Make Your Own Party: Darleen's Flamingo 5K and K-OS

I'm not usually a fan of organized races.  It seems like running is already torturous enough on its own that rather than paying to enter a race, someone should give ME money to wake up at an ungodly hour and go run with a crowd of overly eager, sweaty people.

Well, no worries today, because the awesome Darleen's Flamingo 5K was not your usual organized race, and I got shunted to babysitting duty with the younger ones so that I wouldn't slow Phoenix down.

Today was the 4th of this annual race that raises money for cancer research, donating the funds raised to the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center in Washington, N.C.  The race is held in honor of Darleen Smith who died after battling breast cancer.  The motto of the race is "Make Your Own Party," Darleen's favorite saying.

 
And to the crew that put together this race, I commend you because you guys really know how to put on a party!  When Jamey registered himself and Phoenix early this morning, there were already swarms of volunteers setting up and preparing a huge breakfast.

A good ol' southern breakfast!

In addition to the amazing southern food, there was also K-OS playing, a popular local band whose members range in age from 11 years to 14 years.  K-OS was surprisingly good (check them out on Facebook and YouTube), and it was interesting at times to reconcile their "boy next door" look with some of the cover songs that they did, e.g., Joan Jett, Fugazi (and unfortunately it looked like they got censored by mom as they were about to start a Van Halen song).

 
It was Phoenix's first race ever.  I knew she was fast, but I didn't realize she could run sub-nine minute miles.  Now I understand that she has just been humoring me and running my slow pace on our jogs together. Phoenix ended up placing second in the female under 15 year old division with a time of 27:33 minutes (three seconds behind the 13 year old first place runner), and Jamey placed first in his division.

The race's support buggies

It was sad to leave Pungo Creek, the warm hospitality of Pungo Creek Marina and all those at Darleen's Flamingo 5K, but with the winds set to turn NW for the day, we couldn't ignore the favorable conditions.

As we were all tired from getting up early for the 5K, we had a mellow day with Jamey at the helm, me fishing next to him at the stern of the boat, and the girls mostly doing their own thing down below (remarkably peacefully and with no fights or injuries).

Phoenix spent all afternoon on the ukelele, including using a portion of that time teaching Indigo chords.  The other girls romped, giggled and laughed, loving having command of down under.  It's so fun to Make Your Own Party!

Our first shrimp boat sightings, a sign of our progress south.

Beautiful Sage

 

A beautiful sunset is best enjoyed at the seat on the boat that is farthest away from the kids

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WHERE WE STARTED: Pungo Creek Marina

WHERE WE ARE: Anchored in a beautiful bay on Bay River with a few other boats behind us.

THERE TO HERE: 25 miles, around 4.5 hours, Jamey at the helm.  Sightings today included several dolphins, a beautiful blue heron, and lots of cormorants flying around teasing my fishing abilities with fish in their beaks.