The time is here. The time is now. It is officially the time which Abby S. and I used to talk of and wonder about years ago when my baby girl wanted to start running “K-5s” with us. Back then, my little Aby was probably 4 or 5 and I told her that she couldn’t run a 5K until she could actually say it correctly. Big Abby and I laughed and wondered how long it would take before little Aby would be faster than her mom. I’m pretty sure we won’t need to be wondering for much longer.
While I was off rehabbing my foot this summer, my baby girl, who just turned 11 came into her own in the running realm. She keeps asking, “Mom, am I faster than you now?” I keep saying, “Yes”. She says, “Because your hurt?” I say, “Yes, because I’m hurt but you would be faster even if I were healthy”.
Aby and I’s running journey started “together” in April 2011 at the Ringing In Spring 5K when she ran her first 5K. She took 1st in her age group with a time of 33.03. She was 9.
We’ve ran a lot of races since that day but one thing always holds true. I always finish before her. I don’t wait for her. I have never ran a race “with” her and we don’t train together. I run my race, she runs hers. Some people think this is cruel but I think its real. I can’t hold her hand when she races in school, so I don’t do it on the 5K course. I always tell her to follow the crowd and she won’t get lost. I finish, then go back for her.
Fast forward to this year. She has gotten much stronger and faster. I let her race the 5Ks that I pre-registered us for even though I had to sit them out due to injury. She ran the Courthouse Classic (with Adella & her Hubby) with a good but not necessarily impressive time of 30:37, then the Short Run Long Day 5K (with the F’N Running Club) in 29:46. Decent times but still in the “fun” zone.
Then Cross Country season started and she decided that she was no longer running “for fun”. She turned on the jets and became a 7:00 min/mile runner overnight. JUST.LIKE.THAT.
She now floats when she runs. Her best time for the 2 mile this year was a 13:54. That’s a 6:57 pace. Yep, sub 7. Yep, she just turned 11. Yep, faster than mom.
So this weekend we will run our first 5K together (Fallen Firefighters 5K Run in Bourbonnais, IL) under Aby’s new reign as the fastest runner in the house. She asked me if she was going to beat me. I said, yes. Then I said, “but know that if you are in front of me, you better not slow down because I will be RUNNING.YOU.DOWN. every step of the way. And I expect the same from you. If I’m ahead, I will be running my ass off trying to keep you from catching me.” I mean, that’s how everyone treats their 11 year old, right?
Now who’s the cat and who’s the mouse? I’m not even sure at this point but it sure is a game and it’s officially starting this weekend. Let the fun begin!
What I do know is that Aby will most definitely beat me on Sunday. I know that I am still recovering so not up to a realistic speed as of yet. I know that my speed has a cap, even in a healthy state and hers does not. I probably need to get used to looking at her back but I will always keep pressing and letting her know that I’ll be there if she waivers. I can’t wait to see how this fall racing season shapes up. Yesterday, a lady on the trail ran a PR for her 5K because we were trying to keep Aby in sight. She was super excited. Aby asks me on the way home, “What’s my 5K PR?”. I said, “I’ll tell you on Sunday”.
Feel free to come out and watch the showdown between Aby and I. Or come run so that I have a shoulder to cry on when she totally kicks my ass. Better yet, bring the cooler. I like Corona Light.
** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com
TooTallFritz 
telling your daughter to “follow the crowd” may not be good advice anymore! she’s going to be the lead runner! 🙂
Well, I wouldn’t know anything about that “problem”, so I don’t even know how to help her. I’m hoping Dr Alexis will show so Aby can follow her!
Super excited for you both! GO ABY……GO AMANDA! Don’t forget to enjoy the moments and memories!
This is soooo fun. I can’t believe that we are at this stage already. And its good to have something fun to do together too since this is the time when she is starting to grow up and that Mother/Daughter relationship is becoming more “difficult”.
She is sonic!! Love it!!
I love it too but still slightly in shock….this came on fast. 🙂
Well TTF…you better give up being the cat and just accept that little girl of yours…should she keep at it…gonna run ya down and pounce on ya like a cheetah. Her progress is great…she’s a young girl and growing…and if the training done correctly and patiently…she will be fast! Youth is on her side…and she is developing as a runner at the ideal time in life. Abby just has to wait for the body to catch up (in terms of growth & maturity) to her vision of being fast.
Wow…she just ran a 2-miler sub-7. That’s awesome and she is almost at the point she can beat my ass in the 5k! With consistent, patient and coordinated training…that little girl of yours is on track to run sub-6 mile. It takes time to get there…but if she sticks with it and keeps developing those lungs and the physiology…and eats wisely with proper nutrition (as I am sure only TTF would have)…by the time she running XC in high-school….she will be one fast lady. 5k at 6-min pace at least.
There are no promises here…but that pic of her flying by in some race…I can see she born-to-run. Keep encouraging her. Tell her “Coach Frogger” is following her development…got nothing to do with it…but I can see that if she stays patient…she gonna run fast!
We aren’t really at the stage of training now. She is just running. Doing her own thing. She had a coach during Cross Country but now we are just having fun.
That is so awesome!!!! Treasure these moments……you may want to keep a journal also, something to look back on, because I know from experience that my memory is really bad as I age…. 🙂
I am guessing 22:50 for Aby.
Wow, so impressive and gifted at such an early age. Must be the great coaching.
Your daughter is a MACHINE! what a total gun!!
I just checked and Las Vegas set the line at Aby being favored over Amanda by 45 secs. Those guys in LV obviously have been following the JR high circuit in the SW burbs of Chicago.
That’s awesome. I’m thinking she has me by more than that at this stage of my “come back” but we will see. I wish you could go to laugh over this with us!
I love love love hearing about Aby’s running. And damn, she did get fast OVERNIGHT! That is so cool. Can’t wait to hear about the race this weekend 😉
That is so cute! I love the photos of you guys together! Sounds like I should use Aby as the rabbit I should be chasing in my next race! Best of luck to you this weekend and congrats to Aby having a great XC season and some fun fall races. I really appreciate you sharing this! 🙂
I’m so excited to see what she can do on Sunday!!! Come with us!!
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Hey Job Mom! I hope I can get my kids into running!