This morning as I ate breakfast I read an interview with Alannis Morissette in this month’s Women’s Health magazine.

I have always liked her. Come on, I was in my early twenties going through a bad breakup during her angry phase. I remember seeing her in concert and thinking, “How does she know me so well?!” The lyrics to her bitter songs on that bitter album (we all know the one!) screamed through my speakers with such force that I’m surprised my windows didn’t break.

Alannis has come a long way, and I still love this girl. She rides her motorcycle up to Big Sur to take a dip into the ocean. If you’ve never been to Big Sur, the road is sickeningly curvy and the water in the Pacific is so bitter cold, even in the summer, that I don’t even stick my toes in most time, much less go for a dip.

In the article, Alannis said this after talking about the fact that she has participated in several triathlons and that she cross trains. And I quote:

If I have the blessing of being a mom to a daughter one day, I will encourage her to be really physical.

This is exactly my feeling, and something that I try to teach my daughter on a regular basis.

I want both of my daughters to grow up strong. I want them to understand what their bodies can do for them if they treat them right and push them hard.

I got some strange looks from friends when I told the friends that my four year old ran in a half mile road race. She wanted to do it; many kids did. It was a Kid’s Run, for heaven’s sake! Yet some of my friends, I’m sure, felt that I was pushing it because I run.

In reality, I want my daughter to have a variety of experiences when it comes to sports and physical endurance and then I want her to learn what it is she likes and pursue that, be it running, cycling, swimming, soccer, gymnastics, or another sport we haven’t yet tried.

We have made sure that our daughter is active, and we will do the same with our youngest. We’ve set her up in several classes. We talk about how important it is to care for our bodies by eating healthy and getting exercise. To us, this is simply a part of life, and we want our girls to understand how important this is.

My girls and my husband attend my races. They cheer for me at the finish line. My four year old talks about how mommy races and how she wants to race. As much as I would love to race with her one day, I just hope that she finds a sport that she can love as much as I love running. I hope that I can instill in her the power that a person has when they own something as wonderful as running, or cycling, or another sport.

So, hats off to Alannis! I still love this lady, even if she isn’t as angry as she once was. Of course, neither am I. I guess that shows we are getting older!

I thought I’d post a few shots of my daughter and of me running the 4th of July race, since I can’t seem to shut up – or stop posting – about it!

These would be the words from my daughter.

She was so proud of herself after that race (not as proud as i was, of course!) and this is what she kept telling people afterwards.

She was very competitive during the run, too. She would stop to take a sip of water and then dash off again, passing everyone in sight until her thirst overtook her and she had to stop for another sip.

In the end she ran 5:57 for the 1/2 mile. I told this to my girlfriend who said, “Wow, she runs faster than me!”

I was so proud of her, and last night as I watched the Olympic trials I thought, “What if that could be her one day?”

It can be, of course. Oh, what a proud running mom I would be!

So my daughter and I completed our very first race together. I did my 5K first and then she participated in a .5 mile race.

So, drum roll please. I know everyone is wondering if my last few months of speed training worked to increase my speed and the answer is a huge resounding YES!

I had hoped to finish the race at 27 minutes and change. As you know my husband made a bet with me to beat this time.

I came in at . . . 26 minutes 38 seconds! 26:38!! My average mile was 8:37. Not so bad for this mom of two who started out, after the birth of my second daughter, running a 10:30 or so pace.

I spent the last few months really working on speed. Two runs per week are finished up with at least half a mile, or a mile, of speed work. One run per week is supposed to be go as fast as you can for 3 miles. I don’t always do this, but it’s my goal.

So, I can say that speed work has helped.

Now, I’m wondering just how fast I can push it. Can I get down to a 25 minute 5K? Can I run 7 minute miles?

Of course I can! I just have to keep pushing it!

Got up a little early so I could get in one cup of caffeine and a little bit of quiet time before we leave.

The race is at 8, then my daughter’s is at nine and then the 4th of July parade at 10.

Our neighbors left town for the weekend and gave us access to their pool. I’m excited! I’m hoping after the parade we can all come back and swim for a bit, depending on how tired we are. I still have to bake a peach pie for the 4th of July party we are going to tonight. The cupcakes are done. We are letting the kids decorate them, so I’m going to mix up some white icing with blue and red food coloring, and we bought little white chocolate chips to sprinkle on top as well. It should be a lot of fun.

Anyway, funny I’m feeling great about this race. I keep thinking it is only 3 miles. I remember back in the early running days how tortuous three miles was. Now that I’ve done 26 (how in the hell did I ever do that – and will I do that again!) I don’ t feel the same. Now it can be for fun.

Of course, not that there isn’t any pressure. now I feel like I have to do it fast since it is ‘only’ three miles.

I do’nt know where I got this competitive streak. My mom is as docile as a newborn fawn all of the time. My dad I don’ t know since he wasn’t around while I was growing up. He must have been somewhat competitive though. Unless I was just born this way with no predisposition towards it!

Got to get the breakfast’s ready for the family, and then pack up our car. We are going to make a morning out of it. To me, tha tis going to be the best part of it all. I cannot wait to see my daughter run her first race! I hope that one day we are running races together. I think that we will be. She is so athletic.

I’ll post pictures of it when it is all over! And if I do well time-wise, I’ll even tell you that!!

I can’t wait. Tomorrow is the big 4th of july 5K and then at 9 they have a half mile kid’s run, which my daughter is going to do.

Her first race. Our first one together. It’s so cool!

She’s very excited about it, too. She was excited today to see her shirt, which I picked up while she was at preschool. We talked about the shoes she would wear and she was interested in knowing if she would be sweaty after the race and if so, whether she would be able to shower before the parade lol.

I’m feeling pretty strong about the race today. I think things will go okay. Nervous, but I’ll check back. Just hope I can do this in 27 minutes!!

I remember when my youngest was a baby, before preschool, and I would load her up in the jogger, take her to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and jog its entirety-three full miles.

She hated that thing. The entire run she would scream and kick and cry to get out.

Now that baby is in preschool (ah, where did the years go anyway!) and I have another baby that I load up in the same jogger. She’s much better with it. She actually climbs INTO the thing! She enjoys her three mile, half hour or so run.

I, however, really don’t.

First off, I got the jogger at my baby shower, and I had chosen it but it wound up being the cheapest of the bunch. l have a difficult time turning it, have to really lift it off of the ground to make a turn, and the darn thing is just so stiff and uncomfortable to use.

Secondly, where we live in Southern California traffic is horrendous, and while our neighborhood has a few quiet streets, those that surround us are busier than most small town freeways. Seriously, everyone believes they have to go ninety from light to light, which is half a mile (I know, I have tracked it on my GPS).

I’m always terrified when I venture out to run on the streets to get from one track to another, because who wants to run three miles around one track-meaning about six full circles?

I could load it up and take it to the park, but again, it’s such a pain to do this. It’s heavy and awkward and really doesn’t fold up well.

I’m sure some of the more expensive joggers are much nicer. I’ve heard great things about the Bob. I just wound up with one that isn’t so great.

My advice: First, if you are going to run when your baby is an infant, try to do it while they nap. Much easier!

And if you can’t, find a stroller that works well. Do some research, read reviews and ask other runners. I have heard great things about the BOB stroller.  Expensive, yes. But if you can run with it and it is comfortable, totally worth the price!

I used mine from the time my babies were quite young by propping pillows and blankets up around them. Some joggers allow you to really recline the seat, so find out if yours can do this.

Consider the front wheel when doing a test run. Mine does not move or turn. Some people swear by those that do, some say that those that do aren’t as easy to maneuver on different surfaces. I don’t know, I have never used one like this. I wish that I could test one out to see.

Does the jogger have shade? Mine does, and it works well for my daughter. I borrowed a friend’s double for a while when the baby was born and it did not provide any shade, which was brutal for the girls. I ended up trying to tie a blanket in place but it kept falling off.

Always inflate the wheels. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started off without checking them and figured out halfway through a brutal run that the reason I could barely push the thing was because the tires were almost flat!

Make sure it has a storage place for your water. You really don’t need a down below storage unit unless you plan to jog to the store and stock up on groceries. But you will want a place to put your water bottle as you run, along with your keys and other essentials.

Make sure it turns easily when you test it out. Mine does not, and every single time I have to make a turn, large or not, I have to lift the stroller to do so.

Check the tires. Do they go along a straight path? Mine don’t. In fact, every few minutes I have to pick the stroller up and align it forward again because the wheels veer over to one side. It’s a hassle, and I always wind up with a stiff back and neck after the run because of how difficult this jogger is to steer.

For now, I only use it when I absolutely have to. All of the other times I wake early in the morning and run, so I can be back long before the kids rise from bed.