by This girl and I butt heads a lot. She drives me crazy some days and knows how to push every single button that I have.
But she’s also amazing. Earlier this year she told me she wanted to sign up for running club. I told her she was going to have to run, and she looked at me like I was an idiot with three heads.
So I signed her up.
Day two she started telling me how hard it was and asked to quit. We have a rule that when we start something we see it through. We don’t quit when things get hard.
One day on the drive home from running club we were listening to Dave and Rachel Hollis and Dave was talking about his son who climbed an actual mountain (despite being scared of heights) and also tried pitching for the first time in the same day. In it he talked about how much more there is to learn and how much more fulfilling it is when we just keep trying. I asked if she was paying attention and she rolled her eyes and said “no”.
She told me later on that night “mom, you know I actually like running. I just don’t want you to think I do.” I responded saying “it’s pretty awesome when you keep trying and getting better” and she said “mom, that’s from your radio people…” so yes. She was listening. Thanks Dave!
And that was (pretty much) the last time I heard a complaint from her about going to it.
The end of the running club season ends with the kids doing a 5k. She told me she didn’t want to do it because she wasn’t fast. I reminded her that it was part of her commitment and forward we went.
It was cold, and ridiculously windy on the day of the race (see the video below for evidence). She didn’t complain once about having to do it. She did beat herself up for coming in last, until I reminded her that she was still running laps around the old her that was more likely to just be sitting on the couch and that I was proud of her and she should be proud of herself too.
Now she asks if she can run everywhere. Today she ran to the voting polls. She has a lot more energy and to say I’m proud of her for sticking it through is actually an understatement. (I am a little sore still that my trying to run with her landed me with a busted toe, but that’s what I get for trying to act 9 when I’m clearly not)
And to top it all off? She asked on the way home after the 5k if she could do running club again in the spring, because she thinks she can do it faster when she’s had more practice and it’s warmer.
Why yes. Yes you can. 💕
