MESA SPRINT TRIATHLON
Bert, the big and I all ran the second annual Mesa Triathlon. It was held at Skyline High School this year the facilities there really are beautiful and top notch. Once again, Bert was crazy getting ready for this but at the very last second he threw on his suit and hopped in the pool. He's such a good little triathlete. I, on the other hand, have given up my triathlete career. After some last minute peer pressure, I decided to run it 12 hours before the race started. I'd just recovered from a nasty 2 week cold/flu bug and the only training I did in the pool was in 2011. It was a hard race. I learned my lesson to never run something you are unprepared for because it will be a miserable experience. Sage and Faith were all pumped to do the Splash and Dash and they did a great! Sage even slowed down to hold hand with Faith as they crossed the finish line. Maybe after Jane joins Kino swim team next summer she'll be ready to join her sisters in the race.
SHUN THE SUN
I raced this with Micah and saw quite a few good friends there. It was kinda nostalgic to be there because Micah and ran the inaugural year and it was right after I took up running. (It was only 3 years ago, but hey.) After learning my lesson, I ran the 5K instead of the 10K I'd signed up for. And it was great. The weather was beautiful, I was in good company and I got a medal. Cool, huh. Poor Micah was in the midst of studying his brains out to graduate in December. I was glad to drag him away from Michael Crowe for a few hours so he could show off what a natural runner he is. I'm almost ashamed to note that he finished nearly 10 minutes before me. I'll never be able to keep up with that guy.
MESA NORTH STAKE TURKEY TROT
This was a really fun event - I don't know how we've missed in it years past. We brought our turkey in trade for all those good looking race numbers. Sage was very excited to do her first 5K and since Bert was under the weather, I was was her racing partner. She did great! After all of Travis Grover's trash talk, she was especially motivated to beat him. And though he finished before the Millett girls, we finished strong. Bert did the 1 mile and didn't anticipate chasing Faith-the-Speeding-Bullet all the way. He pushed the little ones as he tried to catch Faith. Jane was a grumpy little stroller-rider until she saw the finish line. Then she insisted on hopping out and running to the finish line. So, I guess we all made a PR. I think Faith is going to upgrade to the 5K next year.
TURKEY TROT
This was a great trot year! We had a banner turn-out from the Bodine family. It was so fun to be there with everyone on Thanksgiving day. Mom, Whitney and Will did the fun run with Sage and Faith. I don't think Mom was planning on running but Sage couldn't resist taking off without her. She was very proud that she beat everyone else and I think Grandma even gave her a dollar. Micah and Lucas held the family banner high and beat the turkey - which is an impressive feat. Lucas came home from Canada as runner and he's holding his own with Micah. The two stooges even signed up for Phoenix Marathon. I'm so proud of my brothers. They are cool guys. Know any good ladies for them? Bert and I ran it together. We both run in the mornings but rarely side by side. He was a real gentleman and stuck with my snail pace even though it was a slow for him. As like Bert always says, running a 10K on Thanksgiving makes dinner taste that much better. It's hard to improve upon a Nichols' sister meal but I think the exercise that morning did.
