jeepers

Let's not talk about the half marathon on Sunday. The short story is that I bailed after 45 minutes. I was not mentally in the right place to run 21km. We had had a super busy week and busy weekend and my heart was not into it. It was also the warmest day we have had ALL SUMMER!!! The race started at noon....I could not run in that heat. If my head was in the right place, I maybe could have toughed it out, but I just was not up for it. The good news is that I still get a tax receipt for the entry fee as it was for charity.

The long story is that I was super stressed out and had not slept in 2 nights. I felt nauseous I was THAT tired. Why was I not sleeping you ask? Hockey. As in hockey tryouts. For my 7 year old. I was way to worked up about everything. I know...ridiculous...but unless you have children, and want them to have fun in what they are doing and try and work hard...then this post may not make any sense to you....

This is going to turn into a Costco size post...so stay with me here...

My 7 year old played hockey for the first time last year. Some of us, as Canadians, take this particular sport very seriously. If you are familiar with hockey, he played Tier 3 all last year. It was fun, we had a blast, the parents/coaches were amazing and it was a great way to spend our winter. Tier 3 is where they put kids that maybe have never played before, or they are not great skaters etc. I was proud of our Tier 3 team as it was easy and supportive and there was no bullshit as we had no aspirations for our kids....we would hear stories of happenings from the Tier 1 groups that made us shudder. Like coaches scheduling dry land training for teams...sending workouts home for 7 year olds to do wall squats and core work...shortening the benches during games in novice...are you kidding me!!??

Anyway, after the fantastic experience we had last year, watching the Olympic hockey, going to a Bruins home game....OUR 7 year old LOVED HOCKEY!! So we continued on and put him in a summer hockey camp. These guys running the camp were serious. They are professional hockey coaches, they know their stuff, they rode those kids hard. Matthew really did not want to go to the last few practices and I think I posted about his meltdown so we quit. It was summer, he did not want to go, I did not want to take him, he cried when we mentioned it, we quit. No biggie.

Fall rolls around and hockey tryouts have been the last 2 weekends. We go to the first skate, he could have taken it or left it. After the second skate, he says he is having fun again. Whew. He saw all of his buddies, it was familiar, we were having FUN again, so the fire inside him had returned!! I was happy to see him excited to play again. And I really felt we had made the right decision to quit the camp.

Here is where I need help.

After the second skate, someone who knew what was going on with the evaluations called our house and told us that Matthew was on "the bubble" of making Tier 1. Come again??

What do you do with that info? Do you tell your 7 year old ..."Honey, you have to try a little harder so you can play with the really good players and get all the good ice times." No, I don't believe you say that. He has no idea about the Tiers or what a good player is vs a not so good player. He has no idea that people are even looking at him....he thinks these are all just practices so far...right or wrong, this is how we have managed the whole hockey tryout thing.

He plays because he wants to.

And between you and me, I did not really appreciate the phone call. But then I am SUPER SENSITIVE to politics getting in the way of fun and sports....

So we said nothing to him. My exact words were "Work hard!! Have FUN!! And pretend your little brother has the puck...." Haaahhahahahha!!!

Then...we get a second call after the 3rd skate...it looks like he has been bumped up to Tier 1.

Holy God. My protective insticts went into overdrive. I just want it all to be a great experience for him. I will not handle the crap very well. I could not sleep as I was worried that a kid "on the bubble" was going to get trampled by some very good and very talented young hockey players. But he held his own in the last skate, even had two breakaways (I think....Shaun said they were lucky chances, but I saw breakaways...) and one goal!!!

I am bound and determined to have another good winter. He can take hockey with him for the rest of his life. And perhaps I am being selfish, but I don't want to deal with crazy parents all winter!!! I will be the one who shoulders all of it so he will know nothing about it. That will take far too much energy...and hopefully I am over reacting...jeepers I really hope so...but I remember what Tier 1 was like for my brother growing up and everyone thinks their junior is the next "big thing". Fist fights in the stands!! Dad's yelling at their kids!! Coaches swearing at players!! (in fact Shaun overheard a dad coming out of the dressing room after a skate telling his kid he was "brutal"...omg I wanted to cry!!)

So....Here's to another hockey season!! I always say, I cannot afford therapy, therefore I run. Well, watch me RUN this winter!!!

On a more positive and funny note...Matthew had a football game last night. It was the very last play, just about dark actually, and the other team punted the ball. These are little kids, so a scramble for the ball...somehow Matthew comes up with it...he runs through the defense...loses BOTH his shoes in the process....takes it all the way down the field for a touchdown!!! In sock feet!! My husband's ears were sore from my screaming....

does this happen to you...?

Here I am near 40 years old trying to stay fit and healthy. So far, so good. I made the decision a couple of years ago to hire a professional coach. Not because I want to break any records, but because I know nothing, and don't want to spend hours on websites trying to figure things out. For the cost of a local gym membership, I have someone in my corner who gets my life, my goals and has more experience, knowledge and championships than anyone I know...
This week I had a run workout because for some reason I thought it a super idea to enter in just ONE MORE HALF MARATHON this fall. Its for charity and one I support...The Children's Hospital...because sick kids from around here have to go OUT of the province for acute care, and wouldn't it be great if they and their families could stay at home when trying to battle an illness.
Now you know where I stand on that issue.
So back to my half marathon this weekend...I missed pretty much EVERY workout last week. After Regina, I was tired then I was really tired and kid busy, work busy and life busy all in the same week. I could not drag my ass from my bed any day last week.
On Tuesday, the schedule called for some 10 minute intervals at a hair faster than my 10km race pace. It was early....it was dark...it was early...I got all stressed out before I even ran because I had myself convinced I was not going to be able to do it. Mental crap got in the way.
Walked home, pouted the entire way, had a good think in the shower. Not too long ago, the pace I was asked to do would have been impossible. But now at least, I am being asked to do it...I would say, this is an improvement!!
I called Justin, complained a little, sulked a little so he gave me a second workout to do and some things to think about. Well, low and behold, I nailed the run, nailed the pace and did an extra interval for good measure!!
We shall see what Sunday brings. It is supposed to be warm...like mid-20's warm...unheard of all summer and the race starts at noon. C'mon legs!! Give me one last good run for the year!!

randomness

Gorgeous. First Day Grade 2

Contemplating the TKD practice...

Someone got their Green Belt recently.

Karen and Me before the Regina Half Marathon.

Goldfish races at the housewarming party we were at the night before.

The goldfish track.

Karen and Me looking normal and not in workout or running clothes.

All class...

Check out that Prairie sky!!!!

Queen City Half Marathon Run Report

I have some great pics to add but just have not had time to put them up. I love this race...I love this course!! A few months ago, the half marathon sold out and I got onto the waiting list...was told I was #100 on the list. Then a couple of weeks ago, got an e-mail that I had a spot if I wanted it...sent in the cheque, and off I went!

I have a super duper great friend who lives in Regina and she kindly put me up for the night. She was also running the half but WAY more focused and tuned in than I was. She had been training and eating really good and was ready to rock her run. She is also running the Chicago AND NYC marathons this fall. I had a cold, could not stop coughing and was not really feelin the running love but wanted to enjoy a nice fall run with 3000 of other like minded individuals.

Got into Regina about 3-ish on Saturday...stopped at Old Navy for the sale...made my way to Karen's house. Freshened up and we went out to a pasta party with all her running mates. They have a very supportive and super cool group called the Jaleta Pacers. Lead by Ted Jaleta who is a very well known running coach in Saskatchewan. What a great group of people!! Was a very fun dinner with running folk. Then we had to drop Karen's daughter off at drama class....and headed to a housewarming party. The party had a Rubix Cube theme...you come wearing pieces of clothing all the colors of the cube...the task is to solve the puzzle...so leave the party by the end of the night dressed all in one color...yeah...you are switching clothing with others throughout the night!!

I wanted to STAY!! SO BAD!! I was in that kind of a mood...

But miss-focus Karen, dragged me home at a pretty decent hour. Thank-god as it was one of those parties where I would not have made it home by daylight...but would have had some pretty awesome stories to tell...

Anyway, morning of the race, Karen was up and at it making us breakies...oatmeal and eggs. I learned that the poop fairy really likes a shot of espresso from Karen's fancy machine first thing in the a.m. I am really proud of the focus she has put into her running this year. And she nailed her run coming in under 2 hours, which was her goal.

Me on the other hand....started soooooo slow....like pedestrian pace...I did not feel all that hot, a bit feverish and just that foggy, head of a cold. My nose ran the entire race. We had to walk across a park for the shitters and the grass was wet so my shoes got soaked and I ran a half marathon in wet shoes....b-l-i-s-t-e-r-s...who I have named Trudi and Bob because they were throbbing so bad I was sure they were alive with their own heartbeats.

Checked my watch a few times during the run and surprisingly was running quite good and felt good. Choked down a cough until about the 15km mark when I could do it no longer...had to stop completely, and take several minutes hacking away off the course. Crappy!! Started running again but the last 5km was a walk...cough...run some...cough...cough...cough...run...walk. Annoying. BUT came in in 2:01 which I am oddly super happy with. Had to sit in one of the chairs at the finish line for many, many minutes hacking away and my chest felt like it was seizing up...almost yaked a few times. A medical guy walked by me a few times asking if I was alright and i just kept giving him the "okay" symbol with my hand because I could not talk!! Once my lungs settled down, I felt pretty good. All in all was a super fun trip with a great friend and it was good to catch up in person.

Some funny pictures to follow...

updates

Psych!!

There are no real updates.

I have been sick, my kid has been sick, we have had a rough week. He has not slept through the night since last Friday and that means mamma has not slept either. I was home from work with him for part of yesterday....we both crashed for about 3 hours...

This means training has come to a standstill. I am entered in the Regina Half Marathon NEXT Sunday...yikes...come on legs!!! Give me a half marathon in 10 days!! I did a long, exhausted, almost puked my guts on the city trails run last Saturday. Then a hard interval run one morning this week...I actually don't even remember which day it was...my brain has been so foggy.

A very good friend lives in Regina and I am staying with her (I hope, I haven't actually asked...but that's the kind of friend she is...I could just show up...) and there could be some laughs and maybe a later night than wanted before a half marathon...she is running it too so it may be a 2 hour visit on the run course...we will see how it all works out!

In other news...kids are registered for their activities...lo and behold, they are NOT priceless. They are very expensive when it comes to activities. Hockey, skating, taekwondo, football, soccer...and then there are OUR activities as well. Heard a great quote a few weeks ago:

"I would rather pay FEES now rather than FINES in a few years..." So I just close my eyes and write the cheques...

The problem I have is that my 7 year old really does not want to play hockey. His father (my hubby) really wants him to play hockey. I? Could care less, but I think a team sport is important to be part of. We have a battle going on in our household right now. I am torn between....he is 7 and does he really know what he wants?? And he really has put his foot down on this and I am finding it curious that a kid that never really says much about anything has such a strong opinion about hockey!! We have registered him BUT have all of the dates written down as to when we can pull the plug to get our money back.

Check back later as this could get interesting.

He loves it when he is there and says how much fun he has after the sessions, but to get him there is a battle. In fact, one day a few weeks ago, I was on my own as Shaun was playing ball and he had a meltdown right there in the dressing room.

So we packed up and left.

However...when I looked in the rearview mirror, on the way home...the little shit was smirking as he had just played me.

And I don't like getting played.

Are there any child psychologists reading this?? Opinions??

Now the deal is that he has to try it out until Christmas. He will be on a team with lots of kids from his school again and maybe he will find his groove again. As he sure did love it just 6 months ago!! And if he doesn't find his groove, well, no more hockey!!

Which wouldn't hurt my feelings much at all...