My Harrier

Ainsley's school has held a Turkey Trot for the last 12 years and, if you know me, you know I love it.  I've been fired up for this event ever since I found out about it and wish, wish, wish I could have helped out.  I just know my easy temperament would have made me the darling of the planning team.  In retrospect, it's probably best I didn't want to shell out some coin for babysitting so I could help hand out water bottles. Things would have gotten serious.

Anyway, every student participates and they spend some time in PE training for their big run. I made the mistake of calling it a "race" one time and was corrected.

"Mommy.  It is a Run.  Not a Race.  We are supposed to keep a steady pace so we don't get too tired and have to stop."

Okay, okay.  Fine. I have many years to brainwash my oldest into wanting to show the rest of the school how it's done.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I showed up to cheer her on and was floored by what had been prepared.  Every student had a race number, the roads (yes, they ran around the neighborhood where the school is located) were blocked by police cars, parent volunteers were everywhere along the course, there was a finish line chute, and bottled water and bananas had been donated by one of the local grocery stores for the athletes who, I'm certain, would be so exhausted from their 1/4 mile (for the first and second graders) and 1/2 mile (for the rest) respective runs.

The starting line. I was dying because they still had about 5 minutes until the PE teacher started the race and a couple kids held their starting stance the entire time.  Classic.

Ainsley isn't in this picture, but I still love it.  The kids are all so excited and serious and that's the way it's supposed to be.  It was so sweet to see every single kid having a great time while they're running.  I wish I had video because right after I took this picture a boy lost a shoe.  Of course.  So visualize a little kid running against the tide to retrieve lost shoe, then bending down to put it back on while 100+ kids ran past.  I thought for sure there would be a pile-up of some sort, but miraculously no one got seriously injured.

And my girl?  Well I got a little teary watching her run past, so stinkin' cute in her race number, the biggest smile ever, keeping a steady pace, just as she had been told.  Her very first road run.

The finish.  Check out that form.  Relaxed, perfect arm swing and hand placement.  Steady as she goes and she remembered to do exactly as she was told. A coach's dream.

The first of many ribbons, because of COURSE she'll run cross-country.