Cowtown 2015 – Patient Polar Bears get Chocolate Chips Cookies

“Because Everything Happens for a Reason”

This Cowtown was going to be Mom’s 6^th and Son’s 4^th year in a row. With Mom’s 2010 to 2015  10ks and Son’s 2012 to 2014 at the Cook Children 5k, upgrading this year to the 10k. We had reserved a hotel room and planned all logistics for this Mom & Son’s big event.

Friday, February 27^th, a white day! Snow all around. While kids in School, Mom spent over an hour packing warm clothe for the trip and the race. Those funning PJs, long tights, Cowtown’s long sleeves t-shirts, good traction running shoes, long socks—yeah! The new dragon socks for Nick—gloves, hats, snow glasses.

Just by the time Mom closed the suitcase’s zip ready to put it on the truck, e-mail announcing the race cancelation appeared on the computer. Oh, well. Time to relax as a polar bear, look around and wait patiently while kids play with the snow.

 Saturday, February 28th, 10k race date. According to AccuWeather, the average high temperature in Dallas at this time of year is 64 degrees Fahrenheit, but on this Saturday, the harsh winter weather that had plagued the East Coast for weeks touched down in Dallas-FortWorth area. The "Arctic airmass," plunged the city's temperature to 33 degrees with over two inches of snow and an icy glaze.

Sunday’s races were still going on. Even running, not necessarily racing, the Half Marathon was an interesting option for Mom, however associated risks were too high. Two facts, with Dad out of town, in Hawaii for another Navy duty, there was no backup parent at home with kids. Then driving alone on icy roads made a compounded good excuse for Mom to “take it easy” and miss that Half Marathon.

But everything, or at least some things, happen for a reason. Saturday runners got the option to run virtual races. Even a virtual race sounds like a chocolate chips cookie without chocolate chips, in this case, the chance for Mom & Son to still complete the 10k together, was the missing chocolate chips.

Sunday, March 1^st. All races, Ultra, Marathon and Half Marathon running together, by the time race started, weather break was pretty good. Race officials and volunteers did all they could to get the course ready, including spreading 14 tons of sand on the Half course. Runners had a great time, some even posted PRs! Running Mom & Son kept at home and had to decide running course. As virtual race officials without enough tons of sand to spread on the roads, decision was made to run indoors.

Frisco Family YMCA as the selected virtual race location. Mom & Son started warming up on available and distant treadmills. On your marks, get ready, set, ON! Mom found hard to push from 7.7 to 8.0 mph, hoping to finish before Son, and go to cheer him to the end. But something unexpected happened! t was the opposite. What? Son beat Mom with an impressive 46:41 over 47:17!

 

What a nice surprise! Even initially it was hard to believe, the 8.0 to 9.0 mph speed range Nicholas told he kept, made sense to his finishing in the 46:41 recorded on his Garmin.

He pushed HARD! Harder than Mom. 

Congratulations!

We really appreciate the virtual race option the Cowtown Team provided to Saturday runners. Now these Mom & Son are proud of having raced Cowtown for 6 and 4 years in a row, and are waiting for the finishers medals.