Competition is Good for the Soul!

A little competition never hurt anyone. As a matter of fact, it feels pretty darn good! I have spent the past several many weeks watching my baby girl train and run cross country. This is her first year in middle school, and her first attempt at running. It all started when I told the coach that she was too lazy to ever want to run. He told her, and the rest has been history! She did start out slow and steady. Through much pain, sweat, a little blood (she's a little clumsy like her mother-ha!) and yes even tears she has pushed herself beyond anywhere that I thought she would go.

I am so very proud of her. It really was like at some point after the season started something clicked and man was she competitive...is this the same girl that cleaned the dirt off the bases and play with the grass in tee-ball, the girl that showed up for tennis in the summer heat, and go to basketball practices just to see her friends.

In her first meet she heard one of her coaches tell her that there was a girl right on her tail, and she kicked it in to finish ahead of her....I think it was like a shot in the arm for her. Her self confidence has boomed and has transferred over in her school work and everything... Yup! That's right! My babygirl made high honor roll her first grading period of middle school. Oh yeah!

 She still has fun with her friends, but when she's running it's game on! This was at a regional meet in Michigan. She finished 37th out of 250+ out of 6th grade girls. The boys and girls started at the same time. This was the largest race she has ran in to date.

 It has been fun taking the whole family along to different meets to cheer her on! This is Zach and our newest member of our family~ Gus! He was so excited to take him with us to this invitational...Gus has been a great addition to the Miller family! Getting him was a story in itself, we were able to rescue him from our local shelter....Share the love! Adopt a pet! :)

So, in the middle of all of this cross country traveling and cheering on I was also in the middle of my volleyball season. Both of these activities were great for different reasons. However, I chose to put my own training on hold a bit in order to do them. In the last two weekends I competed in a 5k and 10k. The picture above was from the 10 k. It was tough, but my mantra that I kept repeating to myself was "no regrets-don't give up!" It was a family event. My "wee one" ran the 1 mile fun run, and the Mr., Syd and I ran the 10k. We had a good day! I finished my first 10k in 52:43 not a bad time at all! But guess who beat me by 20 seconds.....yep Sydney! I told you she was competitive (wink*) ..the Mr. beat us both cause he's fast like that.

I started out too fast, and stopped to puke twice...first time was gross (mental note, not to eat too much for breakfast even if you think you have "plenty" of time to digest)...second time just dry heaves.. it was a tough course, but felt soooooooo good to be running a race again.

I have started helping coach the off season cross country group...she thinks it's so I can spend more time with her, but it's really so I can get faster so she doesn't beat me at the next race!!! kidding...kinda' ;)

..That and the core work they do is torturous, I need to get a jump start on bikini season Spring Break isn't that far off....

~happy running!