It was a Spring Saturday morning. Temperatures were forecast to be in low 60's. The sky was partly sunny. There was a light wind.
Excitement abounded in Madison. People were gathering. 14,997 people were ready to run the 26th Crazylegs Classic named after Elroy Hirsch, the great Wisconsin football legend. In the crowd was a face I know and love. Yep, there she was! Grasshopper No. 2.
No. 2 had been training for months. In fact, late last year she was working her way up to running 5 miles without stopping. Somedays she ran 5 miles. Most days were less. Along the way there were pulled hamstrings, sore feet, new shoes to give better leg support and probably a few chiropractic adjustments. Are we having fun yet? The goal was to be able to run the Crazyleg marathon (8k or just over 5 miles). Why do people do this? Because they can! Grasshopper No. 2 needs challenges and excruciating pain will not deter her. Tell her that running an 8k represents insanity and she shouldn't do it just tightens her jaw and gives her fuel for proving people wrong. She would run the 8k.
She did well. For those of you who have run 8k recently, it starts easily and then as time passes everything hurts. The thought of "what I am doing here has got to cross the mind". But the miles go past. One mile. Two miles, Up hills. Down hills. Three miles. Suddenly you realize you can do this. The test of running up Observatory Hill is a little overwhelming but then you find a groove and you cruise the last two miles into Camp Randall Stadium. People are waiting and cheering. You completed you quest. Kind of like the the Little Engine that Could. Puff, puff, puff. In the crowd is your loving husband and two children. Yeah! Way to go mom!
So how did Grasshopper No. 2 do?
She "ran" the entire distance.
She finished the race in 45 minutes, 18 seconds.
She finished 4280 out of 9033 runners (the rest of the field walked). That is the top 47%.
She finished 38th in the field of females age 45-49. That is a terrific statistic.
She finished No.1 with her own family. Go mom, go!
And she finished No.1 with me. She is my daughter.
There is nothing better than dedicating yourself to a goal and then of course achieving it. That is what life is all about. No. 2 can drink deeply from the "Cup of Self-satisfaction". This means of course, she has to set a new goal. Maybe in a day or two.
Love,
Dad