Monster Dash: It's All About the Kids

One of the benefits of doing Triathlon for me beside keeping in shape, enjoyment, health and socializing is to be a positive influence on our kids.  Teaching by example.  Sometimes this happens intentionally and sometime unintentionally.  Since I wasn't doing a marathon on Halloween day we planned to do a 5K race that weekend.  Last year we did the Pumpkin Pacer in Deer Lake, but since Reanna, my daughter, had dance lessons on Saturday morning we decided to do the Monster Dash on Halloween day.  Reanna really wanted to do one of these races.

On Sunday morning I woke up at around 7:15am and was very tired.  I actually wanted to go back to bed, but since I told Reanna that we could run the Monster Dash I really needed her permission.  I said in my head as I walked to her room, "If she doesn't want to do it, I am going back to bed!"  I opened her door and quietly walked up to her bed and to my surprise she was already awake! (oh oh).  I then asked, "Reanna, do you still want to do the Monster Dash?"  She replies, "Yes!" as she jumps out of bed.  Generally in the morning it takes her about 5 minutes to get out of bed.

At the Monster Dash they have the 5K race (3.1 miles)  and the kids race which is 1 mile (for Reanna's age).  I asked her if she wanted to do the 1 mile, but she wanted to do that 3.1 mile run.  The costumes there were creative and amazing.  I ran with Reanna and she was having a hard time at first, but then at mile one when she got some water and candy she perked up a bit.  She ran better the rest of the way knowing at mile two we would hit the candy/water station again.  The race runs through Manito Park in the South Hill of Spokane and is very beautiful.  We walked a little bit and jogged.  I was glad to be running with Reanna, if it wasn't for her we wouldn't have been there.  She is such a positive influence on ME! :-)

The trees in Manito were so beautiful, after the race I took some pictures.

A big thanks to Spokane Swifts who put on this race with a portion of the proceeds going to Active4Youth! Active4Youth is the group funded the cross country training and meets for Reanna's school and the city. 
A win win!  Thanks to Moxie Images for some of the free photos!

Start of the Monster Dash. 10/31/10

Me with my little rock star

Us with Chris, Joy and clan!  These two seem to be at ALL the races!

This woman passed me in the race so I tripped her!  ;-)

Loved the pac-man group. The life guard on the left won best female costume.

Creative!  Three blind mice!

The beauty of the trees in Manito was AMAZING.  I look forward to the next time I have the opportunity to run in this area again.