XC Ski

i have a boy.

last winter we obtained xc skis, poles and boots for him.

his daddy took him out and taught him basics of xc skiing.

we had an excited boy.

fast forward to this winter.

he could not wait to do some xc skiing when the snow came.

his daddy and he went skiing a few times, and this year he began to improve on his classic skiing and also began to learn how to skate ski.

so excited.

he was loving it.

then the opportunity came for him to sign up for an elementary school XC ski race.

at the end of january he raced in a classic race with other grades 3/4 boys.

he finished 33rd out of 68 boys.

he did his 2km loop in 16:35.

he had so much fun.

he didn't care if he came in first, or even in the top ten.

he loved being out on the trail, doing something he has grown to love.

and the weather was spectacular as well.

beautiful sunshine.

last friday he had the opportunity to do his second race.

chilly day.

cloudy, and that wind...

brrrrr.

we forgot his ski boots.

the rental ones didn't fit comfortably...

we live 5 minutes away and we had time so i headed home and got his boots   

-sitting right where his skis had been-

when i made it back he still had plenty of time to play around before the 1/2 boys and girls raced.

then it was his time.

this race was classic and skate.

he said he would just classic, 

but then as he watched the 1/2s race he said he may do a little skate, 

since that's a lot of fun.

i waited for him at the finish line.

there were kids coming in that i thought he could have been in before, 

so i wondered how he was doing.

was he too tired?

did he fall?

was he  having a rough time?

finally i saw my little man skiing along.

he finished 57th out of 64 grade 3/4 boys.

finishing his 2km in 23:13

did he have a rough time?  

nope.

he was so happy when he finished.

he was tired, but i got to hear his adventure.

he told me that the basket on the end of his pole fell off.

when he noticed he was about half way.  

he turned around and went back to look for it.

he said it was back where the 1/2s turn off and head to the finish.

then he put the basket back on. 

and continued on his way.

what a kid.

he didn't want to lose the basket.

*he didn't know that his dad had an extra pole at the house, or that his teacher would have gone out to look for it after the races*

he skied a lot further than his race distance, 

and still had fun.

and then still went and played around with all the other kids.

i am so proud of this kid.

he enjoyed the races.

i loved watching him.

he loved finding out how fast he did it in.

he loves figuring out what position he came in.

he would like to one day win, but he wants to have fun.

he wants to enjoy the races.

he knows some kids will be fast.

he knows some kids will do the sport a lot and train a lot.

after one of his friends raced, he had to go find him to tell him good job.

way to go kid.