Abby's First Half Marathon

If you recall back a while ago I mentioned that I was training to run a half marathon with Abby. Well, yesterday was the day of reckoning. All in all, I'd say it was a successful venture. We finished in 1:43:22 which is about a minute under my goal time. Alex also ran, but he stayed with Abby and I the whole way even though he could have undoubtedly gone much faster. He was our support team, running ahead to take pictures, fetching me water and gatorade at the aid stations, yelling at people to move out of the way, and encouraging me to run faster (even if I didn't).

If you're considering running a race with a baby anytime in the future (you can borrow Abby if you don't have one of your own), I've listed the benefits and drawbacks below for your consideration.

Drawbacks first:

1. Imagine 2500 people packed onto a two lane road, stacked up behind the starting line for at least a half mile. Then imagine standing among them with a giant stroller. Then imagine running among them with a giant stroller. Craziness I tell you, craziness. It wouldn't have been so bad except that the race directors request people with strollers to start at the end of the pack "as a courtesy to other runners." I submit that this is a stupid request. By starting in the back, not only did I have to avoid tripping the runners in my immediate vicinity, I also had to figure out how to pass them. Based on my experience, someone with a stroller is much more likely to trip other runners when passing them than when running next to them. If any of you have ever run a big race you know that this is difficult even without a stroller. So our first mile was pretty stressful. I think I ran most of it off the side of the road in the ditch, trying to avoid rocks and fallen tree branches with limited success. Abby must have been terrified, bouncing around like a pea in a coffee can, occasionally being lifted off the ground, and listening to her crazy mom and dad yelling "Stroller on your left! Stroller on your right! Sorry!"

2. Your baby may start crying. This can be stressful. Small babies apparently just don't understand the concept of racing--that it precludes stopping for a diaper change, a quick nip at the boob, or just for kicks. For example, around mile 9 Abby woke up from a nap and decided she didn't want to be in the stroller anymore and loudly protested.

3. There aren't any special "people with strollers" categories. So even though you might be the first mom with baby to cross the finish line, you still come up as 26th place in the standings.

4. Hills are hard. I already hate running up hills and with a stroller they're ten times harder!

5. If everything goes well and you run fast, there will be a small part of you that wonders how fast you could have gone without the stroller. Maybe you could've set a new personal record...

Now the benefits:

1. It's a great way to get your much faster husband to not only run with you, but to wait on you hand and foot while he does it.

2. Your baby may start crying. "Wait," I hear you say, "didn't you list that as a drawback?" Yes, but there is a hidden benefit. There's nothing like a screaming baby to motivate someone to run faster. The ninth mile of the race was probably my fastest. And probably the fastest for everyone around me too. I was running faster so I could finish sooner and everyone else was running faster to try to get away from the annoying lady with the screaming baby.

3. Everyone thinks you're awesome even though it really isn't that hard to push something as well made as the chariot. So many people cheered me on without even taking a second glance at poor Alex by my side.

4. Going downhill is easy. Just try to keep up with the stroller.

5. The stroller is a great scapegoat. You can always imagine that without it you would have run so much faster. Probably could've done 7 minute miles and set a new personal record...