3.76!!

Kellen signed both himself and Shade up for the Martian Marathon in April. Kellen is doing his first half marathon! Then the kids have several months to run a total of 25 miles, then on race day they run the last 1.2 miles and get a medal for running a "marathon." Shade has been really into it. He will often run around the house, or up and down the isles at the store saying "I am practicing running for the race!" He started out back in December, and he was having a hard time breathing just running from our door through the parking lot to the sidewalk. But then...

It had been a long week for Kellen at work last week, he got home at 7pm the earliest, so Shade didn't get to see him much. So when Kellen asked him if he wanted to go running this last weekend, Shade didn't hesitate to say yes. It was a bit cold, but they dressed warm. Kellen took the jogging stroller for when Shade got tired because they were going to run the 3 mile loop around our apartment. Kellen was expecting Shade to jump in the stroller anytime, but Shade made it around the entire loop plus a bit more - he ran 3.76 miles!! And even cuter - Shade must have really been missing his dad because Kellen said that Shade kept talking to him the entire time - about the silliest things (like noticing the ducks and trees, etc.). Kellen asked Shade a couple times if he was tired, and Shade said his legs were tired, but that the rest of him wasn't, so he wanted to keep running. He said his legs were sore the next day, and he took a long nap, but that kid is an animal! I usually have a hard time talking myself into running more than a 5K when I run!

As for Kellen, he hasn't had a whole lot of time to run because of his crazy work shedule, but he has gotten up to 8 mile stretches averaging 8 minute miles. Although he has been doing it on a treadmill in our complex's fitness center and he says 8 miles is about the max he can do in a cramped room running in place. He keeps hoping the weather will warm up so he can start running outside... here's hoping!