The family that runs together...

Yesterday after dinner, Zdenek and I settled in to watch (and fast forward) through the previously broadcast Boston Marathon. Boston is always one of the year's highlights, and yesterday's race proved to be an especially exciting one. (I was, however, a bit perturbed to see that the conditions were conducive to a blistering fast, record-setting pace, and thus couldn't have been more different from the day I ran Beantown. Maybe someday I'll have a return showing to try my luck again; given the new qualifying standards and procedures, though, I doubt it.)

Watching Ryan Hall give his post-race interview, I was, as always, awestruck by his positive attitude and accomplishments in the sport. And then I began daydreaming about how happy it would make me if Ryder becomes a serious runner (let alone a world-class one). When compared with other sports (e.g. swimming, hockey, baseball, cycling), running is convenient, cheap, and will likely keep you in good shape for the rest of your life. Indeed, I can point to a lot of fat ex-swimmers and ex-hockey players, but very few fat ex-competitive runners. This is due, I think, to the simple fact that running can be maintained without teams, coaches, and fancy facilities: once a runner, always a runner. And while I never want to be that parent, and Ryder will certainly have to find his own passions in life, I hope that I can nudge him in the running direction just a little. He might, after all, stand a chance at being semi-competitive: great endurance runners tend to be short (check), and have strong hearts (hopefully, check).

Happily, we're on our way to setting him on that course. Zdenek was cleared for running last week, and we enjoyed two "family runs" in Central Park over the weekend. It's great to have my husband back at my side, and also nice to have someone share the load when pushing Ryder in the Chariot. I look forward to the day when Ryder can cycle his little bike beside me on my morning run, and then, someday, run beside me (until he leaves me in the dust altogether). And even if he's never world-class, I hope that he, like his mom and dad, is able to find joy and good health in the simple ritual of putting one foot in front of the other.

A head start

I was delighted to read this in the NY Times this morning, again confirming that running and pregnancy go hand-in-hand, and hopefully Ryder will reap the benefits for many years to come.

Timing

The update: Zdenek is still dealing with broken metatarsal bones and has been unable to run, but today he heads to the doctor to (hopefully) get the go-ahead to resume normal physical activity. In the meantime, he's managed to fit in a couple of bike rides, but that's clearly insufficient to keep him both happy and as fit as he'd like. Our cumulative sleep deprivation is starting to wear on both of us, and, though Ryder is obviously the love of our lives, I can admit that it was kind of nice last night when he went to bed at 7 pm, and we enjoyed an "adults only" evening (consisting of leftovers for dinner and the BBC news) before heading to bed. (Of course, even though Ryder slept well, neither of us managed to do the same, as I think we've actually forgotten how to sleep more than a couple of hours at a stretch. I can't believe it, but it's true.)

In other "I can't believe it" news, a funny thing happened a couple of weekends ago when I headed out for an eight mile run in the Park. Zdenek took Ryder out in the stroller to enjoy the sunny weather, and we agreed to meet back at home for lunch in about an hour. I managed to beat them home by about 5 minutes, and when Zdenek came home, he told me that he thought had seen me running in the Park, but wasn't convinced it was me. Why? Because I was too fast. That's right. You read that correctly: Too fast. Apparently, he saw a girl who looked like me, was dressed like me, and ran mostly like me, except that she was much faster than he was accustomed to seeing.

Turns out, it was me, and indeed, I am faster these days. I haven't run over 8.5 miles in four or five months, but I am managing to post my fastest paces ever, even with only bits and pieces of sleep to fuel me. I think it's due to having (a) limited time to fit in the miles, and so every mile must be run quickly, and (b) 10 fewer pounds on my frame. I really feel that, if I began serious training, I might be able to crack 3:20 in a marathon right now. The sad irony is that just as I'm posting good times, I have no time to put them to good use.

Perhaps once our schedules even out a bit more, I'll try for a 10K race sometime soon. I've never raced that distance before and so I wouldn't even know what to expect, but it can't hurt to try something new. And besides, 2011 will need to be the year of running quickly, because parenting is the only endurance event on my calendar this year.

Sunny Saturday

This morning, I was forced to choose between taking Ryder out in the jogging stroller or foregoing a run altogether. Zdenek is working (on a Saturday!) so I am alone all day with no one to watch the boy if I want to go out.

Although Ryder seems to like the jogging stroller just fine (he can't really move an inch when he's in his bunting), I've been trying to get him used to taking naps in his crib rather than being rocked to sleep by the motion of a stroller. Over the past week or so, though, napping seems to have suddenly "clicked" in his little brain -- I simply put him down when he's sleepy and he drifts off to dreamland unassisted (the occasional nuk replacement is required, but that's okay). So now that I feel more confident that he can nap in his crib, I figured I might as well take him for a spin in the Park this morning under the beautiful weekend sunshine. And since I haven't been running in over a week, I was definitely itching to get out there.

I am delighted to report that I ran the full, hilly loop of Central Park in an 8:33 minute/mile pace, pushing an extra ~40 pounds! Two guys who passed me early on shouted, "Awesome job! Do you have room for two more in there?" And later, as I passed a different pair of male runners while climbing Harlem Hill, I heard one say to the other, "Now I don't feel so tough -- being passed by a woman pushing a stroller uphill." I remember saying the same thing to myself when I'd get passed by moms with jogging strollers (sometimes with TWO kids inside).

I am the first to admit that I miss my solo, carefree days of running, and it makes me a little sad and nervous to think that it might be a long time before I have the chance to properly train for another marathon. But these days, I'll take what I can get. And though I'm still not the speediest mom out there, it's nice to know that I can still get in a decent run with my new little buddy.

One great hour

As I've been strolling Ryder through the Park in recent weeks, I've been rather jealous of the many cyclists whizzing by me during the daylight hours. Although I have no idea who these people are that don't seem to work but instead spend their afternoons cruising around on $5,000 bikes, I'd still like to be one of them. Lately I've been thinking, Are my cycling days over (at least for the next few years)? Sure, Zdenek and I can hook Ryder up the back of our bikes in his Chariot stroller in a few months' time, but we won't be able to cruise fast down the hills or draft quite so closely with a baby in tow. Are we destined for leisurely family rides and nothing more? When will I ever get the chance to ride fast on my little red Giant again?

And then, yesterday, it happened. Since breaking his foot a few weeks ago, Zdenek has been unable to do anything more than walk 15 city blocks daily. He's been starting to get a wee bit annoyed at the lack of physical activity in his life, and figured that he's now feeling good enough to fit his foot into a cycling shoe and snap it into his pedals. Although I was a bit dubious and didn't want him to unnecessarily stress his broken bones or set back his recovery in any way, the man could not be persuaded otherwise (and I don't blame him).

So with the weather just above freezing yesterday and with Babi here to babysit, Zdenek and I pulled down our bikes, pumped up the tires, and set off. The wind was absolutely howling and I was concerned that I might have forgotten how to ride my bike altogether. After all, the last time I rode was in August when I was five months pregnant!

But the second we got going, we were flying. We rode for one hour together (Zdenek never getting out of his saddle but me still struggling to keep up with him on the uphills), and it was awesome. I have really, really missed cycling. Maybe on Saturday we'll get one more ride in before Babi departs.

Mobile

"Mobile" seems to be the word of the day around here. We can use it in many different ways:

* Last week was a great week to be MOBILE. I actually hit 40 miles, thanks to some awesome babysitting help from Baba.

* Sadly, Baba is no longer around. Earlier this week, we were MOBILE by flying back to NYC. To say that I was overwhelmed / nervous / petrified about finally being left entirely on my own with the babe would be an understatement.

* On Monday evening -- his birthday, no less -- Zdenek decided to run a Ryder-related errand at the hospital administration office. On the way there, he managed to step wrong and break two bones in his foot, landing himself a trip to the ER (good thing it was only down the hallway). My husband is now completely imMOBILE for the next six weeks. (Once again, though, Zdenek has proven himself to be a champ. Not one utterance of a complaint or whine has crossed his lips, despite the fact that he's been instructed to not walk more than 15 city blocks per day for the next month and a half. I don't know how he does it, but my husband has the most outstanding attitude of anyone I know.)

* Yesterday, leaving my imMOBILE husband at home with Ryder (which made me feel very badly), I ran 8 minute miles in the Park. Perhaps the higher altitude training + a few days off from running gave me an extra boost (because it definitely wasn't due to being well-rested!).

* I just managed to put Ryder down for a nap all by himself (i.e. no holding, rocking, shushing, etc.), and I think the magic touch was the bassinet MOBILE. As soon as I put it over his little head, he was mesmerized. And soon, asleep. Ah, small victories...

New measures of endurance

It's funny what constitutes a "marathon effort" these days. Yesterday, I completed my longest run in three months -- 8.7 miles. It was -17 degrees Celsius with the wind chill, but I kept a good clip and felt well. I could have run further, but, alas, I operate in increments of two hours these days. If someone would have told me a year ago that anything over eight miles would constitute a "long" run, I would have laughed (or cried). But so it goes.

And last night, Ryder slept for the longest stretch ever between feedings. Maybe it had something to do with my run? I need to aim for ten miles this week...