Pretty Lily

Scott checked on the bunnies this morning.

Our pretty Lily is gone.

It appears to us she died while giving birth.

Zak is so sad. I know there is no way to comfort him other than just being there.

Gracie wrote him and Lily a note -

"I feel sad for you Lily and Zak"

And life goes on.

Love / Hate

All relationships have a love/hate factor.



I've been married for 22 years. My husband, who I love a little more each day, wouldn't deny that we have had our bad moments, our hate moments. We both agree if it weren't for what we learned from the bad times we would never have the good times.



I ran on Saturday afternoon. Only 4 miles. I was busy with stuff around the house but finally got my butt out there. It was a beautiful day. I was able to put my mind in a place that made the running easy. When I got home I was surprised the miles passed without me looking at my watch or thinking about how slow I was moving. It was a good feeling. Sunday I rode. I met up with Rick and Ken. It was really good seeing them. I was a little nervous getting out there with Ken leading. He insisted he was riding like himself but still managed to move very quickly. Once I found my rhythm, the groups rhythm didn't matter. I was really happy to be out there. Even with the wind and cold. Brrrrrrr, it was cold.



A couple of weeks ago I read Megan's blog. She wrote how her blog is more like an open diary for all to read. She beat me to it, describing blogging that way. I love writing this blog and I learn a lot from going back and reading it. I must admit though that it takes me forever to write a post. I write it, publish it then go back and edit it after I've thought about it a couple of hours later. I've changed this post twice already.


But I think I see the love/hate thing with my swimming, biking and running this year. I've complained a lot about my performance. After reading some of the post I'm surprised some of you have come back to see what I was complaining about for the next week. This year was filled with seething over my run at McNaughton, minor aches and pains, bad weather and being two pedal strokes back with my cycling. I got so busy with complaining that I lost the joy of just getting out there. There was the occasional glimpse of clarity and enjoyment but not enough to get me out there regularly. I let my expectation of what this year should have been take over what I could actually do. Wow, I didn't have to pay a therapist to come up with that one.



So, it's time to just enjoy. Enjoy the cold air that hit my face on Sunday. Enjoy the changing colors of the season. Enjoy the company that I get to ride, run and swim with and enjoy the solitude of being out there on my own. It's time that I learn and start to trust what I know and take each day as it comes and leave my expectations on a shelf for a while. It's time for me to fall in love again, with just moving.

Chicago Marathon 2008

I volunteered for the Chicago Marathon today. I love this race. My only complaint is how the race has grown. Last year was a perfect example of how difficult it is to manage an enormous crowd. Thankfully Carey Pinkowski learned from last years mistakes and the race appeared to go very well.

For those who have never been to Chicago, (I know, I'm actually thinking someone I don't know is reading this blog :)) running the marathon would be a great way to see our city.

Congratulations to everyone who ran. It got pretty tough out there with all that fall sunshine beaming down on you but everyone proved they prepared themselves for whatever the day put in front of them.

Here are some pics of my great day .....

The clock reads 6:15. Caroline and I got down to North and Wells around 5:45. It took us a while to find street parking. You didn't think I was going to pay $10 did you? :)

While checking in we received our credentials. See that yellow dot. It means I got to work the Gartorade stations. O yeah! Me and my kids are gatorade experts. This was going to be fun!

We also got these very nice dry fit hats and also dry fit jackets. Unfortunately they only had large and x-large left in the jackets so I took x-large. I ended up giving my jacket to a very nice older gentleman who helped me put cups out and mix Gatorade when things got crazy busy. You would have thought I gave him the winning lottery numbers. He introduced me to his family and kept hugging me. It was pretty funny.

We walked down to Starbucks since I hadn't had my tea yet and then found a table and got to work.
It took us about and hour and a half to get the table from empty this to this....

See the boxes in front of the table? Caroline and I needed them to reach the 5th row of cups we made.

Soon it was 8:00 and all my friends who spent the last 18 weeks training began the final leg of their marathon journey. I was hoping I would see them but knew it probably wouldn't happen since I told everyone I would be near the O'Brien's sign and I was on the opposite side of the street. I was very excited to see Tom F.! I kept screamming at him as he ran by with a smile!

The guy on the left is from the Weather Channel. Wow, the race is making the Weather Channel!

The guy on the right is the captain of our aid station. He ran thru a list of what to do's and don'ts.

Here is the leader in the wheelchair division.

And this man to the right pushed himself with his legs. Very inspiring.

And then the professionals came. Making each step look like they were out for a morning jog. First came the men ....

and then the women ....

Our gatorade station closed right around 11:15. For as long as it took us to put everything up, what ever was left was taken down in a matter of seconds ....

And cleaned up in a matter of minutes. On the way home we laughed about how sticky we were from all the Gatorade that we either mixed on us, spilled on us, spit on us, and bounced off us. I guess that was a sign that we had done our job.

Now, do I run next year or volunteer?

Mind - Body

I've been thinking. Ut oh, I know. Hey, if I can't disect this years race season, then I might have more of the crappy same next year ....

April 2008

My Mind- Ok, let's go, we're running 50 miles. Oh yeah, ignore the rain, ignore the mud let's go, go, go, go, GO!!!

My Body - What are you crazy, I'm tired. TIRED!!! Tried telling that a couple weeks ago, remember? You caught that cold, the stuffy head, all that sleep. I miss the sleep. I'm not running. Nope, the legs aren't going.

Mind - What? Yeah, right. Here we go. Get over the tired. These legs have been training for weeks. Before that, I witnessed them attempt a marathon.....

Body - Yeah, and what happened at that marathon? Huh? Can't hear you? Tried telling you then I needed a rest ..... and ....

Mind - Lighten up. And quit trying to make your point by falling. I'm getting a little tired of saying get out of the mud.

Body - TIRED!!! I'm gonna keep falling until you listen!!!


May 2008

Body - Ah, finally a rest. Thank you - THANK YOU for listening.

Mind - You're right this isn't so bad, I'm really dig'n this time off. :)

June 2008

Mind - Ok, gotta race it's only a half ironman. Let's go, let's go, let's go

Body - What? We were resting remember, we're not ready, what it's a frick'n tornado out there, I'm not going anywhere ....

Mind - ENOUGH, get the legs moving, the horn just went off .....

Mind - Oops, maybe this wasn't such a good idea, the weather isn't being too kind to us. You just keep moving body and I'll stay as still as possible.

Mid - June 2008

Mind - There are you happy body. Gotcha a new bike. Now quit complaining. Get that big butt on it and start peddling.

August 2008

Body - Thank you for the rest - ahhh. No more surprises please. And keep drinking that ginger root stuff. It's helping.

Late August 2008

Body - A 100 mile bike ride - are you crazy?

Mind - Just peddle - you can do this.


September 2008

Body - A half marathon? Ok, I've had enough. ENOUGH!

October 2008

I went riding with Laura on Thursday. About 2 blocks from my house I realized my cold was going to make me feeling like I had an elephant riding along with me, hanging onto my chest. Met Laura downtown and let her know how I was feeling. Told her I wasn't sure how long I would be able to ride. Off we went. So, did I take it easy? Hang back, enjoy her company? Nope. I pounded. Head down, heals back, toes forward. We stopped and she commented that the way I was riding she wouldn't have guessed I had that elephant with me. And right then I realized it. It really is time to rest. I'm never going to make it to that start line in August 2009 if I keep doing this to myself.

Ok body - I hear. I'm gonna rest.