|
|
Post by Justin on Jun 18, 2008 12:18:41 GMT -5
Another great event guys! We had a ton of fun, and the turnout was awesome.
Charlotte did notice Jordan didn't show up this time for his rematch!
|
|
|
|
Post by kevinspradlin on Jun 19, 2008 21:03:40 GMT -5
Justin, we just saw some of Darrell's photos. Sorry, but my wife says Charlotte cheated. Ha - just kidding (well, she said that, but she's a non-runner, so it doesn't count). My wife says she can run a mile like that... anyway, great photo!
|
|
|
|
Post by Justin on Jun 20, 2008 8:25:52 GMT -5
Kevin,
The picture of her riding on my shoulders was during the 2 mile race. We were coming back from the playground. She actually has run both Jr. Striders mile races this year without any aid. I haven't touched her during the "races" and she hasn't cut the course at all.
|
|
kw
Walker
Posts: 37
|
Post by kw on Jun 20, 2008 9:47:52 GMT -5
Justin,
I had to go look at the photos. You're little girl is adorable!!
|
|
|
|
Post by kevinspradlin on Jun 20, 2008 10:50:04 GMT -5
My wife loved the photos, Justin. I was completely kidding, of course. I hope you know that. In fact, I've used Charlotte's efforts to try and motivate my 6-year-old to get out and exercise more. She seems to be choosing to ride her bicycle over running - which is great. Anything to get her out of the house and away from the TV.
Quite frankly, I wouldn't care one way or another rather Charlotte received help or not. The fact that she hasn't is really neat - but even if she'd done any of it on her own accord ... and then gotten some help ... well, like I said, it can be an inspirational tool for others.
If she stays with running, she should form her own club to motivate new runners. Call it "Charlotte's Web." No kidding. Has great marketing potential.
|
|
|
|
Post by Justin on Jun 20, 2008 11:02:28 GMT -5
Kevin,
No offense taken. Charlotte just loves to run, it's amazing. We go for a walk every evening and she'll run ahead of us until she gets to an intersection and stops for us to catch up, then runs to the next one. That's her "training". She also does loops in the house.
When I took her to the 1st run this summer I didn't know what to expect. I decided to encourage her to run and stay on the course, but I wasn't going to make her run. We stop regularly on the runs, we stopped to admire the pond from the bridge on Tuesday, and to watch the girls' soccer game at the top of the hill. I think the toughest part of the races so far have been the fact that she doesn't understand the concept of a race yet, covering a predetermined distance on a marked out path in the shortest amount of time is a pretty abstract thought. She doesn't know what "win" and "lose" mean, which I think is cool.
She doesn't know how to ride a bike yet, so I'm sure that may take over when we get to that point.
|
|
|
|
Post by kevinspradlin on Jun 20, 2008 18:48:16 GMT -5
Anybody know what the 1-mile course is like for the July 1 race? I'd rather my son not be surprised by a hill or two as he was Tuesday in Frostburg. He was not happy with me ;-)
|
|
|
|
Post by wvrunner on Jun 20, 2008 20:11:57 GMT -5
The course will be different from years past due to construction on the course. The race will begin outside the stadium fence on the visitor side of Falcon Stadium. The course will follow the first part of the high school course. It will be a rolling course out to the half-mile point then back to the start following the same route. The 2 mile will be a double out and back (sorry about that one). Hopefully next year we get back to the old course. You can park in the open lot across the road from the start.
|
|
|
|
Post by Justin on Jul 2, 2008 7:08:11 GMT -5
That was another great event held by you guys. Thanks a ton for the time and patience, especially with Charlotte, I know she was holding up the start of the 2 mile event.
I think that was a good learning experience for our young runners about how each course can be different and some are more difficult than others. This was the toughest race for the Taylors so far primarily because of the terrain. The hills were tough, but overall the footing was much mroe difficult than previous courses, which seemed to effect the little one more. We still had a blast.
|
|
|
|
Post by wvrunner on Jul 2, 2008 7:37:32 GMT -5
Thanks to everyone who attended last evening. I also want to thank Tom, Tommy, George, Jackie, Jaron, Jeremy, Dave and anyone else who assisted. These events could not be a success without the help of everyone involved with the striders. Once again Thanks to all!!
|
|
|
|
Post by kevinspradlin on Jul 2, 2008 8:35:41 GMT -5
I think that was the best course of the 3 so far - showing of a bit of what XC can be like, with momentum-swinging hills and all (wasn't a big fan of Glendening). Just found out I have to move in the next few months - maybe I'll take a look around the Short Gap area. Any rentals available?
Another well-coordinated, well-executed event for QCS Jr Striders. Thanks everyone! Anyone know anything about the next course at Keyser?
|
|
|
|
Post by frojoe23 on Jul 2, 2008 9:11:02 GMT -5
This is the first year of doing this that we have had over 100 finishers in not only the first two events, but now the first three! Last year, we had 150 different finishers total - we are only two shy of that right now.
The next one at Keyser is usually the low spot for attendance. There have never been over 50 total finishers there. I'd like to crack 100 again - so if you are there, you better run and get a card. I love seeing parents running with their kids at these, plus it makes my job easier.
Keyser is a tough course - usually there is some sort of construction going on there and the course may change. Typically is a modified out and back for the mile and double it for the 2. It starts at the practice football field by the school and runs in between the upper and lower baseball fields before turning right and down a short shale hill about 100 meters before taking a left and then clockwise around "Hernia Hill", and back to the lower baseball field, where you skirt the perimeter and up a short incline by the dugout, before rounding the practice football field into the finish.
Lots of different footing - is usually a tough course because of how technical it is.
|
|
|
|
Post by frojoe23 on Jul 16, 2008 7:31:43 GMT -5
I appreciate everybody's help last night at Junior Striders. That is by far the largest crowd that we have ever had at Keyser - and on a hot night to boot.
I know I wanted 100 total finishers. Well, we were close - ended up with 96!
I'm pleased with that. We have really seen growth across the board at every Jr. Striders event this year. Last year, we had 150 different participants, and already this year we have hit 166. Most of the growth is where we want it to be - in the lower age groups and parents.
We are up 14 people from our highest previous for ages 1-9. Ages 10-12 is about average and shockingly, even with all the Alco soccer kids, 13-15 is down by about 15 from last year.
The real big spike is in ages 30-39. We've gone from our all-time high last year of 8 to 19 already this year. I know that the events are geared towards the younger kids, but I love it when the parents run with their kids. It makes it so much easier on me and I truly don't like to run with a kid that is running with their mom or dad. That is the parent's moment and I don't like to interrupt that.
So, thanks to everybody for all the help. None of this growth would be possible without everybody willing to donate a couple of hours to this. Thanks again and see you at the next one.
|
|
|
|
Post by kevinspradlin on Jul 16, 2008 8:53:19 GMT -5
I'm sounding pretty redundant on this thread, but thanks to QCS Jr Striders folks (Jaron, Tommy, George, Tom, Dave, etc., for another well-executed event Tuesday night. I brought not only my son for his 4th (and T-shirt qualifying) race, but two of his friends (ages 8 and 6) joined us for their debut runs and enjoyed the heck out of it.
The course was difficult to follow at a point or two - we'd been warned here it was pretty technical - but it was fun. I love xc.
|
|
|
|
Post by kevinspradlin on Jul 16, 2008 9:21:00 GMT -5
I forgot to thank Darrell for his photos - a huge plus to newcomers to the sport, as they love to see themselves (regardless of age). Also, thanks to my wife, Stephanie, who helped out at a running event (distributing index cards to 2-mile finishers) for the first time in her life.
|
|
