Race Repeats

"I'll race you to the little hill," said Ava.

"Okay," I said, and we raced with Julia a pace or two behind.

Ava and I tied after running from the porch steps to the little hill in our back yard.

"Let's do it again," said Ava.

"Okay," I said.

We had pretty much the same result.

"Let's go again," said Ava.

"I'm getting tired," I said.

"You can time me," she said. "Start counting."

"I'm not going to count, but I do have my stop watch."

Ava ran. "Five seconds," I yelled.

Then, Julia ran. "Seven seconds."

"Your turn, Mommy," said Ava. "I'll do the watch for you."

"Six seconds," she yelled.

We continued taking turns running and timing for a good fifteen minutes. It was an impromptu sprint session. I never liked sprints in high school, but backyard sprints with young kids is a little less competitive. Although, when Julia started running in circles before getting to the hill, she did get reprimanded, but not from me.

Modeling Behavior

My five year old's attire today includes: a running shirt, running sneakers, an antique dress, and decorative tights. The outfit clashes horribly, but that doesn't matter to me today. I know that she is a runner today. She dressed the part (for her) and she is running all over the place, racing down the halls and across the yard.

Her little sister is running in her sneaks, too, but they were moving too fast to get them in the same picture.

From the time the girls were early toddlers (they're now 3 and 5), they would dress up like their parents donning running sneakers, ski boots or bike helmets. They looked silly wearing our active wear, but now they have their own. They're even competing in fun runs and lollipop ski events. They're growing up so quickly and being active with their mom and dad is a natural habit now.

So, the next time your little one grabs for your cycling shoes or your daypack, let him or her do some modeling. That's what modeling behavior is all about.

Race Pace

Yesterday, on the morning of our local half marathon road race, my daughter, Ava, asked "Daddy, are you going to win the race?" He said that he didn't think so. She then asked if I had ever won a race. My "ummm" was so long that she changed the subject before I could rack my brain for something that I must have won. Then my husband got talking about his ideal sub-6 pace and beeped his watch incessantly.

It's funny living with someone who is so competitive and focused as an athlete while I am pretty relaxed with the notion of race pace. I did, however, get a good idea from a recent issue of Runner's World. It recommended having three goal times - one that you're really striving for, another that is attainable, and finally one that you would at least be content with.  So, I picked two: a goal pace of 7:45 min/mile, something that would be a bit of a push, and a fall back of an 8-minute mile, which I figured I could do.

I started out with my running partner, who is a little bit stronger than I am, but we figured we'd give it a try opting for some company for the long run. I hung on until the turnaround at mile 7 and then there were a few small hills and I felt a little tired. She went ahead. I slowed down. I was off pace at the 10-mile mark and thankfully saw a friend who yelled "5K." That was helpful because I pulled it back together. 

I finished with an 8-minute mile pace. Good enough for me this time. My husband finished 6th overall. He was a little off his pace, too, but was happy. We've since had a day to talk about the race -- where we were tired, the hill in disguise, who else we saw out there. We rarely race together because of kid duty, but I think this race will turn into an annual event for mommy and daddy. I'm already thinking about who I'll have as a sitter next year as our current one will be off to college.

Taking Your Kids to Your Race

On Labor Day weekend, my husband and I both competed in a 5K running race. The entry fee was cheap, the race wasn't too far away, and the mother of our babysitter was running, so we thought why not have the babysitter come along and watch our kids during the race.

I probably should have passed the kids off on the sitter once we hit registration, but I felt that I needed to make sure they were settled in. We tried to find a playground away from the downtown fair that was taking place, but we didn't find one.

I decided, with some conscious effort, to relax and let our great babysitter do her job and I went for a warm-up with my husband. It was nice to be out on the road with him and without a baby jogger for a change. 

The race course was an up-and-back so I saw my husband go flying by on the homestretch while I slogged out to the turnaround. 5Ks aren't my favorite races, I like longer distances, but I was glad that I participated and I even got an age group prize.

My daughters were delighted to watch the finish, high up on a hillside with their babysitter. They were safe and content. Would I take them along again for a race? Yes, as I think that it is good for them to see what a race is all about and as my older daughter could participate in the mile race another year. But, I wouldn't take them all the time, as it adds to logistics, and I'm not sure I like too many races anyways being the less competitive parent in the family.

My Aching Back

I confess that I've done it again -- seized up my back. You would think that I would have learned from the last time, back in February where two great days of extra long cross-country skis (and no stretching) tightened my hamstrings and sent the stress straight to my lower back. Through the spring I was a diligent stretcher. I listened to professional advice. I stretched throughout the day. I did yoga moves with the kids. Then summer hit. I've been enjoying doing lots of sports, but forgot about stretching.

It was a 10-miler road run that did me in. One long, fast stride on a downhill that sent sharp pains to my back. I had to hold back and tell my running partner to fly down the hill. I couldn't bend down and touch my toes after the run. I'm on my fourth rest day and I've been crabby with the kids. Trying to buckle a wiggly toddler into a car seat is about all I can handle.

I have been using the car more than usual to tote the kids around town as I can't use the bike trailer or running jogger and as I've discovered that heated seats in the summer time can be bliss for a bad back.

I already miss exercising, alone and with my kids. I'm also mad at myself for not doing something so simple as stretching every day. Yup, I'm learning the heard way that my body is not as young as it used to be. I think I'll be signing up for a yoga class this fall.