Girls on the Run 5k

Today was the race Alea and I have been training for since September. We had a great time at the Girls on the Run 5K in Bentonville. We started out on the square in Bentonville with a couple thousand of our closest friends. There were booths for face painting, color spray paint for hair, free snack items, along with music and dancing before the race started. I ran with Alea and three other girls from my school. I was worried that little Miss L would be fast and that little Miss M would be slow. I figured Miss K would be about my speed and I was right for the most part. Miss L pretty much kicked my trash! Alea felt the same way. Miss L kept saying, "Let's run to the sign." There were a lot of signs! She was a motivator. I was worried about keeping track of four girls with so many people but we all kept track of each other very well. The girls took off and finished strong at the end. I love how you have to push them to finish the last mile but when the finish line comes into view they ditch you like you were holding them back the entire time. Okay, I was holding Miss L back but not the other three.

Prepare for total picture overload.

Isn't Alea so cute with her braids?

The girls and coaches from Alea's school wore tutus 

and the girls and coaches from my school wore crazy socks.

Alea and the GOTR team from her school.

Alea said, "Mom it was Mrs. Wood's idea to stick our tongues out at Daddy." 

I told her I TOTALLY believed that. :) Mrs. Woods is a silly lady.

Alea with her awesome Coach Mrs. Woods. 

I was a buddy runner for these three girls. Miss M, Alea, and Miss K. 

(Miss L was late and joined us after this photo was taken.)

Korienne was a buddy runner for two girls from our school. (K is my assistant principal.) 

It was so awesome to be able to do another race with her.

Pre race dancing.

More dancing. 

We were having a great time.

  My girls!! (Miss L found us in time!)

 We were practicing our take off pose.

 Jenny, Alea and Becca (aka Mrs. Woods/Alea's GOTR coach). Becca and I taught third 

grade together for one year before I became an ESOL teacher.  

Crossing the finish line. I was running but I stopped as soon as I crossed that blue mat.

 Post race. Miss K isn't big on smiling but she is a sweet girl.

 Davin missed Alea crossing the finish line (because he saw me coming  

and didn't realize my girls had ditched me and were ahead of my by several seconds) 

so this is a re-enactment of her finish.

Alea and her friend E saw their awesome teacher Mrs. Hinson after the race. Mrs. Hinson did the 10K.

 I don't think adults are suppose to get a medal but our head GOTR coach hooked me up. 

This was my fourth 5K and my first medal. I'll take it however I can get it. 

I had invited Becky to come watch the race but she wasn't sure she wanted to get up that early. 

She surprised me by being there to cheer me on at the finish. Thank you Becky!

Alea and her daddy after the race. I just love that every Girls on the Run girl is #1 

because they are all #1 and are all awesome!

Way to go Alea!!!

Becky, Alea and Jenny on the square in Bentonville.

 

 This horse is at a Bentonville flower shop. Last February we painted the horse at the Fayetteville store for the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts. It was a lot of fun. Someone painted this horse for GOTR 

so we had to stop by after the race to take our picture with the horse.

Alea loves animals...even the concrete kind.

I am already looking forward to the Girls on the Run season in the spring and the spring GOTR race. 

This is such a great program for girls! Girls on the Run is so much fun!