In Pursuit of the Golden Shoe...

It is "Success Week" at the boys' elementary school this week, which really means one thing in G-Ville: the coveted Golden Shoe Award is up for grabs.  Every year, each class runs for 6 minutes to see who can log the highest average yards.  Each grade level then awards the class Golden Shoe prize (a spray-painted old running shoe trophy--lol).  The parents also have a chance to get involved by pledging x # of canned goods for every lap their child runs.  The school collects the cans and gives a sizable donation to a local charity.  Pretty neat.

Today it was T's kindergarten class' turn to make a go at 6 minutes.  T was very thoughtful about it all beforehand, proclaiming several times that he wasn't going to race.  I could tell he was getting a little "heady" about it all, so we kept reassuring him that it was just for fun.  This morning during breakfast, he asked to talk with me privately and said, "Mom, I haven't seen the Golden Shoe award.  What happens to people who come in last?"  We talked more about the prize and how it was awarded to the highest class not individual.  I reassured him they don't even mention last place.  Within seconds his demeanor changed and I could tell he felt better.  So much so, upon leaving the room he said, "I'm going to win."  Nice change from not running at all, lol. :)

So later this morning, the girls and I ventured down to school to help out and cheer on the kids running.  T's class ended up racing with another kindergarten group, so there were a slew of kids on the track.  I brought my camera, but was so caught up in the event, I forgot to take photos!  Bummer!!  It would have been nice to capture our T out there, trying so hard and leading from the start.  He fended off another boy the entire race, let the boy pass him with 30 seconds to go, and then sprinted past as the final bell sounded.  Success!!  It was a proud mommy moment, but I'll tell you, watching him and the other boy congratulate each other and talk about how they both won, that made me even prouder.

All the kids did so well and not one walked--pretty impressive for little kindergartners!  We stuck around afterward to enjoy lunch with T and a friend.  So sweet and so innocent, they are.  In the scope of our G-Ville world, T is one of our "big" boys, but looking at him with the backdrop of school, I am reminded how truly little he is.  We still have a lot of growing to do...  One step at a time.

Tomorrow is M's class' turn at the Golden Shoe.
We'll be back with a full report and pictures (I hope).

God bless,