Healthy Kids Running Series: Race #2 Recap

Posted by hellyontherun in Family, Running and tagged with , , , ,

Progress!!!

Before I recap, I have to show you this pic from race #1–(race pics are free!! a def plus to this race)

That face. <3

That face. ❤

So last time, if you recall, my daughter was all about it, talking and announcing how she was going to run fast like mommy only to get stage fright when it was go time. (recap here)

Afterward, she said she wanted a do over and I talked to her about how there was only one chance, that she’d have to wait for next Sunday to go again. I took the opportunity to show her pics from that day’s race and explain how the kids in the pictures were running by themselves, without their mommies. She seemed to understand how a race was meant to be run alone. I asked her, “Do you think you can run by yourself?” and she was very certain that she could.

Throughout the week she would say to my husband and I, “I run by myself!” and we’d say, “Yeah, you can do it!”

We practiced too. I’d stand on one end of the hallway and my husband at the other. We’d ask, “Do you think you can run by yourself to daddy?”

“Yeah!!”

On Sunday, we picked out the running outfit. It was all about the purple and she was very adamant about wanting big bow. She also wanted to wear shorts like mommy so she wore the same pink shorts as last time.

We arrived at the race right before the start time. The 3 p.m. start was a hot one so we didn’t want to get there early and stand around in 93 degree weather.

My husband and I walked our daughter to the finish line to show her where she was running to. We practiced running through the line and she loved it. Then it was time to gather around the start. Daddy kissed her good luck and told her he’d be waiting.

The 2-3 year old boys went first and I pointed out again how they were running without their mommies. She nodded, “I run by myself!”

Then it was her turn. The race director said the instructions to the runners and at Go! the runners took off. My daughter started running but then looked back to see where I was and yelled, “Mommy, run!” so I started running behind her. She kept turning back to make sure I was there but yup, she was doing it. Running all by herself. 😀

flying.

flying.

my little runner

my little runner

This race was most definitely a success. Considering last time she wouldn’t even think about standing let alone running, to now going the entire way and crossing the finish line–we are very happy with how the race went 😀

And I can tell she likes it too; she laughed and had a huge smile the entire way–that alone makes me the happiest mom in the world. ❤

My daughter takes a break from racing next weekend so you’ll have to anxiously wait two weeks for her next race update 🙂 She turns three on Thursday and is having her big bash on Saturday!

–Do you train for all races or just particular races?

–Besides following a training plan, how else do you prepare for a race?

–Do you smile while you run? : )

34 responses

  2. So cute! We had a similar experience with our oldest a few years back. Now, she takes off without us no problem. She loves HER races (2-3/year). Love seeing children participate in activities their parents are role models for 🙂 Way to go!

    Reply

  5. That is totally progress! Congrats to you all. Excellent preparations. I do not train for races besides full marathons, but I did just tell my husband I would like to train properly for a half marathon and see what I could do. And no I never smile when I run…I’m one of those people that doesn’t smile for random reasons. I always get people on the street that pass me and tell me to smile and I find it a tad annoying. I’m very happy, I just don’t smile 🙂

    Reply

    • I actually don’t smile a whole lot either and get told to and boy, does that annoy me. I’m one of those who has the “resting bitch face”. I’m not mad, that’s just how I look normally LOL

      Reply

  13. Omg goosebumps!! Those pictures are all fantastic, & your daughter is just too cute!
    I love that kids can remind us of the joy in running 🙂 All too often we stress ourselves out over it & feel the need to monitor every piece of data we can, whereas kids will run simplify because it’s fun to go fast.

    Reply

  16. Sooo cool! Lately our little girl has been asking to go on my runs with me. It’s pretty cute. I take her for a run around the block…until on the last run when she tripped and fell. Hopefully she won’t be discouraged.

    Reply

  17. That smile is infectious ❤
    I have my moments of big goofy smiles in races, but I think it would hurt to smile the whole way through a run 😀

    Reply