The Kriz Family

I’d been training this year, with grand plans to run the Flying Pig full marathon, but due to inconsistency early on, I wasn’t at all ready for 26.2 miles. I decided to run the half – a wise choice according to Heidi, something about me getting too old to just go out and run a marathon, or somesuchnonsense…

Anyway, it’s always a fun weekend, and this year, Lukas got to run in one of the Piglet fun runs too. He was pretty excited about it, though you wouldn’t know it looking at some of the pictures I got. So we went down on Saturday to get me signed up, and the headed over to Yeatman’s Cove to get Lukas signed up for his run. It was a 50-yard sprint, and he was pretty fast – maybe we’ll sign him up for the half marathon next year. After his race, we hung out in the park for a while, climbing on the Serpentine Wall and playing at the playground. I think he was pretty tired by the end of the day (he had soccer in the morning too). It was a fun outing for dad and son.

On Sunday morning, I was up before the sun to head downtown for the half marathon. I was a little nervous waiting for the start. I was pretty well-prepared for the race, but it was a lot warmer than most of my training, and it also has a pretty big elevation climb from mile 5 or so all the way to mile 9. But the nerves were pretty quickly calmed once the race started, and then I just enjoyed the run. And Heidi and the kids managed to find me about a half mile before the finish, so that’s always a fun surprise (THANK YOU!) I knew they were coming down, but didn’t know where they would be – I almost missed them coming around the corner, I was looking on the wrong side of the street!

I was shooting for 1:45 or 1:50 (works out to about an 8 or 8:25 minute mile), and I ended up finishing just under 1:50. I was pretty happy with that, especially considering the temperature and the wicked climb from downtown into Eden Park.

I have to say, this race is one of the best I’ve ever been in, and it seems like it gets better every year. Its very well organized, there is a TON of entertainment and support along the way, well-placed water stops – it all just keeps you coming back for more! I’m already thinking about next year…

Pre-race mug shot

Post-race, with the medal (yes, this was about the best shot I could get of him…)

Obligatory shot on the Serpentine Wall

Another run at Sawyer Point

Heidi and Lukas and Elsa spotted me with about 1/2 mile to go!

Me and the kids after the race

After running 13.1 miles, I got to carry Lukas across the Purple People bridge

I was heading out tonight for a run and almost tripped over an old friend having dinner on our sidewalk. Mr. Turtle, who we first discovered by our house last spring, has come around again. I have no idea where he’s been, we would see him around every once in a while last Summer, but then he seemed to disappear. We’re going to be here for a long time (hopefully…), and I’ll bet this guy will be around long after we’re gone  I’m going to have to take Lukas out to look for him tomorrow.

We’ve missed you, Mr. Turtle!

#23 Lukas scored his first GOOOOAAAALLLLL tonight! He was pretty pumped up about it, he was jumping up and down on the field, throwing high-fives to anyone who would give one back Been trying to take pics, but these action shots are tough, especially at a distance. I’m playing around with camera settings, hopefully we’ll have some good ones by the end of this season…

Anyway, here are a couple shots that I doctored up a bit since they were not quite right. I think they look kind of cool. We need some with him coming at us instead of always running from us.

We signed Lukas up for soccer this spring. It is the second organized sports team he’s been on (T-Ball last fall was the first). So far, this is a much bigger hit with Lukas, and seems to be with the rest of the kids as well. There’s a lot more activity and less downtime. I guess I see why soccer is so popular now – never quite understood before. Hopefully Lukas will turn out to be more coordinated and athletic than his old man, maybe he’ll get some of that from Uncle Derrick

I’ll try to post more pics as we get them, but here are some from the first game.

Elsa is practicing – I guess she’ll be doing this in a year or so

She’ll find anything to amuse herself…

A little practice dribbling before the game

Goalkeeper, ready for anything that comes his way

Loading up for the goal kick

One of many saves in this game – the goalie was en fuego!

I’m a little late with this (ok, several weeks late), but better late than never, right? Easter this year started with brunch and an egg hunt at Heidi’s parents on Palm Sunday, then we decorated eggs at our house on Holy Saturday, then we went to church and had another egg hunt on Easter Sunday. Elsa was big enough to enjoy the egg hunts and coloring the eggs this year. It was a lot of fun for Lukas too, since he got to be the big brother and help her out. These kids are growing up too fast!

Finding eggs in the flowers

Our strange children

Elsa and OT

Too cool

"No Elsa, you can’t put a green egg in the orange one!"

Now we can really get down to business

Some of Elsa’s eggs – decorated with help from Mommy

Some of Lukas’ space alien eggs

Finished with decorating

Space alien eggs, arranged just like the picture on the box…

Lukas helping Elsa find some eggs in the log cabin

Counting up the eggs

This is how we eat hollow bunnies around here…

…and this is what we look like when we’re done.

Family portrait – it’s hard to get a good picture with these two