I recently unknowing volunteered myself to babysit regularly for FREE.
I find myself in a hard place. I feel selfish for thinking I should be compinsated some how for the 3.5 hours per week I watch a 4 1/2 and an almost two year old. But at the same time the time is a time when my kids would normally be taking naps so it is a lot more work than I'm used to.
When I was going to school I always felt so grateful to people when they would watch my kids for me and felt like they deserved to be paid. Honestly they deserved to be paid more than I gave them, but still I did pay them.
When I started watching my friends kids she messaged me via Facebook and asked if I knew anyone that could watch her kids one day a week for a few hours between they time her husband goes to work, and she gets home from work. She said she could pay. I volunteered, thinking sweet now I'll be able to put the money towards an awesome swing set I've had my eye on, but have never received payment. I guess could pay doesn't mean she would pay. I'll have to make that more clear in the future.
I feel like I'm in a hard place because I'm her visiting teacher (however her husband is our home teacher) and feel like I should be willing to serve her, but at the same time I don't want to become the free sitter in the neighborhood. I don't mind watching someones kids for a few hours every now and then, but when it is weekly I think that deserves some sort of compensation,
I tried to call her to take my kids (I only gave her about 2 hours notice) for a few hours while Troy and I go do something, but she said she already had plans so no luck there. I'll have to try again when I'm able to give her more notice.
Recently another person in the neighborhood approached me about watching her 2 1/2 year old for 1-2 days per week. I told her I could do it and hopefully made it clear that I plan on getting paid for it. When I start watching her little boy I'm going to approach the other person and say that I recently starting watching another little boy and to keep things fair and to prevent being the dumping grounds for kids if she wants me to continue watching her kids she need to start paying either by taking my kids one night a week so we can go out or with cold hard $$$.
Why do people think they should pay when other people watch their kids on a regular basis? What are your feeling about this (and telling me I'm out of line for wanting payment is perfectly ok)?
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Night Training Parker
I wanted to catalog this for future reference. Sometimes I think I remember the easy parts and forget the hard parts of life. This is so maybe I'll have the same patience with my future kids.
I decided just over a week ago that I was going to stop putting diapers on Parker during the night. Prier to this Parker finally started WANTING to go potty by himself, and most of the time would stay dry during his naps. However he would ALWAYS wake up with a wet and poopy diaper. I was expecting the worse, and although it wasn't an instant success I think it has turned out pretty well.
MONDAY- I put a Pull-Up on Parker and told him if he kept it dry I would give him a sticker and a piece of candy. It DIDN'T work, he soaked it, and his PJ's.
TUESDAY- Woke up wet, and Parked didn't like it. He wanted a bath and clean clothes/bedding when he got up.
WEDNESDAY- Woke up wet, but it didn't seem to bother him. He didn't even want me to take the wet clothes off. I thought for sure this was a bad sign.
THURSDAY- Wet his underwear while brushing his teeth that night. Woke up crying at 5am. I could tell he must of wet his pants, but they were only damp so I figure it must have been pretty early in the night. I changed his clothes and bedding while he went potty. He went back to bed, and woke up dry.
FRIDAY- Parker woke up at 2am crying. When I walked into his room he was standing next to his bed. There was wet spot on the floor, his pants were wet, but his bed was dry. I brought him to the bathroom and stood him next to the toilet while I cleaned up the mess and got him a new change of clothes. When I came back into the bathroom he had pooped, but since I hadn't sat him on the toilet I had another mess to clean up. When I brought him back to bed he said his stomach hurt (which he never says unless he is about to throw up). I decided to lay with him in his bed for a little while. That only lasted a few minutes, because he started throwing up. Needless to say the rest of the night we were down stairs watching movies. Through all of this his bedding did manage to stay clean though.
SATURDAY- I woke Parker up at 11pm had him go potty, and then he went back to bed. He woke as well around 1 or 2 and starting crying so I went in his room and showed him to the bathroom. He went potty and then went back to bed. Woke up dry.
SUNDAY- I tried to wake him at 11pm to go, but he was so out it didn't work out. I decided for us this wasn't something I'd try again. He woke up at 2 am crying. When I went into his room he ran out and wanted me to read him a story, but was still dry. I told him to go use the potty which he refused to do. I was finally able to bribe him with a story. After he went potty I read him a story and then sent him back to bed. He was dry when he got up for good.
MONDAY- (I put a diaper on him because he had had A LOT of liquids that night) woke up at 5am with a soaked diaper and PJ's. After I changed him into underwear and clean clothes he was up for the day :(
TUESDAY - Woke at 1am ran through the house screaming. By the time I got up to help him he was standing by the toilet so I let him finish and helped him wash his hands and brought him back to bed. He was dry when he finally woke up for good.
WEDNESDAY- Wanted a diaper when he went to bed, but I told him he was a big boy and he wore underwear to bed like mommy and daddy. Woke up dry (and as far as I know didn't wake up during the night).
I think the worst is behind us, but I'm sure we still have awhile before I won't have him wear a diaper when we don't sleep at home.
I decided just over a week ago that I was going to stop putting diapers on Parker during the night. Prier to this Parker finally started WANTING to go potty by himself, and most of the time would stay dry during his naps. However he would ALWAYS wake up with a wet and poopy diaper. I was expecting the worse, and although it wasn't an instant success I think it has turned out pretty well.
MONDAY- I put a Pull-Up on Parker and told him if he kept it dry I would give him a sticker and a piece of candy. It DIDN'T work, he soaked it, and his PJ's.
TUESDAY- Woke up wet, and Parked didn't like it. He wanted a bath and clean clothes/bedding when he got up.
WEDNESDAY- Woke up wet, but it didn't seem to bother him. He didn't even want me to take the wet clothes off. I thought for sure this was a bad sign.
THURSDAY- Wet his underwear while brushing his teeth that night. Woke up crying at 5am. I could tell he must of wet his pants, but they were only damp so I figure it must have been pretty early in the night. I changed his clothes and bedding while he went potty. He went back to bed, and woke up dry.
FRIDAY- Parker woke up at 2am crying. When I walked into his room he was standing next to his bed. There was wet spot on the floor, his pants were wet, but his bed was dry. I brought him to the bathroom and stood him next to the toilet while I cleaned up the mess and got him a new change of clothes. When I came back into the bathroom he had pooped, but since I hadn't sat him on the toilet I had another mess to clean up. When I brought him back to bed he said his stomach hurt (which he never says unless he is about to throw up). I decided to lay with him in his bed for a little while. That only lasted a few minutes, because he started throwing up. Needless to say the rest of the night we were down stairs watching movies. Through all of this his bedding did manage to stay clean though.
SATURDAY- I woke Parker up at 11pm had him go potty, and then he went back to bed. He woke as well around 1 or 2 and starting crying so I went in his room and showed him to the bathroom. He went potty and then went back to bed. Woke up dry.
SUNDAY- I tried to wake him at 11pm to go, but he was so out it didn't work out. I decided for us this wasn't something I'd try again. He woke up at 2 am crying. When I went into his room he ran out and wanted me to read him a story, but was still dry. I told him to go use the potty which he refused to do. I was finally able to bribe him with a story. After he went potty I read him a story and then sent him back to bed. He was dry when he got up for good.
MONDAY- (I put a diaper on him because he had had A LOT of liquids that night) woke up at 5am with a soaked diaper and PJ's. After I changed him into underwear and clean clothes he was up for the day :(
TUESDAY - Woke at 1am ran through the house screaming. By the time I got up to help him he was standing by the toilet so I let him finish and helped him wash his hands and brought him back to bed. He was dry when he finally woke up for good.
WEDNESDAY- Wanted a diaper when he went to bed, but I told him he was a big boy and he wore underwear to bed like mommy and daddy. Woke up dry (and as far as I know didn't wake up during the night).
I think the worst is behind us, but I'm sure we still have awhile before I won't have him wear a diaper when we don't sleep at home.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Garden 2012
My garden this year is much like last year. I still have a few things I want to plant but for the most part got most of it planted last week. This year I have: spinach, green onions, peas, lettuce (all dead or got eaten), pumpkin, corn, green beans, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, tomatoes, egg plant, cantaloupe, watermelon, cucumber, acorn squash, and butternut squash.
Most of the seeds I planted are just seeds I had left over from last year. This year we also invested in a drip irrigation system that I put together. We found a really affordable kit at Harbor Freight. I was able to get a few pieces from Home Depot that made it work perfect for us. It was a lot easier then I thought it was going to be. In the end I think it will pay for itself in just the first year with the water it will save. I also hear it is a better for the plants.
I tried to start the watermelon, bell peppers, tomatoes, egg plant, cantaloupe, and broccoli from seed inside a few months before I wanted to plant, but they didn't grow very well so I ended up buying tomatoes, and egg plants from a nursery.
I can't wait for it to start producing.
I plan on doing a 1st of the month update for reference during future years.
Most of the seeds I planted are just seeds I had left over from last year. This year we also invested in a drip irrigation system that I put together. We found a really affordable kit at Harbor Freight. I was able to get a few pieces from Home Depot that made it work perfect for us. It was a lot easier then I thought it was going to be. In the end I think it will pay for itself in just the first year with the water it will save. I also hear it is a better for the plants.
I tried to start the watermelon, bell peppers, tomatoes, egg plant, cantaloupe, and broccoli from seed inside a few months before I wanted to plant, but they didn't grow very well so I ended up buying tomatoes, and egg plants from a nursery.
I can't wait for it to start producing.
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| My starts I planted inside in March |
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| Spinach (surrounded by marigolds) |
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| Green Onions (again surrounded by marigolds) |
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| This is where I planted the lettuce, but at this point only one plant was still there. Right now all of them are now gone. I'm not sure if they were eaten or just didn't get watered enough. |
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| Our garden (before I put the drip system in) |
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| Garden from the other side |
Max is ONE!
Max is a really sweet boy. He loves to cuddle. He is also quiet the chatter box. I love listening to his jabbering.
He loves to eat peanut butter sandwiches, mac and cheese, bananas, mangoes, pineapple, peas, and carrots
He isn't walking yet, but he can stand for a few seconds.
On his birthday he surprised us by showing us he can now safely go down the stairs.
I didn't really want to stop nursing him, but I have an overnight race coming up so I decided I better wean him before that or else we would both be hating life. He reluctantly drinks whole milk.
He LOVES to crawl with a car in one hand.
He likes to draw/scribble
He has 7 teeth (4 top, 3 bottom)
He is on the small side (I mean he is REALLY small) - at his 1 year check up these were the stats
For Max's birthday we had cake and ice cream.
He loves to eat peanut butter sandwiches, mac and cheese, bananas, mangoes, pineapple, peas, and carrots
He isn't walking yet, but he can stand for a few seconds.
On his birthday he surprised us by showing us he can now safely go down the stairs.
I didn't really want to stop nursing him, but I have an overnight race coming up so I decided I better wean him before that or else we would both be hating life. He reluctantly drinks whole milk.
He LOVES to crawl with a car in one hand.
He likes to draw/scribble
He has 7 teeth (4 top, 3 bottom)
He is on the small side (I mean he is REALLY small) - at his 1 year check up these were the stats
- Height - 2'3.25" (0.00%)
- Weight - 18lb 4oz (8.87%)
- Head Circumference - 47.8 (88.49%)
For Max's birthday we had cake and ice cream.
Class of 2012
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| DONE! |
It is OFFICIAL I now have my BS in Biology. I finished my last class on Thursday the 3rd of May, and then walked for graduation on the 4th. I didn't know if I had actually gotten a good enough grade in my class, but I sure hoped I did for a few reasons.
1- I really wanted to be done
2- I didn't want to pay any more money for school
3- I didn't want to find out I had sat through the graduation ceremonies for nothing.
I finally got my grades the following Monday and found out I had gotten a good enough grade WAHOO. That feeling was AWESOME!!
I went to both Commencement and Convocation.
Commencement was interesting. They had Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar, speak. He had some great things to say a few of them were: don't be afraid to fail, when there are no disagreements there is no innovation, and chance has a lot to do with success (I see God as he sees chance). I don't really remember a whole lot from the program. I had a hard time hearing. We ended getting there a lot later then we were expecting so instead of sitting with the graduates I sat with my parents, Troy, and the kids.
The Convocation made me NEVER want to go to a science one again. If I could go back and do it over I would have found out when the fine arts college was doing theirs and gone to theirs. I'm sure it was at least a little entertaining. I guess chemists, biologist, and mathematicians are entertained in a rather boring way. It was dreadful, and felt bad for my supports who had to sit through it especially my two kids.
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| These guys were so good to sit through such a boring ceremony |
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| Max just wanted Mommy! |
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| Max now has Mommy and his thumb. |
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| My parents were so good to come and support me. |
Parkers Update
It is all fun and games until you get a 3 year old!!! (at least in our house)
Parker is rather difficult to deal with lately.
He has a hard time making his mind up. I try and give him choices like: do you want mommy or daddy to help, do you want to go potty up stairs or down, do you want a pink bowl or a green one. Most of the time it ends in him screaming at me because he keeps changing his mind and I usually just go with the one he said second (in other words I allow him one change of mind).
He is also asks for help with everything. Much of this is my fault. I've encouraged him to ask for help, but then it got to a point where he wouldn't even try or would try very little and then ask for help. In the end I would just do it for him. Up until recently I was fully dressing him, and helping him with everything when he went potty. The other day he dressed himself and this is what we got
I couldn't have been more proud since he dressed himself.
One thing I know he can do is put on socks, but he often refuses to do it, and he hates to wear his sandals so if he doesn't do it himself I either just put on his sandals or he goes out without shoes which can be seer torture for him if I go for a run and then don't let him get out to play at the park.
One thing I'm not proud of with him is his TV time. I feel like I've let him watch way too much so I'm now on a quest to cut back. The first thing he asks for in the morning is a movie, and he will pick a movie over any other activity. I've spent way too much time and money looking for quality games, toys and puzzles at the thrift store to let them go to waist so my new goal with him is 1 movie a day. I'm hoping it will help with some of his behavior issues. I will be forced to be more involved with him and maybe these outburst are his way of telling me he wants more interaction.
Parker is REALLY mean to Max at times, but I think it is because he doesn't know how to play with him, so my next goal with him is showing him how to play with Max. I'm sure it is confusing for Parker to see Mommy and Daddy throwing Max in the air and then not being able to do that with him too.
Parker is REALLY AWESOME with shapes. I haven't figures out if it is fluke or not, but he usually correctly identifies octagons, pentagons, and hexagons along with the other more common shapes. I'm sure that was something I didn't figure out until much later in life. He is still struggling with numbers and letters, but I've seen a lot of progress with numbers in the last few days he even tries to count it usually goes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 6 (who needs 4 & 5 right?). We sing the alphabet song every time he washes his hands, but it hasn't show to be helping yet (however I'm hoping it is). His colors are coming along. I think he can identify them such that if I say get the red block he can do it, but he struggles more if I say what color is this?
Parker is MOSTLY potty trained during the day. I still has a few #2 accidents, but he has been doing really good, and after many tears he will now do most of it by himself. He still like me to come in with him, but now he can do most everything by himself. I figured tackling night training would go better if I first got him going by himself during the day. I'm determined not to buy any more diapers for him, and we still have enough for one a day for the next 3-4 months so at that time we'll him the night time training hard.
It will be interesting to me over the next few months to see how things with him change.
Parker is rather difficult to deal with lately.
He has a hard time making his mind up. I try and give him choices like: do you want mommy or daddy to help, do you want to go potty up stairs or down, do you want a pink bowl or a green one. Most of the time it ends in him screaming at me because he keeps changing his mind and I usually just go with the one he said second (in other words I allow him one change of mind).
He is also asks for help with everything. Much of this is my fault. I've encouraged him to ask for help, but then it got to a point where he wouldn't even try or would try very little and then ask for help. In the end I would just do it for him. Up until recently I was fully dressing him, and helping him with everything when he went potty. The other day he dressed himself and this is what we got
One thing I know he can do is put on socks, but he often refuses to do it, and he hates to wear his sandals so if he doesn't do it himself I either just put on his sandals or he goes out without shoes which can be seer torture for him if I go for a run and then don't let him get out to play at the park.
One thing I'm not proud of with him is his TV time. I feel like I've let him watch way too much so I'm now on a quest to cut back. The first thing he asks for in the morning is a movie, and he will pick a movie over any other activity. I've spent way too much time and money looking for quality games, toys and puzzles at the thrift store to let them go to waist so my new goal with him is 1 movie a day. I'm hoping it will help with some of his behavior issues. I will be forced to be more involved with him and maybe these outburst are his way of telling me he wants more interaction.
Parker is REALLY mean to Max at times, but I think it is because he doesn't know how to play with him, so my next goal with him is showing him how to play with Max. I'm sure it is confusing for Parker to see Mommy and Daddy throwing Max in the air and then not being able to do that with him too.
Parker is REALLY AWESOME with shapes. I haven't figures out if it is fluke or not, but he usually correctly identifies octagons, pentagons, and hexagons along with the other more common shapes. I'm sure that was something I didn't figure out until much later in life. He is still struggling with numbers and letters, but I've seen a lot of progress with numbers in the last few days he even tries to count it usually goes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 6 (who needs 4 & 5 right?). We sing the alphabet song every time he washes his hands, but it hasn't show to be helping yet (however I'm hoping it is). His colors are coming along. I think he can identify them such that if I say get the red block he can do it, but he struggles more if I say what color is this?
Parker is MOSTLY potty trained during the day. I still has a few #2 accidents, but he has been doing really good, and after many tears he will now do most of it by himself. He still like me to come in with him, but now he can do most everything by himself. I figured tackling night training would go better if I first got him going by himself during the day. I'm determined not to buy any more diapers for him, and we still have enough for one a day for the next 3-4 months so at that time we'll him the night time training hard.
It will be interesting to me over the next few months to see how things with him change.
Monday, April 30, 2012
My First Half Marathon
Throughout high school I would run 1-2 5K's a week during the summer and fall. I remember when I completed my first 10K I was so proud. Well I have added a new distance to my name. On Saturday (April 28, 2012) I successfully completed the Thanksgiving Point 1/2 marathon.
Leading up to this I was planning on training properly, but I let life get in the way. Trying to run with 2 kids usually resulted in a few 3 mile run a week. Occasionally I would go a little farther. I think I did a hand full of 4 mile runs. I did do about two 6 mile runs, and one 9 mile run (that I walked the last 2 miles). The two weeks prier to the race I ran a total of 3 times that resulted in 14 miles. Needless to say I didn't feel really confident going into the race.
My goal for the race was to finish. The race required that you maintain at least a 16 min/mile pace. I figured if I ran the first 10 miles I would be able to walk the last 3 and be just fine. I figured I would finish in less than 3 hours.
I told Troy although it would nice to have him there to cheer me on. I didn't think it would be practical to have him get the two kids up before 6am and then entertain them while I was running. I knew it would be sheer torture for the three of them. So I was all alone at the race, but that was OK, because there were 2500 other CRAZY runners.
Driving up to the park I saw a sign that said "Marathon parking" with an arrow pointing forward. Up to this point I hadn't really thought much of what I was about to do. But when I saw that sign. I thought, "I'm really doing this." I almost starting crying. I have had a goal to do one for many years, and I couldn't believe I was finally going to accomplish it.
After parking I went and picked up my race number and electronic chip. The race started at 7am and at this point it was 6:15. Since it was only about 35 degrees I decided to go listen to music in my car until it was closer to the starting of the race. I waited until 6:45 and then headed over to the starting line.
They did what is called a choke start, and had people line up according to their self proclaimed speed. I got in near the 2:45 sign. There I saw a girl I used to run with in high school. We chatted a little until the start. Slowly the crowd moved forward. Because of the chock start once I passed over the starting mat I was off.
The race provided pacers so I would know about how I was doing. I ended up passing the 2:10 (9.55 mile pace) pacer. I figured I would stay in front of that pacer for as long as I could, but didn't expect to finish in front of that pacer. The race started with a run around Electric Park at Thanksgiving Point and then went into their garden area and then all around the golf course before heading back to the same area the starting line was. I LOVED running through the gardens. It was pretty and unique. The golf course was OK at first, but after a few miles of running through greens I was pretty tired of the same old thing. The course was really hilly, but the hills were short, and I guess because I'm used to pushing a double stroller while I'm running they didn't seem to effect me as much as the people I would pass :).
The race was really well staffed. They had water/power aid ever 1 1/2 or 2 miles. They also had GU, oranges, and bananas at about every other aid station. I would switch off between power aid and water at the water stations, and then every 4 miles or so I would take a GU. I learned after the first GU to not try and ingest it all at once, but rather nibble it from the pouch. The first time I squeezed the whole pack of GU in my mouth and about gaged. I would walk at each aid station until my water/Power aid was gone and then I would start running again.
As I hit mile 2 I thought . . ."There is no way I'm going to do this." By mile 4 I was feeling really good. At mile 6 I was thinking, "Man I wish I was doing a 10K. At mile 7 I though, "SWEET . . .more than half way done." At mile 8 I wanted to stop, but I knew I shouldn't, because if I did I would never be able to start again. By mile 10 I was thinking, "I have NEVER run this far before." At mile 11 my muscles were really tired, and were cramping. At this point the 2:10 pacer still hadn't passed me so at this point I made it a goal to not let him pass me. For the next two miles I just put one foot in front of another until I was about 1/2 mile from the finish and I could hear the pacer behind me saying something. I looked back and there he was. I picked it up and decided to finish strong.
At the finish line the race clock said 2:10.19. I then went into the sea of delicious after race snacks. I got: chocolate milk, bottled water, great harvest bread, oranges, bananas, chocolate chip cookies, and white bean and ham soup. I know I shouldn't have felt like eating, but it was so delicious. I then checked my official race time and found out I had run it in 2 HOURS 8 MINUTES 19 SECONDS. I finished 512 out of 1109 finishers. And was 45 person in my division and the 265th female finisher.
I walked around for awhile, stretched, and then headed home. When I got home I told Troy how it went, took a shower, went shopping and then came home and then took a nap. I wasn't really tired, but my leg muscles were and it hurt to sit, stand, or walk so I figured if I laid on my stomach and took a nap it would give them a little rest. It felt nice.
In the end I really enjoyed the experience. I would like to do it again in the future. The weather was great. I also learned that I CAN DO IT! I was once again reminded that I love to race, because it reminds me that I'm not the only crazy person out there that likes to run.
Leading up to this I was planning on training properly, but I let life get in the way. Trying to run with 2 kids usually resulted in a few 3 mile run a week. Occasionally I would go a little farther. I think I did a hand full of 4 mile runs. I did do about two 6 mile runs, and one 9 mile run (that I walked the last 2 miles). The two weeks prier to the race I ran a total of 3 times that resulted in 14 miles. Needless to say I didn't feel really confident going into the race.
My goal for the race was to finish. The race required that you maintain at least a 16 min/mile pace. I figured if I ran the first 10 miles I would be able to walk the last 3 and be just fine. I figured I would finish in less than 3 hours.
I told Troy although it would nice to have him there to cheer me on. I didn't think it would be practical to have him get the two kids up before 6am and then entertain them while I was running. I knew it would be sheer torture for the three of them. So I was all alone at the race, but that was OK, because there were 2500 other CRAZY runners.
Driving up to the park I saw a sign that said "Marathon parking" with an arrow pointing forward. Up to this point I hadn't really thought much of what I was about to do. But when I saw that sign. I thought, "I'm really doing this." I almost starting crying. I have had a goal to do one for many years, and I couldn't believe I was finally going to accomplish it.
After parking I went and picked up my race number and electronic chip. The race started at 7am and at this point it was 6:15. Since it was only about 35 degrees I decided to go listen to music in my car until it was closer to the starting of the race. I waited until 6:45 and then headed over to the starting line.
They did what is called a choke start, and had people line up according to their self proclaimed speed. I got in near the 2:45 sign. There I saw a girl I used to run with in high school. We chatted a little until the start. Slowly the crowd moved forward. Because of the chock start once I passed over the starting mat I was off.
The race provided pacers so I would know about how I was doing. I ended up passing the 2:10 (9.55 mile pace) pacer. I figured I would stay in front of that pacer for as long as I could, but didn't expect to finish in front of that pacer. The race started with a run around Electric Park at Thanksgiving Point and then went into their garden area and then all around the golf course before heading back to the same area the starting line was. I LOVED running through the gardens. It was pretty and unique. The golf course was OK at first, but after a few miles of running through greens I was pretty tired of the same old thing. The course was really hilly, but the hills were short, and I guess because I'm used to pushing a double stroller while I'm running they didn't seem to effect me as much as the people I would pass :).
The race was really well staffed. They had water/power aid ever 1 1/2 or 2 miles. They also had GU, oranges, and bananas at about every other aid station. I would switch off between power aid and water at the water stations, and then every 4 miles or so I would take a GU. I learned after the first GU to not try and ingest it all at once, but rather nibble it from the pouch. The first time I squeezed the whole pack of GU in my mouth and about gaged. I would walk at each aid station until my water/Power aid was gone and then I would start running again.
As I hit mile 2 I thought . . ."There is no way I'm going to do this." By mile 4 I was feeling really good. At mile 6 I was thinking, "Man I wish I was doing a 10K. At mile 7 I though, "SWEET . . .more than half way done." At mile 8 I wanted to stop, but I knew I shouldn't, because if I did I would never be able to start again. By mile 10 I was thinking, "I have NEVER run this far before." At mile 11 my muscles were really tired, and were cramping. At this point the 2:10 pacer still hadn't passed me so at this point I made it a goal to not let him pass me. For the next two miles I just put one foot in front of another until I was about 1/2 mile from the finish and I could hear the pacer behind me saying something. I looked back and there he was. I picked it up and decided to finish strong.
At the finish line the race clock said 2:10.19. I then went into the sea of delicious after race snacks. I got: chocolate milk, bottled water, great harvest bread, oranges, bananas, chocolate chip cookies, and white bean and ham soup. I know I shouldn't have felt like eating, but it was so delicious. I then checked my official race time and found out I had run it in 2 HOURS 8 MINUTES 19 SECONDS. I finished 512 out of 1109 finishers. And was 45 person in my division and the 265th female finisher.
I walked around for awhile, stretched, and then headed home. When I got home I told Troy how it went, took a shower, went shopping and then came home and then took a nap. I wasn't really tired, but my leg muscles were and it hurt to sit, stand, or walk so I figured if I laid on my stomach and took a nap it would give them a little rest. It felt nice.
In the end I really enjoyed the experience. I would like to do it again in the future. The weather was great. I also learned that I CAN DO IT! I was once again reminded that I love to race, because it reminds me that I'm not the only crazy person out there that likes to run.
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