Everyone point your fingers and laugh at me.

One of the online message boards I frequent suggested a 5K as a Thanksgiving challenge and to kick off "cookie eating season". I'm always up for a challenge, and I've been working really hard on increasing my running since Maya's birth. I exercised throughout my pregnancy, but not very vigorously. I did only light walking for 8 weeks after her birth.

I started running again about 3 weeks ago and it has been tough. For starters, I run with a BOB Ironman duallie double jog stroller. It is a state-of-the-art stroller for running, but either way I slice it, it's still 50+ pounds of kid being pushed in front of me while I follow behind like an injured dog. Secondly, I've only been averaging 4 miles of running per week and two additional days of walking and running while trying to encourage my other kids to "bike faster!" Clearly, running hasn't been my highest priority.

So, I did the math for my route this morning while waiting for Maya to go down for her nap. I was determined to run without the BOB handicap. I checked and re-checked the math. I did not, however, actually re-check the route via car before I set out. The first 2 miles, I was feeling fab. Running without the stroller is wonderful! I started to feel a bit challenged after that. My breathing was more labored. Coming around the last bend, I knew I had about 1/2 mile left. It was definitely taking some mental concentration to keep from slowing down. I was trying very hard to keep my pace and even speed up a bit. My personal goal was to do the 5K in 30 minutes max. By the time I hit the stopping point, I was whooped.

Looking at the clock when I got home, I was disappointed to discover I had been gone for 40 minutes. However, and this is where you get to laugh at me, when I plugged in my pedometer to the computer, I had not gone 3.1 miles. I had run 4.1 miles!. That would explain why I found it so difficult. So, bad news: I calculated the route wrong. Good news: I did the 5K in 28.179 minutes. Not bad for my first time out. In my defense, as a homeschooling mom, my math was actually correct. I'll have to drive the route again and see what I did wrong in figuring the distance.

Tomorrow, we do the family 5K. Airon and Spencer said they want to walk. Soren suggested we drive the 5K. That wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I gave them the option of walking/running or riding their bikes. Andy and I will walk and push Maya. Stay tuned...