Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Kamden takes up Running

*alternate title: this blog has not (yet) shut down for good

Hi! Remember me?  That's okay, I have been been neglecting my blogging hobby something fierce lately both on the writing side and on the reading side.

This used to come so easily to me, this over sharing for more people than I likely should have been sharing with.   For whatever reason, it doesn't anymore.

Anywho, a bit of an update on us, for two of you that might stumble by.

Kamden is in grade 4 this year and it's the first year he is eligible to participate in extracurricular sports.  The first one that came up was Cross Country running. I was pleasantly surprised when he signed up. He has never had any interest in running and the last 5km walk we signed up for resulted in him throwing a tantrum and walking slower than a snail for the entire distance. So he was 5 years old, that's not the point.  Okay maybe that's the point. Whatever.


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I went to watch the first race because I wasn't so sure it wouldn't be the last.  It was smoking hot that day and he managed to finish about 36th place or something.  Out of over a hundred kids.  I couldn't have been more proud. He said to me after it was done, "Mom, that was hard. But it will be easier next time, right?"

I didn't have the heart to tell him that no, it would never be easier because you always try to go faster.  Welcome to running, son, you will never be satisfied and will always strive for more.

He has since raced 2 more times and has managed to improve each time. He hasn't mentioned whether it got easier though. I am going to assume, no.

Jay and I were signed up for a night run this past Friday and when I mentioned it, he wanted to do it too. What the hay, I said, it's 5km.  He can do it.

We managed to fit a couple 3.25 km runs in before the race (he was training for Cross Country too).  Race day came and we met up with another couple, Terry-Lyn and Kent, to run.  It was a fun run with no timing chips and it involved "glowing".  We hit the dollar store and were definitely under-glowed compared to others.


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I know his eyes are closed but it cracks me up.  This is sooooo him.

Jay stuck with him since the rest of us got separated in the mass of people at the start.  Once we finished (in about 27:22 or so - fastest 5k ever for me - it's been a busy running year, post sometime soon on that) I looked at my phone and Jay had texted an update as to where they were on the course. They were not far from the finish so I started walking back along the course and before I knew it, there they were.

As we neared the finish, the rest of us couldn't keep up to him. He was all about being done already and sprinted in to the finish.

He ran it in about 31 min. Turns out they took a short cut accidentally so the distance was not quite 5k but it was a least 4.5.  Not to mention he only took one walk break (I am in awe!) 26 min into the race.

So so proud of you, Kamden!

Next year, he'll no doubt pass me and I'll eat his dust. I am okay with that though.

To finish, some photos of the cousins on Jay's side. I might be bias but we make ridiculously good looking kids, no? 

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The idea for this pose was all Dana's.
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And pumpkins because, well, why not?

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Till next time, keep fit and have fun!