Go, Mommy, Go!

Last June, my favorite race buddy Stacy and I signed up for the Country Music Marathon when there was a special promotional discount for National Running Day.  We had done numerous 5Ks, a trifecta of half marathons in 2013, and the Ragnar Relay last year together, just to name a few.  Why not add a marathon to that list?  Unfortunately, however, Stacy passed away unexpectedly last December.  I miss her tremendously, and at times it made it quite difficult to keep training and pushing forward, but I knew she would want me to keep at it.  And so, last Saturday, I -along with Stacy's sister and fiance- ran the CMM in her memory.

It was my third full marathon, but the first one I had done post-marriage and kids.  This time around training was a lot more challenging - trying to find time to train, working around both Justin and my schedules to figure out when I could squeeze in long runs, and doing lots of treadmill runs at the Y while the kids were having fun at the Y-Play.  It was definitely a difficult feat!  

The weeks leading up to the race caused me much anxiety.  I was missing Stacy a ton, I was worried about the 90% chance of storms that was predicted, and I just didn't seem ready - especially since my last long run, a 20-miler, left me in tears because it was so brutal!  Picking up our race packets the day before the race did nothing but make me more nervous and anxious to run!

With Jeff and Dana, Stacy's fiance and sister.

The kids absolutely loved everything about the Expo - especially all of the samples, haha.

After the Expo, we dropped the kids of at Lolo and Lola's house and carbed up before an early bedtime.  My nerves got the best of me, and I woke up over an hour before my 4am alarm.  I just couldn't believe that the weather forecast had somehow shifted from basically inevitable thunderstorms to being perfectly clear!

We met up with Jeff and Dana bright and early wearing our matching shirts made in honor of Stacy.

I was nervous and anxious and fighting back tears as we waited for our turn to cross the start line.  Once I crossed, I immediately found a slow and steady rhythm and just started praying.  I said countless decades of the rosary - in honor of anyone I could think of who was suffering more than me.  I prayed for Stacy and her family and friends, for Michael Stanley - a boy I've never met but whose story I've been following - and his family and friends, for my cousin Cliff and his family during his bout with cancer, for the two homeless men that Lissie has taken a special devotion to helping.  I figured that my running 26.2 was nothing compared to what others are feeling and going through.

It helped tremendously that Justin and the kids and Stacy's other sister and friends alternated meeting up with us throughout the course to cheer us on.  I prided myself on maintaining a speed that would get me to my goal.

Go, Mommy, Go!

Still figuring out the megaphone.

Waiting for me at mile 17.
(BTW, Lissie fell in love with the CMM shirt - it was like an Elsa dress on her.  Haha.)

He was sad because he thought he could run with me.

But then I hit that mental wall at Mile 20.  Maybe it was the heat and humidity (I was thinking that the rain would've been nice at that point).  Maybe it was seeing all of the faster runners coming back around and wanting to be them instead.  Maybe it was the hills.  Maybe it was just the fact that we were in Shelby Park.  But I just kept slowing down.  I took more water/gatorade breaks and had a harder time getting back into running rhythm.  I started to feel blisters forming on my left foot.  I was achy and sore all over.  Even when I made it to mile 25, I couldn't get motivated to run that last 1.2 miles.  I alternated running and walking and choking back tears.  Finally I made it to mile 26, and I forced myself to keep running.  That's when I saw Justin and the kids and started to do my ugly cry.  I told them that I couldn't do it, and the kids helped me (slowly) run that last .2 miles to the finish line.

My ugly cry, haha.

I did it.  It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't my personal best.  My official time was 4:56.  It wasn't my worst time, either, so at least I'll take that.  Regardless, mission was accomplished, and I think Stacy would've been proud.

I don't know if I'm going to run another marathon again.  I at least know that it won't be for several more years, if I do.  I'm just glad that I could finally put that 26.2 sticker (that I bought a few years ago but wouldn't allow myself to put up until I ran another one) on my car.  I know it wasn't my first marathon, but it was definitely my hardest one to train for and finish.

Yep, Stacy.  That was for you.

Purity Dairy Dash 2015

I've been in full training mode for the Country Music Marathon since January and, as such, didn't really plan on doing any races until then.

But Lissie has been begging me to run another race, and my dad mentioned wanting to run something, too.  So I did some research and found this fun run.  I remember my friend Stacy had done it and loved it, so we all signed up.  The kids were stoked about the idea of running for ice cream and chocolate milk!

For a while, I had considered doing the 1-miler, 5K, AND the 10K to get in a total 10+ mile training run, but instead I decided to take it easy and just do the 10K and the 1-miler with the kids.  My dad and Justin ran the 5K.

Once we signed up for the race last month, Lissie had wanted to go running to practice - just like mommy.  We found the measly indoor track at the Y that rarely gets used, and the kids loved practicing their running there.  We also did "cross training" with bike riding at parks and running outside when we could.  They had a blast pretending to be super fast racers and being chased by monsters!

On the day of the race, Lissie was totally ready.  She was taking off with a vengeance wanting her ice cream reward at the end.  Xavier, on the other hand, decided he wasn't exactly interested in running after all, so I got an extra workout by running with 25 pounds of Xavier for almost a mile!  When we neared the finish line, I put Xavier down, and we all ran the last little bit full speed ahead.  They loved all of the cheers from the passersby!  And, of course,  they LOVED the ice cream treat afterwards!

Who knew we were behind the mayor of Nashville?

Post race hug with a cow.

They run for ice cream.

Lissie showing Xavier the proper technique for stretching.

Stretching after a hard workout.

We were also able to cheer Daddy on as he finished his 5K (with a whopping time of 26:05, beating his anticipated goal by two minutes)!  I quickly passed the kids off to Justin and then got ready for my own race.

Lissie loved crossing the finish line again with daddy!

My only goal for my run was to finish in under an hour.  I started off pretty strong, but I didn't have my running watch or phone to keep track of my pace - and I didn't see a mile marker until mile 3 - so I was getting a little discouraged, thinking that I was being super slow.  I trudged on, refusing to walk, and I ended up finishing the run MUCH faster than I anticipated.  I finished in 55:04, beating my previous best time by 6 minutes!

Lissie and Xavier joining me at my final stretch.  I didn't really want to slow down, haha.

I kind of left Xavier hanging. He wanted to finish with me.  Whoops.

All in all, it was an awesome race.  It was so fun doing it as a family, and it was especially neat getting to eat ice cream and chocolate milk for breakfast.  We did miss out on the macaroni and cheese, but I suppose there's always next year!

My kids are already asking when they can run again.  Lissie says she needs to keep practicing for when she's grown up - she wants to be a cooker and a runner!

Later, Justin and I realized that all four of us got a personal record.  Even though Xavier didn't really run, he got a PR just because it was his first race ever.  Haha.  And my dad?   He finished sixth in his age group!  Way to go us!

Go, Lolo, go!

Lissie crossing the finish line, yet again!  Look at that face, haha.

Post race trip to the park wearing their matching shirts.

Our 2015 Journey to Easter

With our crazy busy schedules, I wasn't able to do as much Lenten and Easter preparation at home as I did last year.  Even so, we still found time to make sure the kiddos were amply ready to partake in the joys of the Easter season.

Ash Wednesday fell during the big ice storm, so we missed going to Mass but were able to receive the ashes on Sunday instead.  We made a big show of burying the "Alleluia" until Easter and started coloring our squares on our countdown to Easter.

Can you tell who colored this nicely and in the lines? 

And who colored this one?
(He decided that purple wasn't good enough and also didn't want to get past the 36th day of Lent.)

We went to the Stations of the Cross at church a few times and used our Montessori-esque kits.  Xavier, especially, was really empathetic to Jesus' boo-boos when he fell and was so sad to hear of the people who wanted to hurt Jesus.   

During Holy Week, we used the Resurrection Eggs that Lissie made in school to learn the story of the Passion.  Both kids were very interested in this and were particularly intrigued that there were people who would put a crown of thorns on Jesus' head, whip him, and gamble for his clothes.  As Xavier said, "They were not nice.  Not nice at all."  They were excited, though, to know that on Easter Sunday the tomb was empty because He rose from the dead.  They could not wait to celebrate.

Learning the Resurrection story with our Resurrection Eggs.

We also made unleavened (or as Lissie thinks, "eleven") bread when we learned about the Last Supper, and Lissie went to church with Lolo and Lola on Good Friday to kiss the cross.  

Making unleavened bread.

Unleavened bread, grapes, and asparagus soup.

And, of course, there were egg hunts galore.  At church, at the zoo, at school, and at home.

At church

At church

Annual Eggstravaganzoo with friends.  With game faces on, ready to hunt eggs.

Xavier didn't want to get many eggs after he realized they were empty.
(You turn in the eggs at the end for your goody bag.)

Rockin' their zoo shades.

After nap, we went on an Easter Nature hunt with our baskets.

And had our own Easter egg hunt after painting eggs.

On Easter Sunday, we woke the kids up singing "Alleluia!" and the kids were humming it throughout the day.  They were so excited to be able to say that special word again.  They enjoyed their Easter baskets, going to Mass (where Lissie was curious as to why Jesus was still on the cross if He rose from the dead), and playing at the park and having a picnic lunch before nap.  Since Justin was working and the place we typically have Easter brunch was not having it this year, we opted instead for a special Easter dinner at Maggiano's.  Yum!

The best pic I took of the kids at church.

Oh, yeah, I made her Easter dress and my skirt.

Happy Easter!  He is Risen, Alleluia!