Little Miss Know-It-All: Sweet Summer Sweat

Healthy Living

Danielle Padilla

The annual mini-Olympics was a week away. There I stood, eight year old me and seven others, competing for the anchor position in the relay race. Confidently, I rolled up the sleeves of my windbreaker and imagined crossing the finish line in first place. In an empty church parking lot, the eight of us sprinted towards our coach who waited for us at the finish line. I was in first place for about five seconds, until I saw Carolina's brown hair blowing in the wind ahead of me. My knees became weak and my legs bent forward. Did Carolina really run faster than me? The coach would never choose someone in second place to carry the baton last. These thoughts filled my mind and tears filled my eyes as my dream slipped away.

I'm not proud of what I did next, but out of shame and disappointment in myself, it seemed like the only thing to do. I threw myself onto the concrete, began to cry and faked a pain in my lower abdomen like if someone had elbowed me in the stomach. In fact, that is exactly what I said that happened. “You saw me,” I told my coach “I was in the lead, but after the injury, my body couldn’t take it.” I assured her. Although, I wasn’t chosen as the anchor, I learned a lot about teamwork and that you can't always be the winner. However, I did enjoy jump roping, potato sack racing, and shooting baskets in that year's mini-Olympics.

This summer, we watched, celebrated and cheered for athletic greatness in the 2012 Olympics held in London. If you were like me, I sat in front of our television with a bag of potato chips, and a tall glass of soda pop as I watched the women's relay race.

Throughout the Olympic games, Facebook statuses bombarded my page of how the athletes on television had motivated some of my Facebook friends to “get active” or “get in shape”.

The Olympic Rings

As I scrolled down my page, thinking of dozens of reasons why I couldn't “get active” this summer, I came across an inspiring photo posted by my friend Mercie.

The Frisbee Target

Mercie's baby boy, Isaac was turning one, and lots of his young cousins and little friends were ready to celebrate his birthday at his Olympic themed birthday party. She got the idea from http://www.parents.com/fun/activities/outdoor/pool-noodle-backyard-games/ (parents.com) to design an obstacle course for the children created from fun noodles. The Olympic rings welcomed the energetic children as they arrived at their neighborhood park where the party took place. Off to the distance you could see the soccer wickets and Frisbee target zone. There was even a section with different sized beach balls for free play stationed near the playground. My mind traveled to the time when I had participated in the mini-Olympics in similar obstacle courses and how I enjoyed myself as I participated in a variety of exercises disguised as fun.

The Beach Ball Free-Play Zone

Although, the Olympics came and went, we don't need to wait four years to be motivated and “get active”. Hosting a mini-Olympics, creating simple obstacle courses, or creating your own challenges as family and friends, is fun and inexpensive.

The Soccer Wickets

So, what will you do this summer to be healthy, stay motivated and “get active”? If you are bored of jogging around the same block, check out these pictures. Following are some photos of some activities you can try with your teens, toddlers, and even have a friendly challenge against another family. Who knows, you might be coaching a future Olympian. Comment on your own Sweet Summer Sweat activities you did this summer!