Race Day Countdown: Grandpa Hiro's Marathon Training

Training with Grandpa Hiro

1My grandpa, Hiro, has wanted to run a marathon for as long as I can remember. A marathon is a race of a little more than 26 miles, so runners usually practice for months. This spring, he finally signed up for one, and I have ridden my bike next to him on almost every training run.

2Before he started training, Grandpa had never run more than three miles at one time. He had walked our dog every morning, and he had played tennis on weekends, but long runs were new to him. On our first run together, he stopped twice to catch his breath. The next morning, his knees were sore, and he spent the whole evening resting on the couch with an ice pack.

3Things have changed a lot since then. Grandpa has run four days a week since March. He has learned to drink water at every water stop, and he has bought a pair of shoes that fit his wide feet. I have kept a chart on the fridge, and I have colored a box for every mile he has finished.

4Last Saturday was his longest run so far. By the time we reached the river trail, Grandpa had already run twelve miles. His legs were tired, but he had promised himself that he would not quit. When we got home, Grandma had made a huge pot of noodle soup, and he ate two bowls.

5The race is in six weeks. Grandpa says he has never felt stronger, and he still laughs about that first slow run. By race day, Grandpa will have run hundreds of miles in all. I will have filled every box on the chart. I will not ride my bike in the race, but I plan to wait at the finish line with a big sign that says, "You did it, Grandpa!" I will cheer louder than anyone in the crowd.