Progress and Legoland

It's been exactly one month since I ran my first 5-K and really decided to give serious running a go.  I was ill-prepared for that first race, but I had so much fun running with T and sprinting through that finish line.  It was an incredible experience for me.  It definitely left me wanting to run more races.  I don't care all that much about beating anyone, but I love seeing if I can beat my past race/run.  I love seeing if I can run faster or longer than my last run.  I really look forward to my runs.  I kind of get bummed that I can't run more than three days a week, but I have to make sure that I give my joints a bit of a break and utilize the elliptical and bike on my off days.

Today was a running day :)  Last week I started testing the water as far as going 6mph.  Today, I found myself feeling good at 6mph.  Of course, I would have felt more relaxed at 5.5mph, but that's not why I run. 

Today's Run:
Stretch
0.5 miles @4.5mph (I decided that I really needed to start warming up better)
3 miles (straight!) @ 6mph
0.5 miles @4.5mph
1 mile @4mph
Cooldown
Stretch

Total Miles = 5.33
Total Calories = 822

I would definitely call that a successful run.  I was only planning on doing 2 miles @6mph, but once I finished the 2 miles I decided to keep going.  I feel great about the progress I'm making.

We spent yesterday at Legoland Deutschland.  I won a couple of tickets from the USO at the base's 4th of July event.  The kids had so much fun!  Daniel got to drive a car.  Okay, maybe he didn't really drive it...he ran it into the wall repeatedly until the ride operator sat on the car and did the steering for him.  It was pretty precious.  He did have a really great attitude about it even though he couldn't get the hang of it.  Anna got to go on one of the faster rides that was meant for bigger kids, with her daddy.  She thought it was so cool that she got to ride a big girl ride.  I have to say that as a parent, there are few things as wonderful as watching your kids discover something for the first time.  They were awestruck by most of the things at Legoland.  I really love being a mom.  It is a difficult and often frustrating job, but I can't think of anything that is more rewarding.