Eli's First Peachtree

The Peachtree Road Race is a July 10K held on Atlanta's most known street every July 4th. The only two years I've missed it are the year Maddux was born (the day before the race) and the year Ruby was born (estimated to be due the week before). And every year Lehr and the kids come down to watch the race. It's a tradition for us that we all enjoy.

Ever since the kids were little I've been dreaming of the day they would join me...a few years ago I passed a boy and his dad running and asked the boy's age, to see how much longer I'd have to wait. Two years ago, Eli asked to run the following year as we were leaving the race, but never wanted to train, so we opted not to have him run last year. Then, as we were leaving last year, he asked again. I reminded him that he would have to train some, so that it would be an enjoyable experience. He said he was in.

Fast forward to this spring when I had to apply for numbers. Eli assured me he was in (and he ran two 5K races this year, so he had some idea of what it would take). We planned a whole training regimen for the month-ish leading up to it, but that didn't really happen. The week of I decided to just 'let it go' and deal with his misery on the course (even though that was what I was trying to avoid). And then two days before the race, Eli asked to go for a training run with me. We covered four miles and he maintained a pace allowing him to run the entire time. I was so impressed, and I realized that this just might be a good race after all.

The day of the race we all got up early and drove down to Lehr's office together. The girls and Lehr walked to the place they were to watch the race and Eli and I took the train to the start line. We didn't have to wait long before the race started: couldn't have timed it better if I'd tried! The morning's weather was perfect (albeit hot, cuz it's Atlanta in July); while it was hot and humid, I felt like every time I started to notice the heat, we would hit some shade.

Eli ran the race, only stopping to walk two time (both on long hills after the 4mile mark). He kept a great pace that allowed him to sustain his run, and we finished in 67 minutes. Not bad for his first 10k!!