TEAMWORK- Running Style

Now I ask--Would any kid voluntarily get up at 5 am on the last Saturday of summer vacation???

Kudos to Girl and her teammates on her school cross country team -the Brentwood Eagles- for doing so.

9 of the 17 members of the team participated in a race about 90 minutes away on Saturday. And if anyone knows how hot it's been in Georgia-well, everywhere- the past few weeks, it's understood why the run would take place at 7:30 in the morning. Back into the travel time, and now it's apparent why the 5am wake up call.

5am. 5-freaking- am. It's still dark. Even the dog isn't up. Boy went with us, ever conscious of the fact that his sister has supported his athletic endeavors for years. But he let Dad drive, which is highly unusual, as the new driver wants to chauffeur us everywhere. 5 A-M. . .

We all met up at the neighbors' house and caravanned to the race- 4 cars full of sleepy families, the only traffic for miles on backroads.

Gotta hand it to my next door neighbor- who is also Girl's running coach. She's 3 years younger than I, and seriously started running only a couple of years ago. She looks great. She and her husband ran the Chicago marathon last year.

She has licked these kids into shape. They have been out training 3-4 days a week all summer. Of course the kids grumbled. Of course they whined, moaned, and complained. But they kept at it. More kids joined in. Misery loves company, they say.

She started with 6 runners last year. Now she has 17. And most are 8th grade or younger. They have fun, and all get along well. They pace each other and help each other through rough patches. She has, in fact, formed a TEAM.

There were lots of personal best times. A few of the older runners stepped up from 5 km competition to try the 10 km. They each succeeded in their own way. Some got trophies, some didn't. But the kids were all made to feel like winners because they did the best they could.

That's what coaching is all about.

And I don't think that there was a prouder group than the kids when all three of their coaches took home first place trophies in their respective divisions.

Now that's EAGLE PRIDE!