I started joining fun runs at the ripe age of 29 and my first event was a mere 3k non-competitive run. And here is my daughter, all of 4 years and 8 months, already finished with her first fun run last Saturday–and a 5k run at that. And the icing on cake would have to be her being awarded as the event’s Youngest Runner! #proudMommy moment right there. 😀

I’d like to believe that by starting her young on sports, she’d grow up better, a more well-rounded person. After all, sports do not enhance only the physical, but the mental and emotional as well. And hopefully, instill in her some much-needed discipline as well.

Summer Color Fun Run 2016 youngest runner.jpgShe couldn’t care less about being onstage and about to be awarded; she just wanted to get out of the sun and go home, hence this screwed up expression. 😛

Truth be told, it wasn’t all easy getting to this point. Yes, she was a bit interested when I asked her if she wanted to run with me. Yes, she got excited when I told her we’d be throwing around colors during the run. But come the day of the run, her kinda nocturnal body clock (inherited from yours truly, unfortunately) almost got the better of her. I had to alternately wheedle, cajole, threaten, cuddle, and then back again several times before I even got her out of bed and then dressed in her running clothes

She fell asleep again while in the car and was predictably cranky as hell when I woke her up to go to the assembly area. Good thing my father was with us and he carried her. She made a fuss out of sheer impatience while I was getting our race bibs. And asked to be carried again. As if she only weighed one frickin’ kilo. Geez.

We met up with a close friend, Bonz, before the run started. Chatted up a bit, did the warm up exercises, took a picture while we waited for the race to start.

before the run.jpgL-R: Bonz, me, Francine and Papa

When the host announced that the fire truck was ready to get us wet, we eagerly got as near as we could for maximum impact. And the color powders started flying. You can bet Francine really enjoyed that part. 😀

We alternated between running and walking throughout the race. Since I was with a coupla first-time runners, I had to pace myself and slow down for them to keep up. Bragging aside, I was feeling really great that time and I knew I could have gone faster if I was running alone. Oh well.

Francine is actually a pretty fast runner, especially with youth and boundless energy on her side. But when she tires of running, she gets kinda cranky while walking. I kept trying to motivate her to run though–at times to keep up with Papa who went running ahead of us, or to get ahead of other kids who are also running, or to keep up with another runner running with a cute puppy. She actually enjoys running fast–that is, until she gets tired. 😛

While were weren’t the fastest runners, we actually bagged two awards: Youngest Runner and Oldest Runner. 😀 Yeah, that’s right, I brought along with me the youngest (4yo) and oldest (65yo). I should’ve gotten an award too, I say–Hakot Award. 😛

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All in all, we had fun. And had a pretty good cardio workout while at it too. Not bad at all. It was a pretty good start to (hopefully) Francine’s running career. 😉

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4 thoughts on “Francine’s First Run: Summer Color Fun Run 2016

  1. that’s so nice! Running as a family, will keep you physically fit and also the tie between each members of the family. Congrats to the awards too! ;D

    Never tried running, I should have coz I’m gaining every single day 🙁

    1. Thanks sis! 🙂 I don’t run regularly these days. I can only wish I could, but life gets in the way. 😛 Haha. Only when there are fun runs like this.

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