It’s good to see your kids at the finish line

I have been to it all.

Soccer games, football games, basketball games, school plays, church awards ceremonies, academic assemblies, swim meets, band concerts — check, check and check!

But, occasionally, I am on the other end of the equation.

I am not the spectator clapping, but the subject for the event.

That happened this past weekend when I ran the Columbia Gorge Marathon in Hood River, Ore.

There is nothing quite like seeing a familiar face when running a race of that distance.

My family had arranged to meet me at 10 Speed East Coffee along the course. So, about mile 18, there they were.

First, I saw Micah, my 11 year-old, who waved and looked very excited. He went in to get the others, who were still ordering their coffee and assorted drinks.

They came out and I stopped to chat ever so briefly — this was more than 3 hours into the race.

Micah offered me a slurp of his strawberry-banana smoothie. It was heavenly.

So, I said my farewells and promised to meet them at the finish.

And when I was gutting out those last couple of miles, I knew I’d see those familiar faces again.

Matthew (my 16 year-old) was clapping as I came around the final turn. Micah was snapping a few pictures. And, Nathan — who is 1 — was hanging out in his stroller doing what 1 year-olds do. He was relaxing, taking in the scenery and looking for that next cup of milk.

Running marathons is not for everybody.

But the sore feet and all the sweat is worth it when you get to see your kids cheering you to the finish line.

• An editor by day, Scott Mayes is also dad to Matthew, Micah and Nathan. He’s a high school parent, a youth basketball dad and changes diapers. He’s finished two marathons in Washington and one in Oregon.

Filed under Dadventures