So proud of my dad!

My cousins Carlee and Bryan and Jake and Mandie are all runners. Mandie's dad is a former Navy Seal and runs crazy races (literally does 100 mile desert races!) and got them all excited about a trail race in Calico (a CA ghost town). A few months ago, my dad started jogging in the mornings and has lost a ton of weight - GO DAD! - and my cousins talked him into doing the race, too! This was my dad's first race, and it was 21 miles! How crazy is that???

The race began early in the freezing cold of the morning and along the way there were stations for dropping off warm clothes, but from the photos, it looks like everyone still had their leggins and gloves on! Holy moly! I think it took my dad around 5 and a half hours, which to me is AMAZING! I guess the family started out together, then Bryan and Carlee ran ahead, while Jake and Mandie held back a while. Dad finished with Jake so Mandie could haul to the finish.

My dad said that around the 10 and a half mile, he couldn't believe how much more he had to go. He'd see people with legs all cut up from falling down hills, etc., but he perservered. I am SO PROUD of him for setting his mind on the race, training for it, then tackling it and finishing. In my book, he's a champion and I couldn't even begin to think about how hard it was physically, but mentally and emotionally, too!

Way to go, Dad! You're a ROCK STAR!!!