A true runner

Back in February I ran my first half-marathon and later that day Iddo ran her first race, a kids 1K and she did AWESOME! It was a tender moment for me. I need to go into greater deal on that race, for both of us. She’s been my faithful running partner since she was 6 months old. Since getting back to running after Izri was born Iddo has started pacing me on her bike for the first 1.25 miles or so before stopping at the house and then I continue on with Shimri and Shimei in the stroller.

Today was Iddo’s second race. She was super excited to get to do another one. We’ve spent the last 11 months trying to help her understand that they didn’t retire her bib number from her first race (#367) and that won’t be her bib number from here on out and forever. She didn’t see why she needed a new bib when she already had one taped to the back of her door. She went along with it though and today was #72 (I was #73).

It was a cold and windy morning. I lined up with her at the starting line and then went on ahead a bit right before it started. She wore her leggings, running shorts, long-sleeved shirt, “Speed Turtle” race shirt, a fleece jacket, and her Santa hat (the race was the Santa’s Little Helper 1K). The 5K afterwards was a cross-country type race and the 1K followed the last little loop of that. At one point the terrain changed from dirt to road and she tripped up a bit and fell hard, really banging her knee. She tore her leggings and cut the skin a bit and is probably going to have a good bruise there tomorrow.

But she got back up. And she kept going. She walked a ways while she got all of her crying out and then finished running. I was so proud of her! She’s a true runner. Her finish time was 8:08.

Based on the disappointed faces on Shimri and Shimei who had to watch from the stroller I’m guessing next December we’ll have 3 runners in the 1K. And I couldn’t be happier.

My own race went great. I did right around 10 minute miles and finished strong. Considering I just got back to running after Izri 6 weeks ago I’m very pleased with it. Brett took all the kids into the cafeteria of the high school the race was at while I ran and listened to their show choir perform. Iddo has been telling us all day that they sang Rudolph just for her.

And we did the whole thing with bells on our shoes, which is a fun effect when everyone is running with them on.