Patrick's pre-race enthusiasm could hardly be contained. He jogged up and down the track several times in full display of his Lucky Charms t-shirt and "Future Olympian" race bib.
He cautiously toed up to the 100 meter start, alongside two dozen other 3 to 4-year-olds. He confided, "Dad, I am a slowpoke." I assured him that was only a slowpoke at the dinner table.
With an informal ready-set-go , the children raced after their rabbit: a kilted man with Gatorade-orange hair and sneakers. The crowd shouted encouragements as each runner passed on by.
Somewhere along the 50-meter mark, Patrick stumbled over his Crocs and fell forward. Some random mother instinctively jumped off the sideline to assist my son back to his feet.
P-Finn picked up his pace, pushing himself to pass the kilted man once again. 50 meters later, he looked down to the scratched-up palms of his hands and considered crying.
Not allowing him to dwell on either falling down or minor abrasions, I ushered him to cross the finish line; he ran straight through with a sense of accomplishment.
Patrick proudly receive his medal of participation for the Haddonfield Adrenaline Kids Run, on St. Patrick's Day. Quite memorable for his first race.
