Avery Runs to School

My son RUNS to school every day. He loves it and can't wait to get there. He can hardly wait for me to stop the car so he can get out. It really makes me smile. May it always be so!

Avery Runs to School from Emily Hughes on Vimeo.

Chris' Marathon

(picture taken at mile 24!)

Today was another big one for our family. Chris ran his first marathon. It was insanely cold at 27 degrees, but we braved the cold - with as many clothing layers possible - and waited for him to pass us by on the 26.2 mile route through the Disney World Parks. We are so proud of him. The kids and I made signs to cheer him on. We talked about the hard work Daddy had put into accomplishing this goal. The children learned from their father what it takes to be a winner. Not to come in at first place, but to finish what you began.

Chris ran for more than 6 hours. Despite the freezing temps and hurt knees, he didn't give up. He crossed the finish line and we were there to see it. It was a special day for our family.

Great Pumpkin Run 5K

Another race down, and I feel great. Today I ran the Great Pumpkin 5K with my friend and trainer, Kandice, and our friend Tiersa. It was a very chilly 50 degrees, which was a great temp for a run.

Kandice is training for her half marathon. She took off from the start and waited for us at the finish line. We later found out that she finished 4th place in her age bracket! Tiersa and I are running just to finish. We me our goal: to run without stopping, and actually made great time. We sprinted to the finish line and finished in 32 minutes. We chatted the whole time! Tiersa and I plan on running together again on Thanksgiving at the Turkey Trot.

After the race, we went to Starbucks to celebrate with some hot and delicious drinks to warm us up.

I Did It!!!

I did something I never thought I would or could do. I ran a race. It was the most challenging thing I have ever done. But I did it!

Disney's Race for the Taste 3K was a short run according to the world of runners, but a HUGE accomplishment for this new "athlete." My goal was to run without stopping. It was NOT easy, and there were many times I wanted to quit. But I didn't. Many thanks go out to the Disney workers who lined the course, clapping and cheering, and sometimes spouting encouraging words. I needed to hear every one of them. They really helped! At one point, a quiet older woman said to me as I ran by "You can do it." And that is what I need to hear at that very moment. I could do it. And I did. It felt good to conquer what I thought I could never do.

This run was dedicated to my peeps: Chris (the man I love.. and a fearless father who watched the kids while I was away for 5 days on this trip), Angela T. (my partner in crime and so much more ... I loved running with you!), Kandice (my running partner and so much more),and Karen (my Zumba instructor and athletic trainer). Thank you for helping me change my life!

One race down ... now on to the next one!

Exercise

Today I was at the gym doing my thing, trying to stay focused and "in the zone" when started thinking about the evolution of gym clothes. I remember going with my mom to her Jazzercise classes in 1980 something... There was a lot of blue and purple shiny spandex, leotards with belts, headbands, and very poofy leg warmers. I haven't seen any of that at my gym, but I secretly hope I do just because that would be so entertaining.

What's Missing

Here's Chris with his medal for completing the 5K.

Avery and MH pose with their medals for completing the 100 Meter run.

So can you tell what's missing?
Yeah, its my medal.
I'm working on it.
Until then, I think I get the medal for my personal triathalon: diaper bag packing, child safety coordinating, and pep rally cheering.

Old Cars & Seafood, Everyone's Running

The Hughes' had another great weekend! Destination: Orlando. But the fun started even before we got there.

Fort Pierce has always been a very important stop along FL's Turnpike. As a college student, it was the exit that I didn't want to miss because it was the place to switch from a toll road to the free I-95 and save a few bucks. In more recent days, it has been a great pit-stop to re-fuel or get a quick bite to eat. On this trip, it was an adventure that had a wonderful ending.

Chris, in his own adventurous style, decided to find a new reason to like Ft. Pierce. We drove to the coastal area for some seafood. (Thanks to Guy Melton for introducing us to delicious seafood in the most unsuspecting places!) We came across a fab antique car show, huge yachts, old-timey store fronts, and entertaining restaurants.

On Saturday, Chris ran in his first race/marathon event, Disney's ESPN The Weekend 5K. He did a great job, coming in number 222 out of 1500. The kids and I had a great time cheering him on. We saw some famous groups/people like Misty May Treanor, the Miami Dolphin Cheerleaders, and the Harlem Globe Trotters.

Our kids were so excited to run in their very own race, just like Daddy. It was just after the adult event finished, and they got to cross the same finishline! Every child got a Tshirt and a medal, presented by the Harlem Globe Trotters. Although my kids have no idea who that is, they will one day appreciate how cool that is.

Check out Chris' blog for more pics and a video.

(More to come: the most unbelievable hotel)