Summertime Running

It has been an incredibly challenging month since Christina graduated, but I’ll save those thoughts for another post.  There has been a few things that I rely on for sanity and perhaps the biggest is running.  When I say running I mean the all encompassing parts of heading out for some exercise therapy.  Some days this is a run with no one, and not even a time clock; at other times this has been events like the Skip Matthew’s Memorial Father’s Day Run the fam + Matt, Danielle, and Anna.  Today will be church then a run home where there will be time to pray and think along the beautiful Sugar River. 

The great thing about all of this has been the longer days, T-shirt and shorts then go, and nearly endless choices of races to say “let’s go here today, hit the race, then go do…”  Of course, we have been blessed with gorgeous running conditions in the Northeast (realtively speaking).  Other then a few soul sapping 90+ days, we have been “stuck in a persistent low that has kept temperatures down and the daily threat of thunderstorms and showers around” (still working on my Weatherman).  Speaking of Weatherman, I finally saw the new to video Will Farrell flick “Semi Pro” and I don’t think the best 20 minutes of that movie beat the worst 20 minutes of “Weatherman.”  Just not very good.  Whew, talk about flight of ideas, time for the meds again.

I am finally getting better about bringing a camera and taking pictures at various events.  These are from the Skip Matthew’s run.  This was a really great run.  There was a one mile fun run before the four mile race.  Savannah ran this with “Aunt” Danielle in just over 10 minutes.  This was Savannah’s first run off the track and out in a “race like” environment.  She learned a valuable lesson that comes with running in races – where to line up.  She and Danielle became very frustrated because they wanted to run the whole mile, and they ended up in the middle of the pack where some people where pushing baby strollers, others were helping their 18-month old walk, pick up rocks, point at the birds, and so on.  Very enjoyable if you are a spectator as I was, but not as much fun when you are Danielle and Savannah trying to “run.”  At any rate, they finally made their way around the walkers and ran about 3/4 of a mile.  They had a lot of fun, and Savannah learned her first race-day lesson: line up where you plan to finish up.  Granted, this is not the easiest thing in the world on a fun run, but we’ll know next time not to get caught behind those who are just learning to walk

I ran the four mile run with Matt, we’ll not technically with Matt, but on the same course.  We talked about it before hand and decided there is nothing worse then running and struggling while someone coast along next to you.  This was supposed to be a chance to get together, hang out, and have fun – not look for reasons to want to kill someone.  I ran at my 5K race pace and held it over the 4 mile course for the most part (I was about 2 seconds per mile off at the end).  What was great is how I felt at the end – tired, but not “Someone call the ambulance cause I’m going down tired.”  I’ll be interested to see where my training takes me by the end of the summer.  Matt finished in 6:50 miles and fourth for his age division.  Really remarkable considering he is an avowed running “hater.”  However, the Marines and his own ambition to stay healthy drive him to exercise and he ran a great race.  It was so fun to watch him come up the small hill at the end and see Danielle with Anna run up the hill saying “let’s go meet Daddy.”  It was really a cool snapshot in time.  I’m glad I was there.

Speaking of Anna, it is a good thing we can’t have babies anymore – after watching Christina play for two solid hours with Anna and give her the first Chocolate Chip cookie of her life, I’m sure the gears were turning.  I love babies, but don’t want anymore!  No matter how cute they are with chocolate from head to toe and a big smile like “that beats breast milk, by a thousand miles!”

Pictures…

Danielle and Savannah doing a little pre-fun run stretching.  Two things about this picture: yes they did get a few odd looks, and this was an occasion for me to realize that my daughter officially became “embarrased” in a pre-teen way even though (or perhaps because of) her Aunt’s gleeful participation.

Not to be outdone…  Yes, more odd looks only we didn’t have the advantage of a cute child smiling akwardly to take some of the attention from our ridiculousness.

Lining up, notice the stroller?  There were plenty more in front of them.

While they ran, I got to play with my beautiful Niece, pre-cookie!

Streaking to the finish.  I wanted to get them together, but the split up to get around the woman in the picture.  Sorry Danielle you were cut out a little…

Finishers ribbon and good memories

Start of the 4-miler.  I arrived to the starting line and could not find a way to move up, so I got caught in the pack for the first 1/4 mile. 

Matt charged out at a 6:25 mile and said “no way!”  Looks strong enough here…

Easily one of my most cherished memories will be Joe taking off at a dead sprint to help me cover the last quarter mile.  He is fast, crossing the finish line with him on Father’s Day… yeah. 

Matt making it up the last hill.  This is the part of the run where he really started to push – amazing what a cheering section can do for you at the end of a run.

I’ll spare you the award ceremony pictures.  It was a blast!  A real break from all the chaos of the past month.  At the end of the day we enjoyed a barbecue and Matt won a free beach towel, can’t beat that!