Family Fun at the Utah Summer Games

My wife took a couple of our kids to the track and field events of the Utah Summer Games last year. She couldn't get away this year, so I volunteered to take the kids, and, on somewhat of a dare, I registered for and competed in 3 events.

So I figured that if I was going to not look ridiculous, I'd better start training.

It was my son Jacob's first time jumping over a hurdle, let alone competing in a hurdling event, and he was very nervous. It turns out, though, that he's something of a natural in the

An Olympian I'll never be, but I'm well on my way to being much more fit than I've been in about 2 decades.

hurdles, winning the silver medal in his race. He has as one of his goals now to be a hurdler extraordinaire. When faced with attempting new things, he has a lot more courage than I do.

The rest of us, including son Cache and daughter Mauriana, competed in the mid-distance events. Without visiting with each other, we all happened to sign up for the same running events--the 200-, 400-, and 800-meter races. That made it easier to train together, and we all benefited from it.

Each of the kids competed in the long jump, which I chickened out of, because (1) I hadn't practiced enough before we left, and (2) it was scheduled before my running events, which I didn't want to miss by virtue of a long-jumping injury. (For the real story, please refer back to paragraph 3 above.)

I did set three goals, however, as to the times I wanted to run in my races. In all three cases, my race times were faster than my goals, and I actually medalled in two of the events (in both medal events I happened to come in well behind my same-aged and much-more-fit cousin). An Olympian I'll never be, but I'm well on my way to being much more fit than I've been in about 2 decades. On the way home from Cedar City, I established 3 new goals. Next year, a little older, I plan to do a little better.

I don't know now why I didn't compete in track and field as a high-schooler. Now, however, I can't wait to get out to the track. Our family has now committed that for the rest of the summer, in addition to our morning canyon runs, we'll spend 2 or 3 early mornings at the high school track, not only getting ourselves in better shape, but also bringing ourselves closer together as a family.

Each member of our family has also made a commitment that next year we'll compete in the Utah Summer Games together. We hope to see you there, too.