Friday, 6 June 2008

HInts and Tips on How to Run, Win a Race...and wellbeing generally!

The walk to school was very informative this morning as Elyse and Thomas have been trying out for the school athletic team. Well, I say 'trying out'. It seems that everyone has a go during a PE lesson to be fastest, highest, longest and it can get quite cut-throat especially in the final stages when the kids who haven't got though start to cheer for their own personal champion - all of this and more in a 25 minute PE lesson ( taking into account getting ready, getting changed etc).

So, I was educated this morning in the finer points if I wanted to win any race I might find myself entered for.

Tip 1) Keep your head facing forward and look serious
Tip 2) ( this had to be demonstrated) Make sure your arms are going like 'this' - pistons on a train sort of thing
Tip 3) Make your legs go faster than if you were just walking...again with a demonstration.
Tip 4) Try not to be nervous - trembling and feeling sick were pointed out as indicators that I might feel nervous.
Tip 5) Ensure there is complete silence before the whistle blows for Go. If you miss the whistle, you are a loser ( harsh, I thought)

I was then given various accounts of children who hadn't followed these tips and the misfortunes that had befallen them yesterday afternoon;
  • Matteo fell over
  • Jake bumped into Jason ( they are joined at the hip anyway, figuratively speaking, so I wasn't at all surprised to hear that)
  • Faye didn't even start...AND she could hear the whistle and everything.

I suggested that nerves might have played a part here, but it turns out she was cleaning her glasses or something!

Thomas's class have to try out again today as Miss Andrews lost her piece of paper(!), but the tip of the day for all round wellbeing from Thomas was this gem,

' Don't spit into the wind'

and this, apparently, is good even if you are not running in a race.

4 comments:

my thoughts said...

Your kids are great with a wicked (good) sense of humour Im sure they enjoyed the racing. My Daniel was making me laugh so much yesterday, we walk home from school across a field with several of Jack's friends and they all choose to run across the field except my Daniel who choose to take a lesurely stroll as slow as he could and then was very put out that he was the last one "the Loser" I tried to explain to him he has to try if he wants to win but all i got was I am not the loser I am the winner of being slow
XXX

Mitchenstein said...

Hi Liz!

Love the point - 'Make sure your legs are going faster than when you're walking'.

Classic.

Dawn said...

Miss Andrews sounds as organised as me!

Liz said...

You'll all be thrilled and delighted to know that Elyse won a place in the Schools Borough Athetics Day because she made correct use of the hints and tips. I think that main one was making 'sure that your legs are going faster than when you are walking' You're right John, it's a classic!