TriTalk Tuesday - Are My Kids Still Chasing Me?

It's TriTalk Tuesday again!  My favorite day of the blogging week where I get to link up with Cynthia at You Signed Up for What? and Courtney at The TriGirl Chronicles and dish about all things triathlon.  The last two weeks we have covered the Swim, the Bike, and now (predictably) it's time to talk about the Run.  (Actually, as my technical coach pointed out in his bike post, we should have covered T1 after the swim to be totally accurate.  Whatever.  Next week is Transition.....)

My new favorite running shirt

Before we dig in, let me fill you in on the status of my mental breakdown from the last post.  I'm a little better.  I took three rest days in a row, which is more than I've taken since... I'm guessing before Christmas.  And the world did not end.  We also had some family time with a quick trip to the Berkshires.  Nothing to epic to report - just some kids museums, a lot of nice restaurants, and enough hotel pools to keep the kidlets happy and tired enough to fall asleep fast in their hotel bed.  I won't claim to be the Queen of the Land of Sanity, but I also haven't flown off the handle in at least 48 24 a good solid 8 hours.  We'll call that progress.

Rest Day / Vacation Nutrition

So.... The Run

One of many running boo-boos

Running still claims the prize as my least favorite of the triathlon disciplines.  Despite all winter and early spring focusing on it, getting more confident and speedy, and bagging two half marathons. I still don't feel "good at it" (whatever that means).  Certainly, running has afforded me the most injuries of all my athletic endeavors.  I've had issues with every joint south of my navel in the last year, including a stint on crutches and an MRI that still didn't lead to a diagnosis more specific than "over-use".  In retrospect, most of these were likely caused by my poor running form, something that I am currently focusing on fixing.  So what keeps me out there pounding the pavement?

1.  I'm a social runner

Said in the same tone as "I'm a social smoker...."   I'm not advocating smoking.  At all. But it is true that I originally starting running with a couple of girlfriends.  I was jealous of those "running moms" that I saw at the multitude of 5ks for PTOs and other good causes around here.  They work and have kids?  How come they can run so fast?  How hard can it be?  Left right left right.... I wanna do that!!!!  And so forth.  Ironically, it was taking up running that led me to triathlon, as one of my running buddies casually suggested I try it since I had 2 of the 3 sports down (running and biking).  

Mommies on the Run

In this respect, running has not disappointed.  I have met some amazing women through running that I now consider some of my closest friends.  If that means that more of my social life revolves around workouts than drinking wine these days.... that's ok.  We can do both.

2.  It's attached to other activities I like

I attribute this extremely astute assessment to my physical therapist, Laura, who shares my love/hate relationship with the activity.  Let's face it - there isn't really a way to race a triathlon without running.  True, you can walk the run.  Many do, especially on the long-course triathlons.  Or you can do an Aquabike (just the swim and bike).  Which is just as expensive in race fees, and yet lacks the same cache as doing a triathlon, in my opinion.  Plus it's even harder to explain to non-triathletes than a regular tri ("You do what?  Bike in the water?")

3. It's easy

Not the the actual running part.  That's still hard.  In terms of convenience though it cannot be beat.  Beyond a pair of sneakers, no special equipment is required.  No pool memberships to pay for.  Treadmill, road, trail.... it is easier for me to "sneak in" a running workout than any other kind into my busy schedule.

4. My little girl is obsessed with running

Last season in a fit of temper I told my daughter (then 5) that I was quitting running while tucking her in to bed.  She literally burst into tears crying, "No Mommy you are my training buddy you HAVE to keep running I love to run with you!!!!"  Oops.  You just never know what will traumatize your kids.  To say that this girl loves to run is an understatement.  

Training for her 5k

Perfect.  Form.

My kiddo did her first 5K when she was 4 years old.  We were running the local turkey trot and she surprised us by hopping out of the stroller and trotting the whole way along, laughing and yelling "gobble gobble!" to everyone.  Last month she ran our local St. Patrick's Day race in a very impressive time for someone who's legs are so short she can't go on my roller coasters.  She's also my favorite running buddy.  I push the empty jogging stroller for as long as she wants (this weekend it was a mile), and then she hops in and entertains me for the rest of my run.  I just hope she never decides to run a marathon because I won't be able to keep up!

We did it!  One mile for Boo and four miles for Mom!

5.  Runner's crush

I admit it - I have a little bit of a crush on good runners.  My definition of good ranges from people like Shalane Flanagan who nearly won the Boston Marathon, to my coach and my sister-in-law who have been running for years and are my definition of "fast for normal people", to bigger runners like The Heavyweight Runner who are still out there getting it done even though I can imagine how much it hurts.   I guess that's the thing - I find running extremely difficult - more-so than most things in life, and to see people really out there giving it their all is truly inspirational.   I could write an entire article on how stories from the recent Boston Marathon made me cry (and maybe I will).  There is just something truly amazing about the human spirit and what it takes to push yourself along on your own two legs for miles and miles....

 6.  Runner's High

No fighting biology.  Running gets your blood pumping and endorphins moving faster than most other athletic activities.  When it comes to stress relief and a break from anxiety or anger (or frustration from the challenges of mom-hood), nothing give me the bang for the buck that a good run does.  Plus, the high from finishing a tough race is addictive.

Rio and I cross the line at the Raleigh Rock n Roll Half Marathon

Do you talk triathlon on your blog? Link up with You Signed Up For WHAT?!, The Cupcake Triathlete, and The TriGirl Chronicles on Tuesdays for Tri Talk! We’ll discover a new theme each week and talk about triathlon training, tips, and general chatter. Be sure to link to your specific post and not a general link to your blog so that your post can be found in the linkup archives. Links not triathlon-related will be deleted.  Also, please link posts that are on topic for each week's theme.  Ex. this week is running.  Next week is Transition.  Thanks!

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