Kinsale St. Patrick’s Day 4 Miler

March 10, 2012

Aurora and her friend Jaime posing with their medals at the end of the Kinsale St. Patrick's Day 4-mile raceMy friend Jaime is a rock star.

(She’s not literally a rock star – performing on stage in front of thousands of people (even though she is a great singer), but, you know, a figurative rock star – a freakishly amazing person.)

She is around six months pregnant (and still so super tiny), and she did a 4-mile race today! Granted, we just walked the whole thing. But, she kept a mighty awesome, quick walking pace.

She could easily keep a conversation going while moving quickly. I think I kept up with her pretty well, but I definitely had to work to make sure I did! She is fast and fit. She’s one incredible pregnant woman, walking two miles almost every day, eating incredibly healthy stuff, and always keeping a positive attitude.

And she’s so cute. She said she was going to hang the medal in the baby’s room and tell her little girl how they did the race together. Adorable, right?

Guess who else did the race with us? My dad! If you’ll remember, he did his first 5k in Los Angeles a few months ago. And he’s doing his first half marathon with me in May!

Daddy at dinner after the Kinsale 4 miler race, giving a huge smile
We forgot to take a picture of my dad right after the race, so here he is at dinner afterward.

And, if all that’s not enough, he’s got a 5k coming up next week. I am so proud of him.

(By the way, I forgot to mention, I’m in Ohio now. I’m just kind of making my way around parts of the east coast, having a grand ol’ time.)

My dad lives about a mile away from my favorite food place ever in the history of the universe – Planet Smoothie! I had some awesome fuel before the race today.

When we got to the race, I spun the wheel at WNCI’s booth and got some free swag (t-shirts and movie passes)! (What could be better pre-race fun than playing games, and winning free stuff?)

The race went through a neighborhood and around a golf course. We saw light beautifully bouncing off a lake as the sun went down.

Neither Jaime, my dad, nor I could figure out why they decided on a 4-mile race instead of a 5k. I don’t know if that has significance to anybody or anything. I enjoyed doing 4 miles, but this was the first 4-mile race I’ve seen. Are you familiar with other 4 mile races?

Also, super shout out to M3S Sports in Ohio. I was doing this trip/race last minute, and I saw the day before that the race had sold out.

cute, pregnant Jaime after Kinsale 4 miler
Look at how cute and tiny she is!

I sent emails to both contact emails I could find on the website, begging and pleading about how I’m visiting Ohio and I’m racing every weekend – and how my wonderful, fit, pregnant friend wanted to get into racing… And is there any way in this world that there are some secret spots available?

It turned out there were! There were only 10 spots they set aside for I don’t know what, but I know they let us have 3 of them. I guess it never hurts to ask, right?

They really made my day by letting us in.

I’m really glad I was able to find a race that gave a medal in town over this weekend. (I want to do at least some race every weekend this year, but it’s certainly not as fun without the bling.) There was not a ton of stuff going on in Ohio (or even the surrounding states) this weekend, so I really lucked out.

Most of all, though, besides the medal, and the race itself – I’m so very glad that Jaime, my dad, and I all got to do the race together!

2 thoughts on “Kinsale St. Patrick’s Day 4 Miler”

  1. I have never heard of a 4 mile race but it sounds like my kind of fun. Your dad looks sooo happy and handsome. I’m so proud of your friend Jamie for getting out there and kicking some preggie butt. Glad you got to see your friend and dad and that you got yet another medal!!!

    1. Thanks! Yeah, it was really fun!

      I’d be up for a 4 mile race with you anytime you want…assuming that’s a distance that even really exists out there in more races… (I googled 4 mile race and it led me to one that goes with a half marathon that sounds super fun!)

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