The Great Turtle Race!

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If you are looking for a good cause and want to help a runner who is helping some very special people, take a look at her letter.

A first grade class needs your number! Read their letter to you!

Look here for a really neat Kids running site.

This article is reprinted in celebration of Mother's Day.

The Great Turtle Race

How one mother's life was changed by her four-year-old!

Lois used to enjoy running and was a familiar face at running events until she graduated from college and got married. She began a small business at home and worked long hours. After that, she just didn't have the time to run anymore. Or at least that is what she told herself.

Just about the time she was thinking of starting a running routine again, she happily discovered that she was going to become a mother of twins. With all the planning she had to do to get ready for the twins, she soon forgot all about exercise. The years went by quickly and now here it was years later. She did not run or do any type of exercise for that matter. And she had gained a lot of extra weight. It was depressing.

Lois just could not seem to get started on an exercise program. With twin four-year-olds in the house and a husband who worked long hours and therefore couldn't help out much with the child rearing of their two very active children, Lois had just about given up.

One night, after a particularly tiring day, she sat down on the sofa and sighed out loud, "if I had a wish, I'd wish for a brilliant idea to get me running again. I really need motivation."

A few minutes later one of her twins came up to her to read a book. Now at four years of age, he didn't really read, but rather pretended to read to Mommy. He would take a book and then make up a story as he'd turn the pages.

He settled down next to Lois and began to "read" about the little turtle who walked across the world. Lois listened, amused at the story. Then she looked at the book her son was holding. It was an atlas that showed a map of the USA. Each state was a different color.