Today was a magical day. I woke up to find the weather predictor live background of my phone snowing. I thought for sure I was still dreaming. But no. Snow was falling when I began my trek to work this morning.
I wish I would have snagged a picture of it, because now it looks like this:
A rainy Monday afternoon meant no outdoor activities for the Running Club. Four coaches and 20 some odd kids took over the school gymnasium for stretching, push-ups, crunches, and burpees! By choice, mind you. One of the young boys led the warm-up. I knew then he was a child after my own heart.
After the warm-up exercises, we moved onto some core exercises to include high knees and planks. The kids did NOT. Like. Planks. There was so much moaning and groaning I thought I was in a pregnancy ward. After our abs were burning, we decided to attack the thighs.
The kids lined up on the wall for wall sits. Yup. These little nine to eleven-year-old children do wall sits. They are that awesome. But here's the best part...
The only way to get the kids to focus on a single exercise for an extended period of time is to make it a competition. The schoolyard classic: Boys vs. girls.
Last Monday, the girls beat the boys in a relay when the girls overcame a major deficit in the second half of the race. The boys were in this one to win it.
I lined up on the wall alongside the kids to join the girls' team. That young boy, the one from above with the burpees, is to my left. He turns and looks up at me, and with the most eager eyes says to me, "But you can't be on the girls team. You like working out too much and you're too good at it!"
I think all the ice outside melted when he said it. I gave him a big smile and told him, "that just means you're going to have to work harder to win it for the boys!"
Flash forward 45 seconds. One of the coaches starts counting down the last 15 seconds of the wall sit. Students were dropping left and right. There were just a handful of us left against the wall. My legs were shaking. He turns to me again, "your legs are shaking." Thank you, Captain Obvious!
I just smiled and told him I was not going to give up.
5...4...3...2...1... time!
Everyone stands up. Everyone, that is, except for the boy to my left. Everyone else steps away from the wall and he jumps up victoriously, "I WIN! BOYS WIN" He was the last one in a wall sit. Well played, my boy. Well played.
I am not certain who is getting more out of these Monday afternoons with the Running Club, the kids or me. I am in love with them. I am glad I decided to sacrifice an evening at the gym to volunteer for this great group. I am only sad I waited so late in the season to join them.
I wish I would have snagged a picture of it, because now it looks like this:
 |
| Blehhhh. |
 |
| My future baby. |
The kids lined up on the wall for wall sits. Yup. These little nine to eleven-year-old children do wall sits. They are that awesome. But here's the best part...
The only way to get the kids to focus on a single exercise for an extended period of time is to make it a competition. The schoolyard classic: Boys vs. girls.
Last Monday, the girls beat the boys in a relay when the girls overcame a major deficit in the second half of the race. The boys were in this one to win it.
I lined up on the wall alongside the kids to join the girls' team. That young boy, the one from above with the burpees, is to my left. He turns and looks up at me, and with the most eager eyes says to me, "But you can't be on the girls team. You like working out too much and you're too good at it!"
I think all the ice outside melted when he said it. I gave him a big smile and told him, "that just means you're going to have to work harder to win it for the boys!"
Flash forward 45 seconds. One of the coaches starts counting down the last 15 seconds of the wall sit. Students were dropping left and right. There were just a handful of us left against the wall. My legs were shaking. He turns to me again, "your legs are shaking." Thank you, Captain Obvious!
I just smiled and told him I was not going to give up.
5...4...3...2...1... time!
Everyone stands up. Everyone, that is, except for the boy to my left. Everyone else steps away from the wall and he jumps up victoriously, "I WIN! BOYS WIN" He was the last one in a wall sit. Well played, my boy. Well played.
I am not certain who is getting more out of these Monday afternoons with the Running Club, the kids or me. I am in love with them. I am glad I decided to sacrifice an evening at the gym to volunteer for this great group. I am only sad I waited so late in the season to join them.
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