I actually went back and looked, and I have not posted a blog since January 31st. I had all intentions of posting a “Part Two” of Isla’s birth story, but as any parent can attest, it’s far too easy to somehow just lose minutes in a day; those minutes turn to hours, hours to days, days to weeks and weeks to months and before you know it, it’s May! Anyway, Isla is nearly four 
months old now, and I feel like we (Isla and me) are just starting to develop an understanding. Really, it doesn’t take a rocket-scientist to make the connection that if she’s screaming her head off and it’s been more than an hour since she ate last, she’s probably hungry. Likewise, if she’s screaming and she DID just eat, then it’s probably a diaper change. And somewhere in-between, I am able to recognize her heavy eyes that tell me it’s maybe been a little too long since she’s napped. At the same time, Isla somehow knows when exactly I need to see that silly little toothless grin; usually first thing in the morning when she wakes up or late at night when she’s not quite ready to go to bed.
Somewhere between work and fatherhood, I’ve managed to find some time to increase the amount of time I spend running. The big difference between running now and running six months ago, though, is that I don’t want to spend nearly as much time running because it takes away from my Isla time. Even so, Jenna and I both realize that I will go crazy if I just stopped running completely, and having the opportunity to meet up with friends and run is invaluable. I’m trying to enjoy the age Isla is now (because she will never be this little again), but at the same time, I am looking forward to the day when I can push her in a running stroller. Not only will I be able to combine two things I love, but it will be an opportunity to bond with my baby girl over some one-on-one time.
All of the running I did this spring culminated with the Lincoln Half Marathon on Sunday, May 7th. I had realistic expectations while training up to the race (goal of 1:18), but the three weeks leading up to the race did not go at all as I had planned. I ran total weekly miles of 12, 22 and 26 miles and didn’t do a single workout outside of long runs. Because of this (lack of) training, I considered dropping out of the race completely, but in the end, several friends talked me into running the race just to do it, and I settled on a goal pace of sub 1:22. I could detail how the race unfolded, but the end result was 1:21:21 (6:13/mi pace). I left the race completely happy, knowing that I got more out of the race than the work I felt I had put in. It also served as a motivating tool to return to some type of running routine and reminded me why I like running so much in the first place.
I am definitely looking forward to the summer weather and all the things to come in the next few months: a weekend trip to KC, Weddings in Columbus and Dallas, Okoboji Trip in July, sprinkled with trips to my parents’ lake house in Ashland. If anything is certain, the summer will go fast, but there are many great things on the horizon, and I cannot wait to continue to “do life” with those close to me.
Logan
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