My daughter's first one mile fun run (Read 819 times)

Saturday morning was a gorgeous day. Temperatures were in the high 50s and it was sunny. My daughter, Darby, is 7 and she has always been a big supporter of mine at races and now it was my turn to support her. i hadn't had a chance to really work with her on her endurance. I have a younger daughter, age 4, so sometimes it can be a challenge to run with Darby. I told her that our only goal would be to run the whole thing and to have fun. I can't even describe how fun it was to watch her get so excited beforehand, putting her number on and getting ready. Once the race started, she was so excited to get going. She kept saying " Mom, I'm doing good, right? I'm not walking, right? " A couple of times she said, " Mom, you're doing great too. " When we crossed the finish line, I told her to raise her arms in the air and the announcer said " look at the little girl in the pink shirt and green gloves. She did great. " I tell you that I almost starting crying after it was over. My husband teased me about that. Oh, and you love this, after it was over, Darby said " Mom, when's the next one?" " I love races! Now I can see why you run them." Thanks for letting me share. It was a great day.

Congrats to your daughter. That is awesome. My daughter ran her first 5K when she was 7. We did a jog 4 min, walk 1 min mix, which really really annoyed her. She didnt want to walk for most of our breaks. She is now 10 and has run several 5Ks, the last of which we let her and her best friend go on their own (with us about 20 ft behind them). They ran the entire way and she took 2nd in her AG. My biggest advice to her when running (because you have to figure a 5K for a 7 year old has to be more like a 10K for a grownup) was to run so that she wasnt breathing hard and she felt like she could keep going forever. I also tell her that you always hold back near the end until you are about 100-200 yards out and then you finish STRONG and smiling.

Thanks for the reponses. I have just realized that she is old enough to train for a 5K if she wants to. That might be our next goal.

That's Great, Congrats.

Great story! Treasure these times with your little ones. I still have the event Tshirt that I got when I did a Fun 1 run with my kindergarten-aged daughter back in '90, I think! She just turned 23. We still do lots of stuff together (a few 5 and 10K's and we day-hiked Mt Whitney two years ago).

Kimmie-that is so awesome!!! I am so happy for you! My oldest son is 10 now, he started training and doing 5K's with me when he was 7, and when he was 8 he did a 5 mile with me. I let him pace us, and reeled him back in when he was getting a little out of control. He was so stoked when we finished, he was ready to go again! I did a 10 miler a few months later, and he was begging me to do it, but I put my foot down, 5 was the max that I wanted him to do. After that I got pregnant, and had a baby. We got a TM 2 months ago, and he will do 2-3 miles a few times a week on the TM. This summer we are going to do a few more 5K's again, and probably the same 5 miler. He wants to go out for track this year too. (EDITED TO ADD: before anyone judges me, i have never and will never push him. He WANTS to do this, and he asks to do it. I have never asked him/forced him. I also have talked to his DR, and his DR agrees at an easy pace-which is all i can do-he is behind it 100%) Its the most amazing thing watching them take to sometihng you love so much. I am so happy for you, and feel your excitement!!

That is so cool! I love reading these stories. My 7 year-old dd wants to start running with me, and we're just waiting for spring before getting her out there. She has done one 1/4 mile fun run so far, but nothing more. I'm going to see how she does and hope she will eventually do a 5K with me. My 4 year-old son isn't far behind her.

Your story gave me warm fuzzies. My DD, 5 years old and featured in my avatar, will be doing a fun run (.7 miles) the day I do a 5k. She's so excited, and I'm excited for her.