Camilla, Georgia: Gnat Days 5K Run

Stephen and Jacob ran in the Gnat Days 5K Run in Camilla, Georgia this evening. This was an unusual race as it was run on a Friday evening at 7 pm. Most of the races take place on Saturday mornings. The overall winner of the race was a kid from Bainbridge, Georgia named Kyle Harris. Kyle is 15 years old and I think his time was around 17:35. His 9 year old brother, Caleb, won the 10 and under division with a time of 21:15. Their mom, Julie, came in third in her age group. This is a picture of 3 of the 5 members of the Harris family. We stayed and talked to them for quite awhile after the race. They are a very nice family!

The overall female winner is the lady in the white hat and black athletic top (the sports bra looking shirt). I think her name is Mary Anne Grayson. Before the race I told Stephen to line up next to her and run her pace. I gave him that advice because she finished just behind him in the Palace Saloon race and just ahead of him in the Rose City Run. The advice turned out to be well founded. With about 100 yards left in the race Stephen was about 15 yards behind Mrs. Grayson. About 50 yards before the end Stephen turned on the burners and caught up to her. I think she heard him coming as she turned the burners on herself about 10 yards before the end and beat Stephen by a step and a half. Stephen finished 5th overall and 1st in his age group. Jacob finished 35th overall and 5th in his age group.

Stephen and Jacob prior to the race

Is this hop scotch or a 5K?

Let the madness begin. Check out the Masked Avenger in the front right.Here come the first two runners down the stretch.
Kyle Harris pulls away from the Masked Avenger.

Stephen with about 100 yards left in the race.

Stephen turns on the burners with about 50 yards left.

Here comes the Jake. He ended up beating that kid.

Now for the trophys and medals.

Stephen was terrified to get in this picture with the Gnat Day Queens.
I think he was even scared of the little girls.
This is a large live oak tree in Camilla

Thomasville, Georgia: Stephen Robbins and the Goblet of Roses

Stephen ran in the Thomasville Rose City Run 10K (6.2 Miles) today. He finished first in the 13 and under age group with a time of 43:31. You can view the winners results online at the Thomasville Enterprise Newspaper or see the results of all the runners on the Gulfwinds website. That time was good enough to put him at 38th overall out of 410 runners. He received a Silver Goblet and a rose for winning his age group. The second place kid in his age group finished 98th overall with a time of 49:30 and the third place kid had a time of 53:58. Overall, this group of 13 and under was faster than last year when the winner posted a time of 54:00. Based on the results shown in the newspaper, he would have finished third in the 14-18 year old division.

I had a feeling he would finish between 42-48 minutes given how fast he has run in the 5K's. He is wearing Boy Scout pants. Probably not a runner's preferred pant, but they will certainly do in a pinch. Jacob snapped the following pictures while I videotaped the race in several different places on the route.

Also, check out this article about the race. You will notice that the article mentions a Jessie Close. Y'all may not recognize the name, but I bet most of our family remember who he is. Mr. Close is the black guy we always saw running down Centerville Road every morning on our way to school. He is apparently one of the most successful Rose City Run participants ever. Pretty cool huh.

Check out Jacob's pictures:

The State Farmer's Market was the first mile marker

This is Stephen Robbins and the Goblet of Roses

Albany, Georgia: GISA Deerfield Windsor Track Meet April, 2010

Where do I start. Aim, Stephen, Kappy, Papa and I went to Albany, Georgia today to watch Stephen and the Brookwood Middle School Track Team compete against the best GISA competition in south Georgia. Six or seven of the largest GISA schools around participated. The stadium was huge as you can see in the picture below.

The 1600 Meters (1 Mile)
Stephen ran in 5 races. The 1600 meters was the first race of the day. It was an awesome race. Stephen and the other kid shown above separated from the pack on the last lap. The other kid opened up a 20 meter or so lead on Stephen with about 200 meters to go. With about 100 meters left in the race Stephen had closed the gap to around 10 meters. With about 50 meters left in the race Stephen was right on the kid's heels. When the race ended, the kid had beaten Stephen by less than 1 second. The other kid ran a 5:33 mile and Stephen a 5:34 mile. A great race! I will be posting the video of the race as soon as I figure out how to do it.

When I say the "tall kid," I mean the "tall kid."

The 400 Meters (1/4 Mile) or 1 Lap

This was one of the most interesting of Stephen's races today. He took an early lead through the first turn and held that lead for about half the race. On the 2nd to last turn two kids caught him and began to take the lead. But oh no, Stephen wasn't finished. After the last turn and while coming down the home stretch, Stephen turned on the burners and raced past both leaders to win the race with a time of 1:07. The following two pictures show Stephen re-taking the lead down the stretch.

The 800 Meters (1/2 Mile)

I didn't hold out much hope of Stephen winning this race. Why, you ask? Because his main competition was the tall kid from the 1600 Meter race. Also, because Stephen had run two other races between the 1600 Meters and the 800 Meters and the tall kid had not run any other race besides the 1600 Meters. Also, because Stephen's previous race (the 400 Meters) had been just 10-12 minutes prior to the start of the 800 Meters. I just hoped Stephen could make it close and not come in 3rd or worse. As it turned out, my prediction was correct. Stephen was able to stay with the tall kid for most of the race but with about 200 Meters left his gas ran out. Stephen finished 3 seconds behind the tall kid with a time of 2:35. He finished a solid 15 seconds ahead of the third place kid. After their race the tall kid approached Stephen and asked him how long he'd been running. Stephen told him this was his second track and field race and the kid acted like he couldn't believe it. Not bad. A first and two seconds.

I will be posting videos of his races as soon as I can figure out how.

Brookwood's Middle School Track and Field Team

A little Pre-Race Strategery

Stephen Anchoring the 4X400 Meter Relay

Kappy is proud of her big brother

Then Kappy decides she wants of piece of her big brother on the track

Colquitt, Georgia: National Mayhaw Festival 5K

Stephen and Jacob ran in the National Mayhaw Festival 5K Run on Saturday. There were around 60-70 other runners. Stephen finished as the 1st Overall Runner and Jacob finished as the 5th Overall Runner and 2nd in the 14 and under age group. The adults were in complete disbelief as they watched a 10 year old severly outpace them to the finish line. Stephen finished about 2 1/2 minutes ahead of the next place finisher. A group of 3 or 4 adults were bearing down on Jacob with about 1/4 mile to go. When he heard them coming he kicked it into overdrive and pulled away from them.

Stephen got a nice plaque and a $100.00 bill for winning the whole thing. Jacob got a medal for finishing 2nd in his age group.

The Rose City Run is this Saturday. It is a very hilly 10K race. I predict Stephen will finish with a time between 42:00-48:00. The kid who won Stephen's age group last year did so with a time of 54:00.

Shellman, Georgia: Track and Field Event April 2010

On Thursday, Stephen participated in a six school track and field event in Shellman, Georgia. The first race of the day was the 1600 meter (1 mile) run. Stephen jumped into the lead early and held the lead for three and a half laps. He seemed to run out of gas with a half lap to go and two runners passed him. He was able to pass one of them back and ended up in second place. The boy who beat him also runs for Brookwood and is in the 8th Grade. The winner ran the 1600 meters in 5:44 and Stephen ran it in 5:45. A very solid run for both runners.

Stephen then finished 2nd in the 400 meter (1/4 mile) with a time of 1:16. In his final race he won the 800 meter (1/2 mile) with a time of 2:36.

All in all, a good day for his first ever track and field event.