Mercedes Marathon

Wow, what a fun day with my littlest friend.  I really miss running, and couldn't wait to get on the road with Ruby for the kids Mercedes Marathon.  She was the cutest runner ever, and I was so happy that she wanted to run with me.  Even though she told me that next year she wanted to run by herself.  I have one year to talk her out of that. 

 

We began our fun daddy ruby day by parking at the McWane center, and playing in the Itty Bitty magic city.  They were having a big machine day also on that day, and closed 19th street so the kids could play on the large work trucks.  Ruby didn't care much for that, but she did love all the fun stuff in the magic city area, although we both got kind of sad reading that she was almost too old for that area. 

 

As we waited for the race, she was almost bouncing and smiling.  But that wore off when we were the LAST ones to run.  Kids that bring their parents are in the back of the line, and maybe that is why she did not want to bring me.  But as we finally entered the corral and did some jumping jacks to get ready, she was pumped and ready to go.  And that little red faced girl did not stop.  Her little legs just kept going and she ran that mile in 11:38, which I thought was really good.  She only took one rest on the back stretch, but kept an eye on me often.  She made sure dad was keeping up with her. 

 

After the race, she got her medal, and powerade, and then we went to see the Oak Mountain eagle, and played some games supporting the B'ham World Games in 2021.  She won me a sumo wrestler.  She was so proud of that medal, but even more protective of the piece of paper that had her time on it.  When she finally got ready to wear the medal to school the next week, she made sure that I safety pinned the paper with her "score" onto her shirt.  That little piece of paper is actually right her in front of my computer still.  And after we spending a little more time at the McWane center, we drove home with a final special surprise lunch at JimNNicks.  Then the last picture below shows what we both needed after this full day...a nap.