Ethan's First Race

My oldest son, Ethan, ran his first race this summer at the Airlife Memorial 5/10k.  He ran the 1 mile kids' race and prepared for a week.  Ethan ran around the kitchen island, through the family room, over the ottoman and back to the kitchen over and over until he could hardly breathe.

On racing day he told me he thought he was ready because he and his dad had a game plan.  He was going to let everyone pass him and start out at the back of the pack.  Once everyone got tired from going out too hard, he would then take the lead and finish strong.  "That is how you run a smart race, Mommy!"

Ethan did start at the back of the pack and he even passed a few kids who were smaller than him at the end.  In reality, he was one of the slower runners there but that fact was immediately dismissed by his excitement of being part of something.  He felt strong, fast, and accomplished. 

About two months after the race, we were sitting down to dinner and I was discussing my strategy for how to attack the West Side Duathlon in Arvada the following weekend.  Ethan stops our conversation cold and says, "Mommy, do what I did on my race!  It isn't that hard and you don't have to really go that fast.  All you have to do is let everyone tire themselves out first and when they are too tired to run through the finish, you pass them and leave them in your dust!"

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