My wisdom for this month is: Just get out and do it… No excuse is good enough.
Ever since I had my second child it has been harder and
harder to motivate myself to get out and run. It is so enjoyable to spend all
day playing with my kids (and cleaning up after them, although that isn’t as
enjoyable). So when it comes time for me to go running I honestly don’t want
to. Like every other normal human being out there, it has always been easier
for me to stay inside. Still, I force myself to go for a run because I know if
I don’t I will regret it later.
So when I signed up for the Health and Fitness 10k road race two weeks ago I
wasn’t too excited about it. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE road races,
but I’m just not fond of races over 5 kilometers. It is still necessary for me
to race longer distances so I can build my endurance for shorter races. I
convinced myself that I was simply going to tempo the whole thing and see where
that got me. Well, the race started and I lagged back for the first 5k,
enjoying the pace I had set for myself. Except there was one problem: One of
the racers ahead of me was pushing their two year old in a stroller and was
beating me (any guesses who that was?… yup, Gray Augustus, the manager for Bill’s
Bike and Run). I figured he was just doing the 5k and would finish after the
first loop (the 10k course followed the 5k loop twice).
Well, the first loop came around and Gray kept on going. I
didn’t think he was serious. He had crossed the first 5k under 18 minutes. That’s
fast for anyone, but you have to be wearing rockets on the bottom of your shoes
to be pushing a stroller that fast. I have gone on runs with my kids in the
past and it’s hard for me to push 8:30 pace for three miles, but Gray was going
sub 6 minute miles for 10 kilometers. I chuckled to myself thinking that I
would pass him in a jiffy and cruise in the last 5k. Oh boy was I wrong. By the
last mile I was sweating in my socks because I still wasn’t catching Gray even
though I had picked up my pace significantly.
Let’s just say that when I finished the race I was extremely
humbled. Gray finished barely ahead of me still pushing the stroller. I had
gotten my best 10k time ever, and had still lost to the two year old in the
stroller. :) I came away from that race with a greater appreciation for what it
takes to be a parent and runner all in one. So when a day comes when I just
want to stay inside, I realize that no excuse is good enough. If someone else
can get out and run a 10k in 35 minutes pushing a stroller, then I can
certainly get out and go for an easy jog. Or better yet, bring the kids along
in the stroller for the ride too. I know when I come back from my run I’ll be
glad that I got out and did it.
-Erica Richardson
