Running

Add one more thing to Erin's list of things.  She's started running with me.  Last spring (way last spring 2011) I got back into running again.  I ran a fun 5K in the spring and then the local Women's 4-Miler in September.  I've run that race several times and it's always an awesome experience.  A few times running last summer Erin would come along and poop out about half a mile in, but hey she was wanting to be with me, so I took her along.  When I went to pick up my race packet info for the 4-miler she came along.  She immediately begged to run it with me.  I explained that 4 miles is pretty far and she'd need to work up to it.

Fast forward to this Spring and Erin starts asking to run "the race" with me.  I was a little hesitant at first, seeing as she hasn't really done any running before.  Also, each year I've had personal goals for the race and if I'm going to run with her I'll have to give that part of the experience up.  But she persisted and I talked to a friend who helps with the training program for first time (and repeat) runners.  With her encouragement, I signed us up for both the training program and the race.  Having done the training program before, I knew that the best way to prepare for the race is to do the program and the group runs that go with it.  What it also meant was leaving our house at 6:20 every Saturday morning all summer.

So our running has become some awesome bonding time.  What I didn't know is that this girl is a natural runner.  Her pace is just about what I work all summer to achieve.  We are running with a group of women locally 2 evenings a week and then with a big group of women for the Saturday morning runs.  She just takes off.  I keep telling her, slow down, don't push.  No use that's her comfortable pace.  This morning she completed her longest run yet, 2 miles, with a pace under 10:30.  Did I mention it's hot as blazes and humid out there?  At 7:30 AM.

So that concern about not setting my own personal goals, not such a big deal.  This girl is going to keep me moving.  This morning I couldn't keep up with her.  By the end of the run the only reason we were together was because she had to stop and tie her shoe.

But she's having a blast.  While waking her up on Saturday mornings is a bit rough once we get going, she perks up.  We talk and laugh while we run through our hilly neighborhood (she's not a real fan of the hills).  She continues to ask when our next run is.  This morning she told me she wants to run every day.  Not sure we'll get to that point, but we'll enjoy the runs we are getting in.

One slight side effect.  Those early morning runs after a long night of storms can really take it out of you though.  One wiped out girl.