![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/judah-lacy-color-run.jpg\" "\\"judah")
<\/p>\n\u201cMommy, catch my hand so I can run faster!\u201d<\/p>\n
This was the unique stringing of words my three-year-old yelled to me years ago as I ran by his side at one of his first foot races. He had to run an entire kilometer on his little legs and he was feeling fatigued. I grabbed his hand, or \u201ccaught\u201d it as his vocabulary requested. We ran together for the first time that day and I count it as one of my life\u2019s greatest blessing that we\u2019re still running together today.<\/p>\n
Running with my son, Judah, has had many ups and downs. I\u2019ve nearly lost him in big crowds as he jack-rabbits a start. I\u2019ve lost my patience with him when he\u2019s given up because it\u2019s gotten too hard. I\u2019ve also had the pleasure of watching him push himself to victory.<\/p>\n
Since my Dad and I share the love of running<\/a><\/strong>, I was hopeful Judah would want to follow in our footsteps. One of the most important lessons I\u2019ve learned from running with him is that you can\u2019t push your kids to enjoy your hobby. If you push too hard, the experience will just be miserable. I\u2019ve tried to be a very gentle, yet persistent, nudge for Judah. I\u2019ve had to learn that he is a little kid and wants to have fun when he runs. He has no interest in competing, generally, and I just have to be thankful that he wants to participate with me at all.<\/p>\n To make things fun, our whole family has dressed up for races or sought out races with great after parties. Judah loves the races with pancake feeds. The promise of pancakes seems to get him to the finish line with a faster pace. He and I ran in this summer\u2019s Color Run<\/a><\/strong> and are signed up to run the Glow Run,<\/a><\/strong> too. These non-traditional themes get him excited and I\u2019m stoked to see him running, no matter the pace or atmosphere.<\/p>\n He and I have run side-by-side through countless 1 and 2 mile fun runs, we\u2019ve moved up to 5Ks and even the triathlon. However, there\u2019s been no greater thrill in my life than when he said he wanted run a one mile alone. Typically I\u2019ll race the longer event and then join him for the one mile. A few years ago he declared he was ready for his first solo race and I had to oblige. He had been working hard all summer with his dad and me to get a good time. The particular race also ended with an uphill and he said he was ready for it.<\/p>\n Running<\/a><\/strong> has given me so much. I\u2019ve learned to be strong, to endure, and to never ever give up. These are the traits I pray my son will inherit as he walks out his life. Judah has taught me that running also has to be fun. If it\u2019s not fun, what\u2019s the point?<\/p>\n Our bond has strengthened as a result of running together. Our commitment to staying healthy has grown as well. Whether it\u2019s racing or light-saber fighting with Daddy, we both agree, life is not meant to be spent on the couch.<\/p>\n Running with your kid is kind of like going through a battle together. It can be really challenging at times. However, despite all the tough times I think he knows I\u2019ll always be at the top of his hill cheering him on and my hand is always there if he needs me to \u201ccatch\u201d it.<\/p>\n Also Read:<\/strong><\/p>\n A One Mile Run with My Dad Changed My Life (and His too)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 7 Kids Running Programs That are Making a Difference<\/a> 5 Ways Teachers Can Improve the Health of Their Classrooms<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cMommy, catch my hand so I can run faster!\u201d This was the unique stringing of words my three-year-old yelled to me years ago as I ran by his side at one of his first foot races. He had to run … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/lacy-judah-running.jpg\" "\\"lacy")
With parents and grandparents stationed all over the course, my little boy took off all by himself. I stood atop the hill with a gut full of nerves waiting for him to come in view. When he finally was visible, I lost all my timidity and began cheering at the top of my lungs. It might as well have been the Olympics<\/a><\/strong> and he was going for the gold, because that\u2019s how proud I felt. He met the hill with one last surge, managed to still give his mommy a wave, and then charged all the way to the finish line. He had a fan club of parents and grandparents screaming and running behind him. He had set a new personal record by a whole minute. Proud doesn\u2019t describe the feeling of watching your child run their little heart out.<\/p>\n
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