Running the ING

We have a huge fancy marathon here every year, it's the ING. Each year Lily's school is asked to participate. I have always thought it would be amazing to be involved in it but Lily, not so much. As any evil parent would do, I pointed out all the stuff that I have to do that I do not care to do :O) Since school started she has been running in PE and keeping a log she was up to 25 miles so all that was needed at the ING was another 1.2 miles.

Today was the day. She was kitted out with her ING shirt and her ING shoelaces but for my little fashionista that wasn't quite enough. She needed matching orange hair doo-dads and orange bracelets to feel like herself and not just one of the crowd (read millions).

Ready to roll, I mean runOutside of her school waiting for the bus
HEr little group of runners.

Rosie wished her luck and then we departed.


The students were bused down to the event. Parents had to make their own way there. Rosie and I took the skank train, she loved but I was stuck in germ hell. We hopped off of one train and onto another and got off right in front of the finish line. Yeah, I gave myself a pat on the back!

This side of the street was for the 1/2 marathoners and behind that orange barricade is where the pro's were running.
The atmosphere was electric. Old, young, handicapped, fat. thin, they were all there and all giving it their best. It was quite touching to see.
Rosie proudly holding her sign.


We cheered for everyone. We saw her coach run by and then the other PE teacher and then some of her school mates but I did NOT see my girl. Their were so many of them that I missed her and she missed me, I was really sad. She made it to the finish line but I have no idea when. With a really heavy heart kidlet and I trudged back to the trains and headed home to meet her at her bus. Jacob didn't join us as he didn't get home from work until 4.00am. I rang him to say the trains were taking forever so could he pick her up and I would meet everyone at home.

He did and boy was I glad it was not me. True to form my girl was not at all impressed with the whole affair. Not at all, not one bit. She banged into the house like a thunder cloud and asked where I was when she crossed the finish line. Um, I was there what about you? She told me again that she didn't want to do it and that it wasn't much fun.

You see, the problem with Lily is this, if she ain't gonna win she ain't gonna play! I asked to see her medal, she showed me and then took it upstairs to put it in her drawer. That's where all the medals she gets for participating as opposed to earning fair and square, go.

I took it out to take a photo of. Heck it's the only medal that's ever going to appear in this house from a marathon.




That happy smiley kid that was beaming before the race actually did have a good time. She doesn't want to do it again and that's fine with me. She truly detests doing things where you don't compete you just participate. I detest that she has to win all of the time and I want her to experience as much of life as she can.

Frankly I think today was a winning day all round.