Track meets as a mom/athlete

 I'm racing through the entrance of civic field with a child in each arm. There's a line to check in. Three arm bands that will have to wait to be put on, only time to make 2 name tags right now. Running across the field with 2 children,  applying wrist bands mid run. Plop toddler down on the track within seconds of the start of the 2 year old hurdles. We're not going to be late for my race, ha! I may as well be running tomorrow. It's track season kiddos!

Track meets with kids: help 2 yr old with race, wait around while 5 yr old demands turn. 2 decides race was not long enough, is about 100 meters away. Aww, she's an ultra toddler. 5 is running circles around the javelin. Help 5 yr old with race. Suprisingly, or not surprisingly, after all that waiting 5 is not ready to start race, takes about a 5 second delayed start. That'll kill your 50 meter chances. Find 2 who is climbing bleachers. Long jump time. Except not really, it's really just a big sandbox. We need to go across the track for 2's next race. But I'm playing sand box! Mom you's a BAD GUY! Collect 2 and 2 and 5's shoes and run across field while getting hit for spoiling play time. 5 is playing in the bleachers. 2 is actually a pretty good racer ("I ran fast at track meet. I won!) At 2 if you can run in a straight line all the way to the finish line without being distracted you are 90th percentile. 2 loves blue! Now 5 has disappeared. Gather 2 to look behind bleachers for 5. There is no 5. There is no 5! 5 has disappeared! Ask officials if they have seen 5, run around carrying 2 in panic looking for 5. Finally see her at the other end of the bleachers, crying with an adult. 5 ran to other end of the bleachers near finish line to watch 2's race and was hiding for some reason and is now traumatized. Comfort 5. Dad, who showed up about 5 minutes ago declares time to leave. 5 is cheered up enough to run her race which has just started. Runs 50 meters. Despite the short race distance 5 finds time to chat with fellow participants who look baffled as to why someone would be bothering them while they are racing. 5 loves green! Dad takes 2 and 5 home. Ahhhh.

Now it's only 2 hours until the 5k. My first chance to sit down all day. Feel like I'm in college again. Just sitting at a track meet all day, waiting for my turn to run, while getting increasingly anxious, except now two thirds of my anxiety has gone home. Anyone who has ever been to a youth track meet will not be shocked to hear that the 100 takes longer than the 5k. Once the 100 is over most people have left. Yet somehow the 200 still takes 15 minutes longer than is allocated for it on the schedule. It is almost 9 o'clock, in the pm, yet still light out. 2 and 5 are probably still awake, ok, the 200 can last a little longer. 

My unofficial goal is to run under 21 minutes. That's about 1:40 a lap. This is basically sprinting for me. In some ways the 5k is harder than the half marathon. I say unofficial because I have doubts I can run this fast anymore. But my race goes really well. I ran 20:34, which is my fastest 5k since 2013. 

Running Mom Crazy

 A lot has happened since my last blog. In April 2018 my first daughter was born, and in November 2020 m second. I am now returning to running in my biggest comeback since 2016. I have been running 50-60 miles a week, long run 14-16 miles, and ran my first half marathon in 7 years in March. (1:39), 5k (21:26) Faster than high school!

Running is difficult, being a mom is difficult and running while being a mom to preschool age children is even more difficult. But where there's a will there's a way, where there is no will there is no way. I am so grateful for my treadmill for making my comeback possible. I have many running friends who say they couldn't bear to run on the treadmill. That is 90% of runs. It is my miracle running machine. I used to be the running machine and now I have my own running machine. It enables me to run all my crazy miles and miles and never leave my house. I can run AND watch my kids at the same time. Take that guilt! 

To achieve your running goals as a mom all you need to do is neglect other areas of your life. For instance- I could put the toys away but in half an hour (or half a minute) they'll just be on the floor again. If you skip it, no one will know. Tomorrow will still happen even if the dishes aren't done- usually a few hours earlier than there is any reason for it to. Don't sweep after breakfast or lunch, but dinner, ( if you sweep at all. Tomorrow also comes if you don't sweep.) After dinner is the longest you can go without stepping on wet cheerios. Don't fold the laundry- just throw it in their drawers- they're going to have so much fun later pulling every item out and tossing it on the floor anyways. By now you may be screaming- but I like having a clean house! Oh man, me too. I just can. Not. Have one. I could spend my entire day cleaning and it would still look like a tornado invaded my living room. Cleaning when you have little kids is one of the most unrewarding jobs there is. (Also writing.) I can have a clean house when I'm old. How much of a runner can I be then? 

The internet tells me, "Don't ever let TV be your babysitter." Oh yeah, well, TV is the only babysitter I can afford. 

Tempos are run at 9pm at night. I love intervals now! So much time to check on my kids. Give me a two minute rest break and I can make a quesadilla.  I got sick more this winter than I did in the past decade. On the plus side, on the rare occasion I run and I'm NOT sick, it feels amazing! Funny story- did I mention how I found out I had Covid? My 15 mile felt hard, I still did it, I just got chills afterwards. 

I ran my best races and my highest mileage between the ages of 20-26. By 27 I was completely mentally burnt out. I tried many times to recover to no avail. This comeback feels better in a number of ways. Running is not my number one priority anymore. And that's a good thing! It takes the pressure off. My whole life is a little harder and that makes running seem easier. Time goes by so much faster now. Have to do a hard workout? Well in an hour or two it will be over. It won't last forever- nothing does. Not even being pregnant during a pandemic, whilst locked in the house with a 2 year old. 

It is easier to run (and do everything else!) without children but then easy has never been my style.