Landsharks.

I thought about opening up with the old land shark bit from Saturday Night Live. But, sometimes I think I'm funnier than other people do.

Madelyn and Sawyer are doing Landsharks this Spring. It's a track club. It's not exclusively with their school but because Ben Franklin Academy has enough kids to fill a team, our school has its own team. For the last month, they've had two practices after school each week. This week the meets start.

Last night was their first Landsharks track meet. Their team ran against four other teams. And, I'd say their team did really well. Each school has its own color shirt. Ours is red. There were a lot of red shirts and most of them in the front half of all the packs, if not leading.

How did our Mile High Madelyn and Sweet Sawyer do you ask? AWESOME.

They each ran a 50 meter and 400 meter race with boys and girls of their respective gender and grade. While they did not win either of their individual races, more importantly, they Did. Not. Quit. And, to me, that's HUGE. Also, they didn't come in last. They had great sportsmanship and cheered for their friends, teammates, and each other.

And, most importantly, they earned gelato from Mici afterwards.

Way to go, Madelyn and Sawyer! Dad and I are super proud of you and hope you are proud of yourselves, too!

And, if you still want to see the old land shark bit from SNL, here you go -

via GIPHY

BRF (Best Running Friend).

Yesterday morning as I stretched post-run in the front yard while Sawyer slept in the stroller, it occurred to me that running with my babies really is one of my favorite things. Yes, I realize that they aren't babies anymore. And, I realize that I shouldn't call them my babies but I still do. It's a hard habit to break.

Sleeping baby.

February 2013

With Madelyn gone at school two mornings a week, Sawyer and I are logging our miles with the single BOB. Some days we end at the playground. Some days we literally run errands. But, more often that not, we just go out for a few miles and some fresh air. We still use the double BOB sometimes, when Madelyn's around, but I find myself scheduling my runs for days when I only have one kid with me.

For her 4th birthday, Madelyn received a pair of NIKE shoes from Aunt Kari and Uncle Gabe. She immediately called them her running shoes. Then a day or two later, she said something to me about being able to run with me now that she has running shoes, too. Last week, she ran the last 100 or so yards of my run with me. It was so sweet and I think I felt my heart melt.

Every now and then, I apologize to Griff for my rubbing off on our kids. I'm really not trying to brainwash them! It just happens. However, I do love that my love for running is rubbing off on at least one of them. Hopefully it will on Sawyer, too, as he gets older.

The window of running with Madelyn and Sawyer in the stroller closes a little more each day. And, I see that but I'm okay with it. We've got so many more milestones ahead of us. Perhaps in a few more years, my babies with their running shoes will become my little running buddies and family runs will take on a whole new look.

A few fun stroller pictures to follow -

Mile High Madelyn after her very first swimming lesson ever.

Not exactly a running picture but still pretty awesome.

June 2010

Little Brother, during the bald phase, slumbering through pumpkin patching.

Again, not a running picture but demonstrating all the places our wheels have gone.

October 2011

There was a time when naps at home were few and far between.

But, a trip out in the stroller was guaranteed to put little people to sleep.

November 2011

Family run on a Saturday morning.

Taking a quick break at Marcy Park in Highlands Ranch.

June 2012

Snow day hobbies

One of Madelyn's snow day hobbies is shoveling. She loves to get all bundled up and shovel the deck.

Sawyer's hobbies, for now, include standing at the window watching.