Shelly Fisher gave Marathon Kids at Home a try, as a homeschool P.E. curriculum bonus for her 10-year-old son. Read about their experience, getting active together on the sidewalks of their neighborhood!
The author with her son and their homeschool mascot, Lucy.
When our Marathon Kids at Home package arrived, I was a little surprised that confetti didn’t shoot out of our mailbox. My son and I both were more than a little excited about the addition to our homeschool schedule.
My ten-year-old already participates in a P.E. co-op once a week and plays baseball for our local youth league, but this was something different entirely! The Marathon Kids program would serve as an organized fitness break during our school day and offer us something more than just running and playing in our backyard with our puppy and school mascot, Lucy.
The unassuming Marathon Kids at Home bag yielded goal charts, a program guide and drum roll… PRIZES. And not just any prizes, these prizes were from NIKE!
Nike incentives included in the Marathon Kids at Home kit.
I eyed the 26.2 marathon shirts and said, “Hey! We can wear these today for our kick-off!” Seconds later, his nose buried in the guide and eyebrows peeking over the top at me, my son said, “No, Mom. We have to earn those. You have to run your first marathon, which is 26.2 miles.” Armed with this new knowledge and a sudden jolt of whopping competitive spirit, I said, “Hey, let me see that!”
A quick perusal of the guide summed up everything we needed to get started: mileage logs, warm-ups, cool-downs, running tips, session cards, games, certificates and so much more!
First Step of Our First Marathon
We quickly mapped out our neighborhood. The route was super familiar for both of us, but now it had a purpose, a goal, a mission. We saw each cul-de-sac as one semi-circle closer to our goal and our super cool 26.2 t-shirts.
It seemed only fitting that our kick-off occurred on the same sidewalk where my son pulled his wagon and rode his fire engine, tricycle, motorized tractor, bike, skates, and scooter. (I totally plan to have him pop the curb in his first car so that I can get a picture of his first real wheels on the stretch of concrete outside our home.) Armed with our walking (me) and running (him) shoes, we took the very first step of our first marathon. It was a beautiful day and the sun shone through the trees to dapple the sidewalk ahead of us. My son waved at me from the cross streets as he happily jogged our neighborhood.
Then, life happened…
In addition to being a homeschool mom and full-time teacher, I teach at our son’s co-op and I am a real estate agent. I was frustrated to find that when our full schedule pushed in on us, our Marathon Kids program was the first item to drop off our list. I began evaluating what we as family valued and invested our time in on a daily basis.
Like all moms and dads, I am constantly seeking balance for our family, but I have recently learned that balance doesn’t mean that all things get equal time and attention. It means that the important things get more time and somehow that resolves all the little stuff. God has blessed our family greatly in so many ways and I am learning to find joy in the crazy unplanned days as well as the rare “hey-today-happened-just-like-I-planned” day. And guess what? Because we value our health and fun times together, Marathon Kids found its way back into our lives!
Life is a Marathon
Please forgive the cliché, but life is not a sprint, it truly is a marathon. Marathon Kids came into my life just as I was learning this within my family! If we miss a day of running, it’s okay. Our running shoes are still by the door and they’ll be there tomorrow and the next day and the next day. It’s not a “do it perfectly, or forget it” kind of program, and neither is life for that matter.
Your health and your family’s health are a lifelong pursuit and Marathon Kids is just the program to get you moving and KEEP you moving.
And… did I mention there are prizes from NIKE?!
Thank you, Marathon Kids, for bringing balance and perspective to our lives and a whole new way to view our neighborhood sidewalks!
Want to sign your family up to try Marathon Kids at Home? Head over here!