With no in person racing, I challenged myself to run with both my boys for four straight days over Thanksgiving weekend. I ran a total of 53 miles over four days broken into legs using my half marathon route going out on the Levee Access Road, up the Northeast Branch Trail, to Lake Artemesia, on the Paint Branch Trail, back the Rhode Island Trolley Trail and down the Rachel Carson Greenway Trail and home via 22nd Street to Monroe. This route is about 13.15 miles, but I extended it to 13.2 Thursday, Friday, and Sunday and 13.4 on Saturday to get to 53 miles. It took me about 7 hours and 20 minutes. My fastest half marathon pushing both boys was Sunday in a time of 1:45:45. For reference, my fastest single stroller half marathon is pushing Miles for 1:35:30 on Election Day. My personal best half marathon is 1:22:47 a few years back at the DC Road Runner Club Gar Williams Half Marathon on the C&O Canal.
Aden was a cool dude for all four runs, but Miles had a few whiny moments. I let him bring his iPad and he mostly watched PBS Kids. We did play I Spy, a rhyming game (he keeps starting with duck and truck), sang Baby Beluga and Down By the Bay, and observed nature.
The first three runs were pretty consistently run at 1:52. The last one I had some unexcepted energy and got it down to under 1:46, just about an 8 minute pace. We got very lucky in that I didn't hit a single stop light (a few crossings paused me for less than five seconds). There is a tunnel we go under from Lake Artemesia on Paint Branch where he wanted me to go left, but I went right the first day. I had to explain to Miles momentum and why his telling me to go left was too late. Each subsequent time he called it out with plenty of time.
For the most part, the runs were steady. The stroller weighs 35 pounds, Aden weighs 20 pounds, and Miles is 40 pounds. It is a workout pushing 100 pounds. I am pleased that I was able to hold an 8:30 average for three straight days then an 8:00 flat for the final. Since in person racing isn't a thing for a while, I am pleased that I was able to push them and hold a decent time. As I write this on Monday, I am sore. I was going to run with just Aden this morning, but it rained. I went out a little later during a break of the rain and held a 7:56 pace for 9 miles, which made me happy.
As my time in Brookland draws to a close, I appreciate each run and route knowing new routes and crowns and local legends are ahead.
