Just Ask

For the past 10 years our family has been attending and participating in a huge sports festival at the fun house. It all started 10 years ago, before we even owned the fun house. At that time my running partner and I decided to run a half marathon. So we went looking for one and found this one. We signed up and began to train.

When we arrived at the resort location of the run, we discovered that it was way more than just a half and full marathon run. It was an entire 3 day sports event including 3 different events for kids, the half and full marathons, long course and Olympic duathlons and triathlons, and a 10k and 5k. There was an extensive sports expo, booths and food and music and loads of fun.

We immediately signed our kids up for the kids triathlon called the "splash, pedal n dash". It was a fun event where the kids climbed through an inflatable obstacle course, ran through 2 kiddie pools (the splash), rode their bikes for 1/2mike (the pedal), then ran 1/4 mile (the dash) to cross the same finish line as all the other athletes. It was complete with timing chips, finisher medals, and official results. The older boys loved it.

We bought the fun house the next year and this sports event weekend became an annual tradition. I've run the half marathon, 10k and 5k at different times over the years. Mr. Fix it has done the 5k or 10k. The older boys did the splash, pedal, dash until they aged out at 13. Then they ran the 5k a few times before moving on to the duathlon.

Bambam has grown up watching everyone participate in races at this event. Except him. Last year he starting asking about racing himself. But with the crowds and the loud music and the MC and the cheering all along the routes, we were not convinced he would actually do it. Its been hard enough for him to just be at the finish line to watch family members cross. With his sensory issues, this takes everything he has.

But he kept asking to run a race. So, with nothing to loose, I emailed the organizers of the event and asked if they would consider a special needs division in any of the kids events. I explained that as a family we had been participating for the past 10 years and that now our 8 year old autistic son was asking if he could race too.

I really didn't expect much but thought I could plant a seed. Well, I got an immediate response which said that they didn't have time to consider a special needs division for this year, but what would it take for Bambam to be able to participate. I was pleasantly shocked. What followed was a series of emails and phone calls which resulted in a plan of accommodations we thought just might work.

I've learned many things from my special boy. One is that asking often leads to positive results. And even if it doesn't, you are no worse off than before you asked, what is there to loose? Speak up. Ask for what you or your loved one needs. I've found that more often than not people, organizations, businesses are more than happy to make reasonable accommodations. And for that I am thankful. So hats off to the sporting event that helped my son participate in his first race.