Coach Callum

Callum's entire five year lifespan had, apparently, been leading up to this weekend because he got to ride the bus with the XC team to the KVAC (Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference) championship meet (our girls got third place!). On Friday night, CS and I went over to (other) Coach Chris' house for the team pasta dinner. Callum had A BLAST playing Batman, piano, and 'Tom Brady' (this is what Callum calls 'tackling') with people like Logan and Audrey. 

Also, Callum has, I think, his first 'crush,' and it is very cute, because it is on Audrey, our senior captain and a girl I have in class this year. Callum says to me on the way to the dinner "Daddy, is Audrey going to be there?" I said YES SHE IS. "I reaaaalllllly like Audrey....she has a reallllly pretty face Daddy," he tells me. "But PLEASE dont tell her I said that. You can tell the whole team but dont tell her!!" Obviously, Audrey was tickled by this, and she was very sweet to Callum. That night, after the dinner, he got RIGHT to work (his own idea...no one suggested it) making Audrey some pictures for the next day's race. On the left, you can see a picture of Audrey and Callum jumping together on a trampoline...along with a HAPPY EASTER sticker in the middle. On the OTHER sides of both of these pieces of paper there are spider webs Callum drew for her. On the right, one can see,, again, Callum and Audrey together, along with a picture of Arthur and DW from those famous books....

Callum was ELATED to ride the bus along with the team. The team made him the day's 'honorary coach' and he wore his coaches hat and his tiger shirt because 'tigers are WICKED fast.' The meet was down in Augusta at Cony HS--probably one of my favorite courses (the kids hate it though because it is very hilly!)

Saturday races are tough because, well, they are on Saturdays and they take up most of the day AND they leave early in the AM.. However, I also really love Saturday races, because of the fact that they are so early and it is great to get the team all together first thing and enjoy the morning. The girl flashing the peace sign is Joanne--the world famous Conner Bourgoiin's lil' sister....she is a fantastique runner....

One of the things we do at every race is 'walk the course,' where we, well, walk the entire course (3.1 mighles). This is done to acquaint ourselves with the terrain...go over strategy...see the hills and the mud...and warm up a little. CS got to walk (and jog) the entire course with the team, and he was a MONSTER on running up the hills. Below, he stops to pose with his buddy Logan (Ethan, a rookie runner and great kid) is right beside Logan....

A great race. Very warm. Last year Mios, Jawn, and Zin came up. Missed them this year. But I was looking at pictures from last year, and it was FREEEEEZING out. I was donning my patriots stoquing cap. And we had a fyre in the wood stophve. Not so this year. They were Nannie temperatures (mid 60s). Been a warm phall actually!

Today after church, the Patriots got robbed by the NFL/Jets and the Goldsmiths went and did "Colby Hills" (a popular XC workout) and some hiking around the trails at Colby College. As per usual, we collected enough leaves to fill a scarecrow (we made one of those too). Very windy, bright, mild day. Going on the last week of Oct, and still not ONE FIRE in the stove!!