Our stake is doing Trek this summer and has schedule several dates leading up to Trek to help the youth get in shape and prepared for the arduous activity.

Saturday was our first of these activities. We all met at the Stake center where we would all run or walk a 4 mile course that had been laid out by the Stake YW leadership. Then of course the refreshments afterwards.

The activity was to start at 0800, but we needed all of the kids there by 0745 so that they could check in with their individual wards. I currently serve in the YWs and my Husband and I have been asked to be a "Ma & Pa"

We got there at 0730 to help get things set up and to check in the kids from our ward. As i was working our wards table I noticed that several of the Young men and leaders from some of the other wars were gathering and socializing not far from our wards table. At the time i didn't think anything of it.

Then just before 0800, they called for everyone to gather at the starting area to go over the map for the course. They emphasized that this was not a race or competition and kept telling the kids to "Go as fast as you feel comfortable" especially since they likely would not be running with the handcarts while on the actual Trek.

My husband and I were standing somewhere in the middle of the group of a couple hundred youth and adults. They said "GO" and everyone began to shuffle out and down the road. My husband and I moving pretty quickly though the group and up to near the front. I compete at an amateur level in biathlons (run/swim) and have run several marathons. My normal morning starts out with a run of at least 10 miles but usually closer to 15 to 20. My husband will join me about 4 days of the week, So needless to say a 4 mile run was a pretty easy task for us.

As we pulled near the front I could hear a large group behind us. When i took a quick look back at one of the turns i noticed that we had a large group of young men and a few adult leaders trailing behind us. When i mentioned this to my husband he began to laugh and almost fell to the ground when he tripped.

As the run went on, the group behind us thinned more and more.

We finished the 4 miles fairly quickly, with just a couple of other running types (kids who run cross country at the high schools) finishing ahead or near us, but not many of the young men that I had noticed earlier.

As we were sipping on our orange juice and muffin refreshments, I recognized some of the Young men trickle in. What was really strange were that many of these young men intentionally passed by us on their way to the refreshments and congratulated us on the run and commented on how fast I was. I found it very nice at first, but as more and more of the young men walked by and commented I began to find it odd. My husband just laughed at each compliment and drank his orange juice.

When we finally got in to the car to leave My husband finally said, "Well I think you motivated most of the Young Men and a few of the Adult leaders to try harder than they thought they would."

When I ask why he said that, he said, because they wanted to keep up with me and what i was wearing. which is what i normally wear for a run.... a pair of black leggins with a sheen to them, and a sports bra and a light jacket/windbreaker.

His guess what that they enjoyed the view enough to try and keep up.

Our next stake Trek Fun run is in a Month when the weather is warmer. I was planning on just wearing what i normally wear as it gets warmer which is a pair of running shorts and a special wicking shirt that I have over a sports bra.

I may have to rethink my wardrobe as those shorts can be a bit 'cheeky'