Endurance

Lily, as it turns out, will do just about anything for money. Including run 3.1 miles. At age 6.

Our elementary school PTA organized a professionally-timed "fun" run (although that seems like an oxymoron to me), the first of its kind, that was held last Saturday. The race was first announced at back to school night in September, and the buzz has been building since then.

Kids stretching pre-race. Lily is #357 in the photo below.

Noah and I, who are always looking for great excuses to get Lily away from the computer or her art project du jour (ie, moving her body), decided it would be a great family activity. We'd talk about it. We'd train for it. We'd run it together. Of course, at the time it didn't occur to me that the first time I'd EVER run this distance was after I'd graduated from college...which would be in, like, 18 years for Lily. Never mind, she could do it at 6.

I was not exactly wide-eyed and bushy-tailed early that Saturday morning...

...neither was Anna, who rode the 5k, bundled in her PJs.

Not long after the training started (rest assured, it was run-walk training and we took it easy!), so did the complaining. According to Lily, running is the most horrible/terrible/boring/and evil thing in the world. So plan B was launched -- dash for dollars. Yes, Lily got paid to run. Suffice it to say, her little wallet is fat and happy right now.

The event culminated on a perfect day. Ideal temperature. Blue skies. Happy-ish kids. $11 for the 'ole wallet. Don't ask... Apparently Noah offered Madam Negotiator $10 and somehow it ended up being $11. So while we're $11 poorer, she's got a 5k under her belt. Completed in less than 43 minutes. Not bad for a 6 year old who thinks that sweat is gross!

Lily and Noah post-race!