathan: 36:39
Beth    37:51

My favorite part of the race was hearing the announcer read Nathan's name: "Here comes Dr. Nathan Hunt, crossing the finish line. And, his daughter, Caitlin. She's only 7 years old!"
I think that was happening about the same time this photo was snapped.

I knew they were ahead of me, but didn't know how far. I was excited to hear them mention their names--since I didn't get to see their finish.

And I learned that "pre-race" photos are better than "post race photos."

We've never taken pre-race photos before, but maybe that will change

Just under half a mile to go and still going strong!

It feels good to have completed our goal. We love the racing community. Last running season we did two races. This summer we planned five, one for each of our children. I would like to try a 10K next summer.

Second place

These gentlemen won 2nd place in their age divisions today.
(We have to convince Dad to register as a runner and not a walker. Probably this ribbon will convince him).

The Rat Race

August 13, 2011
My time 36:40
Nathan's 18:32
Dad  42:30???

Great course.
Mom mentioned how funny it is that last week was the "Human" Race, and this was the "Rat" Race.

I dislike it when race walkers pass me. Much better to have the winner of the 10K pass me (when I am only doing the 5K). Today when the race walker passed me and I couldn't catch him, I decided who I would pass and stay ahead of. I passed her in the last couple minutes of the race.
The Fort Collins H.S. Cross country team came and dominated the race. Fun to watch them run fast. It's safe to say all of them were ahead of me.

Nathan also won a drawing for prizes: He picked out a set of wrenches. They had written retail value $29, so we almost got our entry fee back.

Thanks, Mom for watching the kids while we ran!

The Human Race

August 6, 2011
My time: 36:50
Nathan's time: 18:59


I was stuck in the 39's for so long. I'm happy to be able to run faster.
After Nathan is done with his race, he always comes back to encourage me to the finish line. I feel a boost of energy when I see him. This time he brought Caitlin, too. It was fun to run next to them.

The older children (everyone but Ed) ran in a children's race). The biggest children's race we've seen.  This race was in Old Town--which was fun.

(This is the third of five races this season. Stay tuned).

Cinco Cinco

On Cinco de Mayo we ate Latin food. Delicious.

We watched Andrew run a PR in the 800M at the district track meet. His first track race ever!

This morning we competed in the Cinco Cinco 5K at CSU. (One of us competed, the other two participated).
Nathan stayed at the pace he wanted to run and brought home some hardware. SUCCESS.
I did not have to walk the whole time. SUCCESS.
My dad did his first 5K walk ever! SUCCESS.
Caitlin and Diana did the kids' race and earned medals. SUCCESS.
(Bryn would have but was too old).
Thank you mom for being with the kids and cheering us on.

Then we went to part II of the district track meet and watched Andrew in several more events, (long jump, 75M, 200M, and shuttle relay). He enjoyed it and we enjoyed the lovely weather.

Here are some photos Bryn took of our street today:

Coming Home 5K

This morning was our second race this year, the CSU Homecoming 5K. It was the biggest race I've run . . . . 1515 finishers . . . . . I loved the energy of so many participants.

My goal was to be able to run (jog) the whole race without stopping to walk. Because it was so big, the organizers asked us to stay with our pace group at the start. I enjoyed that better than starting with Nathan at the front. I was behind the Stormtrooper and near some jogging stroller moms. (Yes, he really did the whole race in his awesome costume). About 3/4 of a mile into the race, 4 jogging stroller dads passed me all at once. I met my goal--I did it without walking. I am a runner!? (What IS a runner?)

I have a goal about staying ahead of jogging stroller moms and dads . . . . . someday.

We had a babysitter so we could both run. She goes to CSU, which was great because she knew where to park, and she could drive herself home at the end.

The most inspiring participants were:
the parents pushing their teenage daughter with physical disabilities in an adult sized jogging stroller, (they brought a tear to my eye when they passed me),
the man with a below knee amputation who could not stop smiling when it was over, and his equally excited wife, who could not stop taking pictures of him,
and the men's 70+ age group winner, with a large brace on his knee because of femur problems, who ran a 29:30.

It was very flat, as promised in the advertisements. There was a HUGE kid's race afterwards. Three of our 4 runners competed. They had a one loop race around the "Oval" for the little ones and a two loop race for bigger kids.We missed our photo op with Cam the Ram . . . . next year. We saw people we knew, which was NICE. Nathan schmoozed with the professors.
The department head made my day when he said, "You have a beautiful family."

Nathan's time:18:33
My time: 37:31

"I love where I live." Caitlin said the other day..
Next year, homecoming parade.
More fall.

5K June 2010

We wanted to celebrate the end of Nathan's medical education so I asked him what he wanted to do . . . .

"How about we run a 5K?" he suggested.

So only a week after moving, we did. My parents watched our kids while we ran.
There was a kids' race, too, so the 3 oldest children competed as well. Andrew came in first, and outran the lady he was supposed to follow.

My time: 39:35
At first my goal was to jog the whole way and not leave in the ambulance. I knew I wasn't going to leave in the ambulance, but also that I was not in good enough shape to jog the whole way. (The first mile I ran post- Ed was June 2nd, NATIONAL RUNNING DAY). I decided to jog the long hill at the end and take my walking breaks earlier. I took two--three minute walking breaks, and was able to jog the rest. The sense of accomplishment felt great and I want to do another one, and run the whole way.

The last race we did together was 9 years ago, in Garden Valley, ID on the 4th of July. Nathan won it, and I walked most of it. These two races are the bookends at the beginning and end of his formal medical education. In both post-race photos I am holding a small fuzzy haired baby boy. Not that much has changed, and yet so much has.