Park Run with the kidlet

Since starting my half marathon training “proper” I haven’t been to a Saturday Park Run as that is my scheduled “long run” day, however as my little brother happened to be in the country last weekend with work colleagues who regularly attend the Ballarat Park Run, I completed my long run a day early and turned up bright and early to meet the Aussies.

Only thing was – I had Elias (and a husband) in tow.

I didn’t think he (Elias, not James) would last the entire 5k, but I wasn’t too fussed.  I’d already done all the mileage required for the week, so if he wanted to stop after the first loop it was no big deal.

It was the biggest turn out I’d seen at Western Springs to date with 80 runners, a number of kids, babies in prams and even a few dogs.  I love the way everyone is welcome at the park run!

As James is the actual runner in our family, I let him run and once the field had a 50m head start, Elias and I made our way around the course.  It was a bit stop and start for awhile until he got the hang of the scooter, but after that he was really good, he would gain ground on the down hills but I could see him up ahead and I would catch him on the uphill sections.

He wasn’t at all impressed when the fast people lapped us and would scoot off after them like a madman screaming “I’m going to catch you!”  Luckily the park runners are a pretty easy going bunch and even when he got tired and weaved around the path a little more than I would like, no one got annoyed, they just ran around him and told him how well he was doing.

After the first lap I stopped briefly to explain to Elias that we had to do the same lap another two times BUT we could stop now if he wanted too .. well he wasn’t having a bar of that and we were off!

In fact I think our second lap was faster than our first as he had become more confident on the scooter by then and he knew where to go.  In the end he ended up doing the entire 5k and a round of applause as he crossed the finish line.

Later that night as we were going through our bedtime routine I asked

“What was your favorite part of today my baby?”

He replied;

“The race was the best part of my day Mum.”

I was quite surprised that the race beat out McDonalds pancakes AND playing minecraft .. but I’ll take it. The best things in life really are free!

Till next time