Thursday, March 27, 2008

School's Out

Well, we're more than half-way through spring break. Because Kate was sick all last week, she's enjoying her second week of no school.

Steve and I took to the South Shore train into Chicago yesterday to go to the Shedd Aquarium. Holy cow! I talked about extra cash laying around yesterday - any that we might have had is now gone!! It was a fun day and the first time I had been in Chicago since the marathon last October. Yesterday would have been a perfect day to run it, by the way. Partly cloudy, temperatures in the 50s, a little bit of a breeze. As we walked up Columbus Ave along Grant Park, I showed Kate where the finish line was and I think she thought she would see the actual finish line. She was a little perplexed. She was also fretting about getting to the train station in time. We ended up having a half-hour to spare.

It was a long day - we left the house at 7:30 am and got home around 9 pm. We did a lot of walking around, carrying kids, and pushing the stroller. I think I got in a decent workout.

Tuesday, I got in a four mile run in about 40 minutes. I know the mileage is accurate because I did my usual loop. The time probably is off because I didn't bring the iPod and Nike+ with me - just looked at the clock before I left. I tried the whole slow and easy thing again and only walked a total of two blocks. It was incredibly windy here, the kind of wind where you think it will be better once you turn around and the wind is at your back, but when you finally do turn aournd, you are running into once again.

The girls and I are heading up to Grand Rapids to see my parents. The weather is supposed to turn crummy so I'd better get packing. We were going to try to leave at 7 am this morning to get there by 10 am to go to the Children's Museum but I was wipped last night and decided we weren't going to make it.

Off to pack and get plenty of activities together for the car. Take care.

3 comments:

Rick said...

Hiya motr! I had responded on my own blog to your comment and had asked if you lived near Michigan City. I was just curious as my father and I used to spring salmon fish there and in New Buffalo, MI.

Anyway, have a safe trip and good visit with your folks. I hope to get to GR in May for the Riverbank Run. That's not for certain yet.

Hey, on a side note, I saw the mention of last year's Chicago Marathon... did you run in that brutality and... if so, did you finish?!?

Mom on the Run said...

Hey Rick. We live about an hour south of South Bend of of US 31. I think we're about 1:30 from Michigan City and certainly went through it the other day.

I was hoping to run Riverbank this year but it isn't going to happen. I drove some of the route today, thinking maybe I'll do the GR Marathon next fall. Need to decide. The funny thing is I remember when the Riverbank run was just getting started and watching the commercials and coverage and thinking I'll never be able to do that!

Also, I did do Chicago and did get to finish. I was around mile 18 when they informed us the race was canceled. I ended up walking the rest of the course with Steve from Jacksonville, Florida. Finished in 5:30 - and hour slower than I was hoping for. I ran it the year before, too, and it was 39 degrees and spitting snow at the start. Who would have though it would be that hot!

Rick said...

Isn't that funny how when you start out running your lofty goals are to run 2 miles without walking, then 3, then 4, and then you do your first 5 miler. All that time thinking you'd never be able to take on a 10K, half, or full marathon. That's the neat thing about running, there are always new horizons to run toward.

I don't know if I'll hold up for the 5/3 run or not. I'll have to see how badly my first marathon tears me up in the less than perfect physical condition I am in now. I am planning on doing at least the GR half in the fall though. There are several folks from the RunningAHEAD community that are planning on running it.

That's amazing that you got through Chicago last year! Congratulations on just finishing! That's awesome.

That snow was pretty cool the other day as far as the size of the flakes and how thick and heavy they were. Very pretty, but that' enough all ready!

Well, I hope I'm not becoming a pest, if so, just tell me to bugger off. ;-)

Hope you're having a good weekend too.