District Mile Cross Country Meet

Gavin decided to join the school running club this fall at Mountain View Elementary school.  They met two days each week to run laps around the larger soccer field before school started.  The club is only open to fourth and fifth graders and what was best is this was Gavin's own idea to join. After five to six weeks of training, the top several kids from each grade got to go to the District meet to compete against the other schools.  Here is Gavin looking pro before the race.

After walking the course with his Coach and getting all warmed up, the boys took the line for a one mile run through grass, over hills, dirt paths, and the finishing straight.  Gavin is on the right hand side of the picture in the front row.

There were probably 100 or so kids with four to five from each of approximately 20 schools.  After the gun went off it was pure pandemonium, but Gavin is looking good in the first 20 meters.

This about half way through coming down a dirt path.  Gavin was looking strong in the middle to front of the pack.  We cheered for him as he went by and then ran to the finish line across the field to catch him there.

Here is Gavin coming home to the finish line.  He's looking strong in this picture and you can tell from some of the faces in the picture that the boys were all giving it there all!  Gavin came across in an impressive 7:03 for his mile time which put him in about 15th place overall. 

I am so very proud of him for putting himself out there and doing something like this!  It is hard to decide you want to compete and go put in the work to train and then line up on race day and give it your all.  Surely these are life lessons that go far beyond just running a one mile race.