Hangover Handicap 2014

I wrote this 2 weeks ago and it somehow didn't get posted. 

Still smiling before the Hangover Handicap.

 

I talked the boys into doing the Hangover Handicap with me this year. It wasn’t too hard to talk them into it. I asked if they wanted to do it with me and they both said yes. No arm twisting required. Although it was a slightly different story when I had to roust the teenager out of bed in the morning, after he had stayed up to ring in the new year. At least he isn’t old enough to be hungover, just a sleepy teen.

It was about 10 degrees warmer this year than it was last year when I did it. We started at 30 degrees, but it warmed up to 36 or so by the end of the race. I wore a long sleeve tshirt and a sweatshirt and by the end was sweaty and hot. So it was plenty. Z wore a sweatshirt with a down vest over it. Then he wore the race t-shirt over all of that. He resembled a blue stay puff marshmallow man. Nate opted to not get the t-shirt. It saved me $10 to skip buying a shirt he said he won’t ever wear. I got one for myself though. I’m collecting race shirts now. :)

 

Nathan was happy to walk by my side the whole time. We chatted and laughed and enjoyed each others company. He is a kid who is less active than he should be. He enjoys running and playing rough and being active when he is encouraged to, but he isn’t likely to jump up and choose it. He seemed to enjoy the walk and he told me he had fun. He is definitely looking forward to the other races that we are planning this year. They both ran ahead when we got to the Vitacourse by the lake. It’s a series of obstacles and instructions that have been placed there, I assume, by the city or some exercise group. They did each one and caught up with me as I kept walking. Other than that, he stuck with me.

Xander is a very active child. He doesn’t sit still for very long at all. He really wanted to run the whole race. So I encouraged him to run to X (the sign, a tree, the bench, etc). He would run to the point and either run back to us, or wait for us to catch up, then take off for the next point. He brought his yo-yo with him and the last mile he walked and played with the yo-yo. He’d drag behind a little, then run to catch up. He was a little bored waiting for us and told me to "keep going to the gym" so that we can run the next race. I doubt I’ll be running races by the next one that we are already signed up for, but I’ll be faster than today. I might ask a runner friend to go with him. He asked me to sign him up for some track races that are competitions. He did the America’s Kid Fun Run in 2009 (he was tiny) and still remembers that and has that in mind for a challenge. That was Jr Bloomsday, and I’m not sure they do it anymore. I told him he does Bloomsday now so he doesn’t need to do that one. But he walks Bloomsday with me so I guess it doesn’t count. :)

We finished 8 minutes faster than last years time. I was impressed. When I started the race I was already sore from an intense squat workout the day before. I didn’t stride as long as I might have so I thought I’d be just as slow as last year. It was a great feeling to push the stop button on the timer and see progress.

 

I ended up with some knarly blisters. One is the size of a quarter and I didn’t even know I was getting it! It showed up later in the day. Another is on the ball of my foot. I felt the friction on that spot for the last 2 miles. I think it’s almost time for some new shoes. Today I’m wearing super cushy socks that I got for Christmas. It helps!