If you’ve got kids and they have the chance to get involved in cross country at an early age… do it!

My daughter is in year 3 – a junior – and her primary school holds weekly training sessions on a Monday with monthly events with other schools.  She loves cross country running and enjoys it even more because she has a good group of friends who also take part.  OK, most events are carnage with sharp elbows and lots of pushing and shoving followed by a few tears, a bit of chatting and a lot of walking, and that’s what the kids love!

Organised Chaos

But this weeks race was different because my little girl ACTUALLY DID WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT!!

She took it steady at the start.  So steady that I thought she was gassing with her mate when they were about 6 people ahead of last place.  And then she picked up the pace.

In the final two-thirds of the race she overtook half of the field by getting faster and faster.  She used her fast hands (imagine Linford Christie’s sprinting hands) and was taking deep breaths (after my pep talk of “I don’t want to hear you chatting, I want to hear your deep breathing”).

It’s fair to say that this competitive Dad is proud of his daughter.  Not for the place that she finished in the race, but because I know she tried her best.  Kids, eh?