Relax, it’s for the kids.
So often throughout the summer, our staff has to remind ourselves of this during our Wednesday Night at the Races series. The event, which is perennially one of our favorites to put on just because of the happiness we see on the kids’ faces, starts at the end of July just as we’re all finally getting over our Grandma’s Marathon fatigue.
We’re all race organizers, so naturally we want these events to be done well. We want every little detail to be taken care of, just like we wanted for Grandma’s Marathon weekend. We want it to be perfect.
Relax, it’s for the kids.
With more than 250 kids participating each week this summer, and most of those in the 4 & under division, we had our fair share of participants who tripped at the starting line, who needed a helpful pull from a parent, or even who wandered entirely off the track before actually finishing their race.
In those moments, it’s never more clear that winning isn’t important. Running fast, even, isn’t the reason for Wednesday Night at the Races.
Relax, it’s for the kids.
The reason for Wednesday Night at the Races is to just be out there. It’s just to get a start, to be active throughout the summer, and maybe even to fall in love with the sport of running.
And we do see the progression. We see the same kids who once wandered off during their 200-meter race as a 4-year-old now as 13-year olds challenging their own PRs in the 800-meter race. That may not have happened without a place to start, a place to try, and a place to fail until you succeed.
We’ll always try to make the events meet our organization’s high standards. As we finished our six-event schedule this summer this past week at Wade Stadium, though, we once again reminded ourselves of what we always tell the kids – It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being out there. It’s about showing up with a smile. It’s about fun.
Relax, it’s for the kids.
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