TJ's First Race

(For those of you who don't want to miss out, this is actually the 4th blog entry of the night, so see below for more Thanksgiving pictures and fun.)

We have started a bit of a family tradition by participating in the local "Run Through the Woods" race each Thanksgiving morning in The Woodlands. This is either our 4th or 5th year, but it was TJ's first year to run the Kid's Mile race.

He was so pumped! He had seen Scott in enough races to know what it was all about, and he started "practicing" for it ahead of time. For example, one day, he ran from our house then down and around our cul-de-sac 5 times, saying he "ran 5 miles." Too cute. He was quite impressed with his heart beat and always had to stop in between to feel it beating.

Anyway, race day, he ran the whole mile without stopping. Scott ran alongside him and certainly told him he could walk at anytime, but the little guy was like the Energizer bunny. He was SO proud of himself!

TJ actually finished 13th out of 40 in the '5 yr old and under category.' Not bad for a first time racer who's had surgery on both feet...

I, in the meantime, was happy that I even finished the 3-mile walk at 29 weeks, which seems so silly to say considering that when I was pregnant with TJ, I was still jogging. Earlier in the week, I had to quit after 1.5 miles. How times change...I am bigger this time, but the big difference is that every time I do something that gets my heart rate up even the slightest bit, I get a cramp right under my belly that is a pretty sharp pain. (Like a side stitch when you run too soon after eating.) So, I honestly wasn't sure I would even be able to finish, considering I was pushing 70 lbs (two kids) in a double stroller while Scott ran the 5-mile race.

While I did finish the race, I really felt it the rest of the day for sure. We were working on putting up Christmas decorations all day, so I was on my feet and just didn't rest like I should have, so by evening I was totally pooped and my lower back was really sore. That is the last time I'll do that...the last two days since then I have consciously taken breaks (which is so hard to do) but I know that it's the right thing to do, so it will continue....