Jog-a-thon

I remember doing this post last year.
We had a much better time this year.

E actually took off running 'round the track by herself (vs. last year when I drug her 'round it the whole hour while toting K on my back in 80-degree weather).

she's stretching here next to some boy in her class

notice the hat
last year the hat saved us ...
it allowed her to hide from the misters and from older kids who were dolling out high-5s
E wanted neither of those!

her first tally-one lap down, 10 more to go

in motion

off to find the marines
the marines ran the jog-a-thon too (didn't get pics of them)
they chanted cadences
and supported the sprinters
I came up with the idea last year
it was such a hit with the kids, they did it again this year
(E didn't even notice them last year)

what a difference a year makes-
E decided that getting wet wasn't such a bad idea after all,
so long as the BOYS were doing the misting ... or the marines
(she followed the marines the whole second half after she noticed them)

when I told her she had ten minutes left and could beat her total from last year
her response was,
"No mom. I don't want to do more. I'll just be average. "
seizing a teaching moment I said,
"but you can improve and do better."
"No mom," she replied. "I just want to be average."

a much-needed water break for a not-so-average girl
and
a beautiful sunset to end the day