The Wellsville Mile 2011

Little Wildgirl, showing her Wellsville Mile shirt (yes it is a small, but huge on her).  The gray on it turns colors in the sunlight.  WG has been training for over a month.  She qualified to be in the 4th grade girls 3rd heat (the fastest one.)  There were 8 elementary schools participating.  Though I had never been to this race, it is almost legendary in Cache valley.  Wildman stills talks about his experience of the Wellsville Mile, so yes, this race has been happening annually for almost 30 years.  I've said before that I'm "allergic" to races, that my eyes get all watery.  Well, I was still a block away from the race when I heard the crowd cheering on the first heat of 4th grade girls, and I started feeling choked up and my eyes watered...I hadn't even seen the race yet.  I didn't stop crying (or having an allergic reaction) for two hours as I watched the kids race.  

 Below: 4th grade girls, 2nd Heat starting line...

 It seemed like the entire valley had turned out to watch the kids race.

Below: WG and her friend R, at the starting line, the 3rd heat...

Yes, can you tell which one is my daughter?  She races in her Vibrams, or "toe shoes".  You should see the kids (5th grade boys, even)  ooo and ah over her shoes.  She gets a bit bashful.  

 I cried watching all the faces of the runners, from the ones coming in way ahead of the pack, to the ones struggling but fighting it out at the last. I cried watching the Mountain Crest High School Cross Country Team running with the kids, cheering them on.  Wildgirl had a young man from our ward run with her for a good part of the race, coaching her and cheering her on. She ran with a side-ache the whole time.  The video below is a short clip of her running with her "coach".  I was too choked up to yell her name and cheer her on...all I could do was smile and wave.  She raced her best time yet, coming in at 8:49, a full minute faster than her previous best time.  I was the blubbering mom at the finish line.

Below: Wildman was helping at the Maceys booth, handing out drinks and treats to all the runners.  Wildgirl walked up to him in line and suddenly, I wasn't the only one smiling through tears. :)

What a wonderful tradition.  I don't think anithistamines would do anything for this allergy...