Joey's school put on a "Fun Run" for the students, to get them interested in running; for fun and for a healthy activity. The High School Cross Country team (district champions) helped put it on, and were there to guide the students in the race and to act as cheerleaders for the kids. The school was hoping for 30-40 kids to register and were blown away when they ended up with 105 registered to race!
They raced by grades; Kindergarteners, frist and second graders, and third and fouth graders. The Kinders went first and ran 1/2 mile, or two times around the short loop they made around the field out back of the school. The first and second graders ran 1 mile, two loops around the big loop around the school. And the third and fourth graders ran 1 1/2 miles, three big loops. In the picture above, Joey is at the very end of the starting line for the Kinders' race. He loves to run.
Nick and Ethan were bundled up against the cold to watch the races. The most important thing Mrs Gunnar, the PE teacher, wanted the kids to know was to finish the race, even if they had to walk part of the way. To keep trying, put in a good effort. "Effort" is their life skill word of the month. Joey did great! He ran the whole time, only pausing when he wasn't sure where to go next and when he got to the finish line not realizing that he had to make a second loop. I was so proud of him. After he was finished, he said that he loved running in the fresh air.
While the other two races were run, the kids played on the playground. These boys LOVE swings. Swings were always my favorite as well. Nick did very well on the swing by himself. He loves going high, but hasn't learned the art of pumping yet. Even Joey isn't very efficient with the pumping yet. Ethan was very upset to be stuck in the stroller, and with the fact that he couldn't move his arms in that coat. I let him out for a minute, but he couldn't even stand on the pebbles covering the ground. It's like trying to walk steady in loose, dry sand, and Ethan is not so steady as to be able to compensate.
After the races were completed, we went back to the gym where they handed out trophies to the boys and girls in each grade that finished in the top three spots. To every other participant, a ribbon was given. Joey was so excited to get his ribbon. He would exclaim, to anyone who would listen, "I won the race! I won a ribbon!" He carried around that ribbon for the next few days showing it off to anyone who would stand still long enough.
Each racer had a tag with their name pinned to their shirts. As they finished the race, the tag was ripped off, their time written down, and then placed in a bowl for a drawing later. The tags also let them tally who the winners were. The school had been donated about a dozen frozen turkeys and half a dozen cakes. Joey's name was drawn for one of the turkeys!! Since he is one of the tiniest kids in the whole school, the turkey was as big as his torso. Being frozen and cold, it was very difficult for him to carry it. I was trying to get my camera out of my coat pocket to get a picture of him winning the turkey, but I dropped it. The battery was dislodged, so I had to open it up and fix it before I could take the picture. Joey kept getting closer to me, and wanted me to quickly take the precarious burden from him, but I wanted a picture first. Poor kid! I love the look on his face; he looks terrified. As soon as I got the picture, I grabbed the turkey, alomst dropping it myself, and plopped it down in the stoller. I'm so glad I brought our big stoller; there is no way I would have been able to get three kids, two blankets, and one frozen turkey back to the car by myself! We had a great time and Joey came away from the race feeling awesome about himself. Nothing could be better.
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