Birdwalk

Mayor's Run, 2012



 N participated in this morning's 1-mile road race, the Mayor's Run, around the State Capitol Building. She arrived in running shorts, cheered on her classmates from the sidelines, stretched out her hamstrings, assembled at the starting line and sort of bubbled with anticipation.

She, then, proceeded to propel herself forward at the slowest pace humanly possible. Finished dead last in her heat, I think. 

I met her at the finish line, camera in hand, with a loud raucous cheer. Everyone else had cleared out. They were at the Gatorade stand. I tried to make up for the empty street by being the vocal equivalent to a small crowd. 

She gave me a big grin and bubbly wave as she shuffled with a short stride past me. One of her hands cupped in front of her torso. I have pictures from the race. Lots of posed shots where she's simulating action in super, super slow-motion. 

But it's this robin's egg, evidently, that stole the show. She found it along the path. Carried it safely to the finish line and had that excited whisper when she showed me the empty shell.