SacMomsClub.com

I come from a family of marathon runners. I’m not talking hobby runners either; I’m talking “watch your back buddy or my medals will whap you as I leave you in the dust!!!” It may not be what you think though. When I say “I come from,” what I’m really talking about are my in-laws.

Since my own biological family is so small and scattered, I consider all of my in-laws to be MY family (luckily for me, they seem to feel the same). I don’t have a father, so my father-in-law and grandfather fit the bill nicely (with a little husband thrown in for spoiling). I’m an only child, so my two sister-in-laws have always included me and treated me like one of the girls. I’m blessed to have them all. (Anyway, back to my point!)

Both of my sisters (in-law), mother (in-law) and father (in-law) run marathons. They win medals, make great time and travel far and wide to do so. They oooh and awww over GPS running trackers you wear on your wrist and commiserate over the mid-marathon trips to the bathroom. This is all a very foreign land to me. However, over the last two years I have been walking a 5K now and then. To my family I’m sure that’s the equivalent of me talking gibberish to them while they converse in Latin. “Awww, how cute! She walks a 5K!” (Not really something they have said, just my insecurities talking.)

When I mentioned to my father-in-law yesterday that I was walking the American River Parkway 5K on May 3^rd, his ears perked up. He asked me questions about it and then asked what I thought my time would be. “Uhhhh (didn’t cross my mind!) Three hours?” He laughed, then looked at me with confusion when I didn’t laugh back. “Noooo!” He said, “That’s not good for an O’Neill!” “Make it 50min!” As soon as he said that I remembered that my husband and I had walked the 5K, Run to feed the Hungry, two years ago in about 55min. “Ok,” I said. “I’ll do my best!”

Since that conversation I sent him the website and he sent me an encouraging e-mail back. “Go for 40min!” Now, I’ve been without a dad (both parents for that matter), for so very long that I actually forgot what it’s like to have a parent push and root for you. You know what? I liked it! “See if you can run a little, and then walk a little,” he suggested. I had stumbled into his world. A world of running and that triggered something parental in him toward me. More curious than that (as it is the first time it’s happened), was that I actually welcomed it! I liked it! I felt good, and I want to make him proud and actually get a good time. Something I never would have imagined caring about before.

So, now I’m walking around my block with the “Eye of the Tiger” playing in my head. I guess I could whip out the iPod, but I’m old fashioned. I got my new walking shoes on and will make my father (in-law) proud of me next weekend. Hopefully I’ll also have some of you to walk/jog with me along the way.