At least he thnks I look good.

A conversation I had with Vinnie last night--

Vinnie:  "Mom, how long do you think it takes to walk a mile?" (Typical Vinnie to ask a random question out of nowhere)

Me: "Well, it depends on how fast you are walking."

Vinnie: "Like about 15 minutes?"

Me: "Sure, that sounds about right"  (Typical me response to just agree with whatever he says)

Vinnie: "Mona told me that.  She knows everything."  (Mona is our nanny)

Me: "Yes, Mona is pretty smart."

Vinnie: "Yes, but you look younger than you really are!"

Thanks Vin!

Ski Week 2012

Last week was our annual ski trip to Deer Valley, Utah.  As always, we had an amazing time!!

We had a ridiculously early 6 am flight, which means we were up at 3:30 am.  That didn't prevent Vinnie from talking my ear off the entire flight!

Unfortunately our British cousins weren't there the same week as us, but my Aunt Margie and cousin Kelly were there.  My Auntie Dede (who we always stay with) is on the far right.

Ready for the first day of skiing!

Christopher had lessons for the full 5 days.  We skied a few runs with him though, and were shocked at how well he did!  No fear, flying down the hills, trying to jump.  Next year we will have him ski with us for a day or two.

Vinnie had ski school for 3 days, and skied with us for 2 days.  He did a great job on the blues, and even tackled some easy blacks, no problem.  He probably could have done even harder runs if Pete and I weren't such wimps!

Joey was in ski school for 2 days, and skied with us for 3.  He also did great!  He can kick our butt on the moguls.  He skied with Zach for half a day, and despite telling Zach NOT to take him on any of the bowl runs, they went anyway and apparently Joey did really well!

What can I say about Zach?  He did Deer Valley's Teen Escape program the first day so that Pete and I could do a lesson.  He had such a great time hanging out with other teen boys he did it for a second day.  It was a great chance for him to ski some of the harder areas and bowls of Deer Valley (because Pete and I won't go near those areas!).  He skied with us for a couple of days, but did go off on his own or with Joey to ski.  (Of course only after we bought him a fancy lunch!).  It made me a bit nervous letting him ski alone, but Pete put the ski patrols number in Zach's phone and I made him promise to stick to stuff he knew.  Other than a face plant that left him with a fat, cut up lip (thanks to his braces) he pretty much came back in one piece.  The last day he was very quiet and happily skied the easy stuff with us.  That night we figured out why--he was burning up with a fever and ended up having pneumonia!  Poor kid!  It certainly made him easy to be around though.

Pete and I always go out alone to a nice dinner in downtown Park City.

And we always take out the kids to a "family friendly" restaurant in Park City.

Thank you Auntie Dede and Uncle Harry for always opening up your home to us!

Good bye Deer Valley!!  We hope to be back next year! 

And what do the Contini's have in store for them now?

Baseball season!  The above is what our March calendar looked liked before March even started.  With 4 kids in baseball, a "free day" is something we won't  see again until June!

Vinnie's bowling birthday

Vinnie's birthday party was a couple of weeks ago,  clearly I am behind in my blogging!

He had been asking for a bowling party since his birthday last year-- I have to admit I was a bit relieved.  While I love doing home parties, they are a lot more work!

Pizza time!

Everyone had a great time bowling.  It was one of the easiest parties ever.  The "party hostess" dealt with the kids while Pete and I just sat back and watched.  The place even had a bar and we were offered drinks!  While it was tempting, we didn't think it was a great idea to drunk when the parents came by to pick up their kids!

Cupcake time!  I made the bowling pin and ball out of fondant.  Pretty easy.

Vinnie and his friends--he has been friends with one of the boys since preschool, with the others since kindergarten.  They are a pretty fun and rambunctious group of kids.

Hope you had a great party Vinnie!

Scenes from 26.2

Last Sunday I ran the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach.  It was my 2nd marathon--most know I did one about 3 1/2 years ago.  By comparison this one was great!  3 years ago I was injured during training (a torn plantar fascia).  I was stubborn though and ran the marathon anyway (with the help of lots of cortisone shots!), despite suboptimal training.  I finished it in 4 hr 31 minutes, with the last hour or so in excruciating pain.  I was disappointed in my time and while I was happy I did it,  the entire experience was not a positive one.  I wasn't sure if I would ever try it again.  But like childbirth, the pain fades and one decides to try again (although it took me 2 years to think about another one!)

I can honestly say I enjoyed my training this time around--other then some minor muscle strains I had no injuries or significant pain.  This time I have been part of an informal running group that has made the runs very enjoyable.  They also have a lot of  marathon experience that I have learned from. 

I had 3 goals for this marathon.  First was just to make it to the starting line without significant injury.  My time goal was a dream time of 4 hr and a reasonable expected time of 4 hr 15 minutes.  Third was to enjoy the race (as much as possible) and not feel like death for a week after.  So how did it go?

I was excited to see our bibs had our name printed on it!  I am used to just a number.

The race started at 6:30 am.  My mom dropped me off, then went back home with the boys. As always I enjoyed looking at all the runners around me.

Yes, this was a man!

This man was wearing a skirt and had bare feet.  Truly bare feet, not the finger shoes!  Not sure how he did, but he ulitmately ended up way behind me.

I was touched to see this Marine carrying quite a large flag.  He flew by me.  I saw him again at mile 18, literally stumbling, being held up by a friend, still holding his flag.  Not sure if he finished, but I think it was unlikely that he did.

The views were beautiful.  It was a gorgeous day at the beach.  At this point in the race (this was about mile 10) we were across the street from the ocean.  We went back along the beach trail later in the race (but I was too out of it by then to take a picture!)

I saw my mom and the boys at mile 12.  Because of the traffic and time to get out of the house, she wasn't able to bring me a banana, which is what I ate on training runs.  I figured no big deal, I was feeling fine.  By mile 15 I wasn't feeling so fine.  I had honey packets that I was eating, but too many of those make me sick to my stomach.  I panicked and was scouring the spectators looking for a banana.  I would have had no problem asking a complete stranger at that point for their banana!  The water stop at mile 17 did have bananas and I was able to eat one.  It helped some, but by that point I was pretty depleted.  I saw my mom and boys again at mile 21, and had another banana.

Mile 22 I hit a wall.  Boom!  My legs actually felt OK, but my energy was just gone.  Right then "Till I Collapse" by Eminem came on my playlist.  If you haven't seen this tribute to the Ironman then it is worth a watch.

How could I not feel better listening to that and thinking about that video?

I tried smiling because I knew my aunt was taking the picture.  But I felt like that lady behind me!

I powered through the last 4 miles.  Another woman just ahead of me was going through the same struggle.  She would stop, I would pass her, then I would walk, she would pass me.  We started pushing each other, literally.  If she walked I tapped her shoulder and told her to keep going, and she did the same for me.  And we made it.

Right here I am thinking "Don't barf!"  I did later anyway.

My official time was 4 hour 10 minutes.  21 minutes faster than my first!  I accomplished a majority of my goals.  I made it to the race, I mostly enjoyed the race (no one enjoys the last 6 miles--that is just a given!), and I fell within my goal time range.  And 3 days later- I feel great!  I can walk and actually am ready to run again.  Am I completely happy?  No.  I should have been able to be come closer to 4 hours.  I screwed up my fuel plans.  I need to figure out something else to eat, or just carry a banana.  Will I do another one?  Of course-- I am looking at upcoming races to see what I can fit in my schedule.  There is one by my house this May that I really want to do (if I can figure out how to do my long training runs with the boys' baseball season!)

Why do I want to run marathons?  I get asked this a lot. I know my fellow runners understand, but it is hard to articulate the why.  I will jokingly say because it feels good to stop.  It is a physical challenge like no other for me.  I feel like I have mastered the half marathon.  It is easy.  I can run one on a whim and feel fine after.  Of course I could always work on speed, but that is not a goal for me.  My PR for a half is 1 hr 51.5 minutes (down from 2 hr 6 min 3 years ago) and I am satisfied with that. I have not mastered the full.  I know I can break 4 hours and will continue until I do (and probably continue after that anyway!)  Running is my passion and is what keeps me sane.  People ask me how I do it with a full time job and 4 kids.  Know what I say?  I couldn't do my full time job and mother my 4 kids the way I do without my running.

So who wants to do the Western Pacific Marathon with me on May 5?

relaxing in the sun after the race

Health

I gave up making New Years resolutions years ago, instead choosing to focus on a word.  My word last year was "purge"--as in purge my life of extra stuff, commitments, etc...  Overall I felt I did pretty good.  Countless bags went to the Goodwill.  The area I probably could have been better about was taking on too many responsibilities- at the boys' school, baseball, work, etc...  Oh well, a work in progress, right?

This year my word is "Health".  Specifically, my health! So what exactly will I be working on?  I mean, I already exercise like a maniac, what else do I need to do?

First of all, I need to cut back on my candy intake.  I eat a lot of candy.  Every day.  Embarrassing amounts, really.  So far I have cut back a bit, but still need to do better. 

Next is my calcium intake.  Osteoporosis runs in my family, and as a small white woman I am at risk.  I have never been good at taking the pills and have never been a big milk drinker.  I have been drinking a cup of almond milk every day (more calcium than regular milk and less calories!).  Doing great on this one!

And there are other little things I am doing for my health--I have not had a mammogram in over 2 years, so have scheduled that.  (good times!)  I will listen to my body more--I have a tendency to ignore pain when I am running, until it turns in to something bad.  I will stop when I hurt.   And I will say no if I really do not want to do something-- be it volunteering for something or going somewhere.  And I will take "mental health" days off of work.  Every couple months I will block a day to go do something fun for me.

So how are you doing with your resolutions?

(Thanks Suzie for my word art!)

Eight

Vinnie is 8 today!!


Artistic, loud and smart--these words best describe Vinnie!  So what has Vinnie been up to this year??  Here are Vinnie's top 8 for the last year.

1.  We went snow skiing last year in Deer Valley, and for the first time he was able to ski with us for the entire day!  Way to go Vinnie!

2.  He played on the AA Giants with his Dad as the coach.

3.  He joined his big brothers for 2 weeks at sleep away camp and had a blast!

4.  He actually tried a few new foods while away at camp.  Turns out starvation is a great motivator.  Unfortunately he still won't eat new things here at home.

5.  Started second grade, and helped his teachers get to know him better by telling them he was lazy.  They can't say they weren't warned.

*click to enlarge and check out number 1

6. Played Fall Baseball on the Cubs and got his first hit off a kid pitched ball (which was a big deal and took most of the season!)

7.  Learned how to cover up a swear word by using the word "beep".

the above picture was turned in as part of a homework assignment

8.  He continues to demonstrate his complete lack of healthy fear for any kind of adult or authority figure.  At lunch he has been known to ask the principal to open his capri sun.  At the Monterey Bay Aquarium he marched up to the woman lecturing and proceeded to ask her question after question on sharks (until I went up there and rescued her).

Vinnie makes us laugh daily, amazes us with his ability to put together complicated lego sets, and has the singing voice of an angel.  I can't wait to see what he is going to do with his life because I know it is going to be great!  Happy birthday Vinnie!  We love you!

Here I go again...

 Anyone who has been on Facebook regularly has noticed that I have been doing some awfully long runs on the weekends.  I have been training for a marathon, Surf City in Huntington Beach on February 5.  Again.  I get a little nervous saying that out loud.  Why?  Because last year when I was training for the exact same marathon,  I ended up with a stress fracture in my hip, preventing me from running for over 4 months.  It happened one week after I bought my plane ticket.  So what have I done different this time?  I haven't bought a plane ticket!!  No way.  I am driving down.  I have even been reluctant to blog about it, for fear of something bad happening.

So why now?  Because I just finished running my last 20 mile run and am now in official taper mode (which I find more painful than the 20 mile runs.  Weird, I know.)!!   I am pumped up and feel great!  I am still a bit nervous about an injury.  Hell, I could fall down the stairs tomorrow, or trip over one of the boys' cleats in the garage at any moment.  Let's just say though that I am cautiously optimistic about my chances of making it to the starting line this time around.

What about my goal time? Up until now I have been saying that my goal is to make it to the starting line.  I feel  I need to move past that now and choose an actual time goal.  My one and only marathon 3 1/2 yrs ago I ran in 4:31, but was injured through most of my training, and injured during the race.  At that time in my running, my PR for a half marathon was about 2:06.  Things are different now.  My recent half marathon time was 1:51.  My long run times/paces have been all over the board.

16 miles @ 9:21 pace
18 miles @ 8:52 pace
20 miles @ 9:05 pace--felt AWFUL at the end and was staggering the last mile
16 miles @ 8:54 pace
20 miles @9:33 pace--felt better, but still wiped out and dry heaving at the end
17 miles @9:08 pace--felt great!!
20.5 miles @ 8:58-- This was my run today.  I felt really good!  I actually felt like I could have kept running.  I didn't throw up at all and chowed down a bag of Cheetos when I got home.

So fellow running buddies--what should I reasonably expect to be able to do?  I am thinking 4 hr 15 min for sure (which is a 9:43 pace).  I am hoping for faster though.  Thoughts?