The bigger of the two small people and I did the Cutest Race in the Universe yesterday, the Interlaken Steeplechase. It is not a traditional steeplechase (which involves vaulting hay bales); it's called the Steeple Chase because the money raised is used to help fund the steeple renovation for the local church. Plus the mile markers are made out of the church's previous steeples. There are only about a hundred participants, probably a third of whom end up receiving age group, mid-pack or participation awards. One of these awards was a painted-plywood lawn ornament featuring gnomes, others were bowls of cookies, bottles of local grape juice and hand-crafted (by a member of the congregation) wood steeple-shaped clocks. After the race, there's a filling lunch served with soup, bread and dessert. Cute, cute, CUTE.

Three miles is long for a six-year-old, and when the Biggie woke early we devised a race strategy: start out slow and steady running on the first big downhill mile, run/walk the flat second stretch, then walk the last uphill mile, running as needed "for show" for photographers, water station workers and the like. Style was deemed equally as important as strategy, and she selected an outfit featuring striped tights and a skort. She did great. There was minimal complaining, and even then it was not whiny. We executed our carefully planned strategy, completing the race in 39:54 under a thundering sky, with the cheering section of the Husband, Wee One and Milo the Wonder Dog spurring us on to a sprint at the finish.

Here she is, my runner girl (who won a five-dollar ice cream gift certificate for being second girl in her age group):