You do what you've gotta do...
Today is my "easy" homeschool day. The Big Boys go to Veritas, and I will start attending a ladies' Bible study at church in a couple of weeks. So I've not scheduled Tuesdays as a big workday for M (10) and A (5). Today I decided I would try to get in some kind of run on a local Greenway after dropping S (14) and C (12) off at school. Operative phrase being "some kind."
Here's how it goes: Drive around aimlessly for 20 min, unable to find Greenway until helpful bro-in-law gives directions to a park with easy access. Ok. Now, get out the clunky, old Gra*co single stroller for K (3), as well as scooter & helmet for A. Think to self: "why do I not own a jogging stroller?" Decide that training for a half-marathon requires some actual time running, and this is the best I'm gonna get today. Load K in the stroller and set off. (M leaves her scooter in the car, saying she'd rather run like me. I'm concerned about this, but I'm also concerned about how I'll carry 2 scooters and push the stroller when everyone gets tired before 3 miles are up. That's one of the reasons I picked the Greenway, though, instead of a loop trail ... once we're on it, ya gotta finish to get back to the car! *wink*)
Running
with this old stroller isn't easy - it has to be man-handled through every turn and I have to bend over to push. Hard on the back, but good for the biceps! ;-) Jog at a pretty good pace for the first 1/4 mile or so. Concrete sidewalk gives way to lovely boardwalk along the creek. Splat! A wipes out on his scooter on the wet wood (did I mention it was drizzling? What is wrong with me?) Biker speeding by beeps a wimpy little horn and narrowly misses the fallen boy on the trail. Hug, wipe the knees, and lay the scooter over the stroller handle so A can go on foot. Continue jogging, with the scooter's extra weight now making the stroller a real challenge.
A quickly tires of running. Asks to get in stroller. Ok, K is ready to stretch her legs, so I slow down and walk a bit. Scooter still "parked" on the stroller handle, as we're still on wet wood. Wood gives way to asphalt and M decides to take a turn with the scooter. A doesn't want to give up his spot in the stroller, so I put K ... in the basket! Running uphill with 2 kids in a non-jogging, single stroller! Are we having fun yet?
And so it went for the first two miles. We had no other major incidents, even when the trail briefly followed a busy road, then went d.o.w.n a steep ramp to cross under it. We finally hit our stride for the last mile, with M happily scootering (wth only one little wipeout - silly wet wood!), A running, and K in the stroller. After all his complaining on the first leg of the trail, A ran the whole last mile! I had told them we were doing 3 miles total, and when he reached the car, A kept saying, triumphantly, "I ran a 5K! I ran a 5K!"
And you know what? Perhaps not the most serene run I've ever had, but definitely a workout and definitely a memory made.
Here's how it goes: Drive around aimlessly for 20 min, unable to find Greenway until helpful bro-in-law gives directions to a park with easy access. Ok. Now, get out the clunky, old Gra*co single stroller for K (3), as well as scooter & helmet for A. Think to self: "why do I not own a jogging stroller?" Decide that training for a half-marathon requires some actual time running, and this is the best I'm gonna get today. Load K in the stroller and set off. (M leaves her scooter in the car, saying she'd rather run like me. I'm concerned about this, but I'm also concerned about how I'll carry 2 scooters and push the stroller when everyone gets tired before 3 miles are up. That's one of the reasons I picked the Greenway, though, instead of a loop trail ... once we're on it, ya gotta finish to get back to the car! *wink*)
Running
with this old stroller isn't easy - it has to be man-handled through every turn and I have to bend over to push. Hard on the back, but good for the biceps! ;-) Jog at a pretty good pace for the first 1/4 mile or so. Concrete sidewalk gives way to lovely boardwalk along the creek. Splat! A wipes out on his scooter on the wet wood (did I mention it was drizzling? What is wrong with me?) Biker speeding by beeps a wimpy little horn and narrowly misses the fallen boy on the trail. Hug, wipe the knees, and lay the scooter over the stroller handle so A can go on foot. Continue jogging, with the scooter's extra weight now making the stroller a real challenge.A quickly tires of running. Asks to get in stroller. Ok, K is ready to stretch her legs, so I slow down and walk a bit. Scooter still "parked" on the stroller handle, as we're still on wet wood. Wood gives way to asphalt and M decides to take a turn with the scooter. A doesn't want to give up his spot in the stroller, so I put K ... in the basket! Running uphill with 2 kids in a non-jogging, single stroller! Are we having fun yet?
And so it went for the first two miles. We had no other major incidents, even when the trail briefly followed a busy road, then went d.o.w.n a steep ramp to cross under it. We finally hit our stride for the last mile, with M happily scootering (wth only one little wipeout - silly wet wood!), A running, and K in the stroller. After all his complaining on the first leg of the trail, A ran the whole last mile! I had told them we were doing 3 miles total, and when he reached the car, A kept saying, triumphantly, "I ran a 5K! I ran a 5K!"
And you know what? Perhaps not the most serene run I've ever had, but definitely a workout and definitely a memory made.
Comments
My complements for your perserverance!
I love that you weren't afraid to get out there and do as much as you could w/the kids. You are a great example to them!
Either way...time to put my feet up :)