Kid Amnesiac

Slightly warmer and significantly longer days are getting us all outside after an unusually long winter.

My spring training is, of course, the New Balance No Boundaries Couch to 5K program. After tomorrow’s run, I will be half-way through the program. After four weeks of finishing so far ahead of the rest of the run-walk group that I occasionally lost sight of them, this week I gulped hard and put myself in the run group. These folks started out with a foundation for running, had run in the past, and were getting themselves back in shape for a 5K and beyond.

They’re up to two miles now, which may not seem like much but is totally intimidating to the person who has never, ever run before. But I did it! I’m a solid middle-of-the-packer, the coaches were very supportive and encouraging, and so far nothing hurts. Next week we’ll also go two miles, but our weekend runs are 2.75 miles tomorrow and 3 miles next Saturday. In other words, it’s pretty much 6 weeks from the couch to a 5K for me. A slow 5K, a pretty flat 5K, but 5K nonetheless. That gives me four weeks to work on hills and speed. But not speed on hills!

Having stared down my second-greatest fear, running, I now must face my greatest, running shorts. I mean, have you seen those suckers? They have 2″ inseams, which is great if you are tall and/or built like an Olympic athlete, but I’m going to look diapered in them. I wonder if I can find a running store that serves wine while you shop?

The shorter member of our family has broken out the T-ball set and the bike. And has run at every opportunity; mama is getting in shape just in time. Last year we put him on a trike with rubber inflatable tires and watched him zoom. This year Evie has put him in a little 14” bike with training wheels and watched him zoom even faster. There will be no running to keep up with him this year. We clearly have only two options: Condition our own bikes and join the fun or find a place where he can go on his own. We also have only  one option when it comes to purchasing: calls and drop-ins to four used kids places have so far turned up one used bike the right size: a pink Barbie bike*. Off to the bike store we go….

Last night kicked off spring training for baseball in my absence. Matt informs me that Simon batted pretty good right handed (Papaw wants him to be able to hit with both hands.) and then killed it with his left (Mom will just be grateful if either hand is worth much.). Thinking back to last summer, he then asked if they could run the bases. Matt is convinced that finding a T-ball league is pointless, as Simon will never be that good. I’m convinced that adequate + leftie = good enough and plan to go looking.

* Other moms of boys will surely recognize the phenomenon of consignment stores being packed with great, like-new things for girls while sporting 12 inches of rack space for thoroughly battered boys goods.