Running with Dad

At Thanksgiving last year, my dad and I ran my hometown’s 3mile turkey trot. This was my first race coming off a 6 month break due to sprained ankle, and my dad’s first race in 35 years – since college (he’s a hall of fame track and cross country runner at Richland Center High School)! The race was rough for both of us. I learned that my pre-sprain HM pace was my post-sprain 5K pace, and my dad’s calves really bothered him. We were a pitiful pair after the race. But we managed to have lots of fun anyway wearing our matching turkey belly shirts!

Since then, we’ve both continued to run consistently. My dad joined a running club, trained for a spring 5K, and crushed it! I continued to build back my fitness and in 2014 have new PRs in the 5K, 15K (2 PRs), 10 mile, and HM (2 PRs) races. Now Dad is training for a late summer 5K, and I’m running the AFC Half on August 17.

My running buddy and I were reunited the week after July 4th when my family visited me in San Diego. We did 4 runs together that week, and I got to show him some of my favorite places to run in San Diego.

Dad did his long run, and I ran a shakeout on July 5th (recovering from my July 4th 15K) on Harbor Island.

We also made Mom and Dad wear their yellow shirts to the zoo so we could spot them if they wandered off. 

Then the next day we ran easy together in the Presidio – which I thought would be a great spot to run because it was hot that day, and it is shady there. I failed to consider how hilly it is, especially for my dad who is used to the flat lands of Illinois!

But I made it up to him by skippering our sailboat around San Diego Harbor that afternoon.  

And by being tour guide through the trails of Torrey Pines State Park.

Meanwhile, at the beach, my nephew, Nilo, was keeping his parents entertained.

When we weren't running, we had Auntie Kristen and Grandpa duties.

Which included finding crabs in tide pools.

Digging pennies out of fountains and making numerous wishes for dragon toys.

Looking for fire trucks, garbage trucks, police cars, construction trucks, . . . 

And we shared these duties with Grandma and Nilo's mom and dad. They climbed on rocks.

Played in the splash park.

Went down slides.

And played at San Diego's most beautiful beaches!

Two Little Runners ~ Kristen