Running with my kids

Today marks the official one week count-down to my First Half Marathon. I am really excited and looking forward to it. I know I am ready, the question is just how ready, how fast, and how comfortable will it be.

As of yesterday I looked at the 10 day forecast and they said it was going to be in the 50's with a 60% chance of rain. Since it was the 10 day forecast I didn't worry too much. I just checked and now it is saying 60's, and the rain isn't supposed to be here till Sunday.

This past week my running has been way off schedule. I started the week on Monday with a 4 mile run, which went good but made it very obvious that I was catching the cold that was going through the house. I started to panic, because the last time I got sick, I got really sick, and I was less than two weeks from race day. I took the next three days off, and started medications to try and give my body the extra energy to heal and get past this cold without it getting worse. The rest paid off and by Thursday I was feeling much better. I didn't run again till Friday when I put a 4 miler in. My normal long run is Saturday, which is today, but since I just ran yesterday I am not going to do my long run till tomorrow. I only plan on doing 8 miles since I am kinda in a taper for my first half marathon.

Today, because it is not really a running day, and because I have put it off so long, I decided to go for a run with two of my kids.

My 12 year old daughter likes to run, and is a good runner. I have run with her a couple times in the past, but because Saturdays are my long run days I have neglected to keep up with this. I made the decision last week, that I could not continue to let this slide, and that I would make time, even if it meant that my goals took a little longer. These times with my daughter are so special, and I have been letting them slide. I keep telling her that if she likes to run, and she runs now that she will have such an opportunity to really shine in Cross Country and Track when she gets to High School. I need to be there to run with her, instead of just giving it lip service.

My oldest daughter, who is 14 has no desire whatsoever to run, so I don't even talk about it to her, other than asking every so often to make sure she doesn't change her mind. My 6 year old son on the other hand does have an interest, but I have not taken him out enough either. When he runs we run for about 50 yards and then he tells me it is time to walk. We walk for about 100 yards and then he is ready to run again. It is so special, but I again have not taken the time to nurture this. Today this all is changing.

I started off with my daughter and we ran a mile in 9:15. I then went back out with my son and daughter, and we went just over a mile with our walk/run plan. I am going to make it a point to take them out as much as possible, and will look forward to the day that I can watch them run a race, or even the day that I can run a race with them.

I am still working on my wife :)

12 comments:

  1. same here ... kids love to come out with me but my wife ... well thats a different matter. She don't 'do running!' ... I'm working on her :)

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  2. Good stuff, Tim. ;-)

    Tell your 12 year old, that is when my oldest, Chelsea, the 16 year old, started running, and she ran in the Michigan State High School Division I State Meet with her XC team as a freshman. Quite an experience. Her first XC race in 7th grade was a field of 111 runners in which she came in 98th or something like that.

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  3. Heh! I was looking at that second picture and... it was strange for me to see green grass!

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  4. Goodluck with working on my wife, I managed to get my husband running a couple of times but nothing consistent

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  5. Way to go, Tim! That's really cool that your kids are interested as well - I know now what a difference it would have made in my life if I'd been interested in fitness and running when I was young :)

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  6. On my longs runs last year - my hubby came along on his bike.
    Sometimes it's nice to have company along for the run : )

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  7. That is great that your kids are wanting to go running with you also. The wife you will probably never change, unless she looses a bet with you. Hmmm. Just a thought.

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  8. So nice to hear you took some time to enjoy with your kids.

    Your Half Marathon will be a blast, take your camera, we all want pictures!

    Best Wishes,

    Laurel (Lily)

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  9. Thanks all for stopping by!

    Rick - yea, my grass is green year round. My neighbors is brown because they have Bermuda, but I have Fescue which in this weather stays green... until the dead of summer of course when everything dies! I hope my daughter takes to running like your daughter. A lot will be up to the time I spend with her I know!

    My wife will probably never go.... but I will keep after her. She is going to go to this weeks race, but she looked at me funny when I told her if she wanted to see me take off she would need to be there by 7:30. She may opt to watch me finish at 9:57 instead! Yes, I said 9:57.... 3 minutes sub 2 :)

    Thanks again for stopping by all. I am funny that way - I like comments :)

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  10. Kids grow up too fast. And so do parents. You'll never regret the time you give them when they are young. Every minute run with them will be a memory to comfort you someday.
    http://www.kidsrunning.com

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  11. Goodluck with working on my wife, I managed to get my husband running a couple of times but nothing consistent

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  12. That is great that your kids are wanting to go running with you also. The wife you will probably never change, unless she looses a bet with you. Hmmm. Just a thought.

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