Ten years
November 09, 2011
Kate turns 10 this coming Saturday.
Ten years old.
We celebrated this milestone with her friends on Monday. Ten girls, ten hula hoops, yards and yards of duct tape and electrical tape, pleasant 70 degree weather, lots of giggling and screaming, running around and rolling in the grass. I think they had fun. It looked like they were, at least. She wanted a rainbow cake - that was her only request. If you could have seen the look on those girls' faces when I cut the first slice. The awe and surprise was amazing. It made me look like a superhero of a mom when all it really took was some food coloring. What they don't know, won't hurt them.
On Kate's actual birthday, I'm running my first half marathon. I remember the first time I thought that I might just want to run that far. It was New Year's Eve 2001 - Kate was 6 weeks old, Jane was 2. Someone asked me what resolutions I had for the coming year. I said to run the half marathon. I didn't end up doing it - I could barely find the time to sleep, let alone run enough to train. Really, what was I thinking? But for 10 years, more or less, that thought has been in the back of my mind. I trained for a different half marathon three years ago, but didn't end up running it. It wasn't meant to be then and, until recently, I wasn't sure it would ever happen.
At the beginning of the summer, I saw a sign advertising a half marathon in November. I mentioned it to Fatty and friends, all of whom are cyclists or runners or both, and they encouraged me. With the promise of beer, I convinced one in particular to coach me (Thank you, Michael. I couldn't have gotten this far without you). I've been training since August. I have run short distances and many miles. People (you know who you are) have helped me along the way and I am grateful to have them in my life, pushing me, running with me, believing in me, cheering me on.
Saturday. 13.1 miles. I'm nervous and little bit scared. But I'm ready.
It only took me 10 years.
Happy birthday Kate!! And go you. What a great thing to attempt, let alone accomplish.
Posted by: Sarah Jackson | November 09, 2011 at 07:13 PM
Wishing you and Kate the very best! Cheers for two on Saturday! xo
Posted by: Sarah | November 09, 2011 at 07:24 PM
You'll do great in your first half marathon! I ran my first one two summers ago and have completed 4 since then. Have fun and enjoy the sights as you trot along. :)
Posted by: Erika | November 09, 2011 at 07:27 PM
happy birthday to kate! and congratulations to you erin on running your first half marathon! i've always wanted to be a runner, but running never clicked with me until recently. now i want to run, run, run. and so far, i haven't suffered from the shin splints that have stopped me from running in the past. perhaps i'll work my way up from my current three mile loop and sign up for a marathon one of these days :)
Posted by: molly | November 09, 2011 at 07:36 PM
Take it one mile at a time and believe in you.
Posted by: Jeanelle | November 09, 2011 at 07:44 PM
Good luck, you'll do great.
Posted by: e.soule | November 09, 2011 at 08:02 PM
so so SO proud of you, my friend. for the running, and the rainbow cake, and the glorious girl you've got. and her sister, too. proud, i say.
Posted by: emily | November 09, 2011 at 08:03 PM
ps. now i kind of want a rainbow hula hoop.
Posted by: emily | November 09, 2011 at 08:04 PM
Happy Birthday to Kate and Congrats to you!! I'll be cheering you on from the far north.
Posted by: peanut | November 09, 2011 at 08:05 PM
That's fantastic, Erin!! Best of luck! Funny, I posted about running today too.
Posted by: Kathy | November 09, 2011 at 08:12 PM
happy birthday Kate! and good luck with your run. I hope to do my first in the spring, please tell us how it goes!
Posted by: Kelly | November 09, 2011 at 08:41 PM
Woohoo to the half marathon. I do believe it's the perfect distance. Best of luck!
Posted by: Sarah Jane | beautiful dawn | November 09, 2011 at 09:22 PM
Happy Birthday, Kate! I saw your cake on habit. I would have been impressed as a kid too. Way to go on the half marathon. I think I want to run one, but I am not so sure. I run, but I am not really a runner. Congratulations on sticking to your resolution. Good luck!
Posted by: Heather | November 09, 2011 at 10:13 PM
You go, girl!! A goal is a goal -- get to it!
And I LOVE the hula hoops. I made one this summer (aqua & white duck tape stripes), and it sure is fun. What a great idea for a party activity!
Posted by: Anna in Atlanta | November 09, 2011 at 11:12 PM
Well done you and good luck! That is one fabulous cake too!
Posted by: jan | November 10, 2011 at 05:12 AM
Enjoy the run Saturday. It's such a great feeling to complete such a huge goal.
Posted by: carol | November 10, 2011 at 05:34 AM
Happy 10 to Kate and best wishes to you on Saturday!
Posted by: julie | November 10, 2011 at 09:23 AM
Congratulations on both the fabulous cake work and the impressive goal-meeting. Well done!
Posted by: The Laughing Family | November 10, 2011 at 10:28 AM
i'm so inspired. by the cake and the running. ;)
seriously, what an accomplishment...completing the training! either way you have succeeded at this point. although, i'm sure you will finish the race.
last may i started running for the first time in my life through an app on my phone 'couch to 5k.' aside from giving birth, this was the most difficult thing to (physically) accomplish. next for me is training for a 10k.
KUDOS to you and Happy Birthday to Kate!
Posted by: michelle | November 10, 2011 at 11:33 AM
marathons and turning ten--this post just made me cry.
Posted by: meg | November 10, 2011 at 12:21 PM
Love the cake and the hula hoops!
Way to go on the half! I was just telling my friend this morning I am contemplating one in March! Good luck! I hope you have an awesome day.
Posted by: Sarah H. | November 10, 2011 at 01:23 PM
Enjoy your run Saturday! What an awesome accomplishment. I worked an aid station for a half marathon last Sunday, and it was so inspiring. We had an 84-year-old lady run by. Loved it!
Posted by: pam | November 10, 2011 at 02:27 PM
First, Happy Birthday Kate!!
Second, hurray for you, Erin!! Training for your first 1/2 is a huge accomplishment. Getting to run it is icing on the cake. I hope you enjoy the race and take in all of the sights, smells and sounds...and enjoy that beer!
Posted by: Suzanne | November 10, 2011 at 02:42 PM
Happy Birthday Kate! I want a rainbow cake for my next birthday - great idea!
Erin, you can do it. Absolutely and totally, you can do it. Go girl!
Posted by: Jamie | November 10, 2011 at 02:49 PM
It looks like a very fun celebration! Happy birthday to Kate, and good luck to you! I'm so excited for your milestone run!
Posted by: Jacey | November 10, 2011 at 03:00 PM
Oh, man, will I be rooting for you, every step. What a fantastically outrageous goal (says she of the 1-mile-is-worse-than-unmedicated-labor run). Way to go, Erin.
(And happy birthday to miss Kate!!)
Posted by: Molly | November 10, 2011 at 03:18 PM
The cake is beautiful! I have never seen one like it. Good luck with your run.
Posted by: michelle | November 10, 2011 at 03:22 PM
Happy birthday to Kate!
And congratulations, to you!! I am so excited for you! I'm not a runner, but sometimes I think I'd like to be. My family started training for a 5k this summer (none of us had ever run before!) a few weeks into our 12 wks of training, I did something to my Achilles (lower on my heel than most Achilles issues are, though. weird) I kept holding out hope that it would heal quickly enough for me to be able to run the 5K. I still don't walk w/out pain. running is impossible. The night before the run a few weeks ago, I was excited for my guys, but I was also soo bummed to not be running, too. and the whole thing had been MY idea! all that to say - I feel your past pain. And I am so happy for you that you are 'going for it' again. Best wishes on Saturday!!
Posted by: Tracy | November 10, 2011 at 05:22 PM
you rule ! i can't even imagine running 10 blocks ;)
and happiest of birthdays to kate. amazing. i can't imagine 10 either. but know it will be here fast enough.
Posted by: lisa s | November 10, 2011 at 06:11 PM
If you run, you're a runner. Anyone who thinks it takes more than that to call yourself a runner takes the whole thing too seriously. Don't sell yourself or your efforts short.
Posted by: katharine | November 10, 2011 at 07:30 PM
happy birthday to kate! wow. 10! looks like a great party.
best of luck this weekend! you can do it! we cheered on a friend that was running a full marathon recently, and most of the full marathon runners were crossing the finish line looking like they were really hurting. but the half-marathoners had big smiles on their faces and looked like they had a great time. based on that, i think you picked the right race! ;)
Posted by: kristin | November 10, 2011 at 11:02 PM
you go, girl! I've got the same goal, just haven't made the plan for it - yet. Love the cake, hula hoops and birthday parties for 10 yr olds. congratulations to all!
Posted by: Julie | November 10, 2011 at 11:20 PM
Erin, good for you for having at it again! I hope to hear good news in your next post, but the mere fact that you went through the training again and that you stuck with this goal is truly wonderful. Good luck, and enjoy an extra post-race beer for me!
Posted by: sulu-design | November 10, 2011 at 11:21 PM
Thanks, Katharine. I needed that.
Posted by: Heather | November 11, 2011 at 10:08 AM
What a beautiful cake!
Please tell me you used for dyeing. In Chile, the colors they sell are not good for health.
Happy 10!
Warm regards from Chile
Posted by: Casazoo | November 11, 2011 at 10:17 AM
i used regular food dye which i know is not great for you, but we normally don't use them so i figure a little won't hurt.
Posted by: Erin | house on hill road | November 11, 2011 at 03:34 PM
that's tomorrow!! Best of luck, what an accomplishment. And happy birthday to Kate. I love how the hula hoops turned out, what a fun idea!
Posted by: blair/wise craft | November 11, 2011 at 11:47 PM