On Monday, May 5th, we celebrated Cinco de Mayo by going to a track meet at Sandnes Idrettspark. The Jaerbaldcup 1 was the first real track and field meet that we had been to this season. The rest had been runs around lakes or in the woods. Joe was allowed to participate in two events: the steeple chase and the high jump. Joe didn't do as well on the high jump as he had done in practice, so was a bit disappointed. However, we were impressed! The steeple chase is brutal...it was 8 p.m. when they started the race...1500 km (nearly a mile) with large barriers in the way and a water hazzard just after one of the barriers that they have to run through. The water was up to their knees and cold. Even though it is broad daylight at 8 p.m. here this time of year (sun sets around 10 now), it starts to cool off dramatically if it has been a sunny, clear day. These kids were freezing. Joe was exhausted after the steeple chase....he just laid on the track while Oscar (a NATO kid from Germany) poured water from a water bottle into his mouth (I am trying to explain one of the pictures above). Lily and I wore our ISS Viking track and field shirts to support the kids. She loves being part of the team...she calls it her "team shirt" and loves wearing it!
The kid on the team's shoulders is Sean McCafferty, a Scottish kiddo here with the oil industry. It was his 13th birthday. The entire team - about 30 kids - sang happy birthday to him at the top of their voices after the meet was over. It was fun watching the Norwegians watch this spectacle. It was pretty endearing...knowing those kids from about 10 different nations (on the ISS track team) were all coming together to wish Sean a great birthday. Pretty darn cool.
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