really real

for as much trash as i talk about my kids, which will no doubt come back to haunt me - "MO-OM!  i can't believe you told people THAT!" - it's time to embarrass myself.  from my earliest of posts on myspace, keepin it really real about my first pregnancy and first delivery, i find myself again, needing to never hold back.  that has always been my mantra with blogging; why blog if you can't be real?!

i ran yet another 5k this past saturday.  feeling as if i could possibly beat my previous times, all ranging from 31-33 minutes, i once again failed.  but.  again, i was pushing a stroller full of miebs children.  don't think that's my excuse though.  but in a roundabout way, it is.

the run for wildlife started and finished at westchester lagoon.  these types of out-and-back races are rather fun.  it's awful when you see the leader running at you when you've just hit your stride, but it's fantastic when you are the one on your way back.  the course had us on the coastal trail, where the trains are loud and full of toot-toots! and the float planes and jets are plentiful.  great distraction for the kiddos equipped with goldfish and sippy cups.  until.  one of them, not naming red-head's name, decided to launch the sippy from my somewhat brisk pace.  screeeeech!  had to jet back to grab it, but not without a few disgruntled looks.  don't worry, i passed them soon after.  the thing is though, every second counts!  gah!  so fault number 1 goes to kid number 2.

and my other excuse...

after i reached the halfway-turnaround-point, pounding the pavement down the slight incline, i could feel my bladder alerting me to pay it attention.  i cranked up my ipod in an effort of distraction, but just like that, i was sprinkling in my drawers!  i grabbed myself (gah!  i can't believe i'm typing this!) and attempted to run faster with one hand on the stroller and the other on my you-know-what and still managed to keep my pace going.

at this point, my mind flashed to images of marathon finishers.  growing up, occasionally my parents would bring us to cheer on the finishers at the twin cities marathon.  i vividly remember seeing both men and women, crossing the line with brown substance on their short-shorts and down their legs.  when my mother explained to me what that actually was, i was mortified.  for them.  and, the thought that that! could actually "just happen."  i am competitive but not that competitive.  if i were about to (excuse me here) shit myself, personal record or not, i would find the nearest patch of grass or dark alley to sidestep into and take care of business.  i digress.

back to me...

there i was, meters from the finish line, worrying that i would end the race with soaked drawers.  thankfully, kegels DO work.  so do them, ladies!  pre and post kids!  but of course, i never had this sort of issue pre-kids, so fault number 2 goes to both kids.  really though, it's just a run, and they're always for fun.  this was a stop watch timed race, so it's hard to say how accurate it is.  my time was 31:53 (two seconds over my last race time), and i'm sure my pace was 10-minute-something.

i'm so looking forward to the 5k this coming sunday.  i get to run with my man!  i'm hoping between the two of us, we can push each other and finish ahead of that 31 minute mark.  i'm counting on him.  he returned home today after 10 days in the brooks range, trying to get that sheep but to no avail.  it wasn't all wasted though - at least he's now in great cardio shape!