The Last Track Meet of the Season

A couple of weekends ago {I will catch up on blogging, I will catch up...}, we drove out for Emma's last track meet.

On our way, we saw something a little unexpected...

Not every day you get to see a classic car...

...or one towing a trailer.

The boys carry the chairs and the food and the drinks while I take the pictures.

It was crazy hot - the first triple digit day this year. And, while Keith is out in the heat all day, I am not {at all}. It was crazy hot {and I don't think I can stress how hot it was}. The umbrella only lasted until the first breeze turned it inside out. After that, we just had to live with the shade that was provided by the mesquite tree.

I know I've seen this before {and mentioned it before} but it certainly makes me happy to see Mr. Benson honored this way. Even though he was never my teacher, he was Keith's and Keith thinks so very highly of him.

I also noticed that they had a nice lane dedication too, which I got to see when I was watching Emma run her races because, as I said, it was crazy hot outside. And, even though I had put on sunscreen {SPF 45}, it is just insane to go outside during prime burning time {aka. 11am to 2pm which, by the way, just so happened to coincide with the times of the track meet} even with sunscreen when you have virgin untanned skin. You have to build up a base tan. And, since I work in an office, no base tan for me. So, I ran back and forth between our base camp in the shade and the end of the track so I could see the end of the races and yet only be out in the sun only 5 to 10 minutes at a time.

It would be the next day before I would realize that when I put the sunscreen on my right arm {with my left hand}, I totally missed huge portions of my right shoulder. Needless to say, I have a very interesting tan line this year.

For the 100 meters, Emma was in the second heat and in lane 2.

She makes it look so effortless, doesn't she?

She'll disagree with me on that, I'm sure!

Helping out a teammate with his blocks on the 400m.

That is what makes track the best sport ever - totally co-ed.

For the 400m, Emma was in the 1st heat and in lane 5.

Ready, set, go!

This is Emma's race. Her long, graceful stride is beautiful to watch. This was only her second time running the 400m and she got her personal best by 2 seconds. Its a brutal race but as she gets stronger, she is going to dominate.

For Emma's last race, the 200m, I thought I'd go with Keith into the stands to get a different perspective. Up by the press box, I was surprised by a mother bird and her two little chicks. She just sat there, staring at me intently, never moving a muscle. I was amazed that she picked such a place for her nest but perhaps the press box isn't that busy during the springtime.

I took a little video too since I wasn't too sure if the picture would show the babies too well.

Keith had bought a new video camera to film Emma just so that Leah could watch. Leah had to work that Saturday and then, of all things, she got sick {and really was sick} and couldn't make it to see Emma run. So, we got to show her the videos Sunday evening when she came over for Mother's Day.

Emma's 200m. She was in the 3rd heat, lane 2. Unfortuately, this was almost right after the brutal 400m and she is wiped out. She does a great job in spite of it!

After all the running, we spent a little time in the shade, resting and playing around before packing up.

I mean, really. With new toys, there has to be some experimentation. Especially if there is a totally cool slo-mo option that we have to figure out.

And, I have to get a few more shots...

Especially when I don't get closeups of everyone at every event.

The only reason I would take up jogging
is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.
~ Erma Bombeck