Last year when I went, things were bad. I went into it 100% unprepared, having run no further than from my car to the front door during a rain storm for...a while.
This time, I got a little more prepared. I've been using the elliptical machine/recumbent bike at work during lunch twice a week for about 6 months, and because there is really no substitute for actually running, I have been running at work twice a week(instead of the elliptical(I ain't THAT motivated) for the last month or so. Even in that month(maybe 8-9 times doing a 3-mile loop at work), I have seen improvement. Not saying I can run the whole 3 miles, but I've gone from 200 yards before I need to take a break to almost half a mile I before I need to take a break...and running maybe 30% total the first time to running/jogging 60% now. Imagine if I got really motivated?
Anyway...I didn't want to limit my daughter, so I've put a little bit of effort in this year. What I wasn't prepared for(what there is really NO way to prepare for), was the weather. The front that passed through this week dropped overnight lows into the low-teens.
See how happy we are? It didn't last long...air temperature when we showed up at the park to meet the rest of my daughters team was a Gosh-Awful 13 degrees! Now, I know I spent a lot of the summer complaining about how toasty it can get in The Tri-Cities, and so I promise, I won't complain about the cold again, but...there is a difference between getting to bundle up and go to work, and trying to stay flexible enough to run.
But you see(and this was the WORST part)...we didn't get to run right away. Because they were trying to organize some 300+ 8-12 year old girls into their 'teams', and get group pictures, they wanted us there at 8:30, for an event that didn't begin until 10! We had to stand out there in 13-degree weather for over 85 minutes, for a 40 second picture session!
That was pain. It may look like my daughter is grinning in our 'after' picture...but don't be fooled...that's a grimace.
Still...it was a great father/daughter bonding time...and hey new long sleeved T-Shirt! Plus, when it was all over...breakfast.
Might have to do 5K's more often...
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