Pre-Summer Recap, Part I

We've had a lot going on here.  Kids are busy; the biggest difference is my difficulty with my knee, which is painful and time/energy consuming. I just looked back at the blog, and my goodness there's a lot missing! I'll try to put it back in order.

A New Arrival

The girls finally got to meet their new baby cousin!  Vivian has never met a baby this young. Elena loves babies, and couldn't get enough of G.

Viv attempting to hold G

E holding G

Fun Run

Every year there is a fun run for our school. It is very hilly, and typically on a hot day. This year it was sweltering hot. Elena and Vivian both wanted to run--Viv did the 50 and 100 yard dash, and Elena ran the half mile.

Run Vivian!

The half mile/mile course is no joke. I had a rough time getting around the 'flat' parts, given my injured knee. I knew Elena could handle the terrain, but I wasn't sure she could finish the course given the heat and crouch issues. She wanted to run, and so it was. She started with her classmates--she was left behind in all of 10 seconds. Jason was with her, in case she got too tired or fell in a ditch (she didn't).

Most kids finished the course by the time she was 1/4 through. Vivian and I kept cheering. As she passed the other parents hanging out by the course, they started cheering too.

And then something happened. I couldn't really see it, b/c it was out of my range-but the kids who had finished (and their siblings and friends and parents) started to congregate near the finish. I finally walked to the finish line and saw all these people, mostly Elena's schoolmates, walking with her, cheering her on, clapping the whole way to the end. It was beautiful.

Strong Finish!

Strawberry Season!

We went picking this year-Elena did a great job with one crutch. We even had enough to make jam!

Sisters at the Orchard

A Fine Specimen

Vivian

Later on the kids hosed off in the sprinkler. A great way to usher in the season!

Sprinkler Time

Pepsi10K/2Miler for Special Olympics

E and I had the opportunity to take part in the Pepsi10K/2mile event for Special Olympics.  We chose the 2 mile walk option, with the intention of running as much of it as possible.  Elena and I were excited, but I knew 2 miles would be a lot for her.

It was crowded.  All sorts of people--fast runners, slower runners, walkers, families.  We felt very welcome.  Vivian and Jason were going to be our cheerleaders!

Ready to go

My runner girl

E started running right from the start.  She looked GREAT, and we hung with the pack (of walkers) for a while.  Elena's pace started to ease up at about 3/4 mile, when she started to walk more.  No biggie.

We had tons of encouragement along the way.  It was a down-and-back course (the runners intially went another way, but caught up to us by the time Elena started to walk more) and the "final stretch" runners cheered and yelled Elena's name.  She beamed each time.  It was pretty awesome.

PIC OF MOM AND E

Elena got really tired after rounding the first mile.  We were the last of the walkers (which we don't mind) and E said that she "couldn't feel her hands".  WHAT? She's never complained about that before.  I understand that the pressure of her loftstrands could hurt, but she's walked a lot more than this and never mentioned it.  I asked if she wanted to sit on my knee and rest, she adamantly refused.  So I asked if we could hold hands instead of her using her crutches, which she obliged--for about two minutes.  She asked for her crutches back, and we went walking on our way.  I offered to carry her, or have her rest, and she would not accept that kind of help.

She found a new burst of energy when Jason and Vivian found us along the route and walked with us. Then, we rounded the last corner, and E finished the last two hundred feet or so at a run.  It was pretty great!  Then, it was off to enjoy some food, running company, and some playground swingtime.

PIC

I worry/wonder about her hands on her crutches.  I understand it can be uncomfortable, but she didn't complain at Disney, or at Busch Gardens, or on long walks or hikes.  Maybe she was leaning a lot because she wanted to go fast?  We have little neoprene "sleeves" that offer some squishy padding for her hands, but Elena doesn't like them.  Maybe we'll have to look into something else like that for her running events, if she chooses to do more (there are two more on the schedule for 2013).

Elena's A-maize-ing Race

*This was from August 2013*

There is a farm about 30 minutes away that has a 5K race through a corn maze.

Elena's longest race has been one mile.  We were looking for a new challenge...but 5K (3.1 miles) is too long for E right now.  There was a walk option, so I emailed the farm and asked how long that portion would be.

They said it was about a mile, but that's if you explored every part of the maze.  That option was mainly for little kids, and more of a maze exploration feature than a race.

We were a little bit bummed...Elena wanted to race, not explore.

So, I explained our situation and I asked if there was a way to have us exit the race portion of the maze somewhere close to a mile.  They agreed--and asked if we wanted to come out and check out the terrain some weekend before the race to make sure it was a good fit.

My thoughts on the maze were several fold; one, we had to be in the last wave of runners, b/c the maze can fit maybe two runners side-by-side, and I didn't want anyone passing Elena and clipping her crutches.  Two, I didn't expect the path to be smooth--but it was pretty rough.  And there were considerable hills, too.  Farmers Kent and Evie tried to assure us that we could figure out where we were in the maze by the shape of our running path--no way.  I wondered if we should tether a balloon to us so they could see where we were...they promised they wouldn't let us get lost.

The day before the race it rained.  A LOT.  But we were committed, mud or no mud.

Ready to Race!

Running up the hill

We didn't have any runners around us--we were passed right from the start (in the last wave of runners).  But that was okay.  Our goals were to have fun, try to run as much as we could, while being safe.

Corn Star

The course was difficult!  Very hilly, a little slippery, and it seemed to take forever.  E slipped and fell once--and by the tracks we saw, she wasn't the only one.  I knew E wouldn't be able to keep her normal pace, but I didn't realize how much harder this field would be to run than on smooth pavement.  It was a LOT harder. We walked a few times, and had a few water breaks.

Success!

We finished in about 36 minutes.  Our portion of the course was 1.1 miles, E's longest to date.

Arial Maze shot

The 5K race course--we exited at the bottom of the lower left balloon (near the maze entrance/exit)

E and Farmer Kent

At the end of the race, there was an awards ceremony where the fastest runners from each age category received a medal. or special shirt, or special pear gourd.  But before any of that, Elena actually got a special award from Kent and Evie.  They presented her with an apple gourd, for being the "most inspiring runner"!  

Proud Apple Girl

Huge thanks to Liberty Mills Farm, and Evie and Kent and their family for helping us have a successful race and a really fun time around the farm.  We'll be back for the Fall Festival!  

Jingle Bell Run

This fall Elena wanted to run a race.  There were a few, but it never ended up happening--one of us got sick, or stayed up too late, or the weather was lousy.  Well, I found the perfect race!

The Jingle Bell Run is an annual fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation, and they are held all over the country.  There was one 30 minutes away, and the course couldn't have been more perfect.

There is a 5K run and a 1-mile walk option.  We decided to do the mile as a family.  I knew E could make the distance, and I also knew it would be a challenge.  The course was very flat, but with difficulties E could manage--gravel, a little ditch here and there, and grass.  I also thought that we could finish at the same time as some of the runners--which would give Elena the experience of "not being last", which is always nice if you can get it.

Dressed and ready to go!

Warming Up

I always put names on the outside of the kids' clothing--that way they can hear their names being cheered as they run!

Making our way around the Polo Field (~1/3 into the mile)

Just past 1/2 mile mark

 Elena started to tire after 1/2 mile.  Tire, meaning more walking, some sloppy footing (no falls), and stopping.  We brought water, and I was prepared for her to sit on my knee and take a rest.  But she never did.

Approaching the finish!  Home stretch on the pavement! (Polo grounds in the rear of pic)

Viv's almost there!

E at the finishing chute!  

E finished the mile on pace; she typically walks 1/4 mile in 7-8  minutes when walking briskly or doing some running.  We were at the back of the pack when the running clock started; my timer said we finished in 30 minutes.  Pretty Solid!  Great job girls!

The girls were really proud of themselves, and had some snacks, and were congratulated by costumed race participants.  Then we headed home for hot chocolate and chilling out.

Summer Roundup

We've been out and about this summer!  As soon as I put up banners with Summer Activities, Elena's been asking about some of them each day.  So, in no particular order:

Run A Race
In June, there was the Summer Track Series where there was a kid's track races (with/without sibiling/adult participation), run by some local running gurus.  I had inquired before about training programs, but got a lukewarm response.  The tagline for these races was "runners of all abililites welcome"--which, I guess, meant kids that could run.  Well, Elena CAN run.  Needless to say, we weren't what they were expecting.  We showed up and registered.  Everyone would get a ribbon at the finish of each race.  My only request was that Elena and Vivian ran in different heats (I didn't want competition between siblings).  They ran by age.  That's no big deal--in all honesty, Elena would be last in almost any age range.  That is okay.  I just wanted to her to finish, and be proud of herself.

Viv's 100m dash!

Elena's 100m dash!

In the past, E has normally taken 5-6x as long as her peers.  Her 100m dash time is 3-4x, so that's a huge improvement!!

We also entered the parent/child 2x400.  I thought it was a 2x200 when I signed up for it, so I panicked at race time--we ended up doing a special race where Jason and I (paired with Vivian and E, respectively) did a 600/200 race, with the kids doing the second leg.  Needless to say Jason and I were the slowest adults at the meet.  But, I thought, that was a good example for the kids--we had a great time, no matter the place.  Having E and Viv do 200m vs. 400m was a good move--they ended up finishing just behind there peers, but they could still see them and were obviously in the same race.  Everyone got a ribbon, and the girls were very happy!  And a special thanks to the kids who came up to Elena after her race(s) and told her "hey, good race!".  Class acts, those kids!

Play in a Sprinkler

Elena has never been through a sprinkler until now.  The difficulty with water, no shoes, grass, and no handholds is enough of a problem--never mind the fact that we don't have a sprinkler.  Thanks to Pinterest--we decided to make one--and make an event of it.  Introducing...

The Kid Wash!

inaugural wash

E likes it!

everyone wants a turn through the wash (even parents)

After phase one, we broke out the slip n' slide!  Most of the kids liked it--it was hard for Elena to take a running start, so she had help.

big thanks to Antonio to keeping the slide smooth

Phase three was popsicles...total success!

Summer PT

Elena is learning more of the actual riding portion during hippotherapy--here is E's most recent development--posting!

At the end of her lesson, Viv normally gets a short ride.  This time, they got to ride tandem...what a sweet treat!

Viv is beside herself

smiling the whole time

Dogwood Duathlon

After Elena and Vivian's success in their Kid's Dash, I've been looking for another opportunity for them to 'race'.  There have been a few...but some were for older kids, others were in fields, or the timing was bad.

Then I found the Dogwood Duathlon.  It's an event for kids 7-16.  For Elena's age group, the distance was a 1/2 mile run, 2 mile bike, and 1/2 mile run.

Now...I know that Elena can do a 1/2 mile distance.  I don't expect her to run it.  I also didn't expect her to do it twice, or with a bike inbetween.  But I inquired, b/c I wondered if we could work within the confines of the race to create a successful experience for Elena.

The race coordinator was wonderful.  She wanted me to know that Elena was welcome, and she even had some ideas to help make it a positive experience.  Her first suggestion was to make the running distance shorter.  I wasn't able to see the course until the night before the race, and it had some pretty big hills--so the shorter distance was key.  They made a special turnaround cone for Elena, with a big "E" on it.  Her running distance was 1/4 mile for each leg.  Because it was basically one big hill, I decided I would walk it with her--especially if she fell.  The coordinator also suggested a shorter bike course--but since there were hills, Elena wouldn't be able to bike solo; currently she cannot scale up a hill, and does not always brake sufficiently by herself when on a decline.  We decided to do the entire bike leg, together, on the trail-a-bike.  I was the only parent allowed on the course with a participant.  That was a little odd, but I think the others understood our situation.

Team Doodle before the race

Sure, Elena got some looks when we arrived.  Some stares.  The volunteers knew all about Team Doodle and were all wonderfully supportive.  The other kids, once the stares were over, were too.  

The starting line was worrisome...lots of legs and arms moving around a crowded space, and oftentimes E doesn't walk in a straight line.  I served as a buffer so E didn't get knocked.  She walked down the hill, and she ran most of the uphill.  I have to say...I wish I had a video.  It was fantastically inspirational.   Everyone cheered for us!  And since E's distance was shorter, we managed to be around other race participants--not being last was a new experience for Elena.  Last position isn't something we stress, but normally, Elena is so far behind speed events she never enjoys the thrill of the group.  This was something new--and helped E be a part of something special.

We had some help mounting our bike, and then we were off!  Elena loves going fast, and she considers it her job to pedal when I pedal.  I can feel her pushing the bike as she pedals--I love it.  She does tend to hold the handlebars hard to steady her body when she is trying push her feet, which can make the bike hard for me to balance at times.  One of her feet came out of her straps (I strap her feet to the pedals so they will stay on) so I had to dismount and fix it.

The last running leg was the most difficult.  She was out of breath after the bike, and sat for a rest and some water before continuing.  She was a little "rickety" as we left the transition zone--but the cheers buoyed her up and her form improved.  Again, she walked down to her cone and turned around and started to run.  

The finish was slightly off course, up a path through an inflatable arch.  The path was thin, so we waited for a bunch of runners to pass.  As we got on the path, everyone was cheering-Elena was BEAMING with pride!  It was AWESOME! 

My Little Duathlete!

MJ Kid's Dash

Today the girls woke up a little earlier than usual, for a Saturday.

We had a RACE!

After talking it over with both girls, I enrolled them both in a local charity run. It's very popular, and there is an 8K run, a 4K walk/run, and a 1/3 mile Kid's Dash.

As always, I phoned up the people in charge and asked if we would be welcome. They couldn't WAIT for us to be there!

Elena even had A SPONSOR! How cool is that? Virginia Prosthetics, the company that provides her AFOs/KiddieGaits asked if E would run on their team! (All the other team members were adults, btw). I'm humbled...and so proud my E can represent them.

Anyway, it was a cool morning--perfect for a run. We dressed E and Viv a little warm (probably too warm, but they were pretty cold until they were done running) and put on their race numbers. I jazzed them up a bit, giving them names in sparkly foam letters! (I almost put Puss in Boots on Vivian's back, but she changed her mind.)



Part of the Virginia Prosthetics Team



The 1/3 mile race course was, essentially, a large block. It was downhill for the first segment, uphill for the next two, and finished a downward slope. I knew Elena would finish--and I figured she would also be last, which is not a new experience for her. Still, I worried that she might fall or get discouraged during the run. Prior to the start, one of the race leaders mentioned the important parts of this race: no pushing at the start, to always be safe, and to be exhibit good sportsmanship by telling others they did well and cheering others during the race.

E's last "running" event was the Wee Walk last year; 1/4 mile track, and it took her 13 minutes. I figured with this hill, and the cooler weather, at most she would take 25 minutes, even if she fell. The start and end points were the same for all participants--so, at WORST case, Elena would finish her 1/3 mile when the 8K runners were arriving. Which meant there would be plenty of people at the finish line to cheer E on--a win-win.

After the Warm-Up, heading to the Starting Line



And they're off!



E and Viv were almost immediately at the back of the pack. Vivian was a cute little runner--just going her own pace, and loving the spectacle. Jason and I were worried about E--she was going fast on the downhill, and we thought she might fall. She didn't. Rounding the corner, seeing the big uphill run, though, Jason heard Elena sigh.

"Oh wow...that's a big hill. I don't know if I can do it."

Jason only had to give her a little encouragement, and off she went. A little walking here and there, but she just kept on going. I went with Viv, as she was also alone, and kept running back to see E--both girls looked really, really great!

Vivian around the last turn

http://youtu.be/vkmRXXVCFyw

Vivian finished at about 5:30 or so--I really didn't get her time, b/c we went back to cheer for Elena.

Rounding the last curve



The Finish!



Elena finished in 7:45!!

Both girls were SO PROUD of themselves! Of course, we were too. This course was challenging and successful, the volunteers were wonderful, and so were the other runners! We even had a surprise...E's first facilitator S was back from Spring Break, so they went on a post-race coffee (and chess) date!



THANK YOU SO MUCH to the MJ8K Staff, Virginia Prosthetics, Gigi and the Arbaughs, and S. W. for your encouragement and help today!

Run, Little Pigs, Run!!

I stopped by E's school today. This is just a little clip from P.E. class. Look how fast she is now!!



More posts soon. Uploading has taken forever, and I'm SO BEHIND on everything these days...

Wee Walk 2011

We try to make the annual UVA Walk for Kids (Children's Hospital Fundraiser) every year. There are always tons of great volunteers for this great cause, and they are really encouraging. Last year, E did the 1/4 mile Wee Walk for the first time EVER. It took her a long time (45 minutes), from start to finish; she was not at all proficient with her crutches, and it was really hot. This year Elena was excited to "run her "marathon" to help babies", as she called it.

We got there a little early, so we played some games--I carried E so she wouldn't get too tired before her big walk.


Beach Ball


Soccer


Then we went back to the shade for some water, and a Team Doodle cheer!


Mommy, Viv and E from Team Doodle


We started off strong. Our goal was to "keep moving", trying not to stop. We did have a few very brief stops along the way, mainly for sips of water.


Viv took off a few times


Almost halfway


Finishing Strong!






Awesome job E!! Not only did she finish her Wee Walk with a personal best time OF 13 MINUTES(!!), but she also had energy for a bounce house afterwards--and managed to run a few steps, several times--and jump afterwards (once) in just her socks!

If you're in C'ville, check for E on the news tonight!
-by popular demand, here is the TV spot--she's just in it at the end.

Weekend at Mommy's Work

E came to work with me over the weekend. We did "some science" and did a whole lot of walking around, including steps to use the bathroom down one floor. E was incredible. It was hard to get video of E doing steps, b/c I was so nervous she would fall.





E can do steps pretty well, provided she holds the rail/banister with her right hand. If you change the grip, she has a lot more trouble.

Then we walked down the hallway to the coffee ladies; I told E to try to keep her hands "low" and walk "slowly".



Here's the big one! E's new thing is "running". She ran off and on while we were at work for about two hours!





I also introduced the game "Mother May I". She always asked if she could run from A to B. I let her sometimes, and others I changed her movement to jump, walk sideways, backwards, etc.





She worked so hard this weekend! On Sunday (the running posts) we started off the workday with E in her sneakers sans AFOs and her crutches, and she walked over 400 feet around the research wing. After an experiment, I put on her shoes and AFOs at her request and then shot the running, steps, and Mother May I videos. Her endurance is definitely improving--with enough motivation, I guess!

Back from Chicago

What a great city! I went to Chi-town to watch my sister run the marathon--AWESOME! And the kids loved the marathon paraphenalia I brought home.



E says she wants to run like Aunt Kate. I tell her she has to walk first! Still...one dream I have is that I run a little "race" around town, like a 5K or 10K, and E finishes the last 10 feet or so with me. Ideally she'd move independently--but even on her crutches, it would be GREAT. We'll work on that for next year! Maybe her birthday (April 30)?

E "runs" The Track

Elena wants to run BADLY. She wants to run and jump around the house...we tell her that this will be easier if she works on walking first. "Walk before you run" we tell her...yeah, try to reason with a four-year old, right?! Lots of bumps and bruises, but honestly, that's nothing new.

Here is E giving it a pretty good shot; notice she doesn't raise her right foot as much.*

>



*I noticed this week that she wasn't using her left leg as well as I previously thought she was. I did this by watching her head-on during treadmill (normally I am on her right side)--she REALLY leans on the left, b/c she does NOT like to weight shift onto her right leg. I asked about exercises we can do about this--I'll have to devote this to another post.