The First Time

We sat in the airport for 6 hours before we finally filled the last four seats on the flight to Dallas and once we landed in Texas, we still had to drive 3 hours before we made it to our townhome in Tyler. 3 am and tired parents didn't bode well for the 10k I planned to run the next morning, but I still bid them goodnight and asked if I would see them in 3 hours.

"We'll be up," my dad said, crawling into bed next to my mom, who was already asleep. "Wake us up if we aren't."

I usually try and be accomodating. But i was really looking forward to running my first 10k and while I think I contemplated letting them sleep and skipping the race, my own selfish sense of adventure overruled it and I set up a pile with my shoes and my watch next to the bed Summer and I were sharing. 6 o' clock would come quick.

And it did. Dad was already up when I rolled out of the floral bedspread, and I slipped my tennis shoes on before tip toeing out to the miniature kitchen. Dad was always up before me on race days, and he was usually showered too. (editorial note to self: expand on this tender part of your running life in a different story becuase that's important)

Mom and Dad and I left Char and Bum in the condo and wound our way through the Tyler streets. It was still too dark for us to see any of the Azeleas, but if the race web page was telling the truth, I would get plenty opportunity to see them while I ran.

"K, Kris. Well, I don't know what craziness has possessed us to be here, but have fun!" My mom was wearing her yellow zip-up hoody and I nodded with enthusiasm at her sleepy-eyed encouragement.

"Kris, have you ever run a 10k before?" My dad was looking ahead on the sidewalk, glancing at the race registration booth and craning his neck to see the start line.

"Not officially. This is my first official race!"

My mom yawned and patted me on the bum as i left to stretch while waiting in the port-o-potty line. I jogged a lap around the park and stopped at Mom and Dad again. i didn't really know what to do with myself, and they were about to fall asleep while standing there. 3 hours of sleep doesn't do anyone a lot of good, and yet, I felt like I was about to take off to the moon.

After a few more calf stretches and lunges, people started herding over to a banner spread across the street. I looked towards them and then looked back at my parents.

"Well, this is it, I guess! Here I go to run a 10k!"

My dad smiled at me and raised a fist in the air. He pumped his arm and furrowed his eyebrows as if he were having a staredown with a tiger. Then he smiled excitedly and as I ran to join the others at the start he caught my eye and said, "Krista. You can win it!"