Meet 4 1/2 year champ, Number Two. He has been running with his mother for 4 1/4 years and has been racing for the past four. At 8 months, he won his first medal at a Toronto Island 6K race when many male runners were more than annoyed that they “got passed by a kid”. Over the next two years, he trained hard with Mom to win many age group awards but, suddenly, without warning, he gained weight; his days of racing in the baby jogger were gone.
But Number Two has a spark in his heart; he has a genuine passion for running. In the past two years, he has continued to train with his mother, enabling her to build core strength and cardio endurance by allowing him to be a tag-along (really a push-forward). In June 2009, at the age of three years, he entered his first 1K race and cried for Mom to carry him the entire course; at another race, he cried that he needed to go to the bathroom which, again, resulted in his being carried for much of the route. But he has proudly hung the medals and ribbons earned at those kids’ events. Even though he is almost 5 years, he still loves his jogger and begs his mother to take him for a run , even on days that she hadn’t planned to.
Last night was another stepping stone in Number Two’s career as a runner; he ran the Ancaster 1K Run for Kids completely on his own. He walked himself up to the start line, carefully placed his feet on the white-chalked line and waited for the horn to sound. And, like most runners, he panicked a few minutes when he thought that he needed to go to the bathroom. just before the start. After trying to aim on a patch of grass and being told that it was likely just a case of pre-race jitters (like Mom gets before a race) when he failed, he returned to the start line, ready to go.
The horn sounded and off the kids went. Number Two ran and ran until he heard the crowd cheer “Go, go, go! You’re almost there!” True to four year old style, he stopped dead in his tracks. Coach Mommy grabbed his hand and ran him across the finish line.
Last night, Number Two earned his first medal – completely on his own.
I love that!!! The needing to use the bathroom story cracked me up, so true!
I love your quote of the week. Don't mind me, but I'm using it! 😉
This is AWESOME. Something I look forward to doing a lot in the coming years.
So darn cute! Good for him…and you should be proud!
Awesome. You've set an excellent example.
More progress towards the day when they push us.
soo cute! I love his face in the first picture…he is a serious little racer!
That is so cute. We don't really have family races here in the UK, but I'd love to do one with my 4-year-old. Congratulations to your son!