CN Tower? Check!

Before - (almost) too excited to be nervous

We did it!

Dragged ourselves out of bed before the sun was up.

Had a quick breakfast, then went out in the gale-force winds, lashing rain and freezing cold.

(It's true! The weather was wild!)

Checked in, checked our coats and hit the start line. GO!

This was my second time doing the CN Tower Climb - did it last October too - and my son's first.

I was pretty nervous about this one - after making him audition, I knew that he could do the climb but was worried about how we'd do together. Would he be able to go so fast that I'd struggle to keep up? Would he be able to go so fast that he'd be annoyed with me? Would he start so fast that he'd burn out part way up?

Turns out - we did amazing.

He paced himself really well, climbed strong, took short breaks with me when we needed them - and finished smiling.

Me too :-)

I never felt like I was racing to keep up with him, and he says he didn't feel like I was holding him back, aside from needing a few more breaks than he did. Nice comfortable pace for both of us.

As they say, before you know it, you're at the top. It really is amazing to watch 144 flights of stairs fly by.

We were both thrilled with our times, too.

Me for a few reasons. I finished in 29:59 - which is my personal best! It also means that I met my big hairy scary goal of under 30 minutes - just barely, but I did it! Finally, I'm very, very proud to say that this was 4:38 faster than my time from just 6 months ago.  Seriously - the new Curves and Zumba are doing amazing things for my fitness.

My son finished in 29:37. He's delighted that he did it in under 30 minutes, and also that he beat the times from both of my climbs :-) And as I told him - the first time you do an event, you automatically PB!

He's already wondering about how he'll do in next year's Climb, when he'll be old enough that we won't have to stick together on the way up.


My daughter (7) has also started talking about wanting to try the Climb in a couple of years.

Does this mean that I'm going to have to do this event EVERY year? :-)

Showing off our t-shirts & soaked from the rain - April 2011

The best part?

After crossing the finish line, he told me that he feels like he can do almost anything now.

Giving him the opportunity to feel this way was one of the best experiences I've had as a parent.

Watching someone get a glimpse of their own potential? I don't have the words to describe how awe-inspiring that is, and how grateful I am that I was there to see it.

I know what he means - I felt exactly the same way after getting to the top of the top of the Tower last year. That feeling is what got me to finally sign up for my first 5K, and has led to me signing up for all my other events since.

We're doing a 5K together next month. Wonder where else this will take him?

Here's this week's recap:

Later that day...

Saturday - CN Tower, followed by a trip to the hospital. My Zumba-dancing, bike riding, gymnast of a daughter twisted her ankle...by walking across the playground (??) after school yesterday. We thought it was just a bit tender and went home for RICE, but it was swollen and very sore this morning when she got up. Nothing broken, happily - she just needs to stay off it for a day or two.

Sunday - Recovery day. Lots and lots and lots of relaxing.

Monday - 1.25K walk in the morning; Curves after dinner.

Tuesday - Rest day. Sort of. Spent the day running around at work and driving kids places after school.

Wednesday & Thursday - Nothin'. Work has been crazy busy. Didn't even make it to Zumba. Not good.

Kite master! At the park - April 2011

Friday - Good Friday holiday - Took the kids to the park to fly kites and play frisbee, then went out to my SIL's for our nephew's birthday. We all the kids for a good hike through the forest near their house. A most excellent way to end the week!

Don't fall in! April 2011

What I'm reading this week - Huh. Nothing. Tried to read Freedom by Jonathan Frantzen but found the characters so unlikeable that I couldn't get into it. Tried to read The Carnivore by Mark Sinnet but couldn't get into it either. Anyone have anything good to recommend?