Detweiler Race

Caeden had another cross country race at Detweiler Park in Peoria today. It was a beautiful day!

All the guys, at the starting line...

And they're off!

There goes our guy!

Coach O giving advice at the mile marker...

Caeden's goal for today was to beat the kid in red, because they've been in several races together and always keep about the same pace but that kid has beaten him every time--until today.  

Señora Lovitt and Wilbur came to support the team, and even brought Martin!

Nice job, team! As with every race, when we got home we talked about how sometimes you do an activity you don't really love to be around or coached by an awesome person.  

We are so thankful for Mr. Owsley!!!

Cross Country

Caeden had a cross country meet at Herscher (Limestone Park) today.  Jeremy went to watch and cheer him on.

Coming in to the finish

Homecoming Parade

The homecoming parade was this evening! 

Our favorite part--the band, of course!

The band also performed their field show!

Fall sports were announced...
Here is the cross country team--Dorothy is the girls team captain, Caeden is the boys' team captain, and Dorothy is the overall team captain.

Jeremy and I didn't stay for the bonfire, but saw it blazing from the baseball field parking lot!

Ridgeview has a lot of great Homecoming traditions.

First Full XC Race

Caeden ran in his first high school varsity 3-mile cross country race today at Detweiler Park in Peoria.  Jeremy went to watch him, and they said there were thousands of runners in the races there today--hundreds in the race Caeden ran! This is the course that those who compete at the state race will run, so it makes sense that a lot of people would want to jump at the chance to run there early in the season. 

This was the first time Caeden had run 3 miles without stopping at all, and he did it!

His time was around 26 minutes, and he was not last across the finish line.  (Caeden said he was getting lapped, and the boy who won finished in less than 15 minutes!) 

Caeden is not doing cross country to win.  He doesn't even really like running.  He is doing it to get in better shape, to learn and improve, and to be coached by Mr. Owsley. It's worth it!

Last week, at their 2-mile race, Mr. O thought Dorothy said "Blessings!" (It was actually "Mustangs!") when they broke their huddle, and the team decided to go with it each time.  Today they decided to learn how to say "blessings" in a different language for each pre-race huddle.  Love that.

1st XC Run

Caeden ran in his first cross country race today!  Coach O was kind enough to start them out with a 2-mile open race, rather than the 3-mile varsity race.  

Dorothy and Caeden (the whole team!) warming up before the race

On your marks, get set...

...GO!

Heading up the hill...

We were able to walk to a spot to see the runners come out of the woods on the trail...

Quite exhausted when coming toward the finish...

Almost there!

Checking in with Coach after the race

Coach Owsley and his runners

When it's your first race, you have a PR!  The goals were to finish and not come in last, and both were accomplished!  Good job, Bud!