Last night I ran 12km. For the first time. Over the moon doesn’t begin to explain how I felt as it is a good step to being able to complete my Running challenge. But the real reason I think I managed to do it is because of my nine year old daughter.
Rebecca and I have a slightly unemotional relationship. She is very like Nick and doesn’t have a huge emotional range!! However, she seems to have really taken to me doing these challenges and especially to my running challenge. About two weeks ago I ran 10km for the first time. A couple of days later when I suggested that I was only going to run 8km as I hadn’t eaten much, she was disappointed! But in a kind way! She gently told me that she thought I could do it…so when I got to 6km I started to think that I would really try to make 10km…and I did.
Yesterday was a similar story. I was on a diet day (I’m attempting the 5:2 although it isn’t very successful as I binge too much inbetween!) and so had said to her as I put her to bed that I was only going to do an 8km. She said…how about trying for 9km, took my hand, gave it a little squeeze and said she was giving me some luck. And that little squeeze really gave me the motivation to keep going and to go past the 8km and 10km. It’s amazing how it can spur you on when you know you might disappoint a 9 year old. She seems so proud of what I’m doing and this is such a great chance to show her what perseverance can achieve! So her requests keep me going.
I’ve had to stop her actually. She really wants to do 10 challenges in her 10th year which is so sweet! And she also wants to try to run 1km with me…maybe today we’ll try it! I think she’ll probably do it…she’s got far more of a running body than I have! It would be nice to be able to run together and since Sam is happy to try too it could be a family affair!
