Sunday in Numbers

Today was a long day, after a long week of many (near)sleepless nights. I want to drink a beer and pass out on the couch. Actually, that is exactly what I am about to do here. However, I do want to write a quick blog post as today was the day of my "Goal Race." The race that motivated me to begin this blog nearly three months ago. My comeback race of sorts. My first 10K in quite a few years in which I would test myself. Just as life goes, many unexpected things happened in the past three months. And thank goodness! How boring would life be if everything actually went according to plan?

Just four weeks ago I was diagnosed with a calcaneous stress fracture. I was devastated. My world froze for a good week as I felt sorry for myself, felt this deep void and knew of no other outlet for my daily stresses. In great physical pain and with no other choice, I took two solid weeks off, started back running very easy just as a means of transportation (to/from school) to avoid the minivan load-in/load-out ordeal and also to get Cesia to nap (easiest way these days and sometimes easy is what we all need). Last week I was still unsure whether I would be able to run the 10K.

If I could run it, it would be only to support my friend Sarah. Sarah is very special to me in a way that is hard to verbalize. I am convinced that she was brought to Woodland Hills last year by fate so that I could meet her. She is not a "Valley Mother" (and quite honestly I hope that I am not either), she abhors suburbia and will surely move soon. She tried it out, gave her best shot but misses the city dearly and will get back to West Hollywood when the timing is right. One of the first times I met Sarah, I remember asking her the common ice-breaker question, "What do you do? Do you work?" In response she told me, "My work is wildly important to me." I am going to be honest, at first I saw this as a red flag, a warning sign that her work was more important than her children. How wrong I was and how crazily I twisted her words in my head to view her as someone else. That is not who she is. Sarah loves her daughters immensely and is one of the most calm, attached, confident mothers and women whom I am blessed to know. She is my sage, full of endless wisdom on all things parenting. More than that, this Mama has taught me that I need something that is wildly important to me. Something other than my three love bugs, something more, something that moves me, inspires me, drives me. Running has again become that thing. I am eternally grateful for Sarah's friendship and today was honored to run her first ever race with her. She has been a runner for more than half her life, yet had never raced. That was just crazy to me. I talked her into registering for the Calabasas 10K with me and today it happened. She completed her first ever race like a rockstar. Finished 4th in her age-group (which by the way, was clearly the toughest age group on the course today) and 11th overall for women. Official race results are not yet posted so I don't know her exact time but do know that she was flying. I am so proud and happy for her and had an awesome time running with her. Thanks, Sarah.

So our Sunday in numbers:

2:          Age group finishing place
6:          Overall female finishing place
45:12:   Finishing time and 10K PR, I believe 
30:        My big sister turned 30 yesterday! The best big sister anyone could ever ask for..
21:        The number of times I have been woken during the middle of the night this past week. Tired. (I        haven't really been keeping track, but it has been about 3/night.)
110:      Number of times I laughed out load today over something Cesia did/said/sang. The girl has personality.
4:          Number of hours I got to spend with out of town cousins, my Aunt, sister and her boyfriend this afternoon just chatting like it was any other family party in Chicago. Now that I have my own kids and family I have come to realize the importance of family and I am so blessed to have such a great one.. extended and all. What a perfect, relaxing afternoon.
3.5:       Number of hours Isaac napped this afternoon. A record. Who knew being pushed in a stroller in a 10K could be so exhausting? This morning wore him out. 
1:          Number of stroller races I have now completed. My first ever and such a blast. Sweet Isaac was perfect, babbled in the beginning and then slept the rest of the race. I see many more in my future.

I won't include any numbers from today's Bears game, don't worry. When all is said and done my 10K race is over and things are looking up. Today was a wonderful end to our weekend and now a cold glass of something dark is calling. Goodnight, all!

And our week in pictures...

Isaac wearing his first ever finisher's medal.

En route to take family holiday photos.

Daily morning commute to school.

Making chocolate chip banana pancakes.

Wearing my new shoes I won as first female finisher (tied) in the Malibu Nights Trail Series.

Learning to use a computer.

Cesia running up our hill. She insists on running up, barefoot, at the end of every run.