We're ending our visit to IA tomorrow. We enjoyed Pella's tulips yesterday and spent lots of time with family between yesterday and today. Tomorrow we'll have our last hurrah and head home. I have pictures to post when I get home, if I have time to post them.
All the family is doing well. Babe is getting along nicely. Pat and Kent are busy and doing well between County Board duties and preservation commission fun. Tom and Gina are also busy and getting into the garden season, morrel hunting and maybe some stained glass work. Tom and I played pool and I only had two balls left when he won. This was very impressive for my limited pool talent.
I haven't gotten to run yet but perhaps tomorrow morning I will be able to run. I doubt it though so I will be spending the better part of next week getting back into a training routine. I want to run another half marathon in a week. I am a little concerned because I haven't been able to train but even if I cannot do the half, I may do the 10k run, which is 6.2 miles.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
13.1
That's how many miles I ran in the half-marathon race today. I finished in 2 hours and 20 minutes, which is what I had assumed it would take. I was pleased to be in under 11 minutes per mile. I thought about my parents a few times along the way. Today, I ran for them.
That's a heck of a long way to run, by the way, all in a row. The nice thing about running that long is that you have a long time to think. I enjoyed the run until the 12 mile mark. Then things got to be very discouraging. As ridiculous as this may sound, I was pretty convinced around 12.5 miles that I would not be able to finish. I was trying to tell myself, at the time, that it's pretty stupid to think that I couldn't make it another stinking half mile. After all, I'd already run 12.5 miles.
When the road split and the full marathoners went on to run another 13.1 miles I thought to myself "how in the world can they do it?" I'd like to try. I need to increase my pace though and figure out how to prevent these ****ing blisters. I can't imagine what would happen to my feet if I ran the full.
That's a heck of a long way to run, by the way, all in a row. The nice thing about running that long is that you have a long time to think. I enjoyed the run until the 12 mile mark. Then things got to be very discouraging. As ridiculous as this may sound, I was pretty convinced around 12.5 miles that I would not be able to finish. I was trying to tell myself, at the time, that it's pretty stupid to think that I couldn't make it another stinking half mile. After all, I'd already run 12.5 miles.
When the road split and the full marathoners went on to run another 13.1 miles I thought to myself "how in the world can they do it?" I'd like to try. I need to increase my pace though and figure out how to prevent these ****ing blisters. I can't imagine what would happen to my feet if I ran the full.
You ask: "what does someone look like after they've run a half marathon?" Something like this:
Something occurred to me while I was running and perhaps it takes having almost two and a half hours to reflect on things in order to figure something like this out. My whole life, in general terms, I've followed the rules, stayed the course and done what I am supposed to. I have been careful to make the right decision, be highly logical, maintain high ethics and be an all-around dudley do-right. In the past year I've had to think more critically about situations at work that may not follow the same path. Through this process of understanding politics and when is the most appropriate time to do what is right versus doing what is mostly right, or partially right I've had the opportunity to consider how this concept applies to my own life. What I figured out today is that I am tired of being perfect. I'm tired of doing everything right. I don't want to make the most logical choice 100% of the time. Sometimes I just want to do something that *I* want to do and I don't care anymore if it isn't logical or right. I suppose one may find a variety of terms to describe this self evaluation/realization but for now I am just going to go with the flow and see where I lead. Carpe Diem.Monday, April 6, 2009
Good Monday!
Did everyone enjoy the weekend? My favorite part was the blowing snow and below freezing temperatures. Come on, admit it now, it was your favorite part too! Annie actually enjoyed playing in the snow. We watched her play outside from the warmth of the inside. I think Madeline went out for a little bit too. It was good snowman snow, if there had been more. What we did get melted pretty quickly.
Maddie and Annie had dance. I ran a little but was trying to heal the massive blister I got from my 9 mile run last week. I'm planning to run 10 this week sometime. We'll see what kind of blister I get from that!
Some of the relatives are in Qatar doing lectures at a university. We can't wait to hear about their travels when they return. So far it sounds like a lot of fun, albeit exhausting fun.
Maddie and Annie had dance. I ran a little but was trying to heal the massive blister I got from my 9 mile run last week. I'm planning to run 10 this week sometime. We'll see what kind of blister I get from that!
Some of the relatives are in Qatar doing lectures at a university. We can't wait to hear about their travels when they return. So far it sounds like a lot of fun, albeit exhausting fun.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Weekend Summary Report
Even though I don't have time to write, here I am updating you all on the blog. I guess that just goes to show you that people will still do what they want regardless of priority!
Madeline and Annalise started swimming lessons this past weekend. For Annie it was just another day swimming with the added strange person watching her during her swim, which she did NOT appreciate. She really didn't care for the instructor. Even though she sees her in the kiddie room all the time. Madeline did fantastic. She learned to freestyle and work on other techniques. She is very excited to tell everyone that she skipped level 3. She is the youngest in her class. She told me "everyone else can touch the bottom of the pool!".
Ryan took Friday off and has been working almost nonstop on the storm shelter. I think all of the framing is up. I believe the next step is to install the steel sheets, but don't quote me on that. Hopefully it will be completed by the end of next weekend.
Madeline and Annalise started swimming lessons this past weekend. For Annie it was just another day swimming with the added strange person watching her during her swim, which she did NOT appreciate. She really didn't care for the instructor. Even though she sees her in the kiddie room all the time. Madeline did fantastic. She learned to freestyle and work on other techniques. She is very excited to tell everyone that she skipped level 3. She is the youngest in her class. She told me "everyone else can touch the bottom of the pool!".
Ryan took Friday off and has been working almost nonstop on the storm shelter. I think all of the framing is up. I believe the next step is to install the steel sheets, but don't quote me on that. Hopefully it will be completed by the end of next weekend.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Spring
Spring is finally here and we've been enjoying unseasonably warm weather. I guess if the global warming thing is changing our seasons it isn't really unseasonably anymore. I think we hit 80 last week. The snow has melted but I have a gut feeling we're in for at least one more snow this spring. My fear is that we'll have a late cold snap that will put my peach tree in peril. I will be working very hard to protect the garden this year. We're planning to plant several new fruit trees this year. Ryan is installing several new raised beds which will help with the weed and drainage issues from last year. I believe he's also putting down a lot of mulch in the back half of the yard. We'll see.
Right now Ryan is working on my storm shelter. I think this is funny (in a not-so-funny-more-like-irritating way) because of the tornadoes that went through our area last night. We did have a brief conversation about his promise to have the storm shelter ready for the storm season. Well it looks like most of the shelter will be completed this weekend. The steel door may or may not be ready this weekend.
We're also working on a new planting plan and landscape layout for part of the yard. We should receive the new design this week. I am sure it will take quite a while to finish.
Madeline's two top teeth are pretty wiggly. She's trying to loose them at school so she can get the "cool treasure box". She is eating all kinds of hard things biting with her top teeth to make them wigglier. Annie declares that she has wiggly teeth. I am sure they will be "wiggly" for the next three years.
We all (minus Ryan) just got over a nasty stomach virus that gave us fevers for two weeks. I heard influenza and strep are also going around but hopefully none of us will get anything. I need to stay healthy for the next five weeks. May 3 is the half-marathon. I have to do a little catch-up to make up for the time I was sick. I have more but will put things in separate posts.
Right now Ryan is working on my storm shelter. I think this is funny (in a not-so-funny-more-like-irritating way) because of the tornadoes that went through our area last night. We did have a brief conversation about his promise to have the storm shelter ready for the storm season. Well it looks like most of the shelter will be completed this weekend. The steel door may or may not be ready this weekend.
We're also working on a new planting plan and landscape layout for part of the yard. We should receive the new design this week. I am sure it will take quite a while to finish.
Madeline's two top teeth are pretty wiggly. She's trying to loose them at school so she can get the "cool treasure box". She is eating all kinds of hard things biting with her top teeth to make them wigglier. Annie declares that she has wiggly teeth. I am sure they will be "wiggly" for the next three years.
We all (minus Ryan) just got over a nasty stomach virus that gave us fevers for two weeks. I heard influenza and strep are also going around but hopefully none of us will get anything. I need to stay healthy for the next five weeks. May 3 is the half-marathon. I have to do a little catch-up to make up for the time I was sick. I have more but will put things in separate posts.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Woops
Apparently I fell off the posting wagon.
One important detail I forgot about my birthday is that there was snow on the ground. It is a well known fact in my household that on my birthday there is ALWAYS snow on the ground. If I recall correctly last year got VERY close to no snow and THIS year there was quite a bit of snow on the ground.
We are ending this beautiful week with fantastically warm spring weather and the girls are getting better. Annie started out the week with a fever and dreaded diarrea. Her fever hung around about four days. Madeline came down with the creaping crud a day and a half ago. We assume she'll follow the same long term path to recovery. They are both still sick but seem to be improving slowly, very slowly. So far neither Ryan nor I have gotten The Crud. My stomach hasn't been the greatest, however.
Madeline finished up her clay class and is moving forward to her dance recital which is at the end of May. In a few weeks we head to Minneapolis for my national planning conference. The whole family is tagging along for fun, because we all know that there is a LOT of fun to be had in Minneapolis.
One important detail I forgot about my birthday is that there was snow on the ground. It is a well known fact in my household that on my birthday there is ALWAYS snow on the ground. If I recall correctly last year got VERY close to no snow and THIS year there was quite a bit of snow on the ground.
We are ending this beautiful week with fantastically warm spring weather and the girls are getting better. Annie started out the week with a fever and dreaded diarrea. Her fever hung around about four days. Madeline came down with the creaping crud a day and a half ago. We assume she'll follow the same long term path to recovery. They are both still sick but seem to be improving slowly, very slowly. So far neither Ryan nor I have gotten The Crud. My stomach hasn't been the greatest, however.
Madeline finished up her clay class and is moving forward to her dance recital which is at the end of May. In a few weeks we head to Minneapolis for my national planning conference. The whole family is tagging along for fun, because we all know that there is a LOT of fun to be had in Minneapolis.
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