The Young and the Restless

The Running Man

{That title gave me vividly horrifying flashbacks of church dances. Eeek.} So I used to be a hardcore runner, and still enjoy getting a few miles under my belt, so of course I was excited when I learned that Kylie could join the running club when she was in kindergarten.  I went to that first parent meeting and signed up on the spot for every possible volunteer position...team photographer, POD leader, dot checker and anything else I could scribble my name on.  This was also back when I jumped at the chance to be room mom and volunteered any extra time I could to helping out in the classroom and even shelving books in the library.  I also ate lunch with her every single friday.  I used to be such a good mom. Now I duck my head every time they pass around sign up sheets at the Meet the Teacher nights.  I've gotten wiser in my old age. Anyways....so back to her kindergarten story, I was so excited for it to start, and then on the first day of practice there was a mix up with carpool and she got left at the school.  I found her sobbing, traumatized and vowing never to return to running club.  I don't know who was more upset, me for seeing my vicarious dreams coming to a screeching halt, or the club for losing their #1 volunteer.  Finally this year Jayden decided he wanted to give it a try and we convinced Kylie to do it too (a new pair of running shoes was just enough to repress her past memories).  The practices are before school and we quickly learned that getting out of bed on a freezing cold dark morning to go running is not really all that fun afterall.  I made them stick with it until the first race, because we aren't quitters (some of the time).  The day of the first race came and it got rained out so the agony was prolonged a few more weeks until it finally got rescheduled.  And then Kylie was sick, but I don't think she really cared that she had to miss it.  Her heart was never really in it. And she already got her new shoes.  I gave Jayden, sweet little competitive Jayden, the strategy talk where you have to pace yourself, but straight off the starting line it was like the charging of the bulls. And then he died and walked the rest of the way until he came into our line of vision then sprinted as if he had been running that fast the entire time. He declared that it was the longest 15 minutes of his life, but he did great and I was proud of him.  I may not have any of the kids following in my Nike footprints, but atleast I'm off the hook from volunteer of the year award.

Of course he wouldn't smile for any pictures

 So instead he gets a picture of his hiney. That'll teach him.

See that look? That's the "I'm going to kick your trash and you're not going to know what hit you" look.

sure enough, he leaves that poor kid in the dust with that goofy smile still on his face.

Celebrating mediocrity one participant ribbon at a time.