My husband is in Boston for the marathon on Monday. I'm so psyched. I signed up to get emails when he gets to the 10K, half and 30K points, as well as the finish. Here's other ways to follow the race:
. World Championship Sports Network (WCSN), will broadcast the race beginning at 8:25 a.m. St. Louis time. Just log onto WCSN.com, but do it early. Usually, these sites are inundated at the last minute. Normally a pay-per-view site, the webcast will be free, thanks to the largesse of marathonguide.com and adidas.
2. The Boston Athletic Association will publish every 5K split of every runner on its website. The only catch is that you have to wait until race day, Monday, to sign in at the marathon’s website. On race day, just enter the name or bib number (Bib #8325 for Bill) of the runner or runners you want to follow. From STLtoday.com.
Go Bill!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
There's always another race
I am going to Seattle this weekend to be with my brother and his family and celebrate my niece Emma's life. I didn't give it a second thought. I am going.
The Cap City Half Marathon that I have been training for is also this weekend. I had a little regret that I will be unable to do this race. It's really fun, and you get a big honkin' medal. It's the spring race I had been training for.
But if you have followed my blog at all or heard me whine, my training has not been going well anyway. A sinus infection kept me from running for 10 days, and 10 days is enough time to affect your conditioning. I haven't been the same since and I've even wondering about whether I would be able to finish respectably.
But I was still a tiny bit bummed. There are plenty of races, I thought, consoling myself. And I'm not really ready anyway. And then my husband, Mr. Boston Marathon as I sometimes like to call him , spoke up. I love my husband. Once in a while he really says the right thing. We joke that there's a cue card man standing off to the side to help him, and when he says the wrong thing, the cue card man is nowhere to be found. You see, I can't explain what the right thing or wrong to say is. It's just WRONG or RIGHT. It's so obvious to me. I don't know why he doesn't get it.
Anyhow, he said: "You know, the Flying Pig has a half marathon. Why don't you do that?" The Flying Pig is the name of the Cincinnati marathon and takes place in May. It's not that far from Columbus.
Yay! I can run the Flying Pig half! And have some time to catch up on my training! The full marathon is notorious for the hills; but my husband assured me the hills were in the second half of the marathon, not the first 13 miles.
And then I read the half marathon course description: "I think that the Flying Pig Half Marathon course can be divided into four sections; 1) The Warm up Bridges 2) The Climb 3) Walnut Hills 4) The Slide Home. " First off, two of the sections have hill-related titles. Anything called "the Climb" already freaks me out. Second, the first section starts off with this lovely introduction: "The Flying Pig Half Marathon has a challenging course. The first section running the bridges between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky serves as a warm up for the hills to come." The hills to come? Yikes! Nope. I don't think so.
New plan.
Cleveland also has a half marathon in conjunction with its marathon and it is later in May. It's not as hilly; my husband has run the marathon a few times and enjoys it. This has potential! The only problem is the main hotels are all booked, and I don't sleep well at all in a hotel. I've never even traveled overnight to a race before. Still, I am going to look into it further. I can't help it. Races are fun, and while I'm aiming for the Columbus Marathon this fall (the whole thing!) that seems so far off. I need to have an interim goal to keep me going.
I ran outside at lunch today at work for the first time and it was just exhilarating. I wasn't sure where to run downtown, but found there is a bike trail that follows along the Scioto River. A friend ran with me and showed me the way. It was a beautiful day and I had a runner's high all afternoon. Cleared my head and felt great.
The search for the half marathon continues.....
The Cap City Half Marathon that I have been training for is also this weekend. I had a little regret that I will be unable to do this race. It's really fun, and you get a big honkin' medal. It's the spring race I had been training for.
But if you have followed my blog at all or heard me whine, my training has not been going well anyway. A sinus infection kept me from running for 10 days, and 10 days is enough time to affect your conditioning. I haven't been the same since and I've even wondering about whether I would be able to finish respectably.
But I was still a tiny bit bummed. There are plenty of races, I thought, consoling myself. And I'm not really ready anyway. And then my husband, Mr. Boston Marathon as I sometimes like to call him , spoke up. I love my husband. Once in a while he really says the right thing. We joke that there's a cue card man standing off to the side to help him, and when he says the wrong thing, the cue card man is nowhere to be found. You see, I can't explain what the right thing or wrong to say is. It's just WRONG or RIGHT. It's so obvious to me. I don't know why he doesn't get it.
Anyhow, he said: "You know, the Flying Pig has a half marathon. Why don't you do that?" The Flying Pig is the name of the Cincinnati marathon and takes place in May. It's not that far from Columbus.
Yay! I can run the Flying Pig half! And have some time to catch up on my training! The full marathon is notorious for the hills; but my husband assured me the hills were in the second half of the marathon, not the first 13 miles.
And then I read the half marathon course description: "I think that the Flying Pig Half Marathon course can be divided into four sections; 1) The Warm up Bridges 2) The Climb 3) Walnut Hills 4) The Slide Home. " First off, two of the sections have hill-related titles. Anything called "the Climb" already freaks me out. Second, the first section starts off with this lovely introduction: "The Flying Pig Half Marathon has a challenging course. The first section running the bridges between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky serves as a warm up for the hills to come." The hills to come? Yikes! Nope. I don't think so.
New plan.
Cleveland also has a half marathon in conjunction with its marathon and it is later in May. It's not as hilly; my husband has run the marathon a few times and enjoys it. This has potential! The only problem is the main hotels are all booked, and I don't sleep well at all in a hotel. I've never even traveled overnight to a race before. Still, I am going to look into it further. I can't help it. Races are fun, and while I'm aiming for the Columbus Marathon this fall (the whole thing!) that seems so far off. I need to have an interim goal to keep me going.
I ran outside at lunch today at work for the first time and it was just exhilarating. I wasn't sure where to run downtown, but found there is a bike trail that follows along the Scioto River. A friend ran with me and showed me the way. It was a beautiful day and I had a runner's high all afternoon. Cleared my head and felt great.
The search for the half marathon continues.....
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Family
Two days ago, my niece Emma passed away. She fought with all her might, but a second infection got the best of her. She had been a preemie at little over 1 lb., and had never had the chance to go home because of increasing health problems.
I never met Emma, but got to know my little niece best through my brother's blog, and pictures posted on Flickr. Every time new pictures were posted we shared them with our boys, her cousins, and explained as best we could to our six year old what was happening. We relished every picture, and checked for new blog postings every day.
When I explained to my son what had happened, he said, "Won't people be confused? How can a baby die?" It's a question we are asking ourselves every day. We had always said that you die after you get very old and your body is finally worn out, like you wear out a pair of shoes. I explained to him how Emma was very sick, and while the doctors did everything they could to make her better, in the end, her body just couldn't get better. My son said he thought that when Emma and Ella would get older Ella could play with him and Emma could play with his younger brother. It's a lot for a six year old to understand, and I think he did, and processed it the way a six year old can - pretty matter of fact.
I don't have the words to say how I feel. I think my husband said it best for all of us.
I want to add something, however. One of the biggest regrets I have is that my brother and his family live so far away. My little brother and I were always close when we were little. He was my student when I played school, and he always played along. When he sliced open his finger because he had his finger inside the door when another kid slammed it, I know while in the emergency room he kept asking for me (and to this day I tell my kids to keep their hands away from the door or they'll cut their finger off like Uncle Matt did). I played hot wheels, basketball, flag football and other games with him and his friends because I was more of a tomboy and couldn't tolerate girls. I remember talking with him about his first real girlfriend (you can thank me later, Ellen) and whether they should stay together. He taught me how to use a computer when he was in the fourth grade! My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Seattle and he let us stay at his apartment. Even though he lives far away, and we don't talk much, when we do talk, it is almost as if he never moved away.
So when all of this was going on, it has been heartbreaking for me not to be there to support him and his family. It's the worst thing a parent could ever possibly have to go through. As I read the comments to his blog, and twitter responses, I am comforted that he and his wife have such wonderful friends to help and support them.
On behalf of my family, and my parents, I want to thank everyone who has been able to physically be there for my brother and his family. It means a great deal to me to know that he has so many friends to help and support him.
Matt, Ellen and Ella, we love you. Emma baby, we miss you very much and regret never getting to meet you in person. We send you our love and you will always be in our hearts.
I never met Emma, but got to know my little niece best through my brother's blog, and pictures posted on Flickr. Every time new pictures were posted we shared them with our boys, her cousins, and explained as best we could to our six year old what was happening. We relished every picture, and checked for new blog postings every day.
When I explained to my son what had happened, he said, "Won't people be confused? How can a baby die?" It's a question we are asking ourselves every day. We had always said that you die after you get very old and your body is finally worn out, like you wear out a pair of shoes. I explained to him how Emma was very sick, and while the doctors did everything they could to make her better, in the end, her body just couldn't get better. My son said he thought that when Emma and Ella would get older Ella could play with him and Emma could play with his younger brother. It's a lot for a six year old to understand, and I think he did, and processed it the way a six year old can - pretty matter of fact.
I don't have the words to say how I feel. I think my husband said it best for all of us.
I want to add something, however. One of the biggest regrets I have is that my brother and his family live so far away. My little brother and I were always close when we were little. He was my student when I played school, and he always played along. When he sliced open his finger because he had his finger inside the door when another kid slammed it, I know while in the emergency room he kept asking for me (and to this day I tell my kids to keep their hands away from the door or they'll cut their finger off like Uncle Matt did). I played hot wheels, basketball, flag football and other games with him and his friends because I was more of a tomboy and couldn't tolerate girls. I remember talking with him about his first real girlfriend (you can thank me later, Ellen) and whether they should stay together. He taught me how to use a computer when he was in the fourth grade! My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Seattle and he let us stay at his apartment. Even though he lives far away, and we don't talk much, when we do talk, it is almost as if he never moved away.
So when all of this was going on, it has been heartbreaking for me not to be there to support him and his family. It's the worst thing a parent could ever possibly have to go through. As I read the comments to his blog, and twitter responses, I am comforted that he and his wife have such wonderful friends to help and support them.
On behalf of my family, and my parents, I want to thank everyone who has been able to physically be there for my brother and his family. It means a great deal to me to know that he has so many friends to help and support him.
Matt, Ellen and Ella, we love you. Emma baby, we miss you very much and regret never getting to meet you in person. We send you our love and you will always be in our hearts.
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