Run Firsts

Water, breeze, sand and sun surrounded the Princess' and Turtle's first beach run on Saturday, June 18. It was also our first out of state run!

So with only swimsuits (socks and shoes remained in the plastic bag under the tent), we headed from First Landing State Park at Chesapeake Bay toward Virginia Beach. We were visiting my uncle and his wife for the weekend. They were walking. Dad and brother were playing in the chilly (67 degrees) water.

Similar to our other running adventures, this one consisted of lots of observations, all different though:
1. Pets playing in the water
2. People playing on the beach and in the water
3. Ships sitting in the bay, waiting for coal, according to my uncle
4. More ships with cargo leaving the bay area
5. Things flying over our heads - kites, helicopters and airplanes, oh my!

But this one was different and our feet were getting quite the workout:
1. Sand - hard, soft and squishy
2. Shore - slanted ever so slightly
3. Shells - broken, whole and in piles
4. Seaweed - green, sticky and in globs
5. Sand crabs - invisible, fast
6. Salty water - in and out as we dodge humans, animals and objects

So, naturally, our conversation centered around our environment but with a few comments from Evan:

E: Mommy, I am finally not afraid to swim in the ocean anymore!

D: I see that but remember what I said about a bay of water being different than the ocean. The waves in a bay of water are much smaller and less powerful than the ocean waves. It is because the bay is like arms or tree branches extending off the ocean, making the water having to move further to get to the shore.
E: Yeah, but I'm still glad I can swim.
D: Me too and I'm proud of you.

E: Oh, mommy, can we ride those (pointing to jet skis)?
D: No, I think they are just for the people staying in that resort behind us and besides I don't have money to pay for a ride anyway.
E: Oh, what is she doing out there? (again pointing to someone standing on a board in the water).
D: I think she is paddle surfing, at least that is what Uncle Richard said earlier. Notice how the water is calm and there are no waves pushing her over - that is the bay water. In the ocean, she couldn't keep her balance on the board with the rough and high waves.

With the hot sun, hot sand and all the playing, we did pretty good at:
Time: 28:29
Distance: 1.152 miles
Calories: 73.5
Steps: 2787
Pace: 2.4
Happy Running!

Muddy Pictures

Evan, his friend Spencer and Spencer's mom Melissa completed the United States Marine Corp Mud Run 5K on Saturday, June 11.

Almost finished: Spencer, Evan and Melissa (in green shirt):

Final mud pit: lots of caution tape to go under:

Finish line:

Post-run runners and clothes: runners before they showered; socks, shoes and underwear trashed; after a soaking and three washes, shirt and shorts saved:

See ya' next year!

Happy Running!

Mud Everywhere

Mommy: Evan, is there anything you want to say about the Mud Run?

Evan: Uh, that you get really muddy!

That about sums it up for Evan, who ran the United States Marine Corp Mud Run on Saturday, June 11 ... without the Princess (this Princess doesn't do mud anyway so very appropriate for the Turtle)!

It was at the pleasant Jomeokee Park and Campground in Pinnacle close to the base of Pilot Mountain. And speaking of pleasant, Evan had a favorite part - the big last mud pit. He also scaled a log in the mud, climbed an A-frame wall, and managed stepping/running over tires.

Besides members of the Marine Corp yelling at them to do jumping-jacks and jog in place at the starting line, Evan had company:

Runners:
Spencer (his best friend)
Melissa (Spencer's mom)
Dawn and Josh C. (neighbors and friends)

Babysitters: Dianne J., Josh D. (Spencer's dad, photographer, driver)
Cheerleaders:
Eric (Evan's brother, age 4)
Cooper C. (son of Dawn and Josh C., age 4)
Tyler C. (brother of Cooper C., age 1.5)
Brycen (Spencer's brother, age 4)

Photographer Josh D. is still sorting through photographs so there is no visual proof yet that you get really muddy! Meanwhile, the siblings and neighbor boys were probably ranked the best cheerleaders of the day. In between screaming and dougnhuts, they got high-fives, handshakes and lots of smiles.

Evan and Spencer, still running at the end, were smiling too because, out of 1,039 runners, they came in at 708 and 709 respectively.

Stats are the same for the best friends at:
Time: 53:07
Pace: 17:06

And Melissa, the mom, fellow runner and helper was:
Time: 53:13
Pace: 17:08

Happy Running!

Too Slow or Not Too Slow

We were only at the third mailbox when I said on Wednesday evening, June 8:

And he's off!

"Get ready, mom, I'm leaving you in the dust."

If this keeps happening, I may not have anything to blog!! Oh no!

Fortunately Evan is cute from behind too so despite the intense heat, setting sun and horse manure smell, I kept running (or jogging, as Evan keeps correcting me).

The sad thing about this run is that Evan had a slight ankle injury from falling in the grass at his school's field day that morning. So, not only is my pace slower than Evan, it must just be incredibly slow because he still passed me WITH an injury. But I must do it honestly because according to my many piano teachers, I played everything too slow. And the band director in high school kept calling me down for marching too slow. And according to some people I even drive too slow.

I guess I just don't was to miss a thing...

Before our run, Evan was sweaty (only a humid 80-something degrees) from playing catch with his dad. I had to help him, sort of, change into his running gear:

We both had our energizing gum but I don't think it really helped me :)!

At the end of our run, we made our way via walking to the neighbor's to entice Eric and dad home. While walking together, Evan informed that he was going to run the entire neighborhood, cul-de-sacs and all, the next evening. Per nurse dad though, he was ordered to rest his ankle so no running until Saturday for the USMC Mud Run. But Thursday evening found us in the pool and ... I had to slow down my breast stroke a bit so he could beat me - just one time though! For now, the Princess swims faster than the Turtle!

My running stats came in at (yes, I have ordered Evan his own pedometer):
Time: 29:20
Distance: 1.270 miles
Calories: 77.2
Steps: 3103
Pace: 2.6
Happy Running!

Run, Neighbors, Run!

Characters:
Evan, age 9 1/2
Dianne, age ?
Spencer, age 9 (Evan's best friend)
Melissa, age ? (Spencer's mom)
Eric, age 4 (Evan's little brother)
Josh, age ? (Spencer's dad)

Place:
Typical American middle class neighborhood, "main" street

Scene 1: Evan's house on Monday, June 6 around 7:15pm

"Oh, do we have to run tonight, mom? Why does Eric get to ride his bike?"

"Fine. We will just go outside then."

Dianne putting on shoes including Eric's.


"Mom, Mom - Josh just said that Melissa and Spencer are getting ready to run. I want to go, hurry Mom, they're coming."

"Oh, NOW, you want to run because Spencer is. Get your shoes, then."

Scene 2: "Main" street in neighborhood

"Let's go this way, Mom, and we can meet them."

"No, let's go this way but walk then run slow. They will catch up."

"Oh, come on, fine"

Evan and Dianne stretch then start walking. After two mailboxes, they start to jog with Evan turning his head to see if Spencer and Melissa catching up.


After a few minutes, they do catch up when...


Melissa: What is so funny, Evan?

Evan: My mom behind us. I'm going to leave her in the dust. Come on, Spencer.

Melissa: Oh, that's not funny. At least she is running.

Dianne unable to say much because she is hot and out of breath. She continues to fall behind as they head down the hill.


Spencer: Let's run fast down the hill.

Melissa: Ok, lean into it, so you gain momentum.

Scene 2: Bottom of hill at end of neighborhood

Melissa: Ok, Spencer, sprint up the hill.

Melissa and Evan take off. Spencer tries but walks. Dianne continues her pace eventually sprint walking up the hill.


Melissa and Spencer stay, sprinting up and down the hill a few times. Dianne and Evan continue up the hill toward home.


Evan, still jogging and turns his head: Ok, Mom, I'm leaving you in the dust.

Dianne: Go for it. See you at home after I run up to Spencer's house then back.

Evan: OK.

Meanwhile, Melissa and Spencer catch up again. Spencer is ready to head home so they pass Dianne and Evan.


Dianne is cooling down now after having run up to Spencer's and back. Evan grabs a baseball glove and tennis ball to play. Evan runs up to Spencer's followed by Dianne who wants a picture, taken by Josh:

Spencer, Melissa and Evan (far right) are training for the Mud Run on Saturday, June 11. Dianne enjoyed the company - the humidity and 85-degree temperature ... not so much!

Dianne came in at (noting that Evan ran fast, walked, etc):
Time: 23:38
Distance: 1.58 miles
Calories: 103
Steps: 2602
Pace: 2.7
Happy Running!

Turtle in Training

Since Evan was up early on a Saturday (yes, he is confused), I coaxed him into an early morning run on June 4.

After my homemade blueberry bread, yogurt and Evan's french toast sticks, we briefly enjoyed each other's company because once again ... the Princess was left in the dust by the Turtle!

But the weather was a balmy 62 degrees and aside from the smell of horse manure from the farm at the end of our neighborhood, it was a near-perfect morning to listen to the birds and enjoy the sunshine! We also enjoyed our hats - Evan with his Baltimore Orioles and me in my white hat.

Evan did get ahead of me and according to one of our neighbors it looked like Evan was having fun but not me :)! In the beginning, Evan complained of knee pain even though we stretched and in the end, I was having some side stitches. Perhaps the reason why I looked "not fun."

Anyway, Evan pushed on and kept running and quite frankly ran more than me but he is in training, so he says, for his race next week which is ...

The US Marine Corp Mud Run!

When asked by our neighbors, who will be running with Evan (as well as his best friend), if I was going to do it, his exact words were: No, my mommy doesn't like to get dirty.

That is so true! I have absolutely no desire to run in the mud so I am happy, happy to help a neighbor dad with babysitting and being my runner's cheerleader!

Since we didn't run together this morning, our conversation was brief again but it was about the Mud Run and the fact he has only 4.5 days left of third grade! Towards the end of our run, I was watching him from behind since I gave up on him waiting for me and I could tell, like the neighbor, that he really was enjoying it. I see track or cross country in his future :).

Our photographer wasn't fully dressed post-run so he surprised us with his camera in the doorway and while I was recording our stats:

Time: 23:19
Distance: 1.680 miles
Calories: 128.5
Steps: 3369
Pace: 4.4
Happy Running!

A Quickie

Despite the heat, Evan and I squeezed in a quick run between dinner and baseball on Thursday, June 2.

No wind, slowly no sun and a humid 80-degrees, we ran the neighborhood. As usual, Evan was full of energy - doing a "relay run," - run, jump over the gutter, run, run around the car, run ...

I wasn't the fullest of energy but I did not have any pain, thanks to my most awesome shoes. It is amazing the difference one pair of shoes (and new socks) can make!

Evan's "relay run" made it hard to converse but he did mention something about baseball, as if I knew who was better between Babe Ruth and Alex Rodriguez. Never heard of Alex and aside from Babe Ruth being an all-time top baseball player and the candy bar, that part of our conservation ended quickly.

He finally explained that all third grade classes at school are competing against each other in kick ball. His class won today but lost yesterday "because of the girls," no explanation :).

We had a short run since Evan has been wanting to play baseball with his dad all week. He also has recorded two MLB (major league baseball) games on TV and I'm sure he could share the stats and player's positions for those games. He loves to watch sports, most any kind but especially baseball, soccer and basketball.

So, here we are post-run with Evan ready to play baseball:

And our running stats (not baseball) are:
Time: 23:19
Distance: 1.059 miles
Calories: 65
Steps: 2572
Pace: 2.8
Happy Running!