Yo, Banana Boy Fartlek

My sons had so much fun with these:

race car
yo, banana boy
toot (Joshua's favorite)
radar
never odd or even
a Toyota (I'd love it if it were a Prius)

"Huh?" you say. What are those? Can you think of one?

That was a game we played during fartlek. Starr, Sarah and Allison thought I was a kook for a few minutes there as I randomly blurted out words and phrases, but then Sarah figured it out.

We ran fartlek on the trail finally, so each group was on their own watch. I've been asking Gilbert for a trail fartlek for our class for months and months. Allison and Starr kept overtaking Sarah and I on their hard minute, and then we'd pass them on our "hard" minute. I made the comment that we were like the compass in an old classic poem, but they didn't know what I was talking about. :-(

So, here is some much needed poetry.


A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning

As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say,
"Now his breath goes," and some say, "No."

So let us melt, and make no noise,
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move ;
'Twere profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love.

Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears ;
Men reckon what it did, and meant ;
But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent.

Dull sublunary lovers' love
—Whose soul is sense—cannot admit
Of absence, 'cause it doth remove
The thing which elemented it.

But we by a love so much refined,
That ourselves know not what it is,
Inter-assurèd of the mind,
Care less, eyes, lips and hands to miss.

Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to aery thinness beat.

If they be two, they are two so
As stiff twin compasses are two ;
Thy soul, the fix'd foot, makes no show
To move, but doth, if th' other do.

And though it in the centre sit,
Yet, when the other far doth roam,
It leans, and hearkens after it,
And grows erect, as that comes home.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must,
Like th' other foot, obliquely run ;
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
And makes me end where I begun.

- John Donne, 1611

Chicken, it's what's for dinner

Joshua's pet praying mantis, Bobo, has a pretty good life. We gather bugs for her daily consumption, but the cold front last week put an end to our endless supply of grasshoppers and moths. I read in a children's book that a family got their pet praying mantis to eat chicken, so we tried it.



So, next spring we should have 100-200 baby mantids, if you want a good pet.

Happy Birthday to Joshua

My baby is 6 today. We planned a "sports extravaganza" at the park since he is always wanting to play any type of sport. We even paid $60 to reserve the covered pavilion at the park. It's non-refundable, and today is the coldest, wettest day since last winter. Really, it's been warm and sunny all month. It was a chance we took, and we sort of knew that we'd jinx ourselves by actually paying money to reserve the pavilion.

So the party will be at our house now. I'll have 15 five and six-year-old boys running around my rather small house. Joshua is thrilled about it as he wanted his party at home the entire time.

It's raining right now, and David is out on his long run. I'm so happy to have run my long run yesterday. I'm just not ready for cold, rainy running this year. I hope David is doing okay; I'm sure he is as he's very tough and determined.

I ran alone yesterday in Georgetown around my sister and mother's neighborhood while David and my sister watched the UT game and E and J played video games. I did the 7 that was on the roster for "advanced" half-marathon training. I really enjoyed running alone, and I could tell I was running faster than usual. I finished with around a 10.45 pace. I'm fairly certain my first mile was around 11.30 or 12 and my last mile was around 10. I felt fine other than my right knee hurting a bit between mile 4 and 5. It's my same ol' IT band leg/knee, and I have to be extra careful when I run on roads.

Here's a photo of Joshua from his first birthday:

Running 'round the track on a chilly evening

The night before Thanksgiving,
I ran around the track.
Fifteen 400s; I sure don't slack.
That's almost 4 miles
of speedy, running fun.
Gilbert braved Whole Foods
while 4 Gazelles did their run.
The cold front blasted us,
but it could not shut us down.
Holmes was by my side,
with New-Allison and Starr.
Who knew we'd go for 15?
Who knew we'd run so far?
The family from Burundi
and Meg did the workout, too.
What a time to grow in grace
as I see them brave the New.
The night before Thanksgiving,
Fifteen 400s over and done.
Counting of my blessings - just begun.

Resistance

I should be doing homework for my class tonight, but I must ask,

What does a parent do when their child asks for one thing, and one thing only, for birthday (and Christmas), and The Thing is something you and your spouse have agreed would not enter the home?

David's answer: Disappoint your child.
Sarah's answer: Try to find something else that he wants
My answer: Give in because I'm a sucker, hee hee, but then realize that I can't give in because I do not agree with video game systems sucking brain cells and precious time from sweet children. I have to stand firm.

I think of this line from a movie:

We've made too many compromises already; too many retreats. They invade our space and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far, no further!

I cannot give in to Joshua's charms. I must draw the line here. Here, and no further!

Yes, I love Star Trek. Yes, I say it with Picard's accent. Yes, I know I'm a dork.

Really Running with Joy

per-se-vere
verb
1. to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.
intr.v.
1. To persist in or remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles or discouragement.

The thought of quitting running didn't cross my mind, but David suggested it after I bitched about the 10-miler race and how s-l-o-w I am for a bit too long. He didn't say I should quit; he just asked, "Why don't you quit?"

Wednesday, 11/14 - Tempo run. I had Elijah with me, and Elijah had his bike. We started early with Sarah, Yvette, Starr, JoEllen, and others. We did our mile warmup and then debated on whether to do drills or just get started with Tempo. It was rather windy as the beginning of a small front was blowing in. Dust swirled, settled in our eyes, and tickled our noses. I really do need to invent that face shield for running.

We ended up splitting up with some doing drills and others running. Yvette, Sarah and I started off with Elijah. I did not plan to look at my watch and wanted to run how I felt, especially after the horrid 10-miler the previous Sunday. Elijah got something in his eye in the first 50 meters, but he dealt with it. I felt fine and thought we might actually be going around a 10 minute pace.

I pushed my lap button at the mile turn around without looking at the time. We all three picked up the pace and Yvette was about 30-60 seconds ahead of us. Sarah was either next to me or a few steps behind me. I kept telling Elijah I was going to catch him to motivate us both. I didn't really start hurting until the last quarter, which is a nice change from other Tempos. I finished with a time of 20.08, which was a slight disappointment. My first mile was 10.33 and the second was 9.34. Well, the first mile was too slow according to watches and prior tempo runs, but it must be fine according to "running how I feel."

Saturday's long run was to be 12 miles, and I was dreading it a little after the race. We were going to do many of the same hills, just backwards (or forwards since the race was "backwards"). The course was Runtex to LAB to Scenic. Scenic to Pecos, Pecos to 35th, 35th to Exposition. Down Exposition back to LAB, and then back to Runtex for 11.5 miles. Maybe somewhere, we'd add on another 1/2 mile.

I packed a migraine pill b/c I could feel it coming. I had battled migraines Thursday and Friday already. I generally win before there is any real damage though. I'm glad I packed it b/c I took that pill at the Mopac water 2 miles in to the run.

I'm so happy to have run this long run. I can't express how elated I was to feel good and enjoy the run. I wanted to run faster than our usual long run pace. Elizabeth and Leslie were out front of us. Barb, Gayatri and myself were about 100 meters behind them. When we hit the hills, I separated and ran in between - still about 100 meters behind Elizabeth but in front of Gayatri and Barb. I just felt strong despite the hills. It felt good to run my old long run pace (which really isn't that much faster).

I did get some shooting pains in my temple on a couple of hills, so I walked those and focused on breathing. As we turned on Pecos, Barb and Gayatri hollered at me to wait so they wouldn't get lost. We ran to the blessed water hose at the dry cleaner's on 35th and Pecos. Elizabeth and Leslie must have been there and gone. Wow, they are fast. We finish up there with goos and water, and as we are leaving, we see Elizabeth and Leslie run up from Pecos. They had turned the wrong way, but on the bright side, they got their extra 1/2 mile in.

We all set out together again but quickly separate back into our 2-1-2 formation. It's been a long time since I've run "alone" for long runs, and it was pleasant to get lost in thought and not use up energy talking. Maybe that's why I was able to move it a little quicker than usual.

On Expo, I hear fast feet approaching, and Gilbert sings out "Hoo, hoo, hoooo!" as he runs by and pats me on the back. I manage a quiet, "Iyo Ngwe," (pronounced "yoong way" for those non-gazelles). I am so surprised by the energy I still have as I run up the incline toward the O'Henry water stop.

I see a group of Gazelle men running, and Noel, Tony, and others are in the group. I said hello. Noel asks, "You running 12?" to which I reply, "Yes." He gives me a "good job" and they are out of voice range. After the run, I see Noel who tells me I looked much better on this long run than I did at the race. Hearing that was really music to my ears and confirmed that I had a horrid race.

Barb and Gayatri aren't far behind so we have a minute at the water stop as a five-some. Elizabeth and Leslie take off and I want to go, too. I get "the nod" from Gayatri, and I'm off. I stay behind them just because I'm enjoying running alone. I stop at the Mopac water and plan to wait for my girls, but my legs start tightening. I waited for maybe 15-30 seconds before I just go ahead and continue. I debate in my head when to add that half-mile in. I spend too much time thinking about it and end up not doing it, lol.

It felt good to finish and I had more energy, but I didn't have enough motivation to turn back around and add on another half-mile. I saw dv run by as I was getting water, and I was actually amazed that I beat him back. He still had 1 more mile of his 20 to do, and he looked strong.

This run washes clean the running slate for me. I felt strong and happy. I don't need to see another hill any time soon though. ;) After Saturday's run, I opened myself back up to running 3M.

Run for the Water, with Joy

If you don't know me by now, then you need to know that I don't like running races. I don't mind triathlons, and I didn't mind the trail runs I did this past summer. I do dislike road running races immensely. I'm not fast at all and stress out very easily, so I generally just stay away from races to avoid stress and feeling like a total loser.

That all changed when I got the look from Gayatri for the 10-miler. I love training for races. Training is fun. Before I agreed to run the 10-miler with Gayatri, I had already signed up to volunteer at packet pickup from 2pm - 7pm the day before the race. So volunteer day rolls around and I watch Joshua play soccer, eat fast food on the way to see my niece's cheer practice, and then I get dropped off for hours of standing at packet pickup. Did you see me on TV?

I get picked up, and we all drive to Nightmare Factory...oh, I mean, Main Event, for a birthday party. I stand around there some more and eat more crappy food because I'm starving and there is nothing else to eat. It's around this time that I realize that I've been really stupid about eating and standing around all day.

5am rolls around, and I'm hoping that none of Saturdays events will affect me. I eat my normal food and head to the race. The first mile was fast for us, which is normal for adrenaline and keeping up with the herd. Of course, no one realizes they are going too fast until they check their watches. We run by my car in the parking lot under Mopac, and I see a guy crouched down on the far side of the car. My car is one of two in the whole lot due to the road being blocked off at 6am. My first thought is that he's stealing my car or doing something to it. Well, he certainly was doing something - peeing. I see a stream coming out from under the car by his leg. I probably never would have noticed that guy if it hadn't been my car. For a nano-second, I was going to call him out, but how rude that would be.

1.5 miles into the race I feel nauseous. I think I tell Gayatri about this feeling around mile 2. She asks if I want to walk, and I can't bear the thought of walking at mile 2. I suffer through and around mile 4, I start feeling better. I hope that it's gone, but the nausea just keeps coming back. I take goo and cliff blocks hoping that will help. I felt miserable really for the bulk of the race. My legs were tired, but we ran up every hill. The hardest mile for me was the last mile. I was feeling so ill and just wanted it to be over. I really disliked running down Lake Austin Blvd. because it was so long.

We turned the corner on San Antonio and could see the finish. I tried to pick it up well before that turn, but the nausea controlled me. I saw David and my boys. I gave them a thumbs up out of habit, but I quickly pointed it down. We picked it up near the very end for a "fast" finish. I was so relieved to be done. Not happy at all, just relieved. We did finish in under 2 hours, which was an unspoken goal of ours.

I sucked on oranges, lamented the lack of Whataburger cookies, and felt better about 30 minutes after the race. I saw my boys run the Kids' 1K, and I even mustered some energy to run with Joshua to the finish.

I spent about 2-3 days hating that race and swearing that I'd never run a road race again. I went to class Monday and just ran the track to loosen up my sore quads. Then Wednesday was Tempo, my all-time favorite workout.

If you don't know me by now, you need to know that I'm often sarcastic.

Random Tuesday Musings

Who needs DVR when you have dv? That man is genius. He rigged our computer with a recorder and now it's connected to our tv. Ah, so sorry Time Warner.

I hate my class. My arms ache from the typing frenzy I went through for 2 hours trying to get my homework finished. Woe is me. But then in class we piled "10 things" from around our houses that we could use in our class rooms, and we got to just make whatever we wanted. You know what? It was fun. More adults should do preschool activities every now and then.

In the words of Gayatri, I work really hard at being bad at running. My 10-mile race was really a struggle, but more on that when I have some interest in writing about it.

I have no will power. My fat thighs chafed during the 10-miler. I have never chafed in any race, and I was so shocked to see the wounds (which I didn't feel during or after the race or even in the shower after the race). So upon seeing those red rashes, I vowed to lose 10lbs by stopping all cookies and coke intake. My no-cookie plan usually lasts about as long as no cookies are around. I made cookies for Joshua's teacher's birthday, and cookies are back in the diet. Elijah comes home with 20 cookies from his friend's house - homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Are you kidding me? Mmm...they are so good.

I honestly believe that as I get older I'm getting slower and stupider. Yes, I wrote stupider and meant to write stupider. I can't remember simple things, and I ran my half-marathon 2 years ago at a faster pace. Okay, so there weren't hard hills in that marathon, but there was freezing drizzle and 3.1 additional miles. I would give you more examples of my stupidity, but I can't remember any of them right now.

So my boys learned a bad word last week - the "S" word that ends in "hit." Turns out Elijah has heard before it from a friend (I knew it!), but Joshua didn't know it. Elijah would not tell him, but Joshua kept pestering. Elijah gave Joshua the letters one at a time, so Joshie sounded it out. He then says the "S" word about 20 times before finally asking what it means. Well, it's all hilarity with boys if anything deals with poop. I make Joshua promise to not say that word and to certainly not teach anyone at school. Guess what? He told his best friend in the Teddy Bear Center. The best friend is a really good pester-er, too. Well, best friend told 3 other boys. Joshua was most certain those 3 boys didn't tell anyone. Ack, my nightmare of parents coming to the teacher saying, "My child say Joshua taught him to say sh*t" ran through my mind. What will I do when the "other" words roll around?

Song of the day:

You had some fun for the weekend
but I'll be in the love for the rest of my life

Can you name it?

Saturday Non Run

For the first time in weeks, David went to the Saturday long run. I was hoping to sleep past 7am for a change, but I woke with his 5:30am alarm and didn't really go back to sleep.

Sometime today, I will run a bit in preparation for tomorrow's 10-miler. Joshie has a soccer game. My sister wants us to come see Heather (her daughter) cheer. I volunteer from 2p -7p at Runtex, and Elijah has a bday party this evening. The fun never ends for Familyvance.

So, the race tomorrow. No plans. No goals. Just Run with Joy with Gayatri. Maybe we'll set a goal as the race starts and we see how we feel. I think right now our rather complicated race plan is to:

a. have fun
b. finish
c. not have goo ooze out onto my shorts or hip as i run
d. look like fast runners with good form whenever our photo is taken
e. it would be nice not to be the last two people across the finish line

You know, I think those are my same goals for every single race I have ever done. Of course, I always have a secret overall time that I want to do the race in. Here's a picture of me realizing I met my goal in my first Olympic Distance Tri.



I had to walk during the 2nd 5K loop of the run (it was hot and I was tired). I thought my finish time goal was hopeless, so this picture really is genuine surprise and elation.

Shhh...don't tell anyone, but maybe Gayatri and I will run the Decker Challenge.

What I get for thinking

My sister sent me this cheesy email - one of those forwarded ones that I often never read (and rarely forward). This was titled "Charles Schultz Philosophy." The email goes along with something I've been swirling around in my head for a while.

I sometimes hesitate to say I am a preschool teacher. I worry people will think I have no education. I worry they will think I could not find a "better job." I told David a few weeks back something along these lines: What job do you know where you get to play and get paid for it? What job do you know where you hear over and over all day, "I love you" from someone who really means it. What job do you know where you are outside in the fresh, lovely air at 10:30am in the morning, and you just enjoy it? What job do you know where you actually make a difference?

Ask yourself, do you make a positive difference in someone's life at your job? My jobs before this were unsatisfying spiritually and emotionally. I had a job where I made a ridiculous amount of money for what I was doing. All the work I did was useless and helped no one. I then got another job making oodles of money, and at least in that one, I could see that what I did was actually making a positive change in some peoples' lives.

I walk around sometimes thinking how absurd everything is. The cars we drive are absurd. Shopping at Nordstrom is ridiculously absurd. Sports are absurd. I wonder sometimes why we do the things we do. What is is for? Is there a planet on the other side of the galaxy like ours? With roads, buildings, cars, stores, football teams, McDonalds, and people like ours? Do you ever think about how minuscule and rather meaningless Earth is? Doesn't it make what you see and do seem just a little bit absurd?

This brings us back to working at a preschool. I feel blessed to have fourteen 3-year-olds who love me. I love them, too. I am helping them be the best person they can be. I'm teaching them that love exists, that kindness wins, and that good manners go a really long way. ;o) But seriously, research shows that children learn 50% of what they will learn their entire lives by age 5. And they haven't even gone to "real" school yet.

And that brings me back to the email my sister sent. I have no idea if it's really the philosophy of Charles Schultz, but I loved the lesson:



The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz (creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip). You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)

Just another Manic Monday

So much to say, so little time. Good writers, though, can exude an image and feeling in few words. Let's see how I do.

Monday, a week ago: Secret Hill. Legs tired from hilly long run, I suppose. It's our last chance to enjoy looking at my dream house near the top of the hill, as soon it will be dark during our class. Someone's grill was rather enticing and yet irritating.

Tuesday: Joshua's play-off t-ball game. Grasshoppers win. No kids cry. Very little screaming at players.

Wednesday: Halloween. Elijah was a skeleton, and Joshua was a Dead City Chopper (dead motorcycle guy). Can you imagine if kids actually ate all the candy they got for Hallween? Oh wait, maybe that contributes to why the US is so dang fat. I missed running class. Crazy mom that I am, I wanted to see my kids trick-or-treat. I intended to run on my own, but the best laid plans...

Thursday: I can't even remember. I took my test at the Testing Center. I have never been to a testing center. Either they didn't exist in the dark ages when I was at university, or I just never missed an in-class test. They are serious there. I had to empty my pockets and put all belongings in a locker in the hall. I was even scared to exist to sharpen my pencil that broke on the first question.

Oh, I do remember. I went to Fitness Life. I did this cool elipticle that mimics running and shows your stride length. I swam some laps, and my broken hand smarted a bit. It's so loud in that indoor pool; it's a good motivation to learn sign-language. Joshua was 2 feet from me, and we couldn't hear each other. I did go on one of the swirly slides. Fun.

Friday: Joshua's disastrous semi-final t-ball game. This deserves it's own blog. Nauseum galore. I was nervous for the team because they were playing "the best team in the league." Remember folks, this is t-ball! Coaches screaming. Kids crying. Parents yelling to the point of hoarseness. The other coach literally jumped up and down and shook his fists yelling, "Yes!" when a 5-year-old boy from our team struck out. Excuse me while I get my barf bag. It was disgusting. David spat his bad taste out rather easily, it seems. Mine sank into my stomach for a good day or two. The other coach also yelled at the 12-year-old umpire. Joshua's team didn't win, and you would have thought that other coach had orchestrated the Cubs to a World Series win the way he celebrated. It was really sad and shocking.

Saturday: 10-mile run with "my girls" as I will refer to them from this day forward: Gayatri, Yvette, Elizabeth, Leslie, and Barb. It was so fun to have such a big group. We did the trail loop, and we finished 5 minutes faster than mine and Gayatri's last 10-mile trail run. We even picked up some trash on the trail. I literally ran straight to my car to make Joshua's soccer game. I did my best to stretch at soccer, but it's never the same.

David had planned to run the Dallas Half, but then changed his mind and ran his own half on the trail. He's still undecided about White Rock.

Back to Monday: Circuit at Austin High. I was thrilled to see an old friend join the Gazelles. Hi Tracy! I was ecstatic to see Minnie back at class. Our class was H-U-G-E. I love circuit though.

I've got this song stuck in my head:

I wish I was a little bit taller
I wish I was a 'baller
I wish I had a girl who looked good; I would call her.
I wish I had a rabbit in a hat
and a '64 Impala

Can't remember who sings it. I am the Queen of Random Lyrics.