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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To win the parent's race?

50 replies

rubberglove · 20/06/2012 22:34

There was a parent's race at ds sports day today. Now I am not normally competitive about such unimportant things but for some reason when I lined up, well I wanted to win it.

I used to be a good runner in my youth so maybe I wanted to see if I still had it despite my gut and wrinkles. Well I went for it, and won, by a country mile.

But despite my ds declaring he was proud, when I crossed the line I felt nothing but shame. At the grimace that must have been on my face as I ducked for the line, at my skinny jeans riding down and displaying muffin top. At the general un coolness of it all.

The other parents were clearly shocked and disgusted.

So is it unreasonable to win? And have I undone a year of cultivating a sophisticated mum image?

Oh dear

OP posts:

greenwheelie · 20/06/2012 23:11

Well done OP!

At my dcs' current school we are not given a choice about entering races - we are sent an email beforehand telling us to wear trainers. I had to compete against each of my dcs at various intervals - hurdles, steeplechase, the lot. Just to give the teachers a laugh, I am sure.

The mums who were keen to compete (not me) seemed to have the most embarrassed dcs, I did notice that.

Original poster

rubberglove · 20/06/2012 23:13

I think ds is too young to be embarrased but will take not for future years!

OP posts:

MsVestibule · 20/06/2012 23:14

And the prize for the evening's best stealth boast goes to... drumroll... RUBBERGLOVE!!!!

You're just so bloody proud of yourself really, aren't you?

whothefuckputthebuntingup · 20/06/2012 23:30

You go girl.

I won the egg and spoon race at DS's sports day last year. First time entered. Was sauntering but looked across at a pal part way through and we both grinned and dashed for the line.

Made me feel like a child again. I loved it! not sure I could be arsed this year though

EndoplasmicReticulum · 21/06/2012 07:12

greenwheelie if that were the case at my boys' Sports Day I would not attend. How awful.

Do they do a teachers' race too? That would be the only way it would be fair.

takingiteasy · 21/06/2012 08:07

So funny! Our school don't have this, not that'd I'd enter anyway!

TantrumsAndBalloons · 21/06/2012 08:10

We have competive mums at sports day who come in shorts, vests and trainers and warm up before the race.

They didn't know I, in my jeans and flip flops, could beat them by a mile....but I did.

It was hilarious :)

I don't do it any more though

TheSpokenNerd · 21/06/2012 08:12

Do you HAVE to enter the parents race? I can't stand the thought!

PomBearWithAnOFRS · 21/06/2012 08:21

If they compelled me to enter a parents' race, I'd still be going in last years one now! They can't make you do it green you're a) a grown up and b) not a pupil

Trioofprinces · 21/06/2012 08:25

I am shocked, but know I probably shouldn't be, that people train for the parents race!!!

Thankfully our school haven't had time for the parents races most years. I do remember doing one at pre-school though, I came second. What to me was the most shocking thing was that after a couple of minutes I was fine (at a size 20-22) but the very slim slightly anorexic looking woman next to me was puffing and panting for ages afterwards. I'd always thought I was fit despite my size but it really proved that fitness is not directly related to size (obviously being that big is not good anyway, am a few stone lighter now).

OP - YANBU to win as long as you weren't running like your life depended on it!!

ChopstheDuck · 21/06/2012 08:40

People train for it at our schools. It bewilders me.

DS1's bf dad went in for it and fell over. His poor son was humiliated.

Original poster

rubberglove · 21/06/2012 08:40

I would like to confirm that I did not train for this event.

OP posts:

Shodan · 21/06/2012 08:46

Well I think it's ace. Well done you!

The only time I entered the Mums' race I and my friend came very much last- because we were standing chatting on the start line and somehow missed the whistle. There was much snorting and giggling from us as we trundled down the line a couple of metres behind everyone else...

I'm not going to enter any at ds2's new school. Kyle's Mum has legs up to her armpits and is in training for a half marathon. No way could anyone beat her

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 21/06/2012 09:18

At least you were outside!! When my DS was at preschool ot was pissing with rain on sports day so they had arranged for it to be inside....some mums turned up on running shoes and you could see them twitching whilst waiting to go!! I felt so embarrassed for them - as soon as they got a speed up they were bashing against the wall on the otherside, I am amazed there werent loads of broken noses and knocked out teeth.

I would never put myself through the undignity that is the mums race and I think my DS would die of shame if I did :)

2rebecca · 21/06/2012 09:27

Well done. Why is it undignified? It's a running race for women. If being dignified means always looking immaculate and decorative then losing your dignity and getting a bit hot and sweaty now and then sounds like a good thing.

2rebecca · 21/06/2012 09:31

If you were planning to run in a parents race why would you not wear trainers? Agree the full running kit sounds OTT but if I was going to run a race I'd wear trainers, I don't see why a parents race is any different to any other race. I doubt many parents train specifically for the race but alot of adults run as a hobby so it's likely that most classes of school kids will have some parents who are runners.

Lambzig · 21/06/2012 09:38

Well done OP. Oh, DD is only 2 but her nursery has a sports day for the 3+. Feel I need to start training now. I am very competitive and hadn't thought of that before now. Especially as I am a decade little bit older than most of the mum's there.

DeWe · 21/06/2012 09:50

The teachers race gets competitive in ds's school.

It's very funny, they announce the mums' race and all the mums start looking elsewhere and going to the toilet etc.
They announce the dads' race and the dad's start limbering up.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 21/06/2012 10:39

2Rebecca - I agree, a normal running race is not undignified. But really, would you wear running shoes to run 15 metres across a church hall - let's not forget the elbows out, digging away at the competition.........I feel embarrassed for them!

2rebecca · 21/06/2012 11:34

Most sports days aren't in church halls but sports fields though and running on the grass in trainers (usually for 100m not 15 in my experience) is more sensible in trainers than sandals.

2rebecca · 21/06/2012 11:42

With the church hall event I thought some mums had just turned up in trainers rather than specially changing into them. I often wear trainers as casual wear.
I think if you are going to have a parents' race then there is nothing wrong with the parents racing.
A church hall sounds a daft place for a sports day, but most primary schools don't have proper sports days anyway just team games involving lots of balls and obstacles. (That's what my kids' primary school ones were like, the secondary schools have proper sports days but my kids don't do athletics so aren't usually participating so I don't go to them).
I only did one mums' race and that was when my eldest was at nursery school. I probably wore trainers as that was what I'd have been wearing at the time. I didn't win, but I tried to!

Lancelottie · 21/06/2012 11:51

I tend to turn up in skirt and sandals just to avoid the issue.

Then one of my little dears will come over, all mournful, to point out that they've come last in everything and it's up to me to maintain the family honour. So I have a go and come second-last, which seems to satisfy their low standards.

YouveCatToBeKittenMe · 21/06/2012 11:58

I used to be able to win the mums race when the DC's were little

I no longer enter as my pelvic floor is crap the school is much bigger and there are so many new, keen mums. I am too old for all that malarkey!

Well done though!

treas · 21/06/2012 12:03

The parents races are the only competitive part of my dd's school sports day!

In fact they are so competitive that there cannot be a flat race as parents have been injured by being unable to stop at the end and going A over T over the fence at the bottom of the field.

One mum used to train for 6 weeks prior to the event - now that is embarrassing

Inthepotty · 21/06/2012 19:12

I won the mums race last year. My dad, who won 'dads race' when me and my big bros were at school EVERY year, was so proud I thought he might burst. DTs sports day is next week, I keep expecting my dad to turn up at my door with his shorts on and a whistle round his neck to train me, or something.

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