Before I get to hills, let me tell you that my baby girl Emma becomes a teenager today. Hard to believe 13 years ago I was cussing and screaming as I pushed out this precious child.
I don’t know why this birthday is hitting me so hard. Well, yes I do know. I am now officially not a parent of little children any more, but a parent of teenagers. There is something so bittersweet about this. I have been honored to watch my kids grow and learn and become more of themselves. But sometimes I wish for just a few more days of the age when they were cuddly little dough balls with big diaper butts, smelling all sweet from their latest bath.
Last year at this time (when Emma turned 12), I wrote a post about what I wanted my daughter to know. You can read it HERE. I went back and re-read it today. And, I agree with everything I said back then.
Now onto my morning with my other child, Heidi, who is still very much a toddler. I had hill repeats on the agenda today (from my Fast Forward training plan), and I was trying to figure out how to make running up and down hills fun and not hellish. I decided to go here (Eagle Trail/Boulder):
We got out there and the first thing Heidi did was take a huge dump (told you she was a toddler).
I love dog’s faces when they crap. It’s as if they’re thinking, “What? I’m not doing anything. Don’t mind me…just looking around.”
Yeah. You need to move here.
Heidi was patient during the warm up.
Then the prairie dogs started taunting her and she got pissed.
She wanted to poop in that hole, but I wouldn’t let her. It’s not nice to poop in someone’s house.
After a 10 minute warm up, I did 8 hill repeats. Heidi was so confused as to why I kept running up and down the same trail. But she joined me anyway.
I can never remember where I am in my repeats (because I am trying to not die), so I kept tracks with rocks. I am pretty much a genius. I could SO live in the wild.
By the 8th repeat I was very ready to be done. In all it was 6 miles. The up hills were done in heart rate zone 3 (very hard effort, anaerobic). The down hills were recovery.
Here was Heidi’s reward:
And, here was my reward. Not overly healthy, but it contains protein for recovery so I am going with that.
You may think running up and down hills is stupid, but here’s why you should do it:
1. Combines strength training with running
2. Strengthens tendons/ligaments
3. Improves form
4. “Hills are speed work in disguise,” said Frank Shorter.
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Favorite cereal? I’m not a huge cereal girl, but I do like ^^^^^^^^ this one.
Do you make hills a part of your training? If so, do you do them outside or on the treadmill?
How old are your kids? If they are older, do you ever miss the younger days? I’ve got to say I love the ages they are now, but sometimes I’d like to go back to toddlerhood for a day or two. ONLY a day or two. I don’t miss crappy diapers and tantrums and having to be so unselfish (hah!)
SUAR