Eden is getting hot on the heels of her big sister.  At school, there is an upcoming race, called the ‘Race for Education’.  It is some fundraiser that they are requiring the kids to raise money for and participate.  They are told to run around the school field for 50 minutes.  That’s right, 50 minutes.  That is a long time for a 5th grader, let alone a 3rd grader or 1st grader.

Anyway, they have been training for the race.  For the last several days, they have been running a mile a day at school.  Eden has been coming in either 1st or 2nd girl in her grade and among the top 5 finishers (boy and girl) in the whole grade.  Pretty fantastic.  It sounds like Lydia Lesnevich is besting her on some of the runs, but that is okay, Lydia is in a track and field club at the high school, and has been doing very well in 5Ks, a good athlete and a good kid.

On Monday, Eden was very dejected after school.  On Monday, when they ran the 1 mile, Eden was the 1st girl in her grade to finish.  When some of the other girls finished, they made some snide remarks to Eden that she must have cheated and told people that Eden didn’t run all of her laps.  Same girls that have been little shits to Eden all year.  On a day when she should have been very proud of herself, she was put down and felt bad on the inside.

And so it goes in this town that we live in.  Bobby recently made a comment, that Eden will pass them all many times as they follow the long road to mediocrity.

Eden is ready to soar.  She needs some breaks in her favor.  Come on man.  Give her one.

I’m proud of my girl Eden.  She’s had a share of disappointments in sports and school in the last year, especially things that she has set goals for, worked to attain, and not reached.  And I know it has gotten her down.  I think she constantly compares herself to her older sister who is two years older.  It is impossible for Eden to realize how much difference there is in two years; she expects to be able to do everything Liz does.

I’m really proud of her when she picks herself up and takes things on.  This morning, she got up around 6:30 and we went for a run.  She is training for the Turkey Trot 5k.  This morning, we ran 1 mile for speed.  She got 9:01, her best time ever.  A few more weeks of this, and my girl is going to be ready.

I hope I am able to teach my daughters and sons that they are on the same team.  They are never competing against each other.  They are always each other’s biggest supporters in life.