Impromptu Cross Training

Runner's World Tip:

If the idea of going on your regular four-miler just sinks you further into your recliner, remember that there are other ways to put in some miles - like a pickup game of soccer, flag football, or ultimate Frisbee. A soccer midfielder runs up to six miles in a regulation 90-minute game.

After a week of rain and cold, today was absolutely gorgeous. It's my cross training day so I have a date with Leandro and his Sculpting workout tonight, but I could not resist taking my 7-year old to the park. He played on the playground for awhile before requesting we play football. Sure, why not. We played catch for a bit, then he said it was time for tackle football even though "I don't want to hurt you, Mommy." We had an intense match up full of harrowing plays, darting to avoid tackles, head bumps, tongue bites, tickles, grass stains, and lots of laughter. Even though I can run for over 2 hours I was sore, my back especially. Slowly tackling a first-grader is harder than it looks! Fortunately I was granted a reprieve...for about a nanosecond...then it was on to "Mommy! Go down the slide!" So I did. And I was the biggest kid going down the tube slide.

Calendar of Awesome Entry:

Getting grass stains

First of all, getting a grass stain means that you were running around at high speeds without proper equipment. Maybe you slid last minute to avoid a frozen tag or made an awkward, somersault dive at a line-drive Wiffle ball. Either way, the grass stain symbolizes your large, devil-may-care investment in having balls-out fun, and that’s something worth respecting.
See, boring people, like myself, rarely get grass stains running around because we’re always doing it in Umbros and shin guards from 7:30 to 8:25 p.m. on Mondays down at the indoor Sportpark.
Now, when you’re just running around full throttle in cords and a sweater until you trip on a rock and fall down a hill, well, that is something. Walk home with pants full of grass stains, some spicy knee burn, and mud-caked shoes, and you’ve just had yourself a great day.
Awesome!

Showing off our grass stains

That sculpting workout tonight is going to hurt...