The Epic Run

He is one wicked fast runnah!

WAY TO GO.....

seriously, I mean it you went way FAR....I am so proud!

O.k., it has taken me awhile to get this post up because I had to pay for my few nights of undisturbed, absolutely peaceful nights of sleep - I came home to my baby pushing through 2 more teeth and now she is sick (no, not swine flu!) and is up, and up, and up during the night, and NIGHT is the time I usually work on the computer....so when I get sleep it trumps blogging!


So why does he run? Because he loves every horrible, wonderful minute of it!

That's part of it, the other part is that it was an outlet after his mom's passing.

Now that is a part of his mental running plan...imagining his mom at the finish line, because that is where she would be.

I am starting at the finish instead of finishing at the start.....After the marathon, Randy was cold. A biting northeastern wind was blowing and the guy doesn't have a lot of body fat...running does that to him....poor thing.

Unlike his 1st marathon, (he's run 6 now) he no longer walks stiff legged like he is in pain following his marathons, one reason is better training and two, he pops "runner's candy" (ibuprofen) early in his run.

I saw quite a few people that it hurt to watch walk, it was like they were trying to stretch out the onset of rigamortis, not an easy task.

So, he was tired after the race, but not too bad - in fact, after his last marathon we took my parents sight seeing for a couple hours, and had dinner, and my dad bought me a new washer and dryer before going home. Suffice it to say, Randy does pretty well following his runs.

After seeing Randy run at the beginning of the marathon, we hopped into the car, hoping to get closer into the finish and see him a 2nd time. Since I knew his splits, I knew we could most likely do it, IF we could find a way around the road closures, and IF we could find parking and IF we could nudge into the thick crowds at the finish.

We got there about 10 min. after the elite men crossed the finish, it was awesome because they were still showing the winner on the jumbo-tron.

We were only about a block from the finish, I didn't think we would make it in that close. When we were close to the time I thought Randy would be coming in at, I got my camera poised, only to see him on the opposite side of the street and missed getting pics of him in the final leg -

now I am totally going to get sucked into buying overpriced photos from marathon photo

It is funny how couples think a like, I took this picture because I thought it was so neat the runners would take a moment to high five his little boy.......little did I know that Randy was doing the same thing to the kids that stuck out their hands....he said that he kept thinking that if our kids were there, he'd want the runners to high five them too.

I was looking for a white short sleeved shirt, but it was cold, so he made a wardrobe change at the start line and changed into his long sleeved gray shirt -

See him now-

Long sleeved gray shirt, black shorts, dark hair, fantastic body, awesome smile...

SEE HIM?

"Hey, totally awesome support team, love the homemade poster board sign - o.k. see you at the finish, I am feeling great!"

He is number #5829 out of about 25,000 runners

bib numbers correspond to qualifying times, the lower the number, the faster the runner

to run Boston, you have to run another marathon and meet a certain time for your age bracket to qualify to run here (except for the few that buy their way in, the money goes to charity, but still.....)

Yeah, he sees us! He is in the far corner, he came up so quick. This is around mile 5, looking pretty spunky.

He ran his half (13.1) in 1 hr. 30 and was hoping to complete the course at around 3 hrs.,

Finished in 3 hrs. 18 min., he was happy but slightly bothered that he cramped up in his knees around mile 18 and slowed down a bit to try and stretch it out. As such, he ran just over a 7 min. mile - but I have a feeling this won't be his last marathon, and hopefully not his first and last Boston either.

He was a smart man to slow down to stretch his cramps and not to slow down around the half way mark to kiss the girls from Wellsley College holding up signs, "Free Kisses" for the runners,

seriously, most of these men are starting to sweat at this point, yuck! The Wellsely girls have been there supporting the runners for 113 years - what a cheering section.

Randy said you could hear them screaming and cheering a mile before you even got to them!

This is the pack of elite runners,

they run under a 5 minute mile...FAST

my pic doesn't lie, there all black, from Kenya, Ethopia - the guy on the airplane said you could run fast too if you had lions chasing you all day - that's one theory

the one white guy is Ryan Hall, he was trying to become the 1st American to win Boston since 1983, he came in 3rd place.

It was so awesome to see these guys come - we just missed the elite ladies, they start a little earlier. This was the first year the elite runners had their names on their bibs instead of their ranks.

the sign says it all, this is the starting point-

not to mock anyone BUT, since Randy and I really had a few people ask these questions and since I OCCASSIONALLY laugh when people do dumb things, I am going to share-

somene asked me, "So is the Boston Marathon in Boston?", o.k. she is blonde really, we laughed, you can too!

"What does 26.2 mean, I keep seeing it everywhere?" I admit I don't know everything about most sports so some leniency is given here, but the answer is, for those reading this that may still not know, it is the length of a marathon.

About THREE WEEKS before the race, Randy was asked by him (a non-runner) "So I was talking to a runner friend of mine and he says about 3 hrs. to run the marathon is pretty good, so have you started training?"

Several people have asked me, "So do you run WITH your husband and are you going to run a marathon?" Randy runs PAST me but not WITH me. As for the 2nd part of the question, I am literally his better half, that is why for now I am sticking with half marathons.

it was like the first day of school, my boy getting on the bus-

Dinner of champions - pasta feed, carb loading, night before race

So if you want to stop here, the rest of this post is about our visit in Boston - which I now consider one of my top favorite towns - definitely put on places to visit

Randy and his siblings have been a couple times before this visit

his sister used to live here

but this was my 1st visit and I LOVED IT! I am sure part was due to the fact that it was us, his brother and sister and no kids (love them, but rejuvenating to have a break), and part was the vibe of the marathon, everywhere we went, the canary yellow shirt called out, "hey, I am a marathon runner" and so everyone else, from people on the plane (he got applause both going there and coming back from the passengers and crew), to people in the restaurants, to passersbys on the freedom trail, all wishing him good luck -

it was an awesome, positive experience,

I guess the department of travel and tourism should get some thanks too - THANKS, we'll be back!

The Border is a great, buzzing place on Harvard campus - good food, local ambiance, long wait (we passed some of the time by going to Urban Outfitters), but it was yummah!

Later we stopped by the Boston LDS temple - pretty!

Below - the cheerleaders,

Randy's brother, Kelly (the navigator, he brought his gps unit - she was brought to life when Kaylin named her Janice, totally helped with the tunnels and one way roads), and part time photographer

Kaylin, Randy's sister (once a Bostonian, limited on directions but real helpful on insights into sites and sisterly love and support),

Me, the photographer when not in the picture

Randy, the inspiration and the runner

Snapped a picture of this sign for you dad as we were driving along, it is by Fenway Park and reads,

"We sell Guns!, No i.d. required, no background checks, criminals and terrorists welcome"

I know this is a political push, but it also falls under our democrat vs. republican banter and is our kind of acidic humor.

Big baseball fan?

Me, not really,

I am starting small, t-ball and moving up to the big league

though my grandpa, semi-pro, and Randy's parents were big time baseball players

total tourists - pic in the subway, catching the green line - luckily everyone seemed a tourist since the Red Sox had a couple games, the Celtics were playing, the marathon ramp up was going on...

Boston is history-

Kaylin kept asking me some history questions, which I stumbled on,

having earned the history departments scholarship for college, I should have known more,

humbled me to come home and brush up on some U.S. history,

This is inside the Old North Church, the steeple that Sexton Robert Newman hung two lanterns on April 18, 1775 to signal the beginning of Paul Revere's momentous ride - it is also in the movie National Treasure for those looking for a short cut, Hollywood style history lesson

behind the Old North Church-

you can't see it in this picture, but there is an elementary school just to the side, think how it must be to have your teacher say, "...Paul Revere rode to the Old North Church to warn the colonists, o.k. now go look out the window to see it."

the original cobblestone roads in front of the Paul Revere home built in 1680, that public works crew did one heck of a job -

Revere was the father of 16 children and a part-time dentist, I know facts, you couldn't live without-

Benjamin Franklin went to school here - the first public school - the school is still open (at a different location) and 4 years of latin are still required- I wonder if the CIA still has a need for Latin linguists?

this is King's Chapel-

President George Washington came here during a visit in 1789-

to the side of the chapel is Boston's oldest burying ground; March Childton the first woman beleived to step off the Mayflower is buried here.

This is the house that Henry David Thoreau built and lived in for two years while he wrote. He built it at a cost of $29.

- inside the home; pretty simple living, minimal housework, no kids, quiet, no wonder the man could think and write

Randy looking out at Walden Pond, probably thinking this wouldn't be too bad of a place to live.

Walden Pond, a good thinking spot-

later we dipped our feet into the lake, cold water!

Harvard University -

I wasn't impressed with the aesthetics of the center campus, looked like it had been designed by academics, red brick buildings, a green court that was more dirt than grass, but a spot of levity hung high as tire swings were hoisted high up on the trees -

this was the best picture I took-

I applied to Yale, so have a natural bias toward Harvard (still if I had 80,000 a year to blow, I'd consider maybe going here for my graduate work).

This is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's home -

Only a couple hundred yards down the street lived tories, those loyal to the British crown, while in this house George Washington planned attacks on the British soldiers, I can only imagine the tension and secrecy that must have hung in the air-

little Italy district in Boston, I love the flavor of the neighborhoods -

looks like the graveyard from one of our favorite Halloween books, "Rattlebone Rock"-

We spent quite a bit of time here taking in what these people's lives must have been like-

Buried here are are Samuel Adams, eight governors, all five Boston Massacre victims, Paul Revere, Ben Frankin's parents Peter Faneuil and Mother Goose (I didn't know she was a real person!)

Part of John Hancock is here too, but there not sure how much. Grave robbers wanting a piece of American history dug him up and cut off his hand that signed the Declaration of Independence, then a few years later during construction of a building nearby, his grave was accidentally dug up and before they got it back in the ground, grave robbers came and got his bones, so as far as REST IN PEACE goes....well, maybe not so peaceful.

the stone tablets, many of them too old to read, call out a time and place in history that so profoundly shaped our country-

Spending some time in Boston Common, America's oldest public park-

While Randy was registering, we drove around Boston to get a feel for the town, I even drove in Boston for a little bit, I was hoping not to get the northeast salute, (the finger), I got honked at once or twice, but drove like I was handing fries to a kid in a car seat that couldn't reach them, in other words, kind of wreckless and a bit aggressive, not too bad for a first timer.

Architecture marks areas, these are "Brownstones" in Boston proper which pretty much means pricey, pricey real estate -

There are so many old buildings and churches throughout Boston, lots of red brick, gothic windows, hand milled stonework, it all made me want to go back and look over my art history books again.

I loved being in this history rich, walking town, like Randy says, "Good Memories, Good Memories." I agree, it has been, "Good Memories!"

Thanks Mom so much for watching the kids!!! And for re-decorating the girls rooms, and cleaning, and playing with them and pretty much telling us to quit calling and enjoy our break. Kids, thanks for being so good and helping out with Kenzy while we were gone, you have been running right a long with Dad, your our special athletes and we love you tons o, la!

Why Boston is Boston

The Boston Marathon is the grand-daddy of all marathons in the world, it has the prestige, the prize money, the elite runners - some of the winners consider a victory here greater than a victory at the Olympics - in the running world, BOSTON IS IT!

Part of the IT factor is the stories of those who make it here.

Just before the elite runners came by, before the news helicopter hovered overhead, before I held my camera poised to catch Randy coming by, Jay came by.

The crowd cheered, I cheered...I blinked back tears.

I have no idea if he was born this way, or if he used to run like Randy and a car accident forever strapped him into this chair, or if a disease is slowly eating at his muscles, but either way here

he was pushing 26.2 miles,

backwards,

unassisted,

uphill,

with only the push of his left foot.

It was watching someone try, really try to do something hard - mentally and physically. Jay's story was at one extreme but it encapsulated the human ability to do amazing things. It was Boston at its' Best - it was someone not letting life knock them down, but moving, moving down a 26.2 mile stretch literally one foot at a time to say, "hey, don't let obstacles stop you, keep moving, win your personal race in life." It was inspiration.

My Boston Runnah!

Watch Randy Run!!!

Today is the day! To track Randy's progress go to www.baa.org and type in his bib number to see how he is doing, bib number is 5829.

Thank you everyone for your support, it has been incredible and means a lot!

O.k. I just saw Randy get on the shuttle to take him to Hopkinton Park - the starting point. He couldn't sleep last night, NERVES, despite even popping a sleeping pill to help.

Shuttle ride to park - LATE by 45 minutes! Not a calming start.

We are only 10 minutes away from the start but apparently the traffic is BAD even by Boston standards, so the front desk told us. We had fun chit-chatting with runners in the lobby, many of them 1st time Boston runners. All Randy's marathons have been filled with the waves of anticipation of the outcome, excitement and the clenched knot that fills my gut and washes down my legs - and I am not even running.

Slight fog, damp, misty air - typical SEATTLE weather IN BOSTON - so sad, too bad for those Floriday and California runners. Nothing new for Randy - he is ready, he has paid his rainy dues, he is hyped up, he is crazy!

More to come as Randy checks off a life goal - RUN A MARATHON, RUN BOSTON!

BOSTON

This guy was on our flight and is on YouTube for rapping the in-flight instruction - pretty entertaining, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivjybzdXVmI

Boston is such a great town! One of the best things so far is that Randy and I have slept through the night, no interuptions. It has been a long time in coming - it has been almost 3 years! If I could get sleep like this on a regular basis, I would be unstoppable.

O.k., we have tons of pictures to upload - they'll be coming.

So far, we went on the Freedom Trail - a historical path leading through Boston that highlights the importance this area had on the beginnings of America - we walked through Boston Commons where many slaves were executed, visited the church where George Washington visited, Harvard Square. Lots, lots more.

Easter and Happy, Happy Birthday Randy

Randy and I vacillate when it comes to gift giving - sometimes we want a surprise and other times we want an EXACT thing.

This year was a little of both. Randy NEEDED a motor for his fishing boat and to create family memories.
I am always taken in on the "family time" thing.


"vroom, vroom"- happy birthday, we love you so much, you are AMAZING!!!

-"Yeah" they found their baskets

Cayleb and Makenzy have been sick. Cayleb was sleeping in but we couldn't start the egg hunt without him, sooo.... big brother kindly went and woke him up, he was happy Easter was finally here!

- Found his basket, "cheese."

Later in the day, Cayleb said it was "stupid" the Easter Bunny hid the eggs in the house, eggs are supposed to be hidden outside. "I know," I said, "but the Easter Bunny probably didn't think you wanted to look for your eggs outside in the pouring rain." Apparently, tradition isn't supposed to be broken for anything.

My kids like candy. Makenzy was happy with finding eggs, popping them open, eating through the wrappers, gumming it up real well and then leaving half eaten chocolates, and jelly beans with half their color sucked off stuck all over the carpets, stairway and pajamas. But my kids like money more. Luckily, the Easter Bunny stuffed some eggs with money too!

Always trying to go a little healthier. Tried vegan cupcakes - o.k. almost vegan cupcakes, I didn't have coconut milk. Tasted good, easy to make, and a great addition to our Easter dinner.

From one sweet tooth to another, THANKS mom for always sending up the cute little candy decorations. You know you got me started on the whole cupcake thing by telling me about one of my favorite sites http://www.cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/.

Love Easter - it means spring, it means new beginnings, and it means spring dresses. However, this Easter, we had 2 sick ones - Makenzy and Cayleb, not so fun. So I bagged even getting them dressed up. Makenzy is in that toddler stage where she is constantly taking off her diaper and tugging at her clothes to be removed so why even bother sometimes.

We played church tag - Randy and the girls went, then he came home and I went. Makayla was a part of the Easter program, bummed I didn't get to see it, Easter Sunday is always so special!

Using plastic eggs and references from the scriptures, Makayla made a terrific family night Easter lesson. When I have time, I'll post it. But in an "eggshell", she wrote down scripture references citing the Savior's final week of mortal life and then added objects in the egg that correlated with the scripture, for example 3 silver dimes to represent the 30 silver pieces Judas was paid.

San Juan Island

This week marked another of the "twin" birthdays...birthdays close enough that we are partying back to back.

Makayla and Randy 3 days apart
Cayden and Cayleb 3 weeks apart
Madalyn and Makenzy 10 days apart
Mom...I stand alone, and NO there is no 6th baby to make it even!

It was a surprise get away...but a perk to planning ahead is rearranging schedules, as such Randy was unable to come....sadly we left him behind....and headed to the San Juan Islands for Makayla's birthday which conveniently coincided with spring break.

This was our first visit so we took lots of pictures, Cayden took 90% of them and did a pretty good job. At the end of our stay, he said he liked taking pictures but wouldn't want to do it for a living...I'm o.k. with that.

things we saw on the way-

it's about a 1 hour ferry ride-

-picturesque "personal" islands along the way, notice the skies, they pretty much stayed that way the whole time, yup this is pretty much a Northwest spring

-me, Madalyn

-the kids

- the ferry dropped us off at Friday harbor - we picked this boat out for you Grandpa

-having never been here before I wasn't sure where to stay...ended up selecting the Roche Harbor Resort, loved it and after talking to the locals, they confirmed this was "the place" to stay, it has condos, a turn of the century hotel, cabins, condos, a church for weddings, restaurants, some stores, a spa and of course a harbor -

after driving around the island while we were there, I would definitely recommend staying here, plus I am always looking for killer deals and I got one here.

this is the view from our room - in the morning the church bells pealed out "oh, what a beautiful morning" from "Oklahoma" as well as other melodic songs for 20 minutes

- whale wathcing tours are big business up here, the "for sure you'll see one" season runs May - Sept.

- this was incredible art sculpture park on the resort premises...I revel in museum visits but seeing the art outdoors gave it a new resonance and impact plus, it is sooooo much easier on a 1 year old's attention span

- a view of the art park

- walking along the boardwalk with the kids

- spring has sprung! this is one spot where the have outdoor weddings, functions, etc.

- later we took a drive around the island (about 45 minutes to an hour and you can circle the whole island), there are a lot of meadows dotted with homes, inns and bed and breakfast homes are all over with vast patches of spruce and fir shooting up in between.

- who said Philly was home of brotherly love

- Roche Harbor has an airstrip for people flying in from Seattle, about a 25 minute flight, Cayden liked the ferry ride but would like to try the plane

- this is False Harbor, the name says it all but beautiful place. We came here after a shopping trip in "town" and were told this is the best spot to see the sunset...but, we got restless and didn't wait around for the sunset

- my kido's, Kenzy had tuckered out at this point in the day

- me, just relaxing at False Bay

-off to "Whale Watch Park", this is the nickname for the park which is technically called Lime Kiln State Park because the whales swim along this channel. Again, when I was talking to a local, she said the whales come down this way because the water is very deep, it cuts between the San Juan Island and Victoria, Cananda which is close enough to see from here, so close in fact, that you can see the outlines of buildings.

- there is a lighthouse here, (can't see it in this picture), it was built in 1919 and was the last fully automated lighthouse in the U.S., before that several ships crashed into the rocky shores in the narrow channel.

- again, talking to another local, I asked, "so what are some highlights of the island?", she responded the Alpaca farm, so away we went to Krystal Farms. This farm is absolutely picturesque, looks like it popped out of a movie set, but the camera batteries died, so you'll have to do with just the Alpaca shot.

- we don't have seasalt for blood yet, but we know some of grandpa's Dutchman seablood runs in us yet, we couldn't get enough of the boats!

- we shopped, watched movies, goofed off, did cartwheels off logs (o.k. I did a half one, chickened out, but the girls did), played at parks, threw lots of rocks into the water, and pretty much had a great time celebrating Makayla's birthday and being with my best friends minus one, then it was time to head home for Easter and eggs and Randy's birthday.