Saturday, April 24, 2010

Taking The "FUN", Out of the Run..

So every year our little elementary school has a fundraiser: The Panda Fun Run.
$16.00 will get ya a polyester t-shirt involving some kind of Panda in the graphic-- and a chance to run a mile at 8 a.m., in the frigid early morning air.. on a Saturday. Needless to say, I have never been against, yet never aggressively encouraged, participation. The flyer comes home.. I set it on the counter.. wait for someone to mention it.. and when they don't.. dispose of it properly.
I have always been quite pleased on past mornings of this very run.. when I dreamily awake at my own pace.. and peer out the window to see the balloons and orange cones littered around the school-- proving that there was indeed an event of some sort occurring, while I slept.
So you can imagine my inner resistance when my Bo came home, adamant on being apart of this years run. Hmmmm. Do I fake a scheduling conflict and assume we'll all sleep through the morning anyhow?? Or give the infamous "We'll see.." and never, really, "see"?
No. If you've been blessed enough to be taken by Bo's deep double dimples and swirly curly cowlick bangs.. you would know that obviously I could not form my lips into saying anything other than,
"Yeah! That would be SO fun."
And I did it. I paid the $30.00 I'd rather spend at T.J. Maxx for the two of us to enter, marked the calendar.. and every so often would build up just WHAT fun we would indeed, have together.
Fast forward to this morning. For some background-- never actually having Bo try to run a mile, coupled with staying up til' midnight as a family watching Avatar the night before, MIGHT not have been the best move in our pre-race planning.. but it is, only, a mile.. and Bo has popped awake after a mere 6 hours of sleep just to be first to get computer time on more than a few occasions.. SO.. when I found him wrapped up snuggly in his cozy covers this morning, I wasn't too worried about rousing him. As I whispered..
"It's the Fun Run today Bo.."
he lay there perfectly still.. and then whispered back..
"I don't think I can do it."
Mom: Sure you can bud.. let's go.
Bo: It's cold.
Mom: I know.. but running will warm us up.
Bo: Can we quit?
Mom: Um.. sure.. I guess.. (not my best Mothering moment..)
Bo: I'm tired.
Mom: I know buddy. But you get a t-shirt.
Bo: O.K. (Long, contemplative pause..)Can you carry me upstairs?
I complied.. carried him upstairs, dressed him, socked and shoed him.. gave him a piece of gum for his morning breath.. and we were off. Off to the first corner in the race that is.. when he suddenly bent over in anguish and cried in pain--
"My belly!!"
That went on for some time. We slowed to a toddlers walking pace.. and spent the next 3/4 of a mile with Bo blurting out comments to the tune of,
"I cannot, do this. Can we just go back to the house? I think I'm seriously gonna short-cut through the playground.."
We came in right at 14 minutes.

Next year.. the flyer doesn't even get counter time.

7 comments:

elimy said...

Sounds very familiar! It always seems like a good idea until you really have to carry thru with it! Bashaws and mornings, like Rees and mornings, obviously don't mix.

Julie said...

Its good preparation for early mornings, such as the one we had in our home - a 5:30 am drive out to the boondocks of Steeleville, Mo to the prom after party because somehow the return ride home vanished. Todd hit Starbucks and trekked out to the middle of nowhere to pick up Madeline & Dan. He's now taking a much needed nap.

Oh Bo - too sweet. You can't say no to him, I know that face. Everytime that little icon pops up on Facebook now I have to chat, even if I'm about to walk out the door. Love him!!

Abby said...

Oh, Katy...this past soccer season was much like your morning. I admire your trying it--and next year will not judge you for ignoring it:)
It's so unfair that moms get roped into miserable situations that were not our choosing...

Colette said...

This post so funny and so TRUE! Savanah would say, "I'm going to run ahead." That lasted all of 10 feet. It's the thought that counts, right?

Emma Jo said...

That's the real reason I haven't tried out my new running shoes. I'm afraid that I would get on the treadmill at the gym and precisely 1 and a half minutes into my jog I would double over in pain and leave the room making it look like I had just remember something sooo important that I was supposed to be doing.

Clarice said...

You were much nicer than me. Bailey wanted to run it, but I had visions of getting all the kids bundled up to go and having to carry Bailey the last 3/4 of the mile. I rationalized with she is only in kindergarten and will have plenty of opportunities in the future!

Stef said...

Love it. Somethings just sound funner on paper.