RAVEN: Kids Running Interview
At Kids Running we like to learn from others. We are starting a series of interviews with elite athletes and also with our kid visitors. This first kid-interview is with Raven, a young runner who loves to run (of course), read (yeah!) , and write (as you will see).
- Carol Goodrow
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 "But trust me, the hardest part of running in the winter time, is to GET OUT THE DOOR!!!" - Raven
KIDS RUNNING: Tell us about your running.
RAVEN: Well, I started running because of my mom. She's a world-class athlete. My parents created a running club called "The Connecticut Homeschooled Harriers". We met on Mondays, with track workouts for the "big kids" (10+, but big to me then) on Thursdays. It's amazing I still remember that, since it was almost 6 years ago. But when my mom began to speak frequently at places very far away (Hawaii, for one) we had to break up the running club. Now, most of the kids my parents coached still run! And we do too. =)
KIDS RUNNING: What is your favorite running game?
 RAVEN: Oh wow. I guess I'd have to go with my dad's "Card Fartlek" game. Basically, you divide some kids (it's best with 5 or 6 kids on each team) into 2-3 teams. Each member of the team draws a card (with all the face cards taken out). Then the groups start running at a comfortable pace. When the leader of the team calls out, "OK, number one, GO!!!" the person who has the ace of cards becomes the leader. He/She runs as fast as they want (but it has to be faster then the pace they were running) for a minimum of 1 minute. Then it continues through 2, 3, 4 etc. Whichever group reaches the finish line first, wins.
 KIDS RUNNING: Do you have a unique running game that you'd like to share with the kids on our site?
RAVEN: I think the best game to play while jogging is "Catch Me If You Can". Usually, you play with 2-3 people, but you can include more (I've just never tried it with more kids, lol). One person names a distance (e.g. to the telephone pole) and the kids run as fast as they can to the mark. The last person to reach the mark chooses the next distance.
 KIDS RUNNING: What do you love about running?
RAVEN: Oh, the best thing I like about running are the sights. I feel as though my eyes just drink in the colors, lol! Where we run, in Harkness Park, theres a path with trees sweeping on either side. In spring, the trees are bright green, and the daffodils are in full bloom. In the summer, the trees are trimmed with gold, and the flowers are replaced with thick, lustrous, green grass. In the fall, everything's covered in leaves, and the trees are bright, bright orange, gold and red. In the winter, the whole place is blanketed in snow. It's a beautiful place to run.
KIDS RUNNING: Does EVERYONE in your family run?
RAVEN; Oh yes! We all run and sometimes as a family. Whenever we run past someone, they laugh and say, "Look, there goes the "running" family!" It's great fun.
KIDS RUNNING: What's it like to be the daughter of a famous runner?
RAVEN: Personally, it's really cool! My mom travels to all sorts of places, and she chooses which companion she wants to go with her. Sometimes we all go as a family! That's really fun. We've been to the Burlington, Vermont Marathon, Disney Marathon, and Honolulu Marathon Hawaii (5 times!!!) as a family together. Of course, under the pretence that mom is actually speaking, lol!!! No, mom does a wonderful job speaking, and she's touched thousands of hearts.
KIDS RUNNING: What else besides running do you do for health and fitness?
Sometimes my dad and I go biking. I walk with my mom sometimes, for as long as 10 miles! And my brother and I chase each other around the house, but I don't think that counts as exercise...Or does it? =)
KIDS RUNNING: Do you have a healthy eating tip for our kids? Do you have a favorite snack?
RAVEN: Of course! Personally, if you cut up an apple (ask for your mom or dad to help you with this) and sprinkle it with cinnamon, it is the absolute BEST snack!!! Plus, it's healthy. You can also do this with pears. A little more mellow, but just as flavorful.
 KIDS RUNNING: Do you run on the cold winter days?
RAVEN: Brrrr, of course! But trust me, the hardest part of running in the winter time, is to GET OUT THE DOOR!!! Sometimes you'll roll over and look out your window and see the ice and slush and snow and think, I can't run in this! But if you bundle up warm, and just get moving, you'll be absolutely fine.
KIDS RUNNING: What else would you like us to know?
RAVEN: Kids, remember to really, truly ALWAYS give your best. If you don't, it feels like your cheating yourself. And you are! If you feel your TV whispering to you, turn me on, your favorite show is playing, read a book, go out and play, stretch your limbs, and race up the stairs. But DON'T LISTEN TO IT!
RAVEN'S MOM, PATTI DILLON
Patti held many American and World records 5 miles to the Marathon and was the first American woman to breakthrough the 2:30 barrier. Patti didn't start running until she was an older kid (23).
"Hi kids, it's me Patti Dillon. As a former champion runner, I can give you some of my "earned" advice.
In running, nobody can do it for you. Mom and Dad can't buy it for you from the store. You have to earn it, and when you do, you own it. Now nobody can take it away from you, because it yours. JOY!!!!
No matter what you do, do it with passion.
I don't race anymore, but I still run and I still own my joy"!
 Note from Carol Goodrow
When Raven was a little girl, I met her at the Boston Marathon Champions' Breakfast. Her mother was being honored that day. At that time, Raven was a smiley little one. She was so cute that I asked to snap her photo. That photo is lost in cyberspace with one of my many computer crashes. Now I back everything up!!!
Raven's still smiling today. I also saw her at one of Amby Burfoot's New Year's Day runs - in a deep freeze on a run to the ocean. I took a dip that day. I don't know about Raven. I hope she didn't! It chilled me to the bone, but I recovered quickly and came back the next year to do the same.
I recently met up (through e-mail) with Raven for the third time. This time, Raven offered to read and review my chapter book, The Treasure of Health and Happiness for another Web site. Here are a couple of excerpts from Raven's review.
Hannah then dreams a fantastic dream. She and her dog, Toby, embark on a journey to find "The Treasure". In the dream, Toby follows Hannah as she learns to catch, bike, run, and most of all, eat some delicious food. She finds "golden" carrots in her salad, fishes for "jeweled" trout, and tends a garden full of "ruby" strawberries with "emerald" leaves.
In this enchanting book by Carol Goodrow, each and every reader will find something to which they can relate. It encourages children, such as myself, and motivates them to exercise and eat healthy foods but most of all, to do so with a positive attitude. Parents, encourage your children to read books like Happy Feet, Healthy Food and The Treasure of Health and Happiness. The joy in finding something that your child loves will stay with them forever.
- by Raven Dillon
"There is a joy, so powerful and so deep that I found, that no one can take it away from you.."
- Patti Dillon, world class athlete (and my mom) =).
 Photo found
EXTRA, A LETTER FROM RAVEN
Hi Mrs. Goodrow,
My name - yes, I love my name. My mom is Native American from the Mi'kmaq (pronounced Mic-Mac) tribe from Nova Scotia.
It was from the Dreamcatcher and the Bible. The Raven in Native American means "keeper of the Great Mystery". In The Bible, Noah let the Raven out to see if there was land. The Raven never came back. Also, the Raven fed Elijah while he was in exile in the desert. ( I make great cookies).
In my house, I find things long forgotten. If anybody wants to find something, they ask me first and I either tell them or lead them to it.
Funny how that works.
Also my parents liked the name because there aren't too many nicknames, so everybody calls me by my name RAVEN, which I happen to love.
Sincerely,
RAVEN Willow Dillon
P.S. The Willow means to spread my love far and wide. =)
Raven's dad, Danny Dillon, was also a great runner. One of the few Americans to make the World XC team 5 times. Olympic Trials qualifier 3x '80,'84 ''88. Mass. State Champion and Providence College American.
LINK
Patti Dillon's Homepage
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