That first race was the Friday before Labor Day. Three day weekend, then school starts. Younger daughter is staying with mom and going 'up north', but older daughter doesn't want to go, so she'll stay with dad. Cue the Jaws music. Dad's going to get her running all three days. Yeah right...
Saturday, SUCCESS, I got her out there and we ran the Minnehaha trail, a paved trail that connects about a half-dozen lakes within the city limits of Minneapolis. We ran from Lake Nokomis to just before Lake Harriet and back. We ran nice and easy, probably 10 minute per mile pace. I can't wait to run fast with her, but I'm not ready, and she probably isn't either. We ran the last .8 in 6:10, a distance I run slow in over 8:30 and fast around 7 minutes, so we were moving. Actually, she put some distance on me in the last 200 meters and I stopped the clock for her not me. That should be good for her confidence. Not so great for mine.
Sunday we found a new forest preserve in Chaska along the river. Girlfriend (G), TJ, and I ran for 60 minutes, took stops and pictures near an historic, 150 year old, brewery, and at 30 minutes, spending a few minutes trying to get stuck in the mud by the river. Lots of whining and complaining by the junior member on the way back. Ugggh. We grabbed coffee, orange juice, and a cream cheese pastry at a Starbucks in 'historic downtown Chaska', a quaint mixture of 100 year old and newer buildings.
Monday we found yet another forest preserve down in Prior Lake. TJ is in full complain mode about having to run. I tried to convince her she didn't have to run, she was choosing to run. Whine. Whine. Whine. We had stopped at her mom's house to drop off the cat which we had kept all weekend. Whine. Whine. Whine. Finally, I'd had it. "Look, I'm not forcing you to run. I don't want to force you. I'm giving you the opportunity. But, why don't you stay home. It's fine." I went out to the car and G followed. I turned the car on, and the kid comes sprinting out of the garage with her shoes in her hand. "I'm coming!" Jeez.
We compromised and said we'd keep it short. 15 minutes out, 15 back, but quicker today. The trails featured some steep hills and those 30 minutes were quite a challenge. Dad did alright today charging up the hills, and moving judiciously down the back side. TJ kept up for the first 15, but her motivation abandoned her on the way back and she stopped a couple of times. We kept circling back for her. Finally, I just jogged in the last mile.
15 miles in three days was really a lot of miles compared to what she had been used to. But, like a typical teenager, she wasn't sore or hurting or anything. Every time I up my mileage in the slightest I'm sore for a couple of days. Just running three days in a row, I was bound to be sore. But not the kid.
I was pretty down about how whiny and complaining and moaning she'd been all weekend. I got a pick me up when her mom told me the next day that she had proudly told her (as well as the coach0 that she'd run 16 miles. And, she told mom that her friend's dads don't work with them on her sports like her dad does.
So ... she gets it a little bit. Not enough to keep her from whining, but enough to have some appreciation after the fact. Oh well. It's something.
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