Sunday, April 16, 2006

In Defence of the Parents

God, you guys are a critical lot. We don’t usually leave eggs in reach of a 2-year old, but Niamh was just about to use them to make French Toast, got distracted, and by the time she came back, Cian had done the deed. It didn’t get much better afterwards, while I was writing my last entry, he managed to get hold of the jam jar and helped himself to second breakfast, minus the bread of course, but leaving a sticky trail.

We’re now in Dublin in Nana’s and Gaga’s house, which is less childproof than our own. In the one-and-a-half days since we’ve been here he’s raided the mushrooms (and was just about to tuck into the broccoli by the time I arrived to stop him), spilt washing powder all over the kitchen floor, picked some of Nana’s daffodils and been in several fights with the cat. At that rate we might be asked to leave soon ;-).

I bought some badly needed new runners yesterday, but as I don’t know any running shops around here, I had to go to one of the big-chain stores, where they display their shoes on one wall, with a big sign “display models only, don’t try them on” without anyone to assist you. When I finally managed to hunt down a shop assistant, he of course didn’t have a clue about shoes, but was finally persuaded to bring me a couple of pairs to try on. I eventually left as the proud new owner of a pair of Asics GT-1110. I’ve tried to the 2100 before and didn’t like them, but I decided to give them another chance, seeing as so many runners really seem to like that brand (I was also desperate to get out of that shop). I took them for a spin today. The plan was 9 miles, and I felt really good until mile 4.5. When I turned around I realised why running had felt so easy, because all of a sudden I was running into the wind. Oh well. It still went really well, actually. The last two miles are over a fairly big hill, and I just seemed to fly up one way, and down again the other side. Add to that the over five miles I did yesterday (my distances in Dublin are just estimates, but I reckon they are reasonably accurate), and I’m on 31 miles for the week.

15 Apr: 45 mins, 5 miles (est.)
16 Apr: 1:15, 9 miles (est.)

16 comments:

  1. Cian sounds like a (very cute) handful.

    Yay on new shoes!

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  2. You son is just a bunch of joy:) You better follow him around before he eats your new running shoes!

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  3. Your descriptions of the kids' antics are too funny; or should I not be snickering too much...?!

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  4. I am eternally grateful that I survived my children's two-year-old stage! It's amazing what a child can get up to in the two or three seconds that you're not actually holding on to them.

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  5. Nice you are completely recovered and running!

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  6. Heh. My son hasn't managed to get his hands on eggs (yet!), but he's gotten close. He's made some pretty huge messes - it's amazing how fast they can wreak havok, isn't it? It only takes a couple of seconds, and you suddenly have an hour of cleaning.

    I hope the new shoes work out for you.

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  7. My 3-year-old got scratched by a neighborhood cat she "just had to hug" when we were out looking at Christmas lights. In true "revisionist-history" child language, she now says the cat "just kissed me". I wasn't trying to bag on you about the eggs, I just thought it was funny. My daughter still manages to get the pruning shears once in awhile, which is much worse!

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  8. New running shoes. To change the dear old fit shoes is always a tragedy!

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  9. Ah, the good old days of the young adventurers - on one hand I reminisce fondly of those days(Mike's 'revisionist history' at work)while on the other I am very glad to have them behind us.

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  10. My two year old has taken to 'helping" with the dishes. He pushes the chair in from the dining room, puts the dish soap in and gets the water running. Well he does not have the idea of ratios down yet so imagine the soap bubbles running out of the sink and 3 inches deep on the floor. GUH, I totally understand your plight, and wouln't change it for the world!
    Be well!

    Curtai

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  11. I think you need to start taking your son out on runs with you. He'll be all tuckered out when he gets back and too tired to get into the food stuffs! LOL

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  12. Oh the joys of chasing around after a toddler!

    yeah, I don't like to shop at those big stores like that too.

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  13. Thomas,

    What's your shoe size?

    Let me know how u liek the GT-1110? It was an upgrade from the GT-1100 and I like the 1100 better.

    Anyways, I have a pair of GT-1110 that I dont' wear. I only wore it for about 50 km. Wore it about 3 times. If you are a size 9 1/2, i will ship you my semi-used pair.

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  14. ..."At that rate we might be asked to leave soon"..., reminds me of my kids when they were young. They loved jelly sandwiches, we didn't, the jelly seemed to end up all over the house as soon as we turned our backs ;-)

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  15. Am I glad that my son is now 20 - Actually, now I think about it, I'm not so sure - Maybe my rose coloured specs have revised my memories as well - It get's better, or so they tell me :)

    Should have tried Mick Dowling Sports in Terenure, the only decent running shop in Dublin. I despise "Fashion" shops, where the staff haven't a clue. I once asked for a pair of Reebok Boston's and got brought a pair of Adidas Boston's and was told it was the same shoe made by a different firm -Needless to say, didn't go back.

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  16. Ah yes, looks like I'm not the only one that the shoe saga continues for. Hope the 1110's are finally "the one" for you!

    (I've had one run in my new Cumuluses...so far so good...ask me again after 100 miles in them though!)

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