Jogging Stroller Run to the Preschool





Delays in my posting come from the crazy pace of the end-of-school and a new school for my kids this fall!  We are embarking on a new adventure in private Christian elementary school.  My days and nights have been filled with applications, interviews, and prayer! 

In the middle of all of this, the bombing of the Boston Marathon happened.  While this event didn't personally affect me, it affected me deeply.  The attack was on my sport, on a race I have had the honor to qualify for and would one day like to run.  Every time I heard the words "Boston Marathon" in the days that followed, I was jarred.  Not only did I feel terrible for the victims and their families, but as a runner, I felt so bad for the people who ran, those who finished and those who could not.  I kept picturing how it would feel to be in either category.  I read many of their stories and am most appreciative of those who gave honest accounts and who revealed their true feelings.  I cried when reading many of the posts.  Now I am so encouraged by how we as runners are uniting against this evil act.

Onto a lighter topic---stroller running to the preschool! 

Today was a nice day for another attempt at this very fun "errand trip."  I attempted it once before, in the fall with my friend, Jane.  This morning I loaded my little girl into the stroller and tucked her school bag in the compartment below.  I checked my watch: 8:20.  That would give me 40 minutes to run the 4 miles to the preschool.  Instead of driving there for 8 minutes (leaving my house at about 8:40), waiting in the carline for 10 minutes, and driving back for 8 more minutes, I would use my time efficiently and be running that whole time!  I would be done with 8 miles by 9:40 when I normally can't start my run until I return home at 9:10! 

I am thankful that the weather is nice enough to do kind of a run, but today's weather was actually a little windy (though warm in the 60s).  My daughter did not complain, but I wish I'd brought a blanket.  I had no trouble getting over to the preschool in less than 40 minutes taking a route through some neighborhoods and along a main road with a wide sidewalk.  I was early enough to walk her in with the first crowd of parents waiting in the lobby.  We both were smiling like we had a secret as we walked into the school.  I told her we'd already had an adventure for the day! 

I headed out alone and with an empty stroller.  I can only imagine how sad I will be as an empty-nester because even leaving my kids on days like this make me feel lonely.  I kept looking down at the stroller and missing my view of her little curls and hairbow.  So I turned on my music really loud and tuned out.  I used the fact that the stroller was 40 pounds lighter to my advantage and did some faster miles on the way home (most miles with her were 8:45-8:50 pace, but I did 7:20s after she was out!).  As I was running past Jane's house, I happened to see her heading out the door for her run, so we were able to run 2 miles together to my house.  I told her good-bye at 9.11 miles on my Garmin, but then I decided to go back out and run to 10 miles on my own.  I used to not care if the Garmin miles weren't even, but Jane says I've come to the "dark side!" 

Here's my cutie as we headed out today.

 



Tomorrow I volunteer at packet pickup, and then on Saturday I race in the Run Through the Roses 10K.  More on my teammate training partners (and hopefully the other top women at the race!) in a later post!