Run, Mommmy. Run!

I’ll be honest.   My three darling girls are rarely angelic.

Don’t get me wrong – they are good kids.  The are bright and caring, and I am SO proud to be their mama. But……..

They inherited my stubborn streak.

No matter how many times I tell them:

• Don’t run in the parking lot
• Stay in your seat
• Be quiet
• Respect adults when they’re talking
• Don’t scratch out your sister’s eyes

They’ll ignore me when the desire to do what they WANT to do outweighs the punishment they KNOW they’ll receive.

When that happens, we simply remove them from the fun.  A well-played “Time Out” does wonders to calm the terror and restore order in our house.   It’s like they need to be alone to find their center, calm the storm inside their head, and return to the land of Normal.

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At 36 years old, I got put in Time Out today.

I ran 5 miles on Friday, and hit a 7:15 pace before running into a friend and slowing down for the finish….

….I ran 6.5 miles Saturday, on the trails.  My achilles was a bit tight, but loosened up after 20 minutes.  I ran fast and hit an 8:00 pace on the trails for the first time since September.  I felt GREAT!….

…I ran 11 miles Sunday.  Wanted to get in 15, but we had a showing on our house and I needed to be there.  I ran a comfortable 8:00 pace, but 6 miles in, my right hip started to spasm.  My achilles was also talking to me.  Since I couldn’t get Jimmy on the phone, I ran it home, stopping to stretch every mile or so.  Still, as soon as I stopped, I knew I had done something wrong…

Three days of running was more than this injured girl could handle.  While I felt good to OK during each run, the cumulative effect was to send my flirtation with Achilles Tendonitis into a full-blow love affair.  It swelled up, and was quite apparent when I went in for Physical Therapy on Monday.

My PT doesn’t mince words, and he told me what I knew, and what I needed to hear:  No running for 7-10 days (best case).  Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation – I’ll be RICE-ing like a champ.  Slow return to the road.  Buh-Bye Speedwork, Buh-Bye Hills.  If I want to do JFK in the fall, I must listen.

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But Monument  is this weekend.  It’s not a Runner’s Race, which is why I love it.  All of Richmond comes out.  40,000 people take to the prettiest stretch of the city.  Last year, when VCU was in the Final Four, it was a sea of black and gold.  This year, the azaleas and dogwood are so beautiful they’ll make you weep.  Bands, cheerleaders, costumes…it’s just fantastic.

My crazyily-gifted-talented-runner-friend-and-neighbor (aka Kate) is running it, and I’m actually able to keep up with her this year.  I know scores of other friends and acquaintances that will be out there.  And I promise to be on the sidelines, cheering them on.

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I have no idea how long this Time-Out will last, but I hope I learn my lesson and listen to my legs.  My goal for 2012 is endurance, and I will be starting to rebuild myself soon, a more humble runner than when I started.

If only it was that easy with my girls….