Even the snow can't stop her!

I felt really bad, but at 7:30am this morning my pre-parkrun chat with my 4 year old Daughter went something like this:

Me: I'm really sorry Ella, but you can't do parkrun today.
Ella: But I want to Daddy.
Me: I want you to Ella, but it's so cold, you won't like it.
Ella: I will. I want to do it.

A few minutes later.

Ella: Daddy I am doing parkrun.
Me: You can't Ella, it's really icy. You might fall and hurt yourself.
Ella: You can hold my hand Daddy.
Me: Ella, it's a really long way to run in the snow and ice. You won't enjoy it. It's too cold.
Ella: I will enjoy it. What clothes shall I put on?
Me: It doesn't matter - you can't do it. I'm going to brush me teeth.

A minute later, whilst brushing my teeth.

Me: Why are you coming in here.
Ella: To brush my teeth to get ready for parkrun.
Me: Ella, it's just not safe.
Ella: I am doing it.

A couple more minutes pass by.

Me: Ella, I'll ask Mummy, she'll agree with me.

Me: Ella wants to do parkrun, I have told her it's too cold and icy.
Mummy: Let her do it, make sure she wears lots of layers.

Me: Ok Ella, get lots of clothes on.
She came back with 4 layers and eventually wore 5, plus hat, scarf and gloves.

And so Ella was allowed to do it. "Crazy" you say, a 4 year old can't do parkrun in the snow! Oh yes she can! Ok, but she won't enjoy it you say. Oh yes she did!

She was a little slower than last week, the traction wasn't great, but she ran almost the whole way again (just a couple of short walks) and never complained at all. And yes, she really did enjoy it again. Unbelievable! I kept asking her if she was enjoying it and the reply was yes every time. And when asking her if she wanted to stop, she would say "at the finish", or "after the funnel".

Fairly close to the end she asked, "can I have cake at the end". Last week a new 100 clubber had brought cakes for everyone, or so I believe (we got there quite late!). Ella had had some and she remembered. Luckily for her, two more 100 club newbies had taken cakes today. So Ella got her way on that too. Unfortunately, she will probably associate cake and parkrun for all time now. I'm sure that there are plenty of others that do too. At least she earns it I suppose! And she doesn't like icing - which was a bonus, as I certainly do!

She has since been told that she has to take a couple of weeks off parkrun now. I think she needs to give her little legs a break. She took it well at the time, but who knows what arguments we may have next week!

I just hope that she can keep that enjoyment of running. That would be brilliant. And as for that determination to both turn up and to do the entire parkrun, well I just find it incredible.