Running in Time

We're a running family.  

Running has been a constant in my life for, well, forever.  I'm constantly thinking about my last run or when I'm going to run again.  When I'm hurt and can't run as much, as has been the case since I was struck int he face by a line drive during the law league softball tournament weekend before last, I miss it terribly.  Fortunately, I ran on Saturday and Sunday, as I ease back into it.

This morning, Jude got up first and left for her daily walk in the neighborhood.  After I showered and got dressed for work, Joe came downstairs, still groggy, and put on his running shoes.  Today was the second day of middle school cross country practice at USN.  Right behind Joe was JP, up and chipper, with a scheduled hill workout at MBA with the high school cross country team.  I've got my gear packed in my gym bag, in my truck, so I hop on the treadmill at the YMCA this afternoon if all goes according to plan at work.

It's not lost on me how lucky Jude and I are to the the boys we have.  Active, competitive, athletic.  That stuff matters to them, perhaps because it matters to me.  I suppose seeing their dad lace up his running shoes and go out for a run over all these years in all kinds of weather has had an effect on them.  As I've said many times, I've always let them come to running rather than me take running to them. 

My hope is for the boys to be lifetime runners, like me.  There are so many things the boys can gain from being dedicated runners.  Discipline.  Perseverance.  Patience.  Strength.  Confidence.  I want them to understand that hard work pays leads to improvement.  Always.  Running can teach them that, for sure.  

I'm so looking forward to a fall of running.  Cross country practices and races for the boys.  Morning, night time, and weekend runs for me, squeezed into an incredibly busy schedule.  I can't wait for the inevitable departure of August (and summer) and for the arrival of cooler fall weather.  That's when then begins.