A Better Story

One happy...and proud...family

For the month of August it seems that Emma has been doing a lot more racing than any of us. She wanted to race the Hot Summer Nights 5k series (3 races). So, like any 7 year old, she wanted to pre run the course a few days prior. So we, as a family, decided we would. I told Emma that since the course goes right by our house, we could join the course there and do 1 loop. She said that would not work. Emma said that we needed to drive to the start and do it the "right" way. Sooo, we loaded up and headed to Twigs.

We got out and ran the course. Emma did a great job pacing herself and getting an idea as to how the course went. She remembered a lot of it from the race last year (she ran it 4 times). Afterward, I was thinking that she may rethink running it, or setting too lofty of a goal. Nope. She wanted to run faster than she did last year where her fastest time was a 34:50. If you know Emma, then you will know that when she sets goals, so will bleed through the eyes to meet them.

She ran her first race in 31:40. Holy cow! I thought a sub 33 would be great for her this year. The conditions were really good on that day so to repeat would be tough the following week. Emma did not seem to take race #2 as serious, but somehow she pulled out a 30:20. She really worked hard. She collapsed at the finish and was so excited. The last week was much hotter and conditions just did not seem the best for a PR. Jessi and I both ran with her and cheered her along. I was getting hot, so I knew her little body must be miserable. But she kept it steady and finished strong. Her goal was to beat last week's time, but her super secret goal was to go sub 30. Sub 30 was a steep goal given the conditions. But we cruised along and I knew Emma was working so hard. She was heading into the last 400 meters and we could tell she was picking it up. But she knew to make time was not about a sprint...a steady effort makes up time. So as she was approaching the final 100 she was clipping long well and when she could see the clock, she raised her hands as if winning the whole race.

Emma seeing the clock

You can almost 'feel' the excitement

Emma high 5'ing Uncle Mark

On the clock read 28:04. She was so excited to cross that line. She annihilated her super secret goal. She fell grass and was almost in tears. She did it! She set goals each week and worked to meet them. Along the way, she beat over half the women who raced...wow.