Superheroes, Goats and Kids

Yesterday, the Expert and I celebrated twelve years of marital bliss.  Okay, so maybe not bliss.  But it’s been a pretty darn good twelve years.

For the big celebration, we were starting out to kill each other in a 5k race to the death at the 2013 Superheroes vs. Villains 5k.

We woke up at the crack of dawn and dressed ourselves and the kids into funny costumes.

The Expert was crabby. Muttered something like “Happy 12 years” as he plodded to the bathroom at 5:30am… dude has never, ever jumped out of bed with anything other than a grumble.

The contrarion Swim Bike Boy is the same way.  Grumble grumble, went the two “supermen,” all the way to the race.

Stella and I were thrilled, happy early morning Wonder Women.   I like mornings.  I’m often very tired, but I like being up and at heading to races at dark thirty. Something fun about it.

The rain started coming down right before the race.  That was kind of a bummer, and it was pretty chilly.  Luckily, I had my trusty arm warmers.  We met up with Mountain Goat… this whole race was her idea.  The girl has some great ones.  She came as Darth Vadar… and she and the Expert spent a good 10 minutes mocking me for my lack of sci-fi and superhero knowledge.

3-2-1… the race started.

As you’ll recall, the Expert and I had separate race plans.  He was going to run the first mile at 11:00 pace, then the next at 10:00 pace, and go balls-out for the final mile.  I planned to push the pace, but keep it sustainable, for the first 2 miles, and then kick it up for the last mile.

The first two miles were AWESOME! I can tell you, I truly felt like a runner.  I looked down at my Garmin a few times, and I was holding steady at a 9:23 pace.  People, that’s fast for me.

I only glanced back once, and the Expert was nowhere in sight.  I thought, “YES! I’ve got him!”

Then I turned the corner at Mile 2.3, and there it was.  A nice, nasty hill.  I proceeded to plow up it, and *POOF* I could feel my Kettlebell strength workout from Thursday laughing at me, and I was D-O-N-E.  My heartrate was somewhere near the moon, and my legs were blown.

Walked up the rest of the hill and then tried to get my mojo back… I glanced down at my watch. I had a little less than 10 minutes to run the final 3.1 to break my sub-30 goal. Go go go go. My legs did not want to turnover.  When I realized that 11:00 pace was the best I had, I was mad.

I slowed to walk for a minute or two, and I turned around.

There he is!

And here came the Expert…. I could almost hear him shouting internally, I’ve got her now!

Ugh.

He ran up to me, and slowed down. I pushed him on the back and said, “Go! You can still make your sub-30!”

He stopped and walked with me.  I got mad, “Go!!!”  Doggonit, one of us should get the sub-30….

The Expert said he was tired and was ready not to head towards the medical tent.  SO, we ran the last 1/2 mile together, finished together and around 31:40…

What a great race, though.  And a suepr cool thing about this particular race?

They had a “Drop and Run” – meaning, the kids’ gymnastics center right there allowed you to drop your kids during the 5k, and pick them up after. How awesome!  The kids had a great time, and then we picked them up for their race.

The kids’ race was a bit of a mess. Apparently, the kids were supposed to run about 40 yards. But there was no clear “end” to the race, so the kids kept on running…. towards the STREET.  It was terrifying for a bit until some parents caught them and rounded them up.   I could just see the massacre of mini-superhero and villain children running into the street and the horror surrounding it.

And this time the Swim Bike Boy was right up there in the front.  Talk about terrifying.

So the Boy was doing great —- a side note to this, he’s never been super thrilled about the idea of running —- and the sudden turn-around and change of plans by the diversion from the street sent him into a fit.  He pouted and “quit.”

But still, super super super proud of him.  He’s making great progress…

Swim Bike Girl finished proudly, said, “Where’s my medal” and was all about it.

To Mountain Goat’s great pleasure, Stella said, “That race wasn’t long enough.”

And of course, Mountain Goat won her age group.

By the time the day was over, though, the Swim Bike Boy was thrilled. He found Spiderman, and they threw webs together.

We finished up the day with a nap. (I haven’t had a real nap in over a year…actually maybe two years. Seriously. It was divine.)

Stella wore her race medal all afternoon.

Then, as luck would have it, the kids’ school had a Parents’ Night Out thing – so we dropped the kiddos off around dinner time and strolled the mall to buy our anniversary gifts.  We decided this year we would pick out our own. The Expert got some new shoes and some cologne.  And I made out with the 12 year tradition…. gold? silver? diamonds?

Nope…

Coco.  Oooh la la.

A lovely dinner and that was that.  Another anniversary in the books.

Today, we have spent the entire morning in our pajamas. The Expert hasn’t moved an inch from the television.  The Swim Bike Kids are watching the latest “Alvin & the Chipmunks…”  The Swim Bike Family is slowly learning the art of relaxation.   Well, at least 3 of them are…

I am catching up on laundry and cleaning. I still have no idea how to sit still…  But I am taking today off from the gym because I am soooooo sore.  That’s something…