.: CROSS COUNTRY 2014

Sunday, September 21, 2014

CROSS COUNTRY 2014

Every winter all school kids are required to do cross country running at school. It's Ashton and Noah's favourite time of the year. They are both natural runners and they both have good endurance and speed. Evidently, the boys have the 'Hill' running genes. My dad, their Grandad Hill, had a real passion for running. I always remember him running marathons and long distances on Sunday mornings. I was also a great runner as a kid. I always remember running around the block after school, running on Tuesday nights at the local Athletic club and begging mum to run in the evenings before bed. The funny thing is, I do not like running at all as an adult, or maybe it's just because I haven't done it in about 15 years.

This year Ashton (age 9 in Year 5) and Noah (age 7 in Year 3) did fantastic. They both took 2nd place for their age group at Pinehill Primary School. I was blown away at how both of them ran with such determination. Uncle Travis came to watch the race and got some great photos for us. (Nana watched Juliet at home and Dad had to work).

Since the boys did so well they both got into the 'cluster training group'. This is where all the winners of each race (those who finish among the top 6 in their age group) spend just over a month training every day at school, and some weekends, to compete against other schools. The cluster running is lead by Mr VB who is very strict. Anyone who doesn't turn up for practice everyday, has a bad attitude, doesn't push themselves or keeps coming last, is eliminated from the group. Ashton and Noah worked hard to make sure they were not on the elimination list. During training though, Noah was struggling to keep up with the group since he was the youngest. Ashton was getting frustrated with Noah and extremely concerned he was going to be eliminated. This really put pressure on Noah. One evening he fell asleep crying because it was all too much for him and he wanted to give up. I felt so bad for Noah because he was dreading being told by Mr VB's assistant, Mrs Davis, that he was eliminated.

Unbeknown to me, Ashton came up with a plan all on his own to save his brother. Instead of Ashton keeping up with his friends and competitors in his own age group during training, he started running with Noah. Ashton became Noah's personal trainer, and did everything he could to push him, encourage him and force him to pick up the pace. It worked a charm. It was exactly what Noah needed! During the last two weeks of training Noah got faster and faster and better and better! Ashton was pretty harsh with Noah and relentless at telling him how to run, but he knew that that was what Noah needed. He must have known Noah's potential far better than anyone else. There were times when I butted in and sternly told Ashton to leave Noah alone, to stop telling him what to do and to let Noah run how he wanted, but Ashton was determined to help Noah train, and this really bought out the best in him. Now that I think about it, a good trainer has to be aggressive to be truly effective so maybe we should remind Ashton later in life that he is good at that!

On competition day the boy's school team took the bus to Windsor Park and competed against five other schools. At the end of it all, we had two happy boys who were very proud of themselves for completing such a rewarding race. It was a huge relief to see such big smiles on their faces.

In Ashton's Year 5 race (ages 9 & 10) there were approximately 40+ boys and Ashton came 6th. Whoop, whoop! Ashton's best friend Josh came 1st - which he does in every race and has done for the last 3 years. Ashton seems quite okay with the fact that he can't beat Josh, but he was really proud to beat all his other competitors: Josiah, Archie, Caleb, Rion and David.

In Noah's race there were 10 seven year-olds, including Noah, and approximately 40 eight year-olds. Each school is allowed to enter two of their fastest seven year-olds to race with the eight year-olds. I'm not sure why they don't have a 7 year-olds race. Noah came 13th out of all those boys which we think is super awesome! Thanks to Ashton's training, Noah beat the other Pinehill boy, Tyrell, who came 1st in the very first Pinehill race (where Noah finished second).

So after all that training, there was no disappointment for the boys and both were beaming with pride that they had run their best and done extremely well this year. Well done boys!

Ashton adores his best friend Josh, so here's a photo of Josh with the Pinehill Running Trophy, and Ashton and Josh together:

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Funny Comments

Ashton walking into the supermarket quietly whispers to himself: "Please can I have macaroni and cheese, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Ashton: "I want to live with Jesus." Mummy: "Why?" Ashton: "Because he be nice to me and he gives me bread and water!"

Mummy, examining Ashton's legs, and thinking: My goodness, what hairy legs. Ashton, unimpressed with Mummy's examination, pulls away: "Don't touch them. I'm growing Daddy legs!"

Hayden gets upset at Ashton: "Right Ashton, that's it! I'm telling Jesus on you!"

Ashton with a cold: "I'm snotty as a piggy."

Hayden: "The sun is burning my eyeballs."

Hayden: "Mummy, how come your penis is missing?"

Hayden: "I get the bigger piece of cake because my skeleton is bigger."

Hayden (3yrs old) sees me get dressed in the morning and stares at my breasts with a confused look..."What thooooose be for???"

Hayden: "I don't want to finish my pizza, it's got blood all over it."

Hayden: "Ashton hit me in the heart."

Hayden learns the planets at Preschool: Mercury, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Penus!

Hayden (shopping with me and whining): "My brain hurts forever because you haven't buyed me anything."

QUOTES

Like the changing leaves of fall...My little boy is now a man.
--Author Unknown

Boys are God's way of telling you that your house is too neat!
--Author Unknown

There never has been, nor will there ever be, anything quite so special as the love between a mother and a son.
--Author Unknown

Boys are found everywhere - on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.
--Alan Marshall Beck

Something For A Giggle....

I Owe My Mother ....

My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE. "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

My mother taught me LOGIC. " Because I said so, that's why."

My mother taught me MORE LOGIC. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

My mother taught me FORESIGHT. "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM. "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

My mother taught me about STAMINA. "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

My mother taught me about WEATHER. "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY. "If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE. "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. "Stop acting like your father!"

My mother taught me about ENVY. "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. "Just wait until we get home."

My mother taught me about RECEIVING. "You are going to get it when you get home!"

My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE. "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

My mother taught me ESP. "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

My mother taught me HUMOR. "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT. "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

My mother taught me GENETICS. "You're just like your father."

My mother taught me about my ROOTS. "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

My mother taught me WISDOM. "When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

My mother taught me about JUSTICE. "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!