The Collins Clan: Cross Country 2013

Jaxon and Connor are both doing Cross Country this year. It didn't surprise me when Jaxon told us he was going to do it as a fall sport. He has quite a few friends who run track in the spring and wanted him to do it as well. He does Lacrosse in the spring and just wasn't willing to give that up to be with his friends. This worked out to be a great compromise! But then he tells us that he thinks that Connor should do it with him. What?! Running is not Connor's strongest. And long distance running REALLY not Connor's strongest! But Jaxon had a good point in that is EXACTLY why Connor should do it. It would be good for his endurance and so on. Connor jumped on board and was all for it. I think he started to rethink that after he started going to practice and his first meet!
Their first meet was at Sugar House Park and is the second hardest rout they will run. Needless to say Jaxon was not overly happy with his time but I was so very proud of him for getting right in there and giving it his all. He has improved even in the short time since that first race. Connor was probably the last kid to come in in that first race but all I can say is that he FINISHED! Jaxon called to give me times and tell me how they did and when he gave me Connor's time I wanted to shout out loud I was so proud of both of them!
Wednesday September 4, 2013 was the first meet I was able to be to. With football for Porter and dance with the girls it has kept us all very busy. This meet was at the Cottonwood Complex. The route was set up around the park and they basically looped the park 3 times. That was nice because you could stay in one spot and see them multiple times! The girls ran first and there was a section toward the end of the "loop" that the boys had lined up to cheer the girls on as they ran past. (which I have to say was so cute to watch those boy cheer the girls on!) It was a great place to set up...it was in the shade! It was fun to watch the girls finish up their race. I did feel bad, there was one girl who was having a hard time yesterday and didn't finish until after the first boys had lapped her. I watched her pass and even though I didn't know her I was so proud of this young woman! I talked to her mom a little bit before and on top of running not being her strong suit (just like Connor) she was sick and running a fever. I was very impressed by this young woman because as she ran past us you could tell she was still giving it her all.

Jaxon came by first and was doing pretty well at that point.

I only took pictures the first time around. His second round I could tell he was hurting and I realized he had forgotten his knee brace. I hope he learned that lesson! I love that when I cheer my kids on I can tell that they hear me. I know that most of the time they are able to just ignore the outside and keep going. I don't know if all kids are like this but when my boys hear me I can tell that they heard me! When Jaxon ran by that second time and I could tell he was hurting and I started yelling those things you yell, "you can do this, push through it, keep going, you got this" I saw his stride lengthen again and his pace pick up just that little bit. That is one of the best parts of being a mom!

Connor was back just enough that I was starting to worry about him. Knowing this was just the first lap and he still had two more to go made me hurt a little bit inside. If you look at this picture Connor is the one in the middle. To his right is a girl from the team that isn't qualified to run right now so she ran with Connor...the whole way. She was with him every step of the way! Talking to him, encouraging him, doing what I couldn't. To his left is a good friend of Jaxon's. When I sent this picture to Jeron he asked, "Is that Kimble lapping Connor?" Yep it is! =) But Connor was running and he kept running!

I stayed in this spot until both Jaxon and Connor passed the second time. Jaxon came close enough to lapping Connor that by the time Connor passed me and I started up to the finish line I didn't make it before Jaxon was on top of me! Literally! I was walking up the hill to get ready to take pictures and Jamie Latimer hollers and points behind me. I turned around and there was Jaxon running right at me! No way to get a picture that way!

We were waiting for Connor to come in. As I stayed up near the finish line with a good view to watch Connor come up the hill the rest of the West Jordan Cross Country team went down to that same area I had been before to wait and cheer on my son. He was the only member of the team not in yet. We had a good view and could see him coming. And then I saw Jaxon take off toward Connor. I watched as he ran with him and encouraged him. I watched the team cheer him on. I watched as those long legs finally did what they were meant to do and stretch out and move him...faster then I thought Connor could go! Connor cut 10 minuets off his time from his first race and this was a little bit longer course! Jaxon was beaming with pride!