$35.00

Thirty five dollars is simply not a lot of money.  I remember when I was a kid and every thing that I wanted was about 5 bucks.  I even remember in high school when everything I wanted was ~ 20 dollars, and even when in college it seemed everything I wanted was about $100.  Either way, $35 is just simply not a lot of money.  In fact, it is a very small amount of money.  35 is a small number.  35 shingles will not cover your roof.  35 leaves will not fill a tree.  35 minutes do not make up a significant part of your day.  35 is small.  So, how is it that 35 years seems such a vast divide between my 47 years and my son's 12 years?  I figured that when he was 20 or so he would be stronger and faster and bigger than me (muscle wise... I'm sure my mid section will still be bigger), but not at age 12.

We ran home today from church.  We have run home from church several times together.  It is only 3 miles.  A straight shot East on Hwy 60.  When we first started running from church, I would have to double back to make sure he did not get too far behind on Hwy 60 and get into trouble.  I would stop at the cross streets and allow him to catch up.  After a while, I no longer had to double back for him as he made a good effort to keep pace.  Every so often he would suggest that he had a cramp or something, a stitch maybe, but he would still keep pace.

Today, he kept pace the entire time, and then decided he wanted to go faster on mile 3, so he picked up the pace.  He went from running 8 minute miles to a 7:30 mile.  I did not want to go faster, I wanted to slow it up.  He went faster.... so, I went faster... but HE WAS PUSHING ME!

In my mind I made all sorts of excuses.  One time a few weeks ago, I was nursing a calf injury.  We ran home from church and I felt pretty good.  After 2.5 miles, my calf "tweeked up" and I had to walk.  He kept going.  It was a legitimate and convenient excuse.  I was injured.  Today I was not injured, so I had to come up with another excuse.  I have been off from my injury for a while and I just don't have the cardio that I normally have.  That was one.  I ran yesterday.  That was another. I am still recovering from a half marathon one week ago.  Yet another.  I have another half marathon in one week, so I did not want to over do it.  All true.  All valid excuses!  -- But at the end of the day, they are simply excuses.  I am having to make excuses for why my son can run faster and probably farther than I can.  UGH!!!!  HE IS ONLY 12 years old.  He does not even have all of his teeth.

I am going to have to make a revision in my earlier statement(s).

$35 is a LOT of money!
Oh the things I could purchase with $35.
I hope I have $35 more dollars to be able to spend.  Maybe when he is 47 and I am 82 I will push him again.

BTW.  I am NOT going to let this go lightly.  He will have to work at it if he intends to stay up with me.  I just wanted to have that on the record.