And we're off...

Tomorrow we jet for Iceland, but a week (or so) in the life of Ryan, even before a big trip, is still never boring!  A few nights ago, my parents took us out for a nice dinner, so we dusted off the one, official 'fancy' outfit we own for Ryan AND combed his hair.  And ta-da!  Fancy boy!

Then another day we had some friends over after school to help us make Flubber.  We haven't made any since Ryan turned 2, so we also learned a very valuable set of lessons:

1. Flubber should not be played with on carpet (thank you Resolve Carpet Spray for not leaving me with a giant, hot pink spermazoa shape on my carpet for life!), and
2. Flubber should be played with in the nude (by the CHILDREN).  

You may not know this future Flubber makers, but we have just saved you 30 solid minutes of cleaning...so you're welcome, and aloha!  :-)

There are many reasons food coloring should be removed from the planet, and here is one.  By the time he was finished with this lollipop, his tongue, lips, chin and hands were blue (I wouldn't recommend eating this one in the nude).

Ryan's friend Cora had the most beautiful cupcakes I've ever seen made in Kona- colorful, detailed sunflowers, plumerias, roses, etc.  He kept asking "Is the show all done now?  Can we have cupcakes?"

And here's a picture of our little goggle-wearing fish!  I really need to take a picture of him wearing his other set (we have one for the pool and one for the beach) of goggles as they make him look hys-terical.

While leaving the party we discovered this giant tree (is it a banyan? a relative?  Where is my botanist brother?!) that I told Ryan looked like a jail.  So he eagerly ran in...let's hope its the last time I ever see him behind bars like that.

After our school field trip to ride a boat got cancelled yesterday due to high surf, we took our own field trip to his favorite place on Earth- the Hilton Waikoloa.  I made sure to take a picture of him grinning while riding the train and post it here, since I don't think I've ever done that before.  Oh wait, I just checked, I've already done in 17 times, whoops.

Look!  There were three giant frogs on the property!

And last but not least...we got to see a baby dolphin that had just been born a few days earlier!  :-)  Sweetness.  Now if only they would release them to swim wild and free!

So in less than 24 hours, we'll be headed to Reykjavik, Iceland (via Seattle, with a one night stopover so we can adjust).  I cannot wait to freeze our brown, Hawaiian buns off!  Until then, school, errands, a big worm feeding (can't let my thousands of babies go hungry!) and a hopefully final (please, please God!)  appointment with my aesthetician to get lasered.

Yes, again.  Apparently I am an overflowing WELL of pigmentation in my cheeks (the upper ones).  I've been told the average lighter-skinned person requires 1 or 2 sessions to remove the melasma I have.  Some older (i.e.- 50s) darker-skinned folk can require up to 6. It was estimated that I would take maybe 3 sessions.  I have doubled that expectation (today will be my 6th session), been using a bleaching cream, and still show no signs of stopping.  :-( So guess who gets to go on vacation looking someone splashed battery acid in her face?  And guess who has to dart around town today covertly trying to hide her face to avoid having to explain for a 2,847th time why I am not dying from leprosy, but just getting some minor cosmetic work done (which sounds sooo, sooo utterly shallow the sixth time around when you have to explain it)?  Sigh.  That would be me.  I'm not complaining (okay, I totally am), because it is a blessing to have this option, but I swear- I had NO idea it would be this involved!  I better be as pale as Michael Jackson when this is all done.  And I swear, once I am, I'm going to wear a burqua to ensure I never  have to go through this again.  :-)

Toodles, aloha and sayonara...we're out!

New day, new attitude (but same old pace)!

It occurred to me yesterday that I really need to adjust my attitude toward running.  I remember years ago being super excited to wake up and do my long runs, just so I could run one mile further than the week before.  As the years passed, once I reached my goals (admittedly not very lofty), I think I became bored, lazy and unmotivated.  The last few years I haven't looked forward to doing my long runs at all.  I suffered through them simply because of how they made me feel afterward- empowered, victorious, strong. She-Ra, Princess of Power!  But I still felt crappy while doing them.

With four months of long runs coming up, however, I don't want to settle for having to just 'endure' my runs.  I want to enjoy them.  So I vowed that I was going to do whatever it took to readjust my attitude on this morning's run.  And I think it worked!  Though I have to admit that a number of outside events really helped:

1) Kona has enjoyed some unseasonably cooler weather (& rain) the last few days...so I actually ran the first hour with (get this) cool breezes!

2) Today was the Lavaman Triathlon, so I got to run along/witness some of the fastest athletes from the 808 state (got to see Oahu's Tim Marr & Kona's own Bree Wee & Doug L) kick a** and take names this morning (they biked past me twice while I ran).  It also helped that because I started running before the race actually started, that half the motorists that saw me running behind the safety of protective orange cones were shooting me winning smiles and giving me nods of encouragement (thinking I was racing and leading the pack...not knowing I was actually running on the bike portion of the course)!  And I of course, did absolutely nothing to dispel this notion and instead only stood taller and grinned right back.  Had to give 'em a show, right?

3) Since I've already run this year with a life jacket & beach ball, why not add a children's car seat to the list?  :-)  Around mile 8 of my run, I spotted an identical car seat to the one(s) Rich and I each have in our car sitting atop a trash can.  So naturally I took it as a sign that the universe wanted me to have it (for my mom's car)!  After inspecting it to make sure it was fully functional and sanitary, I hauled it with me for about a mile until Rich could come and get it from me.  Love that I'm able to find things while running of all things!

Side note: I'm pretty sure this gets me one step closer to earning a Freegan status! (Freegans, or Dumpster divers, are people who attempt to live an ethical lifestyle by reusing trash.)  ;-)  Though I'll never actually crawl into a dumpster and 'rescue' wilted lettuce and a notquiterotten lamb chop from the trash for my supper, I am a proud Craigslist user and garage sale aficionado.  Almost-freegans of the world unite!


4) After requesting them from the library, I have started to re-read Chi Running (great for running fundamentals & motivating you to run like a gazelle!) & Ultra Marathon Man.  Both have helped to reignite my passion for running.  Today, once it got really hot on Queen K and the sun started beating down on me- all I had to do was think of Dean running Badwater in 120 degrees with his shoes melting on the pavement, and I felt A LOT better.  Because not only were my kicks just fine, but I was also running only 12 miles instead of 135.  :-) So I had it slightly easier. Dean Karnazes never fails to inspire.  He reminds me that no matter how scary a 50k sounds, that the human spirit and body CAN do it, and that I have nothing to be afraid of.  He also reminded me to not think of the miles ahead, but to take one step at a time...that I need to focus only on the run I am doing that day, not the one(s) in 6 weeks, 12 weeks, or 19 weeks.  Just that day.  And as a result, during today's 12 miler, I felt no fear.


So overall?  Mission accomplished.  :-)  I know this will be a challenging goal to achieve (attitude readjustment) each week, but I'm determined to do it because I'm way too lucky to be out there each week and not be fully enjoying it!   

Inked!

I've thought about doing it for years...so last week, I finally got my first tattoo (a Hawaiian-inspired shark) on my forearm.  The shark represents the characteristics I most want in life- to be graceful, but strong.  It took forever, and I was in extreme pain the entire time (anyone who says tats don't really hurt is LYING to you). So you have to be 100% sure that you really, really want one.

Thankfully, mine washed off after a day.  So I didn't need to be quite as sure.  ;-) 

The best month of the year

Ryan got inked at Sei's party!  He chose a boat.  What a bada**!  ;-)

August might be hot, hot, hot over here, but one thing it does have going for it is that it's the busiest birthday month of the year!  A Hello Kitty balloon artist, a magician, a trampoline, a pinata, a bouncy castle, spray tattoos, multiple swimming pools, bowling and arcade games...these are a few of the fun things Ryan has been so lucky to have been a part of this month.  He's loved every single minute of it, so thank you, thank you, thank you to all our special friends & family for inviting us to be a part of your special celebration(s)! 

Sunday was Kenichi's 9th birthday...at the bowling alley!

I made some popcorn & arare (rice cracker) bags for the kids to take home.

This was Ryan's first time to a bowling alley.  We found some YouTube bowling videos the night before so he knew what to expect.  :-)

A family picture (totally digging Ryan's bowling shoes)!

Rich helped me make Kenichi a bowling alley cake to match the party location!

Here's a closer look....everything (including the pins) was made of fondant so the kids could eat everything. Unfortunately, it wasn't very tasty, so we needn't have worried. ;-)

Admissions Day

Today Ry's cousins were off from school for Admissions Day (honoring the day we became the 50th state), so I decided to take the three boys to our favorite little beach in Kona.  It's a little bit of a walk, but...

...if you're lucky, your kids will spot a little patch of 'sleeping grass' (fun at any age, I assure you) along the way that will keep them entertained.  :-)

Once there, I managed to get all three of them to indulge me with this shot.  Ryan insisted he could be on the bottom since he's the 'strongest boy in the whole wide world,' but I didn't relish the idea of having to explain to the ER doc exactly why I allowed my 3-year old to break his back at the beach. So mama said no. 

Ry having a snack (mochi from Japan).  We were at the beach for two hours, and he asked for two snacks...and I'm the one with the chubby thighs?! No justice!

As is our family tradition, we followed up our beach visit with a picnic and then an hour long dip in the pool...island life is rough.  :-)

Ultra Lesson #1 & Freak Out #1

Ultra Marathon Lesson #1- So I finally got around to doing a little research on what it will take to complete 50k, and here's what I've learned. My previous training plan? Not gonna cut it. Mama's gonna have to step it up a bit. A lot, actually. Especially if I want to avoid feeling like I did after finishing Hilo (where I could barely walk). So today I completely revised my original 'grossly inadequate' training program and took it up a notch to (wait for it...) 'barely adequate'. My mommy and daddy must be so proud. :-)

I drafted a training schedule for 19-weeks that actually requires some hill work since we'll be climbing 4,000 feet that day. I last did hill work in high school back in '89 & '90, where I was tied for being the slowest runner on the cross country team. And as you can see, not much has changed since then. :-)

Ultra Marathon Freak Out #1- Last weekend on my 10-mile long run, I started to putter out around miles 8-9. My hip joints started to ache and I just felt exhausted. Shortly thereafter, the panic and fear set it. How on Earth am I supposed to run twenty one miles MORE when I can barely finish ten? How will I ever find the time to put in 20+ mile long runs? And moreover, why would I want to?! It's just so hot right now! Why did I have to open my big mouth about wanting to do this on the blog? Didn't I just swear after Hilo to never run another marathon? I don't have the time for this...and who's going to watch Ryan? Is Rich going to get annoyed because my training will cut into family time?

Seriously, my heart started to pound and the dread filled my body. At that moment, I just wanted to cancel the whole thing, but I also knew it was just the exhaustion (& fear) talking and that I would feel better, stronger and clearer-headed in the morning. And of course, I did. But I also know that I am likely to feel this way many, many more times, but it will all be worth it when I cross that tape in 17 hours and 22 minutes. ;-)

Otherwise, I think things are moving forward. I just picked up two new pairs of running shoes in preparation. One of them was my big find for the year- a pair of women's Nike Live Strong shoes for just over 75% off (MSRP is $160, I got 'em for $35). I haven't bought a pair of Nike running shoes since the very first pair of running shoes I bought (Nike Shox) around 4-5 years ago, but thankfully, I seem to be able to wear nearly any decent running shoe (so long as they're not cheap).

And though this is likely too much information, I finally lost my fourth toenail (four died in March after the Hilo Marathon) two days ago. I was super excited to see it start to fall off since it's looked hideous for over four months. But sadly, this thrill was short lived, as the toenail under it is about three times more gruesome. :-( Word to the wise: if you have a foot fetish...don't date a runner.

I'm also hoping to pick up a second pair of Under Armor running shorts (the form fitting kind). They may not be flattering to those with prominent muffin tops and who love to wear granny panties with very obvious underwear lines (who, me?), but they sure do eliminate (chubby) thigh chafing!

And finally, for injury prevention and inspiration, I just requested to borrow Chi Running and Dean Karnazes book (that's him and I in the picture above), Ultramarathon Man. Though it may look like a picture of me stalking him at a marathon expo back in '07 where he was the guest speaker...I assure you, we're very close pals (who just haven't spoken since then).

Training begins once we return from Iceland...but I'm trying to ease my way into running more than one day a week starting this week (the tears are already forming in my eyes). Wish me luck!

Hilo Keiki Fun

When you live in a small town, you would assume that an even smaller town wouldn't have much to offer in the way of entertainment. But I can assure you- you would be wrong. Here's what I mean....say you live in Dingleberry, Arkansas, huntin' season is over and you're bored. And let's say that your friend Bubba Joe was over at the Honkytonk when he heard that Boogerville (19 miles away...and damn them for takin' the county bowling championship last year!) has a new Walgreens they're building. So what do you do? Why you put down that pitchfork, spit out your straw, strap on your best coonskin hat and head right on over to go take a look! [PS- I don't mean to be so hard on you Arkansas, truthfully...I love your beautiful state. Anytime you want my pro-Obama, Asian, gay lovin' behind back over there, you let me know and I'm happy to come back.]

It's the same way over here. At least for me. Even though Hilo is smaller than Kona, they have a zoo (with about 7 animals) and a teeny tiny mall, and we do not. And Ryan loves them both dearly, which I means I do too. :-)

So anytime we head over to Hilo and Ryan knows he has to get strapped in his car seat for two hours straight, he is greatly pacified by the fact that he will get to go on rides at the mall. This particular ride was so anticlimactic that we taught him how to swing one arm wildly around and bellow out "Yee-haw!" (since we know this is exactly what real cowboys do).
Next up is a visit to Tilt (a small arcade), where he dashes around trying to shove tokens into whatever game we'll let him. And here's the most hysterical part- he always beats Rich and I in earning tickets (even though he can barely see what he's doing). Love it!
I had to take a picture of the total zone he gets into whenever he drives a car. If we left him there with two hundred tokens and walked off, I'm sure he'd notice us missing about a day later.After that, we took him to this super cool indoor playground where for a small fee, you can bounce as long as your little legs will let you (in Ryan's case, an entire 30-45 minutes). And yes, I am being sarcastic, because I think I just might have the laziest little boy in Kona (he complained walking from the car to the entrance of Costco last night because it made his legs 'too tired'). As a distance runner, this makes me laugh (and cry).

Because he's also our shy little guy, we were pretty shocked when he eagerly bounced in a few houses on his own...but before long (pretty much as soon as someone bumps into him), he became too apprehensive to continue, so I had to bust out my latest reverse psychology game. I call it "The Mommy really, really wants to go on the bouncy house, but she's just too scared to go alone, so will Ryan please come with me and show me how to do it?" scam. Because once it's employed, suddenly our Chicken Little will straighten up, grab my hand, drag me over to a bouncy and loudly announce, "Imma show you how! Come here! You climb up like this! Then you slide down like this! I will catch you now like this! Don't be scared!"And see? He did catch me! But I did have to employ this routine (let's just say the other kids were staring at me with such disappointment in their eyes after the 9th time they heard me declare I was just too scared to go down alone) repeatedly to get him to stay on the bouncies for longer than his original 20 minutes. :-)

Our last stop before leaving Hilo was to meet my brother Joel at Kuhio Grille (Home of the One Pound Laulau!), where we made the grave mistake of departing from our original plan to get a laulau platter and got the loco moco instead. Not a good idea, peeps. Not a good idea... We won't make that mistake again.

But I assure you, we will be back. We may not have boardwalks, Disneyparks or (sniffle) a Trader Joe's...but amongst other things, we do have Aloha, the sweetest pineapple on Earth, beautiful Ahalanui and oh yeah, a giant volcano.

Ahalanui

I've lived on the Big Island for a combined 21 years, but until last year, I'd never even heard of Ahalanui. It's been on my bucket list since then, however, and on Saturday we finally found the time to make the long drive over there. It was admittedly not the easiest day trip we've ever taken- there was plenty of driving, some nausea (tons of winding roads and rolling hills), lots of erroneous directions, some bickering...and we didn't get home until 10pm. But trust me, it was worth it. I promise.

We had a late start out of Kona, so rather than take the slightly longer, slower southern route through South Kona/Volcano, we decided to take Saddle Road to Hilo instead. We found our way over to Hwy 130 easily enough (which takes you through Pahoa, a town I last visited when I was probably 10). But where we went wrong was in trying to follow two very vaguely worded sets of directions. So we ended driving about 20 miles more than we needed too on some unpleasant roads, and having to ask a number of people for directions. It's truly a wonder why this park (which is really quite tucked away in the middle of nowhere) completely lacks signage...perhaps the powers that be (or the locals) kind of want to keep it kind of hidden? Administrative oversight? Because I think it's a gem, and I couldn't imagine a single visitor wanting to pass this place up!Nonetheless, getting to and from the park (whichever way you choose) is still a beautiful drive. We drove through more shaded tree tunnels than I knew existed on the island.
And once we did locate the park (the entrance is both simple and easy to miss), it was like Shangri La. A semi-circle of trees surround the lagoon (creating an amazing shaded, grassy area to picnic or nap), and there were pool ladders to help enter and exit the clear water (helpful, because at high tide, it was quite deep). There was also stadium-style seating built into the bordering the walls of the pond, making it the perfect place to alternately sit and soak for hours...or days... ;-)
The water wasn't nearly as warm as we'd expected (because it was high tide the waves were crashing over the sea wall/pouring into the pond and cooling it off). Still, it was decidedly warmer than any ocean water we've ever swam in. We loved hunting down 'hot spots' within the pond where you could feel the warm, volcanically heated water seeping up.
It's funny, we've never forgotten Ryan's swim clothes before, but since we did on Saturday, we had to let him swim in his underwear. It worked out perfectly though, because the warmer water allowed him to stay in much longer than he normally would have in his skivvies.

The water is remarkably clear, and perhaps due to the purifying effects of the geothermal hot spring- I swear my skin felt softer and smoother once we were done. But don't quote me on this...it may have been more wishful thinking. :-)He didn't mind in the least, of course. But as is always the case, no matter how warm the water is and how much he romps/splashes around, our semi-scrawny son became cold and had to exit the water after about an hour. :-)
The story of Ryan's life...warming up outside the water so he can go back in. :-)

I have to say, Ahalanui definitely makes my Top 5 list on the island, and a must-do for anyone, locals or visitors alike. I'm already planning a return trip with Ryan's cousins later this year, but with an overnight stay this time (to break up the driving). I think we spent close to 6 hours in the car yesterday, which was a whooooole lot more of Katy Perry's Firework than I'd ever wanted to hear (on repeat, Ryan's insistence) in one car ride. :-)

My list of the Big Island's best (in no particular order):

1. Volcano
2. Hapuna
3. Snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay (near the Capt. Cook monument)
4. Kiholo Bay (the actual bay and water-filled lava tube)
5. Pu'u Honua O Honaunau

The expanded list:
6. Makalawena
7. Waipio Valley
8. Liliuokalani Gardens (& the nearby canals/waterways), with your okazu-ya boxed lunch!
9. Kamakahonu
10. Oooh, this is getting tough...maybe Black Sand beach down in Punalu'u?

Our Directions (so you don't have to get lost, nauseous and bicker with your spouse): Take Hwy 130 out of Hilo toward Pahoa. Right after you pass the new shopping center in Pahoa, (trust me, you can't miss it), turn left at the next traffic light and take the winding road down. At the end of the winding road (near Isaac Hale park), turn left...and the park (Ahalanui) will be on your right between the 8 & 10 mileage markers. You won't see a large sign announcing the park, but it's the one with a gated parking lot and tons of cars fronting a few pavilions. Total driving time from the edge of Hilo is no more than 40-45 minutes, so it's a nice half-day trip from Hilo.

One more warning: The pool is pretty deep. I couldn't stand up in 95% of it, so it's not what you'd call keiki-friendly unless your child can swim independently. Be prepared to have to float or swim (vs. standing or sitting in the water) while you're there. :-) We brought a boogie board and a tube that we bought at a garage sale on the way out (that we handed off to some kids before we left) that were invaluable for Ryan!

Sizzlin' summer!

Holy guacamole has it been hot these past few weeks! So it's time to cool off with our water toys (even when they're too small for us)..
...splash around with our friends (yep, chasing cute girls already!)...
...jump into every pool in Kona (semi terrified and amazed by Hello Kitty at a friend's birthday party, that's as close as he would go!).
...and when you just can't cool off anymore...you bake some uber healthy (i.e. - not so delicious) banana apple nut muffins! Especially 'cause your grandpa handed you 30 ripe bananas (from his tree).

And yes, he's wearing a chef's hat in that picture (because we take our sanitation very very seriously around here), and yes...upon closer inspection, it does happen to look a lot like some still-too-big tighty whitey's...but I assure you, it's a chef's hat! :-)
Then once all the baking is done, you start to learn to write your name so you can move away from the crazy Asian lady that makes you strap undies on your head for her own amusement. ;-)

...and we're off on a family adventure this weekend to check out even more water on the other side of the island! Aloha!

UltraJo!

Funny how a lifeless number on a scale can throw your head into a tailspin. The last few days have been awesome... On Saturday we had a successful garage sale with my family, on Sunday I ran Mana Rd (official time was 1:47:02, btw...near the bottom of the field as always, but who cares? I did it, baby!) and then on Monday- pfffffffft.... That morning when I jumped on the scale, despite two weeks of very healthy eating, I somehow gained 1.5 pounds. Utterly frustrating. And then just a few minutes later, a work deal that had been months in the making that I was very excited about, fell through. :-( Double whammy. Crushing.

So despite promising never to let my weight determine my happiness level, I sulked. And why not? I was chubby and broke! But once I was done, I hatched a grand master plan that allows me to rise up like a phoenix and achieve world domination once and for all!!!!!! [insert evil laughter] Okay, maybe my aspirations aren't quite that big, they're more plans on how to just get out of the funk. Nonetheless, here's the plan-

• I won't address the work situation in the short term. My options are really quite limited given my time restrictions (I can only work from home at this point), so I'm going to roll with things as they are for now, but release myself from the pressure to seek more work. Very zen of me, right? ;-)
  
• We're taking some family time to go to on a mini-vacay this weekend to a special place that has been on our bucket list for eons. I'm sure I'll be a good Japanese tourist and take 4,395 pictures to post here later. :-)
  
• Here's the biggie though- I'm going to try and run my first ultra-marathon. The distance is 50k (about 31 miles), from Hilo to Volcano, and takes place in late January. Here's what most terrifying about it- the race course rises from sea level to 4,000 feet. That's crazy to me! But if I wanted to run an easy ultra (and don't get me wrong, I do! I do!)...I'd have to fly somewhere else. So I'm just thrilled that we have one here and will figure out a way to deal with it (translation: I won't do a damned thing).
  

Like most ultras, it's a pretty small race, I think the field last year was about 20-25 people (with roughly the same amount running the ultramarathon relay). You also have to provide your own race support (no problemo, since I just happen to know an available nurse who is awesome at race support)! Just typing this is already making my heart pound with excitement (and fear! Plenty of fear!), but I know I can do it.

The last marathon I did hurt so badly (I under trained and under delivered), so I *have* to put a little more effort into this challenge if I expect to finish it. I don't think I'll do much more since I still have a little guy to look after all day (and I'm lazy...so there's that too), but I'll have to do a little more. ;-)

Secretly, I have always wanted to do an ultra-marathon. And even though I know it will test me physically and mentally like never before, I've learned something about myself over the years- I am slow as molasses, but I do not give up. I will shuffle my sorry a** to the finish line no matter how long it takes.

My uber basic plan is to keep my base mileage at the usual 10-13 miles, and then increase with a mile each week starting in mid-September once we get back from our trip. So ideally, I'll have put in one full marathon-distance training run before the race (sweet Jesus). The other 5 miles I'm gonna need that day I'll rely on race day magic for. I'm not sure its a wise plan since it doesn't allow for a down week (of a shorter run than the previous long one), so I'll have to do some research to see if this is in fact, reasonable.

17-Sep	10
24-Sep	11
1-Oct	12
8-Oct	13
15-Oct	14
22-Oct	15
29-Oct	16
5-Nov	17
12-Nov	18
19-Nov	19
26-Nov	20
3-Dec	21
10-Dec	22
17-Dec	23
24-Dec	24
31-Dec	25
7-Jan	26
14-Jan	27
21-Jan	31

One thing I'm definitely not looking forward to is having to get up early to do my long runs. It's exhausting, but moreover, kinda scary (to run in the dark). I figure in order to finish those runs so that they don't overly interfere with family time, mama's gonna have to get up awfully early to pound 'em out.

I still have a few weeks before I need to ramp up my training, but I'm glad to have a goal that not only does not involve a number on the scale, but that also focuses on building a physically and mentally stronger me. Who just might take over the world after that. Once she gets a job. And moves out of her parents basement. ;-)

Running Mana Road

The last two years we've been here, I kept hearing about a 10-mile race on Mana Road in Waimea. It sounded so fun- trail running through ranch land at a much cooler 3,000 feet in elevation? Sign me up! But for one reason or another, I hadn't been able to do it until this year. And I almost didn't. We've been so busy the past 3-4 days that I probably shouldn't have, but I really, really wanted to run it this year so we jammed it into our schedule anyway...thank you, Rich!!! So even though we had a very early Saturday morning garage sale (total success!), followed by an appointment with our realtor (total failure!) and a delicious dinner at Bianelli's with family, we all still rolled out of bed at 5:45 this morning for the hour-long drive to Waimea. I can't even remember the last time I wore leggings and a long sleeved shirt to run! Brr!

Once we pulled into Waimea, the wind was blowing pretty hard, and rain was steadily sleeting down. Not heavily, but enough that I decided not to carry the camera as planned for fear of ruining it. At the starting line I was shivering and cursing the fact that I opted not to bring my running gloves. But in the interest of fairness, I should point out that to Hawaiian wimps such as myself, 55-60 degrees = freezing, and >50 degrees = death is imminent. So while someone from Minnesota could have comfortably run the race nude, we were not so comfortable . ;-)But honestly, I didn't care. Can't you tell from my huge, goofy smile at the starting line? I'm not sure what inspired me to look like Bugs Bunny in this picture, but that's how it came out! :-) I think I was just euphoric being able to run in such cool weather and not the usual sweltering, sweatfest that is called Kailua-Kona. Interestingly enough, and as is ALWAYS the case, no matter how much I'm shivering at the starting line, after a mile or so of running- I was soooo hot that I wanted to rip all my clothes off. I saw other people shedding their jackets around the same time I started to feel hot (I wanted to but couldn't, since last I checked, no one really digs pale, sweaty muffin tops) so I knew I wasn't alone!

I have no pictures from the race, which I'd hoped to take because it was without a doubt, the most enjoyable race I've ever run in the state of Hawai'i. It was a 10-mile out and back course up a mountain. We ran about 20% of the race on pavement, and the rest on a packed red dirt road. It was so indescribably serene, with nothing but trees, pasture land and grazing cows in every direction. And because the field was pretty small (maybe 25-30 ran the 10-miler and the same amount ran the 10k?), you were alone with your thoughts most of the run.

If I had to guess, we climbed somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 feet the first five miles (there are rolling hills, but it's mostly a steady, uphill climb the first four miles before hitting a pretty steep 5th mile). In Kona, this would have absolutely killed me. But in cool, wet and windy Waimea, I managed to trudge up the whole five miles. I was so energized at being able to run uphill for five miles that I couldn't wait to attack the downhill course. But right at the 7-mile marker, in front of two other runners, I stepped on a lose rock and twisted my ankle. I stopped, hobbled around and called Rich to let him know that I was down, but not necessarily out (I would rate it a 4 out of 10 in terms of seriousness). I figured I needed a quarter of a mile or so to assess whether I could continue.

Part of me was shocked when it happened. In all my years of running race(I'm going on 5 years now), I've never twisted my ankle during a race. The thought of not finishing frustrated me, but I also knew it would be stupid to force myself to run on a swollen, injured ankle. Fortunately, to my surprise, after limping only a few hundred yards, I was able to resume running, albeit a bit slower and much, much more guardedly. No more flying down the mountain for me!

Truthfully though, it was just what I'd needed- because just prior to hurting myself, I was starting to feel fatigued (from the uphill climb), but kept pushing myself to speed up so I could have an 'awesome' race. It had rapidly gone from 'fun and exciting' to a more pressure-filled 'go, go, go!' and I had stopped enjoying the run. Running slower allowed me to chill out and just enjoy the ambiance again.

I don't know what my time was (yet), but I'm guessing around 1:45-1:50. In all honesty, my ankle didn't end up costing me more than a minute or two, so I still ended up having a great run. Like my last race (the Kona Half), I felt strong most of the race and had a great time. Both races have some done so much to improve my attitude toward running, and for that I am extremely thankful. It really is so much more about how I feel during a race than how I perform or finish.
After the race I did my usual stretches, and noticed someone mimicking me. But whenever I tried to praise or compliment for doing so, he would quickly stop, break out into a huge embarrassed grin and then run and hide behind Rich! ;-)
Too cute, right? After the race we took Ryan to the park since there was a brief respite from the rain, but then quickly hightailed it back home since Rich had to go to work at 2:30...so it was one of the quickest trips to Waimea on record. I think we were there for less than three hours (even though our drive to and from was about two hours)!

Huge mahalos to the Big Island Road Runners Club for putting on such a beautiful, well organized race that exuded aloha...and to my baby daddy for driving me there and back & watching Ryan while I achieved a goal. :-) Now that I've finally run Mana Road, this leaves only two Big Island distance races that I haven't done yet- the Volcano Half Marathon (held in a few weeks, but we're going to Iceland so I'm abstaining for budgetary reasons), and the Ka'u Half (a must for next year). It's my goal/dream to run every distance race this island has to offer...so we're almost there. :-)

Hello 37

Me in kindergarten...rockin' the rice bowl bangs.

Today I turn 37 years old. But I've never been one to get all sad and weepy about aging another year. Au contraire. I usually wake up, pretend to accidentally kick Rich so he wakes up and then eagerly start badgering him, "What did you get me?! Where's my present?! Is it a pony?! Ice cream?! Lemme see my present!" (Real subtle, right?)

Not even my little boy is exempt from my expectant prodding. Last night as I was tucking Ryan in, I asked him if he had gotten me an extra special birthday surprise. He nodded in the affirmative, but offered up no additional information. When I asked what it was, he beamed, excitedly sat up and proudly announced "I got you a bouncy clown!" And then he demonstrated exactly what my bouncy clown would do by jumping up and down on the bed.

Perfect.

Because I've always wanted a bouncy clown. I just hope my little boy isn't lying to me.

;-)

The end of summer

One of Ryan's first days of school in 2008-2009

I can't believe summer is over. But today marks the first day of school for us, and the start of Ryan's fourth year of preschool at TuTu & Me. I still remember how he would pass out during clean up because two hours of school was just tooooo grueling to endure without a nap. ;-)