Sam Runs 1 Mile!

On the morning of Saturday, May 28th, I went to the Y to work out.  On the drive there, i saw markers and signs for Corning's Glassfest 8K race. Roads were blocked off and cones set up, and i always smile at that scene.

When i was checking in, i overheard the woman at the front desk taking a phone call and said, "No... i don't know about a Fun Run." My ears perked! Sam, just two days before, in the car, was asking me when the Pop Can Fun Run was again this year, that he couldn't wait to be the FASTEST this year. This kid loves to run.

So i stood around and waited for the conclusion of this phone call. Another woman, in charge of the run, arrived and told her that indeed, a Kids' Fun Run was immediately following the finish of the 8K race at East High. So i get the time (9:30, an hour and a half from right then), and registration form (Free!) and went and did my work out. Then i came home and excitedly told the whole family that Sam was going to run in a race in 20 MINUTES! His eyes lit up, he jumped up and he ran to get his shorts and shoes on.

Sam was not at all pushy to get in front... just super smiley!

Soon we were at East High School's stadium and track and Sam was amongst a good 20 or so kids. They had two choices: 1) to run around the whole track once and end it there, or 2) do that, but keep following this h.s. kid do a loop around the school and then back onto the track to run 3/4 around to the finish line, making it a complete mile. Before the race started i said, "Sam, how far and long you run is completely up to you. We're here to have fun. You do what you can." He told me under no uncertain terms that he was going to run the whole mile.



AND THAT HE DID! Well, he walked for about 20 paces, but i think most of that came from a little confusion on what to do versus being tired. Sure, he was super sweaty and panting at the end, but he was full of life too! As he rounded the end of the first loop of the track, i cheered and said, "are ya gonna keep going?" He nodded yes with a big smile and without stopping or slowing down kept following the lead kid out the track gates and around the school. In about 10-15 min (guessing here), here comes Sam, still with a smile!, rounding the school and re-entering the track. I yelled that i would meet him at the finish line and what's really cool is that most of the runners from the 8K were still milling about and were cheering the kids in to the finish. It was so EXCITING.



Here comes Sam, down the home stretch, and folks started clapping and cheering. I could hear a few people saying how cute he was and how he was SMILING the whole time! That's my boy! I captured that moment on video (sorry the end is so sloppy - i don't have editing software).

I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, SAM! You are an inspiration to your ol' Ma. If you can run a mile with a smile, I am darn tootin' aiming to do that same exact thing, so that we can run together some day. I love you, Samson!