I have a long to do list. That's not news. Every day is a long to do list. Some items are new but most are just part of the daily grind (i.e. laundry, dirty dishes that need cleaning, floor mopping, bathroom scrubbing, bed making, etc. etc. etc. etc.). Every day I walk a fine line. Its the motherhood line. Do I play with the kids? Or fold laundry? Do I read some books to my kids or have dinner ready "on time?" I feel like most days I completely flop on my face. Let's be real, my kids are always the first priority but where is the balance? Most days I can't concentrate on anything unless I have the basics done. The definition of basics changes with each mom, I've learned. But I've also learned that most moms feel the same. I am haunted by the possibility that my children's most poignant memory will be of me saying "Not now, I need to do such and such." Every once in a while the day comes to an end and miraculously I feel good about it. I feel that I've juggled everything just right. I hope my kids remember those days. Then there are the days when I wonder, what about me? I get bitten by the running-out-of-time bug. I want to go back to school, I want to have a career, I want to figure out what my dreams are and do them. Thankfully, I have help. I have a great mom. Even better, my kids have a great grandma. Around here we call her Vovo (missing the appropriate accents for the portuguese language). Today (she does this often) she has taken the boys so I can try to accomplish one or two tasks. Before she left with my two favorite boys she said "read this" and plopped an edition of the Mormon Times on my counter, appropriately opened to an article titled 'Women do it all - in sequence.' I sat down with my breakfast and read. It was like someone had disected my brain and put it on paper. I want you to read it. I know I'll be checking in with her regularly. Tiffany Lewis - Women do it all - in sequence (titled differently on the web version)
I did it. I finished. Somehow I managed to shave off 9 minutes from my first half time. In 2007 I ran this half marathon in 2:37. My time this year was 2:28. I was in a lot more pain this time. After about three or four miles I decided to do walking intervals. So I ran for 6 minutes (sometimes longer depending on how I was feeling) and walked 1 minute, repeat often. My family came down to cheer me on. The first person I saw was my mom. Thanks Mom!! She was right at the top of my first (and the most steep) hill. I ran right by her. The next people I saw were my sister Ev and her family. They were all dressed up for church but they were there cheering me on. My little nieces were so cute saying "Go Tia Mimi!!" Not long after them I saw Steve and the kids. He had his hands full with the three of them but it was so fun to see them there, especially since I had already run 10 miles by this point so they gave me the extra energy to finish. By mile 11 I was dying! I had just finished another hill and this one was long. Thankgoodness for a water station. I gulped down some kind of Gatorade concoction and was off. Then I saw my sister Mae and her family. She's the one I got these pictures from. Thanks Mae!! Right as I entered the last .1 of the marathon I saw Steve again with the kiddos. I got my extra kick from them. Thanks hunners.
Next time I want someone to run with.
Next time I am going to make myself a shirt or something much cooler than my old collection of free t-shirts from old races etc.
Next time I will shave off one more minute, at least.
When will the next time be? I'm not sure. Maybe October for Long Beach? Maybe next year at the OC again? We'll see....
