Racing with my son

For the past 4 years I have run the Pikes Peak Road Runners Winter Distance Series - 2 years with my son, one year with my oldest daughter and although I would love to take credit for them winning age group awards - they ran them, I just hung out beside them and tried to encourage them, or lie to them by saying we were almost done.

Of course there was the time I did lose my son on the 3rd race a few years ago - in a blizzard - but I think he has healed from that.  I am still a little worse for wear about it though.  My only task that day was to run with him and at the half way point he was right behind me as I boldly sheltered him from the wind.  Or something.  When I finished he was still behind me, I thought right behind me still sheltering - alas he was over a 1/2 mile away.  Ooops.

Moving forward now to this year where the young man is now 14 and able to fend for himself in all kinds of weather and life experiences.  I am releasing him into the wild for him to run of his own accord, according to his own pace, using his own tried and true training methods (rolling out of bed and deciding to run - or not).  He is racing this year in an attempt to win another age group award, without me running alongside trying to tell him he is looking good, looking strong, looking unbeatable.

And I release him with great joy - because this year I release him with a big fat target on his back.  One that I will be aiming for.  You see the smelly little disrespectful upstart punk kid beat his father in the 5K Rescue Run just over a week ago.  Humiliating his father by passing him on the initial hill and holding on to win by over 30 seconds.  Since that day where I gave it my all just to try to catch him, while he just sauntered along on nothing but teenage testosterone and Lucky Charms for breakfast - the gauntlet has been thrown.

The race is on - 4 series races.  3+ miles, 4 miles, 5 miles and a 10K to finish.  Whoever has the fastest accumulative time at the end of the series wins.  Whoever does not win does not come second - they lose.

With my 40 mile training weeks I am sure to be highly trained, well prepared and intensely focused for this show down.  He, on the other hand is a mere teenager, overwhelmed with homework, preoccupied with incessant texting, unable to focus on anything except for when he eats everything in sight because he is "soooo hungry", and clearly distracted with his finely manicured hair not ever being put out of place.

The prediction: If all goes to plan and I don't have to cheat and resort to pushing him off a trail - he will win the first 2 races, I'll take the second 2 and the time separating us will be minimal.  I may be older and slower, he may be younger and faster - but in the end it will be just awesome to race him, to watch him race - and hopefully celebrate at the end together with him winning another age group award.

Racing together 2 years ago at the first race.