Slamming into Gear

I exercise regularly for a lot of reasons. For my health. For weight management. To challenge myself. It feels good to do something physical because my work requires me to live in my head so much. I like it that when Amelia woke up this morning the first thing she asked me was 'have you already been running today?' I want to set an example to my girls that includes exercise as a routine part of the day. But mainly I exercise most days because it is the only thing, the only time, I spend solely taking care of myself.

This morning I ran nearly 8 miles as I look toward my 10 mile race the end of this month - I was gone for about an hour and a half. I walked back into the house and it was like I had been gone for months. John was asking about dinner, Amelia had an accident, Ava wanted a snack. I slammed back into mom mode - tending to all of it and starting to unload the dishwasher. I was hungry, hot, sweaty and a little shaky after my run. What I wanted was someone to make me a snack, take a shower and lay down for a little post-run snooze.

While all of this was going on I was thinking about the YWCA Triathlon. Ava ran me in the last 100 yards or so - we crossed the finish line and I am feeling emotional, euphoric, spent. That feeling lasted a few brief seconds until Ava spotted the suckers at a table just off the finish.

"Mom, can I have a sucker?" Sure.

John and Amelia come to meet us and while John is congratulating me Amelia spots Ava's sucker and throws.a.fit! So I trot over and get Amelia a sucker. No time to relish the accomplishment when there are suckers to be procured.

While it may sound like it, I am not complaining. I am reminded to relish my alone time, guard the exercise, celebrate my own accomplishments because I am meeting many goals. First and foremost I exercise for myself. But this is so normal, so unremarkable to my children that they don't hesitate to seek out their mom the moment I'm done.

Me and the girls (and their suckers) after the YWCA tri....