WE DID IT!!!

Lee and I completed our first 10K together!!! This past Sunday we took to the streets of Lima with over 10,000 other Peruvians (the race was a 10k, half-marathon and a full-marathon.) We didn't think about the fact that we needed to do something with the kids until the day before so.... they came along. We borrowed John Mark and Tara's double stroller and just decided we would make this a family affair.

We had an absolute BLAST. The kids were unbelievable and I have to brag on my hubby because he took off like a dirty shirt (as my GG would say :) The kids even got out and ran at different points of the race and the other racers were encouraging them to go faster. Maddox would just look at them and say "Vamos! (let's go)" Neither of us had trained for it so our expectations were pretty darn low, to simply finish.

I wish I had better words to describe what our experience was like but I have NEVER been cheered for like that in my LIFE. People cheered for us the entire way, could it be because we were the only weirdos pushing TWO matching double strollers with 3 kids?

People were taking pictures and videos of us the whole way, oh and not just race reps, I'm talking home videos and personal cameras. I'm pretty sure well show up on youtube sometime looking all sweaty. At the finish line the crowd went wild. Maddox and Sofia raised their arms up and said "mom, dad, all these people are cheering for us!" I couldn't breath, so I just nodded with a smile. The race commenters said "look at this family of athletes (if only they knew, HA) coming in with two stroller and ALL their kids." I mean I know we have 3 kids but I felt like I was pushing a herd at the moment by the way he said that. 3 camera crews interviewed us and I just sat there trying to recover as Lee answered their questions. I so wish I had thought through that we might get interviewed and came up with an AWESOME story, just kidding.

Anyway, the experience was SO fun and next year who knows we might try for the half. I think with all the attention my kids got they want to do every race. Right now were just relishing in the fact that we finished, that our kids behaved SO well and that maybe our kiddos can learn by example and become the great athletes that their mommy and daddy are, HAAAAAAAAAA. Oh and we were in the newspaper! I will have to have Lee scan it in to show you guys because I don't know how to do it.

Enjoy the pics and remember, if the Fletchers can do it, YOU CAN TOO! Make it a family outing, your kids will love it.

The Fletcher Gang before the race

Sofia and Maddox before the race

After the race-my face is slightly redder

The winner of the race is the guy in the middle (he finished just a few minutes ahead of us, oh did I mention he was doing the FULL marathon! He did start an hour before us though :)