Cross Country Running

Just reading that title makes me cringe. I have tried to run. No really, I have. And no...nothing was on fire at the time. Yes....including me. I started trying to like running way back when I was in high school, you know, the covered wagon days as Austin refers to it. Yep, me and Laura Ingalls ran together all the time. Everytime I have tried running, I get bored. Very, very bored. It becomes torture even before I get really tired. I just can't do it.

And the thought of running 3 miles makes me wonder why anyone would do this to themselves, but Austin does it. He is on the junior varsity team at his school. Not only am I amazed and proud of him for even doing this, but he does this knowing he will never be a star at it.

Austin has asthma. He had his first attack when he was only 4months old. It is better now than it used to be when he was younger, but it's still bad enough that he only has 54% lung function. Think about that. 54%. That's like saying he only has the function of a little more than one lung total. And he runs every day with that small of an amount of his lungs functioning.

He has meds he takes daily and he carries his inhaler along when he runs, but doesn't always have to use it. Each time I watch him I can't help but think that his lungs have to be screaming out "Hey dude...let's slow up okay?", but he keeps going. Never complaining.

As I said, he knows that with the reduced lung function, he will never make the varsity team. He knows he'll never win a race, and will probably never even make it in the top 10. But he's ok with that. He likes being a part of a team and he likes doing his best. Plus, he does like playing basketball and this helps keeps his lungs stronger to prepare for that season. Watching his desire and determination makes me so proud.

I hope I can be just like him when I grow up.