Meawathon!

     The air was crisp and the sky ablaze with morning light as I drove up to the front of MCA school doors, seven forty-five in the morning on Saturday, the 18th of November. I parked my car and waited for my crew to show up. Today was the Meawathon five-k and I had happily offered to photograph MCA's running group, The Swiftness, as they participated in the run! The morning was cold though, I was in desperate need of hot coffee, and I was using a camera that I borrowed from a friend, of which I wasn't totally comfortable with using. (I knew very well the curse of trying out new recipes with house guests). I also knew that I currently wasn't given any other choice, being that my own machinery was asleep at home, half an hour away.  Slowly but surely members of the team made their presence known at the steps of the school and we trotted down, with cold hands, to the festivities that lay in the heart of Overton Park. 

    It was a cheerful environment, the silent auction and raffle had commenced earlier at seven- thirty, and the sound system set up for announcements  was playing a dandy set of epic music to get everyone in that "running" mood. This varied set soon turned into a perpetual replay of "We Are the Champions" later on during the award ceremony. The Swiftness began their rounds of jumping jacks and stretches which inevitably helped everyone spirit wise And before I knew it, I began to hear excitement from voices that were previously cold and tired. It was time to run! 

    The entire crowd of participants made their way to the starting line and in seconds of the horn blowing,  I was fumbling with the camera and it's foreign triggers and pulleys, trying to keep my cool and pretend to look the part. The running course looped around the park twice and so I had a couple tries to find MCA's star athletes with my lens. And everyone did very well!  To those who ran, I salute: Natalie Schuh, Cris Simmons, Emily Stewart, Nicholous Darmstaedter, George Brooks, and Ashley Homeyer. This group has proved time and time again that exercise and art do mix, and they mix very well. So here is my cry out to MCA...there is always room for more Swift members! 

    The Meawathon is a race dedicated to a feline agency called House of Mews. This agency started in 1994, and throughout the past few years, it has thrived and grown greatly. The house is fully funded non-profit organization that runs off of volunteers and big hearts. This race and the festivities that went with it, was to support what they do; to help protect and care for the feline race! More information can be found at:   http://www.houseofmews.com/