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My best 5k ever! Saturday, December 06, 2008 My absolute WORST time, but that is entirely irrelevant with the "bestness" of my morning. As I've probably demonstrated on this blog lately, despite being a stay-at-home-mom, I have far too much time on my hands. And quite frankly, it's time to invest some of it in a way to help others. Actually, it's less time, and more like a piece of me is missing. So, I've been trying to figure out a way to intertwine the things I love to do, in a way that I can help someone else out. So, a great friend T volunteered as a coach for her local chapter of Girls on the Run, so I looked around, and we have a HUGE chapter here in Northern Virginia. Anyhow, I volunteered to be a runner buddy in the race today. There are a lot of girls who have parents who can't run, for a number of reasons, and runner buddies are people in the community who lend a hand (well, two feet...) and fill the role as a partner for the girl. I was matched up with a little 9 year old girl from a school about ten miles from me. Her family immigrated from Peru four years ago. Both of her parents were there to cheer her on. It was only 20 degrees when we started! She told me she actually hated running, and asked when the first (I didn't tell her it was the SOLE) water stop was at .15 miles into the race. But, she totally rocked it. We walked a bunch, but I was able to encourage her to run to the next stop light, or walk until we hit the speed zone sign, but then run to the school bus up ahead. We finished in 41 minutes and change, but somehow I pumped her up enough to really push through it. She told me she wanted to sprint the end so her parents would think she ran the entire time. She did sprint the last .15 miles, and we held hands across the finish line. After meeting up with her parents, she didn't seem to hate running quite so much. Her mom said she was going to sign her up in the spring session, and her dad committed to running the 5k in the spring with her. Her eyes lit up like light bulbs when he said that, and it really melted my heart! Anyhow, I am still defrosting, and trying to complete the application to be a coach for a team in the spring, or more likely, next fall. I am so so so so incredibly passionate about a few things in my life. Obviously, my family, running and shopping (kidding) are at the top of that list, but one less-known thing that also tops the list is finding a way to help instill a strong sense of self-esteem and pride in girls during those awkward pre-teen years. I am so excited, and hope to be able to participate in a much greater capacity in the upcoming months. This is RIGHT up my alley! ~Courtney posted at 10:28:46 AM Court (Monday, December 15, 2008, 3:56:55 PM) Tera--SAME HERE! She was like "WAIT! I have to throw it on the ground? Do we have to come back and pick it up?" It was hysterical, and I forgot it until I just read your comment! Tera (Saturday, December 13, 2008, 5:03:10 PM) that's great! Aren't the girls funny? Mine were hesitant to throw the water cups on the ground so we told them this was the one instance in which it's ok to "litter." Leah (Monday, December 08, 2008, 8:17:00 AM) I love this story! It's the time of year when having a little extra meaning in your life really helps... Erica (Sunday, December 07, 2008, 10:19:56 AM) You are my hero, Co! Love you!! Elizabeth (Saturday, December 06, 2008, 10:04:22 PM) That sounds so awesome! You are such an inspiring person, and I am certain that many young girls would def benefit from your positivity! :) Beth (Saturday, December 06, 2008, 11:08:25 AM) That is so cool! What a great story. :) |
