Cross Country Day

Banany has never come across as a natural athlete, probably because she's often perfectly content to be reading or drawing.  And while she loves to ride her bike and rollerblade, she doesn't have the desire to constantly be active. Running, in particular, seemed to be the least of her preferred activities.

So, needless to say, I was a little concerned when she told me that all of the kids were required to complete one lap around the marked cross country course at school every day before playing at recess.  She told me that she could only make it to a certain point where she had to start walking (which is fine, the kids can walk or run). We talked about how she could try each day to just make it a tiny bit further than the day before, but to just do her best.

Much to my surprise, she came home one day and told me she'd joined the school running club. These kids are required to do two laps every day. Two. My child who complains of a side ache after running across the backyard one time joined the running club all on her own.  And, not only that, but she proceeded to voluntarily do her two laps every single day.

Fast forward to cross country day at school. Families can come watch the kids in each grade run one lap in a cross country race. They are divided into three groups per grade (which attempts to put kids with relatively similar speeds in each group so that no one is getting crushed). Banany was in the middle group.

Morning of the race, she is n-e-r-v-o-u-s. We talked and talked about it and I just told her to do her very best and try to have fun. Nothing else mattered. "Please just have fun." I silently begged in my head. "Please don't dissolve into tears. I can't bear it. Just have fun."

When we got to the field to watch the race, she was all smiles when her group was ready to start. Then she started running. And she ran. And ran. And ran. She ran the entire way - without walking. She passed by me with a huge smile on her face and I felt the tears just welling up.  To boot, she was the third girl in her group to cross the finish line.

I nearly burst with pride. Not because of her placing in her group, but because she pushed herself all on her own. Because she trained her own little body to do just a little bit more than she thought she could. Because she was proud of herself. Because she had fun.

With her group.

All lined up.

And they're off. She's in the back left.