Each Day Is a Gift

Didn't sleep much last night.  Short slow solo run this morning.  Mission reunion day!!!

Annie brought over her roasting pan AND a binder of all my mission emails that I sent home.  She printed them out including pictures and put them in a binder as a gift.  She didn't want to give it to me when we first returned home thoughtful of our sad and tender feelings at the time.  But today is the perfect time to give that to us.  I thumbed thru and read some...wow! I've forgotten how busy we were on our mission, how much work we did and the amazing miracles we witnessed each day. 

Then my wonderful sis-in-law brought over the taco meat she had cooked and freezed.  She and grandma helped me take all the food and stuff to the church kitchen and helped me unload and stuffed the refrigerator. 

Brad and Beth Beeston, Sisters Harris, Bretzing, Elders Gardner, MacFarlane, Peterson came to the church at 4 to help me set up and chop, cut.  Sammi brought 2 missionaries (Watt and Guo) from the North Mission to help too.  We had such a fun time with all the help.  The combined ASM and ASSM missions reunion was a success.  We fed over 200 missionaries.  We had taco salad and fresh fruits.  The senior missionaries brought TimTams, cookies and other sweet treats.  The Levines helped us with re-filling the food table and water in the beverage holders.  They said there were close to 250 people when we all stood and sang "Called to Serve".  Larry and I spoke first, then Sister Rhodes (formerly Clegg) and an elder from the North mission, then Sister Howse and Pres. Howse. 

I'm so grateful for the miracle of healing that Larry was able to stand all day, visit with, hug our missionaires.  Each of these missionaires is a miracle to us.  They are amazing!  Larry left at 10pm.  By the time I cleaned up, loaded up the Tahoe, it was 11:30 and there was still a group of missionaires visiting with their mission parents, the Howse.  I was so tired yet not able to fall asleep...too happily exhuasted!!! :)

Got a total of probably 2 hours sleep.  I stayed in bed to chat with my sis-in-law from HK. Then got up to fix hubby a nice breakfast.  We then walked to the church to make sure everything was ok and it was and returned the church and library keys to Sister Miner. 

Conference talks were wonderful and surprisingly I did not fall asleep once.  Steven and Jia-Fen came over and watched the afternoon session with us.  We then met Jeff and Jen and the grandkids for dinner at China Isle in AF.  While the men attended to or watched Priesthood session, Jia Fen and I went with Wendy to Deseret Books for Lynne's and her mom's book signing.  Good day! So glad I ran long last Sat. because there's no way I would have the time nor the energy to run today! :)

Since I didn't run on Sat. I thought I'd run longer today, exactly 2 weeks out from Boston!  Conveniently it's Spring Break, so Wendy doesn't have to go to work this week!  She's such a loyal, faithful friend.  I tortured her on her day off, haha! :)  Schedule was a 20 miler for Sat but since I flipped the schedule with previous week, I should run 16; but deep down I knew I only have energy to run 12!  General Conference was awesome but my PF really really really hurts! 

What a beautiful gorgeous Spring day!  We started out at 7:40am with temp in the low 30s, calm, partly sunny blue sky!  MCT>Suncrest>Alpine everflowing fountain>Lone Peak HS trailside bathroom>Highland Glen Park>MCT>home---a perfect 14 miles hilly loop.   We walked, hiked, jogged, ran, stopped at the restrooms but never stopped chatting the entire time which was pretty much ALL morning!  Haha!  Our AP: 12:57 (hey at least it didn't dip down to unlucky 13).  Taper here on out! 

I could've gone out for a short recovery run...but why?! when I could go for a walk with hubby.  There was a pretty stiff north wind.  We walked to MCT thru 400E and bishops lane, east to 800E access and thru the 26th/28th wards neighborhood, 2+miles! Hubby is walking much faster now.  Then we went to afternoon movie, "Miracles From Heaven", good movie based on true story/events.  Then we drove to Spanish Fork to return Annie's roasting pan and stopped at a Lehi's restaurant that served Thai and Japanese food, that we've never been to before.  So happy hubby can eat anything now...he had chicken Domburi and I had Pineapple Curry!

Spring Break means Karen's home and joins Wendy and I for our run.  We ran to MCT and did 9X hill repeats at the west slope of Dry Creek.  Met a group of 4 ladies from Highland who invited us to join them in their regular AF Canyon runs! :)  On the way back, we saw LoraO so, walked with her and recited "The Living Christ".  Another beautiful gorgeous Spring Day.

Shout out to my youngest son, Steven, on his 24th birthday today!  I cannot believe my baby is 24!!!  I'm not getting older, just my kids are! :) :) :)

AP: 10:56

What a great morning!  So very lucky and happy to have RAD come run with me.  The original plan was to meet at my house at 7am and run 3+ miles to the start of the BurnRun 5miler race at the Elementary School mid-Suncrest Hill.  When we got there, we were informed that the race was canceled.  I was actually happy and relieved that I didn't have to jog/walk up Suncrest.  I have no lungs or legs power for that beast.  So we ran back down to MCT and ran east turned back and made it back to my house by 9:30am.  Beautiful weather with beautiful company and fun chats!  AP: 10:48.  I walked the Dry Creek hills!  Thanks Rachel for running slow with me!

One week till Boston!  Easy conversational run with Wendy to MCT west. Nice weather, wore shorts!
 

Left the house at 9:50 after hubby's lab results came in.  Did 4X800s on the MCT.  AP: 10:00 (11:05, 9:41, 9:15, 9:14, 10:14, 10:41).  Man, I'm SO slow! 

Short easy run with Wendy before visiting teaching, then doctor visit, then shopping.
 

Easy run with Wendy to MCT west.  We beat the rain/wind storm.

No running today.  Lab draw for hubby.  Laundry and pack for Boston.  Flying out tonight on a red-eye to Boston via JFK.

Zero sleep on the flight to Boston arriving at 10:30.  The only great thing about this was that Kelli and her running buddy Amy were on the same flights. 

Really wanted to take the Logan express shuttle to the hotel.  But nope, hubby is such a creature of habbit that not only did he want to fly the same 'ole red-eye flight, but take the same out public transportation.  But of course this being our 7th time to Boston (albeit that the last time was two years ago in 2013), we know the drill.  So we bought a 7-day T pass for $19.  Got on airport shuttle to the Blue T-station.  The cars on the Blue line are nice, handicap accessible.  Changed train at Government Center to the Green line which are not as nice and accessible.  We squeezed onto a two-cars Green line which was so crowded that we were standing on the steps with me holding our suitcase precariously.  Did I mention that hubby cannot lift anything more than 15 lbs (per doctor's order).  We got off at the Hynes Convention Center station, walked up the stairs, that station is not handicap accessible.  On the last four steps, the handle of the suitcase popped up and I had a hard time lifting it up.  A nice young man going down stopped to help me lift it up the last few steps!  We walked to our hotel, Hilton Boston Back Bay, crossing Boylston onto Dalton.  It was so crowded and the motorists were a bit impatient.

We arrived at the hotel at 11:30 and there was a long line at the lobby/counter.  Of course our room was not ready as check-in time was 3pm.  We were told that they will call me when the room is ready and we had the bell-boy stowe our luggage.  We walked over to the Expo meeting Gary and Lily at the entrance.  After getting my bib and packet/bag, I texted Marcie so she could meet us and I could give her the pre-race dinner ticket.  It was so crowded and noisy that she could not even hear me talk.  Anyhow, it was great to see her and her son Michael. 

We made our way into the Adidas booth, SO CRAZY CROWDED, hubby found an empty bench so he and Gary sat down while Lily directed me to the racks of jackets and shirts.  It was such a mad house that I didn't even try on anything.  I bought the jacket and a shirt that I will wear on Monday.  I still needed to get some Glide but I just wanted to get out of there.  By now, Maddi had contacted Lily so we went out of the Expo and met David and Lily who have driven four hours from New York to spend the weekend with us.  It's now 1:30, we were starving, so we walked all over the Prudential Center looking for a place to grab lunch.  There was 35-40 min waiting.  So we walked back to the hotel and grabbed sandwitches from the hotel's deli/coffee shop as their restaurant was closed.  After lining up in the long line for the third time at 3:30pm and was told that our room was still not ready, I was exacerbated.  I was stressed for hubby because of the crowds and having no rest the last 15 hours.  Maddi charmed the hotel staff and he got us a room on a lower floor.  Still we waited 30 min. before the luggages were brought in. 

Lowell called and wanted to meet me at the Expo.  I told him I was totally bushed and the Expo is too crowded and we'll just meet tomorrow.  He said he would pick up the Glide for me!  Such a GREAT friend.  We tried taking a little nap before heading to dinner.

Hubby made reservation for the six of us at Legal Seafood at Park Place at 6:30pm.  We should've taken the T, but David and Maddi hadn't gotten their pass and thought the restaurant was at Copley which would've been less than half mile away.  Well, we walked a mile in the cold wind.  But the dinner was well worth the walk and the wait.  Boston will not be right without having a seafood feast at Legal Seafood! :)  Hubby had his favorite lobser bake and I had king crab legs, and of course their famous New England clam chowder.  After dinner we took the T to Copley and walked to Newbury St. and found Lily's favorite eMack for ice-cream...yum!!!  Then we walked back to our hotels.  Gary had run the 5K earlier this morning and walked umpteen miles all day.  He's amazing!

Went to the 9am sacrament meeting at the Cambridge 2nd ward.  So great to see many runners there including our friends, Kelli and Amy, JoEtte, an old friend (Jana Mitchell) who's there to support her daughter.

After the meeting, we took the T back to Copley to the Blessings of the Athletes at the Old South Church.  The train had mechanical problem and stalled for 10 min.  and then it was packed at each stop as all the Red-Sox fans piled into the cars to get to the game.  Needless to say when we got to the Old South Church, we were late and they stopped letting us in.  Finally they allowed about 12 of us in to stand at the back foyer.  We were still able to hear most of the service.  I loved it. 

I waited outside after the service for Teena and Lowell.  We went over to the finish line where a group of runners from Utah gathered for photo-op.  Saw Ruthie and went over to talk to her and inadverdently photo-bombed Walter Brown's life video.  I had no idea he was filming a special proposal until after I left to find Teena, Lowell and hubby.  It was so crowded that we could hardly get a picture taken.  Teena headed to the Expo with her friends.  Lowell and his family and Larry and I went to grab lunch.  Again we walked and went in the nearest available restaurant, Whisky BBQ.  Meanwhile, Gary, Lily, David and Maddi had walked a mile from the church meeting house to a famous donut shop and they grabbed lunch on the north end.  Would've loved to have gone with them but it would be too much walking for hubby.

After lunch we walked back to the hotel so hubby could rest.  We visited with Maddi and David until they had to leave at 4pm for their drive back to New York.  It was so great to see them and spend a short visit with them.

Gary had made dinner reservation at 6pm in his hotel for us and his running partner Kara and her two sisters.  We had the all you can eat pasta but our server never came to refill Gary's.  I only ate half of mine so Gary picked at it a little.  The ladies talked about where to spectate so they could cheer Kara and Gary.  FUN!

Went back to the hotel, got my running gear ready and hit the sack.  I did not sleep well last night as hubby still has a bit of restless leg syndrome that causes him to move around alot in his sleep.  I tried sleeping on the floor and that was even worse.  I think I slept a total of 2 hours in the last three days.  So I took a Tylenol PM and set my alarm to wake me at 6:45am as I plan to meet Marcie at 8am at the Prudential T station. 

The theme in Boston this year was RUN BOLD.  I thought about the meaning of "bold" many times.  When hubby and I served in Sydney Australia, we taught our missionaires (what we've learned) to be "bold and loving" in their teaching and proselyting, to not be timid nor apologetic, but bear your message or testimony with your heart in a bold and loving way.  Do it like you mean it.  So I searched my heart: what is it that I want to "stand for "with this Boston run, what is the purpose of my 7th Boston Marathon?  About a month ago, I got an email from a friend, Lark, to me and Marcie.  He indicated that he has developed a bit of swelling and pain in his knee.  He went to see his ortho-doc who is a triathlete and talked him into postponing the MRI until after Boston and got a cortisone shot.  He said that he had worked too hard for this BQ and would crawl if needed to finish his 9th Boston.  He jokingly said he would hire me as his nurse.  I eagerly accepted the invitation to meet at the start and will run/jog/walk/crawl with him from Hopkinton to Boston.  The last time I saw him was at mile 19 of St. George 2014.  He was running with a lean to his left where he had had hip surgery from a bike accident previous year.  We ran together with a goal to BQ as we both have the same BQ time.  I actually had BQ'd at TOU a month earlier.  Anyhow so I was there to witness his "hard work". 

Woke up bright and early with plenty of time to get dressed and eat and meet Marcie at 8am at the Prudential T station.  We got off at Park St. and walked 100 yards to the bus loading.  This was the most lesisurely time I've ever had at Boston to get to the start.  I texted Lark to let him know we're waiting at the Welcome sign by an ambulance.  He had riden an early bus with his son who's starting in the early wave.  So here we are three friends of 10 years meeting up with 90 min to chat and get caught up on our happenings of the last three years.  Lark 71, me 60 and Marcie 50 all starting in the same wave.  This was the most orderly and timely start ever.

Lark warned me that he would be taking lots of walk breaks and I assured him that walk breaks are good for me.  By mile 1, we have lost Marcie in the sea of runners.  By 5K, the walk breaks became more frequent and Lark urged me to leave him.  I had heaps of stories to tell him.  I would ask him questions and when he was slow in answering, I knew he was hurting.  I'd tell him all kinds of motivational quotes and pointed out all the beautiful things that I hadn't noticed before.  He'd say:  "You are too happy.  You are having too much fun."  He insisted that I leave him and go run my race.  I said: "Why would I want to run with all these strangers when I can run with you, my dear friend."  He'd say: "They're not strangers to you.  I see you talk to all of them, you even know their names."  Haha!  He's like my other dear friend, Lowell, argumentive!  I love these "sibling type arguments".  He had no idea I can be very stubborn. 

I high-fived bazillion people, even the ones whose hands are not opened, including the cops and security personnel.  Took so many pictures that the battery on my phone died.  At Natick there were a zone of 20+ missionaires that I high-fived each and made them sing Called to Serve with me and then ran back to grab a hug and selfie with the two sister missionaries.  Kissed a Wellseley girl whose sign said: "NEVER BEEN KISSED".  Took picture with a bacon and a banana, but missed Santa who was mobbed by some crazies.  Texted Lowell around mile 14 the picture of the bacon and a sign that reads: "when your legs don't work anymore, run with your hearts".  Yep, today I was running (err jogging) with my heart which was filled with joy and gratitude, with thoughts of my hubby, Lowell and Sister Levine who for various reasons cannot run.  I ran/jogged/walked with a huge smile on my face.  I had this silly grin on my face the entire time even after I finished when walking back to the hotel.  My PF was killing and my 2nd toe was beaten numb), I was freezing cold, but it didn't show on my face...I was SO SO SO VERY HAPPY!

Anyway, back to the race, I don't know what possessed me, when we got to the last of the Newton's Hills, the infamous Heartbreak, I had a surge of adrenalin.  I decided to run up that.  I thought to myself, I got to "do it like I mean it".  I passed all these walkers and encouraged them to power up with me.  When I got to the top, I ran back down to get Lark.  He would not run no matter what I said.  Then I saw this guy with an artificial limb (blade) walking up, I decided to jog up with him.  When I got to the top, I turned back and said, hey, you almost beat me.  He then dropped on all four and did 10 push-ups and said "let me see you do that!" Ha!  The crowd went wild!

There were lots of red rose buds on the road along the stretch by the cemetery.  I picked up two handfuls.  When we got to Kenmore Square where we ran on some railroad tracks, I pulled apart the rose petals for Lark to walk on!  I hope he was not annoyed too much by my silliness.  He probably was and by now in too much pain to yell at me.  :)

Lowell had texted me that he would meet me with a mile to go and since he had cut out the timing chip from his bib, he would run with me the last mile.  I looked and looked after the Citgo sign and could not find him.  At the northwest corner of Hereford I spotted Susie and Kelsey, I ran up to them, hugged and kissed them and asked where's Lowell.  Apparently we both missed each other.  Then I ran back to Lark and tell him that I will go over to the southeast corner of Hereford and look for my hubby.  Admidst the loud cheers I heard my name and waved over that direction.  There were so many security personnel that it was hard to get passed them.  So I ran with arms raised and basking in this glorious stretch of Boylston.  I ran back to Lark and ask if he would run this last 0.2 with me.  At this point my watch was sending out a low battery signal.  He said: "Nope, I can't run."  I said: "Come on, you can do it."  He said, "What does it matter? Whether I run or walk, we're finishing!"  Yes, it does! You're a Boston runner!  Let's show it boldly.  You're the boss, tell me when you're ready to run.  "Ok, at the first cross walk."  So we ran from there, crossing the finish with a sub-6.  So very very proud of Lark with his courage and tenacity!  Yep, a well earned medal which by the way is different from years past that the unicorn is a cut-out!

After a quick shower, hubby and I met Lowell and his family, Marcie and his son, Gary and Lily at Jacob Wirth for dinner.  That restaurant is the oldest German restaurant in America.  I had my first German food, snitzel and German burger! Yum!

A shout out to my AWESOME brother-in-law Gary!!!  He ran a 3:08 just 3.5 months after donating one of his kidneys to my hubby!!!  He is my hero!  We are forever grateful for his selfless gift of life! :)  Am so so so very grateful that Larry was able to make this trip!  This is one Boston that I will treasure forever and ever! :)

AP: 10.52

The 2nd left toe is swollen and nasty.  So I wore the Altra Provision to give it more toe room and it was awesome!
 

AP: 10:46

AP: 10:30

AP: 10:44

AP: 10:55
 

Registered for the Mt. Charleston Marathon.