Family Fun Run

 
Wellington holds a full marathon only once a year in June.  It tends to be the worst weather with horizontal wind, rain and even sleet.  Fortunately, we had a storm on the Thursday before the race with 200km/hr (125mph) gale force gusts that pounded the city (fish in the washed out streets, roofs missing, uprooted trees, massive power outages) and the weather was quite pleasant on the day of the run.  The running race also included a half marathon, 10k and 1 mile kids run.  Jason and my mom ran the 10k and I took the boys to run the 1 mile kids fun run.  I pushed Liam and Isaac in the double BOB stroller and Charlie ran alongside me.   The last run I did with Charlie was quite miserable - as he wanted to poke around in the dirt and look for insects and couldn't understand that we were trying to run a race.  He ran the ENTIRE way this time and had such a great attitude.  It was so much fun and it made me look forward to future family runs.  Jason and my mom did fantastic with their 10k run and it was fun that everyone participated.  I think next June's marathon may be my post-Isaac marathon - despite its reputation for terrible weather.   

Here is a video of us crossing the finish line. (we are at the end of the clip)

Here is a link to some pictures

Queenstown 10k

Daddy's morning to run.

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Casualties

Sorry for the gross post, I'm not even really sure why I'm writing about this.  That being said, I lost 2 toenails this week.  I lose my "pointer" toenails quite often when long distance running because that toe is longer than my big toe.  We were out on Saturday night and I was feeling all cute dressed up in my skinny jeans and cowboy boots, when I felt a "rock" in my sock and fished out my toenail.  It's gross, but it is also cool to see the brand new nail - all fresh and clean - replace the old injured nail.  I should be able to get a pedicure in ~6 months - yay!






It was fun to torture Jason and Charlie with my toenail, but Jason has done his fair share of torturing.  He kept a silver dollar sized blister on the night stand for a few days last week.




My husband is also amazingly faithful with his mouth guard that replaced his post-braces retainer a few years ago.  That being said, I just don't think the mouth guard is looking good...  What is that on it??? Does anyone else wear a mouth guard with similar problems?   He has a great job, so I think we are due a dentist visit for a replacement guard!


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Anticipating April's Harvest Festival

We've really enjoyed the last few weeks in Wellington.  Wellington is truly feeling like home, and honestly I pinch myself every day - I feel very thankful to be here!   We finished an exciting week of prayer at our church.  The church setup a 24/7 prayer room about 20 minutes drive north from our home.   We signed up for a 1-hr session as a family, and I  brought the boys to a few 1-hr sessions during the week.  In so many odd ways, Wellington feels so much like my  college days in Boston.   This is mainly due to the strong community we've experienced.  The following are located within a 5-minute walk from our home: Jason's work, Charlie's preschool, my work, our doctor, grocery store, 2 parks, the waterfront, our church plant building, our babysitters, 14 coffee shops (exaggeration - but not by much).  Many friendships have quickly blossomed with Jason's work, our church and the expat American community in Wellington.   I think this is a really precious season in our lives - and I'm thankful!

Autumn is upon us and it is strange to think about April Harvest Festivals.  In my "northern hemisphere" thinking, I've equated springtime with Easter as NEW LIFE is springing up everywhere!  My brain constantly feels twisted with opposite seasons, but Wellington's temperate (i.e. San Francisco) climate doesn't really offer intensely distinct seasons.


We really enjoy after-work runs along the waterfront as a family (especially for the last few weeks before Daylight Savings Time in NZ).   Here are some pics from a park about 1.25 (okay exactly) miles from our home.    

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Buller Gorge Marathon

Okay - we are back safe to Wellington.  What an amazing week!  I fixed the videos from my last post - so you should be able to view them now. 

Here is my marathon reflection.  Forgive me for the wordiness, I just need to proces it all...

I have a really unfortunate habit of falling down about once a year.  It usually happens on really sunny days when there are no obstructions in my path and for really no reason at all except shear klutziness... I guess I was due, because on Friday afternoon, right before picking up my race packet, I fell hard into a ditch/drain thingy on the side of the road.  It hurt, but I couldn't tell if it was an "ow! I skinned my knee that really hurt" or an "ow! I messed up important knee tendon/sinew thingys and it really hurts."  I kept thinking it would get better, but after a sleepless night because of throbbing pain, I decided at 5:30am not to run the marathon.  I was so bummed out!   I wasn't really sad about all the training being "in vain" - I actually loved my training runs around the Wellington (and the MN and FL training - thank you Hugh, Rachel and Eric!).  At the end of the day, I didn't want to face all of the people I had told I was going to run the marathon - the thought just sounded excrutiating.  I have a theory that was proven correct in this incident.  If I tell a million people that I will do something, I will be motivated to finish it and held accountable to my training and the actual race.   I am not sure if that is pride, but it was seriously effective.  It's funny but I most dreaded facing Ken the mailman at the embassy on Monday... weird...

In addition to my pride, a huge factor in running the race was that Jason sent a text from my phone on Friday night asking people to pray for my knee.  Although my knee was still tender, at 540am I couldn't fall back asleep and I decided to just go to the race start and see how far I could go.  My ride to the marathon shuttles was a doctor (for vasectomies so maybe a little different) and assured me I wouldn't do permanent damage to me knee if I ran.   Amazingly it didn't hurt the entire marathon run - Praise God!

The weather was PERFECT for the first 20 miles of the run with temperatures in the 60s and partly cloudy skies in the gorge.  The marathon is touted as New Zealand's most scenic athletic event and it was really beautiful.  I met some interesting people along the way - some really crazy intense runners.  One guy was running his third marathon weekend in a row and was trying to complete 100 marathons (he was at 87).  Another gentleman about 60 years old or so seemed to run with a limp, he confessed that he hadn't had feeling in his left foot for weeks, but he said it was just mind over matter.  He talked about his passion for running but was wondering if his body was starting to give out.  I internet-stalked him and found this article written about him.    Here is another American runner in the race who was written up in the NY Times a few years ago - he had completed 562 marathons in this dated article (and we actually ran Boston Marathon "together" in April 2002).    I found myself admiring these runners, but more so I wanted to ask how many hours do they devote to the solitary sport?  Do they have families?  Other hobbies?  The older gentleman said we were born to run (agree!) and that was all that we were created to do (disagree - we were created for SO MUCH MORE!)  It made me kind of sad to see these runners pouring their entire life and being into the addiction of long distance running.  Again, I'm thankful for my parents' for demonstrating balance with running (and athletics).  I can absolutely understand the temptation to go a little overboard.    

One of my biggest fears about the run was the hilly course.  The only review of the course I'd read was from an elite runner in Salt Lake City who scoffed at the "hilly course."  I'm a Great Plains kind of girl, and the top graph is a terrain profile of my training over the past few months. The bottom graph is the Buller Gorge Marathon profile.  I thought surely all those little spiky things couldn't truly be hills - it must be some mistake.  They were all hills - undulating in most places but pronounced in others.  The first 20 miles were great, but the last 6 were really, really, really challenging.   Because I dismissed the "official race elevation profile" -- I didn't really take seriously those last hills.  They really weren't that bad, but I just wasn't mentally prepared for for them I guess. 

I'm so thankful I was able to finish it (even if it entailed some walking at the end), I probably won't do the full marathon at Buller Gorge again.  For starters they ran out of water for the final 10 miles.  I kept chugging the powerade but my stomach started to cramp up.   Most of the runners (I realized after the run) were 1/2 marathoners, walkers and relay runners.  The teeny-tiny group of 200 full marathon runners comprised only 10% of the total race participants.  Everyone started at the same time, so the water was gone by the time the marathon runners came through.  The course was also closed to spectators and supporters.  That being said, the marathon relay that was being run concurrently with the marathon, had support vehicles that cheered and helped out their respective relay team.  Jason asked after the marathon why people cheered for the yellow race bibs (relay) and not the blue bibs (marathon).  It was almost comical the way no one was cheering for the full marathon runners - maybe it's a Kiwi thing???  I guess I'm just an American loving the loud energy from the spectators at the Marine Corps, Boston, Disney World - basically every other race I've done in the US... Jason said the whole town was out cheering for the 1/2 marathon runners and the walkers - that there was SO MUCH energy in the town of Westport.  They even bused in a bunch of old folks from a retirement home outside the city and they cheered for the other runners.  I missed it!

As I made it toward the finish line, the last 1-2 km, I was dodging people smoking and eating lunch outside in town, and I was trying to figure out where exactly was the finish line.   There was an older man in a bright orange vest who was lounging on a chair talking to people and looked up at me and pointed toward the finish line turn.  Coming through the finish line, there were about 20 people watching (not cheering).  I turned in my "racing chip" only to find out later they didn't use the racing mats for the marathon (I'm not sure why we got the chip???),  They gave out water (yay!) and powerade (bleh!) at the end, but nothing else.  No bananas, apples, bagels, mylar blankets... It was weird.  It was very weird.

Final reason I likely won't do it again.  This year's shirt:

I don't want to be negative - overall INCREDIBLE experience!!!   The Lord was so kind to give me health and allow me to run in the race!  This is just a good reminder for me in case I get the itch to do it next year.  The half would be WAY MORE FUN! 
 

South Island - Lake Rotoitoi

We are back in the South Island for the week. Here are some pictures from the day. We are staying the Nelson Lakes area for the night before heading down the West Coast tomorrow (we will drive the marathon route tomorrow!) Awkward family photo on a run/hike outside lodge



Alpine Lodge











It's funny but I see so much of aunt Emily when she was a baby in Liam right now .

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Bloody toes

I finished my next to last long run before the marathon.  Here is a 3D rendering of the run in Google Earth (give it time to buffer before running the route) .  It is was a beautiful day and the run is just gorgeous - I'm so thankful to be able to run in this city!   That being said, it ended in pretty severe leg cramps at mile 21 (I miscalculated the route by 2-3 miles, it was only supposed to be a 20 mile run).  Jason was home with a sleeping baby, but fortunately I was able to catch a cab for the last mile or so home.   When I got home and pulled my foot out of my shoe it was bleeding (just a scratch from my nail).  Charlie saw it and asked if he could kiss it - so sweet but SO disgusting!

Long Run with Mama Joyce

We finished an 18 miler - my mom biked and gave me water along the way. Gorgeous run!

















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Reflections on Marathon Running

One of my favorite "hobbies" is long distance running.  This is an unfortunate past time if you find yourself pregnant or recovering from a pregnancy often.   I wish 5ks or 10ks would suffice, but there is something about reaching mile 8,9,10 and beyond where I feel so connected to God, and my body and even my community - it's just awesome.   I also met the love of my life running, and I'm so thankful for the long runs we've had over the past 7 years.  I am especially thankful that he doesn't mind pushing 60 pounds of kids so that we can get out as a family. 

One of my goals was to run  a marathon between each pregnancy.  Most of all for the reasons above, but also as a great way to get my pre-pregnancy body back.  Unfortunately recently I was suffering from sciatic/hamstring pain for over a month.  It was SO depressing!  The running here is GORGEOUS and I was so disappointed if I wasn't going to be able to do our weekend family runs together.  I started taking ibuprofen before my long runs, but I just hated to medicate the pain.  Last Saturday we literally ran into some friends from church at the beginning of a 14-mile run.  I told them about the pain, and I guess they prayed for me after we left them to continue on our run.  I didn't know that they prayed, but when I finished, I was so excited to tell Jason that there was NO PAIN!  I didn't even take ibuprofen and it felt better than it has in months.  I believe God healed me and I am thankful!   I finished another 14-mile run this morning and didn't feel anything.  Praise God! 

So - I'm close to signing up for the Buller Gorge Marathon in the South Island in February.  They call it "The Most Scenic Athletic Event in New Zealand."   My training is going pretty well - I really only need to do 5 more long runs or so before the race.  

Here is a video of my long run today.  I ran from our house to the Miramar Peninsula where the WETA studios are located  (Peter Jackson's group).   It is so amazingly beautiful - I just can't even describe it.   I'm pretty dorky in the video.  Jason lent me his Raptor hat (confession - I actually tried to destroy the hat while washing it recently - but Jason still loves it and wears it) and it was a real lifesaver from the sun. Here is the route

If I'm able to complete the marathon it would be my 8th.  Because this blog is for my own reflection, it's interesting to actually think back on each run.  I apologize for the dissertation, it's more for my benefit.  :)

1. 1996 Twin Cities Marathon 4:50ish.  I was 16 years old and at mile 5 some guy totally I didn't look good and wasn't going to make it - I passed out at the end, it wasn't pretty....

2. 1997 Twin Cities Marathon 4:50ish. Basically a repeat of the previous year.

3. 2002 Boston Marathon 4:05.  My friend was able to finagle me a race number even though I didn't qualify.  My dad came out to Boston and we ran it (he finished in 3:53).  It was SUPER fun - great memories - great race!

4. 2003 Oklahoma City Marathon 4:44.  Great first half when the wind was at our back - HORRIFIC second half.  At mile 20 I could see my hotel and I asked a race volunteer what I needed to do to get off the course.  They encouraged me that I was so close to just finish - it wasn't pretty...

5. 2006 Marine Corps Marathon 4:06.  Super fun run - first time I got really emotional while running - the cheering crowds were fantastic and it was really moving to see the wounded warriors completing the marathon. Jason and I did this race together, but this is where he unfortunately messed up his knee. 

6. 2007 Marine Corps Marathon 3:49.  Personal Best - gorgeous run - SUPER fun!  My first few miles were 11 minute miles and the second half I just went fast.  SO MUCH fun!  With this race I felt like I evened the score with good/bad marathons.  After this, I was 3/3.

7. 2010 Disney World Marathon 3:59.  First post-baby marathon and I was ecsatic to eke out a sub-4 hour marathon.  My mom came down to Florida did the half the day before (I dressed Charlie up in his monkey costume and we cheered for her).  The temperatures were freezing, and it made for a great race for this Minnesotan.  I did a slower first half, and then put music on and went much harder the second half.  At mile 22 I thought I was dancing instead of running, but in my euphoria I fell kind of hard - but I got back up and had a good finish.  SUPER FUN!   I love Disney World! :)  

8.  2012 Buller Gorge???

My parents had a huge influence on me and my running.   I was always so thankful that they weren't intense about sports.  They were very encouraging and didn't put a lot of pressure on an event or more importantly there was no pressure on me to perform.  That being said, it would be amazing to run this race, but I'm not too concerned about my time or even being able to finish.  I'm a little concerned that my "marathon scorecard" is 4 good, 3 bad - I certainly hope this doesn't even the score.  :)


Katie's Marathon Tips

1. Go out slow!  The 4 good races I had started with 10-11 minute miles, but the second half was 8 minute miles.  I died on the ones where I went out to fast.

2.  Don't over train.  I usually run 4, sometimes 5, days a week.  The important thing is the long run, everything else is just fun.  Some crazy training plans that I've seen are so intense with way too many miles and I think this just leads to burnout and injury.  

3. Do 2 long runs and make sure 1 is more than 20.  Often training plans recommend 2 x 20 mile runs.   You always here about "hitting the wall" at mile 20.  I think people hit the wall at 20 because they've only trained up to 20.   I do one 22-23 mile run and it makes the last 5k during the marathon much easier.

4. Cross train.  I've been terrible about this - but it's good to swim or do a yoga or body pump class.

Anyway - really simple - but I'll write a book about it some day.  ;) 


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The video rental guy made me sad today... and Being a Boy Mom

I went to our local video rental store, Video To-Nite, this evening trying to find season 2 of the tv show Modern Family. Unfortunately I got a little hooked on it on the flight from the US to NZ -- I was laughing uncontrollably on the flight trying not to wake up Liam. That being said, NZ is not a good place to get hooked on a tv show. For starters, we don't have a tv here. This wasn't a problem in the US because we could stream the occasional episode of The Office or Saturday afternoon Florida Gators football game. The NZ gov't blocks almost all streaming video from the US. No nbc.com, no CBS sports.com, and no Hulu. As a result, the neighborhood video rental store (a relic of the past in the US) is still thriving in NZ.

When I went to the video rental store tonight, I asked about Modern Family season 2 (originally aired Sep 2010) and he said it should be in later this week. I explained that in the US we stream most of our tv shows, and he got a semi-horrified look on his face and crossed his fingers and said hopefully it doesn't catch on in NZ. I want to say to the video rental guy, "Sir, I coming back from the future to tell you that video rental stores won't exist in the near future in your country... it is time to start looking for a new profession, or consider opening a new type of store store, or a new something..." It kind of made me sad... I felt very nostalgic in the store as he advised me on different kiwi films -- it was nice, and not really possible when streaming entertainment from home...

On another note, I like being a boy mom. I'm sure it is super sweet being a girl mom and perhaps not that much different, but I really, really like being a boy mom.  Wow - I never dreamed it would be this much fun to have boys. Charlie got a Hot Wheels loopy track thing from a friend at his birthday party (pics from party later - I promise!) and I was a little mystified at how to put it together... I've seen them before, but with four daughters, I don't think we ever had one in our home. Jason (coming from a family with three sons) kept saying: "this is so cool, this is so cool." He was thrown back to his childhood and had so much fun playing with Charlie. I am thankful for these new experiences with my little men. I'm just having a lot of fun.

Charlie is BIG into imaginative play lately (of course, usually involving trains) - our whole home is a train, divided into dining, sleeping, toilet and sitting cars.  He also takes these buckets and makes them into train seats for all of us to ride. 

This Boy Mom did splurge today and got her haircut (the first one in over a year - YIKES!). It was so, so nice... I left Liam with a really great babysitter and Charlie was at creche. As I left our home, I felt naked without kids, diaper bags or strollers... it was a really foreign feeling. After getting super cute, I met Jason for lunch at work and got a few hours in at work.

This is our friend Minnie (Minneline) from church who is helping us to watch Liam.   She went to beauty school and works part time at a salon in the city.   She reminds me of my sisters!  (combination of Emily, Maria, Juliet and Ashley!)

The video below shows Charlie passed out after a dinner run.  We bought one of those coupon Entertainment books for Wellington.  On Monday or Tuesday evenings (slow times at restaurants - so we don't feel too obnoxious with our double BOB stroller) our tradition has been to run a 5k and end up at a restaurant from the coupon book.

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Kiwi Accent and Paci in the Potty

Here is a good sample of charlie's kiwi accent (especially the beginning).

This morning we had a great family long run. Jason was amazing and pushed the boys in the double BOB for 8 miles (an especially arduous feat with the Wellington winds) and I was able to go 12 miles. The boys are so content in the stroller and there is plenty for them to see along the way. Jason and I are just longing for family and friend visitors to come visit so we can show them this beautiful place.

Today is Guy Fawkes day.  Our sponsor family came over for dinner (Greek yumminess!) and then we watched fireworks on our roof. (historical note : Basically Guy Fawkes tried to kill the King if England in the early 17th century and was caught and hanged/executed and people celebrate with fireworks)

Pretty gross...

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Sunny Run After Work

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Trying to say goodbye to an old friend

Pooping in the potty - mission success!

Saying goodbye to paci - ???

We had a lot of drama today when we couldn't find paci - it's time to part with the little guy.

I really wanted to train for a marathon in February but I've had some sciatic pain on my long runs. This picture was after a sweaty 10-mile run this afternoon and Charlie told me I was a "pretty girl" with my hair like this.


Okay so I'm super excited about what the videos below reveal about Liam (hint - he just ate 2 bowls of food)

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New Zealand Wins the Rugby World Cup (Well.... Almost)

Jason and I just finished watching the Rugby World Cup semi-finals. New Zealand pulled off a stunning win and they'll meet France in the finals next week. I've grown to appreciate the athleticism in the sport - but the crazy cauliflower ears, bloody noses and absence of protective equipment make me less inclined to encourage Charlie and Liam toward the sport. Speaking of sports we'll likely encourage our kids to play, Jason played a nice pickup game of soccer with some local Indonesians. We were skyping with Gran and Grandad as we watched Jason show off his superstar moves on the field. Unfortunately I wasn't actually filming him - so we'll need to get footage at another game in the future. I did a 9 mile-run along the harbor earlier. I was going really fast (for me) and I think I pulled something in my hip/booty so I'm hoping that it feels better tomorrow. I think I found a marathon in February that I want to train for, but ... not sure yet...

There was a Diwali (festival of lights in India and Nepal) celebration along the water today and it culminated in a fireworks tonight. We told Charlie there would be fireworks at 830pm, but soon learned that they wouldn't be until 10pm (MUCH too late for the little guy!). Anyway - we started putting him down to bed when we realized he needed to go poop in the potty. He sat on the potty for over an hour while I told him stories that he dictated to me. i.e. "once upon a time there was a boy who wanted to see fireworks but his mommy got the dates wrong and they weren't for another 3 weeks" -- Charlie insisted that he would wait 3 weeks on the potty for the fireworks but when we counted the days and he ran out of fingers after 10 days, he realized it would be too long to wait. He finally got to bed (after making quite a few poopies in the potty - yay!), and Jason and I started to watch the game, when of course, the fireworks began. Charlie yelled "MOMMY!" as soon as the first one went off. His bed is right next to the window, and he happened to be looking out the window at the city before he fell asleep. He was a little surprised/freaked to see the fireworks erupt behind the building. Jason and I had a nice laugh.

Last but not least, we've been talking a lot about Charlie's upcoming 3-year old birthday. We didn't celebrate 1 or 2 very big, but I'd really like to do something fun for 3. Well it turns out THOMAS is coming to New Zealand on 13 November for the Thomas and Friends Day out with Thomas (http://www.thomasandfriends.com/au/Thomas.mvc/EvMarents ). It also happens to be a 3-day weekend! I don't want to get his hopes up, but I'm pretty sure we're going to make the trip up to Auckland for it. Here is a video of me trying to get him to guess the special blue birthday surprise.

Rotorua

The weather today was rather gloomy but it made the geothermal steam that blanketed the city especially pronounced. We shared a lake house with the other American couple who works with Jason. They have a 6-week old baby and 2-year old son. It was their son's 2nd birthday today so we celebrated with yummy birthday breakfast in Rotorua and then checked out the geothermal park.




Our friends have an German au pair and she brought a friend so they babysat the 4 boys while we all went for a 5k run around Blue Lake. After the run we jumped in the icy (NOT thermal!) lake. It was really great to connect with them.










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Location:Te Toroa Dr,Lake Tarawera,New Zealand