Meeting Mrs. WOW

As you will find, when I get my training log up from yesterday, I have been running a couple of mornings a week with my early morning girl friend. Yesterday our conversation consisted of politics while this morning we spent our last two miles in Fartlek sessions…keeping any real conversation to a minimum. So, here we are on our last cool-down lap and 5 kids burst onto the high school track ranging in age from about 7 down to 18months or so, RUNNING! My jaw dropped, I thought I was an active mom?! GF and I rounded the short end of the field discussing whether or not all of these kids belong to the woman kneeling with a baby seat on the sidelines.

I was for sure they were hers, but my GF was skeptical. As we approached our stopping point, just steps away from her post, I decided I would have to find out for myself. Guess what happened then? I met Mrs. WOW. A California transplant with 6 kids that jovially discussed how P.E. just isn’t offered in school like it should be so she gets her kids out for a run. Mind you as we are talking she calls out times to each child as they pass the mark!

Some of you may be thinking…baby slaves?! Not by far. Mrs. WOW explained how we are always telling our children to sit down and be quiet, at school and at home…she was like “they need to get out and RUN!” She herself a runner was intent on the benefits of running as a child even if this practice was not carried through adulthood, but as we know, getting children started in an active lifestyle is key to their interest and success at it in the future.

Mrs. Wow congratulated each child on their time per lap and finally their time for the entire mile. I watched these children run laps because they wanted to, because it felt good…each lap finding pride or room for improvement in their time. I know why she shouts out their time, not because it matters how fast they are at this point, but because it is extremely motivating, positive reinforcement that instills healthy competition with the self.

Every week day before school she had been heading down her block with the brood, but decided to try the track this morning and give them a real sense of completion. By the time everyone had finished their mile I had a gang of kids telling me their times, talking about sprained ankles, and saying how much they love to run. On Fridays she rewards them for their fastest time, I forgot to ask “with what,” but I can imagine their faces! I walked away with a most beautiful feeling in my heart. There is someone with a lot on her plate and yet she is very mindful to share life-enhancing experiences and lessons with her children.

I told the story to my children on the way to the dentist this morning and they too are inspired to run. Think about what great tools we can hand to youth and say here, look…YOU CAN DO THIS…and then they do and find YES I CAN.

Hi out there Mrs. WOW. Can’t wait to hear from you and run with you soon. What a pleasure to have met you.

*image: Not Mrs. WOWS children.

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