Run Like Someone Is Chasing You

 

I have finally matured enough to be able to see the bright side to an almost-sad ice cream situation.

Normally when Cold Stone Creamery is out of my favorite chocolate-dipped waffle bowls, I complain, huff and then puff, complain again and then storm out.

Saturday night however, I realized that no waffle bowl meant no chance of any part of my sundae breaking off and dropping to the ground as it did on National Ice Cream Day.

That was really traumatizing I tell you.

Instead I ordered waffle cone pieces mixed in for the crunch factor along with the usual chocolate chips, whipped cream and hot fudge.

So I am up early chatting with you on this Labor Day morning because I am leaving shortly to run that five-mile race in Long Beach.

It sure feels like it was yesterday that I ran the ten-mile race  on Memorial Day yet somehow it’s already Labor Day and time to run this race again.

Since this race is only five miles, I still ran long (13.1 miles) on Saturday per the usual routine.

I had the running path in my neighborhood pretty much to myself aside from the usual dog walkers until around mile nine when I noticed that same guy who randomly decides to run coming up the path behind me.

I know better than to look behind me while running and even thought of Cait’s cute from cartoon from the other day where I told her I ONLY watch for approaching shadows but this time, I saw him somehow out of the corner of my eye catching up to me from behind.

Mile nine was not exactly where I felt like kicking things into some high gear but I just could not let him pass me.

He never has and he never will.

Yes, I realize there is something wrong with me and even if I didn’t, my father told me so after telling him this story.

I picked up my pace and ran like someone was chasing me, which in my mind, I think he really was. He was going faster than usual.

Of course, his fast is still not faster than me. Ha. It’s a great feeling.

Running tip: If you want to run faster, get someone to chase you.

I may need that guy to run this race with me today. Last year’s finish time for this race of 39 minutes (and some seconds, I forget exactly) doesn’t seem like it will happen for me today, but who knows, right?

We shall see.

You should know that it isn’t easy to sign up for races as a single mom.

I don’t run many races yet the races I do select involve an extra thought process of figuring out if my son will be with his dad that day and if not, are my parents around to help me out.

My parents came with us for the weekend when I ran the Hershey Park Half Marathon so that someone would be with my son while I ran the race.

I always want to run the Disney races because it would be so fun for us to go but the logistics always prevent me from signing up and I would never run a Disney race without bringing my son along for the fun.

I was so excited to learn yesterday via this article that the Rock ‘n’ Roll races have started a babysitting option called Race Kids.

As an insane mom, I wouldn’t trust just anyone with my son but this would be something of interest for me and I sure hope that more races (like Disney!) would begin to implement something similar!

Geez, I am so busy chatting that I didn’t realize the time and must get myself moving and out the door. Before I go, you must check out this link for 200 Recipes For Football Season. I love Jessica and her recipes are just ridiculous.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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If you are a parent, what do you do with your kids when you run races?

Best dessert you ate all weekend?

Anyone run a race this weekend? How did it go?