In Which We Run for the Roses

Saturday was Run for the Roses, a 5K that starts at Ella's school and winds through our neighborhood (but not past *our* house, which was a little disappointing). I am so raced out lately (even though the last race I ran was the Hot Chocolate 5K last November), but the race was almost too convenient to skip. Plus it was cheap as 5Ks go. Dean and I both signed up, and my in-laws were kind enough to come over at 7:30 to watch the girls while we ran. I'm fairly certain this was the smallest race I've ever participated in, and I got a kick out of the woman behind me in the porta potty line as she complained that last year runners had been allowed to use the school bathrooms. I told her it was the shortest porta potty line I'd ever stood in at a race. Plus they had portable sinks! What more could a runner ask for?

There was a bouncy house set up in the school play field and a clown wandering around making balloon animals, so the girls were in heaven. The majority of our neighborhood friends ran, too, so most of the girls' friends were there (can I tell you again how much I adore my new neighborhood?).

I am a snot when it comes to races. I hate, hate, hate running races that don't have chip timing. Case in point, the gun went off at this race, and we were back with all the stroller runners, so it was 45 seconds or more before we crossed the start line. Without a chip, that time counts into your finish time. So while I started off at a good clip and decided whether to try to chase Dean or maybe catch up with our neighbor N who was just a few paces away, I ended up having a pretty slow race. I've been having problems with my ankle, and it screamed in protest for the first mile. Then I had to stop twice to tie my shoes. Since I feel like race times don't "count" if there's no chip, I ended up phoning it in. I found my neighbor C (or she found me because she'd been running with a stroller and was initially behind me), and we ran the last leg of the race together. My time was abysmal (or so I think since I haven't checked to see what the "official" time was)--probably one of my slower 5K times. That and my stupid, nonhealing ankle injury had me really questioning marathon training, which starts in about a month. I'm slower than I've been in a long time. I'm not running as much as I should be. These two things do not a marathon runner make.

Funny, though, as much as Ella complains when I talk about going for a run, she is strangely committed to my running. I had no idea. We were sitting at lunch later that day, and I was telling Dean how slow I was and how I should probably give up running for something that I could actually be good at--like bowling (except I suck at bowling, so I'd have to settle for speed walking or something). Anyhow, Ella was very much against the idea: "But you HAVE to run, Mommy!" Maybe she has caught on to the fact that I'm a beast when I don't run? I really did think she hated the fact that I spend time running, but I guess not. More surprising still, Ella thinks I'm *fast*! I've tried to disabuse her of this notion, but to no avail.

All in all, Run for the Roses was fun, and we had a good time hanging out with the neighbors afterward. We forced Ella to take the photo below, which is why she looks so sour.... I give these children the earth, the sun, and the moon--the least they could do is cooperate in one photo, no?

Dean rocked the 5K, finishing in 26 minutes or something crazy like that. Life is so unfair. He is super fast but puts in about half the miles that I do, plus he loses weight by blinking his freaking eyes! Funny, I never realize how comical our height difference is until I see us photographed together. Like in the bottom photo, which was taken at the Orchard Village gala a week ago (note my height difference between photo #2 and photo #3--that's with and without heels). Also, check out how tall Ella is compared to me *already*! It's easier to see in the second photo since she's standing right next to me.