PRACTICE

FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS JILL HAS BEEN GETTING UP EVERY MORNING AT 5:15 AND RUNNING A LITTLE OVER 3 MILES. YESTERDAY SHE PARTICIPATED IN HER FIRST 5K RUN IN COSHOCTON AT LAKE PARK. THERE WERE SOME INCLINES THROUGHOUT THE RUN, A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN HER DAILY NEIGHBORHOOD ROUTE. JILL RAN THE ENTIRE RACE NOT STOPPING ONCE TO WALK. I AM IMPRESSED AND PROUD.

I STOOD AT THE FINISH LINE WAITING FOR HER TO CROSS AND I NOTICED WHAT THE OTHER RUNNERS WERE DOING WHEN THEY FINISHED. SOME WERE STRETCHING, SOME WERE PACING, ONE GIRL EVEN CONTINUED RUNNING AND CALLED IT HER "COOL DOWN" RUN. JILL CROSSES THE FINISH LINE, VEERS TO THE SIDE HANDS ON HER HIPS...I SAY "GREAT JOB! YOU NEED ANYTHING?"... JILL RESPONDS, "AN NICE COLD BEER, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ICE FORMING ON TOP?" SHE SETTLED FOR A COMPLIMENTARY BOTTLE OF WATER. NOTE: ROSCOE VILLAGE DOES HAVE A BAR.

JILL SAID THE BEST PART OF THE RACE WAS THE PARK SCENERY... I CAN IMAGINE THAT MEANS THAT SHE ENJOYED THE BIRDS, SQUIRRELS, DUCKS...OPPOSED TO HER NORMAL NEIGHBORHOOD WILDLIFE (SCHALLER, FRYE, EVANS).