What a Difference a Year Makes...

...not for me; for my kids.  I know, I know. They are at that age where every day they seem an inch taller, a word or two closer to being able to express themselves reasonably (that is, without breaking down in tears or screaming until they're blue in the face), and generally just ready to kiss this hacienda good-bye and head off on their own.  Despite that, I am still surprised when we do something as a family that flows painlessly - at least as compared to the last time or two we did it.

Okay, by now you are surely wondering what the hell is she talking about.  Namely this: my kids did a fun run with me.  I mean, our running club holds these things every month and my kids have been dragged along with us more times than I can count, but they rarely actually RUN one.  In fact, the closest they have come to running a club-sponsored fun run with us was last year in October when I cajoled them into doing a short trail loop with me and we ended up kind of sort of half running, half walking the route.  It was great, and in fact I wrote about it here, but it wasn't painless.

This past Wednesday, though, was different.  I didn't think it would be given the Aw, do we have to go? and Can't we stay with Grandma and Grandpa? I got before leaving the house.  In fact, I thought for sure I would be pulling them around the trail again, cajoling and pleading, gritting my teeth and saying Isn't this fun?  Boy, was I wrong.  This year - this one time at least - they really got into it, and they ran pretty much the whole way - at least a 1.5-mile loop at Bubolz Nature Preserve.

Standing around at the start, there was no indication that things were going to play out differently.  They were horsing around as usual as the runners got their instructions and prepared to set off.  I was chatting with one of the hosts of the run when the running group actually started, and what happened?  Lo and behold, my kids took off after them!  A shouted Mom, they're leaving! was the first indication I had that we might actually do something this run.  After calling them back so we could pick up a couple of maps - one for E. and one for me - we set off.

Of course, it was beautiful.  What's not to like about wooded trails in the fall before hunting season starts.  The leaves were falling; the air was crisp, but it was sunny; and no need to wear hunter's orange yet.  (Not that I go out in hunting season anyway.  I don't care what I am wearing, moving at a run through the woods with itchy trigger fingers around is not my idea of a wise move.)

We ran along at a decent clip for most of the run.  We did stop quite a bit of course whenever we reached a trail crossing.  I think E. enjoyed consulting the map and tracking our progress almost as much if not more than the actual run.  LG did alright for himself too.  He is not as fast as E. or me, but he plods along at a consistent pace.  Occasionally, he would ask me to hold his hand as we trotted down the trails after his sister, and that was somehow just nice.

There was no complaining, there was no feet dragging or tiredness; it was as if we were all somehow just where we were meant to be.

Happy Running!