Running with the Lions Recap

Race: 2nd annual Running with the Lions 5K/1K
Distance: 5K/1K
Where: Woods Cross, Utah
Time: Just for fun!

As I mentioned in my last post, Running with the Lions is the annual fundraiser 5K for the kids' school. This year I was on the planning committee and suggested that we add a 1K fun run for the younger kids. Since it was my suggestion I took on the planning and running of the 1K. There is a pathway that goes around the park that was the perfect distance and great for keeping the kids safe, not to mention the planning was made easy for me. We had volunteers standing at different spots on the course to help cheer on the kids and make sure we didn't lose any of them. So, at 8:55 am we had all of the kids line up at the start line and I got to start the first Legacy Preparatory Academy Running with the Lions 1K fun run!
But, let's back up a little.....The morning was very cold and wet, it had poured rain all night. Prior to the race I told Zayd that he should not wear the shoes he had on, that they were not going to be good for running and that they would not keep his feet warm. But, what do I know? I'm just a mom! :) So, I gave up the fight and let him wear the shoes he wanted. And guess what? Within 10 minutes of being at the park and setting up for the race, Zayd's feet were wet and cold and he was grumpy and wouldn't stop complaining. All I heard for the next 30 minutes was "my feet are wet and cold", "I'm going to get frost bite if we don't leave now", "my toes hurt, I can't run". Of course, this was all accompanied with tears and a whiny voice (no idea where he gets that from) and needless to say, I was getting more and more impatient with him. I could not leave even if I wanted to, I had a 1K to run. So, he kept complaining and I kept ignoring him.

If you read about our first 1K run as a family (Cupid's 1K on Valentine's Day) you will remember that after the 1K, in which Allayna had left Zayd and I in the dust, Allayna was all smiles and eager to begin running with me and Zayd was grumpy, I believe his exact quote was "I will never do this again". But despite this, both kids had decided that they wanted to run the 1K with me, even Zayd. At this point, Zayd was about as eager to run as he was at the finish of the Cupid's race, but lined up at the start line anyway, still complaining and carrying on about his frost bit feet.

Giving the last call over the megaphone for the 1K kids to line up and waiting for the last couple of kids to get their bibs on, I lined up at the start. Two minutes later, we were off! I let all of the kids pass and stayed at the back to run with the smallest/slowest runners to cheer them on and make sure no one felt left behind. Zayd "ran" behind us, pulling up the end with a slouched trot and grumpy face! Allayna took off at the front of the pack and finished fourth. And that was the 1K. All of the kids (except Zayd) had a fantastic time and even those running at the end with me felt proud that they finished and had smiles on their faces as the crossed the finish line to the cheers of the crowd!

Oh, but wait, our story does not end there! Allayna was cold but all smiles at the end and once again waited at the finish to cheer on her brother. Zayd was cold and all frowns and still going on about his feet and how he was in pain and ready to leave. Allayna had said early in the week that she may want to run the 5K so I told Zayd I had to find out if she still wanted to and either way I couldn't leave just yet, there were a few details I had to take care of before we could go. Allayna decided that she was too cold and didn't want to run the 5K after all, so I told Zayd to hang out for a few more minutes and once they started the 5K we would go. And then, out of nowhere, I got the shock of my life! Zayd turns to me and says "My feet are hurting because they are cold and I don't really want to, but I'll run the 5K with you". WHAT?! It took me a minute to process this new revelation. Of course, I wasn't in the mood to run a 5K listening to him complain the whole way about his feet or worse that he can't go any further and I have to carry him back! I tried to explain to him that it was over 3 miles and that once he started he had to finish and again he said "I don't want to, but I will run it with you." Hearing this, I again said no, that I didn't want him to run it just because he thought I wanted to run it and I wasn't going to force him to run if he didn't like it. Right at this time they started calling for the start of the 5K and he started walking over to the start line, complaining about his feet the whole way and looking as grumpy as ever. I figured he would stand at the start and decide at the last minute he wasn't going to run, so I gave Allayna the keys to the car so she could warm up and talked with another mom about keeping an eye out for her....and walked to the start where Zayd was waiting. I told him to line up in the back so that we would not be in the way of the faster runners.


And then the race started. And Zayd started running, yelling at me to hurry up he didn't want to be in the back! I caught up to him and told him to slow down a little, he had a long way to go and he needed to pace himself, so he did and fell into pace with me. And we ran. I kept wondering when he was going to poop out and just plop himself onto the ground and say he was done, but he didn't. About three quarters of a mile in he asked if we could walk, so we did. And we talked. I told him that he was doing great and asked if he was having fun and if his feet still hurt. Yes, his feet still hurt, but funny thing happened in that moment, his grumpy face wasn't there anymore. He wasn't quite smiling, but he wasn't grumpy either. Then another runner past us and he said "I'm ready to run again, I don't want to be last". So we ran....and we walked...and we ran. Each time he wanted to walk I pointed out a point in the distance and said "run to the blue mailbox and we'll walk" "run to the second fire hydrant and we'll walk" and he did. And the more we ran, the more he smiled! I kept telling him how great he was doing, encouraging him and cheering him on. When we got to the last quarter mile he said "lets run the rest of the way without walking and let's run a little faster" and we did. I slowed up at the end and let him cross the line alone and in front of me. And there at the finish line was his sister, all smiles, cheering him on!

And that was Zayd's first 5K! At the finish line I was all smiles too, because I got to run it with him! The unfortunate thing is, that in my inability to believe that he would actually run the race, I forgot to start my watch, so we don't have an official time for his first 5K, but he ran it in just under 30 minutes, right about 28 minutes! Way to go Zayd! I'm so incredibly proud of you!

Oh, but wait! Our story does not end there! After we finished the race, he grabbed a granola bar, banana and water and happily ate them, going on and on about how much fun he had and what a "great day this turned out to be". We listened to the live band and both he and Allayna helped draw names for the raffle. Zayd ended up winning a gift certificate for Great Harvest Bread, where they sell his favorite, pumpkin chocolate chip bread, and if you can believe it, his mood improved even more! :) We helped clean up at the end and once we were done Zayd turned to me and said "Mom, will you run the 1K with me again? Right now?" How could I say no? So, we did. We lined up at the start and we ran the 1K again and he didn't stop to walk the entire way! At the end he turned to me and said "I think I want running shoes for my birthday so I can run more races with you". I think I may have blacked out at that point! :)

After the race, we drove to the Great Harvest Bread and picked up our loaf of pumpkin chocolate chip bread and the entire drive Zayd kept saying "this turned out to be a pretty great day after all". Yes it did, buddy! Yes it did!