The Last Beach Trip

I haven't written in a long, long time (for me, at least).  Part of that is because I always want to have the right photos accompanying my entries.  And then sometimes I think of writing, but don't; then I'm glad that I haven't written because whatever I wanted to say is off-topic.

Anyway.

We recently returned from our last beach trip of the season.  We went back to Chesapeake a lot more than we ever have--and more than we meant to.  First it was just a visit.  Then on the way to Myrtle Beach.  And then we were summer storm refugees!  And then we went back for a race.  And then another race.  I feel like we've been on the road all summer!

I am so much more social in Chesapeake than Lynchburg....  I got to hang out with Kimmy a few times (and watch Star Wars).  Chris went with Josh (Kimmy's husband) to an ODU football game.  And then Josh held Eliot up-side-down a lot.

This trip, though, was Christopher's big half marathon.  He has been training so hard and battling shin splints for years.  I told him that I didn't want him to do the half marathon.  I thought he'd hurt himself.  And I didn't want him to NOT be able to do the mileage and get discouraged.  However, about a week and a half before the race, he got fitted for the right shoe.  He has been going in to get fitted for shoes at running stores for years, but this time someone really, really took the time to talk to him, watch him run, get second and third opinions.  Chris walked away with a shoe type he never had tried before.  And his shins have been hurting less and less!

The day of the big race came.  We got up at 5:00 am.  My mom got in bed with Eliot and watched him for us while we were gone.  I dropped Chris off and parked the car.  And walked about two miles to the starting line.  I found Chris!

I think he was nervous, so I think me being there helped out some too.  Then he ran!  And I walked to the finish line (another mile and a half).  While I waited the two hours it would take for him to finish, I took pictures of seagulls and sat on the beach.  Finally, I knew he was getting close.  Everyone had been edging me out of view, so I stood on a handicap ramp to peek through the gaps between people's legs.  I saw him run by!  He finished the 13.1 mile run in two hours and nine minutes.  He placed 2,444 out of over 10,000 people.  That is crazyyyy.  I was so proud of him! We somehow found each other and walked back 12 blocks to the car.  As I drove us back to my parents' house, there were still lots of people running the race.  I know I would have still been out there--if I hadn't quit already.

On Monday, I had a meeting and we had lots of work to do, but we were able to meet Lesley at the beach on Tuesday afternoon for about an hour.  The waves were nuts and the red flags were out, so we didn't really swim.  Eliot and Weston still had fun playing in the sand, sharing crackers, running on the shore, and kicking in the water.

It is hard to believe that Eliot is the same little boy from May--the one that cried at the sight of the waves.

So, now we are back.  I'm trying to soak up as much warmth and summer fun as I can.  I know our lake days are numbered.  I'm looking forward to settling in for fall and not driving all over the universe.  However, I am not looking forward to what happens after the leaves fall:  winter.  Why can't the seasons be summer, fall, summer, spring, and then more summer? Maybe this year we will take advantage of the indoor pool at the Y more.