This Just In: Husband Proud of Running Wife

I'm a little tired, and frankly, can't believe it's already Sunday night.  I had the opportunity today to watch my wife finish her fourth 5K race in only a year and a half of running.  She's also completed a 10K and an 8K.  This is one of those proud hubby moments, because I absolutely know that the reason why she started running was because of the joy she saw it brought to me.

It was September 2010 that I was running in the Harrisburg Half marathon for the second time.  My friend Tom, who happens to be a photographer, was at the race to take pictures of his wife who was walking the race.  He got the perfect picture of me as I crossed the finish line.

It was the smile on my face that got her.  I had a goal to finish under 2 hours and had beaten that goal by almost 15 minutes.  I was elated.  The day had started rainy and I was prepared for a bad run, but just as the race began the conditions improved.  There were lot of puddles on the course, but ultimately it was a great day to run.  I had to use the restroom, but the lines at the porta potties at the start were way too long, and I had completely forgotten to start my watch.  As a result, I was distracted and didn't know what my pace or splits were.  It was a complete surprise when I saw my time a the finish... I was so excited when I crossed I ran to my friend who took the picture and babbled something incoherent in an excitable voice.

Well, after this picture got to my wife, she got the bug.  She said that after seeing that picture, and how much happiness running brought to me, she wanted to try running again.  She researched the Shamrock Marathon/Half-Marathon/8K race in Virginia Beach in March 2011.  She pitched the idea in a late night email with links and her own sort of excited babbling.  We talked about it and made the decision that she was going to run the 8K and I the marathon.  I developed a "Get into running" plan for her, which can be found on a few of my previous posts.  She followed the plan and ran her first 5K (the very one she completed today), in preparation for the 8k a couple of weeks later- my son "ran" (read- splashed in puddles) the kid's fun run.  She ran the 8K last year, and my son ran the kiddie marathon (26.2 yards).  Last June, she ran her first 10K, with me and my son in a jogging stroller by her side.

I consider that, without any prodding from me, without me doing anything to persuade her in any way, she discovered the joy of running all on her own.  She needed only a little help to get started, but really, but she has become her own runner (even doing early morning runs).  It's kind of cool every so often to stand on the sideline of races and cheer on the one you love.  After all, she's spent a lot of time cheering me on.

Keep doing what you are doing, you have no idea who is watching and you never know who you might inspire.