Monday, October 30, 2006

SAFE!!!...but just barely

Whew...If I ever appear to have it all together, or come across as though I have this wife/mother/software programmer/runner/triathlete thing figured out, just remind me of this post. Granted, I have been known to hit a grand slam for my kiddos every now and then, but today, I just barely squeaked out a single. Barely - and I almost got out. When I picked Bo up from preschool Thursday, his teacher told me that he was to bring 8 Halloween treats and his trick-or-treating bucket to school Monday.

"Yes, sure, no problem! See ya Monday!"

Fast forward to 7:00 a.m. Monday morning. I come in from my interval workout at the track and wake up the boys. Bo asks if I will take him to school this morning and let Dad take Briar. "Sure" I tell him, and I proceed to let J.T. know he's got Briar, and I've got Bo. So J.T. and Briar get off to school, and Bo and I are ready to leave when the panic alarm goes off in my head.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Halloween Treats...Bo's Halloween Treats...Remember???!!!

"OMG - The Halloween treats! And the bucket!! Where is the bucket?!? The attick, I hope! Oh my...I should already be at work..."

I immediately start thinking we're going to have to drive all the way across town to Wal-Mart. But then I remember that I bought 3 bags of Halloween candy yesterday. I decide that I can use the candy we have to put together 8 treat bags with Zip-Lock bags. But the bucket...that's a different story. I didn't want to mess with getting up in the attick last year, so I just bought 2 buckets at Wal-Mart for $0.96 and threw them away afterwards. But I thought I had one up in the attick, and while I hate going up there, it would be faster than going all the way to Wal-Mart. So I climb up in the attick and find the bucket...along with all the other Halloween decorations that Bo has been asking about for 2 weeks:

"Mommy, when are we going to decorate our house for Halloween?"

I stand there and look at the fiber optic pumkin, the light-up scarecrow, the pumpkin night light, the strobe light skull, and the other light up pumpkin. I almost grabbed the bucket and ran back down, after all, Halloween is tomorrow, but I couldn't. So I gathered all of it up and made two trips down from the attick. I resigned to the fact that I would be late for work today, and Bo and I decorated our house for Halloween. No, it wasn't as elaborate as usual with the fake spiderwebs and spiders and spooky music, but it was enough to make him happy. And it didn't make me all THAT late to work anyways. When we finished, we put his treats in his bucket and got off to preschool. He walked in proud of his little Halloween treats and telling them about his decorations. And I got back in my car and pulled out with my heart still pounding at the thought that I almost took him to preschool without him having his treats. I guess it wouldn't have been the end of the world if he didn't have them, but I was sure glad that I somehow pulled that one off, even if it was just barely.

On a marthon training note - Week 10's long run was suppose to be 15 miles, but I have switched Weeks 10 and 11 long runs in anticipation of doing the Team Nashville Half Marathon next Saturday Nov 4th. So the 20 miles for Week 11 was done Saturday at 4:10 p.m. I had intended to it at 6:00 a.m., but the thought of being out running when the kids woke up talked me out of it. So I enjoyed my morning with them, and set out a little after four o'clock. The problem with this decision was that it really does a number on my mental aspect when I take off running during the midday sun, and watch it go down, and continue to run another hour into the darkness. So the first 14 miles went great, with the following splits (target pace was 9:30 - 9:45): 9:25, 9:25, 9:14, 9:31, 9:27, 9:34, 9:36, 9:35, 9:50, 9:42, 10:02, 9:52, 9:39, 9:47. But it then got dark and all I could think about was getting home and getting this over with....wondering what J.T. and the boys were doing at home...wondering if the UT game had already started. And it got cold, too. And the last 6 miles came in like this: 10:07, 10:01, 10:01, 10:04, 10:24, and 9:59. I finished the 20 mile run in 3:15:25, a 9:46/mi pace. Avg HR:155, Max HR:175. I'm not very happy with that, as I think if I had stayed focused and positive I could have easily gotten that pace down in the 9:30's. But I guess any completed 20 miler is a good 20 miler for now.

I took Sunday off, and picked back up this morning (Monday) with intervals. FIRST said I was to do 1k,2k,1k,1k w/400m RI. Target pace for the 1k was 4:25, and I have no idea what the target for the 2k was. Here's the results:

1 mile warmup:10:25
1k Interval:4:39
400 RI
2k Interval:9:31
400 RI
1k Inteval:4:32
400 RI
1k Interval:4:33
1 mile cooldown: 9:16

Off pace, as you can see. I could still feel the 20 miles in my legs during each interval, as it had only been 36 hours from when I finished the long run. But it's in the books, and we are on Week 11 of 16, now. Hopefully a good night's sleep tonight will have me rested and recovered by tomorrow.

10 comments:

Phil said...

Lana ... welcome to parenthood. I'd like to be able to tell you it gets easier as they age but it doesn't. Just wait until you get the following call:

Dad: Hi dear, how are things going?
Daughter: Did you pay my tuition?
Dad: ahhhh
Daughter: I can't register for classes until my tuition is paid
Dad: ahhhh
Daughter: You told me you'd pay it last week?
Dad: ahhhh ... I get it done today


It must be tough to run from the light of day into the dark. I tried this a few weeks ago and just gave up as darkness settled around me. Nice job pushing forward when it got cold and dark.

:) said...

Nice job super-mom...and super-marathoner too!

Michele said...

Seems like even though we didn't get that long run in together we had the same results. I feel the same way about mine.

Hope everything works out for you so that you get to do the half Saturday.

Great job on the speed work, I skipped that one to get myself back on schedule. :)

Anonymous said...

To quote John "the Penguin" Bingham from the December's Runner's World, as a parent "the days are long but the years are short." Some days can be hectic but before you know it you'll be writing checks to colleges. Savor the moments. The fact that you train hard is a great example for your boys to follow!

Anonymous said...

To quote John "the Penguin" Bingham from the December's Runner's World, as a parent "the days are long but the years are short." Some days can be hectic but before you know it you'll be writing checks to colleges. Savor the moments. The fact that you train hard is a great example for your boys to follow!

Cliff said...

Lana,

Close call :) but u did it.

Sometimes we have to learn to improvise and do it on the spot. As long as you get it done, it's done.

Janet Edwards said...

You rock mom!!!!

Somehow we find a way to fit it in!

Oh I feel for you with the heart pounding panic in-a-rush, going to be late thing....never a good feeling!

Nice runnning lady!

Brooke said...

Your a good mom. At least you remembered before you got to school...

Lance Notstrong said...

You're Super MOM!!! :-) I've noticed it takes very little time to make kids very very happy. Good job :-)

E-Speed said...

Sounds like a triple to me ;) Good job with the treates and decorations!