Running

-
I've started running again. My life is better when I run and after a hiatus for over a year, I'm working on getting back into it.

At the beginning of the summer, Pat and I started doing a Couch to 5K program. I figured this would be a good way to get back into things. Unfortunately, Pat's knees had issues, so he only made it a week or so before he had to quit. So, I decided to keep going. However, Pat runs faster than I do, but I was in better shape, so I was the one pushing Gabe and we were running in the 9 minute-mile range. I'm generally more of a 11-11:30 minute mile sort of runner. So, I decided to keep up the pace, figuring that it will help me be a faster running.

While that all sounds good in theory, running that fast, while pushing a stroller is hard! Many runs I'd come back discouraged because I can't run for 2.5 miles straight at that pace and I'd do a lot of walking. But I'd get further each time, so I know that I am making progress. Plus, it's something fun for Gabe and I to do together and he loves to come with me. He gets all excited when I put on my running clothes and then gets upset when I leave him with Daddy long enough to get the stroller ready.


I've also had this view many times...

I've got a big relay race coming up in about a month, so I need to get my distance up. Apparently all that speed/stroller work is paying off! Two days ago I ran 3 miles (without Gabe) and it was the third fastest 5K I'd ever run! Yesterday I decided to run 5 miles. The last time I ran 5 miles was before I was pregnant with Gabe. I was at the top of my running game, the course was flat and I ran it in 10:44s. Yesterday my route was pretty hilly, but I didn't walk at all and I did it in 10:54s!

All that speed work while pushing Gabe is paying off!
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Car Wash

-
Image
Spring is finally here and it feels so good!! I mean, it still freezes overnight, which makes for sound very cold morning runs, but then it’s warm during the day. In fact, it was so warm, that Gabe wanted to run in the sprinkler. Pat had screwed the sprayer on so tight that I couldn’t get it off, which was the only reason he didn’t… Instead he decided to wash the car. I’m not going to say that the quality of the car wash was the best, but I will not complain about a kid wanting to wash my car. Yesterday there was a sports team doing a car wash fundraiser and I was going to take the car in, but Gabe was proud of his washing job, so we didn’t. I think my car is going to look like this for a while… Then we got dinner at the food trucks and headed home for a fire and s’mores.
Read more

A Very Cold Day

-
Image
We had another round of ski lessons yesterday. Unfortunately, it was cold. Very, very cold. Realistically it was just the wind chill. We would have been fine skiing in the teens, but the wind knocked it down and extra 15 degrees and that was too much. Pat and I took our gear, but decided it was way too cold, so we hung out in the lodge waiting for the boys.  A half hour into the lesson, I got a call from a friend that works up there that Josy was in the office. He’d made it a half hour before deciding that it was too cold to ski. So he hung out in the lodge with us. Gabe made it the whole time and didn’t want to quit to come inside. But Pat told him no and as soon as he came in, he realized that his fingers and ties were numb.  We ate lunch and then headed home. Hopefully the weather will be more pleasant next weekend…
Read more

Utah/California: Day 3

-
Image
This morning we went to IHOP for some pancakes. Gabe picked the Scary Pancake, which he thought was delicious. Josy, who is very excited to hang out with Bella, informed the waitress that “her name is Bella and she’s our lovely sister!” The waitress thought he was the cutest thing she’d ever seen. Then we made it way to Bryce Canyon. We stopped in Red Canyon got a photo stop (and bathroom break…). Then we got to Bryce Canyon, which was amazing!! We stopped at one of the random lookouts before hitting the amphitheater. We hiked from the Bryce lookout to Inspiration Point, which ended up being about 3.5 miles, round trip. The two big kids did great. Josy struggled. His legs were tired and he was in pain. But he struggled along and ended up with a few shoulder rides. At one point Pat told him that he was “the Little Engine that Could.” He said no, he was “the Big Engine that was sore.” Gabe found a lizard that he insisted on taking a picture of. Then we headed back to town and had dinner
Read more