To be dreading the "Mums" race at sports day

[comelywench]

I hated all that competitive stuff the first time around. Now I will have my DC's hopes pinned on me too, poor critters.

Better get into training now I suppose.

I think Sports Day will be a day I need my walking stick...

Oh gosh, I feel guilty reading this. I missed the last day at ds2's preschool because of this, pure and simple, it was sports day too and they said come prepared to race.

I just could not face it. Also I had seen them practising and tbh the little ones were only half of them making it from one end of the field to the other without falling over

I just couldn't bear the idea of watching and people laughing at them, and then having to be all jolly and joining in as well - no, no, no. So we didn't go.

I think I overreacted but I hate being watched doing ANYthing.

Also there was going to be the dreaded prize draw as well where they call out your name and you have to walk up in front of everyone and choose something...mortifying.

Wanda, you have almost made me sob. Sorry you lost your Mum x

Just don't do it. Simple. I stopped years ago after the mum in one race fell and cut her leg badly and needed stitches. In another race a heavily pregnant mum fell (!!) and in the dad's race a couple of years ago, it got so competitive a dad fell and cut his whole lip - how he didn't lose teeth is beyond me.

It's far two competitive! Although in the dad's race last week, one man (very fit) was all prepared, shorts, trainers etc to be beaten by a new contender (suit, normal shoes etc). New contender used to be a professional footballer

A lady I work with went to her 9yo daughter's sports da last week. I asked her the next .day how she'd got on in the parents race. Her reply "Oh they wouldn't let me take part because I was wearing running spikes."

I though I did very well not to laugh in her face

Apologies for the dodgy typing in that last post

1. don't do it

1. do as 3 mums did last year at our school - dress up in tutus with a magic wand and hoppity skip and dance down the course... only works if there is more than one of you doing it though... you might be taken for the "odd" parent otherwise... It really lifted everyone's spirits at the end of a lonnnnnnnnnnnnng dull day...

Either say no, or wear something vaguely suitable and give it a go.

But, it's weird that it's so acceptable to poke fun at those who DID give it a go. Why is someone warming up before a sprint so hilarious? And as for the woman wearing spikes, she clearly had a point given that Queenofcake slipped over!

when at A n E the other week with dd i saw a woman in great pain and on an oxygen mask going in for an xray i thought eek , her husband sat next to me we were chatting and apparently she had fallen at school sports day and broken her collar bone dont do it get a sick note

Oh it's eeeeeasy to get out of. Ours was last week so I turned up with a comedy limp and winced occasionally. Got me out of it and someone even went to fetch me a cuppa to 'save your poorly leg'. I did have the grace to feel slightly guilty about that bit.

Goodness me, some of you are sorer losers than the five year olds......

You wouldn't be happy if your kid refused to take part in something because there were more talented/trained kids doing it, so grit your teeth and try setting an example.

The kids just think it's funny anyway.

I love mums' race. I always try my hardest and always finish second to last (because someone always manages to trip over when their Birkenstocks fall off, so they come last). But DS was proud of me anyway.
Other mothers (most of whom are 15 years younger than me) slip their flip flops off, and run barefoot - unsuitable footwear is a rubbish excuse.

Nope, still not doing it. Sports Day was awful for me, I was always last in everything, people would point and laugh. I am never running in public again.

And there's a difference between "giving it a go" and "taking it way too seriously". Warm-ups and running spikes come into the second category.

No need to do it if you don't want to ER, that's the beauty of being grown up after all.

I think it's YOU who is taking it way too seriously though - it's only a bloody school race, who cares if some other parents are faster/more into that sort if thing?

Just say you have a bad back if you have to make an excuse at all.

thank God ds has never been to a school where there are parent's races

It's not the faster that's silly. It's the uber-competitive. It is supposed to be fun, for those who like that sort of thing. It's not supposed to be about winning at all costs.

But competitive people, though unreasonable, are a part of life. Reacting by saying "I'm not going to play at all if you're goimg to try too hard to win and/or be too good" is behaviour unbecoming in an eight year old, let alone an adult.

Agree with Endoplasmic.

Dilys you don't quite get it. I'm not going to play, because I am now a grown up and I do not need to be humiliated like I was when I was 8.

Sports Days are a lot better than they were in terms of humiliating the un-sporty. There is still this feeling that "somebody has got to come last, and it's the taking part that counts". Tell that to me, as an 8 year old - when I said people pointed and laughed I wasn't making it up.

And "if only you tried, you'd be able to run faster".

I obviously have massive sports day issues. Good job I'm not going this year!

Same mum wins every year although she was pipped at the post this year. Mucho competitiveness from some, but most of them (I never take part - don't want to pull anything) are in for a laugh

These races do sound terrible, who's idea are they anyway? Maybe they should be made to do the obstacle race

Oooh an obstacle race! I'd clean up at an obstacle race, and I wouldn't even need my spikes

Just told ds I won't be running in tomorrow's sports day and he's not remotely bothered. He loves sport luckily so is really looking forward to it. I said to him I'm too fat and I'd look stupid and he agreed! Ha!