And, unfortunately, I mean that almost literally today.
It was a pretty regular morning, in that crazy we-still-have-to-go-to-school-even-though-we’re-mentally-already-on-summer-vacation way (my kids are on a year-round schedule and are FINALLY off next week). I had four miles scheduled for this morning, and someplace to be by 9:30, so getting my kids to school at 8 left me just enough time to run and get ready.
By 7:40 the kids are on their bikes, my shoes are laced up and we’re out the door. I run them to school about a mile away and then finish up my run on the way home. Little Boy had a project to turn in today that required him to bring his guitar to school, and it’s a kid-sized one, so I said I would carry it. Have you ever run with a guitar in your hands?? Me either, before this morning. It’s pretty fricken awkward, in case you were wondering.
Our route in the mornings takes us on the same paved nature trail we run together on weekends, but we have to cross the creek to get to school. At 7:45, Little Boy goes careening toward the narrow mud-and-stick bridge that we use to cross and as the words “SLOW DOWN!” are leaving my lips, *splash!* into the muddy, disgusting, goose-poop-filled creek he goes.
At 7:47, when I have stopped swearing, I send Big Boy on to school and hustle Little Boy home for his second shower of the day. (The silver lining here: I was running a very low-7s pace on the way home! LOL).
By the time we got home, it was touch-and-go whether or not he would make it to school on time and even less certain that I would have time for a run. Little Boy stripped off his craptacular clothing in the garage, and while he was cleaning up I threw away his shoes (less than a month old, of course) and socks and decided to see if washing his shirt and shorts would remove the gawd-awful stench and stains.
At 8:05, we screeched into the parking lot – school starts at 8:07, we weren’t late! – and off he went, along with my hopes of running this morning. By the time I got home, got the laundry going, cleaned the mud out of the garage, off his bike and out of the bathtub, it was time to hop in my own shower and get on with my day. *sigh*
After dinner tonight, I took Little Boy to get new shoes and discovered that he has gone up another half size just since his last pair of shoes a month ago – yikes! When we got home with the new pair, though, I made the joke that his feet must be as big as mine now – ha, ha! Well, he needed to compare and wouldn’t you know it, my 9-year old’s feet are the same size as mine! Wait a minute…a light bulb goes off in my mind…Little Boy, would you like to try on my old running shoes??
Yes, Little Boy is now the proud new owner of a pair of slightly used, neutral cushioned Mizuno running shoes in light blue.
gmontalvo13 says
i am in awe of mothers! you are my hero! ๐
Candice @ I Have Run says
What a morning! But at least you were able to pass on your old running shoes before his feet get even bigger!!
Love your blog…
Heather says
Crazy morning! But at least you got a little tempo run in. ๐ AND you can really get your money’s worth out of you running shoes from now on.
Julie says
Oh, sorry about the goose poop thing:) You will look back at this and laugh someday! You were booking it on the way back…awesome pace!
momof3 says
LOL – this is SO something that could happen to me. my son is a “mess magnet”. I don’t know how he does it, but he just has skills.