Running Club

Elizabeth's school has a spring running club for 1st-6th graders, so I didn't pay any attention to it since she's in kindergarten. Then on Monday night, I noticed her looking melancholy and asked her what she was thinking about. "Just that I wish I was in first grade," she said quietly. She really wanted to be in the running club!

I was surprised because this was the first I had heard about this deep desire of hers, and really pleased since this was the first interest she has shown in (semi) organized athletics. So after school the next day, I got permission for her to join the club if I stayed with her the whole time. She walked right into the gym with 100 other bigger kids in there and started stretching out with them.

They asked the kids to try a 1.15 mile run that day. They talked about pacing and walking when you got too tired. Then they sent them outside for two laps (1.15 miles) around the school and attached parks and fields. I expected to be several blocks behind everyone else at the end, but I was impressed that Elizabeth was willing to give it a shot.

Well, she may have found her niche! She ran the entire way without walking once or even looking back at me, and I know because I followed her with Amelie in the stroller! She passed a ton of big kids and never slowed down. I was so proud of her that I felt I could burst. At the second half of the last lap, she realized that she would be able to finish, and it was amazing to watch the focus and concentration on her little sweaty face. She even speeded up for the finish. The second meeting, she finished the course before they blew the whistle to come in (even though they added in stops with push-ups and jumping jacks) and started out for a third lap!

The club meets twice a week for three weeks, and on the final week they have a one-mile race. It's a huge group - the program has been running successfully for 22 years - with a ton of teacher support and parents that run along the course and supervise. I am so happy that Elizabeth wanted to be part of it and that they allowed her to join. It's hard for me to stop talking about how proud I am of her!

P.S. The unfortunate child has inherited her mother's bright red face after any exertion. She looks way cuter than I do!