Running Streak

I read a Facebook post from Runner's World just before Thanksgiving about a challenge to run at least one mile every day from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.  The thought is that most people lose a lot of their fitness during this time because they don't make the time for exercise in all the craziness of the holidays.  So, on a whim, I decided that I was going to sign on for the challenge.  Not that there is any reward besides the satisfaction of successfully completing 38 consecutive days of running.  I have 10 more runs to go to complete my streak!

I have to share this funny story regarding day 18 of the streak.  Brian was out of town, but had planned to come home early, so I'd have time to run in the afternoon. Well, it ended up that he wasn't going to make it back as early as he intended, so I had to get creative to get my mile in with four kids in tow.  I put Cristina and Ella in our double stroller and told Emma to get her bike and Charlotte to get her scooter.  I figured I could push the stroller along side them while they rode.  Well, Charlotte decided that she didn't want to take her scooter, which she is really fast on. She wanted to take this old tricycle instead.  I tried to convince her of her scooter prowess, but she was steadfast that she wanted the tricycle.  I knew it was a mistake, but I really wanted to get my mile in, so I relented.

We headed off for the mile.  We were maybe 1/3 of a mile from the house with multiple starts and stops with me running ahead and then back to drag Charlotte along. Finally, Charlotte says,"this tricycle is really not my thing.  It's just not my thing."  She was struggling to keep up and wanted to just run.  So, I did the only thing I could think of short of abandoning the tricycle on the side of the road.  I picked up the tricycle and let Charlotte run home. So, yes, I was the crazy women running in the neighborhood holding a tricycle and pushing a double stroller!  Trust me, it wasn't easy, but it was better than pulling Charlotte on the tricycle while pushing the stroller or constantly running back and forth with the cumbersome double stroller.  I really felt like I earned the mile on day 18.  Thankfully, most of the runs have been easy in comparison to this one.