There are a number of benefits in having a spouse who also runs, we motivate each other, neither of us has to explain why we’re spending so much money on race fees or Clif SHOT Gels or running attire. We understand the eccentricities that come with running, the time spent analyzing splits, the carb loading, the time spent analyzing how clear one’s urine is. “Hey, honey! Check this out! You wouldn’t even know that I pee’d in here if I didn’t tell you!” I’m such a romantic.
All in all, I love that Candis is a runner. However, this weekend we came across one of those times when it was disadvantageous for us to both be runners. The temperature was going to be in the high 90s/low 100s all weekend and we were both looking to get in a long run. Both of us decided that the ideal time for this was early Saturday morning before it got too hot. Sunday morning was eliminated as we would both be at church, and the evenings really don’t cool down that much and are reserved for other social activities (read: drinking). We can’t both go on Saturday morning because we have these two little people living with us that apparently can’t be left alone at the house. Come to think of it maybe it is not disadvantageous that we are both runners, maybe it is disadvantageous that we are both parents... Anyway, this situation led to the following conversation:
Me: I’m going to get up and run first thing Saturday morning.
Candis: Um, when am I supposed to go run?
Me: I don’t know. Maybe you could run on the treadmill?
Candis: You expect me to run 10 miles on the treadmill?
Me: Sure.
Candis: No way. You wouldn’t run 10 miles on the treadmill. Why do you get to run on Saturday morning?
Me: Because I have a race coming up much sooner than you do.
Candis: Oh, I see… You’re going to play the ‘race card’ huh?
And then we both cracked up laughing. We did find a suitable compromise, I went for my long run (11 miles) on Saturday morning and Candis cut her run down to 6 miles with some intervals and did it on the treadmill. Contrary to what you may have heard, marriage is not all about making compromises, it’s about making your spouse make compromises. In that vein, I will continue to play the ‘race card’ until the Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon, after which I’ll need to find a way to discredit the ‘race card’ theory because Candis will surely be looking to use it.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The Dual Runner Family
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20 half-fast comments:
After you finish the half, just come up with another race that's even sooner than Candis' next one. If you really want to milk it, bail out at the last minute "because you didn't get to train enough because you had to let her run." Then you're in the clear for a while!
Good one.
I can't even think of anything snarky to say.
I laminated my race card, but now I don't even need it because I overtrained my husband into an injury and now he can't run at all! Score!
This is precisely why I love my non-running husband.
And I hate compromises.
Love your blog, btw.
I don't know how many times I have to tell you . . .it's all about the dog cages. Slap some food in a dish too, and you guys will be good for hours :P
You don't even need a dog cage with sleeping pills and a bourbon chaser. "Nighty night, little ones, Daddy will be back to revive, er, wake you in a little while."
Actually, marriage is all about bullying your spouse into submission.
hahaha. too funny! I would so play the race card. If I were married.
Ah, such a familiar conversation. Usually I'm playing the "bigger" race card . . .I'm training for Chicago Marathon, he's training for 9.5 miler. All the while, our 6 year old is begging us to leave him in charge or "the boss" of his 4 year old sister.
I can't imagine what we'd come home to if we allowed it.
My wife has started playing the race card on me
I wonder if I'll ever have to use the Race card...
You can learn so much through these running blogs... race cards, dog cages, boozin' up the little ones - it's a wealth of information up in here!
I have had that conversation before. Practically word for word. I ended up on the treadmill too. Sucks being the giver sometimes.
That was great! I wish my wife was a runner at times so she could be just as into my frequency of bodily functions also.
The "race card".... I'm totally cracking up!
I quite like to use the "I weighed 81.73kg before I went to the toilet, now I weigh 81.32kg so I'll be able to run faster" comment. It scares the childen quite nicely, especially when they are offered the chance to do the before and after weigh in !
I'm with Marcy-----kids can fen for themselves for a while---Spiderman or whatever fav movie.....they'll be FINE!! lol
how about you get a jogger or double & you can ALL run together.
the singles hold 100lbs & the doubles are like 150lbs---then you'll build your endurance pushing them & the weight of the stroller.
ALL TOGETHER. . . . .
on second thought the cages, with food & a DVD in might be the best idea.
Well, you could doctor the birth certificates of those little people living in your house. I don't think you have any legal obligation to supervise 21 year olds.
I'm not sure, I've dated runners and non-runners. Not sure which one i like better... : )
Right after I laughed about the "race card" and the marriage advice in the last paragraph, I fell out of my chair. And not from laughing. Then it was my husband's turn to laugh at me.
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