Running for the Baseball

With all the running talk around our house, Claire has been asking to go on runs with either Jason or myself, promising that she wouldn't whine, cry or stop during any portion of the run. Finally we came across what looked like a good opportunity to stretch her legs out like she's been watching mom and dad do, and take part in a kid's run. The one I chose was at our minor league baseball's affiliate team of the Boston Red Socks (sorry, Dad) which is the Greenville Drive. We've never been to a Drive game in the past 3 or 4 years that they've been in town - even though they had a brand new stadium built smack in the middle of downtown to mirror Fenway Park. Sweating it out at a baseball game just didn't appeal to me, but I agreed to suffer through it for Claire. At least for an inning or two.

The race we chose was the Go Drive 5k and Kid's Fun Run and the racers (including the kids) got free admission to the game afterwards, a free burger, chips and drink, a T-shirt and unlimited frothy draft beverages (for the adults, of course.) Not a bad package. The weather forcast was thankfully to be overcast with a chance of showers - I warned Claire that the game (and possibly the run?) might be rained out but the weather man let us down again, and we had 94 degrees and bright sun at 5:30 pm when the gun for the 5k went off. Jason decided to make this his first "the new me" 5k since his previous one and only back in 2006. He took up running a month or so after I did and stuck to the Couch to 5k program and avoided any major injuries this time around (an attempt to start running a few years ago ended in a stress fracture.)

I sure was happy it wasn't me running in that ridiculous heat, but he ended up with a fabulous time that beat his 2006 time by about 3 minutes, with temps about 55 degrees warmer (seriously.)

Pre-race hydration


watching for Daddy to run by






There he goes!

After the 5k runners took off, Chloe, Claire and I found our way to the Kid's Run line up near the outfield entrance on the 1st base side. The kids were going to do a 1/4 mile run around the inside of the field - mostly in the dirt warning track with the game crowd in there to cheer them on and video of them streaming on the big screen. They saved the youngest runners for last, and Claire lined up with all the other 4 year olds and took off like a shot of the starting run. She kept a strong pace until she rounded near 3rd base where Jason, Chloe and my parents were yelling and waving for her. She kept it going and didn't walk a step, and made it all the way around to the finish line where she was awarded her finisher's medal. I was so proud of her for finishing 2nd in her age group in a time of..... oh whoops, it's a kid's fun run.... and with a red face she breathlessly asked for a red Gatorade, which thankfully we found at the concession stand.

Toeing the line

The kids did great at the game. Most of the seats are shaded by a covered roof and we were only about 5 rows up from 3rd base. The guy in front of us managed to catch 2 foul balls by the 3rd inning and Claire started putting the pressure on Jason to land her one. A few innings later, a foul ball was hit and the 3rd baseman picked it up to toss into the crowd - to yours truly who saved the day and caught the ball for Claire. They seemed tired by about the 6th inning, so we packed up and headed home - with victories for all - Jason, Claire and the Drive.