I had two new running companions today: the baby and BOB. These are not the kind of running mates that entertain with easy conversation and help you slide into a comfortable pace that make the miles feel like they're leaves falling on a windy day. Nope, these running mates actually steal your form, try to push you back and you know? The conversation really isn't that great right now.
I knew this run was coming sooner or later though, so I decided to grab the horse by the reigns...or maybe BOB by the handle, and go ahead and get 'er done today.
I began the process by strapping the baby into one side of the double jogger. After strapping him in, I proceeded to layer not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but yes 5 blankets around the child's head. I wanted to make sure that his head was nice and secure for this first run with BOB. I may have overdone it because by the time I was done with the process, the poor thing looked like he was in a straight jacket. But, I guarantee, his head did not jostle about for the entire run.
Next, I picked the Barenaked Ladies station on Pandora, put in my ear buds and took a sip of water. With nothing else left to do, I hit the road.
I decided that I would cut my run to 2 miles today. Honestly, I wasn't sure if my new running partners were up for more than 2 miles. Well, okay, that might be a lie. It might have been my own limitations, but we'll pretend it was theirs.
MILE 1: There was a breeze in the air. My headband was perfectly in place, keeping my hair out of my eyes. The baby was snoozing. I ran like I was on a cloud. I couldn't believe how easy it was! My runs were starting to pay dividends! I congratulated myself on my hard work.
Wait, did I forget to mention that Mile 1 was 75% downhill? If I did, rest assured that I had ALSO forgotten that fact during my premature celebratory party I was throwing by the end of my first mile. You know how what goes up, must come down? The opposite is also true when running a hilly neighborhood. What goes down, must come up.
MILE 2: The breeze was gone. The sun was blazing. My headband now slid around on my head as if I had slathered my hair in Vaseline. I ran like....well, like I was trying to push a stroller up steep hills. And that is NOT a pretty sight. See, I've gotten into this habit of casting my head slightly downward so that my eyes are watching the pavement instead of the hill looming ahead of me. Remember, if you don't see it, it doesn't exist? Well, this applies to running up hills too. I must not be a brainiac if this is all it takes to trick myself. Between my head casting downwards and my waist bending over to try to gather enough momentum to push the stroller up, my body was shaped like a perfect L. I think it's a safe bet that this is not the most aerodynamic running form.
By the time I had made it up the 3rd hill, I was breathing so heavily that people were slowing down and looking at me out of their car windows, probably wondering if they should stop and save the baby when I passed out in the middle of the street.
I finished up the last flat (hooray!) part of my run and steered BOB up the driveway, happy to have completed that milestone. And now, I'm 2 miles closer to easy.
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