At the beginning of the school year, Bennett was setting goals for the children and youth program for our church. I encouraged him to set a running goal that would help him in soccer. He decided he would run one mile, two times a week – a great goal seeing as though he had never run much before. He mastered this goal rarely missing a run.
As the turkey trot drew near, I was working on the design for the medals. (A first for our turkey trot). When Bennett saw the design he asked if he could have one. I told him they were for the runners of the 5K and Bennett decided he was going to be earn a medal. It was just 4 weeks from Thanksgiving and I helped him with a running plan that would increase his one mile to three miles in time for the race – the plan also included getting him some running shoes. He didn’t even bat an eye – he took the plan and started running with it (pun intended!). This kid is goal oriented and he achieves what he sets out to accomplish. When the medals were shipped to our house just a week before the race, Bennett got to practice wearing one and he was confident that a week later he would earn it.
Thanksgiving morning rolled around and as a board, we realized we had enough medals to give to all the 5K runners as well as the kids of the fun run. Over the intercom system, they announced kids of the fun run would receive a medal and you should have seen the daggers that Bennett shot my direction as he realized he didn’t even have to run the 5K to get the medal! 🙂 I reminded him that he had trained for this very moment and he would know he truly earned it.
So off he ran, with his cousin by his side and I just prayed that he would do okay in the sea of 3500 people running the race with him.
When Bennett crossed the finished line, he looked exhausted but he had completed the race faster than any of his training. It was a proud mom moment. I wanted a few more pictures, but he was not having it – he just wanted his medal.
I hope he remembers this day. I hope he remembers how hard he trained for something he thought was impossible not too long ago. I hope he sees this medal and beams with pride for his accomplishment. And I hope he runs it again next year!
