A Very Good Day

The journey of the marathon is over, and it is oh so symbolic of this last year too.  I crossed the line and  closed the door to the last year of stress, sadness, anger.  The last 7 miles my dear friend Jenn joined in and ran with me, she had been waiting with Rick at the spectator point at mile 19.5 (which seeing them was the GREATEST),  we talked a bit about life and how both hers and mine took turns we never would've imagined.  As mother's our children are our world, and while we will never forgive the other person for dividing our  precious time with our children up, our lives are more fullfilled than ever.  We have people in our life that enrich our every day.  As I crossed the line they were all there waiting and cheering me on, I couldn't help but be excited that this is my life, and these are the people I get to share my life with!

Finished in 3:46 (average 8:39 minute mile).  I am waving, not dancing in this pic!

Huge thanks to this girl....next time I will wipe the salt from my face and put my hat back on BEFORE a picture

Thanks to my sis and her family too, her kids are possibly the best support crew!

My friend Lily ran her first marathon, in fact she just started running this year, in 4:09!

Ok, so and even thank you to Lars, for the race strategy last week.  He raced this course last year, and gave me the go out and kill it talk!

A Star and a Birthday

Sunday was a mighty big day in the Hakensen house of 3.  Last Monday Logan tried out for the all district musical  and on Sunday we went to the high school to see if she made it.  Talk about gut wrenching from the mother's perspective.  She was SO excited to go find out, I was just praying she made it.  She made the part of a Go Go Joe Dancer, and she couldn't be happier!

Later that night we celebrated my Oma's 85th birthday!  Sorry the pics turned out a bit blurry, I turned off the flash, and had moving little people!

1 week

This is my loyal, faithful and totally reliable training partner.  He's gotten up at 4:30am with me on the weekdays to do speed work, tempo and recovery runs. Every weekend he has been my long run companion.   The longest being 22 miles.  I feel he kind of gets shorted by not actually getting to run the marathon!

I did one other marathon 2 years ago.  I was injured the entire time, if it wasn't for the girls trip to San Fransisco I probably wouldn't have done it.
Signing up and training for this  has been totally different and for different reasons.
I did the half marathon at Pacific Crest in June with my dear friend Katie before she went off to PA school.   In so many ways she has inspired me.  Training with her we would only meet up once a week to run together, but in that time I realized how nice having a goal, and setting aside time to accomplish this was. 
I am a single Mom, I work full time,  run a business, and take care of a large very old home.  I wouldn't change any of that, but I knew I still had wounds to heal.  Training for a marathon seemed like the perfect opportunity to take time out of my busy schedule and meditate, while doing something  good for my body.   I decided early on in order to avoid injury I wouldn't run my training runs with others (I love my friends and I love running with them, but I have some VERY fast friends, and it pushes me beyond sometimes to the point where I fatigue, my form gets sloppy I over compensate something or another and get injured).  I have never been one to listen to music, so no music, just me, my dog and my thoughts.
It has been a wonderful  and healing experience.  Wish me luck on the actual race!

Yusuf (Cat Stevens) - Peace Train - Nobel Concert 2006

I may have been a little young when Cat Stevens was in his prime, but have always been a fan of his music. Change of name or religion doesn't change how this song makes me feel!

This is what life is about..

Taking in each and every opportunity to be a part of your children's lives.  Maybe I am more appreciative now that I miss out on every other weekend with these guys.  I am lucky I have a "guy" in my life that understands this, and realizes the importance of my time spent with them.  Lately I just want more and more time with them,  they are fun people to be around!

A change in gear

I took a break this weekend from marathon training to TT the bike portion of a race in the Tri-cities.  Will say was a little nervous when the reality set in that I needed to go really hard on a hilly unknown(to me) course for 26 miles, and have only been riding twice a week 20 ish miles.....and not so hard!
It was fairly symbolic though of where my life has come in a year.  It was this race last year that was the beginning of the end for Lars and I.  Needless to say I pulled out last minute, and didn't go down.  To do this race this year with the girls (and win),  brings me to tears when I think of how supportive they have been throughout this year.  They were the ones on the phone with me a year ago, and understood, this year they understood the importance of doing it.  I love them with all my heart, and am so blessed.

Another bonus to the weekend was traveling down with that someone special!

This guy killed it on the bike.  40k in 58 minutes, thats an average of 26 MPH.  Awesome in every way!

School year 2011-2012

It's that time of year again.  Luke has entered the world of high school, he's 14 and just an amazing young man.  Logan 4th grade, so bittersweet to watch her approach the last couple years of elementary school.  For the last 10 years I have had a child in elementary, watching Luke grow so fast, I just want Lo to stay there!!