Patience; the new endurance sport.

I had 7 kids between the ages of 10-14 who wanted to run this morning. It started with my daughter and/or son running with Marsha and I.  Then Marsha's daughter (who is my daughter's team mate). Then Marsha's daughter's neighbor's daughter (who is also a soccer team mate). The the neighbor boys who play basketball with my son every afternoon.   Today they all showed up, on time and ready to run. So off we went.  Since we had enough runners, and all seem to run about the same speed as me (9-9:40's) we did ladders (run in a line, and the last runner has to sprint to the front).  We ran that way for 2 miles.  They all went 4 with me, and I ran one extra.  It was really fun to have all those kids with me running their hearts out.  We got a lot of thumbs up and smiles from passers by along the way. 

Just my regular a.m run down by the lake with the dogs.  I ran a few quick intervals (1/16ths), inspired by running ladders yesterday.  I didn't push my pace too much, but it felt good to try and go a little faster.  Although I'm still so tired when I run, and by the time I go to bed at the end of each night, I am delirious.  My poor kids try to talk to me while we all lay in bed and I'm usually a gonner within seconds. 

av 9:40 I have so much to do to get my kids ready to fly tomorrow.  I ran pretty well today, felt strong and enjoyed the cool morning.  

I could not bring myself to run yesterday. I wanted to run my regular 6 route this morning, but I have to save up for tomorrow's big run.  Also, I'm bushed.  I spent most of Wednesday until 1:30 a.m. packing and repacking my kids suitcases and wrapping gifts for my in laws.  It is such a long flight to Chile, I'm having nightmares about the plane disintigrating mid air like that flight last year from Brazil to Paris.  I've had nightmares about police and terrorist for two nights.  I hate being separated from my children, even if I know they are going to their grandparents house.  

My kids are safely at their abuelitos house in Chile.  I am not enjoying my time alone as much as I'd imagined.  I sat on my front porch as I usually do on summer evenings and found the lack of 8-10 children shooting hoops, sidewalk drawing, or climbing the trees , rather sad.  Even the cat and dogs kept looking at me for guidence about how they should spend their energy.  They all sat at my feet as I rocked in the rocking chair looking at the mountain.  All of us wondering what it is we're normally doing this time of night.  Got up this morning at 5:30 to run with Cath. We'd planned 16, but she had to be somewhere by 9:00 and so had to be home by 8:30.  I did the best I could, and kept a good 9 m/m pace for about 7 miles, but then just pooped out and ran really slowly the rest of the way.  We only ran 14 together, and then I came home, ran one more mile with the dogs and took the most luxurious dive in the river.  Me and the dogs floated around in that early morning chilly water, relishing the deep clear liquid shining in the sunlight, and surrounding our bodies with icy pleasure.  So it was icing in the river, only funner, and with dogs.  It was kind of fun to just loiter around in the river, walk home, do sit ups & push ups and then enjoy my totally clean and silent house for an hour.  Soon enough I'll be jetting to Chile myself.  Until then, what to do with all this extra time???