I’ve been looking for ways to make Ironman training a family affair. It’s not easy. No one wants to do 1.5 hour brick workouts with me! Yet, I’m trying to get creative…
It started with the idea of going swimming with McKenzie on Sundays. She’s a strong swimmer. I figured we could go to the lap pool (our gym has a 4th floor family pool and a 1st floor lap pool – the serious folks are on floor 1). I was hoping we could fly under the radar and not attract anyone’s attention. We are an 8-year-old girl and a woman in a boy short bikini (because I can’t find any one pieces that I like and I continue to look like a vacationer, rather than an athlete.) So, we do not look like the others!
McKenzie and I did really well with this swim routine together. It’s a nice chunk of time with her, where we change in the locker room together, sneak down the back steps, do our workout, she critiques me on my kick (she says I need work, she is not wrong), we sneak back up and take side-by-side warm showers. I love this time with her.
Then Jake wanted in on the swimming action. Oh boy! He’s younger and less focused, I wasn’t sure how this would go. But he and I braved the more complicated logistics of going to the family changing room, of him waiting while I locked up our stuff in the women’s locker room, of sneaking down 4 flights of stairs, of staying in the same lane in the pool — He did really well! At times he just got out to walk along and critique my kick. He gave me a zero out of 100. 🙁 — of sneaking back upstairs to shower in the stuffy family changing room.
I then took on taking them both to swim at the same time! I’m proud to admit, even with a swim instructor by the pool the whole time, we did not get asked to leave!!
And this week, 2 things came together. During the Girls on the Run (GOTR) session on Thursday, McKenzie and I talked about running 3 miles together outside of the GOTR session. Then…when my Coach said I could have an easy half hour run after my 1 hour on the bike, I thought it was a great time to do that 3 mile run with my daughter.
We went ahead and made it 3.1 miles, her first 5k training run!
I’m also hoping to do some cycling training with my husband… and I’ll see what else we can dream up.
I’m open to ideas!!
Your kids are awesome doing that with you. Of course, their mom is pretty darn awesome herself! Kudos to you, Amy, McKenzie and Jake!
That’s all wonderful. Your ability to coordinate this mom and kids swimming and preparation adventure is very impressive. However, after reading this I do feel a bit tired.
This is soooo cute. I love that they want to swim with you. I miss swimming. Maybe I should get back to my roots!
Thanks for the comment Sarah!! I didn’t know you were a swimmer. Look out, now you may get panicked emails from me filled with swimming questions!
Bringing the kids in on your training is so good for them. Helps them feel like they are assisting you towards your goal. You’re a wonderful role model to them. Keep it up and good luck!!