Yesterday was baby's first play date. He was a little overwhelmed (see video) I can't help but hear the old sesame street tune playing in my head "which one of these kids is doing his own thing, doing his own thing?......"

- don't worry - he always sleeps like that - he loves to pull his "woobie" over his head when he sleeps.














February 24 - March 1 Weekly mileage:
2/24 Sun- rest day
2/25 Mon -travel day
2/26 Tue - extra travel day (long story)
2/27 Wed- 7 miles intervals
2/28 Thur - cross train
2/29 Fri - 7.25 miles
3/ 1 Sat - cross train

Back to Reality. After what was supposed to be a 4.5 hour nonstop flight home from San Diego on Monday turned into a 40 hour travel adventure, we are happy to report that we are finally home sweet home. We were welcomed with subzero temperatures here (wind chill -26c) and piles and piles of snow. My next few workouts are going to be on the treadmill again.

Baby got his 4 month immunizations yesterday and isn't a very happy boy today. It's been a challenge trying to get in a workout. I am starting to realize how challenging it can be to train for a marathon with an infant. I am really looking forward to spring up here and the great races we will be running!

This weekeend is the LA Marathon. Unfortunately I won't be running this one. I am doing the 30k around the bay at the end of March, right now my goal will be increasing my mileage for that event. Hopefully I'll have a marathon event in sight for the late spring too. Maybe Mississauga Marathon or Ottawa Marathon...we'll see how the training goes.

February 17 - February 23 Weekly mileage: 31
2/17 Sun- rest day
2/18 Mon -7 miles
2/19 Tue - cross train
2/20 Wed- 7 miles intervals
2/21 Thur - travel day
2/22 Fri - 7 miles
2/23 Sat - 10 miles

pipeline surfers, north shore - oahu
February 10 - February 16 Weekly mileage:
2/10 Sun- 7 miles
2/11 Mon -6 miles
2/12 Tue -7.25 miles easy
2/13 Wed- rest day
2/14 Thur - cross train
2/15 Fri - hills 7 miles
2/16 Sat -long run 10.25 miles

Thursday - Aloha from Waikiki!

















We arrived yesterday for our annual family holiday. Christy and I ran our tempo run from downtown Waikiki beach up Diamond Head road and back down. It was humid and warm already at 6:00 a.m. but the scenery was breathtaking! We are staying at the Westin Surfrider which is a relatively health and fitness conscious resort. (They even have complimentary propel water at the front podium for runners as they depart the hotel). The weather is perfect - partly sunny and about 80 degrees f.

We spent the day realaxing beach side with the fam. Christy's hubby is an amazing surfer and she eventually talked me into going out with him tandem-surfing. Here's how it worked - I took the front of the longboard on my belly and he was on the rear of the board. As we paddled our way out, I realized just how much work surfing is as I found myself panting and my shoulders afire. I tried to keep paddling but eventually I just lay there with my hands folded under my chin soaking up the sun while Dave did the rest of the paddling. Before I knew it we were out among the other surfers waiting for our wave. I simply followed his orders "paddle" "turn" "get up! get up!". I got up on the first wave......for about 3.2 seconds. I can't believe how fast you move on the board....it's an amazing feeling as the wave moves up under you and carries you away. It was great fun....but very exhausting. Jamie has been out there at it since we checked in. He's determined to become an expert surfer before we leave for the north shore this weekend and face the real surf!

The town is abuzz with the upcoming Holiday Bowl on Sunday. We have already spotted a lot of the players around town. We have been lucky to have great weather with the occasional quick shower, it definitely beats the sub zero temps and feet of snow we are getting back at home in Canada!

February 3 - February 9 Weekly mileage:
2/3 Sun- Sunday - Surf City Half Marathon Huntington Beach 1:44
2/4 Mon -cross train
2/5 Tue -7.25 miles easy
2/6 Wed- travel day Aloha!
2/7 Thur - tempo run 7.5 miles
2/8 Fri - cross train
2/9 Sat -long run 10.25 miles

Sunday - Surf City Marathon - formerly known as the Pacific Shoreline Marathon
Rain and Wind was in the forecast, but we were hopefully optimistic that the storm would blow over quickly or dissipate before the gun went off today. No such luck! The starting line was a sea of rain ponchos, makeshift glad bag coats, and "Runners Wraps". Christy and I were lucky enough to be neighbors of the Runners Wrap booth and took this great new running product for a test drive on Sunday. They are a lot like an oversized white doctors' coat made out of a weightless polypropylene gauzy fabric, complete with a snapping front closure. They actually kept us warmer and were very resistant to the downpour of rain. Not only do these little garments help with those pre-race shivers, the owners of the company place collection bins along the marathon course and donate them to homeless shelters post marathon. How cool is that?!

The marathon course was nice and flat and ran along the pacific coast. It seemed like it would be the perfect scenic and easy course for a p.r.....on a nice typical sunny day in the OC. As we toed the line, and went over our race plan (the plan was that there wouldn't be any plan in this awful weather). Our only goal today was to cross that finish line and get the cool little surf board medal......and keep our borrowed hats (thanks annie) from flying far far away. We cruised the course at a relaxed page and picked up the pace on the last half. Aside from the sideways wind and rain coming off the coast, we had a blast splish splashing our way through Huntington Beach. If you can believe it, this was the first time Christy has ever run in the rain (she's spoiled with San Diego weather). AND SHE DIDN'T MELT! I am thrilled to report that I am feeling my old running stride coming back (thanks to the training/therapy of Chris! - see CHEK blog from last week.) - no more quad pain! I still have some work to do on getting my body back to pre-pregnancy posture and gait, but It is so much better already.

All in all I give this half marathon my vote of approval and plan to do it again next year!