the next chapter: Kaya, the runner!

For the better part of the last ten years I have organized community 5k races. The first one was way back in 2001 while I was in Peace Corps. There has been the Griga Challenge, the Henry Challenge, the People United 5k. Until last year, the Griga Challenge was the largest race I had organized with approximately 600 runners/walkers. Last year, our first year in Bangladesh, I organized the People United 5k. We had about 700 participants and raised approximately $3,000. This year, we managed to surpass both marks with about 750 participants and raising over $4,000! (see a video from last year's race)

At our school, like most places, we are finding the children to be out of shape and overweight. One of the ideas a few teachers had come up with to combat this while promoting the race was a 25km club. The idea is that children come to school at 7:00am and run for about a half an hour or whatever they can do. Ultimately their goal is to reach 25km. This year, we had two students reach the 25km mark.

I wanted to be involved in the preparation for the race, but didn't want to run the club so I told Kaya about it. He was excited! Each morning, he would wake up and ask if it was a running club day. On Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Kaya would take off at rather quick speed. Pacing is a concept that he hasn't quite grasped just yet. Each time he would run between 1.5 and 2km. Along the way he would get distracted by birds, cracks in the cement, displays or just about anything interesting. I was having so much fun with him because running is something I enjoy doing and I guess you are especially excited when your children follow in your footsteps. In this case, it is quite literally.

Over the course of three weeks Kaya ran 10km, that is 6.2 miles. He finished well ahead of some of the older kids, in fact, he was the youngest kid participating! He loved it and on the last day he had a meltdown because it was the last day for the club. As a parent, I was so proud to see Kaya active and having such a great time.

Kaya and I run to school each day. It gives us some great father - son times. He sees so many interesting things and hopefully it will spark an interest in an activity that will keep him healthy for a lifetime!