The Craziest 4.93 Miles

My running goal today: 6 Miles

I thought it was going to be easy to achieve this. The distance wasn't too long, I was highly motivated, and everything seemed to be in place for success. However, this run ended up far from what I originally envisioned.

Mile 1.03: My daughter looked up to me running on my incline treadmill with sweet eyes begging me to open the Jell-O for her. I stopped my run, got her situated, and thought I was good to go. You wouldn't believe how wrong I was.

Mile 1.77: My daughter has been complaining that she didn't want Jell-O for most of the past 0.74 miles. It was time to do something and completely abandoning my running goal didn't seem like the best idea.

I got rid of the Jell-O, pulled out the jogging stroller, grabbed a "drinkable applesauce" and a juice, pulled my daughter out from under the couch bed, and got her in stroller kicking and screaming every minute of the way. I opened the snacks and told her we are now going running together. 1 minute later, peace!

Mile 3.78: Peace doesn't always last forever but sometimes you can try to keep it. My daughter calmly asks when are we going home. I propose we head home now and get her into her running shoes and we can run together, the first time, side by side for her race training. The idea appeared to be well received until....

Is that more screaming I hear? Oh my, now what?

I was told I was a mean mommy and she is obviously very upset. I am now feeling like this has been the worst run in my life. But I do realize my darling daughter did stay up late last night and got up at the same time. Is that the issue? Once I comfort her a bit she admits Mommy isn't mean and we head out the door to run some more.



Running uphill

 Mile 4.33: We made it once around the block and my darling daughter has decided running uphill is indeed hard and running downhill is quite fun. She was eager to make it back to the house, said that was hard, and than exclaimed she wasn't even sweaty? I ask if she wants to go again and she jumps with joy....yes!

Mile 4.93: I added a little distance on this one in play when I passed the house. Plus in this one, I even got the joy of running and carrying my daughter for two very short bursts. Once to finish getting up the little hill that was hurting her legs. The second to give her a little breather as her stomach was beginning to feel the pain.

Running downhill

The end result: Less mileage than I originally planned but really, doesn't all the hard work and creative running strategies count for something? Today turned from the worst run of my life to the best. I ran for the first time, for real, with my daughter by my side. I took pictures repeatedly the first go around and put down my camera for the second. Thank goodness since I ended up carrying her some! And yes, my pace did slow down for the final 1.15 miles but that could have been 1.15 not run and isn't that a greater failure?