This is Hard, I Can Do it!
Eli wanted to run with me this past Sunday. I was planning to run 3-4 miles so we worked out a route that would allow him to ride his bike for the first 3 and then run with me for the last mile.
Half of the time he was riding his bike he kept asking me about the route he was going to run.
"Where am I going to run?"
"Are there hills?"
"Is is a hard path?"
I could tell he was nervous. I just kept telling hime he would be fine. I told him when the time come to park the bike and run, just run, do his best and he'll be fine.
He parked ditched the bike and started his run. He looked good at first. I continued to encourage him along way telling him he looked good, almost half-way there, etc. By the time we reached halfway I could see he was regretting his decision to run.
Eli has never been a runner. He has always loved his bikes and skateboards, anything with wheels but running hasn't ever been his strength. It was never really a problem until basketball season this year. The game doesn't wait for you to get back and forth between the baskets. He also discovered he needs improve his running ability in order to run hard and fast to steal some bases. Sometimes in little league the only way you can advance to the next base is to steal! I asked Eli to ride his bike with me today, it was his choice to throw in a run too, and I was already proud of him for taking that step.
As we reached our halfway point and were heading back to the house his commitment wavered. He started to say "I can't do this". I grabbed his hand and pulled him beside me and told him "you can!" I knew it was hard for him, he seriously has never run a mile before, but I knew he could do it.
I explained to him, that as soon as you let the doubt creep in, you have to either cut it off right away or you will indeed fail. He changed his mantra to "this is hard, I can do it, this is hard, I can do it" and he finished well.
I hope that he gains some confidence in running, but more than that I hope he learns the more valuable lesson I was trying to teach him today, there are things that are hard, really really hard, but the power of our will is greater than the strength of our legs, our natural ability, and the odds stacked against us.
Half of the time he was riding his bike he kept asking me about the route he was going to run.
"Where am I going to run?"
"Are there hills?"
"Is is a hard path?"
I could tell he was nervous. I just kept telling hime he would be fine. I told him when the time come to park the bike and run, just run, do his best and he'll be fine.
He parked ditched the bike and started his run. He looked good at first. I continued to encourage him along way telling him he looked good, almost half-way there, etc. By the time we reached halfway I could see he was regretting his decision to run.
Eli has never been a runner. He has always loved his bikes and skateboards, anything with wheels but running hasn't ever been his strength. It was never really a problem until basketball season this year. The game doesn't wait for you to get back and forth between the baskets. He also discovered he needs improve his running ability in order to run hard and fast to steal some bases. Sometimes in little league the only way you can advance to the next base is to steal! I asked Eli to ride his bike with me today, it was his choice to throw in a run too, and I was already proud of him for taking that step.
As we reached our halfway point and were heading back to the house his commitment wavered. He started to say "I can't do this". I grabbed his hand and pulled him beside me and told him "you can!" I knew it was hard for him, he seriously has never run a mile before, but I knew he could do it.
I explained to him, that as soon as you let the doubt creep in, you have to either cut it off right away or you will indeed fail. He changed his mantra to "this is hard, I can do it, this is hard, I can do it" and he finished well.
I hope that he gains some confidence in running, but more than that I hope he learns the more valuable lesson I was trying to teach him today, there are things that are hard, really really hard, but the power of our will is greater than the strength of our legs, our natural ability, and the odds stacked against us.
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