Woo hoo!!!!!
I got the good news late last night.
No, I’m not referring the results of the Presidential race – I’m talking about the race results of the 5th-6th grade boys Cross Country district finals.
My nephew, Ryan, won 14th place out of 103 (extremely fast) runners. He earned a ribbon and surpassed his personal goal to place in the top 15. Now that’s something to shout about! Can I hear you say "Woo hoo?!"
This is his second season in cross country, and Ryan’s come a long way (literally and not-so-literally). He’s learned to position himself at the starting line so he can get out ahead of the pack. He’s learned not to waste mental or physical energy turning around to see what’s behind him. He stays focused on the terrain ahead.
He now paces himself so he’s got enough gas left at the end to sprint to the finish. Keep in mind that even when he’s pacing himself, he runs a mile in under 6 minutes. And when someone outruns him, he’s learned that what matters most is how he ran in comparison to his personal bests and personal goals. Lots of grown-ups haven’t learned that yet.
Ryan won nearly every meet this season. And I’m very proud of him. When I watched him run this fall, I was struck by the way he makes speed look graceful and easy. That’s what great athletes do, right?
He crossed the finish line with a wide smile on his face, not looking at all like who just ran a heart-pounding mile. He took a few minutes to get a drink and hug his mom, catching his breath and savoring the thrill of the win. And then he turned to his teammates and said, “Come on guys, let’s cheer in Logan.”
Ryan led a group of fellow runners back to the course and they yelled and they cheered for the last runner left on the course, a kid who runs with great heart despite coming in last in every race. As he neared the end, Ryan started jogging. He ran next to his friend Logan until he crossed the finish line, too.
Now that’s the way to win.
Congratulations on an awesome cross country season, Ryan! I couldn’t be prouder of you.
