Saturday marked the end of Anna Cate’s school year swim practice with a meet in Richmond. As the school year winds down, so does my tolerance for our busy schedule. BJ and I both work out, we make the time to prepare and have available a clean meal plan for our family in the midst of having balance, but we know that health just isn’t about us, so Anna Cate swims twice a week, crossfits twice a week (once at the box and once for homework wods from coach Suzanne). Sometimes I feel guilty that my kids spend time at the gym or at RARE having to watch me work out, especially Molly, who turned 3 in March, but sometimes she gives me glimpses of the benefit of learning by example how we value our health. Molly has perfect toes to bar, will swipe a lacrosse ball and practice mobilization as well as do burpees for fun. Anna Cate is learning that healthy bodies come in all shapes, sizes and ages.
Today she found success in swimming, which she says is her passion.
She swam in four events and placed in all of them even though she just turned 7 competing in a 7-8 division. She won her heat in free style and her relay team took first place since they were the only ones competing. She placed 3rd (of 13 swimmer) for back stroke and free-style and placed 2nd (of 13 swimmers) in butter fly. I'm so proud of her hard work as well as her success. Today as she was finding such success in the water, I found myself looking forward to sharing her victories with my friend and her crossfit coach, Suzanne. I think it is fair to say that Anna Cate has learned her stroke techniques and swimming from the awesome coaches above, but she's learned some other valuable lessons from crossfit as well. (And I'm sure crossfit has helped her swimming technique, too)
Like..
Enjoying being with your fellow athletes.
Cheering loudly for your friends.
Confidently approaching the event.
Pushing yourself.
And finding success.
I'm so thankful for the ways we as a family can commit ourselves to healthy activities and for these programs who help instill in Anna Cate the value of moving, working hard, camaraderie and confidence. I'd like to think it's not so bad that they have to go with us to the gym while we work out since modeling behavior is more important than preaching about good habits... at least that's what I tell msyelf when I'm ignoring my children for a good book or for a work out.
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