Today I am grateful for my daughter, my oldest child. From the time she could talk, she loved to sing. She learned songs quickly and always sang on pitch. At night when we put her to bed she would sing herself to sleep - sweet little toddler songs with made up words or no words at all, just singing. When she was quiet we knew she was asleep. She went on to major in Music Education and teach singing to elementary school children. Now she has children of her own. One evening when I was staying with her family, I listened in the hallway as she put her two little girls to bed. Tears came to my eyes as she sang them to sleep with a beautiful soft lullaby.
Last month I was able to again visit my daughter and her family, this time to watch her and her two oldest children run in the Go Far 5K. Go Far is a running program in the elementary schools in their area. Each school has a running club that meets after school in the spring for half an hour. They teach the children how to train for the race. They start out running 3 minutes and walking 1 minute, repeating the pattern for the whole time. They gradually increase the time spent running until they are running 14 minutes and walking 1 minute.
In May is the 5K to celebrate their accomplishments. Only the children and family members can run, no professionals. Hundreds of children and their moms, dads, brothers, and sisters, maybe even some grandparents, all run together. Everyone who finishes gets a medal. The start times are staggered, with the fastest children going first. The winner knows who he is, but no big deal is made of it. Everyone is celebrated because they did a hard thing, and they learned how to really exercise. I think it is a wonderful program. It doesn't require a lot of money or equipment for the school or the parents, and the children feel a real sense of accomplishment.
We started out bright and early on Saturday morning for the downtown race location. We eventually found a parking place and followed the crowd to the starting area. The runners went to their appointed place and I settle down to watch with my 6-year-old grandson. We were the cheering section because he was too young to run yet and my knees just don't run any more. We went to one side of the large courtyard and watched as each wave of runners started down the street and around the corner. Then we walked the block to the other side and cheered them on as they came down another street. After our favorite runners had gone past, we headed for the finish line to see everyone come home. Most of the children sprinted at the end. Most of the adults were quite tired.
My daughter and her children decided that they would stick together during the race. But as the finish line approached, the 8-year-old speedster couldn't stand it any more. He had to run and get to the end as fast as possible. He finished well ahead of the others. At the very end the 10-year-old sprinted past her mother, leaving my daughter to come in last in their family. So much for sticking together. But it was a great time for everyone. I was so proud of them all.
Last month I was able to again visit my daughter and her family, this time to watch her and her two oldest children run in the Go Far 5K. Go Far is a running program in the elementary schools in their area. Each school has a running club that meets after school in the spring for half an hour. They teach the children how to train for the race. They start out running 3 minutes and walking 1 minute, repeating the pattern for the whole time. They gradually increase the time spent running until they are running 14 minutes and walking 1 minute.
In May is the 5K to celebrate their accomplishments. Only the children and family members can run, no professionals. Hundreds of children and their moms, dads, brothers, and sisters, maybe even some grandparents, all run together. Everyone who finishes gets a medal. The start times are staggered, with the fastest children going first. The winner knows who he is, but no big deal is made of it. Everyone is celebrated because they did a hard thing, and they learned how to really exercise. I think it is a wonderful program. It doesn't require a lot of money or equipment for the school or the parents, and the children feel a real sense of accomplishment.
We started out bright and early on Saturday morning for the downtown race location. We eventually found a parking place and followed the crowd to the starting area. The runners went to their appointed place and I settle down to watch with my 6-year-old grandson. We were the cheering section because he was too young to run yet and my knees just don't run any more. We went to one side of the large courtyard and watched as each wave of runners started down the street and around the corner. Then we walked the block to the other side and cheered them on as they came down another street. After our favorite runners had gone past, we headed for the finish line to see everyone come home. Most of the children sprinted at the end. Most of the adults were quite tired.
My daughter and her children decided that they would stick together during the race. But as the finish line approached, the 8-year-old speedster couldn't stand it any more. He had to run and get to the end as fast as possible. He finished well ahead of the others. At the very end the 10-year-old sprinted past her mother, leaving my daughter to come in last in their family. So much for sticking together. But it was a great time for everyone. I was so proud of them all.
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