Busy Day

Yesterday was a very busy day for me and a couple of the kids:

8:30AM - School drop off.  Little One and I usually only take the kids MWF but this week Mr. MOTH had meetings which required him to be early.

8:40 - Little One and I are at the supermarket scoping out the donuts

8:42 - Little One and I are camped out in the backseat of the space shuttle sharing donuts, coffee (me) and water (her).  She kept high-fiving me the entire time. :) We got an extra donut for Youngest Boy.

9:00 - We hit the Dollar Store.  Youngest Boy entered a writing contest (Detective Puppy is the name of his series - he's got over 20 books!) and he didn't win.  I picked up a bunch of writing supplies to encourage him to keep going

9:35 - We pick Youngest Boy up for his eye doctor appointment.  We know what's coming but avoid the topic.

10:15 - Eye Doctor.  He needs glasses, just like his parents and big bro.  At first he's not happy.

11:30 - We pick out his new specs.  This brightens his mood a bit, although I nix the fluorescent green and black frames he wanted.

12:00 - Back in the car I tell Youngest Boy the news about the writing contest and then immediately give him the writing supplies.  I explain that although he didn't win, his daddy and I still think he's a fantastic writer and we want him to keep doing it.  He's tickled (which tickles me)!

12:15 - The three of us have lunch (McDonald's - his choice).

1:10 - Youngest Boy is back at school, just in time for recess (we missed mass tho).

1:30 - Little One and I hit Target.  She's thrilled to be shopping (that's sarcasm folks), especially when she realizes we aren't buying toys.  We score a clearance shirt for Baby Girl but not what I was looking for.

2:30 - We're still shopping.  Kohl's this time - I score a clearance watch for $3.50 (yes, that's correct)!!

3:15 - School pick-up.  Every.Day.

3:45 - Arrive home and go through the routine (homework for them, paperwork for me)

5:00 - Dinner.  It's early because we've got stuff to do (yes, STILL).

5:30 - Mr. MOTH arrives home.  He wolfs down some homemade apple crisp (his favorite, yesterday was his birthday.  I'll post the recipe because there's none better - Thanks, Mom!)

5:45 - The boys get a call that their hairdresser is running late; Baby Girl, Little One and I head out to do the grocery shopping.

8:15 - Arrive home.  Walk in the door just as The Pens FINALLY score!  Woot!  Let's Go Pens!!

8:35 - Finally finish putting the groceries away while watching the game (not as easy as it sounds).

9:00 - Tell the kids the next one to get up is losing Wii time for the ENTIRE WEEKEND (What do children have against sleep anyhow?!?!).

9:25 - Take one look at the disaster area that used to be my kitchen and decide to pick up my Kindle and read instead.

10:15 - Collapse from exhaustion. 

There you go - A Day In the Life of The Mommy.  Not exactly typical but not really that outta the ordinary either!

Race Report

It's official:

I am a Runner of Steel!  Overall, the race was fantastic.  The weather was picture-perfect (especially after I purchased my new shades!) and I felt strong.  I decided to follow the 2:15 pace group - even though they started at least a minute or more in front of me - because I felt like my time should be faster than 2:15.  I finished ahead of the pacer...and my time was 2:15.53!  Not bad for a middle-aged mama of 4!!

That photo is several hours post-race (Mr. MOTH is NOT a picture taker...and he missed my finish - he started watching for me AFTER the pace lady went by and I was in front of her).

I walked in the door to a round of applause, which was pretty cool, and promptly had my medal handled by everyone in the house (my mom included).  We decided to weigh it because, dang, it was heavy!  10+ ounces!  Good thing they give it to you AFTER the race because it would most definitely have slowed me down.

I enjoyed every.single.minute of the run.  I went in knowing I was guaranteed a PR and I treated it as such. That's not to say that I didn't push a bit here and there but I was mostly taking it all in.  WHAT an experience!  The first 5-6 miles I ran behind some 6'6" dude wearing a Hulk t-shirt (he was my favorite runner).  At mile 8 I tweaked my foot (same one as before) so I babied it a bit but didn't slow down.  I kept waiting for the "huge hill" at mile 11-12...and I never noticed it.  I'm thinking my normal route - with it's two ginormous hills - must make the others look like a speed bump!  My favorite sign was a guy on the South Side holding one that said, "Hungover But Still Supportive!"  :)

Best thing I did was take a bus down.  I had a place to stash my gear and also pee/change after the race (although I opted not to change and wore my race shirt - complete with bib - and my medal out to brunch).  I also didn't have to fuss about parking or directions.  Although after the race I had no idea where I was or how to get back to the bus!  Thank goodness my husband knows his way around downtown!  I would still be hanging out at Point State Park!

Worst thing I did was not wear a long-sleeve tee under my running shirt.  I was really freakin' cold waiting for the start (official start was 7AM - my corral started running around 7:20 or so).   I was in corral "E" - which Mr. MOTH said must stand for "Everyone Else". ;)

I also want to say that my heart goes out to the family of Kyle Johnson who passed away during the half marathon at mile 12.  23 years old is too young.  May he rest in peace.

Another First

This marathon thing is big.  WAY big.  I went down to pick up my race packet yesterday, with Little One in tow, and the garage at the Convention Center was full.  And so was the next lot.  And the next.  We ended up parking about 5 blocks away - good thing I've been training!  It was a hike but it was a gorgeous day and we got to walk down by the river a bit and we even saw a Canada goose hanging out on, of all things, a patch of cement!

I am thoroughly enjoying this experience because, for me, it might just be once-in-a-lifetime (maybe not - if Mr. MOTH figures out a way for me to Run Disney I am ALL OVER IT).  I picked up my bib, my tech shirt, and my goody bag and then we decided to roam around the expo.  BIG mistake.

I had to pick up a few things.  First of all, the weather for Sunday is going to be sunny.  Not mostly sunny or even partly sunny but not-a-cloud-in-the-sky sunny.  I needed something to shade my eyes.  I'm not really a hat wearer so I went looking for shades - and there was more than one option, if you can imagine! ;)

I ended up with something similar to these (the exact ones I got were light pink and not anti-fog).  If someone ends up taking my photo on race day, you'll get to see them.  I bought pink for two reasons - they donated $1 to breast cancer research and Little One was with me.  Pink is the ONLY option when you're shopping with her. ;)

I also bought some bling for my shoes.  Now, this was totally non-essential and fanciful and all about me, me, ME!  I am a girly girl who can't even believe I'm about to try to run a half-marathon so I wanted to show my accomplishment in a very girlie way (more so than the car magnet I also bought that says 13.1).  I bought this.

 

Why, yes, it is pink.  Why do you ask?

 

It was a great experience.  I also got a Boston wristband (RunforBoston) just because.  Some of my favorite things that I DIDN'T buy:  A t-shirt for spectators that says, "Yinz run like Jagoffs 'N 'At" (only a Yinzer would get that one).  A t-shirt that says, "Twenty Six Point Freakin' Two!"  (I say "freakin'" a lot). And I also like the Great Race tees but I need to actually RUN the Great Race before I buy one of those - and I think I will!

 

So, tomorrow's the big day and I'm ready I guess.  Taper is tricky - you have to trust your training and since I have no idea if I should or not I'm just going with it.  Mr. MOTH will be waiting at the finish (alone, the kids are staying with Grandma) and that's a huge deal for me.  He's not exactly into the whole distance running thing but he seems pretty pumped about this and that means more than he probably knows.  He even signed up to get texts DURING the race of my times at certain mileages!  :) 

 

Wish me luck!

Sh*t Happens

Around here, it happens a lot.  In the middle of the flu that I mentioned in my last post I was still trying to get at least most, if not ALL, of my training runs done.  This is my first endurance race and I want to make sure I'm ready - especially since I don't exactly have any confidence in myself as an endurance athlete.

But, alas, I am and always will be The Mommy before I am The Runner.  All 4 kids had that awful, awful stomach bug and although Baby Girl and Youngest Boy seemed to recover the most quickly, Oldest Boy took nearly 10 days.  And Little One decided to show them all up and she ended up in Children's Hospital ER with an overnight stay. 

Sometimes, you just have to go with your mommy (and daddy) instincts.  We took her to our "pediatrician" (who isn't a doc but a Physician Assistant since the full time ped at our local office left town).  She diagnosed her with strep and sent us home with a prescription.  Even though I kept saying things like, "she hasn't really had anything to drink ALL DAY" and "She's slept 45 outta the last 48 hours".  (Note:  We are NOT returning to that office.  Ever.)

That was Friday.

Saturday at 8AM I was headed to the Big City Children's Hospital (After our experience of the day before with the local yokels we were DONE with hicks trying to diagnose our children - we wanted only expert care and we're so thankful to be only an hour away from some of the best in the country).  They treated her with IV fluids...and she still wasn't any perkier.

They wanted us to spend the night.  Now, I thought this was probably for the best because, frankly, she's our little fireball and to see her laid low by a stupid virus was scaring me.  Little One?  She was downright PISSED.  She wanted to go HOME!  NOW! And she told anyone and everyone with whom she came into contact.  As a matter of fact, that was ALL she would say (OK, scream).  We saw 3-4 doctors and more nurses and techs than I can remember.  The docs all agreed that while she did indeed test positive for strep she's actually a carrier and doesn't need to be treated (that would explain why she was asymptomatic both this time and the last time our ding-dong PA diagnosed her with it). 

She just got fluids all night and when she was finally producing output (she peed) they eased up and by late Sunday afternoon they discharged her.  The good is that she recovered much more quickly than if we had ignored it.  The bad is that it was more than a little traumatic (and it cost me a My Little Pony...).

Little One and Grandma E (my grandma) taken this past week.

I just LOVE this photo - taken with my new camera from Mr. MOTH



Flu

I'm not sure why we even bother to get the flu shot.  Rumor has it, it doesn't actually protect against the stomach flu and, quite frankly, that's the one I hate the most.  I can deal with the fevers, aches and pains of the regular flu (which is what the shot is for) but this stomach flu is...gross.

As of this morning, all 4 kids have puked.  Multiple times.  On every surface.  So.much.LAUNDRY!

It doesn't seem to matter that I have disinfected every square inch in between each episode, they all got it anyhow.  I'm nearly out of Lysol, Tide and patience.  Oldest Boy fell first, Saturday night, and he STILL can barely eat because of the stomach pain.  He was originally planning to go to school today but how could I sent him?  The others are all more recently sick (Youngest Boy and Little One on Tuesday night - ALL NIGHT- and Baby Girl first thing this morning) and he doesn't have much stamina.

So.

We're all home (except Mr. MOTH - who squealed tires on his way to work this morning in an attempt to get the heck away from us not catch it).  It's just like vacation!  Just with more puke and medicine.

And, in a completely selfish way, I am doing everything I can to not get sick.  I'm running a half marathon in 17 days and I can only imagine what this violent stomach bug would do to my training.

Also, I have a brand spankin' new niece!  I haven't seen her because we have the plague at our house and I'm terrified to give it to anyone over there.  I don't even want my parents coming here because THEY might get it and give it to my brother's family.  I can't wait to meet her!  So hard not being there for them!  I'll make up for it - she'll be sick of me by the time it's all said and done!

Boston

I'll never run in the Boston marathon.  I'm too slow.  I'm too old.  I'm not driven enough.  But I'll be damned if some lunatic will take away that dream from other runners. 

Acts of terror are meant to inflict terror, chaos, death, and injury.  I'm not sure why a people/person would want to do this and, frankly, no explanation will ever be adequate or justifiable.  But do they forget that this is AMERICA?  Where people never give up, never back down, never give in but instead stand up, push forward, and persevere?

This was harder for me to watch than a lot of the other horrific events that have happened.  It's just too close to home.  Running a marathon is an act of defiance of what non-runners think the human body is capable of doing ("I can't even drive that far!").  Runners are an amazing group (you heard that some crossed the finish and kept running straight to the hospital to donate blood, right?).  Everyone there had a connection to the amazing running community in some way. 

Will I still run the half marathon in 19 days?  Absolutely.  Will I still make my family come to watch?  Absolutely NOT.  If the adults still want to come, I won't ask them not to do so but I would never be able to run focused if my kids were in the crowd at this point.  I will not run in fear, but I will not put them in potential danger.

Source

I AM Stronger Than I Thought

A few weeks back (like, WAY back), I entered to win a t-shirt from one of my favorite running blogs (Another Mother Runner).  Mostly, I comment just because I like to talk and around here it's tough to compete with a 3-year-old (not to mention she just doesn't get most of my jokes).  In this case, I WON!  I got to choose an awesome t-shirt from their new line-up and I was pretty excited.  I chose this one:

Note:  Baby Girl took this photo while she was home from school yesterday with a fever (104.2)

Unfortunately, the temp hasn't been above freezing around here until just recently but I got to rock this tee yesterday.  I got a couple of compliments and, of course, I had to tell the whole story about how I won it and I'm hoping to prove how strong I really am by completing my first half marathon in just over three (3!) weeks. 

Now we get to the part of training where I start to freak the frickety frack out!  Do you know how long 13.1 miles is?!?!  I do.  Really stinkin' long.  I have a 10-13 mile training run on Saturday (my personal goal is 12) and I am hanging a lot of confidence come race day on being able to complete that run with minimal drama (and pain).  The weather, of course, is not cooperating but I'm planning to run outside anyway.  At this rate, there's a good chance it will be snowing on race day so I may as well suck it up, buttercup and get 'er done.

I'm also struggling with my own ignorance.  I never really thought about some things that I now have to consider pretty seriously.  Like fueling during a run.  I was eyeing up some chews last night while grocery shopping and had some muscle-head guy (whose neck was bigger than my waist) trying to give me pointers.  All I could think was that body-building (i.e. building muscles) is WAAAAY different than building cardio endurance.  Yes, you want to limit sugar but you NEED carbs to fuel a long run (even *I* know that).  He just kinda ticked me off and maybe confused me a bit.  I'll figure it out.  I did learn that jelly beans are not acceptable fuel.  I learned that the hard way. Ahem.

I also need to know what the heck a corral is.  I mean, should I pack my spurs?  Will I be running with the bulls?  I'm kidding, but I really don't know what it means.  I'm guessing it's like an organized starting line but since I've never done this before I don't know what to expect.  I'll be asking the experts (Joella) for info very soon.

And then there's the logistics of race day morning.  I think I'm taking a bus (I haven't heard details yet...) but I don't know how many kids to have Mr. MOTH bring or if he should bring any.  If my mom comes, they'll have to bring all of them.  And he's not a social being the way I am - he will want to leave ASAP and I'm planning on enjoying the festivities for quite awhile.  We'll see, I guess!

Anyhow, thanks SBS and Dimity for the cool duds and the personalized note.  I use it as a bookmark in my copy of Train Like A Mother!