5K Plans

Dori recently said she plans to run the July 4 Firecracker 5K. The kids also plan to join us. Will, who is very active, has run a three-miler with me once, but Kathryn is going to need to train a bit. She's active, but doesn't have a ball in her hand all day like her brother. And I mean ... all day.

I am excited Dori is planning to run. Talk about a goal and some courage. The race won't be easy, I'm sure she knows, after what she's been through. These days, Dori sometimes has the strength to walk two slow miles; other days, she's too fatigued to walk for any length. Dori last ran a 5K in 22 degree weather before Christmas 2006. She's no fan of the cold, but she displayed grit and ran a good race. I remember how proud she was. We were all proud of her. Cold, too.

I ran the Firecracker 5K last year when Dori was in the hospital. My race wasn't halfway bad - a 7:47/mile pace. This race will be about pacing my girl and encouraging her and the kids. It will mostly be a fun day being a family. I'll sign off and say a prayer for all of that.

Here's why I love our kids: At a VU baseball game tonight, A foul ball sailed over our head and almost hit the lights. Kathryn said, "Ooo, that might have been like [the movie] The Natural," when the lights exploded at the end of the movie after Roy Hobbs' home run. To which Will replied, "Dad, would they have really exploded?" Wonder is a good thing.