Last Night I Ran with My Son...

I have been running with my son for several years now, but last night really felt like the first time we actually ran together...

It was after six and I knew we would be eating dinner soon.  Peyton, who had been playing with his friends all day, looked like he needed a change so I asked him if he wanted to go for a run. He perked up and gave me a thumbs up (strange kid).  His buddies went home and we changed in to our running clothes.

Earlier in the morning I had run with my group and we started from Alhambra Hall. I thought this would be a good place for us to start as well.

I have taken Peyton on trails, the track, the Cooper River Bridge and even raced a few 5ks, but we have never really done road running for any distance.  This would be off the sidewalk and on the road (not closed like in a race), but in a nice laid back neighborhood so I knew it was pretty safe.

We parked at Alhambra Hall, took a quick picture and started running.  This is where it seemed a little different than in the past.  We were moving!  I looked down and we were cruising at about a 9:00 pace and talking the whole time.

He was really taking in all the sites of the harbor, the houses, the trees and even other kids walking with their parents.

We ran out to the old Pitt Street Bridge (now a park) and stopped for a few minutes just to take in the sites.

This is one of my favorite places to run.  Although I run here with my friends on occasion, its usually a place I run alone.  It's a part of my time that is, for the most part, mine alone.  But being with him and watching him take it all in and enjoy just being there was awesome!

I grabbed him and gave him a big hug!

I guess I just got caught up in the moment...

We watched a bird dive in the ocean for a fish and then we made our way back.  Again, we were moving! Peyton lead the pace and dropped us down to sub 8:30 minute pace for the rest of the way back.

As we made the last turn to our car, we ran by a little girl from Peyton's class.  He waved to her and smiled and then got all embarrassed (he is eight years old) and sprinted to the car.

I guess he was just caught up in the moment...