The Undy

Last year Mike & I signed up for the Undy thinking I could borrow a wheelchair and still attend.  So we paid our money, but as the time got closer and closer to the date of the Undy we realized we were the only two people who had signed up.  Our team was HUGE the first two years, but last year...nobody even mentioned it.  I could only do so much while I was grounded to the house, but I was bummed.  And out a bunch of money.

I woke up this morning...after getting maybe four hours of sleep.    I had three texts...all friends canceling.  Our team was already a lot smaller than normal, but this made me want to crawl back in my warm bed and go back to sleep.  Luckily, Mike was my better half this morning.  He told me to get up so we could go celebrate my mom's birthday...with or without anyone else.  He was right.  So I drug my exhausted body to the bathroom and got ready to go.

We arrived late...well almost late.  Later than we hoped.  We arrived in time for the National Anthem and then it was race time.  We were at about the middle of the 5k racers pack when the race started.  After we crossed the starting line, we decided to run the 5k...without training for it.  We did better than we thought, but man do I wish I had run more before the race started.

I love to run, but I am not a good self-motivator.  I need a running buddy...which is probably why I loved to run in the academy so much.  I had about 30 running buddies.  I also LOVED to run with Carol...the conversation is motivating.  I tried to keep Mike talking to me, but he was not really getting what I needed.  I should have told him long before the last 1/2 mile what I needed from him (since we've never run together before), but I just assumed he knew.

Finally I smartened up and told him he HAD to talk to me...or I would die.  He said he didn't have anything to talk about.  I nearly lost it!  I told him he had to come up with something...and then questioned how he could have NOTHING to say to me!?  I think I yelled something along the lines of he was supposed to be my best friend that he had better figure out something to say to me!

I don't think Mike knew what to say...or think at that point, so he just started encouraging me.  We had about a 1/4 mile to go...and I really did want to stop.  But I didn't.  It took me 42 minutes and 20 seconds to finish, but I'm happy I ran...and I'm happy I didn't die.

We went to breakfast after the race, and then we ran a few errands.  We learned Blip likes protein pancakes at U.S. Egg as much as we do.  He tried the bacon and also had some eggs. We spent the rest of the day together just hanging out at the house...it seems like forever since we didn't have to be somewhere and just got to be home together.

I made a new recipe in the crockpot for dinner.  Blip LOVED it.  Rob and I took him to Carrabba's for dinner the other night, and he ate about 1/2 of my chicken marsala.  So I found another chicken recipe...he ate a tone of it...plus rice and green beans.  Mike ran out to get a movie for after Blip's bedtime...and brought home some Thrifty ice cream.  He didn't seem to love it all that much, but I think the cold bothered him.

We played for a while and then read 3-4 books and then he was READY for sleep.  He drank some of his bottle and fell asleep in my arms.  I've learned to quickly put him down...sometimes it helps him not to scream.  Tonight my trick worked...thank goodness.

Our day started early and ended happy. I love my little family...and I love the days that are simple.

p.s. Mike and I both feel as if we are 100 years old after our 5k with NO training.  My knees hurt often, but wow...running 3+ miles NOT in my running shoes and without a thought...not so good for bad knees.  Mike says his hips hurt...he blames running with his gun on his hip.   Guess we should have thought more about this.  For sure next year we will give it more thought...and hopefully my team will be back in the swing of things.