For the Joy it!

This year our town put together a 5k, 10k walk and run that went along with our annual town celebration. My oldest daughter (11 yr) loves, loves to run and she has completed a few 5k's. My younger daughter (8yr) however is not a big runner, but she really wanted to run with me in the race. I was leery letting her run ( I knew she would complain half way thru) since she had never run this far before. I had prepared my self for complaining but I did not prepare myself for soooooo much complaining.

As the gun shot went off my daughters took off running FAST! I tried to tell my 8yr old that she was starting off too quickly and she would crash and burn half way thru, but did she listen to me? NOOOOOO. She got so far ahead of me I could not her for awhile, but then came the first of many hills......and she suddenly hit a wall, a BIG wall. From that point on she whined, cried and complained that her body hurt and she had to get up so early.

When he headed up the final hill and the finish line was insight I told my 8yr old to keep running and don't stop, what did she do? She stopped!! I had to grab her hand and literally pull her up the hill and across the finish line. I was not going to cross before her, I wanted us to run across
together. Mean while my 11yr old had crossed the finish line way before us at a mere 30 minutes. I just have to say I am so extremely proud of my daughters for giving all they got and running not only for the exercise but for the pure joy of it.

Before our Race

About to begin

After (notice my 8yr old is not smiling)