Kids 5k Race Report

Last Saturday, 3 of the kids participated in a local 5k Run.  I was not able to make it to the race, but Ross did a good job of capturing the event in photos and videos.  I thought just the boys were running the 5k, but found out later that Helen ran the 5k too ----- in CONVERSE tennis shoes - oops!  She has running shoes, but they were at school over the weekend.

 Ready, Set, Go!
 

 Jayden

 Helen

 Graham

  Graham finished 2nd in his age group!

Helen had a writing event @ her school tonight where we could see some of the writing pieces she's been working on.  I gave her the camera and here's how she documented the night :)

 a selfie with her friend - when did my 6 year old learn how to take a selfie ?!?!  she's growing up too fast!

 there would be no candy in the world --- that's my girl :)

state team swimming photo on her locker

Monkey Business

Helen participated in the science fair at her school.  She did a project on the best way to keep bananas fresh.

Nana and Papa were in town and they got to see her project on display :)

Easter and Inspiration

First, I must start this post with a few Easter pictures:

 coloring eggs

 silly jilly - wearing an Easter bucket on her head

 oops!  can't dye those eggs --- 2 people dropped them while trying to place them in the cup ... Can you guess who dropped them?

 mmmmm - hollow chocolate bunny!

 don't think I'll get a job at a bakery!  my attempt at our traditional bunny cake (my mom started this bunny cake tradition when we were little).  I made 2 this year because Graham's teacher had to have emergency surgery on Friday and I offered to make them Easter dinner.  So I doubled our dinner and shared with her family. 

Easter dinner - TO GO :)

I've mentioned this before - but I've been working with a group of ladies at my gym who are training for a 5k in May.  It all started one morning with a discussion after my 5am spinning class - a couple girls had some questions about getting into running.  One morning, while out on a run myself - I cam up with the idea of hosting a 5k and info sessions about running.  There are so many stories I could share here - these ladies are such an inspiration to me.  I love when they tell me that they've run further than they ever thought they could or they are running faster than they ever thought they could or that they are walking less and running more each week during their training.

Some notes people have sent me:
"Thanks you also for putting this 5k together! I never thought I would do something like this and it has been so encouraging! Loving the program and all your great tips!"

" I ran all 7 of my 400's between 2:07 and 2:12. I can't believe I can do this!! Thank you SO much for all of your help."

 "Did track work today... I was going to totally ditch it and run a quick 4 route somewhere. Glad I didn't. Felt good:). Thanks for teaching me how to do it ."

A few pictures from my training runs this week:  10 mile brick run after 2.5 hours of biking on my trainer in the basement --- felt really good .... less than 2 weeks until our Saturday/Sunday marathon weekend!  

 10 mile Tempo run on Thursday - thinking about adjusting my marathon pace goal for the Wisconsin Marathon on May 3.  My original goal was 3:15 overall (7:26 per mile pace) - but I feel like I might be able to push this pace a little faster.....we'll see how I feel on race day :)

 officially saying GOODBYE to WINTER!  Boots in the TRASH!!

On Sunday, I had another 2.5 hour ride on the trainer and a 10 mile run.  This wasn't a brick run but it was about 75 degrees out ---- and my first daffodil!  Didn't realize until Monday morning how tough these 2 workouts were this weekend. 

 Took the kids to the first home track meet of the season last Thursday.  Brought back so many memories of my high school track running days so I had to throw in this throw-back photo of my 3200 meter relay team --- we STILL hold the record at my high school!  

Super excited about this All World Athlete status from IRONMAN.  I placed in the top 10% of my Age Group for my Ironman and half-Ironman races in 2013.  Definitely keeps me motivated for my races in 2014!! 

4/15 ..... one year later

I can't believe it's been a year since the Boston Marathon 2013.  It's definitely not how I imagined the day would end 1 year ago.  I remember exactly where I was when the bombs went off - I was reaching in a school bus window for my gear bag just a few hundred feet from the finish line of the marathon.  At the time, I had no idea that cannon-like sound and puffs of smoke were actually bombs.  I can remember walking right out of the finish corral and towards the subway to head back to my apartment that I was renting for the weekend.  I can remember finding the subway closed but that didn't seem unusual to me at the time.   I can remember hearing sirens from police and ambulance cars during my 2+ mile walk but at the time those sounds didn't seem unusual to me.   I can remember getting back to the apartment and the many messages on my phone of panic from my family and friends.  I can remember standing there talking to Ross, still feeling clueless and he said to me "You don't know what happened at the finish line of the marathon, do you?"  I can remember turning on the TV as I'm talking to Ross to see for the first time what was actually happening.  I can remember standing in the living room of the apartment for what seemed like the next 4 hours.... not moving, not showering, not drinking water, just standing and staring..... I can remember checking the lock on the door  about 1,000 times.  I can remember being so scared to draw back light, white  curtains of the apartment for fear of what might be out there.  I can remember hearing the sounds of the sirens for the next 8 hours or more on the streets outside the apartment.......I can remember eating a piece of bread with peanut butter on it after finally taking a shower around 8pm.  I can remember laying in bed, watching the same news report over and over and over again... still in disbelief.  I can remember finally falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the TV..... I can remember the restless night and waking up around 5am..... I can remember the feelings on thankfulness that I had ----- my legs were completely trashed and sore from the tough course of the Boston Marathon but I can remember being so thankful that I had both my legs.  I can remember staring at the light, white curtains in the apartment - afraid to draw them back to see what was going on outside..... I can remember the feeling as I put on my running shoes and walked up the stairs of the apartment to the ground level.  I can remember opening the door and peeking outside.... almost as if I was part of a war-themed movie.  I can remember the sounds on the street........ ABSOLUTE SILENCE...... eerily QUIET.  I can remember walking a couple blocks down the road to the convenience store to get some milk for my cereal and talking to the store clerk who was supposed to be downtown the day before with some friends celebrating the marathon and the Red Sox game.... I can remember the same store clerk telling me that one of his friends had lost a limb that afternoon.  I can remember him telling me that it could have been him and that his wife was pregnant.   I can remember packing up my belongings and heading toward the subway..... I can remember the police presence in the subway, the police dogs, and the SILENCE..... I can remember the flight home and the drive home from Chicago....

Today, I had a track workout and in between my intervals I stopped to get some water and looked down to notice my key chain.  my sis-in-law got this key chain for me the Christmas before the Boston Marathon.  I ran without headphones today, which is very unusual for me - but I needed that time to reflect.... for those who lost their lives, for those who were injured, for those than cannot run for now, and for my life that was spared that day because I am certain that I ran by those bombs that day on Boylston Street.... for the penny that I picked up at the start of the race in Hopkinton.... for the prayer that I said just before I started the marathon.....for the second chance that I was given.... I am forever thankful!

I won't be running the Boston Marathon 2014 --- I did qualify for the Marathon however due to the overwhelming response from runners, my qualifying time was not fast enough to get me in for 2014 (I qualified with a 3:39:40 but to be accepted this year, runners needed 3:38 in my age category).  I'm not going to lie, I was extremely disappointed when I found out about my rejection ---- but I turned that disappointment into something positive when I ran the NYC Marathon last November ---- I qualified for the Boston Marathon 2015 with a 20 minute and 1 second time buffer ------ I think that will get me in for 2015 :)

Regional Swim Meet 2014 - Minneapolis, MN

 heat results from Saturday's events ....

 Graham just after he swam the 500 Free in 6:28!!!!! - breaking the team record.  I wish I was quick enough with the camera to capture him laying his head back in the water with his arms stretched out in a T shape.  It was priceless - he swam his little heart out!  So proud of him!!!!!!!

 taking in his accomplishment :)

 Graham is in the pink cap - so focused before his race.

 Graham finishing his event and Jayden right next to him in the purple cap by the starting block.  I love how they encourage eachother

 Jayden in the center of the photo (purple cap) - talking with a friend that he made during the swim meet.  I love to see him making friends outside of competition.

 Jayden finishing his 200 IM race.  I didn't capture it in a photo, but he reached over to shake both kid's hands on either side of him after they finished.  He won the 200 IM event.

 Jayden in the "zone" - after the meet, I asked him what he thought about while he stood at the starting block before his event.  He told me that he thinks about resting in his bed :)  But he was hesitant to tell me what he thinks about, so if you see him DON'T ask him about this :)

Graham's pace splits for his 500 Free - just before his race, I scribbled them down on a torn off piece of paper bag :)  Jayden did his cards (numbered cards that keep track of the number of laps for the event.  each swimmer and card holder agree on cues with the cards for speeding up or slowing down pace).  Jayden kept this paper in his hand and watched the time for Graham to keep him on pace.   He did a great job!

 we didn't get a chance to take this photo last year at Regionals, so Jayden wanted to make sure we got his picture in front of the University of Minnesota football stadium

 Graham looks so grown up here!!

Graham watching some of the older kids swim a 400 IM at the end of the swim meet.

Jayden finished 2nd overall in the meet for his age group (8&under)
Graham's highest placing was 4th in the 500 Free
So proud of my boys!!

Videos from Regionals:
Graham 200 Free:   http://youtu.be/mTy7BL_wKb0
Jayden - 200 IM:  http://youtu.be/wTc3P2Rp0Zc
 Graham 200IM :  http://youtu.be/B9CFWxMOtCk
Jayden 50 Breast:   http://youtu.be/iftYgjHStDs
Jayden 50 Fly: http://youtu.be/yyoX936YPwU
Graham 50 Fly:  http://youtu.be/P4f3BmaGAdI

 We stopped by my Grandma's nursing home to visit her - Jayden is talking about the rides at the Mall of America

 Jillian talking to her Great-Grandma

 Showing her some pictures of the swim meet

 Jillian playing peek-a-boo with her 2nd cousin, Jackson.

 The cousins and second cousins at the pizza party after the swim meet.

 My Aunts, Uncles, and cousins.

 My mom and her 2 sisters.

 The home where I grew up in West St. Paul. 

 My Great-Grandma's home on Bidwell St.  I didn't notice the light on in the family room of the house when I took the photo...... maybe that's the light of my Great-Grandma :)

 Growing up, we always thought this was the front of her house --- we never really came to her 'official" front door (pictured in the photo with the light on above), we always parked in the driveway and came up to this door.  She didn't have a doorbell on this side so we would just knock loudly and say hello.  Her kitchen sink was in front of the middle window and her yellow kitchen table was near the window on the left.  She often sat in the patio room on the far left near the garage, reading a book.  I can still picture myself opening the glass door to her porch (it used to be red) where there were always a couple of lounge chairs and at least one upright chair.  And I can still picture her waving to me as we left, she would wave with the door open ---- I couldn't help but think that each time I visited her in her late 90's that it may be my last time I would see her with her short, curly grey hair, hearing aids, a kleenex stuffed in the sleeve of her sweater, and her dress pants neatly pressed.  Man, do I miss her!!
                                         Salem Church where I was baptized

My attempt at fooling Helen into thinking that I made chicken nuggets :)  --- I dipped the chicken in a ranch dressing/bbq sauce mixture and corn flakes and then baked the chicken.   She didn't fall for it!  --- but everyone else liked it.

After driving back from Minnesota, we enjoyed the rest of our spring break in Sturgis.....

 Helen on the carousel in Shipshewana, IN

Jillian visiting her favorite hot chocolate spot!

 first sunrise run of 2014!  finally getting warm enough for me to run outside in the early morning :)

 yum!!  frozen hot chocolate!!!

Below are some pictures from the Vera Bradley Sale in Ft. Wayne, IN.  My mom and I met her sisters, a couple of my cousins, and her Aunt in Ft. Wayne for the day..... here's the line we had to wait in just to get into the convention center.

 Some serious purse shopping here!!!  yikes!

 The checkout line

 This was the view when we first walked in ---- there was a map showing the layout of the Convention Center --- it seemed like many people knew exactly where to go once they entered the room.  I just browsed up and down the aisles --before this event, I only owned 1 Vera purse.... now I own another Vera purse, a jewelry organizer, and a wallet :)  I didn't go crazy  - haha!  It was fun to spend the day with my Aunties, mom, and cousins!