Sunday, November 22, 2009

PHOTOS from EARN THE BIRD!!

WOW! What a GREAT day in the park! The weather was perfect, the trail pristine, and the company grand as about 40 people joined Coaches Wendy, Brian (Wendy's husband), John, Laura, George and Vanessa. We had children young and not-so-young. We had dogs, we had strollers, we had it ALL!  Following are a BUNCH of pictures, and some commentary.

(Warning - commentary on photos may be 100% factual and accurate, or it just as well might be completely farcical and facetious - readers beware!)






Keith Miller, raring to go - 4th place overall and he's out here EARNING his BIRD!
Coach Brian tried to run hard enough so that Keith couldn't ask too many questions... 
 


Coach Laura was there, smilin' and hikin' and runnin' with her crew!

David Olson was pretty happy, at least before we started! He's another one in the Top Ten who is walking the walk!

 
Mary Ellen Diemer, "So you see, I went up this ramp this way, and sort of had to dodge John, who was coming down at me the other way....."

 
Folks, this is Matt Mays - he's been sorta like Biggest Loser Bill, leading overall in the contest the whole way. He showed up, 'cause he knows what's good for him. (Coach Nicole would have throttled him had he not been there!)

 
This is the Roachs, Cindy and Jacob - leaders of the TEAM competition. Noticing the pattern yet? Let me give you a hint - those who are doing well with the whole PROCESS are willing to step outside their comfort zone, sacrifice from what they would "normally" do, and create some heat and sweat.

 
 Linda Rice was pretty happy to see George, I think.



Tanya Fields, graduate of prestigious Fields University, had some weird devices hanging about her neck and later sticking out of her ears - looked painful. Hope she didn't miss too much of the wonderful natural sounds happening all around her!

 
The Dormanns - Amy the Cute One, Tom the scruffy one.

 
That's Wendy's daughter, Jessica Ann in the pink. And her across-the-street buddy, Mallory. They start them out young in Coach Cooper's neighborhood!

 
Sam Hutchings and her husband. Ask Wendy or John who won the day's "WARRIOR AWARD" and why!

 
Esther Grisham (is she related to John?) She was the ONLY ONE to wear their BHL tee shirt, and MAN, she looked good in it!

 
Mazda Salour, who eked his way onto the "Eliminated Team", had the motivation to not only show up, but complete a long and arduous hike while experiencing bad calf cramps almost from the start. Without reveling who was the overall Warrior of the Day, I will say that Mazda was a very close second!

 
Angela Green and her beautiful daughter (that's a Pike highschool Powder Puff football jersey she's wearing!)

 
Kerry and Dan Patterson. BHL Kerry left big strong hubby in the dust! As Coach John passed Dan on a long uphill gnarly part of the trail, Dan remarked to John, "Man, you must have good lungs". Dan - you have no idea....

 
Know what these are? Nope, not socks - those are SHOES!
Wanna guess whose feet they were on?

 
Before we headed out, Coach Wendy led some stretches. Immediately behind Cindy's left elbow one can spy Molly, Coach John's bike. Nope, he did not make it back home before dark.

 
Molly Walkup and her son. She came with her husband, a stroller and another little one!

 
Michelle Churchwell and Coach Vanessa having a great time out on the trail. Behind them is Sam and her husband, and behind them is Kerri Brinson Morris!

 
Christine Price, Linda Rice and Melissa Helmick kept up a really strong pace throughout.

 
Coach Wendy, Sam and her husband making their way up a rise. Up ahead on the trail, barely visible, is Mallory and Wendy's daughter, Jessica.

 
Jacob Roach and Coach George Gill enjoying themselves back at the finish line.
George, who rode his bike to the park, had to leave in a hurry because he was also cantoring at mass in the evening - that's a FULL day!

 
Tia Kersey at the finish. She had just finished sprinting George at the finish. Earlier, she and Keith got slightly misplaced. But made up for it and caught back up to the lead group. HEY! She has some of those goofy funny things on her head, too! Almost missed them - weird!!