Running with Kids...Week 7

T-14 Days until our first 5k.

Its getting close!  I think I've finally figured out how to give me a rest, and how to ensure that the kids stick to their training without bickering.  Fortunately, I'm stronger now and can run farther, just like them...and the running almost every day with one of them has benefitted me.  This last week, I ran with my son, rested for 10 minutes, then ran with my daughter.  This ensured that I get a rest day between runs....and ensured that they both stayed with the plan...and ensured that I had more miles, which I want to do.

Every week, we are also running to the ice cream parlor.  One night, me and my son ran there, we had a little ice cream and then me and my daughter ran back.  Its an easy way for me to run/walk 4 miles (definitely more running than walking now!), but still not overburden them.  My son ran an entire mile without stopping, and my daughter hit 11 minutes....on the way back, we warmed up for 5 minutes, ran 11 minutes, walked for 4 minutes, then ran again for 10 minutes.  Nice!

Now, my daughter is definitely slower than my son, but given that she weighs 100 pounds and here is a scrawny 75 pounds, this shouldn't surprise me.  Time will benefit both of them. Maybe she will even drop a few pounds, but she really doesn't NEED to, but dropping a few will benefit her speed and her self esteem.  But, I know if I dropped 50 pounds, I probably could keep up with my son, as I'm sure in time that he will simply get faster!

Our final run this week was to attempt the 20-minute run...straight through, no stopping, with no concern with how slow or fast we were running.  I first ran with my daughter...she was slow, as expected, but she did great!  I rested for 5 minutes while my son was changing, and then we ran 20 minutes non-stop.  Ugh...he chatted the ENTIRE time about greek mythology and his breathing was still very easy, but man, I was being challenged.  I never recall looking at the watch this much!  But, this week is now in the books!

Our protocol for this week starts with this run:

Run 20 minutes
Walk 3 minutes
Run 5 minutes

Then:
Run 25 minutes

Then:
Run 27 minutes