Keep Austin Weird

Last Saturday we got the kids up early and headed downtown for the Keep Austin Weird 5k fun run. Daryl and I ran in it several years ago (before kids). There is some kind of fun run going on just about every weekend here in Austin, but the KAW is one of the funnest. Many people dress up in costumes and instead of water they hand out things like bacon, beer, and ice cream intermittently over the course.

Austin is in the grip of a severe drought, the worst in 50 years. Lake Travis is more empty than full and there are no public boat ramps open anywhere on the lake. We are under mandatory water rationing. One hundred year old oaks trees are literally dying of thirst. The morning of the race was rainy and sopping wet.

As Daryl and I fumbled around the house getting ourselves and the kids ready, we considered skipping out... but we told ourselves that the rain might let up, or that it might not be raining all the way downtown. Plus neither of us liked the idea of losing our $50 registration fee. So we went.

We put Brynna in a plastic rain poncho, and Lane, well you can see for yourself. Once the kids were covered and strapped into our borrowed double jogger, we had about a quarter mile walk to the starting line. As we hurried through the rain, Brynna's little voice floated back to us, "Where's all the fun we were going to have?"

We didn't have our camera with us, but Daryl took these two pictures with his phone.

Lane in his hand crafted rain poncho.

Ready to go! We also pinned another poncho to the stroller canopy and draped it over and in front of the kids... worked pretty well.

The kids stayed fairly dry, but Daryl and I were soaked before the race even started. Brynna and Lane did great for the most part. There were a few whines from both of them, and Brynna was worried about how we were going to find our way home. She was also curious about a particularly rowdy group of runners dressed head to toe in rainbow colors. She asked why one of them had a big rainbow flag. I told her it was because he likes rainbows. A lady behind us nearly tripped over herself laughing so hard at that little exchange.

Overall, we had a great time. Walking/jogging 3.1 miles in the rain was awesome after the Summer that we've had. When we got home, we put Lane down in his crib for a nap and the rest of us snuggled into the big bed for a family nap. It was a warm, sweet, cozy way to finish out a fun rainy morning.