Another First

The lack of posting over here isn't due to inactivity.  I've been running, doing core work, and fueling myself with candy corn. I'm so behind on blogging because I've been gobbled up by a giant monster called Fundraising. It's my first year doing the BIG fundraiser for my kid's school and every time I think I see the light at the end, it swallows me back down. The end is near...I hope.

But that's not the first I was talking about. This one is much more important and exciting. 

My son ran his first race last Sunday! 

 

Look at them go!!  See how he and the girls are neck and neck? See the look of determination and joy? It stayed that way pretty much the whole race. When they hit the half mile mark, Knucklehead was in first place. On the way back, he slipped back to second...then third. As they neared the finish, I moved closer to the sidewalk behind some bushes to get his picture as they came in. First came in, then second, so I got ready. Nothing. Then some other kid ran by. Okay, he must have run out of steam. As two more kids ran by I stepped out from behind the bush to see where he was. He wasn't. My heart jumped up into my throat. I could see all the way up to the half mile mark, and he was nowhere. Not running, walking or my worst fear - lying on the ground. I opened my mouth to yell his name, but then noticed the yellow emergency ATV coming up the road, my little guy sitting between two EMTs. He was crying but looked intact and as soon as I saw him I knew what happened. I ran to the car to get the inhaler. He never has to use it, I think he's used it once in two years. But it isn't every day he runs a mile trying to beat two girls either.

He was a little shaken, but more than anything he was upset that he didn't finish. I told him to go back and walk across the finish line, but he would have none of that. He felt much better after a cup of Gatorade, some fruit, a granola bar and hearing that he still gets a medal and a t-shirt. Even though he didn't finish, it wasn't for lack of trying. We are sooo proud of him!!!  He's looking forward to his next race and now he's even developed his own training program. He runs Tucker up and down the street every single evening after school.

I tried to get him to trade his cool medal for a bag of candy corn but he'd have none of that, either. Smart kid.