Junior Carlsbad 2010

This last weekend was our mostly annual trip down to Carlsbad for the Junior Carlsbad race. We have done this every year, except last year, for the last six years or so. We did not go last year because of all the confusion with me bouncing back and forth to Utah.

The first couple of years we would drive down on Saturday morning, let the children do their races, and then drive back. That made for a really long day, and as the children got older, their start times got earlier, which meant we had to leave earlier.

So four years ago, we decided to get a room at the Motel 6 that is two blocks from the race. We did that again this year. It makes the day much less stressful, and we don't have to park eight miles away from the race sight. The children all love the novelty of staying at the motel, even though the two older ones have to sleep on the floor (the room only has two double beds). I only wish it had a pool. Dinner at the Denny's in the motel parking lot has also become part of the tradition.

Race day morning, Mason was the first one up. His start time was 8:15 in the morning.

Can you pick the orange hair out of the crowd? I can.

I went to the start line to get him ready and to film, and Heidi waited at the finish line to film and then pick him up.

As you might have noticed, our children all had spectacular hair for the race. Amanda and Rainer were really looking forward to getting their hair painted. We discovered years ago, that this makes it really easy to pick them out of the crowd as they go by. It works, and it got Mason noticed this year. As we were heading for the start line, a woman from some little known cable show, stopped him and asked if she could interview him on camera.

You can't really hear his responses well, but when she asked what his motivation for racing was, his response was, "To get home so I can play video games." I don't think that was quite the answer she was looking for. Heidi was so proud.

He had an incredible kick at the end of the race and passed about twenty people in the last two hundred yards. Mason finished the mile in 7:53.

Amanda ran next at 8:45 am. She did not get interviewed, but she still had to run the mile. It was the longest race she has run yet. She said afterward that about half way through she wanted to stop and walk, but she didn't. Good for her.

Can you see her?

Her finish time was 9:06.

Rainer did not race until 10:30 so that was another reason we were glad to have the motel so near, we were able to go back and relax for a little while before his race. Heidi lined up with him thinking she was going to have to help guide him. Yeah, she didn't need to.

This was Rainer's I'm-getting-ready-to-run stance.

"Orange hair gets a special mention."

After the races all the children got medals, which Rainer promptly started to grind into the ground while we tried to get all three children to look in the same direction to take a picture.


It was a fun day and the children always enjoy it. Even though it is a little far away, it is always a good trip and we don't mind making it because it is one of the few events like this that is held on Saturday when we can participate. We look forward to doing it again next year.