October 31, 2013
October picture highlights
Jason's sister Karen came to visit for Rachel's third birthday, and although she already posted her own blog and pictures, we will too! We are so lucky Karen came to visit and play with us, meet Ava, and celebrate Rachel's 3rd birthday. Thanks Aunt Karen!
Rachel seems so grown up now, and so smart. If you can keep her focused on a task, she will do it very well. She is better than I am at the game of memory... if she is willing to sit still and pay attention. In soccer and in gymnastics, we are working really hard to stand still in line and listen to the coaches' instructions. (Most of the time, though, Rachel is running around like crazy doing her own thing.)
 |
| Recently playing a lot of marble works, thanks to Aunt Cynthia |
Karen came with us to our first gymnastics class and to the pool. She helped us make cupcakes, helped us host family for a dinner, and then joined Rachel at her birthday party. We got a pumpkin and then played with friends and had food.
 |
| Kelsey, Lily, Rachel and Bodhi play behind our house |
 |
| Cousins Jeannie and Lily help Rachel hold Ava |
Rachel is often lost in her own creative play and on her own agenda. She has been healthy and weighs 29.6 pounds and is 36.5" tall, making her 25th percentile for height and weight. You may remember at 12 months old we got quite scared because she wasn't gaining weight, despite a healthy appetite. She still seems much smaller than many of her peers, but we're glad she is healthy and growing appropriately. She is going to preschool Tues and Thurs full days and is comfortable and happy with this routine. We go to the library every week and usually have another outing like the children's museum or the zoo.
At the library this past week, I wanted to find another book by an author we really like. Rachel shocked me with her ability to remember things, since it has been weeks since we have read the Panda Palace and have only taken it out from the library once before:
Me: "Rachel, I wish I could remember who writes The Panda Palace."
Rachel: "Stephanie Calmenson, Mommy. Why?"
Me: "Good memory! Wow! I want to look for another book by her. Let's go to the 'C' section."
Rachel: "Why?"
Me: "Because Calmenson starts with 'C'"
Rachel: "Why?"
Me: .... stumped ... again....unable to answer all the 'why' questions over and over.
Anyway, bedtimes have been way better with Rachel. Possibly because she is taking a shorter nap but possibly because of her sticker chart and her motivation to watch movies. She has certainly had a lot more screen time since Ava was born, and loves watching movies. We try our best to limit screen time and to make it a reward for things like great bedtimes. Since Rachel is back to sleeping at 7:30pm, she seems to be waking up early again. Jason spends many of his mornings from 5:30-6:45am convincing Rachel to go back to bed or to play in her room quietly until Momo's (the clock) eyes open. But motivate her with some movie time if she goes to bed well and stays in her room until Momo's eyes open... and she will often succeed.
Jason finally recovered from his own 100km race and spent many hours in October coaching cross country. His girls team and one boy went to States last weekend and did well. Now cross country is less demanding until the last meet just before Thanksgiving in Arizona. School is in full swing and Jason is involved in a million things with school and is working long hours.
Ava is in a nice routine at home and doing well... except she won't take a bottle. She will take a few sips and then reject it. We've tried many different nipples, positions, temperatures, times of day, times of the feed... but nothing seems to work yet. Everyone keeps telling me not to worry because she will take it if she gets hungry enough... but so far I'm not sure. She had her first morning at school this past week to see if she would take some without me around... and she took 3-4 oz. in the 4+ hours she was there. It's a start - but she's going to need to get better at it if I'm going to be able to leave her for more than 3.5 hours of work. Ava's routine hasn't changed much since the last post - 3 to 4 naps per day, sleeping 12 hours at night with 1-2 wake ups for milk. She is rolling over well from back to tummy and likes to sit and stand more, but can't really hang out in the Bumbo chair for very long yet. She is full of gurgles, 'ah-goo' sounds, and blowing raspberries.
I have been focused on my work options. I have been contacting clinics, meeting with clinic owners, and looking at business ideas. I have made a decision and accepted an offer and will post more about this in another blog shortly. I plan to return to work as early as mid December, providing we can figure out Ava's schedule and bottle at daycare.
I have been swimming 2 times per week and running 3 times per week, and not much else. The odd bit of strength work and the odd hike or bike. My swims and runs have been really tiring me out, and I have to keep reminding myself to take things slow. It seems like it's taking so long to get fit again! I ran 7.2 miles slowly this morning while pushing Ava, which I think is the longest run I have done in over 2 years. I still have a lot of running to do before my half marathon on Dec 7th - it will be 13 miles and it needs to be faster than what I'm currently running. I have a friend that is willing to run my long weekend runs with me, and I really hope we can keep it going because it's my favorite time of my week.
 |
| View out our master bedroom... the mountains are white and ski season is here! |
 |
| Rachel helps stain our fence |
I'm still trying to figure out the best way to post videos and photos, since we each have a phone and then we have our real camera and each of those three devices requires its own system... but I'll post what I have and hope you can enjoy it!
Videos:
October 24, 2013
2003 to 2013 ... Can't believe it's been 10 years
I was at the library the other day with my girls and noticed something when I looked around at all the other parents... they all seemed kind of old. You know, at least in their mid-thirties or older. And then I realized something horrible - I look like that too! The gray hairs are creeping in, I'm going to be 35 next year, and I'm no spring chicken. Now, I don't believe age has much to do with anything - I've seen an 80 year old complete a marathon and I've treated 40 year olds that were weaker and in worse shape than a 94 year old patient I've had.
But the craziest thing about it being 2013 is that it's been 10 years since 2003. Crazy, right? Let me back you up to my 2003 and explain why that year was such a memorable one for me.
Jan 1, 2003 - wake up on Fraser Island, Australia, where I was traveling with two great friends, and enjoying the life of typical backpackers.
Live in Australia and train 3-4 times per day on and off the field hockey pitch until March.
April 2003 - Trip to Cuba. Although I remember Cuba being filled with poverty, filth, injuries, illnesses, and theft... I was with some amazing people. Aoibhinn, KT, Kristal, Steph J, Leslie, Julia, Forbes, Fausty, Sheena, Tinger, Buker, Deb Cuthbert, Dana, Rushton, Jenny J, Dr T. As a player and a person, I had loads of confidence and fantastic friends beside me.
May 2003 - Trip to New Zealand. What's not to love about playing hockey with friends in New Zealand? Then a fun group of us went to a fantastic tournament called Cal Cup, and we had a blast.
June 2003 - won nationals in Edmonton playing for a BC side and felt like a rock star.
July 2003 - hosted a 4 nations tournament in Vancouver against Chile, Wales and Scotland in front of friends and family. I was living in some 2 month sublet, basically out of a backpack, with very little money and very little responsibility. Field hockey and friends related to field hockey meant everything to me.
August 2003 - Pan American Games in Santo Domingo. This tournament served as a qualification for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and we choked. I was devastated. My folks were there. The guys also failed to qualify on the men's side. It was hugely disappointing. But being a part of a major games was still exciting. Maybe not as amazing as my first major games (Commonwealth in 2002), but still exciting. And I didn't know it at the time, but this would be my last major games.
We spent the fall of 2004 trying to rebuild our team and putting our sights toward the next World Cup. We lost many athletes and our coach, and a new phase started. I spent the fall working as a special needs para-educator in elementary schools and having fun with the team and friends in Vancouver. I was trying to decide if being a physical therapist was what I really wanted to do and how I would make that work with my first passion of being a field hockey player.
Now, 10 years later, things are quite different. I'm married to an amazing guy I didn't know anything about then. We have two fun daughters and live in Colorado in a real house. We have stuff accumulated and are reasonably settled. There is no field hockey here. I miss it and all those people that I knew then. I see a handful of my old hockey friends every time I go home. I am a physical therapist. I'm trying to balance out my role as a mother with my role as a therapist. I'm trying to get back into some level of shape after having Ava this past summer, but running a 5km under 30 min would be a challenge, and I'm embarrassed about that. My daily excitement is laughing about something Rachel said, giggling with Ava, and trying to get out to exercise. There's way less time for friends. I'm not a part of a team in any way. I dream of traveling and I hope to live out of a backpack again. I think of those people that I knew that year so often, and wish I could see them more.
It makes me feel old. Looking through my hockey albums makes me sad. I wish I had more caps and had been to more major games. I wish I could coach on the island and give back to all those people that taught me so much. On paper, I really didn't do that much as a player on the junior or senior Canadian team or for my Vikes (college team). But I loved it all. I wish I could still play the sport I gave so much of myself to.
Next weekend, the Vikes will have a huge reunion weekend at the CIS championships. Buzz, my college coach, will celebrate her 30th year and there will be a huge to-do for her and her program. I wish I could go. Buzz, her program, and my Vikes teammates were so huge for me in life. I feel so distant from all this now.
Thankfully, when I look at my girls, I smile. They fill that void in some other way, because they make my heart smile inside.
But the craziest thing about it being 2013 is that it's been 10 years since 2003. Crazy, right? Let me back you up to my 2003 and explain why that year was such a memorable one for me.
Jan 1, 2003 - wake up on Fraser Island, Australia, where I was traveling with two great friends, and enjoying the life of typical backpackers.
Live in Australia and train 3-4 times per day on and off the field hockey pitch until March.
April 2003 - Trip to Cuba. Although I remember Cuba being filled with poverty, filth, injuries, illnesses, and theft... I was with some amazing people. Aoibhinn, KT, Kristal, Steph J, Leslie, Julia, Forbes, Fausty, Sheena, Tinger, Buker, Deb Cuthbert, Dana, Rushton, Jenny J, Dr T. As a player and a person, I had loads of confidence and fantastic friends beside me.
May 2003 - Trip to New Zealand. What's not to love about playing hockey with friends in New Zealand? Then a fun group of us went to a fantastic tournament called Cal Cup, and we had a blast.
June 2003 - won nationals in Edmonton playing for a BC side and felt like a rock star.
July 2003 - hosted a 4 nations tournament in Vancouver against Chile, Wales and Scotland in front of friends and family. I was living in some 2 month sublet, basically out of a backpack, with very little money and very little responsibility. Field hockey and friends related to field hockey meant everything to me.
August 2003 - Pan American Games in Santo Domingo. This tournament served as a qualification for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and we choked. I was devastated. My folks were there. The guys also failed to qualify on the men's side. It was hugely disappointing. But being a part of a major games was still exciting. Maybe not as amazing as my first major games (Commonwealth in 2002), but still exciting. And I didn't know it at the time, but this would be my last major games.
We spent the fall of 2004 trying to rebuild our team and putting our sights toward the next World Cup. We lost many athletes and our coach, and a new phase started. I spent the fall working as a special needs para-educator in elementary schools and having fun with the team and friends in Vancouver. I was trying to decide if being a physical therapist was what I really wanted to do and how I would make that work with my first passion of being a field hockey player.
Now, 10 years later, things are quite different. I'm married to an amazing guy I didn't know anything about then. We have two fun daughters and live in Colorado in a real house. We have stuff accumulated and are reasonably settled. There is no field hockey here. I miss it and all those people that I knew then. I see a handful of my old hockey friends every time I go home. I am a physical therapist. I'm trying to balance out my role as a mother with my role as a therapist. I'm trying to get back into some level of shape after having Ava this past summer, but running a 5km under 30 min would be a challenge, and I'm embarrassed about that. My daily excitement is laughing about something Rachel said, giggling with Ava, and trying to get out to exercise. There's way less time for friends. I'm not a part of a team in any way. I dream of traveling and I hope to live out of a backpack again. I think of those people that I knew that year so often, and wish I could see them more.
It makes me feel old. Looking through my hockey albums makes me sad. I wish I had more caps and had been to more major games. I wish I could coach on the island and give back to all those people that taught me so much. On paper, I really didn't do that much as a player on the junior or senior Canadian team or for my Vikes (college team). But I loved it all. I wish I could still play the sport I gave so much of myself to.
Next weekend, the Vikes will have a huge reunion weekend at the CIS championships. Buzz, my college coach, will celebrate her 30th year and there will be a huge to-do for her and her program. I wish I could go. Buzz, her program, and my Vikes teammates were so huge for me in life. I feel so distant from all this now.
Thankfully, when I look at my girls, I smile. They fill that void in some other way, because they make my heart smile inside.
October 8, 2013
We're gonna miss this....
Before I had Ava, I wrote a list of many concerns about having two kids. I think now I can address many of these concerns and wish I could have told my June-self not to worry.
While I was pregnant, I pleaded with the baby to be healthy and 'please be a great sleeper!'. I think it worked relatively well. Ava sleeps now for 11 hours at night and gets up once, sometimes twice, to nurse. She only needs to nurse for about 10 minutes most of the time, and she never cries and cries at night for no reason. All the worries I had about Ava waking Rachel up and Jason and I killing each other when we were grumpy and sleep-deprived never came to anything... at least not yet!
We have been so blessed through this journey so far and have so much to be thankful for:
1) Ava is healthy and is a very easy baby.
2) Jason had the summer off to be with us as a family.
3) Rachel has been sleeping quite well and regularly sleeps past 6am now. Jason usually gets up with her and lets me sleep until he needs to get ready to go or until Ava gets up. This gives me the energy I need to deal with Rachel during the day.
4) Rachel goes to preschool Tues and Thurs for the day, which gives me a chance to catch up and have a break from her. It allows her opportunities to socialize and do art projects and songs we don't do at home.
5) Rachel has become much more independent throughout this process, and is a great help to me with Ava most of the time. She has been less needy and less jealous than I expected.
6) Rachel and Ava seem to have some understanding of each other in ways that are wonderful. For example, Ava can scream and cry in the car and Rachel can stay asleep through it in her own car seat. Rachel seems to ignore me if she sees me snuggling with Ava in the middle of the night, and doesn't complain.
7) Rachel is learning to be quiet when Ava needs to sleep. It's a challenge, but Rachel is doing better with this than I thought. And Ava actually naps quite well during the day in her own crib, despite noise around her at times.
8) My phone. I know it's ridiculous, but having an iphone has made life way easier on me this time around. I can check email and surf the net if I need to keep myself awake or entertained while I nurse Ava. A phone is small enough to hold and operate with one hand, and also has games on it. I will admit I have played way too many games on my phone in the last three months.
9) Jason's job. Back in the Spring we weren't sure what Jason's teaching scenario would be for this year. We are so lucky to have him working enough so that I can stay home. It's not a good financial time for us, but we are able to have me home without pay for a handful of months to allow a great start for Ava.
Things that are challenging for us now include:
- Ava won't take a bottle. We're pulling our hair out on this one. It feels like it's trapping me from being able to organize going back to work, daycare, finances, exercise, any hope of a date, etc. We will continue to try and have plenty of suggestions from friends... so please cross your fingers on this one for us!
- Money. I feel pretty guilty being at home not earning any money these days. We won't be able to do it for much longer. We're really trying to trim our spending, which means less travel and less ambitious adventures and outings. It's not as fun.
- Jason is working long hours. He's often gone from 7am until 6pm. He'll continue coaching daily until Oct 26, and then cross country coaching will slow down.
- It's a balance to work out living with one car. We really like the idea of being a one car family... but a second car seems like a great luxury that would make our lives much easier if we had it.
- As always, we wish we had close friends or family near by to help us with the odd night to go out or have fun or run errands together.
There are often times when this time of our life seems all consuming. Our lives are almost all about our girls. We don't go out much. Jason and I don't spend much time together as a couple. We aren't very social. We're not saving up any money. We're not climbing any corporate ladders. We look forward to a time in the future when our girls can be less dependent on us and we can adventure, travel, relax, and laugh more together again - as a couple or as a family. BUT... right now we have the joy of enjoying Ava's soft skin and her adorable smile. Every day we get to hear Rachel make us laugh with a creative story or something hilarious that comes out of our mouth. Our girls are the most precious things in our life. They are so rewarding and so amazing.
There's a country song by Trace Adkins called "You're Gonna Miss This" ... if you haven't listened to it, I really recommend you do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIBediEAcUQ
While I was pregnant, I pleaded with the baby to be healthy and 'please be a great sleeper!'. I think it worked relatively well. Ava sleeps now for 11 hours at night and gets up once, sometimes twice, to nurse. She only needs to nurse for about 10 minutes most of the time, and she never cries and cries at night for no reason. All the worries I had about Ava waking Rachel up and Jason and I killing each other when we were grumpy and sleep-deprived never came to anything... at least not yet!
We have been so blessed through this journey so far and have so much to be thankful for:
1) Ava is healthy and is a very easy baby.
2) Jason had the summer off to be with us as a family.
3) Rachel has been sleeping quite well and regularly sleeps past 6am now. Jason usually gets up with her and lets me sleep until he needs to get ready to go or until Ava gets up. This gives me the energy I need to deal with Rachel during the day.
4) Rachel goes to preschool Tues and Thurs for the day, which gives me a chance to catch up and have a break from her. It allows her opportunities to socialize and do art projects and songs we don't do at home.
5) Rachel has become much more independent throughout this process, and is a great help to me with Ava most of the time. She has been less needy and less jealous than I expected.
6) Rachel and Ava seem to have some understanding of each other in ways that are wonderful. For example, Ava can scream and cry in the car and Rachel can stay asleep through it in her own car seat. Rachel seems to ignore me if she sees me snuggling with Ava in the middle of the night, and doesn't complain.
7) Rachel is learning to be quiet when Ava needs to sleep. It's a challenge, but Rachel is doing better with this than I thought. And Ava actually naps quite well during the day in her own crib, despite noise around her at times.
8) My phone. I know it's ridiculous, but having an iphone has made life way easier on me this time around. I can check email and surf the net if I need to keep myself awake or entertained while I nurse Ava. A phone is small enough to hold and operate with one hand, and also has games on it. I will admit I have played way too many games on my phone in the last three months.
9) Jason's job. Back in the Spring we weren't sure what Jason's teaching scenario would be for this year. We are so lucky to have him working enough so that I can stay home. It's not a good financial time for us, but we are able to have me home without pay for a handful of months to allow a great start for Ava.
Things that are challenging for us now include:
- Ava won't take a bottle. We're pulling our hair out on this one. It feels like it's trapping me from being able to organize going back to work, daycare, finances, exercise, any hope of a date, etc. We will continue to try and have plenty of suggestions from friends... so please cross your fingers on this one for us!
- Money. I feel pretty guilty being at home not earning any money these days. We won't be able to do it for much longer. We're really trying to trim our spending, which means less travel and less ambitious adventures and outings. It's not as fun.
- Jason is working long hours. He's often gone from 7am until 6pm. He'll continue coaching daily until Oct 26, and then cross country coaching will slow down.
- It's a balance to work out living with one car. We really like the idea of being a one car family... but a second car seems like a great luxury that would make our lives much easier if we had it.
- As always, we wish we had close friends or family near by to help us with the odd night to go out or have fun or run errands together.
There are often times when this time of our life seems all consuming. Our lives are almost all about our girls. We don't go out much. Jason and I don't spend much time together as a couple. We aren't very social. We're not saving up any money. We're not climbing any corporate ladders. We look forward to a time in the future when our girls can be less dependent on us and we can adventure, travel, relax, and laugh more together again - as a couple or as a family. BUT... right now we have the joy of enjoying Ava's soft skin and her adorable smile. Every day we get to hear Rachel make us laugh with a creative story or something hilarious that comes out of our mouth. Our girls are the most precious things in our life. They are so rewarding and so amazing.
There's a country song by Trace Adkins called "You're Gonna Miss This" ... if you haven't listened to it, I really recommend you do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIBediEAcUQ
October 3, 2013
"I'm never doing that again!" Part Two (MOAB)
Sunday after Jason's race we packed up, said goodbye, and drove to Moab. I almost did not go because I felt so fatigued from all that has been going on. The idea of having the two girls by myself for 3 more nights/4 more days and driving quite a bit was not inviting. But good friends of mine were getting married, on a Tuesday, and Jason had to work. Since I did not have to work, I took the rare opportunity to go.
Driving there was good and we stayed in a lovely condo Sunday night with Julie's extended family. We made dinner after a busy grocery store trip and ate well. Rachel, Ava and I were all asleep by 8:30pm!
Monday we went to the pool and Ava slept poolside while I played with Rachel. Then I packed up and drove into Arches National Park. I had never been before, and was blessed to enjoy the scenery as I drove around and the girls napped. I decided that I had to try a hike, and picked a 1.7 mile hike in to Landscape Arch. I put Rachel in the ergo carrier on my back and Ava in the bjorn on my front. I wanted to know if this was a possible set up entirely on my own. If I had another helper to get me started, or a large pack for Rachel and the ergo for Ava, it would have been pretty easy. But it was more comfortable than I expected, and I didn't have any troubles on the hike. Everyone that passed me had some comment about carrying two kids. I didn't have any means to carry extra stuff so had a water bottle in my hand and a phone in my pocket to take pictures. Rachel hiked all the way back by herself without any issues, although she was slow because she wanted to jump off of every rock and point out every cactus and say hi to everyone on the trail.
That evening we moved into a different condo in the same complex with friends. They have a 2.5 year old girl named Ella and a 2 month old boy named Everett. Everyone was very tired and bedtime was epic for all, so we just crashed that night.
Tuesday was the day of the wedding. We left for the ceremony shortly after 11am and started our hike in to Corona Arch at 12noon or so. I knew the hike in was 1.5 miles, but didn't realize it was a technical and somewhat steep 1.5 miles. When I had asked the bride about the possibility of taking a stroller on any portion of the hike she said she wasn't sure, so I took this possibility to mean that the hike had some flat parts. Which was incorrect. I had the same set up as the day before but also had a backpack with diapers, clothes, extra food, water, wipes, phone, etc. It was about 80 degrees and gorgeous. My phone died right away so I don't have many pictures, and hope I can snag some from friends.
Thankfully friends helped carry my backpack and held Rachel's hand while she hiked the last portion. We arrived at the site of the ceremony - beautiful - and waited. It was more crowded than expected because all the national parks were closed due to the federal government shut down, so many tourists picked this hike to explore instead. The groom was on top of the arch setting up ropes for a rappel to occur after the ceremony, and the set up took quite a bit longer than expected. Rachel played while friends helped keep her safe. I cared for Ava, who was pretty fussy as we got closer to the ceremony. Not for the first time in my life, I nursed Ava during the whole ceremony. There were only about 10 guests watching, but it was stunning and wonderful. I was glad to be there.
Two other women (Julie's great friends who had been told to help me with my kids!) hiked down with me and carried a tired Rachel down. If it wasn't for them, I would not have known what to do. I got the kids back to the condo and had a short play in the pool again before dinner. Rachel was crazy hyper and zooming around too much for me to take her out, so I didn't go to the casual dinner part of the wedding. We slept well that night.
Wed I left by 8:30am to drive home. 6 hours worth of driving, and all seemed like it was going well... until we hit construction at Iadho Springs. It took so long to get through that part that I didn't make it home until 6:15pm, and we were all tired and hungry. It was a pretty terrible afternoon/evening and I was exhausted.
I am pretty fatigued and tired of traveling with the two girls by myself. I'm never doing that again.
Driving there was good and we stayed in a lovely condo Sunday night with Julie's extended family. We made dinner after a busy grocery store trip and ate well. Rachel, Ava and I were all asleep by 8:30pm!
That evening we moved into a different condo in the same complex with friends. They have a 2.5 year old girl named Ella and a 2 month old boy named Everett. Everyone was very tired and bedtime was epic for all, so we just crashed that night.
 |
| Ava, discovering hand, with Everett and Rachel |
Tuesday was the day of the wedding. We left for the ceremony shortly after 11am and started our hike in to Corona Arch at 12noon or so. I knew the hike in was 1.5 miles, but didn't realize it was a technical and somewhat steep 1.5 miles. When I had asked the bride about the possibility of taking a stroller on any portion of the hike she said she wasn't sure, so I took this possibility to mean that the hike had some flat parts. Which was incorrect. I had the same set up as the day before but also had a backpack with diapers, clothes, extra food, water, wipes, phone, etc. It was about 80 degrees and gorgeous. My phone died right away so I don't have many pictures, and hope I can snag some from friends.
 |
| Julie's Dad and friend help carry my stuff as we hike up into wedding area |
Thankfully friends helped carry my backpack and held Rachel's hand while she hiked the last portion. We arrived at the site of the ceremony - beautiful - and waited. It was more crowded than expected because all the national parks were closed due to the federal government shut down, so many tourists picked this hike to explore instead. The groom was on top of the arch setting up ropes for a rappel to occur after the ceremony, and the set up took quite a bit longer than expected. Rachel played while friends helped keep her safe. I cared for Ava, who was pretty fussy as we got closer to the ceremony. Not for the first time in my life, I nursed Ava during the whole ceremony. There were only about 10 guests watching, but it was stunning and wonderful. I was glad to be there.
Two other women (Julie's great friends who had been told to help me with my kids!) hiked down with me and carried a tired Rachel down. If it wasn't for them, I would not have known what to do. I got the kids back to the condo and had a short play in the pool again before dinner. Rachel was crazy hyper and zooming around too much for me to take her out, so I didn't go to the casual dinner part of the wedding. We slept well that night.
Wed I left by 8:30am to drive home. 6 hours worth of driving, and all seemed like it was going well... until we hit construction at Iadho Springs. It took so long to get through that part that I didn't make it home until 6:15pm, and we were all tired and hungry. It was a pretty terrible afternoon/evening and I was exhausted.
I am pretty fatigued and tired of traveling with the two girls by myself. I'm never doing that again.
Preschool Update
Although I missed it because I was stuck in traffic, Jason attended our first parent-teacher conference last night. He had his own parent-teacher conferences to work around in order to go, but he made it.
We learned a few things about Rachel during this process. She has been part of an evaluation process at school over the last few weeks, and has done well on all the elements. The evaluation options for temperament are 'flexible', 'fearful', and 'fiesty'. She falls into the 'fiesty' category of behavior type, which have descriptor words such as "...active, intense, distractible, sensitive, irregular, moody". Jason and the teacher had a discussion about ways to best deal with children with this type of temperament.
A few of our questions for the school were answered, and have helped us change our thinking on some things:
THUMB SUCKING - although the dentist may not like it, the school sees it as a great way for Rachel to regulate her own level of arousal. The school recommends that we don't worry about it and don't try to stop it or control it because it's probably helping Rachel cope very appropriately. To us as parents, we are a bit relieved to hear this, because we were feeling a lot of pressure from people around us to somehow stop this habit.
NUNU - the school also has no problem whatsoever with Rachel wanting to be attached to her white blanket bear, Nunu.
DROP OFF - I (Meggan) still have a really hard time dropping Rachel off because Rachel attaches herself to some part of me and then I don't know how to escape. I was encouraged to continue to be matter of fact and firm and leave quickly, and not be nice or nurturing or show any guilt about it.
NAP - We have been experimenting with shorter naps or no naps in order to make bedtime easier. Preschool will support a shorter nap but does not want to eliminate nap at school because Rachel is still very tired after lunch and sleeps well.
HYPERACTIVITY / DISTRACTIBILITY - The school sees Rachel as behaving pretty typically for her age, and has no concerns with these behaviors at this time.
Rachel has been a delight lately, and has been a real help as a big sister and a good traveler. We are looking forward to a terrific October without many travels and a 3rd birthday to celebrate soon!
We learned a few things about Rachel during this process. She has been part of an evaluation process at school over the last few weeks, and has done well on all the elements. The evaluation options for temperament are 'flexible', 'fearful', and 'fiesty'. She falls into the 'fiesty' category of behavior type, which have descriptor words such as "...active, intense, distractible, sensitive, irregular, moody". Jason and the teacher had a discussion about ways to best deal with children with this type of temperament.
A few of our questions for the school were answered, and have helped us change our thinking on some things:
THUMB SUCKING - although the dentist may not like it, the school sees it as a great way for Rachel to regulate her own level of arousal. The school recommends that we don't worry about it and don't try to stop it or control it because it's probably helping Rachel cope very appropriately. To us as parents, we are a bit relieved to hear this, because we were feeling a lot of pressure from people around us to somehow stop this habit.
NUNU - the school also has no problem whatsoever with Rachel wanting to be attached to her white blanket bear, Nunu.
DROP OFF - I (Meggan) still have a really hard time dropping Rachel off because Rachel attaches herself to some part of me and then I don't know how to escape. I was encouraged to continue to be matter of fact and firm and leave quickly, and not be nice or nurturing or show any guilt about it.
NAP - We have been experimenting with shorter naps or no naps in order to make bedtime easier. Preschool will support a shorter nap but does not want to eliminate nap at school because Rachel is still very tired after lunch and sleeps well.
HYPERACTIVITY / DISTRACTIBILITY - The school sees Rachel as behaving pretty typically for her age, and has no concerns with these behaviors at this time.
Rachel has been a delight lately, and has been a real help as a big sister and a good traveler. We are looking forward to a terrific October without many travels and a 3rd birthday to celebrate soon!
"I'm never doing that again!" Part One (UROC)
Have you ever finished something, or woken up after a rough night, and declared "I'm never doing that again!"?
After Jason ran the White River 50 miler in 2009, when Rachel was 9 months old, I told Jason I wouldn't crew anymore because crewing with a child was too much work. It's exhausting. Even though Jason's mom was there that year, the emotion and long hours and unknown scheduling of an ultra is a tough thing to spectate. I bounced and nursed and carried Rachel in my arms (sans carrier) while she slept at the bottom of a descent for nearly 3 hours while Jason was supposed to appear any minute. I didn't want to put her down, feed her, change her, or transfer her in case I missed Jason because I was sure he would be the next runner. But he had had a tough climb on the other side of the mountain and a long break at the aid station up top, and I didn't know it, but he was way behind what he thought. He was just fine, and finished well in the end, but it was stressful. At the end of the day, I declared "I'm never doing that again!"
Missing Jason's races and 'watching' from afar is tough, too. Athlete trackers are poor and it's impossible to get information on him from anywhere, so no matter what I would be wondering how it's going and waiting for the end-of-the-race phone call that doesn't always happen right away. Jason once drove nearly 3 hours after running the Stormy 50 miler with his cell phone on the windshield of the car while I was at a wedding. Although he didn't know it, I kept calling him, dying to know if he had finished and was safe. He was pretty out of it at the end of the race and didn't know about the phone there, and didn't think to call and reassure me, so I was sure he was out on the course, lost or injured.
Watching other races since has been more successful. I had a great time watching him at Quad Rock last year and even enjoyed myself at San Juan Solstice last year, despite Jason having a tough day. I think experience and starting to understand more about the ultra community and how races work has made it easier. I have been really excited for Jason to run the 100km UROC and certainly encouraged him to sign up and train.
But last week, when he started going over the course, and saying he would need me to get him this gear at this aid station, and that gear and that aid station, I became anxious. It's tough to depend on two young kids being able to get to a certain spot at a certain time. Sometimes aid stations are not close to roads and parking, so hiking in and out of them with kids and stuff can be unreliable. Thankfully, a friend named Eric agreed to be his official crew and a friend named Kate agreed to pace Jason for the last 10 miles. I only really had to get Jason to the start and see him at the first aid station at mile 5.3, and then Eric could take over if needed.
Thursday I packed and got the car ready. Friday I packed some more and drove up in the sleet. Friday evening we drove Jason to the packet pick up without a lot of extra time. I hadn't really reviewed the notes well and still wasn't sure about the course route or what Jason needed when. Packet pickup was really stressful - just walking the kids across Vail Village in the sleet and having them all bundled up for the first time this year was a challenge. Jason missed part of the race briefing because he was holding Rachel while I took care of a major Ava blowout. Eventually, we got the kids to bed and I was able to review the notes of what I needed to do when. But I was already exhausted, and didn't feel like I had the energy I needed for a big day.
I was very anxious about the next 24 hours - I cannot describe the emotion involved for me in watching Jason do what he loves to do. It's crazy. Completely nuts to want to run for so long. But it's what Jason loves. He had worked really hard all year for this race. I knew he had trained better for this race than any other race he had done since we'd had Rachel. But I wasn't entirely sure how his body would hold up. Would his knees cooperate? Would his nutrition be ok? The longest single run he'd done in preparation was 20 miles, and that's about the best he could do with his training. But what would happen to his body in the remaining 42 miles? Over 4 moutains? At altitude? With new snow and really cold weather? Jason didn't voice any concerns, and neither did I. He seemed confident so I smiled and showed my genuine excitement.
We checked out of the hotel by 6:15am on our way to the start in all our warm clothes. As we were leaving the hotel, though, Rachel ran back into the elevator just as the door closed, and went for an elevator ride by herself. I wasn't sure how to help her, and tried to keep talking to her as she went up a floor and then back down with a hotel staff member. Eventually, we parked in town and then moved at toddler pace toward the start. It was 26 F but promised to be a gorgeous sunny day. There was no snow in town, which was a good thing.
As soon as they left I tried to rush Rachel back into the car. She was tired and cold, but we had to get to that first aid station at 5.3 miles to be able to help Jason after the first climb. He knew he would need to change layers after a big climb and there was no drop bag at that station, so it was our job. I parked illegally so Rachel didn't have to walk too far, and put Ava in a carrier. Rachel and I fought about her wearing her gloves, and she didn't want to hike up and see Daddy. She couldn't stay in the car, I couldn't carry her, and there was no stroller access... so I forced her to walk and tried to motivate her with anything I could think of. When we got there, she said she had to go potty. Since no runners were in sight yet and we had a few minutes, we went into a real bathroom nearby and then came back to see runners going by. Momentarily I panicked, wondering if Jason had come by while we were in the bathroom, but then calmed down and realized the people going by were the elite.
Despite Rachel screaming and crying for many minutes, we managed to get Jason his stuff and get back to the car and the heater. Rachel calmed down and fell asleep in her car seat on the way to Frisco. Thankfully, Eric was in Frisco and we were able to park right beside the course, so I wouldn't need to get out of the car. This let me stay warm, change Ava, and see all the runners while listening to kids music and keeping Rachel happy. Runners coming through looked cold. Jason came through mile 13.7 looking good, smiling, and having Eric's help at the aid station, but kept his warm layers on because it was still chilly.
We got gas and went into Safeway to use the bathroom and get food from the deli. We had lots of time on this part because we wouldn't see Jason again until mile 27. He estimated that he would be there between 12:15-12:45pm. The sun was warming up the valley so we were much more comfortable by the time we arrived in Copper Village to wait. We got there at 11:30am just in time to see the leaders coming through. They were an hour later than expected and saying it was cold and windy up high. I knew Jason would be closer to 1:30pm, so we got comfortable and played outside for a while near the aid station. Eric was there and we made friends with several people nearby. Jason sent me a SPOT (satellite message) from mile 18 and even managed to text us just after 1pm with a progress report, so I was not concerned. All the runners coming through commented on the wind, cold, or slippery snow.
When I saw Jason, though, my heart sank. I was not happy with his gait, and could tell that his right knee was hurting. He still had 35 miles to go, so it seemed way too early to be limping. After he went through I rushed the girls to the car and drove a little way up course to sneak a peek at him again, and continued to notice the little asymmetry as he favored his right side. Not good. My heart started to break as my fear grew that perhaps he would not be able to finish this race, and I willed him along the course. He had a half marathon to run on the paved path up and over Vail Pass. If his knee could make it through the pavement, he would be ok. I checked my phone/email/ultralive obsessively from the top of Vail Pass (while the girls slept in the car), somehow hoping this might make him appear. I called my friend Maggie, whose husband is an elite ultrarunner, and told her how nervous I was. I texted Eric and told him I was concerned about Jason's knee and that we had to push him to finish. I kept Kate posted on his progress because she needed to time her day to meet Jason later as his pacer. Finally I saw Jason and he looked much better, but said he was having a hard time eating. I ran with him a little and then drove ahead to meet him at the aid station.
Mile 33.2 in 8 hours. He had expected to be here between 5:40-7:25 hours. He sat down at the aid station and needed calories and said his knee was sore. He was getting tired of his gels. I taped his knee. Eric fed him some soup. Jason kept going. I knew that it was going to be a long day, and that the 17 hour cut off for earning the sought-after belt buckle was something to keep in mind.
We didn't expect to see Jason for a while, since the next accessible aid station was not until mile 52.5. He had to finish the paved path and the enter the Two Elk Trail at mile 39.8. He was supposed to send me a SPOT at that point. He then had to climb up to the Two Elk Lodge at mile 44 before descending down to Minturn where we would meet him.
We went to our hotel and checked in. We had picked the least expensive hotel we could that was as close to the finish line as possible. Checking in and getting all our bags into the hotel room was a chore. I started my trend for the day of ignoring Ava by ditching her in the room while Rachel and I made several trips out to the car and back for bags. I was so glad to get out of the car and be able to spread our stuff out and stretch. We were all able to change, eat, and Rachel was able to play with toys and blankets. Kate, the pacer, came to the hotel, and introduced herself to me. She found dinner and then we started discussing Jason's timing.
I didn't get a SPOT from Jason at mile 39.8 as expected. (He had tried but it didn't come through.) I wondered if he was really done and wasn't at that point yet... but he was still close to town and should have had cell service so I would have expected a phone call if there was a real issue. We also hadn't received the mile 44 SPOT yet, so I knew he was struggling. But then we wondered if maybe the SPOT batteries had died, and maybe he was doing ok. Kate really didn't want to be late for him at Minturn and Ava really needed to nap, so we decided to get in the car and drive to Minturn. It was getting dark and cold again. Just as we pulled into Minturn with an unhappy and not sleeping Ava, Jason called. Seeing his call scared me, because I didn't expect a phone call from him and thought he must be in trouble. I didn't want to hear the words 'I'm stopping.' But instead I heard wind and a tough connection...
"I'm just outside two elk and I'm cold. I'm going to be a while. I can't keep any food down. But I want to push for that 17 hour belt buckle. You are just going to have to forget about seeing me and put the girls to bed and give Eric all my warm clothes."
It was 7pm. He was cold, throwing up and by himself as it was getting dark and he knew he was going to try and power hike for 5 more hours toward the finish to try and finish under 17 hours. Wow.
After I hung up, I called right back. He did mean two elk lodge, right? He couldn't possibly mean he was just getting on two elk trail.... could he? He didn't answer. I assumed he meant two elk lodge, and I guessed he would be at Minturn by about 8:30pm. I knew he had one small light in his bag at two elk lodge (mile 44) and I was glad. I still didn't like that he was cold, tired, by himself, out of calories, in the dark with a sore knee... I wish he had been able to pick up a pacer at Mile 44 to help him in the dark... but I was proud that he was still going. I dropped Kate off with Eric and went back to the hotel with the girls.
We warmed up at the hotel and got everything ready for bed. Then I packed up all the warm stuff I could and Jason called again. He said he couldn't really run but was power hiking forward and was going to keep going. We got in the car and drove to Minturn (mile 52.5).
Kate and Eric were there. Kate looked cold and anxious. I wasn't entirely sure she knew what she was doing, as she had never paced before and never been a part of an ultra before, and I was nervous that she was going to freeze. But she said she liked running in the dark, and she and Jason had run together in the dark on many Wed nights with their group. (Okay. Another crazy person). Eric was a pro. An elite u;trarunner himself, he was loving life and psyched for any runner that came through the aid station. He knew just what Jason needed to hear and how to help him. At this time, there were not that many people around and things were quiet. Once in a while a light would appear, and we would hope it was Jason, and then we would cheer on whatever runner that appeared. I was in the car with the girls and Kate. Eric ran up the road to try and find Jason.
Jason and Eric appeared and J seemed determined to get out of there and get closer to the finish. It was just before 9pm when he left the aid station, and Kate seemed stoked. Jason was shuffling along and didn't look too bad. He said the tape helped his knee and he was able to eat some bread.
I went back to the hotel, put the girls to bed, and dozed on and off in between facebook updates. I knew Jason wanted me to come to the finish, but I wasn't sure how to coordinate that with the kids, with the cold and layering, and with an unknown time. Plus, I was exhausted and knew that Jason would need taking care of when he did finish. So I wasn't disappointed when he called and he had already finished. I was thrilled that he had done it, and had finished in 16:51, and could still walk and talk.
Kate left and Eric walked Jason back to the hotel. Jason did not feel well (duh) and lay down, feeling nauseous. I eventually got him to have a bath, change, drink some water, and go to sleep. The girls kept sleeping through all that.
Jason got up the next morning and said "We're never doing that again. Next time one of us does a major race, we have to get a family member to come to town to help. It's just too much. We're both exhausted."
I am extremely proud of Jason and this huge accomplishment. It was a tough day and it did not go as he planned. He spent miles 33-52 suffering from 3pm until 8:45pm by himself making it happen with one foot in front of the other.
I want him to race again. We just need a larger crew next time!
After Jason ran the White River 50 miler in 2009, when Rachel was 9 months old, I told Jason I wouldn't crew anymore because crewing with a child was too much work. It's exhausting. Even though Jason's mom was there that year, the emotion and long hours and unknown scheduling of an ultra is a tough thing to spectate. I bounced and nursed and carried Rachel in my arms (sans carrier) while she slept at the bottom of a descent for nearly 3 hours while Jason was supposed to appear any minute. I didn't want to put her down, feed her, change her, or transfer her in case I missed Jason because I was sure he would be the next runner. But he had had a tough climb on the other side of the mountain and a long break at the aid station up top, and I didn't know it, but he was way behind what he thought. He was just fine, and finished well in the end, but it was stressful. At the end of the day, I declared "I'm never doing that again!"
Missing Jason's races and 'watching' from afar is tough, too. Athlete trackers are poor and it's impossible to get information on him from anywhere, so no matter what I would be wondering how it's going and waiting for the end-of-the-race phone call that doesn't always happen right away. Jason once drove nearly 3 hours after running the Stormy 50 miler with his cell phone on the windshield of the car while I was at a wedding. Although he didn't know it, I kept calling him, dying to know if he had finished and was safe. He was pretty out of it at the end of the race and didn't know about the phone there, and didn't think to call and reassure me, so I was sure he was out on the course, lost or injured.
Watching other races since has been more successful. I had a great time watching him at Quad Rock last year and even enjoyed myself at San Juan Solstice last year, despite Jason having a tough day. I think experience and starting to understand more about the ultra community and how races work has made it easier. I have been really excited for Jason to run the 100km UROC and certainly encouraged him to sign up and train.
But last week, when he started going over the course, and saying he would need me to get him this gear at this aid station, and that gear and that aid station, I became anxious. It's tough to depend on two young kids being able to get to a certain spot at a certain time. Sometimes aid stations are not close to roads and parking, so hiking in and out of them with kids and stuff can be unreliable. Thankfully, a friend named Eric agreed to be his official crew and a friend named Kate agreed to pace Jason for the last 10 miles. I only really had to get Jason to the start and see him at the first aid station at mile 5.3, and then Eric could take over if needed.
Thursday I packed and got the car ready. Friday I packed some more and drove up in the sleet. Friday evening we drove Jason to the packet pick up without a lot of extra time. I hadn't really reviewed the notes well and still wasn't sure about the course route or what Jason needed when. Packet pickup was really stressful - just walking the kids across Vail Village in the sleet and having them all bundled up for the first time this year was a challenge. Jason missed part of the race briefing because he was holding Rachel while I took care of a major Ava blowout. Eventually, we got the kids to bed and I was able to review the notes of what I needed to do when. But I was already exhausted, and didn't feel like I had the energy I needed for a big day.
I was very anxious about the next 24 hours - I cannot describe the emotion involved for me in watching Jason do what he loves to do. It's crazy. Completely nuts to want to run for so long. But it's what Jason loves. He had worked really hard all year for this race. I knew he had trained better for this race than any other race he had done since we'd had Rachel. But I wasn't entirely sure how his body would hold up. Would his knees cooperate? Would his nutrition be ok? The longest single run he'd done in preparation was 20 miles, and that's about the best he could do with his training. But what would happen to his body in the remaining 42 miles? Over 4 moutains? At altitude? With new snow and really cold weather? Jason didn't voice any concerns, and neither did I. He seemed confident so I smiled and showed my genuine excitement.
 |
| Walking to the start in downtown Breckenridge |
We checked out of the hotel by 6:15am on our way to the start in all our warm clothes. As we were leaving the hotel, though, Rachel ran back into the elevator just as the door closed, and went for an elevator ride by herself. I wasn't sure how to help her, and tried to keep talking to her as she went up a floor and then back down with a hotel staff member. Eventually, we parked in town and then moved at toddler pace toward the start. It was 26 F but promised to be a gorgeous sunny day. There was no snow in town, which was a good thing.
 |
| Our family at the start |
 |
| Ava all bundled up |
 |
| The best I could get of Jason starting the run on Main St |
As soon as they left I tried to rush Rachel back into the car. She was tired and cold, but we had to get to that first aid station at 5.3 miles to be able to help Jason after the first climb. He knew he would need to change layers after a big climb and there was no drop bag at that station, so it was our job. I parked illegally so Rachel didn't have to walk too far, and put Ava in a carrier. Rachel and I fought about her wearing her gloves, and she didn't want to hike up and see Daddy. She couldn't stay in the car, I couldn't carry her, and there was no stroller access... so I forced her to walk and tried to motivate her with anything I could think of. When we got there, she said she had to go potty. Since no runners were in sight yet and we had a few minutes, we went into a real bathroom nearby and then came back to see runners going by. Momentarily I panicked, wondering if Jason had come by while we were in the bathroom, but then calmed down and realized the people going by were the elite.
 |
| Local celebrity Anton Krupicka |
 |
| Jason into Frisco |
We got gas and went into Safeway to use the bathroom and get food from the deli. We had lots of time on this part because we wouldn't see Jason again until mile 27. He estimated that he would be there between 12:15-12:45pm. The sun was warming up the valley so we were much more comfortable by the time we arrived in Copper Village to wait. We got there at 11:30am just in time to see the leaders coming through. They were an hour later than expected and saying it was cold and windy up high. I knew Jason would be closer to 1:30pm, so we got comfortable and played outside for a while near the aid station. Eric was there and we made friends with several people nearby. Jason sent me a SPOT (satellite message) from mile 18 and even managed to text us just after 1pm with a progress report, so I was not concerned. All the runners coming through commented on the wind, cold, or slippery snow.
 |
| Eric in Spider Man costume, Jason showing tired gait |
 |
| Copper Aid Station |
 |
| Copper Aid Station Mile 27 |
When I saw Jason, though, my heart sank. I was not happy with his gait, and could tell that his right knee was hurting. He still had 35 miles to go, so it seemed way too early to be limping. After he went through I rushed the girls to the car and drove a little way up course to sneak a peek at him again, and continued to notice the little asymmetry as he favored his right side. Not good. My heart started to break as my fear grew that perhaps he would not be able to finish this race, and I willed him along the course. He had a half marathon to run on the paved path up and over Vail Pass. If his knee could make it through the pavement, he would be ok. I checked my phone/email/ultralive obsessively from the top of Vail Pass (while the girls slept in the car), somehow hoping this might make him appear. I called my friend Maggie, whose husband is an elite ultrarunner, and told her how nervous I was. I texted Eric and told him I was concerned about Jason's knee and that we had to push him to finish. I kept Kate posted on his progress because she needed to time her day to meet Jason later as his pacer. Finally I saw Jason and he looked much better, but said he was having a hard time eating. I ran with him a little and then drove ahead to meet him at the aid station.
 |
| Nearing Mile 33 at Black Lake on pavement section |
 |
| Eric jogs Jason into aid station at Vail Pass |
 |
| Rachel says hi to Daddy at Mile 33 (hat is blocking sun) |
Mile 33.2 in 8 hours. He had expected to be here between 5:40-7:25 hours. He sat down at the aid station and needed calories and said his knee was sore. He was getting tired of his gels. I taped his knee. Eric fed him some soup. Jason kept going. I knew that it was going to be a long day, and that the 17 hour cut off for earning the sought-after belt buckle was something to keep in mind.
We didn't expect to see Jason for a while, since the next accessible aid station was not until mile 52.5. He had to finish the paved path and the enter the Two Elk Trail at mile 39.8. He was supposed to send me a SPOT at that point. He then had to climb up to the Two Elk Lodge at mile 44 before descending down to Minturn where we would meet him.
We went to our hotel and checked in. We had picked the least expensive hotel we could that was as close to the finish line as possible. Checking in and getting all our bags into the hotel room was a chore. I started my trend for the day of ignoring Ava by ditching her in the room while Rachel and I made several trips out to the car and back for bags. I was so glad to get out of the car and be able to spread our stuff out and stretch. We were all able to change, eat, and Rachel was able to play with toys and blankets. Kate, the pacer, came to the hotel, and introduced herself to me. She found dinner and then we started discussing Jason's timing.
I didn't get a SPOT from Jason at mile 39.8 as expected. (He had tried but it didn't come through.) I wondered if he was really done and wasn't at that point yet... but he was still close to town and should have had cell service so I would have expected a phone call if there was a real issue. We also hadn't received the mile 44 SPOT yet, so I knew he was struggling. But then we wondered if maybe the SPOT batteries had died, and maybe he was doing ok. Kate really didn't want to be late for him at Minturn and Ava really needed to nap, so we decided to get in the car and drive to Minturn. It was getting dark and cold again. Just as we pulled into Minturn with an unhappy and not sleeping Ava, Jason called. Seeing his call scared me, because I didn't expect a phone call from him and thought he must be in trouble. I didn't want to hear the words 'I'm stopping.' But instead I heard wind and a tough connection...
"I'm just outside two elk and I'm cold. I'm going to be a while. I can't keep any food down. But I want to push for that 17 hour belt buckle. You are just going to have to forget about seeing me and put the girls to bed and give Eric all my warm clothes."
It was 7pm. He was cold, throwing up and by himself as it was getting dark and he knew he was going to try and power hike for 5 more hours toward the finish to try and finish under 17 hours. Wow.
After I hung up, I called right back. He did mean two elk lodge, right? He couldn't possibly mean he was just getting on two elk trail.... could he? He didn't answer. I assumed he meant two elk lodge, and I guessed he would be at Minturn by about 8:30pm. I knew he had one small light in his bag at two elk lodge (mile 44) and I was glad. I still didn't like that he was cold, tired, by himself, out of calories, in the dark with a sore knee... I wish he had been able to pick up a pacer at Mile 44 to help him in the dark... but I was proud that he was still going. I dropped Kate off with Eric and went back to the hotel with the girls.
We warmed up at the hotel and got everything ready for bed. Then I packed up all the warm stuff I could and Jason called again. He said he couldn't really run but was power hiking forward and was going to keep going. We got in the car and drove to Minturn (mile 52.5).
Kate and Eric were there. Kate looked cold and anxious. I wasn't entirely sure she knew what she was doing, as she had never paced before and never been a part of an ultra before, and I was nervous that she was going to freeze. But she said she liked running in the dark, and she and Jason had run together in the dark on many Wed nights with their group. (Okay. Another crazy person). Eric was a pro. An elite u;trarunner himself, he was loving life and psyched for any runner that came through the aid station. He knew just what Jason needed to hear and how to help him. At this time, there were not that many people around and things were quiet. Once in a while a light would appear, and we would hope it was Jason, and then we would cheer on whatever runner that appeared. I was in the car with the girls and Kate. Eric ran up the road to try and find Jason.
Jason and Eric appeared and J seemed determined to get out of there and get closer to the finish. It was just before 9pm when he left the aid station, and Kate seemed stoked. Jason was shuffling along and didn't look too bad. He said the tape helped his knee and he was able to eat some bread.
I went back to the hotel, put the girls to bed, and dozed on and off in between facebook updates. I knew Jason wanted me to come to the finish, but I wasn't sure how to coordinate that with the kids, with the cold and layering, and with an unknown time. Plus, I was exhausted and knew that Jason would need taking care of when he did finish. So I wasn't disappointed when he called and he had already finished. I was thrilled that he had done it, and had finished in 16:51, and could still walk and talk.
 |
| Kate (left) and Jason (right) at finish 11:54pm |
Kate left and Eric walked Jason back to the hotel. Jason did not feel well (duh) and lay down, feeling nauseous. I eventually got him to have a bath, change, drink some water, and go to sleep. The girls kept sleeping through all that.
Jason got up the next morning and said "We're never doing that again. Next time one of us does a major race, we have to get a family member to come to town to help. It's just too much. We're both exhausted."
I am extremely proud of Jason and this huge accomplishment. It was a tough day and it did not go as he planned. He spent miles 33-52 suffering from 3pm until 8:45pm by himself making it happen with one foot in front of the other.
I want him to race again. We just need a larger crew next time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)