Helped My Husband Complete His First Half-Marathon!

Not a race, just a run but we did it together and it was super exciting as it was my husbands first. I never thought the day would come, but he's come so far as a runner and I'm quite proud! We agreed to have 10 miles be the longest (which may be too long already) for the babies to come on a run with us. So we were prepared for this run by traveling up to my parents house in the 'burbs and leaving the kiddos with them while we set out in one of the long-running (30 miles or so of trail that connects town to town in the suburb). It's more corn fields and prairie than forest (which is my husbands favorite type of trail to run in), but it was a nice change. Beautiful day! The sun was just warm enough and there was a gentle breeze that really made us seem like we were surfing it while running, as we were on a lot of open prairie with nothing to block the wind and sometimes on top of a hill. There was nothing between us, the land and the sky - it seems perfect and surreal. The trail started off paved for about the first 3 miles, then went to a smooth dirt trail that was quite fitting once we hit the prairie and corn fields. Really made it feel like we were running some lonely back country road. When I used to live with my parents, I would use these trails quite regularly and I remember always going South on the trail instead of North (the way we were running today), because it was too secluded. Today, there was a sparse amount of people; just enough to keep things moving and keep with a nice isolated feel at the same time.
I was feeling great from start to finish. I had to check up on my husband a few times as he started out with some ankle issues in the beginning and low energy about 7 miles in. I was getting a bit worried when we met our turn around point as I could really see him struggling. I knew he made 10 miles a few times and I knew he had the determination in him - he's never quit anything he's set out to do yet  and probably won't. I knew we would make it. I love running with him and today, without the babies, sparked my love in running even more. I felt back in the zone and really felt the run today. However, I do have a bit of a type A personality when running (especially when not with the babies). I try to motivate and support my husband, but admittedly, sometimes it's of selfish intention. I know he can run a fast 5k now and I think some part of my brain was ready for him to run this whole distance at my pace. However, we started out at his pace (floating between a 9'20 and a 10'), but then he started to slow down at mile 6 or so and I was obliviously running ahead of him (just maintaining that pace we started out at). I was pausing and running back to him when I would get too far and did this pretty much the whole way back more than a few times. I felt bad, but at the same time, my brain and legs kept telling me that he'll catch up; I shouldn't slow down. He didn't really seem to mind this, so I kept doing it; making sure not to leave him too far behind. I wasn't running at a fast pace, just one I thought I could keep a goal for him to do (it was around a 10' or so). His Garmin did not work for this run; I guess when I packed it up, it was accidentally turned on and it ran the battery out. Oops! Thankfully, we had my Nike p.o.c. and used that for both of our times. As I was ahead of him, I would shout out our miles and when I went back to him I would try to give him little pep-talks and went into cheerleader mode enough to support but not too much to annoy. Then I would run ahead.
A great first half-marathon together. I'm looking forward to the next one and hope we get just as awesome of a day. This run will be a great memory; the gorgeous day, the relaxing run and an accomplishment of my husbands I'd like to say I had some part in influencing him on. :)

Dat Heat

The last weeks or so of not blogging have just been running in the park with the babies in tow on our usual park run of ~4 miles. The heat was pretty horrible, but we've been running after I get out of work so it isn't as sweltering. However, the last few days I actually had to say no to my husband in taking the babies out in this heat. Even with our breakneck speeds that provide the babies with enough of a breeze to cool them (Ha!), it is still way too hot for them. There is a little splash pad in the park, but I'm always a bit reluctant to let them go near it; seems a little dirty.
Anyways, so the last day we ran together was on Monday and my husband actually took the stroller the whole time (first time ever!) because he seemed he was still revved up from his race and had tons of energy. He actually tried to hand the stroller over once and I urged him to keep going, as he was doing so good. >:)
The last two days (after sitting out Tuesday and Wednesday; with Wednesday a sit out because I had to wait for the gas company to come reconnect our gas - long story) but I skipped morning nap with the babies and ran a ~7 miler on the treadmill on Thursday and today I only ran a 6 miler today because it was still so hot and humid in the workout room. The treadmill is located upstairs and we don't have the AC vents on in that room (only the babies bedroom and ours to save) and the vent is practically on the ceiling, so I just dealt with it.
This Sunday had better be a cool one, as my husband and I are going to the burbs and dropping the babies off at the g-parents house and attempting our first 13miler together. There is a long trail connecting town-town in the suburbs where my parents live, so we're going to try and head out early and get our half-marathon in (my husbands first and who knows what # this one is for me).
Until then, here's some pictures of the babies in the pool having fun and keeping cool:

Babies playing nicely.

Evander learning to kick, while holding on to the fence!

Madeline is a hard baby to take a pic of, but she's actually looking in this one!