Olympics now and then

I was at a meeting in Richmond county and my colleagues and I were chatting about the Olympics.One of the group felt that the cost of training elite athletes was just not worth it; it was not beneficial enough for the general population to keep doing it year and year. Needless to say that began a lively discussion about Physical Activity and motivation! Some were pro , some were con. As I was making my way home again, I was musing on this very topic when I came around the bend to my family's kilometer. Now why does my family have a kilometer of our very own? Well, it is a most beautiful little spot of paradise on Route 4 including a beautiful little church and a road leading to Salmon River. We ran it, together, in the dark, with the gods of Olympus with us( or at least their flame).

Back in the day, during the 88 Olympics build up, a gasoline company offered the chance to run in the torch run to anyone who entered a contest. My youngest must have filled out a hundred entries. And because she was too young to go to the service station alone, her Dad filled out some too. Unfortunately for her, her name wasn't picked but her Dad's was. So it became a multi generation , neighbourhood event. Our elderly next door neighbour came along . Dad's kilometer was about an hour away from home, and on a cold,crisp night we waited by the side of the road for the torch to come along. As he was passed the torch, the organizers said to the girls "you can run along with your Dad for awhile". How exciting for a little girl and her sister. To touch the torch was a thrill. To run together was a thrill. And afterwards in the Hall in the local community, other families celebrated that same thrill . Pictures of everyone holding the Olympic flame were taken, hot chocolate was drunk, and stories told. Was it money wasted? I think not. Even today, as I drive that section of highway with an acquaintance , I always say " This is our kilometer"

And research does show that children who have active parents are more likely to remain active into adulthood. And if our daughter is an example, it's true!