The Year of the Run

I've never really liked running.  As a teen, I only ran to stay in shape for soccer.  When I didn't have soccer, I didn't want to run because it was always dreadful.  About five years ago, I started running again and enjoying it.  I ran several 5K races but then had foot surgery and never got back to running.  Running seems to have gotten way more popular and I've always been slightly jealous when I heard people talk of running half and full marathons.  Last fall, we happened to be out to dinner on the night of the Marine Corps Marathon which is held here in DC.  I saw people with medals and had a wild thought...maybe I will do the MCM in 2012.  The next weekend, we were in NY for the kids TV show appearance and it just so happened to be the weekend of the NYC marathon.  Again, people with medals and my crazy thought that I could do one too.  Coincidentally, James got me some new running clothes and Lois was in town for Christmas and New Year's...she suggested a run on Christmas Day.  We ran about 3 miles and ran several more times before she flew back to Florida.  I had to do it on my own then, but I started researching races so that I would have something to focus on.  The first distance I set my sights on was a 10K...a St. Patty's Day run in Quantico.  Running it would give me guaranteed entry to the MCM.  I find that I enjoy running more, and was blessed with a very warm winter and spring so that most of my training runs were outside but a number were on the treadmill and that worked well too.  I ran the 10K in the midst of March trips to New Jersey...and it went very well.  My time was very consistently a 10 minute mile, and I finished in 1:04.  I am now signed up for the MCM in October, and a half in June in Annapolis.  I know this will be a challenge, and I often wonder if my crazy thoughts were really just crazy but I'm committed to making them a reality.

In the course of this new found commitment to running, I managed to convince Quinn to participate in a Young Men in Motion program run by his school.  It's a group of 4th and 5th grade boys who gather after school once a week to train for a 5K.  He really didn't seem interested at first, but then he agreed to do it.  He seemed to really enjoy it.  A couple of Sundays ago was his 5K, and I was his buddy runner.  We combined running with walking, and it was a challenge to keep him going and push him to the finish line.  But he did it, and he even wants to do another so that he can better his time.  We finished in just over 39 minutes...pretty good for a 10 year old.  I typically run a 5K in 30 minutes or so, and my (unstated) goal for us was under 40 minutes so we met that.  

We're also signed up for a 5K as a family in May...and James has been running more, mostly helping me on my longer training runs.  It's definitely looking like the year of the run for our family, and I'm excited to continue my training and increase distance!  

Easter in Florida

 We had planned a trip to Florida for Easter weekend long before the stresses of the month of March.  It ended up being perfectly timed, as we all needed a break.  The kids were on Spring Break and we spent part of it in warm, sunny Florida with the Donovan Torviks.  It was so lovely and very relaxing.  I honestly wonder how people live there and go about normal life activities, like yard work and jobs...because all I wanted to do the entire time was sit and do nothing.  And mostly that's what we did.  We went to the beach almost every day.  The weather was hot and humid the first couple of days, then warm and sunny with a slight breeze the next couple of days...honestly, perfect. We went to a treasure museum, and had margaritas and appetizers on a boat at a beachside bar.  We played pinochle, and laughed until we cried playing Anomia.  We took walks around the neighborhood and saw the neighborhood peacock.  We went on nice flat runs, and watched Lois and Ryan tousle at ultimate frisbee.  Quinn and Keely played with and took care of Adelia to their heart's content.  We went to the Brevard Zoo and saw a lot of very unique animals, and some not so unique but always fun to see animals.  We dyed Easter eggs, ate deviled eggs, had a traditional Easter dinner, searched for Easter baskets and had an egg hunt.  We went to Easter sunrise service...although we couldn't hear much of mass, we saw our very first sunrise over the Atlantic.  We set up the tripod and had a family photo shoot.  It was all so simple, and so relaxing.  None of us were ready to come home, but all good things must come to an end.  We are so thankful to Lois and Ryan for their hospitality, they are such troopers even without a working kitchen.  We can't wait until our next time in Florida...but until then we have great memories, and great pictures!