Color Run fun

I am acutely aware of the fact that my boys are learning about what things are important in life by the way I spend my time.  Unfortunately many of the things that I'd like them to know are important are hard to do when I'm in charge of them.  So, LO knows food is important because one of the few things I do whether they are my responsibility or not is cook their meals.  I'd like them to love reading, and I'd love to set an example by reading books for pleasure in front of them.  Who am I kidding, I wouldn't make it through a page without having to answer 500 questions from LO or having to referee some brotherly issue.  Unfortunately I can check the computer, e-mail, pinterest, and facebook when they are with me.  Some days I escape into those places for a few minutes to maintain my sanity.  Some days I escape there for longer than I should.  I don't want my boys thinking the computer is more important than our relationship, but I'm afraid sometimes I give that impression. I'm afraid that sometimes we are showing them it's ok to leave the dinner table to talk on the phone (which is isn't in my book) when DH has to take a work call.  They don't yet understand that he's taking a work call during dinner in lieu of actually being at work some nights.  I know they don't have to understand all of this at once, so I'm not really worried per se, but I'm very aware of these messages and looking for ways to send better ones.  So, six months ago when I heard that the Color Run was coming to our town, I was excited to sign up. Aunt Cat had just started dabbling in running, I was trying to get back into after having NB, I thought the run would be a great goal for the two of us.  I was super excited to run a race with my little sister!  Yeah for grown-up sister fun!  So I gathered a team and signed us all up.

Six months later it had become really important to me that my boys see me run.  I wanted to run the whole 5K to show myself I could still eek out at least that much, and I wanted my boys to see me have fun doing it.  Well, last weekend I accomplished both missions and I have the pictures to prove it.  It was my first time doing a themed run and it was un-timed.  I never considered myself a serious runner, but the un-timed thing was weird to me.  It made me feel like I had formerly been a serious runner since I wanted to time myself anyway.  I knew the time would be slow, but I at least wanted to know how long I'd worked out for the day.  LO said he wanted to run with me too.  His stamina had increased a good bit during the soccer season, but we had not trained together for him to be able to run the whole 3.1 miles.  I also wasn't sure if he'd be game for having colored corn starch thrown all over him along the way.  Fortunately DH had requested the day off, so NB and LO met me at several points along the course and LO ran along between Aunt Cat and me until I took him back to DH to rest.  I don't know how much he ran, but keeping track of Aunt Cat and picking up and dropping off LO were all great distractions.  I don't know how long I ran (I forgot to start my watch right away), but I hardly  noticed the time because I was having so much fun.  The Color Run was undoubtedly my slowest race ever, but I dare say it was also the most enjoyable.  I hope those messages somehow made an impression on LO and NB.  Exercise is important and at it's best, it's fun!  Here are the pics to prove it:

Our youngest team member.  Aunt Cat made him a number.

Our team made of old co-workers, now friends, and current co-workers.   I'm the one in the middle with the yellow socks, Aunt Cat is squatting with LO.

Me and LO all clean before the race start.

Me and Aunt Cat with the crowd.   There were 5,000 participants!

Just at the start, running with LO.  I think he got a little overwhelmed by the crowds.

I ran through the blue dye myself, then LO felt brave enough to run through the pink with me.  Here we are after the pink station about to run again.

LO and Mama running after the pink dye.

Me and Aunt Cat after our finish.  We had a respectable amount of color on us, but we got a lot more....

Most of our team after their finish, but before the finish festival dye tossing.

We let LO peg us with dye from extra packets we caught at the finish festival.  He thought it was great fun!

LO tossing pink dye...

and green dye...

a very colorful Mama and LO

Most of the team with all of our extra color. Aunt Cat and I are 2nd and 3rd from the left.

We took out colorful selves out to lunch at Moe's .  My chin was still pink the next day.

Rumor has it that the Color Run will be returning next year.  I hope one year LO and I will be able to run the whole thing together.