Post marathon, I still manage to drag my feet when it comes to laundry, lawn-mowing, fill in the blank, etc... and believe it or not, I miss my running regimen. There is no pressure in getting a certain number of miles in and am therefore finding it much harder to get out there and run every day.
The excuses are superfluous but a couple stand out over others. We no longer run as a family (Boy O officially retired from the jogging stroller in the hours after the marathon due to recent growth spurts), so we have to make sure one or the other is home to watch the boys. In addition and in true Pacific Northwest fashion, the weather has turned excessively moist and gray which hasn't inspired me to throw on my running gear even when I do find the time. This 'perfect storm' (if you will) does make running (for me) more challenging and at times like these, I need inspiration to find motivation.
As fortune would have it, I don't have to look very far. Saturday morning I woke up early to call my Dad to wish him luck. I still didn't wake up early enough, but at 4:30 am when I left a message on his phone (7:30 am his time), my Dad was probably 3-4 miles into running his second half-marathon. He called me afterward to proudly inform me that he felt great, finishing in less than 2 hours and even won his age group (60-64). Hearing him recall each mile in detail made me teary with pride and hanker for a good long run. The next morning, I found myself running before the sun rose and listened to my feet plod along the wet pavement as I thought about my dad, wishing I could have been running next to him.
Congratulations on your race, Dad. I am so incredibly proud of you and brag about you all the time. Not everyone has a Dad that runs the miles you do. You inspire me to put one foot in front of the other on a rainy day.
Congratulations on your run, Mr. L!
ReplyDeleteTears. All I got right now is big fat tears. I'll write later when I actually have something more to contribute. Than tears. Big fat tears.
ReplyDeleteWilling to bet that families who run marathons don't ear at Houlihan's!!! Super pic of you and your dad -- need to borrow some of your motivation. I've got NONE at the moment. One day at the gym and I need to feed my tired muscles with donuts and steaming hot mochas....
ReplyDeleteActually, I think we were eating at the Dunkin Donuts next to Houlihans in the airport, now that you mention it. mmmm....donuts, bagels and coffee sounds good right about now.
ReplyDeleteI have to concur with Rachael. I have none either and if anyone is ever to inspire me its you. You have so much motivation. Your dad is so awesome. Now I know where you get your great strength from. And who cares about the laundry and all that other stuff. Ugh, I know our weather has been getting so nasty and icky here in WA.
ReplyDeleteWell, Susan, thanks for the kind words. The only problem is that you were the one that inspired me to try running a half-marathon in the first place. If we keep up this mutual inspiration, we will probably be challenging each other to a wheel chair race in the 2025 Marathon (at least for me); better yet, your kids can train up for it and be our "pushers".
ReplyDeleteTo read all my comments you would think that I'm a crier. I don't think of myself as one. But something about your posts just pulls the tears right out. This is such an awesome tribute to your dad and to motivation in general. We all need something to structure our lives and days. Especially in all this rain. Otherwise we risk fading into all that gray.
ReplyDeleteWait: one more thing... why can't boy o ride alongside on his bike? What am I missing? It doesn't seem possible that family runs are over already. They just started.
ReplyDeleteDad-I am all for the boys pushing us in 2025-don't worry, we already have them on a training schedule.
ReplyDeleteMorgan-
1. I wish you had seen me last Friday during movie night-I cried all the way through the cartoon movie Brother Bear. Both Ken and Boy O were looking at me like I was crazy. And I also cry at your posts all the time!
2. Boy O does come with me during the day occasionally on his bike, but only up to 5 miles. He could probably do more, but now that it's raining and cooler, I don't want to push it. Plus, the poor kid gets bored :)
I have reduced my mileage on Saturdays to 10-12 miles, but now Ken and I just get up super early-me on Saturday-him on Sunday so we can fit that long run in and be back in time for breakfast.