Yesterday I ran my first road race in KC. I’m still battling plantar fasciitis so I still have to be careful about the distances I go but I thought I could handle this one: The Trolley Run is a 4 miler that is run on the roads that are alongside the Henry Wiggins Trolley Track trail.  This is my daily running route and I love that it runs right by my house.  Which, of course, means that the race ran right by my house.  This was the first time that I was able to walk to the start of a race. Well, a real race. There was a race that ran through my old neighborhood that started at Cherry Run elementary school and literally ran past my house.  I don’t count this because it was not officially marked or timed and there were only about 300 people that ran it.  This race involved 9000 registered runners, miles of portapotties and was USATF sanctioned and chip timed.  A real race.  It started outside my favorite pizza place and headed up my regular running route to end at the Country Club plaza – a KC landmark.

There the post race stands of bagels, coffee, pizza (longest line of them all), yogurt, and fruit were mobbed by runners while a local radio station blasted music that everyone else seemed to know.  My time was far better than I had expected since I hadn’t really “trained” for this race.  I was hoping for a sub-9 pace and got a sub-8 pace so I have to say I’m quite pleased. (For all the gory details, here are my results.)

One of the things that I love about our neighborhood is that this kind of thing happens regularly.  I missed the recent half marathon – Rock the Parkway – because I’m still not up for that distance yet and I had a brutal head cold.  This is another course that involves one of my regular running routes.  In two weeks, there is a Mother’s Day run that is a little farther – the start is about a 20 minute walk rather than this weeks 10 minute walk but I think I’ll be able to make it.  And then there is the 4 on the Fourth run that starts and ends at the local Target.  Not quite walking distance from the house but definitely walking distance to the Culver’s Frozen Custard shop.  And there are races with BBQ – I’ll miss the KC Marathon and Half Marathon this year but you have to love any race who’s slogan is “Come for the marathon, stay for the barbecue”!

Now to keep working on getting rid of this nagging right foot pain – I hate to think it could keep me from running local.  [Grammar note:  yes, it should be running locally because you need an adverb to describe the verb. No one really cares about that any more though.  I’ll save that rant for another day. 🙂 ]

That’s what kids next year will hear at one Fairfax County high school next year.  I always knew Frank was irreplaceable and now the school system is finding that out as well. Apparently enrollment next year was not high enough to justify full-time auto shop teacher so the program is closed. It’s not his program anymore yet I still feel sadness that what he built as the first shop teacher at that school is no more. We moved so that I could start something new here in Kansas City and he was happy to leave behind some of the pain and anguish the teaching brings yet I know it must be sad for him to know that what he built is gone. I confess that I am sad for the loss of a champion for the kids for whom college is not the answer. The importance of career and technical education was, and is, a passion for him and many others like him.

Keep your fingers crossed that someday a school district that needs someone who works too hard and shares too much will find another talented teacher who gives all they have and cares too much. Oh yes I forget that it happens in classrooms around the country every fall. Maybe Frank will find his way back to one someday.

My family either loves me a ton or they wanted to see me drop dead of a heart attack.  I went to yoga after work on Friday as I try to do most weeks and then headed home to contemplate what non-meat dinner options we had for Good Friday.  I walked into the house, still in my yoga gear and somewhat tousled and sweaty, to find my children staring back at me with big cheesy grins.  What? Uh. Ack! Um. (There exists video of my absolutely gobsmacked reaction but given that it mostly shows me repeating “What are you doing here?” in a squeaky thunderstruck voice, I don’t think I’ll work to hard to show anyone where it is.  It also shows just how much taller than me my children are.  Generally not flattering footage.)

This was the first genuine surprise Frank has pulled off in decades.  He coordinated with the kids – and apparently the neighbors – to get them home for a belated birthday surprise.  As he would explain, he figured the only thing I really wanted for my birthday was more family time so that’s what he got me.  And he’s right.

After 15 or 20 rounds of hugs, when I was truly convinced that they were here and were going to stay for a little while, we wandered to one of our favorite places – Louie’s Wine Dive – where they make the most fabulous fish and chips (gluten free, of course) – and talked and laughed our way through dinner while a jazz trio played.  I heard about roommate issues, girlfriend and ex-girlfriend issues, rugby matches and salsa dancing.  We told stories from our recent trip and generally had a regular family dinner. It was a priceless gift.

Because getting the kids to KC was as much planning as Frank could manage, we had nothing on the agenda for Saturday.  Frank and I ran errands while the kids got some homework done – very pedestrian, I know.  Then it was off to the West Bottoms for some antiquing.  As it was “First Friday” weekend, all the antique shops in the West Bottoms were open.  We prowled through rooms full of trash and treasures and managed to pick up a few items of interest before grabbing a snack – the Food Truck Mafia was out in force.  Then home to have the neighbors over for drinks, cheese and charcuterie. Finally, we ended the evening the only way that made sense:  a family screening of Animal House. Nothing but class in the Cannon household!

Easter Sunday started with a run with Jesse, something we haven’t done together in years.  Then a full fry up including homemade tattie scones followed by church.  I could almost forgive the sea of people who would only attend church on Easter and who prevented us from sitting together as a family. Then several runs to the airport and they were gone.

I think it took nearly as long to clean up after them as they were actually here for a visit but I don’t mind.  They bridged the distance for me, and that’s what matters.