Race weekend!

Alison's "Fun Run" was on Saturday morning and Ben ran alongside her.

I'm so glad we went down that day and got to experience the true race feeling; lots of people wearing running clothes and tents set up and a band playing...there's just an exciting vibe to it.

Since we drove all the way to Norfolk for an 11 minute run, we decided to go the mall/lunch afterwards.  Alison wanted to take a picture with Santa and it would have been $40 if we had said yes!  Do people really pay that much money for a picture with a dressed up stranger?!

Sunday morning, Ben ran the Harbor Lights Half Marathon.  It was cold and raining and a completely different experience than Saturday.  The kids and I got there just 10 minutes before he crossed the finish line, but there was no one there!  I took it as a blessing that I didn't have to try and squeeze my way through a crowd with a giant stroller.  However, I was the only person cheering for the people before Ben who crossed...and that's just sad.

waiting for daddy at the finish line

The boys bunkered down in the stroller...ignore Eli's face

The race "crowd"

Ben in the black, coming up to the finish

 I didn't get great pictures because I was too busy cheering and jumping up and down.  I think I actually startled him, because he wasn't sure we would actually come in the rain.  He grabbed a cover and a water and we headed to our cars to get dry.  BUT, he ran 13.1 miles in 1 hour and 40 minutes!!!

Alison's smile on Saturday almost killed me, but seeing Ben's on Sunday was a close second.

Ah, the things we do as mothers.  Rain jackets and umbrellas and rain boots just weren't cutting it, so on the walk back to the car, I covered them with trash bags I had in the stroller.  I'm sure people thought I was nuts!  

Well, I'm officially ready to move to Arizona and never see rain again, but I'm thankful this weekend is over and am SO proud of Ben and Alison!