The day started off bright and clear, the air was crisp, and I'm sure birds were singing somewhere. I couldn't hear them. Instead I was a hearing a voice in my head screaming, "Are you crazy! You are going to do a 5 K! With a 6 month old! Are you CRAZY!"
Quite frankly, I felt crazy! As we lined up at the starting line, the voice in my head continued to try to talk some sense into me. "It's not too late. Get out now before it's too late!" But how could I? Our family has been talking about doing the 5K Fun Run for years! Brooks has been "training", you know by running laps around the couch in the living room, for months. Dacee has been running on the treadmill for a whole two weeks. I kept telling the voice in my head all the reasons I couldn't quit and the voice kept telling me all the reasons I should quit:
"1. We have three umbrella strollers carrying a 3 year old, an almost 2 year old, and a 6 month old. And by the way, there are only two parents. Hmmm, that doesn't really add up now does it. Are you crazy?!
2. You have never, ever, ever, done anything like this before. Are you crazy?!
3. What are you going to do when one of these adorable children, you know the 3 in strollers, decides this isn't fun anymore and you have to carry one, or more, and push a stroller. And you are in the middle of the 5K. Are you crazy?"
And then, it happened. The race started and everyone took off. Except for me. I was all alone trying to get Jett back into the stroller. Hoping that if I started walking he would be happy, for 3 miles. I could back out. I had a very good excuse...didn't I? But I couldn't stop. Marler's don't quit when things get tough...right?
One step, and another, and another. And then it was too late. We had started and turning back was out of the question. Suddenly the voice in my head started cheering me on. You can do this! You can do this!
And I did. We did. The whole Marler family did! I came in very last. I started very last, or close to it. And it was GREAT! I started and I finished. All 8 Marlers made it to the end.
I think we'll do it again next year, and the next year, and the next!
See you next year at the starting line!
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