Run Run Run

Porosea is a sports event which takes place yearly on the island and is very popular with locals and athletes from all over the country.  It's called a 'multi-sport' competition and includes running, swimming, triathlon and aquathlon.  Some of our family always take part.

The first race is 1,500 metres for those under 18. Dozens of school kids took part and they all received a 'medal' at the finish, along with a bottle of water and a banana. There was great excitement, and a lot of noise, when they took off.  

The 5ks was also run by a lovely black dog and his owner and a babe in a pushchair.  An 80 year old ran the 10ks. He came in a long time after the others had finished but was cheered on all along the route. 

It takes place over a weekend and for 2 days our few roads are closed down for several hours. 

The island was teeming with cars and people again, athletes and summer visitors. I noticed how popular these darn electric scooters are

This sort of thing, 

which can be ridden by any age group, without a licence, without a helmet and without insurance.  I'll rant about these another time

On Saturday we made sure we were down on the harbour well before they blocked access so we could be at the start line of the 5 and 10 kilometre races.  Grandaughter ran 10ks and her mother ran the 5ks.

Others in the family were volunteers.  And others spectators, like me, with my trusty camera ready to record the day, for the blog and instagram

 

Just finished racing 5ks Daughter on the right with friend Maria

Grand-daughter and rowing medal winner ran 10ks in her new NZ rowing outfit

Next race she'll be wearing the Australian rowing suit

Poppi on the left, with friend Evita, looks as though she's hardly sweating after the 10ks.

Actually she was dripping and that hat was sopping wet

They were lucky, they didn't run till after 6pm and the sun went behind the clouds as they started running

A very short spot

Greeks don't need an excuse to dance.  These kids suddenly started dancing in the road while they were waiting for the first athletes to finish

Poppi won the gold medal for her age group but had disappeared by the time they gave out the medals.  Mum stepped up to the stage instead and very happily received the gold medal on her behalf, with a great wave to all her fans 

I waited so long at the finish line to get everyone's photo that I ended up being interviewed myself.  Actually she was asking me why I wasn't dancing in the road with the young kids next to me.  No way that was going to happen