Hit it, GIRL!
By Dr. Ada Alden CFLE
Running stories bring humor, empathy, endurance and compassion to the smelly socks, shorts and shirts that too are part of the sport.
This weekend I was running with my daughter who was pushing her three year old in a running jogger. My son in law was loping along pushing the one year old who likes to be first. I am sure the five of us made an interesting picture as we ran around the golf course over hill and dale. Alison thought we looked like a parade. Our daughter Heather shared how she often takes the three year old out on a run. Alison acts as a coxswain. You may recall, the coxswain sits in the back of a sculling boat and shouts orders at the rowing team. Alison sits in the jogger as her mother pushes her. Alison is loud, able and enthusiastic. The route is hilly and often she sings along as her mother puffs up the hills. “ I think you can. I think you can.” She is clever and continues to support on the downhill calling out “ I knew you could. I knew you could.” The other day it was hot and Alison was not pleased with her mother’s speed. Out of the blue, Alison called out, “ Hit it, GIRL!” Dutifully our daughter picked up the speed and laughed all the way home.
In my dictionary, a coxswain is the steersman of a racing shell or the seaman in charge of a ship’s boat in the absence of an officer. There are days when I need a coxswain to help move me along. I need someone who calls out with a concise clear tone of voice providing both encouragement and a jump-start. It is during those times when I am not in the mood and a certain sluggishness has seeped into my outlook, I strap on my running shoes and hear Alison’s clarion call. “ Hit It! Grandma!
Running stories bring humor, empathy, endurance and compassion to the smelly socks, shorts and shirts that too are part of the sport.
This weekend I was running with my daughter who was pushing her three year old in a running jogger. My son in law was loping along pushing the one year old who likes to be first. I am sure the five of us made an interesting picture as we ran around the golf course over hill and dale. Alison thought we looked like a parade. Our daughter Heather shared how she often takes the three year old out on a run. Alison acts as a coxswain. You may recall, the coxswain sits in the back of a sculling boat and shouts orders at the rowing team. Alison sits in the jogger as her mother pushes her. Alison is loud, able and enthusiastic. The route is hilly and often she sings along as her mother puffs up the hills. “ I think you can. I think you can.” She is clever and continues to support on the downhill calling out “ I knew you could. I knew you could.” The other day it was hot and Alison was not pleased with her mother’s speed. Out of the blue, Alison called out, “ Hit it, GIRL!” Dutifully our daughter picked up the speed and laughed all the way home.
In my dictionary, a coxswain is the steersman of a racing shell or the seaman in charge of a ship’s boat in the absence of an officer. There are days when I need a coxswain to help move me along. I need someone who calls out with a concise clear tone of voice providing both encouragement and a jump-start. It is during those times when I am not in the mood and a certain sluggishness has seeped into my outlook, I strap on my running shoes and hear Alison’s clarion call. “ Hit It! Grandma!
