Fun Run With My Fun Kids

I learned something new about my kids this last week: they are fast runners!

Their elementary school has been doing red and green ribbon week, emphasizing health and safety. One morning the whole school participated in a fun run.

The fourth-sixth graders ran the first race, two laps around the school and surrounding neighborhood, equaling one mile. Our fourth grade daughter came to me that morning with a race plan.

She was going to run the first lap easily, not going out with the front runners, but then on the second lap she was really going to push it. I was really surprised that she stuck to her plan, which worked very well. She finished very strong and by the finish had worked her way right up to the front runners.

Our second grader ran against 2nd and 3rd graders. He also ran very well, maintaining a quick even pace.

He is probably our most competitive and it showed. He finished 5th and ran a 7:18 mile. Way to go!

Our kindergartner wasn't planning on running. Honestly I didn't think he would enjoy it and that if he did run it, I was sure he would stop and walk. As he watched the other kids run, he begged and begged to run too.

We hurried into the office and signed the waiver and then he was able to run in the kindergartner and first grader race. I watched closely, expecting that he would quickly get tired and walk.

No way! Those little legs ran the whole half mile and he was also right there in the front of the pack. He crossed the finish line and headed straight for the cold water. It was a fun morning for me...maybe someday in the future, I'll have some running buddies.