Chino Valley Springfest 5K

We had a wonderful jam-packed day. First, I was up multiple times last night with Emmy and her 101-102 fever. She must be cutting her first year molars because she is one drooly, cranky, feverish, needy, slobbering girl. She just wants to be near me, and I was a little worried about her fever, so she slept with me all night. Luke got off work an hour early and the whole family headed out the door at 7:05am. It was a quiet drive to Chino Valley, AZ - about 40 minutes. I hurried to the registration table to pay the fee to support the CV Cross Country Team.

Luke took the girls onto the grass where the carnival was set up and I headed to the starting line in my brand spanking new shoes. The air horn sounded off and I, again, shot out way too fast. What is wrong with me?? For the first tenth of a mile I was running sub 6 minute miles. Duh. When I finally came to my senses it was hard to find a pace I could stick with because I was so gassed. Eventually I settled in at the 7 minute mark, sometimes fluctuating to 7:50. Not consistent.

On the way to the race I drank a large cup of coffee a little too close to starting time. I didn't feel top notch and I did feel a little sloshy in the tummy. It was an out and back course and by the turn around I wondered how I would ever keep up my pace. It slowed to 8's and I tried to keep it there. There was a slight incline back to the finish which I did not notice on the way down (do we ever?). Finally, I turned into the parking lot, made another turn past some cars and the final left turn towards the finish line. I saw my family (woohoo!) and then looked at the clock to discover it was 23:58. Dangit! I knew I couldn't make it in time to be under 24 and wished I had looked at the clock sooner. Ah well, I was pleased with my time: 24:02.  But it sure would have been slick to see a 23 something on the clock.  Ha!  Next time.  Crazy thing is my pace for the Skull Valley 10K was faster!  Turns out it was good enough for first overall female and I got a fancy technical shirt.

The best part of this race is that it ended at a giant outdoor swimming pool on a nice 70 degree morning. Being from Michigan I grew accustomed to the common outdoor pool. Here in Central Arizona it is rare. The first thing Johanna said to me as I crossed the finish line was, "Let's go to the pool!" My girl. We changed into suits and played in their zero entry pool.

Here I am with fellow Mountain Miler, Cindy, poolside after the race.

After swimming we walked around the fair, made sun visors with stickers, Johanna got face paint, listened to a live band, soaked in the sun, made a bead necklace, got a balloon and stopped for a smoothie on the way home. We had a coupon for a free smoothie, the prize for overall female winner of the POW MIA 5K last month. Score!

At home we ate lunch and Luke napped. Then I drove 2 minutes to our friend's house with an empty garbage can and a shovel for some good old fashioned mule manure. I hit the jackpot. Underneath the recent, raw poop material I found some beautiful black compost with red worms streaming through it. I went back for another load and added it all to the beds started yesterday. Planting begins perhaps tomorrow.

Then we loaded the family up for a little rock climbing bouldering session just 5 minutes away. We may have been pushing it a little with this mission and Emmy crankypants, but I enjoyed myself and she would have been cranky at home, too. Dinner had been cooking for 3 hours in the oven so we got home and ate right away. Good thing because Johanna had a few bites and then curled up in her chair to fall asleep for the night. Time for me to hit the sack as well.

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