First World Running

Last weekend I crossed another thing off my to do list.  I have been wanting to run the Hippie Chick 1/2 marathon for a few years now. Working every other weekend really puts a dent in my race schedule but this year the stars were in alignment and I had the weekend off.  Coincidentally also Mother's Day weekend.

My friend and running partner agreed to join me, she would do the 1/4 marathon. The day was partly cloudy, but no rain and that is the best part. It was a great course fairly flat and scenic this time of year. I felt good like I was keeping a pretty good pace.

I wear a watch and hit start when I cross the timing pad but I don't watch my time when I run.  Maybe I should, I can't decide if it would inspire me to run faster, or make me feel like I should just give it up. I guess that's a discussion for another day.

At any rate it was a 1/2 marathon PR for me.  Let me just say first that my goal was to do it in 2 hrs or less.  I REALLY wanted to do it in 2 or less! So when I crossed the timing pad, hit stop on my watch the time was 2:01:43! AAARRRGGGG!!!  So even though it was a PR for me, at least 3 minutes off my previous time this is my first world problem, I missed it by 1:43, well 1:34 according to the official race time, but still soooooooo cranky about it!

I know, I know get over myself already!  I did say it was a first world problem.  I am grateful that I have a life that allows me to indulge in this challenging pass time. Besides the next half marathon is just around the corner, Oregon is running country, especially this time of year.

Ocho de Mayo

Ok, so I am not of Latin descent in any way, shape or form, but I did live in the central valley of California until I was nine and I was one of  two Caucasian  girls in my kindergarten in Reedley, CA, so I can appreciate a good tamale when I have one and I am certainly a Margarita connoisseur.  I love any excuse to go out for Mexican food.  Not just any Mexican food, but good Mexican food.

What better reason than Cinco de Mayo?  This year I was feeling thoroughly ripped off in the fiesta department when I had to spend my evening shuttling back and forth between two baseball games and not a taco pescado or rocks margarita to be found.  Feeling like the Karmic forces were conspiring against me and just cranky in general a singularly Oregon weather flashback of rain and 50 degrees today was not helping at all.

Picking up my 9 year old after school in the rain blowing sideways, he was not enthusiastic about attending track practice and I could not blame him in the least! Then came the news that changed our lives.  The baseball game of the oldest was rained out, everyone's homework was done, it was before 6pm, we had no plans, the planets were in alignment, it called for a serious celebration!

Ocho de Mayo! We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant, Pepita's in Beaverton, sat right down in a booth, ordered drinks and our fav menu items and had the best dinner ever!

There was thoughtful, insightful conversation, a little bit of snarky gossip, and the usual cranky school, homework, teacher talk all in all a perfect evening.

Topics covered: Does everyone see the 'same' colors or does everyone see a different color that they interpret as, for example, green even though if I saw your 'green' it would be different than mine and further more what about the color blind people (we have some of those in the family).

Do people blind from birth dream in color? and how would you describe a color to someone who couldn't see, and if their sight was restored would the colors they then saw match their definition of that color.

Cochlear implants yes or no? Discussion revolved around the two schools of thought in the deaf community, no, be proud of who you are as a deaf person, yes, why not take advantage of technology to have hearing if possible.  Is is better to have the procedure done before a certain age? Like when people are younger? Do non hearing people who are adults who have a cochlear implant find the hearing world overwhelmingly loud?

Should you pursue an IB diploma for high school, or simply take IB and AP classes, but not test for the diploma?

Why do you have to use an elective to do student government? Why can't it be an extracurricular?

Does my daughter really dislike science and math or is it just not cool to like it?

How do we fit in all the sports, classes and activities we want to do? There is simply not enough time!!

It was fantastic! I didn't even have time to wonder, 'Who are these people, and what have they done with my children'?

I can see now that the time will come, soon enough, even though the day to day squabbling can really wear a mother down, there will a be a time sooner than I can imagine that they will be up, out and on their own and I will wonder why I didn't cherish them more.

Does this mean I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing? That all the worry and doubt will be for naught?  Am I really raising some insightful, thoughtful, caring people that can go out in the world and make a difference?

Sometimes it's hard to see through the socks on the floor, coats and backpacks dropped where they stopped, dishes in the sink even though the dishwasher is empty and wet towels on the foot of the bed, but sometimes you get a window, a glimpse in the form of a spontaneous dinner out.

I never think of the future - it comes soon enough. 

~Albert Einstein

Sounds like good advice, I should probably take it.