Our first family 5k

We ran our first 5k as a family on Saturday night.

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(Sweaty and triumphant! Except for Liv, whose face is like, “Ew, mom”)

I wasn’t sure if I’d have the gusto after a full day of teaching, but when a friend at work told me she’d be running the 5k, I couldn’t help but think it would be a ton of fun. Liv could come with us, the people-watching was guaranteed to be supreme and even if we took it easy, it would be an enjoyable Saturday night activity.

I got home from work, packed some essentials for Liv, and we headed downtown.

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I was shocked to see so many people at the race. It was a huge event!

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We watched the kids’ mile and got ready to start in the very back of the pack. Even though it was a scorcher of a day -it finally started to cool off when the sun went down- my sudden burst of energy surprised me as we waited to race. I think the race atmosphere alone invigorates me — it’s been way too long since I’ve ran one! While I’ve completed quite a few 5ks, this was my very first race with a jogging stroller… and it was intense.

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The first mile was extremely challenging. It was absolutely packed, we were in the very back, and it was nearly impossible to pass people with the stroller. (We run with the Bob Revolution SE and LOVE it.) A few times, I found myself stuck behind a straight line of power-walkers, with no room to pass on the left and no space in between. Eventually the Pilot started to run slightly ahead of us to make a path so we could break away. The front wheel of the stroller was locked for safety, so I used a lot of energy lifting and rotating so we could make the small turns.

The cheering stations were by far my favorite part of the race. People cheered in their front yards, played music and sprayed the runners with yard hoses. The water felt AMAZING. Liv was happy as a clam during the race; I think she liked watching everyone. We gave her a toy and water in a sippy cup, and she was a great running buddy the entire time. It makes me excited to do more races with her in the fallโ€ฆ I think we’re at the point where it’s too hot now.

The Pilot and I took turns pushing the stroller during the race, which helped a ton; there was no way I could have ran the entire thing without him. After mile 2, my body started to remember everything else I did that day, and part of me wanted to quit. At the same time, I really wanted to finish strong since we didn’t have much farther to go. We crossed the finish line at 30:01. Not my fastest 5k, but the most fun by a landslide.

We parked the stroller at the nearby park so we could watch the remaining runners finish, and Liv could shake her legs out after riding in the stroller.

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(Can we take a moment of silence for baby athletic gear?)

She quickly found two little girl friends . They played together and walked around, the three of them holding hands. <3

My little running buddy:

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I hope to show Livi that fitness is a way of life, and it should be something you enjoy. I can’t wait to see what activities she grows up to to love.

Have you ran a 5k? Fellow mamas, any tips for racing with the jogging stroller? Do I need a horn or bell? Haha.

Hope you’re having a wonderful day! Don’t forget to enter the Stitch Fix giveaway.ย 

xoxo

Gina

Summer Shape Up friends, be sure to check in with today’s steady state workout! Tweet me (@fitnessista #summershapeup) or leave ย a comment to let us know what you did and how it went!

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117 Comments

  1. Stephanie on June 4, 2013 at 9:39 pm

    After signing up for my first marathon (after running several halves) I decided to do a nice 45 min run in the Humid Florida heat! Im super excited about SSU because I want to push my fitness and get in the best shape possible before starting marathon training in Aug.

  2. Heidi on June 4, 2013 at 9:52 pm

    I say go with a bell ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ That’s so awesome that you were able to do the race! Good for y’all!! ๐Ÿ™‚ And that baby workout gear = to die for. ๐Ÿ™‚ Also am very curious to hear what type of tips you get on racing with a jogging stroller (and how to find races that allow jogging strollers – i know many don’t!) please share in an upcoming post ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Katie on June 4, 2013 at 10:59 pm

    I did an evening run for my 30 min. steady state. I’m on the same page as you with the hot hot weather..and humidity. My running as of late has never been more than 2 – 2.5 miles, so it felt good to push myself for a solid 3 miles..which was a little over 30 minutes. Thanks for the motivation!

  4. Olivia on June 4, 2013 at 11:28 pm

    I loved getting in a morning run today.

  5. Rochelle on June 4, 2013 at 11:33 pm

    I did 45 minutes steady state….a jog in a new neighborhood

  6. Rochelle on June 4, 2013 at 11:33 pm

    I did 45 minutes steady state….a jog in a new neighborhood

  7. Ruthie on June 5, 2013 at 12:14 am

    Late check-in but my 45 mins of steady state was incline walking on the treadmill!

  8. Katie O on June 5, 2013 at 12:24 am

    I squeezed in a zumba video today! Felt so good after yesterday’s workout! I’m walking funny today…:-)

  9. Jaime on June 5, 2013 at 12:53 am

    I put in my 30 min on the spin bike today. I’m feeling sore today, and I love it! Yay SSU!

  10. Meagan on June 5, 2013 at 1:00 am

    FUN! ๐Ÿ™‚ I’ve got a 10k this weekend!

  11. Laury on June 5, 2013 at 3:09 pm

    So sweet! Liv is getting so big!

    I commend you both. I don’t think I could run half a 5k pushing E. I hate saying I
    cant, but it would be hell. Unless I had a better jogging stroller, the one I have is super heavy!

    Ps–love your top, I have the same one ๐Ÿ™‚

  12. Whitney on June 5, 2013 at 4:53 pm

    You are such an inspiration friend. This makes me so happy. Liv is getting so big and beautiful! I die for her athletic shorts and racerback! xoxo

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