Typical Cross Country Mom?

Ok, I am a pro, right? I have been attending Cross Country meets now for 17 consecutive years. No typo! Jenna was five and in Kindergarten when we made our first appearance at this wonderful fall ritual.  Jenna, Lauren and Natalie all ran CYO CC in Toledo.  We have not missed a year since 1994!  I would think that would put me in some kind of exclusive category. I should know the ins, the outs, the nuances, the taboos, the etiquette and the basically what to do and what not to do at a CC meet.

Stay off the course. Period. Your're not allowed to be on the basketball court or the football field, so even thought you have free reign, stay away from the course and let the kids run.

Don't try to talk to your child before their race. They have a routine.  They are doing their visualization and need to stay focused. They can find out later that the family dog threw up on the couch after they left for the bus.

Be supportive no matter how they finish. They don't need a big lecture if they didn't hit their desired time. CC runners are all kind of built the same.  Their pressure to do better comes from within.  They will beat themselves up all by themselves. They don't need you telling them what they already know.

Support the whole team.  Your child is just one of many runners. They have been taught that they can not win without everyone's participation. Learn the names of the other team members and cheer them on too!

I have all of those down.  Ok, ok, occassionally, I will inch out and try to get a good picture, but I would never overstep my boundaries and affect the kids' race by being on the course!

There is one thing I cannot quite master.  This is probably thee rule of rules and I don't get it yet!

Don't ever, ever, ever scream at your child so loud
 and hard that you will embarrass them!

Yep, that's me in the gray sweatshirt and sunglasses.  That is not just a "go Andrew".  That is an all-out bottom of your gut yell that stands out above all others.  It's what I do.   The kids have given up on telling me I'm too loud.  But, this is the first time I have ever been captured (or caught, I guess!).  Andrew was in third place here, close to the finish.  He had the top ranked 13 year old in the nation, and a regional qualifier for Junior Olympics  in front of him.  A little too ahead this week, though.  He didn't catch them, but did take off 6 more seconds for a new PR of 11:06.  Absolutely a great race Andrew and I'm so excited for the rest of your season!

Just a few seconds later, (literally), I'm back at it again...I'm sure it was just one long scream..... 

So that is Jonathan, very determined.  He had pulled a groin muscle in practice on Wednesday and didn't run practice Thursday or Friday.  I later found out it was "killing" about now. It's all about guts in CC. "Guts" and "heart" and "spirit".  Jonathan, you have all those and more...you are a success story and the season has just started.  Those are the primary ingredients of success, cause it isn't easy and it isn't always fun.  But it sure can be rewarding.  

Besides, with a Mother like this behind you, what more can you need? 

(Lynda, thank you for putting things in perspective for me with these pictures...not sure I can change, but at least now, it's confirmed that I look as silly as the kids have been telling me (for the last 17 years!)