Bridle Trails State Park 10 Mile Trail Race

This weekend we drove up just north of Seattle to Bridle Trails State Park so Andy (and a few other guys from Church) could participate in the 10 Mile Trail Race there.  Andy started getting interested in trail running after we moved to the Pacific North West.  He has always been into running, but likes trails because they are a little more scenic.  I am not sure if the scenery was a selling point for this race though.  It was tough, and Andy has been a little sore ever since!  He made great time, clocking in at just over an hour for the 10 miles (I will have to ask him the specific time) and thankfully the weather wasn't too bad.

 Here are some fun pictures from the event.

Here are the guys before the race!  They were all warmed up and ready to go...the race stared a little behind schedule, so there was some standing around.  It was freezing, and aside from running 10 miles there were people out there in tank tops and shorts...I don't care how many miles I run - still too cold for that!!

Finally getting lined up for the race.  It officially started between 3:20 and 3:30pm.  The trail was a 5 mile loop.  The people running the 5 mile race started first, followed by the 10 milers and then even some for the 30 mile relay.   Since the days are so short here, the 30 mile runners were required to have their headlamps...I can't imagine how late they were there!

Here's Andy and Dunn at 1/2 way through the race...they were booking it!

Still smiles at this point, but you can definitely tell they are pooped!  Dunn is one of the Young Men from church, and him and Andy kept pretty good pace together the whole time...with the other two guys right behind them!  

Here is Andy coming into the finish line!  He said that about mile 8 or 9 he was ready to quit...but he pushed himself a little harder at the end and made great time.  The trails were muddy AND lots of hills so these guys sure got a workout!! 

Here are the guys again after the run...I think they were all pretty sore on Sunday at Church.  

We had a great time watching too!  It was sure cold though and by the end of the race Noah was crying to go home!  I can't blame the poor fella.  

Way to go guys - Can't wait for the next run! 

*Update:  The race results were posted and Andy came in 7th out of 99!  Way to go Babe!

Simple Things

This week has been really low key.  Most day's we just stuck around the house while Andy was at work.  It's good for me to do that, not only does it allow me to get stuff done at home - but it keeps me from going out and spending money! Which is always a good thing, right?

The kids have been busy though, or kept me busy rather.  Noah is going through a little bit of a 'tantrum' phase and we are trying to graciously work through it.  Besides that he is his normal sweet self.  Earlier this week, while getting him to bed, he insisted on reading a CARS book while laying there.  Since we made him turn the lights off - we decided to let him wear Andy's head lamp for a little while so he could look though his book.... he, of course, loved that.

He is also always willing to help mommy when she is making something in the kitchen.  Here he is stirring the flour....and then he ate a little of the dough too - which I find disgusting seen as though it was bread dough! gag. He loved that too though :)

Clare has been crawling all over the house.  If I am making dinner I will set her and Noah in the front room to watch some Leap Frog or something, Clare will notoriously end up in a different part of the house (usually Noah's room, or the bathroom - if I forget to shut the door) and I have to go searching for her.  She is loving this stage, and so am I!

Lately Clare has been especially interested in Andy's Xbox.  She loves to press the power button, hear it 'ding' and watch it turn green.  We try to remember to unplug it so she isn't constantly turning it on and off, but if we do forget, well....this happens....

You can see how excited she gets.  I was going to tell her to turn it off, but then realized that defeated the purpose of getting her not to touch it.  She cracks me up.

Hope you have all been able to enjoy some simple things this week!