Christmas week...

....is done.

The tree is shedding needles all over the deck. The living room is vacuumed. The presents are (mostly) put away. The dining room that transformed into a wrapping station is now again a (rarely used) dining room. The blowup outdoor Santa is deflated and back in storage. Twinkle lights are no longer twinkling.

Woo freaking hoo.

Sorry Christmas-lovers, but I am glad to be done. This week, for me, to put it bluntly, sucked. The stomach flu that I was hoping was a 24 hour thing turned into a whole-gd-week thing. I think I finally turned the corner today. The 16 hours of sleep I got yesterday must have helped.

It was great to see my family a bunch though. I am sure they loved being around my germy, pukey, sleeping during Christmas eve dinner self. (Trying not to be a negative jerk here...trying.) The girls had a great time and are loving their gifts.

Still, I haven't worked out since last Sunday. (Unless Wii tennis counts for a workout?? My gift for Mike was really a wonderful gift to myself, too.) But seriously. Last Sunday. I am starting to grow crazier and crazier by the minute. Mike being on the treadmill right now is not making things any more sane in my head either. So jealous.

Just want to wait until tomorrow to see if I actually feel well enough. This virus is a really tricky bastard. One day I feel okay....the next terrible....the next, okay. So strange. And no, I am not pregnant.

Just sick. And mad about it. And glad that tomorrow is a new (non Christmas, non stomach flu) week.

Gotta run, E is faking a sore throat to score an ice pop. "Ouchie. Ouchie. My froat hurts. I think a popsicle make me feel better, mommy."

Maybe I will try one, too.

Some Christmas pics.

My sister and Alice. One of them is drooling chocolate from her mouth.


My favorite present. My mom had this made for Alice, the Hi-Ya Baby, as E calls her.


E resting on an Annabelle pillow.


My dad shaking some sense into the Hi-Ya Baby.


Christmas dinner. Alice was replaced by a bottle of wine. Wine doesn't yell at us. :)

Purging

Saturday started with this.


All morning long. I commenced the long overdue playroom purge. Getting rid of all the broken, mismatched, no longer played with toys. All to make room for the new ones from Santa that are not yet broken, mismatched and still interesting to play with. At least until the new year.

Alice toddled around, undoing my neat piles. Mike and Ella helped in their own way. If you consider drawing unflattering cartoons of me then cracking up at them, helping. I did not. Jerks. Okay, funny jerks. But honestly, my eyebrows don't look like that, right?? :)

Sunday ended with a different kind of purge. I will spare you pictures, promise. The kind that wakes you up in the middle of the night to sprint to the toilet. Again. And again. And again. Oh my. Stomach flu...again. Awful. Hellish. Painful. Mike amended for his caricatures of me by staying home from work to watch the girls. Just awesome. I was unable to care for myself much less two little girls. Ugh. Slept most of the day away.

Feeling a bit better today. Just tired from being up most of the night with E. Who, you guessed it, was purging herself. Poor kid. Fingers crossed that (1) this crud is gone by Christmas and (2) Mike and Alice remain purge-free.

2010

Yes, I, like everyone else in in triathlon-blog-land, have figured out my 2010 races and goals. I emailed Jen what they were last week.

And now that there out there...I kind of like it. I am what you call "goal oriented", to say the least.

I feel pretty much lost without one. So, it is nice to have a few for 2010.

My main one for the next few months is to get ready to kick some serious Gulf Coast A$$. I love this race. Love it. Flat, fast and hot. Yes, yes and YES!

I think the early season Half IM is perfect for me. I seem to be more motivated to train hard in the cold months. Go figure. I am not burnt out yet, no nagging injuries, etc. Works for me.

Plus, as cheesy as Panama City is....that beach is so darn beautiful. I will take the Gulf any day over the skanky leech infested lakes we swim the rest of our races here in North Georgia. I did a 5:22 in 2007, let's just say, I am ready to beat that time this year. :)

I have a few more. Under 20 in the 5k (wanted that one so badly this year, but 20:09 just doesn't cut it). Under 43 in the 10k. Under 1:40 at ING Half. Hopefully, a few minutes under 1:40.

I think all of these are totally doable...once the incredible soreness from the butterfly sets in the pool (what these look like to anyone watching? i shudder to think), and the actual doing of the strength training workouts this winter (last year, i took those as a rest day) fades away.

Totally post unrelated but seasonally appropriate pictures of the girls' preschool Holiday program from yesterday.

Things to address

First on my list....Christmas cards. Duh. But, my hand hurts. (I did a bunch last night.) And chasing down all those missing addresses is so much harder than sitting here on the couch, eating Twizzlers, and watching "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s" on VH-1, while blogging.

Second? Um, yeah, the Twizzlers. It is bad. Really bad. I really should address this. Once the family size, resealable (pointless considering there is not enough down time for them to actually go stale before they are eaten) bag is consumed, I am done. Now that the training is ramping up again, there is no way Twizzlers are going to fuel me. Offseason? Sure. Not so much for the winter/spring...

(Side note--I can't believe I found Nelson (the band) attractive in high school. Or that my cousin actually went to their concert. And I was jealous. Yes, still watching the 90s songs thing on VH-1.)

Third? I've got to really get over my "I am going to throw up. No, really...I will puke" feeling that I have when I look at Annabelle's surgery site. I have to look at it. I have to check it to make sure it is okay. The vet said so. I have to empty the (gasp!) drain from the incision. (WHAT?!?) That's my job. But.....but....MOMMY!!! I want mommy! What? That's me? You sure? Ah...okay....(Belly is doing okay. Thanks for all your concern. I am just glad to have her home, scars and all.)

(So get up get, get get down 911 is a joke in yo town -- still watching...)

Fourth? Training Peaks. Oh my....this new version is killing me. I was never good at entering my workouts in before they made it IMPOSSIBLE to understand. First it crashes safari. Every time I open it. Then when I finally get in through Firefox, it is like reading a foreign language. I must sit down and address this....take the time to figure this damn thing out....after this bag of Twizzlers is finished.

"Show Me Your Belly."

Last night, post bath/and pre highly choreographed "I not tired/I don't want to go to bed/I'm hungry/thirsty" dance begins... we were hanging out in our bedroom with the clean, silly sisters.

My favorite time of day.

Dad is home. Both are going nuts. Just how I like 'em.

Ella is racing around the room winning an imaginary race. Alice is walking on her head. Then showing us her nose. "Where is your nose, Allie?" Points to her nose, then my nose, then Mike's nose...

Okay. Let's try something new.

"Where's your belly?"

"Show me your belly."

She crawls her chubby little body over to this. Twice. And pounds her on the back.


Her belly. AnnaBELLE. Whom we mostly call "Belly".

Normally, that would rate as an "Awww. That's so cute" reaction from me.

But, last night, the night before Annabelle's second cancer surgery, it broke me.

All day long today, it was like I was watching a loop of "Marley and Me", "Old Yeller" and "My Dog Skip".

My 22nd birthday present is now a 107 lb.,11 year old Golden Retriever with 2 tumors, a "foreign body" in her stomach (No clue as to what she ate this time. My $$ is on a super ball.) and a rescheduled surgery for Monday.

I have always known that she wasn't going to live forever, but the reality of her getting older,slowing down and now getting sick is tough. Tougher than I thought. But, hopefully, not tougher than Allie's Belly.

Bleh.

I am in the minority on this one.

The definite minority judging from my unscientific sample size of houses in our neighborhood already decorated for Christmas.

THEY ALL ARE....well, except for the dark, sullen, naked (as in UNdecorated naked) loser of a house pouting at the end of the street. The house wishing for orange lights, hale bales and spiders. The house yearning for gaudy, scary, stupid, silly adornment.

I curse thee....ye tasteful Christmas decorating.

White lights all a flickering, Santa Clauses waving merrily, red, green, blah, blah, BLEH....puke.

I don't like Christmas.

Yes, I said it.

Too much damn work.

I used to love it. Back when all I had to do was show up. Eat some fudge (my dad used to get Fanny Mae fudge every year to fuel our tree decorating), toss some decorations on the tree, laugh with my family, get spoiled with presents. WHO doesn't love that kind of holiday?!? Side note -- E is pretty pumped for the big day. Duh.

Now I am a lazy-Grinch-Scrooge. And completely understand why my mom looked so tired in all of our Christmas pictures from when I was little. (4 kids. She and my dad would go to Toys R Us Christmas Eve and get everything. Were you guys nuts??)

The girls' upcoming school Christmas program, my fun cookie exchange party this weekend with girlfriends, and shopping for my family (very unGrinch like of me to enjoy "doing for others" isn't it?) all should chip away at my currently green exterior.

Oh, and Christmas cards. Love 'em. Love sending 'em, getting 'em. Opening 'em and putting them on the fridge.

My icy heart is melting already.

Nice to meet you..

I read a few blogs (okay, more than a few) pretty regularly. Some people, I know....some I don't. Some are triathletes, some family, some friends...it's a mix.

The people that I know and that are family, it is a great way to keep up...see pictures of them, their kids, whatever they're up to...

The ones that I don't know, it feels like I know them. So, same thing. Nice to keep up.

It's funny. And nice. You like someone (or not) based on how they write, if they're funny, or honest, or you can relate to them in some way. And worry about them, and hope they do well, and hope their kids are okay, etc., etc...I especially like that I have found this whole community of mom/triathletes. Seriously, that is not that common a combination.

I recently got to meet two of my favorite reads...Angela Kidd and Joe Reger.

And I didn't introduce myself to them on mile 2 of the run in a sprint tri, like I did to Dani. Or Mile 6 of a 10K, like I did to Lauren's husband, Matt. My apologies to both of you. I don't know what is wrong with me...NO ONE wants to talk, let alone make introductions when they feel like puking. My bad, guys. (I see someone that I know, or feel like I know, and like verbal diarrhea, it just spills out of me...."hey, are you so and so....I am Kate...I read your blog, blah, blah." They rightfully look at me like what-the-@#$* are you talking about...this is a race, not a cocktail party, weirdo.)

So, I am glad to get my introductions to Joe and Angela out of the way, in a non racing, normal human being introductions kind of way.

And they were both awesome. Just like I knew they would be.

Angela and I met up today at the park for a short run and some playground time with the kids while she's visiting ATL for Thanksgiving. She's funny, down to earth and sarcastic, just like her blog. I am also happy to report that Angela not only looks like she's flying in the pictures of her running while racing, she also does so in person. While pushing a baby jogger. And chatting.

It was in sharp contrast to the gnome next to her hunched over the double jogger with 3 flat tires on the (obviously not recently used) double jogger panting like a golden retriever. No graceful gazelle here, people. :)

Alice and the seriously cute Zach at the park.


Angela and Zach, who is giving Alice's belly a run for its money.



So, Joe.

Joe of joereger.com fame. Joe was the first blog that I ever read. I really didn't know what a blog was...knew nothing about triathlon (even after doing a half IM. I still don't know much) but, Joe talked about triathlon, his family, his job, everything. I was totally hooked.

Anyway, I've been reading his blog since 2006. And Joe recently won the big social media prize from my recent contest. HUGE prize. :) I've never met him before. He graciously offered to let me and my mom pick his brain about social media. So nice, so helpful and really, really cool. And so smart. Super impressive.

So....nice to meet you guys. :)

Franksgiving

We will be in Boston with Mike's family next week for the real deal. THANKSgiving. So today, we decided to celebrate FRANKSgiving with mine. (My Dad's name? Frank.) Yeah, I made it up. And yeah, I think it's funny. And, yes, I probably have said it way too many times to my family that they're sick of it now. But, you guys are a totally new audience.

Franksgiving is kind of like Thanksgiving....but also, kind of not like it. At all.

On Franksgiving, ART is created. And you must pose "without moving ANYTHING! Okay, you can move your eyes. But only to blink, Aunt Meg."
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Wrestling is mandatory.


Champagne toasts kick off the festivities. (I LOVE Franksgiving! Champagne is my most favoritest.)


And sunglasses are required apparel. Unless you have a princess hat on...then, you're exempt.


My "off season" could not end at a better time. I couldn't be happier for some an actual schedule on Training Peaks tomorrow. I think I might actually have something called a "swim" on my schedule. Oh my, this is going to be ugly...

In non Thanksgiving, Franksgiving, triathlon news....Alice is walking! Not much and not often, but she is doing it. Go Alice!

Another week?

Wow. I am not sure I can handle this.

Training Peaks taunts me every morning with the following emails.

"Your lazy ass has no workouts to do today. You chose this. 'Cause you "needed a break". Say goodbye to all the fitness you had. It probably won't come back. Your pants are only still fitting because of all the muscle you have lost in the past few weeks."

Okay, TP is not that harsh. That's just me.

And me? I can be a bit harsh.

Sure, I am exaggerating a bit. I am really not going that crazy in this offseason. (I must admit that triathlon is almost as big a time suck as Facebook, or Bravo reality shows.)

But, I am working on week 3 of no real swimbikerun, no intervals, no swim....at all, no times to hit....and it is all starting to wear on me.

Exhausting, I tell ya.

Another week. I can make it. I think....

I am just not so good at doing easy runs. (Booo-ring.) Or easy bikes on the trainer (Yawn.) And I will not swim unless I am told to.

Someone please tell me to. :)

Hi-Ya Baby

If nothing else, my girls crack me up.

Like laughing until I cry kind of funny. Which, lucky for me, is one of my favorite things to do.

Hi-Ya Baby is the latest comedy routine out of the Parker girls.

I have no idea where she got it from, or how she made it up, but Ella now calls Alice (instead of her other nicknames, The Boss, Chicken, and Allie Mallie Chicken Rally) "Hi-Ya Baby".

As in, Hi-Ya, like before you do a karate chop. As in "her not Alice, mommy. Her name is Hi-Ya Baby".

According to E, "Hi-Ya Babies" are "sneaky like tigers", "naked", and "like to hit people's tummies".

Um, okay.

All I know is Hi-Ya Babies like to do this....on purpose.

Not too funny.

And the winner is.....

...JOE REGER!

I posted last week calling out to everyone for any and all advice on how to help my mom's company take advantage of social media.

Congrats and a huge thank you to Joe for his amazing advice. Like seriously, seriously amazing advice.

Advice that is printed out, ready to followed to a "T". (I was secretly hoping he'd chime in on this one.) See....Joe is a social media expert, super fast Ironman athlete, dad, entrepreneur, ultrarunner, and I am sure about 20 more things I don't even know. Let me know which print you want, and it's yours, Joe. Thanks again!

Also, thanks also to everyone who commented and left some great advice. We're working on getting a functional site on etsy, got our facebook fan page set up (thanks to anyone who became a fan) and are overflowing with promotional ideas.

You guys rock! Thanks again everyone!

Uncle

This week was supposed to be completely off.

Well, actually, it wasn't supposed to be off. I was supposed to race a half marathon today. A half marathon that was pushed from last week to this week. Why? 'Cause I didn't feel like running a half last week.

And guess what? Didn't feel like running it this week either.

And by "didn't feel like" I really mean, "I would rather get a paper cut IN MY EYE than run this damn race". And it was not because I wasn't ready or undertrained or anything like that. I just had zero motivation to run. Hard. For over 13 miles. Not this week. (or last, apparently.) I was utterly lacking any desire to run.

The subject line of my email to Jen on Wednesday detailing my (very clear) feelings about racing this weekend was one word.

Uncle.

I was just done. Done. Done. And done.

Jen understood and gave me my two weeks off. Nothing this week and just easy runs next week.

Exhale.

I mostly followed my training plan of doing nothing this week. A sinus infection that has long overstayed its welcome, a sick Alice (butt strep has now be re-diagnosed to butt strep AND a staph infection. My poor little girl!) and my inherent off season laziness made it easy.

Well, except for that one run...it was just so gorgeous out...and the company was good...and the girls were both in school...and I do start to get a little cuckoo after a few days of not sweating...

Oh, and today. Again, gorgeous, sunny late fall day. Local 5k. South Forsyth County Special Olympics 5k. A good cause. Two of my girlfriends are running it. Kids Run that Ella is dying to do.....heck, yeah....I'll run. But, not hard, Just take it easy, enjoy myself.

Who am I kidding?

Who do I think I am?

Long story short. I did NOT take it easy. But, I didn't throw up or dry heave (so I didn't go that hard.). I did win overall though. (Yay!) When I got out to the front from the start of the race, there was no way I was "taking it easy" or "enjoying myself" out there. I did slow down when I realized that (1) there was no way I was going under 20 on this hilly course and (2) the girl behind me was not going to catch me before the finish. 20:35 total.

E and my mom were at the finish. Which was awesome.

Congrats to Meghan on a PR and Amanda on 1st in her AG!

E's fun run directly followed my "not so fun" run. She was great. So excited to run, ready to beat everyone out there. Super competitive (hmm...where in the world is this coming from?;) She ran, off and on, the whole mile. A pretty impressive feat for a 4 year old. Sprinted to the finish. Atta girl! Proud of you, E.



E and her ribbon. "I win-ed this"

Free Stuff!!!

Okay, I need some help.

And I am picking your collective brains.

If you don't mind.

And in exchange, I have a bribe, ahem, I mean a prize. A give away for the best idea/advice.

So here it is...

My mom is a super great and talented artist. See?

She does folk art, lots of prints to hang on your walls, on your kid's walls, on your parent's walls, on your dog's walls. Rich dogs have art on their dog house walls. Right? (As a dog owner, parent and grandparent she paints, draws what is closest to her heart. Although I now have her working on some tri stuff. She doesn't think that people would hang tri art on their walls. I beg to differ. I totally would. Nice art. I would.)

Well, the problem is that my mom is a great artist, but not so great at the new media thing. (Twitter, Facebook, blogging, etc.) I keep telling her how she needs to utilize this resource, create a FB page, get a twitter account....just get her name and work out there in the social media world. IT'S FREE! And totally untapped for her. Well, after me telling her for the seventhousandth time, she just told me basically to eff off and do it myself. (Okay, she didn't really say that, but I am sure she was thinking it.;)

So, this is me. Doing it myself. I want any and all ideas you all have to help me help her become the Oprah of the folk art world. :) Social media, website, FB, twitter, contests....etc. Just ideas like how best to use social media to her advantage, what to do, etc.

Her art sells itself...my job is, now, to get it in front of more people to see it, then buy it, then we can all retire to our gold boat and burn hundred dollar bills for warmth.

The best idea gets a free print of hers. Pick from the ones below! I will send it to you. Winner will be announced on Monday.

Everyone put your thinking caps on! Thanks!! Post 'em to comments or just email me directly.

Choice #1 -- You Are My Sunshine. Her best seller ever.


Choice #2 -- I Love You to the Moon and Back --- E has this in her room.


Choice #3 -- Play with Me.

But, strep?

Sorry.

Make that Butt Strep.

Yes, there is something called "Butt Strep" (or in fancy doctor-talk "rectal strep") and sweet Alice has it.

All over her red, little fanny.

And it looks like it hurts. Like really #$%ing hurts. I can't even imagine.

Strep THROAT makes me want to crawl in a corner and hide under blankets while popping amoxicillin until it goes away. And that's just your throat. How badly must it hurt...down there? Poor kid. Poor fanny.

So, we're quarantined. Until 24 hours on the meds.

It was a butt strep diagnosis, Alice crawling through fresh dog puke (that was this afternoon), kind of day today.

I Lost 10 Miles...

...and gained a really enjoyable afternoon and evening.

And a real 5k PR.

(My last 5k, while super fast, for me, was too short to call a PR. Damn you and your accuracy, Garmin. I would have loved to live in blissful ignorance that I could actually run a 19:15.) New, real PR is 20:09. So close to under 20. Yet, so stinkin' far.

Alternate post title, "I just didn't feel like running a half marathon this weekend for a lot of reasons, none of them really compelling and most of them bordering on the whiny-baby variety, so I ran a fun 5k instead and wasn't completely trashed for the cul-de-sac Halloween party we co-hosted".

While definitely a far more thorough title, it was a run on sentence. I hate run on sentences more than half marathons on Halloween. (Not true.)

Silver Comet half mary was traded in for the Zooma one next weekend.

No biggie.

And I got to run the (way more fun) Big Pumpkin 5k with my brother in law and sister in law and have legs not too tired to tear up the dance (okay, garage) floor with my sis-in-law after the UPS man and her package went to bed. After chasing her around the neighborhood while she burned 4 year old rubber to be the first one at each house. The first kid gets to ring the bell. Better than candy to her.

Could not have handled that with half marathon legs. 5k legs said "BRING IT".

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!

Post 5k. We had way cooler costumes for the actual race, but they got drenched.


The UPS man and her package.


The UPS man and Ernie (me).


We could not catch E to get her in here with us.

Baby Steps

No, Alice is not yet walking.

Without help...

No actual "baby steps" are being taken in our house....yet. My money is on the first week on November. Literally. Mike and I have a little bet going. Sure, she's a little late in the walking thing. Am I concerned? Nah. She'll get there on her own Alice timetable. She's standing, crusing....taking baby steps towards her actual first steps. I don't mind one bit, holding her little body is one of my favorite things. I have a feeling that "the Boss" will not want to be held once she gets the walking thing down.

Miss Ella is taking her own baby steps towards kindergarten. Seriously. I can't take it. KINDERGARTEN?!? I have her kindergarten orientation for next year on Thursday. I might have to tape my mouth shut so as not to scream out in the middle of the damn thing, "NO! My BABY is too little for this! Let's just put this whole thing on hold! Okay!?!?". I guess they break the moms in early by having this thing in October. I have 9 more months to process it and act like a normal person the first day of school. Not a crazy, crying mom holding onto E's foot as she gets on the bus.

My baby at 2. Can't believe this little monster is going to real school soon.


And me? Baby steps towards kicking this sinus infection that settled in my face this week. Ugh. I am thinking I should be fine by Saturday. (Big day. Hallo-freaking-ween and Silver Comet Half Marathon. I'd BETTER be fine). Baby steps towards a PR on this "it could NOT get any flatter" course. I think my pumpkin running costume should definitely help.

Since it is Hallo-week this week. Yeah, I made it up. Some Halloween shots...

Our three dormer windows are from left to right, an Alice witch, an Ella witch, an Annabelle the dog witch, and a a Goldy the goldfish witch. My mom and I did these this year...they look so cool up there.

Pumpkin carving


The masterpiece. (The pumpkin is throwing up, per Ella's request)

Soaking it up.

More often than not, I feel like I am sucking it up.

Suck it up and run. Suck it up and bike. And really, suck it up and swim.

Now that the off season is here. I am no longer sucking it up, rather soaking it up and walking.

Tonight we marinated in a delicious chill in the air, a closed golf course, a willing golden retriever and two more than willing little girls out for a walk in the neighborhood.

Frenchie with the beret and her chien.


Heading out to run free on the golf course.


Alice chilled in the jogger and watched her crazy sister...


...play catch the beret


The girls are king of the mountain


A happy girl


Throwing pine cones in the lake requires 100% focus.


You know it is time to leave when the 4 year old tears start (inevitably) rolling.

Late Harvest Run 5k Race Report

Happy Birthday to me...happy birthday to me....

This race most definitely was a belated birthday present (my 33rd was on Friday).

It was just awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.

And that's saying a lot for a 5k, when it hurts from the get go. And maybe get that PR that's eluded me for 7+ years (20:26). Oh, and maybe, just maybe, be the first female. This is something that I've been close a few times, but never 1st female. I've always thought it would be really cool to do that.

I scour active for a flat 5k that's not too far. I want to see if my fitness can get me close to under 20 minutes, but I definitely need a flat course for that. Okay. Hmmm....none of these seem to be flat. Damn. Let's just pick the one that is closest and has the latest start time 'cause it is cold as bleep out lately and I like to sleep. (okay, cold for Georgia).

Late Harvest 5k in Dunwoody is the winner.

Get there and it looks like a smallish race (it was). I warm up, listen to some sweet Miley Cyrus and Black Eyed Peas to get me (and the 6th grade teenybopper inside me and who is in charge of my ipod) pumped up. It works. I am excited to race. Excited that I have my Garmin, so I don't bust out a 6:15 first mile only to fade, fade, fade then BLOW UP.

That's fun.

Wahhh. The air horn blows. Two guys take off, fast. I am in third. Trying not to go out too fast. I quickly catch the first guy...then after about a half mile, the second guy is behind me. I couldn't help but smile a HUGE smile...thinking, I am leading this race. And then, quickly, this can't last that long, can it?

Where's the girl next to me at the start with the supermodel long legs? She's got to be catching me soon. Where's that guy that looked really fast at the start? He'll be here soon, right?

Nope!

No one caught me. I won overall, girls AND guys.

I had the lead from about a half mile into the race until the finish. I have to say, it was really, really fun. I kept checking behind me to see where the second place guy was (mostly because I was in such disbelief that I was leading this thing) and he was 80 yards, then 100, and then I couldn't see him anymore.....WOOP!! WOOP!!

I knew this was an experience that does not happen often (and most likely never again for me). So, I stopped caring about my time and just soaked up the feeling of leading the race. It was just so cool. The spectators were so supportive and excited to see a girl winning. I felt good, strong and getting stronger as the race went on.

With a half mile to go a guy yells to me "Are you in the lead?" I just nodded. "Wow." And it was an honest wow. Like he was really surprised. Hey, me, too, buddy.

The police manning all the intersections were cheering. Telling me I was going over the speed limit. Giving me updates on how far back #2 was. I felt like a rock star.

I turn the last corner and see the finish and GO....my watch says 18:45 and I am thinking NO WAY. I cross at 19:15 in first, totally excited and dumbfounded that I won the damn thing.

Call Mike. Call my mom, my sister, Amanda, text Jen, update my FB status....seriously, the WORLD is gonna hear about this one. ;)

Get my award and head on home excited to tell Ella for the first time that "yes, Mommy won the race today". She always likes to check.

(Only drawback was that the course was short, so I can't count this time and I think I would have PR'd if the course was 3.1. Damn.)

Some birthday shots...

The Ace(s) of Cake


Allie (and Annabelle) waiting for the cake to be frosted






Uh oh is right. Into the bath!