Thought Thursday: A Thanksgiving Haiku

Herbs picked, cut and dried
Aromas wafting inside
Thankful for a meal

~Yours Truly

Today I got to run in our local Food Bank's Run Against Hunger 5K. This was also my Duder's first Run Against Hunger 1/4 mile run. The plan was to watch him run and then he would hang out with Super Hubby and the Bug while I proceeded to break 30 minutes in the 5k. Well the Bug is a bit under the weather and the temps were too low to take her out. Instead I ran the 1/4 mile with my Duder. He did amazingly not stopping at all and pumping those elbows like a champ. And he came with me on the 5K.

He was so proud of himself.

The Duder joined me in the jogging stroller for my 5K. I was only a tiny bit discouraged because I haven't run in 2 weeks so a fast 5K was a long shot anyway. We normally run with our Bob Double, but I took our basic Baby Trend single jogger and it held up fine.

I started with a slower paced friend and dismissed the idea that I could go any kind of "fast" with my jogging stroller. Wrong! Once my legs shook out in the first 1/2 mile, I felt like I could turn it up. The start was so SLOW. Amazingly SLOW. The walkers prevented any real movement for a full 1/4 mile and didn't quite get the stay to the right concept.

I picked up my pace and felt good until about mile 2 when I realized that 2 weeks off and really cold weather meant scratchiness on the throat and lungs. I didn't walk, but I could feel myself slowing down. The Duder was so patient, at age 3, a half hour in the jogging stroller isn't exactly cool. I think he had fun people watching though. He was thoroughly confused by people throwing cups on the ground. I had to explain it was ok just this one time and that people were going to come pick them up. We came in and the clock read 32:25, unfortunately the finish was so clogged I stood next to the clock for a full 20 seconds before I could actually cross the line. Not sure what the official time will be, but I am guessing close to 32 minutes with the start delay. Not bad for me at all, actually it was kind of great! I haven't run many 5Ks. I did one that wasn't chip timed back in 2005 and came in at 31+ minutes so I was hopeful for 30 minutes being a possibility had I 1. ran at all over the past two weeks and 2. wasn't pushing a jogging stroller. Of my 4 chip timed 5Ks, this looks like it is going to be a new PR. This was also my first event pushing a jogging stroller. Feeling pretty good right now, my Duder is my little good luck charm.

	Event Name & Course		State	Date					Final
		Alzheimer’S Aid Society Memorial Run 5K 2009	CA	7/25/09					36:57
		Run And Walk Against Hunger - Run -5K	CA	11/27/08					36:01
		Shamrock'N Half Marathon & 5K - Run-5K	CA	3/16/08					36:59
		180's Shamrock 5K Run	MD	3/13/05					33:40

Thankful Three: So many more, but I will continue to limit to three

1. For my healthy family
2. For a roof over our heads and food to eat
3. For employment