Sunday 14 June 2015

R's First EVER Track & Field Meet! #SpecialOlympics

If you ever want to be inspired, motivated or are just looking for a reason to smile…attend a Special Olympics event. Any event. It doesn’t matter. The feeling you walk away with will be the same.

Yesterday was Riley’s first ever Special Olympics Track and Field Meet. Now if you know R, you know the idea of racing or competition is not a part of Riley World.

There were three field events (shot put, standing and running long jump) and 9 track events (50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m) including a 10,000m race! That’s 25 laps!! Are you kidding me!!! I don’t think I could walk 25 laps in one go.  

Riley participated in 5 events (shot put, running long jump and the 100m, 200m and 400m races). We were there for 6 hours! This most certainly is a new Riley World Record!! AND we both came home smiling...HUGE!!! I know. SO proud of him!

Since you weren’t able to be there with us, I am going to treat you to a play-by-play of yesterday’s events and lucky you…I have pics AND video for your viewing pleasure.

When we first arrived the group warm-up was in full swing. I was shocked thrilled when Riley was willing to jump right in BY HIMSELF when we spotted some team mates. He even went right to the front of the pack. I have never seen this happen before.


He slipped on the team jersey no problem but preferred to wear his own shorts.  :)


His first event was the 200m race. 

Ummmm…okay, so I may have forgotten to tell him when to stop running or as G commented Just like a horse race where they take half a lap to slow down and turn around.”  :P


Next came the 100m race. Riley is in the middle lane (wearing sunglasses).


This time he knew what he was doing. Well…sorta. Notice he looked around before continuing stopping. He makes me smile.  :P


The running long jump was R’s first field event. Note the concentration. Lucky for you the battery started to run low so I only got his first attempt. 



His last running event of the day…the 400m (R's in lane 7 - second from the outside). The video camera’s battery died so I had to use my phone.  :(   It became apparent that Riley prefers to “keep pace” with someone as opposed to run ahead. Such a polite young man.  ;) 




One last event before heading home…the shot put. Just enough battery life to get one last throw. 



Everybody cheers for EVERYBODY! No matter if you finish in front, at the back or somewhere in the middle. No matter how long it takes. No matter what team you are on. Special Olympics is a place where EVERYBODY is a WINNER!!



6 comments:

  1. Those videos got me a little teary, and I haven't even "known" R all that long. Track was my sport. It will always have a place in my heart, and this makes that space a little bit bigger.
    And I must add, in my 9 years of running track competitively, I never participated in more than four events. And most people were exhausted and cranky by the end of a meet that didn't last 6 hours. I could jot be more impressed. YAY RILEY!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As you know...I never know how "new" things are going to turn out. Things could go sideways in the blink of an eye. :) I was SO happy and proud of him and how he managed throughout the loooong day.

      Hmmmmm.....maybe he could work towards a decathlon?!?!? After all...he's halfway there. Hahahaha!

      Delete
  2. I'm so proud of him! To handle the excitement, the crowds, the SIX hours, and be able to compete like that?! Wow. And did I see him win two of the races? :D (have to admit, his continuing to run after crossing the finish line is my favorite part - hah!) I'm going to look into special Olympics here. Thanks for posting this. ❤️ Great job Riley!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes...you should see what type of activities they have where you are! It has turned out to be a God send for us. R's not into the "social" stuff (dances, etc) so much....yet. ;)

      And yes...he did win two of his races! *feeling proud* OMG...wasn't that the funniest thing when he kept running and running and running??? LOL!

      Delete
  3. I don't even know him and my eyes teared up and my heart swelled!!! So proud of him - I can only imagine how you feel. that smile he had. And um hello.... I watched it twice, but it was hard to tell... but it seems to me that shot put actually went quite far???!! like whoa dude!! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahahaha....ummmmm.....no. No it did not go very far. At all. He was channeling his inner Charlie Brown. He doesn't exactly have a lot of ummm muscle. ;)

      Thanks Les!

      Delete