Viking Fest Race 2012

A pre-race family picture

Grace and Ellen

In the Midwest, they are called Homecomings.  On the East Coast, they are called Festivals.  Here in Poulsbo, our community's summer carnival is called Viking Fest. Today, our family (and just about every other family in our great little town) celebrated Little Norway's Norweigan heritage at the 44th Annual Viking Fest! 

Now we have enjoyed Viking Fest the last two years, but this year, there were a few big changes: 1.  Dave was acutally home and not out to sea.  2.  Our entire family ran the 1-mile Viking Fest Road Race.  That's right, the Zinkhon's got up this morning and ran along the Fjord with 700 of our closest friends.  Dave and Grace had been signed up for quite some time, but Elizabeth was not interested in the slightest in running a race.  She and Grace had both ran the Kids Dashes last year, and that is what she was signed up for again this year. 

I was really wanting to run the 1-mile, but I just didn't know how it would work with Elizabeth.  She's a pretty stubborn little girl, and if she doesn't want to do something, she just won't do it.  I resigned to being the family cheerleader.  But then I worked at the Rec Center Friday night to help hand out race numbers, (yes, I am working as a paid office sub now for those of you who didn't know) and I began to see the of names of many kids that Elizabeth is friends with who were signed up to run the 1-mile.  I made an executive decision (I'm the Mom, so I can do that), and signed Elizabeth and I up for the 1-mile.  Let me tell you that she was not excited, and I mean not excited at all, when I shared the news with her later that night.  Grace, on the other hand, could not wait for her race in the morning! 

We woke up Saturday morning, got dressed, chugged down some coffe, and quickly ate a small pre-race breakfast (okay, it was really granola bars because we were in such a hurry to get out the door).  Grace put on her funky soccer socks for the race.  Dave thought it would be fun for all 4 of us to coordinate with Grace and to wear something similiar.  He tried to find the rest of us funky socks, but I guess we have a shortage of funky knee socks for adults in our house.  Who would have thought?!  Elizabeth did end up with some Minnie Mouse Christmas socks, but Dave and I went with plain, old crew cut, white Hanes.Dave pinned on everyone's race numbers, I snapped a few pictures, and we were out the door! 

One of my best friends, Ann, and I pre-race

We arrived to the race's starting line and were greeted by so many familiar faces.  Friends from school were there.  Friends from dance class were there.  Friends from soccer and gymnastics and our neighborhood and the Navy were there, too.  We all chatted, posed for pictures,  and waited for our race to start.  Elizabeth was still not so excited about running the 1-mile, but it seemed like she just might go along with it.  Although she did ask several times just how long it was until 10:15 - the time the kids dash started.  

Dave figured we would all run togther as a family, but Grace wasn't having that.  She's our competivite girl and she wanted to be able to take off and not wait for the slow-pokes (i.e., Elizabeth and I).  We quickly agreed to meet one another at the finish line - allowing everyone to go at the pace they chose.  Grace matched up with her best friend, Ellen.  Dave matched up with his biggest fan, Garrett (Ellen's younger brother).  At 9:05, we were given the "GO," and everyone was off!

The 1-mile runners take off!

As Elizabeth and I were at the very back of the 1-mile pack, I can't say much about what went on with Dave and Grace other than that Dave and Garrett ran the entire race together and that Grace was AMAZING in her finish time!  That little girl is just a natural athlete.  She finished in 8 minutes.  That's right.  She ran 1-mile in 8 minutes...a good run time even for an adult let alone a 9 year old girl.  This huge accomplishment was lost on her, but she was very excited that she beat her friend Ellen who is older and taller than her and who started off the race a lot faster than she did.  Oh, that and she cannot wait until the race times are published in the paper!

View of Liberty Bay as we came around the corner of Fjord

Elizabeth and I alternated jogging and walking the whole way.  Sure we were almost dead last from the group of 1-mile runners, but  she did so much better than I could have ever asked her to do.  She walked most of the time, but she did have many bouts of jogging.  It was funny to see that when the spectators would cheer as we went by, she would pick up on the jogging.  Who doesn't get motivated by fans!?  I did put her on my back for a short time, and the funny girl asked me to run instead of walk.  Sure, silly girl.  It is so much easier for Mommy to run with your 40 pounds on my back than it would be to walk.

When we turned the corner to downtown, Elizabeth was so excited to see all of the people who lined the streets and were cheering the runners on!  Dave had already crossed the finish line, but he came back, held onto Elizabeth's left hand (I already had her right) and we ran across the finish line together.  There were tons of cheers and I couldn't help but tear up.  Just over 2 years ago, we were hoping and praying doctors could save her little heart.  Today, she finished a 1-mile race in 16:31.  Elizabeth is truly an amazing girl.

We all downed a bottle of water, said goodbye to friends, and then headed to our favorite local bakery, Sluys, for a post-race donut.  Downtown was still a little hectic with the 5-mile racers, so we headed over to the water with to enjoy some rest time and a little bit of quiet before Elizabeth's kids dash started.  The tide was out and the sky was bright blue.  It was a perfect morning to sit by the water and watch the boats come in and out as we enjoyed our goodies. 

Elizabeth and her maple man

At 10, when we were all sufficiently full of gluten and sugar, we headed back over to Front Street (Poulsbo's main street Downtown) for Elizabeth's next race.  Dave and I visited with some more friends/aquaintences and Navy co-workers that were watching the racers cross the Finish Line.  Grace was able to play with a few friends that she doesn't see at school much this year while Elizabeth lined up for her 50 yard dash.  At the last minute, Elizabeth's friend Zarri joined the race, and when the kids were given the "Go," the girls ran and crossed the finish line together. 

Grace and Elizabeth each grabbed a purple popcicle and we hustled off to our next event - Grace's last soccer game of the Spring season.