Fitness Journal - 22 May 2009

I stepped out into the 3pm heat. The sun dropped over my head and my shoulders burned under my navy t-shirt. The kids ran around outside shooting each other with water guns. Trucks of tanbark rumbled by. I sat on the front stoop and quietly laced my sneakers.

I started my warm up walk around the cul de sac, stretching my calves, walking on the balls of my feet, and slowly taking lunges.

"Daddy, can we squirt you?"
"Not yet. I have my cellphone and my stop watch with me."
"Aw man..."
"Tell you what. Jog with me and you can squirt me when we're done."
"Really?"
"Really!"

They stopped and talked while I turned the corner and got to the starting line.
"Daddy, wait, we're coming with you!"
"Okay then, come on."

And we were off.

Up the street into the next cul de sac and around the curve.
"Are we ready to stop yet?" McKenna asked.
"Not yet."
"Well how long?" she huffed.
"Keep going."
We turned the corner and down the hill we ran, still keeping the slow small strides. The air was warm and my breath was a little ragged. McKenna asked again "Are we ready to stop yet?"
"Not yet."
She started to fuss but I just kept running. Owen skittered quietly about in front of me, almost making me trip twice but keeping pace.

All the way down the hill we ran. All the way down the hill McKenna fussed. I looked back at her. "If you didn't fuss, you could keep up!"
"I don't want to keep up!"
"I'm not stopping!" I was trying to beat my 15:00 minute mile. I was going to beat my 15:00 minute mile.

I turned the next corner and walked up the hill. Owen kept urging his sister on. I checked my time. Only 7 minutes elapsed so far. I could make it before 15 minutes, but I had to press on.

I caught my breath as I walked. McKenna asked "Do we have any water?"
"No"
"Can we call mommy?"
"We're almost home now. Let's keep going."

Along the rolling hills we ran towards our house. I could feel the energy in my legs giving out. My sides itched and my lungs were empty. I stopped and walked and heard a honking horn. Heather had driven by to pick up the kids. I let her shuffle them into the van while I kept going. So close to home and the stop watch showed 12:30. I was going to beat my best time!

I turned the corner to begin the hill climb up to my house and I started to sprint. 13:00, 13:30, I stopped at the corner and walked the rest of the way. I'd done it!

I complete my mile in 14:30, and as I rounded the corner back to the house, the kids ran out and sprayed me.

It was a good day.

(Photo Used by Permission from Flickr User Sylvain Mercier. All Rights Reserved)