Leaves

When I was a kid, I would get 25 cents per bag of raked leaves.  Taking inflation into consideration,  I thought I could make a killing.  Dad, do the leaves have to be from your yard?

Bourbon Chase

Did a 200 mile relay race ever sound like a good idea?  I'm not sure.  I was questioning my sanity during the event, particularly while I was running, but now I am really glad I did it.

We were team Rocky Balbourbon.  Get it?

Lesson in Humility

Derby Festival Marathon miniMarathon - Mini

RUNNER

7142

 

TYLER HALFORD

LOUISVILLE, KY

Male / 32

View All Male 30 - 34 Results

 

 

 

 

 

 

Division
128

Gender
874

Overall
1190

Location	Net Time	Clock Time	Time of Day	Pace	Pace Between
START	00:00	2:05	7:32:05
10K	49:58	52:03	8:22:03	8:02 /mi
					8:24 /mi
FINISH	1:47:54	1:49:58	9:19:58	8:13 /mi

It never fails to surprise me how much we learn about ourselves in our relationships with others. This is my dear friend Becca, it was her husband, Tyler Halford, who injured himself and gave me his BIB and thus his number 7142.  Turns out I'm actually not a 32 year old male as it says above.  I'm not sure whether to thank him or curse him; was it providence that he was injured or the universe punishing me for taking double free samples at Costco?   Either way this is how it transpired.  

Now that the children are practically self sufficient, the kids being 6, 4, and 2, I decided to pick up a hobby- self punishment.  No better place to start than running.  It had the two things that I was looking for, it was free and it hurt me.  BINGO.   I had completed the triple crown races but they were just check points along the way.  I had set my sights on the Derby Festival miniMarathon as my final exam.  I crunched the numbers, consulted with the experts, and determined that 1:45 would be a good if not great time for me.  I knew it was lofty, but you know what they say (particularly when people fail) you shoot for the moon and land among the stars.  Obviously, I missed it by less than three minutes which isn't really that close in running, but I tried my hardest.  I literally had nothing left when I crossed the finish line.  I felt like Rick Moranis from Little Shop of Horrors, I had no more blood left to give.

I had accomplished a goal and I felt proud.  And mostly, I was just glad it was over.  What's next?

But then the next day at church my friend congratulated me on my race, explaining that she looked my results up and she too had gotten around a 2:15.  At first I was confused, "a 2:15?" and then like Trixie in Mo Williems' Knuffle Bunny I realized something.  Nobody knew I ran under a friend's BIB.  How coincidental that there was another Sarah Jenkins from Louisville about my age that ran the miniMarathon!  Who else had mistaken me for her?  Later that day I checked my email and sure enough, my friend Joe had sent me an email entitled 

"Nutrition problems again?"

I was horrified, my vanity completely exposed.  I wanted everyone to know that I ran a 1:47, or at least know that I didn't run a 2:15.  I found myself looking for opportunities to bring it up in conversation with people.  "So guess what?  Weirdly enough. . . "  When in actuality, nobody cares what I did the race in.  

I know what my time was.  That's enough.  

Right?

Ms. Jeffey

Ms. Jeffey is the only reason Avery ever complies to going to the YMCA.  She means so much to Avery; she even made it on Avery's family birthday party list.  Ms. Jeffey will take Avery out of the childcare, which of course makes her feel very special and mature, to "help" with her work responsibilities.  Last week she surprised Avery with a necklace (as seen on Kitty below). 

In turn, Avery bought Ms. Jeffey a friendship bookmark and an owl egg timer, that included a complimentary unwrapping of the gift.  She's so helpful!

I am so grateful for the people that have "adopted" my children in as their own, particularly while we do not live with any family in town.

Ms. Jeffey, you're the best!

Summer

We love Louisville.

Random Act of Kindness

Yesterday, I was at the store with Enzo.  Like most two year olds he finds some random completely unnecessary thing to fixate on so he can incessantly, repeatedly, unremittingly (see what I did there) ask for the rest of the shopping trip, "Mom, can you open this?"  Introducing the dachshund hot dog slicer (on sale at your local Walmart for only 3.99!) 

In order to avoid a scene I allow him to hold it for the remainder of our Walmart experience, I say experience because lets be honest it's always an experience.  At the check out line I ditch the dachshund in the candy aisle, but Enzo's no fool.  He knows my tricks.  "Where's my dog?  Where'd it go mom?"  Jimm, the cashier asks me what he is talking about, and after I explain he says,

"Oh, he can have it."

My face undoubtedly showed my confusion.  Are you trying to tell me you're going to turn a blind eye?  I'm not lifting the dog.  It's not worth it Jimm.

"Really, I'll buy it for him. "

"No, he's fine.  Thank you though, that's very nice."

"No really, let me get it for him.  He seems like a nice guy."

"Well, thank you Jimm.  You're right, he is a nice guy.  I think I will go ahead and buy it for him."

He rings me up, I slide my card and enter my pin and just before I confirm the transaction he deducts it from my purchase.  You're sly Jimm with two m's.  I'll give you that, I certainly didn't see that coming.

Jimm, you have restored my faith in Walmart employees.  Well, almost.  Until next time at least.

Gotta love 'em

Jesse walks in from a long day at work and see's the boys sipping their milk with long unusual straws.  "That's creative what is that you are using for a straw?" he asks.  The boys fall silent.  Upon further examination he realizes that it's the plastic tubing from the piping on our leather couch.  Such creative kids. . .

Enzo comes into my room and wakes me up every morning around ten o'clock.  I'm kidding, unfortunately more like six.  We usually do some sort of a fight cuddle, you know when they are half jumping half hugging you, half twirling half pulling your hair.  Well a couple of days ago, Enzo pulls one of my eyelids back, gets really close to my face, and says, "Wanna build a snowman?"  That may have been the only time in my life I have laughed or even smiled within a minute of being woken up.  Hopefully he'll have Jesse's wit and playful temperament.  He definitely inherited his skinniness.  That's okay though because, humor is the new strong, right?

While Grandma Jani came to visit she commented on how lovely the tulips looked, Caleb responded with,
"Umm Grandma, in my world we call those flowers."
"And what world is that Caleb?"
"The world of Oatmeal."

Grandma volunteered to watch the kids while Jess and I went out on a date.  They "toilet papered" our bedroom while we were gone, and during the mischief Caleb said,

"We are going to be in so much trouble, we are going to be in time out forever!"

Alise Oliver

I love CrossFit, but maybe only because I adore Alise Oliver, the instructor.  We made sure to send her off well, before she left us for a three month sabbatical road trip across the country. 

            

Lucky for us, she came back.  I'm sure it had everything to do with this video.

"You're almost there!"

Having the opportunity to live in Louisville, Kentucky, I felt I would be greatly amiss if I didn't find a way to somehow participate in the Derby.  Merely wearing a Derby hat and "owning it" as I undoubtedly will, would not suffice.  So I signed up for the Derby Half Marathon.  That's right, these two legs of mine will be stomping the same ground as the world's greatest, fastest horses.  Churchill Downs.  Leading up to the half,  locals (me) often participate in a series of races known as "The Triple Crown", which consists of a 5K, 10K, and a 10 Miler.  

I finished the 5K at an average pace of 7:51, which isn't fast in the runner's world, but fast to me.  Jess in high school would run it at a 5:40 pace, but who's comparing?  I love to pick up sports my husband is way better at than me. . . It reminds me of the time we tried to play racquetball and when I called interference he wouldn't give it to me notwithstanding the score being 14-0 him.   Anyway, last Saturday at the 10K, I was about a quarter of a mile from the finish line, when a man way more in shape than myself, effortlessly passed me, but as he passed he turned to look at me (which is unusual in a race and particularly near the end), caught my eye, smiled, and said, "You're almost there!"  as he sped off with ease. I absolutely had no air to waste in speech, but in my mind I thought, "who is this guy, do I know you?"   Upon further consideration, I concluded I did not know him;  but that I must have really been struggling for air, enough to draw attention from other runners! I look that bad?!  Self awareness?  I had none.   The pictures from the race photographer confirmed my suspicions. I looked absolutely hammered, enough that a complete stranger would designate himself my cheerleader.  The Good Samaritan, couldn't see me and not try to help in some way.  Why is it the best runners make it look so easy? 

Pace per mile
4:42/8:07

"Good for you sir!"

The humor in all this is just too good not to share, no matter how poorly it reflects on me.  In my mind as I saw the finish line, I would have portrayed myself as strong and athletic and happy- it was coming to an end.  If I had any idea how I looked, it would have been enough to shame me into stopping.  Good thing you don't run in front of a mirror.

Before/After

10 Miler:  Here I come!