Friday, October 17, 2008

Runners to your mark

Get Set...Go! Taryn ran her last cross country race for the season. Sunridge Middle School allows any interested fifth graders to join their team. Taryn was given the opportunity to not only practice, but to compete with the SMS team this year.

During the first week of practice the weather was very warm. On a number of days I would arrive to pick her up from practice and I would see her strolling back to the school, arriving at the tail end of their practice. The funny thing though, was that I never saw her running. I would honk and encourage her to kick it into gear. She suggested if I thought I could do better, that she'd love to see it. (She had me there, so I didn't push too hard.)

When her first meet of the season came around, she was bit by the competition bug. Her coach challenged her to run an entire race and as an incentive she could have homemade ice cream. (Made by mom, how convenient for the coach.) She ran the entire way, I made the ice cream, and she never walked any part of her workouts or races from that point on.

At her last meet of the season she ran a personal best. There was a down side to that race - bugs. Tiny, nasty, little blue bugs. They were everywhere. The runners kept on going, right through them. They are dedicated. I couldn't wait to get home. I ended up with lots of little dead bugs all over my white shirt. I couldn't just let them be. I tried to brush them off. It didn't work. Did I mention the bugs were nasty.

2 comments:

Mom said...

Dad is tickled to have another runner in the family. GO GIRL GO

Nelson's Nest said...

I keep trying to comment on this post.

I love that Taryn is able to take it easy, but kick it into gear if needed.

I was so sad not to see her run this year :( I have always loved to watch her run. I know there will be lots of races to come.