For me....this is very true......
It's a part of how I love for sure...when my littles especially are upset...bothered...uneasy...I feel it too. Riggs had the foot injury...was off for a bit...and then had two scrimmages with North that were...well....terrible. He was running over a minute slower than he had last year. He was not feeling it..."I just don't have it, Mom". It was so hard to hear....heart breaking to watch. Running has always been the one thing we could go back to for him...at first it was a starting point...a stepping stone for his confidence...then it became a reference point. I think he felt a little lost and I know I was at a loss for words...not knowing what was to come of this. So with two bad scrimmages....low confidence....new spikes, and a lot of hope we arrived at the Tiger Run for his first middle school meet.
Same order of business....new uniform...
He went on the walk through.....
got his number.......
Put his spikes on........
and we reviewed his goals...which were set low......hoping to keep his confidence in tact...
He was unfocused....very unlike the pre race Riggs I have come to know....but I just watched...knowing if I started in on him...he would more than likely retreat rather than step up.... parenting this middle school boy is a whole other world for me....I can't rush in and do for him...I have to stand back and let him do it himself....
But....some times the things I can't say...Jeff can get away with...and he knows Riggs so well...
He gets my boy...he always has. Their relationship is deep and is based on love and a mutual healing they found in each other.
So I told Riggs I loved him .....and headed to get a spot to watch. And while I was on the course...nervous and deeply hoping Riggs could attain the low goals set for him...that we could just take a step in the right direction...and not backward on this meet...anywhere but back wards....
Jeff stepped in......
I don't know what the conversation was....the words used....or even how Riggs responded at the time...but in the moment Jeff changed his underdog speech to more of this....
Jeff must have seen something in his eyes....or felt it in his heart....just minutes before the gun fired it was a new plan...with new goals...harder goals...and when I saw Riggs for the first time at the one mile mark he was meeting those goals......
he was passed...and he dug deep and passed back.....
He was giving up the good......
and going for the great......
and he finished the Tiger Run with a 15 second PR.....and a shot of confidence
He was happy.....
and I felt like I could breathe again....
I was so proud of his effort....and his heart....and his determination
I love how slowly he is becoming part of the team....watching as high fives were exchanged....
and "good race" exchanges were made.....
He placed 15th over all and got a medal at the awards ceremony.....
and the team placed first....so that was icing on the cake!
We celebrated with a Blizzard on the way home!
First run as a Mustang is in the books.....
here's to many more days of going for the great!
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