There is a season, turn turn....

I am pretty sore today - but in that "oh, I feel good" kind of sore.

Yesterday's race was so much fun.  It was just over a 5K -- 3.5 miles.  The course was not terribly easy, there were two or three hills -- and running up the hill isn't the issue for me; it's running down the hill.  You can't run fast going down a hill, because you will be absolutely exhausted at the end of it.  So you have to sort of work harder to slow yourself down so at the end, when you are on flat ground again, you can have that surge to move forward.   It was actually funny in a way to see people flying down the hill, because I ended up passing some of them as they ended up having to walk for a few minutes.  I definitely feel the difference between running a hilly course than a flat one.  It's interesting, even my neck and shoulders are sore because I think I was working a little harder and was a little more tensed up as a result.  But it's all good - and like I said, it's that soreness that's actually the high I chase after a good workout.  And the route was beautiful.  I went through areas of Melrose and Malden that I hadn't been through since I was a young child -and it was so pretty.

I kept my pace, registering at 10.05 minute miles.  I might have done better time had it been a flat course, but I wasn't running to win!  I couldn't imagine that -- the person who won was averaging something like 6 minute miles.  That's just craziness!   No, I'm perfectly content with my timing and my ability to run the whole thing without walking or stopping.  Besides, I was running for a great cause -- Melrose Alliance Against Violence (http://www.melroserunningclub.com/mrfw/2008/mrfw-info.shtml), and that was really the most important thing.

The next most important thing of the day - was coming home to my own children, who had breakfast waiting for me - performed their own made up play that they'd been practicing while I was gone  -- and who snuggled in bed for a little while with me watching "America's Funniest Animals" before we had to get ready to go visiting for the rest of the day. 

Short story…as I was tucking my son into bed last night, I thanked him for making my day perfect - and told him that I'm the luckiest Mom in the world for having he and his sister in my life.  He answered me with "all parents say that though, don't they?  Who's really the luckiest parent in the world?".  So I said to him "you know what, we ALL are the luckiest parents.  Because all of our children make us feel incredibly special and blessed - and you all are individuals and so very special to each parent.  So it's really true that all parents are the luckiest parents in the world, at that very moment.  Even if it's all at once.  Does that make sense?"  And he said, "yes.  So, when I grow up and have a baby - I'll be the luckiest dad in the world?"  And I said, "you absolutely will be. "  So then he said, "That mean's you'll have to be the luckiest grandmother in the world then…!"  

(GRANDMOTHER?!!?!?!  OMG, who wants to think that far ahead!)

But when that day comes clearly, I will be the luckiest grandmother, ever.