52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History - Fame

My big brush with fame came early on in life. I, of course, don't remember any of it. Apparently, I was the "Youngest Runner in the 1983 Canyon Ranch Fitness Marathon." I was five years old. My mom was always a big jogger and probably convinced me that it would be fun. I really was not an athletic child and I didn't like physical activities, so I either didn't understand what I was getting myself into or someone helped me make my decision. It appears that the whole family participated in it though from the few pictures I have of the event, so maybe I just didn't want to be left out.

#535 about to make some history!

There was a segment on the local news about the event that included a bit on the youngest runner and the oldest runner. I was the youngest. I can't remember who won the prize for the oldest. My mom taped the news show, but unfortunately it has gone MIA somewhere along the way. I do remember watching it in my later childhood years because I remember being embarrassed by how stupid I was (I must have been in middle school because who else would think a 5 year old is stupid, but a preteen). My mom also embarrassed me (another sign of a preteen) by saying on television (gasp!) about how I "stopped to look at every bug and rock along the way. Hahahahah!" I think that's pretty funny now too, but not when I was watching it.

I sure do wish we still had the video of that news segment as it would be fun to show the kids now how their mom was a big celebrity at the age of five. The only real proof I have that it ever happened is the two photos of before and after and also because my mommy said so right here in my School Days Memory Book!

© copyright Monica Palmer, 2011