Run Joe Run

Wednesday marked the end of Joe's abbreviated 5th/6th grade cross country season.  In the HVAC championship meet, held at USN's River Campus, Joe covered the 1 1/2 mile course in a personal record time of 9:41.  He wanted to break 10 minutes and he did, so I was very proud of him.  He was the second USN runner to finish - behind his buddy, Bennett - and 10th runner overall.  

What I wanted most of all out of this cross country season for Joe was for him to have fun, taste a little success, and most importantly, to want to keep running.  Using those metrics, all of the boxes were checked so it was a successful season in my book.

It's hard to remember where JP was when he ran cross country in the 5th grade.  Not that it matters but I have no recollection of the times he ran or how he stacked up against his competition.  I do remember that Porter, a grade ahead of JP at Oak Hill (and now a 10th grader at MBA), won all of the races.  Porter was not a cross country runner per se but he was bigger than everyone else and simply outpaced the other boys.  

I think JP finished around where Joe has finished in his races, somewhere between 5th and 10th places.  I don't think I saw anything out of JP in 5th grade that was a glimpse of the runner he was to become.  Certainly, I never anticipated he would grow into one of the top cross country runners in the state for his grade by the time he reached 8th or 9th grade.  

Just as was the case with JP in the 5th grade, it's too early to tell if running is something at which Joe will really excel at a competitive level.  If I'm being honest, what I want more for Joe - or at least just as much - is for him to continue to develop a love for running that lasts a lifetime, long after middle school and high school.  There are so many benefits to being a dedicated runner and I want Joe to experience them all.

Discipline.  Self-confidence.  Fitness.  Mental and emotional health.  Stamina.  Dedication.  

I firmly believe if Joe continues to run, he will grow in all of those areas and more.  That's precisely what I want for him as a runner.

My philosophy for running as it relates to the boys is quite simple but, I think, effective.

Let the boys come to running rather than me taking running to the boys.  

When Joe sees my lacing up my running shoes, if he asks to run with me, great.  If he'd rather read or watch a game on television, that's also great.  He knows JP and I will be there, running, and he's welcome to join us at any time.