Boston Marathon Visual Re-cap - courtesy of my sweet Husband!!

I have had my race re-cap streaming through my mind since the minute I finished Boston last week.  But what has NOT been flowing my way is extra time.  Life sometimes adds a little chaos.  I want to sit down and deliver my experience of Boston when I have time - soon - VERY SOON.  But for now - my sweet husband surprised me with this before he left for basketball tonight......makes me smile & cry - looking at my pictures for the first time.  Hope you enjoy it too.  Thank you for sharing in my journey.  This sweet re-count done by my husband was a huge reminder to me that though Boston wasn't my best race  - TIME wise - it is certainly ranks #1on my list EXPERIENCE wise.  Thank you Andrew!!!

http://gallery.me.com/andrewshaddy#100034

If you click on the link above instead of the video below- it turned out much more clear for some reason.  Remember - the computer person in our family is off playing basketball.......

Oh & yes - some of the pictures WILL need explanation - will come with my wordy re-cap!

Boston, Boston Bo Boston, Banana Fana Fo Foston, Me My Mo Moston - BOSTON....bib #!!

Yes - Random.  1st because me and the kids have been having fun saying this all week (come on - try it - it's fun!!) & for this random quick post as I try and get everything together to leave tomorrow a.m.

MY BOSTON BIB # 17100

Green is the theme!!  Yes and I went TODAY and got my name put on my shirt from the advice of Boston veterans.  May need a few people cheering me on as I am trying to tackle the hills!

And let's just say that I am FULLY aware that I do not have the cutest feet in the world - but had to show off my green - Boston ready toes.  Will hide the black & blue toe nails.....

And for one last random note.  This was my send off tonight.  My sweet niece reading with my kiddos and my sister (aka Sissy) and husband bringing me one last Boston "treat".  

Now that's what I call Tapering!!!

With Boston just days away and being in the midst of the craziness to get myself out the door and on my way to Boston.  I had to stop and a reflect (mostly in photos) on the last two weeks of training plan - the best taper weeks ever!  Not a report of miles but in gratitude for all of the blessings in my life.  

First, I am thankful for the incredible book I am currently reading right now with an amazing group of women - which has helped bring me to the focus of being thankful as I approach my1st Boston and as I am attempting to slow down and live a fuller life.

My family and I were blessed enough to spend our spring break at the Cannon Beach on the beautiful Oregon Coast.  I am thankful for beautiful runs on the beach!

Grandma & Papa (my dad and stepmom) were able to spend the 1st weekend with us along with one of my sisters, her husband and their kiddos.  I am thankful for Family!

I am thankful for TIME to do puzzles!

                                             

 

I am thankful my kids have cousins they get to grow up with!
                                               

I am thankful for beautiful moments like these that my daughter gets with Grandma!

I am thankful for my DAD and they we got to go on a run at the beach - even if it was raining!

I am thankful for SISTERS (wish they all could have been there)

SO very, very thankful for my family & how they have supported me so incredibly through all my training!!

I am thankful for this sweet face!!!  This is my niece that I am SO in love with.  I got to babysit her when we got back in town while my sissy and her husband went on their 1st date post-baby.

Returned from the beach and attending the Run Like a Mother Anniversary event the next morning.  Thankful that I have gotten to know Sarah this last year, thankful for the amazing goodie bag we received and so very thankful that they think I am interesting enough to feature on Follow this Mother! on their blog.  Thank you RLAM!!

So very thankful for my "Couv" running buddies (& Sarah)!!!  

While I was partying with the Run Like a Mother Crowd - my kids got to go fishing with Grandma & Papa and their cousins.  I am thankful that my kids have amazing grandparents that invest in their lives & I was VERY thankful that the fish arrived to me already gutted!!

 I am so very thankful for coffee and for sweet moments like this with my daughter.  We went to say goodbye to some great friends of ours that are moving away.

Sad to see them go - but I am thankful we had and will always have them in our lives!

I am thankful for my sisters, stepmom and cousins that wanted to go with me to get "pretty Boston toes"!  I am thankful for pedicures that make my runner feet look half way normal.

 

I am thankful for my friends & that they know me so well (thank you Amber & Julie).  "Boston treats" from two different friends.  Birds & green - perfect!!

I am thankful for my best friend Julie &her beautiful kids that came to wish me well, and the sweet gift she gave me.  I am also thankful for the most beautiful post she wrote this week - it started my week count down to Boston off perfectly!!  That is Julie's son that runs from me every time he has to give me kisses!!

Seriously - Julie already got me my Boston shirt (& lots of other goodies)!!!  Love you sweet friend!!  Did I say I am thankful for Julie - haha.  I just think a friend like that deserves a few shout-outs!

I am thankful for red velvet cupcakes!!  Tapering = less miles and more treats - right?

I am thankful for the e-mail, facebook and phone messages that I have gotten from friends and family this week wishing me well on Monday.  I am thankful for all of the inspiring blogs that I get to to draw motivation from.  I am thankful that I have family to take care of my kids for us while we are gone.  I am thankful for my amazing husband who just sat up downloading songs for me on my i-pod.  I am thankful formy dad and step-mom who are so supportive and are traveling to Boston with us.

I am THANKFUL I AM RUNNING THE BOSTON MARATHON MONDAY APRIL 18TH, 2011!!

Now that is what I call Tapering!!!

Coffee rambles & the SMALL MOMENTS!!

A little rambling while I drink my morning coffee......

I am sitting here wrapping up my week at the beach with my sweet family - looking out the window at the ocean and the sunshine (YES - the sun - even at the Oregon Coast  in the spring!!!).  It has been a much needed break from the scramble of our daily lives and some good time with our favorite guy in the whole world - DADDY!!!  My sweet husband works very hard, and travels quite a bit with his job and is just coming off of a VERY busy travel season.  The kids have played every game they could think of with him, built every lego vehicle possible, wrestled him to exhaustion, said "daddy, watch this" hundreds of times and gotten in some REALLY good daddy snuggles.  It has been a good week!

The beach always seems to be a time of reflection for me.  Maybe because I am forced to slow down - maybe because it represents some of my favorite times with family, my husband and my sweet mom.  Somehow my head seems clear of all the unnecessary and I am reminded of what is important - what is right in front of me.  It is easier to take in those "small moments" when we choose to slow down - those moments that I have a feeling will mean the most in the end.  When I feel my life getting on "overload" - which seems to happen in a blink of an eye these days - I feel a little nudge from my mom telling me to slow down and LIVE instead of just getting through the day.  Even among school schedules, volunteering, keeping up with the house, dance and basketball, my own running schedule, birthday parties...........I want to learn how to take in the small moments.  When my sweet mom was sick (read here how her fight keeps me going in running and in life!!) we were forced to slow down, and I was blessed with the opportunity to be by her side for her battle with cancer and take in the small moments - the good and the bad.  Those moments hold extreme value to how I face my daily life.  Loss - it can actually be used for growth - but only if we allow ourselves to drudge though the yuckiness of it and use it to grow.  

What are the small moments, the valuable moments that I allow the noise and distractions of my life take away from me???  When I am just trying to get through - whether with my kids, my husbands, my friends, the person right in front of me at the store, making dinner - even those small moments when I am just trying to get through a run instead of really experiencing it.  I know the reality of being a mom - adds an expected amount of craziness...............but moments like these - when I have chose to slow down on a vacation at the beach remind me............. I am going to figure out how to return to "my world" and re-claim some of those beautiful "small moments".  

Ok - not so much about running today - but it's all this that we carry through those logged miles - Right???  And we if don't change much more than our pace or distance we can run - what is it all for anyway??

Now to pack up - head home.  Get my head in the game for BOSTON in a little over a week!!!  And party with Run Like a Mother for their Anniversary party - be there or be square (forgive me for my current 80's obsession!!).

Party Like a Mother Runner!!!

Calling all Mother Runner's in the Portland, Vancouver and beyond area to celebrate the year Anniversary of the book Run Like a Mother!!!  Are you a mom, a runner - would like to be a mom or a runner??  Or just like to hang out with an amazing community of women and like to have a good time???  Then this is the event for you....

RLAMiversary Event!!!

Time	Saturday, April 9 · 9:30am - 12:30pm
Location	River Place Athletic Club 0150 SW Montgomery Portland, OR 97201
Created By	Run Like a Mother: The Book
More Info	Join us in celebrating our book's first birthday--the one-year "RLAMiversary" of its publication. We're using it as a great excuse to get RLAMers together for a 3- or 5-mile fun, non-competitive run (all paces welcome). Afterward, refreshments--and well-stocked goodie bags--await all participants. Eat, chat, mingle, and hopefully win some excellent swag. Books and tees will be available for purchase--or just bring your copy to be signed. SBS will be in Portland, while Dimity is partying with Denverites. It promises to be epic! Feel free to forward this invitation to your pals and spread the word on your blog. The RLAMiversary Run celebrates all women runners! Brought to you in part by nuun hydration tablets and Arc'Teryx's new Endorphin line.

Even if this book is new to you (which you don't know what you are missing by the way) - come join the celebration -  and meet other ladies that use the book, blog, facebook page to keep them inspired, laughing and informed in running, motherhood & friendship.  

I have had the privilege to get to know Sarah over the last year and really looking forward to celebrating a book that holds a permanent spot on my bedside stand with it's marked "go to" spots for motivation and a reminder that there are others out there facing the same challenges and celebrations.  Hope to see you there!!!

We Can't Forget to Cheer!!!

Last Sunday was one of my favorite days in a long time.  My dad and my best friend Julie  were both doing a local race, and my son and went to cheer them on with signs, raincoats and umbrellas (it is spring time in the beautiful Northwest you know!!) in hand.  I haven't been to a race to cheer others on for a long time - too long.  Besides my daily hollering through my car window of - "Get after it" & "Good for you" at the runners I pass by(which my kids now let me know if I missed a runner) - I haven't truly cheered for another member of this amazing running family I am a part of for quite a while.  Pre-race jitters of a different kind took me over.  My sweet boy may have been a little confused as we pulled in and I loudly noted every runner that went by and voiced how fun and exciting this was.  He was sweetly trying to humor me and claim the same excitement that I had taken over his "crazy" mom.

My TROOPER - cheering on Papa & Julie

How couldn't you be inspired by this sweet face......

We waited at the finish line so we could catch both of them coming in.  I had so much fun cheering for all the runners that would pass by - yelling out my signature encouragement turned annoyance to my son - "Finish Strong".  The amazing family and friends that have blessed my by coming to encourage and cheer me on have meant the wold to me - or even meant a strong race for me.  I just didn't realize the inspiration I would receive from being on the other side of it this time around.  Maybe our training plans need to include a few slow down and "cheer" days.

 

So - let's not forget to Cheer!!!  It is a piece of my running inspiration I was missing for way too long.

And when you are logging your miles this week - FINISH STRONG!!!!

Ok - now time to brag on two of my favorite people in the whole world - my dad and Julie BOTH won medals at the race!!!  It was the perfect finish to our morning & a huge note in both of their mental victories.  My dad is starting an official training plan because we are going to do a half together on Father's day (which I am beyond excited about!!).  So - it was great for him to see that if..........Oh yes - he's STILL got it.  And for Julie - who has ben re-claiming her running journey as she has been recovering form an injury - she got to earn that medal with her usual Julie smile & claim that she as well - has STILL got it!!

Before sharing a few of my favorite pictures I am going to dedicate an "This is my Jam" to Julie.  I always think of her when I warm up to this (is it a little on the slow side) - because it says over and over - "I want you back.  Back - back".  Which she has been saying for a while to one of her true loves - RUNNING and I would say that after watching her race & claim 1st place in her age division - that running has come back to her!!  I can't wait to train and race with her again.

Good Job Dad & Julie!!!  Love you guys