Sub-Par Running Week, Super-Sized Park Week

This week I had one decent run and three not-so-fabulous runs. More importantly, though, with Isaac turning two years old on Tuesday 2/15, we have had a doozy of a week playing at playgrounds!

On Valentine's Day, with Chasen's visiting mother in tow, we headed to the Olive Branch City Park. Isaac had a fabulous time! His two friends Eli and Jude (adorable brothers) came, also.

Isaac pretends to use the big boy swing as his grandmother looks on.

My two fun-loving boys show off their pretty smiles.

Chasen and I prove that it is indeed Valentine's Day. Goofballs!

On his birthday Isaac received a very cool tool set. He has been in fix-it mode ever since.

Prior to putting "Gran" on a plane back to Oklahoma, I went out for what was supposed to be an 8-mile pace workout. I didn't have a lot of time, so I opted to shorten it to 6. I did a good job, but as I got back to my starting point I realized that I was only at 5.75 miles. Doh! I had to call it quits, though, for the sake of the airport.

On Wednesday I was to do 4 easy miles. It was so gorgeous outside that I thought I'd break out the stroller for the first time in probably three months. Isaac and I headed to our old neighborhood. I just wasn't "feeling it," as they say. We lasted 2.5 slow miles.

Same old story for Thursday... except this time it was to be treadmill speedwork. Three miles is not six miles... but better than zero miles.

This brings me to today. My final pre-Cowtown longrun! 10 easy miles! The wind blew at me the first five miles. Seriously! Needless to say, heading back toward home was a lot easier. I got through it, which is about all I can say. This week, as a whole, was sub-par on the running front.

I have thought about it, and since I am in taper mode, slogs are acceptable in my book. Now I need to focus on rest. Lots of it. My TWO-YEAR-OLD is wearing me out! Seriously - he has started to wake up 1 - 1.5 hours earlier than he used to. Yuck. *yawn*

In order to try to wear him down a bit, after my longrun today we went to THREE parks. The first was super crowded with bigger kids. The second was tiny and uncrowded, but there was a pond with ducks and geese, and Isaac was more interested in them than the playground. We finally ended up at our old standby which was just right. It was a Goldilocks situation!

My boy is getting more and more brave. Aye aye aye!

This time next week I will be in Fort Worth (alone) preparing for marathon #5. Holy cow! Time flies when you're super busy!