Daddy’s Turn

At the end of March, I convinced Daddy to run a 5K race with me on Good Friday. It was an easy push as he use to run (we actually met running, almost 20 years ago), is still in fairly good shape and, if he finished, I’d let him keep the Defeet Socks that came with his race kit. At that race, I created a monster.

Weeks shortly after that, he decided that he wants to run a November marathon and qualify for Boston. Well, his 5K time was 30 minutes and he needs 3:30 to qualify, but I’m not about to discourage him. So, when he wants to run, the boys and I support it.

“You need to plan a few races over the summer, ” I told him. “Why don’t you do the Men’s Only 5k in June. It’s a first year event so it will be low-key; ask Daron if he wants to go with you.”

Daron is another friend whom I’ve been trying to get out to run with me. He lives close by, wants to run in the early morning and runs close to my pace (and I need to run with someone who can run at the same pace or I get too frustrated). As soon as he heard that the water stations were “manned” by bikini-clad women and there was beer and chili after, he was in.

Tuesday night was their big night old – or “Boys’ Night Out” as the race was called. It interfered greatly with my busy week and work, and it meant I didn’t get out for a run later in the evening, but the two of them raced together. Hubby improved his 5K time (since April 1st) by about 4 minutes, finishing in 26:42. Daron finished ahead at 24:12.

Hubby is learning that he needs to either push himself more with his training or just get out there and run. Either way, he is gaining. Ironicially, at the same time, though, he is losing – but losing weight. Since I released the monster within him, he has dropped close to 10 pounds and his clothes are fitting better again.

This Tuesday night, the two of us are heading out to race together. Hubby is running the 5K as he know realizes that while he is physically ready to cover the 10K distance, he is not psychologically ready to accept the time it will take him to finish. Me, I’m running the 10K, my first since the end of April. Running different distances is the best thing for us and our own training right now. But, I know that day will come when we are back at the starting line together. I just have to make sure he doesn’t catch me (he only has once and that’s why were married!) and it’s all good.