Finishers Are Winners

When I was teaching the senior teacher of the team of teachers I worked with used to brainwash  inspire the children with this phrase.  It didn't matter the occasion if they completed they were winners.  The lovely daughter is a winner to us.  The morning wasn't as wet as it could have been or as cold but she started running in her rain jacket and we took it from her at about the 12 k mark.  I was amazed at how many people there were all lined up with various sorts of protection against the wet.  There were so many people we didn't see her start and missed her at the 5k mark but caught up with her just after halfway.  That was happy place with a small group of onlookers cheering the runners and calling out their names.  I could see the little lift that gave the runners.  The showers had cleared by then.  We then drove through the chaos of Queenstown to find a place to park the car and  hoof it to the finish line.  Late again we missed her come in but somehow found her in the crowd and took this photo with her running mates.  The extra is before she took her place for the start. 
Rather than fight  the traffic again to get out of Queenstown we drove to Glenorchy because that's the way the car was pointing.  It was raining hard by now so found a spot in a cafe for a shared piece of carrot cake and hot chocolate.  Perfect post run food.  The forester had a meat pie.
Tonight it is out to dinner with the runners and their supporters.  Tomorrow is an exploring day if the weather is reasonable.