Today was a beautiful day with bright sunshine. We slept in and relaxed at home until we finished lunch, then got ready to head to Olympic Park for our first parent-child run—the 2024 Beijing Marathon parent-child event. Before leaving, we had a bit of a disagreement about what to wear. Xiaoyan thought it would be very cold, while Hamer and I preferred not to wear too many layers, worrying that we wouldn’t be comfortable while running. In the end, we agreed to wear our favorite outfits and bring an extra warm layer. Once we stepped outside and saw the bright sun, we realized we didn’t need to dress so warmly after all.
The race started at 3:30, with check-in at 2:30. We arrived at the venue around 2:05. After some waiting, bag storage, and check-in, both Hamer and I were excited as we entered the starting area, while Xiaoyan seemed indifferent. However, when everyone started cheering and preparing to run, Xiaoyan got into the spirit too. Initially, our pace was slow, but I encouraged both girls to pick it up a bit. This speed was a bit fast for them, and Hamer started feeling a bit uneasy in her stomach, so we began to alternate between walking and running. After a kilometer, we resumed running again. Hamer mostly kept her own pace, while Xiaoyan gradually began to tire, her cheeks turning red as she also switched between running and walking. As we neared the finish line, the atmosphere became lively, with everyone excitedly holding hands as they sprinted toward the finish. When we collected our finish packages, Hamer was especially thrilled to receive her medal. She gleefully posed for pictures with her medal and certificate, her face beaming with pride. We then had her medal engraved, participated in various activities offered by the organizers, and finished the day with a sumptuous dinner.
Before the run, I thought that 3 kilometers would be easy for them, but once we started running, I realized it wasn’t that simple. I thought that in the future, we could practice running together every week, aiming to make this activity a family tradition, much like our Wednesday shopping trips. After discussing it, everyone agreed, although there were some concerns about the cold weather in winter.
After the run, we were all quite tired and caught a little nap on the way home. Once we got back, I took a shower, and Hamer immediately started on her math homework with Xiaoyan helping her out. Feeling quite fatigued, I decided to go to bed early so I could wake up refreshed the next day. They both went to sleep before 9 p.m. as well.
