Tennyson for a Wicked Run-

There are days when it takes your most valiant effort to get a run in.
You feel like a warrior- pushing through the noise of battle
Changing course to make the run a success

Tonight was like that.
It started off innocently enough, wrestling practice...
Sis-in-law's game for a track run
I'm thrilled to get a run in...

But when we get to the high school-
I'm greeted by crowds cheering

Seems the track is off limits today, on account of a track meet.

I have a fleeting thought to join them in a quick jaunt around- but think better of it.

That would perhaps be far more taboo than shimmying through a locked gate.

Sis-in-law, RunningMamaOf2 joins me-

We are undeterred from our quest for a run.

Our next plan takes us to the baseball field opposite the track.

I joke how trail runs seem all the rage, and that running on the grassy baseball field would give us a taste of the it.

But as we begin to run, a baseball team floods the field for sprints.

We vear out of their way, only to find we were nearing the path of the shot put team, whirling that discus wildly.

We laughed it off-
Said, "didn't want to run on that grass, anyway"

And look around for another route.
Surely we could find somewhere to run.

We choose a narrow strip of gravel that runs in between the track and field.
hardly run worthy, but we're now desperate.

Two passes and we've gone nowhere, maybe a quarter of a mile...

Moll's and her cousin Kailey are with us tonight.
First pass, has K asking for the potty.

Second pass has Moll's yelling about stepping on something.
(don't ask me what possessed her to take her shoes off- maybe she's a natural born barefoot runner)

We feel whipped.
Getting a run in tonight was turning into hard work.
We only have two more ideas up our sleeve.

Hill sprints up the ramp walkway-
and bleacher stairs

Hill sprints prove the most rewarding part of our journey tonight.
We were not interrupted, as the girls thought it fun to race us to the top
The incline was very manageable, begging us to sprint full bore
Up and down- giggles and sweat.

We make what feels like 20 passes, and decide to move on to the bleachers.
But how to get there?

They were all the way on the other side of the track.
We would have to walk in front of the fans...
And somehow go through a gate, walk on the edge of the track, to the other side.
We begin our cat-walk, K leading the way

As we get to the end, we see a streamers crossing the walk way.
Surely this is just a modest request not to cross.
I mean, it wasn't like it was yellow hazard tape or anything.

We duck under.
That wasn't so bad.
Until, I'm headed on to the track
And realize........

It's the finish line.

And now all we can do is wave a white flag

As we walked to the gym to pick the boys up from practice,
A snippet of Tennyson came to mind, and made me smile.


Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them     volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
     rode the six hundred.

Read Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade in its entirety  here


I mulled the words over as I drove home
And made my own edit-
Texted Jen a quick thanks for the 'run'
And whispered again, my new found mantra for the night

Track meet to the right of them
Baseball to the left of them
Shot putters in front of them
   holler'd and thundered
Stormed at by daughter's yell
Bravely they ran, and well
Into the jaws of death
Into the mouth of hell
    Ran the 2 mothers.