Peabody Mileage Club: A Sweet Treat

Panthers Love Cupcakes

 This morning I had the honor of being invited to Peabody Charter School in order to speak to elementary school children enrolled in their Mileage Club.  I have never been a guest speaker before.  I have been a guest who speaks a lot, but I digress.  What a treat! 

And not just because Coach H gave me a sampling of Jeaninne’s cupcakes with permission to not share. 

I went to Bear Branch Elementary school in Kingwood, Texas.  I still remember our school song, “There is a school, that is real bright, our school colors are green and white….”    On that hot dusty playing field, I thoroughly enjoyed that I was the fastest girl and first pick for any kickball game.  Running gave me confidence.  Bear Branch had a yearly turkey trot where kids ran around the school grounds collecting points for each lap they ran.  Peabody has a similar Jog-A-Thon and the honor board displayed photos and lap counts of each grade’s winners.  I used to routinely get close to the highest laps, but going way beyond any elementary mortal were two twin boys in my class: Brad and Brent Hauser.  

I had a giant size crush on Brad.  He was the first boy that I ever wrote the name of on my book cover and he was the only one I could not ask to sign my year book.  His face is missing from my elementary school class picture because I cut it out to put it in a locket.  However, I lost his face and the locket so now it just looks like I must have hated him.  Sorry!  

After one of our great turkey trots, Brad stood next to his brother who collectively looked like they had procured every wooden popsicle lap count stick that our teachers could hand out.  I walked over to Brad and told him, “You are going to the Olympics some day.  I know it.” 

I was right.  Running starts early.  I could see it in the eyes of several of the students politely seated before me listening to me chatter on.  Two boys who are already running just under thirty miles a week smiled proudly and I saw their interest perk up when I spoke about a love of running.  The questions kept coming: “How many miles? How many races? When did you start?”  

I really enjoyed the alternative questions, “If you could run right now to anywhere in the world, where would you go?”  A wonderful question!  My answer: to the Grand Canyon to run from rim to rim.  I would have gone on about the way sweat tastes like salt out there or how your skin prickles in the heat just prepping the palate for how good that rim side Corona is going to taste, but I trailed off. 

Instead, I finished my little talk by asking the kids how running made them feel.  “Like I can do anything,” a blonde boy answered.  Yes!  That is it!  I felt goose bumps and got really excited.  They get it, they feel it, and it is so beautifully simple.  That is exactly what running does for me, thank you Peabody for reminding me and inspiring me! 

However, I suppose nothing would be complete without a little friendly competition.  After the recess bell rang, a talkative fearless little girl approached me.  With a small hand on a small hip, she asked the real question, “When are you coming back? I want to RACE you!”

~ by Drea on April 27, 2010.