A huge shout out to my boot camp buds, Petra and Chris, who ROCKED the Boston Marathon.
Monday morning was Patriots’ Day. As you may know, I first thought Patriots’ Day was a ridiculous made-up holiday. But I was a fast convert. Patriots’ Day should be a national holiday. Battle re-enactments! Parades! The marathon!
Doodles and Pie slept too late to go to the Lexington re-enactment of the Battle on the Green because the previous two nights’ seders went late (and those kids of mine were so cute! Doodles recited the four questions like a pro the first night and the second night, Pie chimed in with a question herself [there’s a video on the site if you’ve got the password]), but I suggested the marathon.
“I don’t want to go to the marathon!” Doodles whined. “It’ll be boring!”
That kid is all about “boring” these days. But I used the ultimate weapon: the TV. I turned on the marathon to catch the start, and the kid was hooked.
“Wouldn’t it be fun to go watch that?” I suggested mildly.
“Yeah! Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!”
Of course, three minutes into actually watching the marathon and he was “bored! Bored! Bored!!!” He and Pie started playing ball on the sidelines, drifting farther and farther away from me. I’ve got one eye on the race, trying to spot my friends, and one on the kids.
“Get back here!” I kept yelling, and I finally grabbed Pie around the waist and pulled her back, yelling, “If I miss seeing my friends because I’m watching you, there will be trouble!” (“There will be trouble!” is the most oft-repeated phrase in our household. I find it menacing enough to put a touch of fear into their hearts and yet vague enough that I don’t have to give up my–I mean their–TV show.) Luckily, the new and improved Friendliest Brown found a young boy to play catch with and I was able to spot not one, but both of my friends. And they looked gooood!
It really motivated me to want to run Boston. I’ve tossed my hat in the lottery for NYC this year, and I plan on running Miami next January, but Boston is out there waiting for me. I determined to get there on my own–no fundraising numbers–and I’m still a way off on my time. Although, the best thing about aging is that the qualifying time for Boston gets slower. I will qualify. One of these years. Of course, Doodles won’t be watching. He’ll be playing his Leapster. Because marathons are bo-ring!
