Shufflin'

Several months back, DS and DH and I embarked on the Couch to 5K Running Program. I've done this before but wanted to tackle it again, so I recruited my son and husband to suffer right along with me. I was actually quite surprised at their enthusiasm to join me - for either of them, athletic pursuits are not exactly high on the priority list. So we got all enthusiastic, set a start date, invested in a stop watch, bought new runners, and christened ourselves "Team Shufflin'" (as in the shufflin' in the song Party Rock Anthem). We were determined to set the running world on fire.


Most amazing of all was my son's transformation over this time period - in the first few weeks he whinged about it, grumbled about it, and made as much of a half-assed effort as one can make. He would quite literally drag his heels along the pavement, in what was meant to be running but was a bit closer to galumphing. I'll admit it, I caved in and told him he could quit if he wanted to - no guilt, no giving him a hard time, he could just throw in the towel and I wouldn't be fussed.

If I'm honest, it was ME who wanted to throw in the towel. Firstly because I did not morph into a natural runner between the last time I did this program and now (can't seem to fall into that rhythm that real runners talk about) and secondly because Melbourne at 6am is dark and really damn cold. God love this kid, though, he refused to give in. Never mind that he hated it, that he would literally cry almost every morning before leaving the house, that it made him tired for the rest of the day, and that he would rather be anywhere in the world other than in that cold carpark. He just doggedly went about it, and eventually the tears stopped and he'd be the one bouncing down the stairs in the morning.

Then DH started to limp a bit, and then his run (faster than either me or our son) slowed a bit, and then he'd cringe with every step...and then it was all over. He'd done something or other to his foot, and the GP and podiatrist told him his running career was effectively over.

I wasn't too sad. I was cold. It was dark. I hated every second of it. Running ceased being fun about 5 seconds after the first session of it was over. While I wish my darling husband no pain, frankly, I was kinda glad he was down for the count.

My son, however, was not willing to give up on this for even one second. "It's okay, Mum," he said, "You and I can just keep shufflin'." He decided that it was unfair to leave Dad in the dust, so we'd stop the C25K but keep on walking together, and then when DH was capable again, we'd take up the running again. Oh. Damn. Really?

I wasn't sure if I should laugh or cry - laugh because my boy was showing all the qualities I'd like him to have, and cry because I'd much rather have slept in those cold, dark mornings. He was very insistent, my boy. Very. As in he would set his alarm early enough to bound down the steps, wake my lazy ass up, and then go lace up his shoes, clip the lead on the dog, and wait for me to be ready.

It's been several months now that my son and I have a standing date for 'shufflin' twice a week - sometimes 3 times if my work schedule allows. The night before we go, when I tuck him in he always says in a sing song voice, "Mum - Tomorrow we are shufflin'..." and smiles about it. The seasons are changing, and it's not nearly as cold and dark in the mornings as it used to be - and both of us are quite enjoying the time alone together (but I'm no better at enjoying the morning wake up time.)

I've got no idea how long this little quiet routine of ours will go on - and I have no expectations of it going on forever, but for now, it's really a nice thing we've got going. Some mornings he talks ten to the dozen (gee, I wonder who he gets that from?) and some mornings neither of us say much at all. Some mornings we really set a cracking pace, other mornings we just sort of slowly meander along. This morning I asked him why he is so keen to go shufflin' with me...and in true boy style he looked at me as though that was quite possibly the stupidest question on earth. He shrugged and said, "Well, I guess just because I like shufflin'. And I like being with my Mum."

So I guess tomorrow we'll go shufflin'....