Just Keep Running....

Last nights run with friends didn't go exactly as planned.....
We all met at 5 and headed out, but w/in the first mile Em had to stop numerous times. She has had a sore throat since Thursday (more on that later). Saturday she woke up with very little voice. Nothing else, no fever, headache, nothing other than a sore throat and no voice. Once she started riding her bike it was like her throat was closing up on her, she was having a hard time breathing. She gave it her best as she rarely gets to ride her bike on the trail with friends and had been looking forward to it.
Well, the first time we stopped with her the group gained a large lead on us, so we had to push pretty hard to catch back up to everyone. The second time we stopped and they pulled away, I knew if I had to sprint all out again to catch them, the rest of the run was going to be miserable, and a series of stopping, then sprinting to catch up, but not much running together, which is what we had been looking forward to. So I turned around with the kids and had Brian keep going with the group. There were 2 other brothers running, and I wanted him to have some bro time, which he never gets.
The kids and I turned around and headed back to where we started, at their school. So I got a total of 3 miles on the trail. At the school, Soph and Bub played, Em laid around resting, and i ran laps. According to Em, 6 laps is a mile, and I ran 25 laps. I need to verify the mileage as each group of 6 didn't quite feel like a mile, but who knows. Bottom line is I kept running for the same amount of time the group was out on the trail running.
As for Em, her sore throat started Thursday evening. What happened Thursday? I picked her up from school as usual. She was heading towards me, but not in a straight line, more of a stagger. She had her red and white blotchy face that she gets when she has been running really hard (the same face that freaks people out at the aid stations during her 5k's), and she's pouring sweat. Keep in mind it's in the 90's. She says her throat is dried out and it hurts to breath. They had done PE, in the heat, and she said she hadn't drank any water. As a mom, not thinking happy thoughts at that point, I'm thinking of all the times PE gets skipped because of having not enough time to do it, but one of the hottest days of the year, it seemed like a good day for PE?? For the record, again I say how much I love the kids teachers, really and truly, both girls were very fortunate this year to get the teachers they, and we, wanted. And, Em knows where the water is, she should have gone and got something to drink. Plus, I pack 2 water bottles in her bag everyday, so she had every opportunity to drink. Anyway, so we sat there in the shade for a while getting water into her. This gave me time to observe Sophie's sub, who was waiting with the students who ride the bus. I will just say NOT a fan, and leave it at that for now, but if she returns as the long term sub in November...you will hear more I'm sure. We did an 8 mile run late Thursday (read we finished up in the dark again, but it was nice and cool), she rode her bike and was fine. Her throat hurt, and was dry, but she was fine.
So, how to wrap this up as it is getting more random and off course than I had planned....um...so Em's throat has been sore, dry, irritated, strained since Thursday. She was up last night about every hour having a hard time breathing. She ended up in our room propped up in a chair with the humidifier aimed at her face, after taking a long hot steaming bath. I am hoping that was the worst of it and she feels better by tomorrow, if not it's to the Dr.
As I said a few posts ago, training with kids requires being practical and adaptable......which means I will be pushing Em, my amazingly long 8 yr old, in the jogger this evening for our long run. It was supposed to take place this morning, but after being up all night, Brian and I had a hard time getting up, and Em was just settling into a good sleep when the alarm went off at 6.
So, knowing my love of doing long runs in the evening (not), and the fact that I will be pushing 90 lbs the entire time.....any guesses as to how I am feeling about having to get a long run in this weekend???