PT and parenthood

I graduated from PT! I'm not exactly back to new, but it'll do. I am trying to build the core I never had and REALLY didn't have after 3 pregnancies. It's humbling, to say the least. I learned lots of really torturous exercises. Fitting in all the PT stuff has been really time consuming, and I have been running very little.

But today I ran twice! I'm not usually in to two-a-days, but apparently my four year old son is. He heard the Supportive Husband and I talking about going for a walk/run, and decided that not only did he want to come, he did NOT want to ride in the buggy. So he and I ran while the Supportive Husband pushed the toddler in the double stroller. We ran and ran and ran. For some short little legs, we went quite a ways. And Max got tired out, too. ;)

Later in the morning, he had his penultimate swim lesson, just in the nick of time as the pools around here are opening next weekend. He floated and bobbed and glided and jumped. And when it was over, he begged for more time in the water. He recently got a snorkel mask, and I helped him float around as he snorkeled around the pool.

After we got home, he ate a huge lunch, and begged to go running again. So we put the baby in the buggy and took off. We ran and ran to the neighboring neighborhood's playground, where he ran and climbed and slid and jumped. Then we ran home, just beating the rain clouds coming over the mountains.

He then refused to nap, and was later heard telling his sister, "Let's run around!"

He went to bed early, and without a single word of protest.

Physical Therapy

I finally started PT for my hip that has been bothering me since I was 6 months pregnant with Sami. She is now 17 months old, so, yeah, I've really been putting this off.

Why did I wait so long?

After the first session, I felt a little better, confident that the PT had identified my major complaints, and some issues I hadn't even realized I was having because I was so focused on my painful hip. After my second session, I could tell my gait was different, both running and walking. I'm no longer all herky-jerky, using my body to compensate for my sore, weak, and spastic hip flexor. A few days later, I'm finding that surrounding muscles are sore, because I'm finally using them the way they're supposed to be used. I have made huge progress, but still have a ways to go.

Mostly, I'm just so glad to know that I can feel good again. That I don't have to deal with a bum hip permanently. After 20 months, I had integrated the bad hip into my life, so it's taking some time to un-integrate it. But I'm ready to do the work.

The Charlottesville Marathon was this morning. There's a half-marathon, too. I thought about running it, but really didn't want to mess up the work in progress. But now I know that the marathon - the full 26.2 - is now a matter of when, not if. I'm thinking about going easy this summer, spending lots of time with the kids at the pool, doing the 2 mile Cable Swim in July, then tuning up with a fall half. Then next spring - 26.2 here I come!!

Proud mama!

Today my boy went on a run with me!

We ran about .4 mi around the neighborhood, taking prudent walk breaks. He lectured me on how to make my muscles stronger. I guess we're rubbing off on each other.

surprise - race report!

So, I ran the 10 Miler.

I had a great week. Nothing was hurting. Nobody got sick. I ran a lot. So yesterday I decided to pick up my packet. "I can drop out at mile 3, which is a quick walk to the parking lot, or mile 5 which is a couple blocks from my parents' house," I said to myself.

I have never been so mentally unprepared for a race before. Lining up for the start, I still wasn't quite there. And then the national anthem, and then the gun. I ran right past my car, gave it a wave goodbye and followed the crowd. I purposefully started way, way back at the start, and took the first mile in about 12 minutes. (Sorry for the inexact times, but I have this new watch that I still can't quite figure out how to retrieve my splits from.) Second mile in a little less, third mile a little less, and fourth mile in a blazing 10:30. Fifth mile was fast (for me), too - I crossed the half at about 55 minutes.

A little intermission to sing the praises of this race - the cherries and bradford pear trees were in full bloom, the sun was shining, the spectators were out in full force. Little kids handed out water in the neighborhoods, bands played, a church band sang uptempo gospel, the Pink Ladies magically appeared just when hope was waning. This is a fantastic race, so well organized, so well integrated into the fabric of my hometown which I love more than any place on earth. There were even college students in tuxes, and frat boys with signs saying "quitters drink free." Today, despite my best intentions, I will be buying my own drinks.

Miles 6 and 7 are always killers, tons of hills. I think one of those was at 13 minutes and something for me. But there was yet another reason to love this race - there's an official pit stop between 6 and 7, at the Pavilion bathrooms. After taking water from every little cherubic face holding a paper cup with an outstretched arm, I really needed that pit stop!

I crossed mile 8, looked at my watch, and realized that I might break two hours, which I failed to do last year. Not a land speed record by any means, but a nice round number for me.

At the water stop at mile 9, I had more than 14 minutes to go before the two hour mark. At that point, I knew I could break 2 hours, even if I walked the rest of the way.

I didn't walk, and ran across the finish at 1:57:04 by my watch, and about 1:58:30 gun time. I felt like a million bucks, and grinned like an idiot the whole way into the chute.

I should be this unprepared for every race.

Congratulations, my fellow 10 milers, and a big shout out to everyone who makes this race go so smoothly.

looking forward

I heard a little radio bit about the 10 miler this morning, and got suddenly depressed. I am NOT okay with not running it. Two years ago, when I was newly pregnant with Sami and just too sick and exhausted to run it, I cheerfully volunteered on race day. But this year, I'm just going to try to pretend that it's not even going on. It's going to be too hot, anyway.

What gets me the most about this is that there's no one good reason why I'm not running. It's death by a thousand cuts. If I hadn't had the first case of strep, or the second. If I hadn't had the flu on the way back from Vegas. If I hadn't had the hurt toe. If I hadn't pulled my side carrying my luggage through the airport. If my hip hadn't started hurting again. If one of those things, or one of so many other little setbacks hadn't happened, I might be running on Saturday. I wish I could point to one thing and say, this, this is the thing that's keeping me from running. It's none of them, and all of them.

Truthfully, it's crossed my mind more than once to just pick up my packet on Friday and go run. I did 3 miles on Saturday, plus a pretty vigorous athletic conditioning class at the gym that's got to be equivalent to another 3. I feel pretty good right now. A few creaks here and there, but nothing insurmountable. The problem is I just don't have the "hay in the barn" as another running blogger put it. Running 10 miles 2 weeks after a 2 week hiatus, after 3 months of interrupted training is just not smart. Yeah, I could get through Saturday, but at what cost?

My physical happens to be Thursday, and hopefully I'll come out of there with the confidence and PT referral I need to keep my eyes on the road ahead, not just the next step in front of me.

The next round of races that I'm looking toward is fall. Fall is lousy with halfs and fulls around here, plus a smattering of 10K's and the like. It's a long way till then, and without the high of the 10 miler to draw from, it's going to be really tough going to make it through the summer. I'll admit to feeling a little bit lost right now. I run to reach goals, and having not reached my goal, it makes the next one harder to set, let alone reach.

I think I'll take a few days to just wallow in it, but then it's moving on, my eyes up ahead on the road, thinking of autumn.

I'm *really* not running!

I think the Supportive Husband gave me cooties.

As if the flulike illness wasn't enough, then there was the painful side. As that got better, I realized how much the rest of me hurt from hunching over to compensate. So I booked a massage to fix that. However, just to put the exclamation point at the end of the sentence, my toe started hurting. I went to bed with ten good piggies, and woke up with nine good piggies, and one red, swollen piggy that I can't bend or put weight on. If I had any recollection of any kind of trauma whatsoever, I would totally believe you if you told me it was broken.

So yeah, I'm officially, *officially* not running the Ten Miler, as I am officially not running right now, and haven't run (not even in place!) in over a week.

Say a little prayer for my toe - the weather has turned balmy, and I'm itchy to get back out on the roads and trails!

yoinked

Today was the MJH8K, and I didn't run it.

I look forward to this race every year, it is the first reliable sign of spring. After a very long and snowy winter (60 inches of snow, in a place that usually gets about a foot), I *needed* this race. And guess what?

Yeah, I got sick. AGAIN. I've been sick more than well the past few months. It wasn't strep this time, but my symptoms were very similar - fever, aches, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes. The rapid test came out negative, and I haven't heard back on the culture, so that's likely negative, too.

And on top of it all, I pulled a muscle or strained a ligament or otherwise yoinked (that's the technical term) a good portion of my right torso. It's an injury nearly as stupid as the time I tripped going up the steps at the bagel shop and twisted my ankle. Like a total dummy, I messed with perfection and decided to hand carry a duffel bag rather than use my airline pilot wheelie bag when we went to Vegas (with a side trip to Zion National Park) last week. I can only move my right arm in certain directions - getting my shirt and pants on is quite the challenge, and I end up contorting myself like a Cirque du Soleil acrobat to avoid certain movements.

So I'm calling The Supportive Husband's physical therapist on Monday to get myself patched up.

I fully admit to being optimistic to the point of Pollyanna-ism, but my optimism is failing me right now. At this point, I'm just hoping to be able to spend a little time on the recumbent bike tomorrow. Lifting weights is entirely out of the question, as are running and swimming. I can't push either kid in the stroller. I know the 10 miler, 3 weeks away, is a no go for me this year.

And I feel like such a failure. I was totally on track to do it, I had padding built into my training schedule. But all those January and February weekday miles are as useless as our checked bag that never arrived in Vegas. Carefully planned and packed, but if it didn't show up on the baggage carousel, we might as well have never packed it in the first place.

I know, all those miles were good for something, regardless of whether I manage to meet my goals. Overall health and fitness, right? Cold comfort right now, as I sit swaddled in a heating pad.

And in the big scheme of things, a little yoinking really isn't that tragic. It's not like I blew out my knee or got cancer or broke my arm. So tell me to buck up, interwebs. Tell me that tomorrow is fresh with no mistakes in it yet. Tell me to play the glad game!

Tell me that I will kick the 10 miler's ass next year, and the sting of not running it this year will fade fast once I've got that finisher's medal around my neck.

Right?

Game off!

Strep again... not me....yet. The Supportive Husband was feeling a little off this morning, headed to the doctor, and tested positive for strep. Coincidentally, I had an appointment to get both kids tested for strep today, just in case one of the little darlings was the source of my illnesses. And as it turns out, my dear boy is an asymptomatic carrier. Poor dear, I think he genuinely feels bad about it.

But after schlepping two kids to the doctor, scrambling to find childcare for Typhoid Max, cleaning vomit out of the car after his delayed gag reflex kicked in a mile down the road, running to the pharmacy, making it to work, scrambling to get myself to the doctor to get tested, racing home, making dinner, fetching whatnot for the Sick Husband, putting kids to bed, washing up, making tomorrow's lunches...I look up and it's 9:30pm and I'm preparing for a restless night on the sofabed.

Good lord. Can spring come fast enough?

Game on!

Okay, I recovered from my non-running hiccup, and got in a fantastic run and workout this weekend, plus lots midweek mileage, woooooo! I even ran to the gym (about 1.5 miles), took a 1 hour "athletic conditioning" class which involved getting my ass kicked by a sadistic little sprite, and ran home. I am feeling it today!

We had temps in the 50's this weekend, which is pretty normal for us this time of year, but seems so balmy, given the cold and snowy winter we've had. It's been nearly a month since we had a high temp that was at or above average! The snow did some serious melting, and I've got more options for running routes and times (ie before dawn). And the days are getting longer, so soon a 6am run won't be in the pitch black. And with the nicer weather, I don't feel guilty about putting one or both kids in the buggy. We've all been jonesing for a little fresh air, and even Max has been an eager passenger this past week.

My weight has stabilized, and I'm no longer losing and this is a good thing! I am at a weight that 1) looks and feels great and 2) I can actually maintain over the long haul. For the VERY FIRST TIME in my whole life, I feel like my weight is simply another measurement in my assessment of my overall health and fitness. I was totally dragging during a treadmill session and workout at the gym the other day. When I was done, I hopped on the scale, and was down almost two pounds. Instead of thinking "awesome, I'm so skinny and therefore a better person," I immediately though, "I bet I'm dehydrated." Sure enough, I struggled sleepily through the rest of the day, downed 32 ounces (or two pounds) of water after dinner, and perked right back up.

Clunk

.....aaaaaand I'm off the wagon again. Just like that.

I was feeling all fly and buff and powerful. Another snowstorm was forecast to give us 6-12 inches. No big deal. I played in the snow and did a lot of shoveling. And then about an hour later, WHAM, just like that, I was hit with the chills and aches, and my temp spiked to 104 (or higher, I just was so sick I couldn't even take my temp any more), and I spent the rest of the afternoon delirious in bed. By the next morning I was in really bad shape, and got to traverse snow covered roads to go to the ER, where two male nurses and a DO with a ponytail got me all fixed up.

I had strep again. Can you believe it? Turns out, I might need to have my tonsils out. Which is funny because I already had them out in 1986. So I've got an appointment with an ENT coming up to discuss my options. Super.

So, I spent most of this past week recovering. And shoveling, as we had a minor snow event in the middle of the week, and ANOTHER Snowpocalypse this weekend. We had somewhere north of a foot of snow, with a fair bit of sleet mixed in the middle. I'm not really sure. There was so much snow still on the ground from last weekend, that we never did get a good measurement. I have shoveled and shoveled and shoveled. And yet, when I heard the gym was going to be open today, I actually went. Did a little speedwork on the treadmill, lifted weights, did abs, and stretched. And spent a long time rolling around on my back on the foam roller. Aaaaaaah.

The roads around here are in good shape, but the sidewalks aren't. And there are tall snowbanks on the side of the road, so running in the early morning (ie in the dark) is a very, very bad idea. I can hit the gym early, I guess. Or try to get back into the lunchtime gym routine. And shoveling (especially with the baby on my back) has turned out to be some awesome cardio. But at some point, I need to get some real road miles in.

Did I mention we've got another snow storm coming on Tuesday?

Lightening the load

May I celebrate a moment? I am at my goal weight. I have a 5-lb range, actually, and I'm smack in the middle of it. Truthfully, I didn't think this was a weight I could really maintain over the long haul. But since it's been more than two months since the baby weaned, and I've held this weight for four months, I think I can say that yes, this is a realistic weight for me. The last time I saw this weight was before I got pregnant. The first time. Six years ago. Okay, I was at and even below this weight for about 30 seconds my highest-mileage week when I was still nursing Max. And I was miserably hungry.

But this time, I didn't kill myself to get here. I gave up packaged cookies. I started upping my activity level around the time the baby weaned. And that's pretty much it. Mostly, I am just working hard on becoming stronger and faster, and the goal weight is a nice side effect.

I've also realized that it is time for me to give up, or at least put aside, my beloved CamelBak FlashFlo. It's just too much to haul around all the time. With my nursing days behind me now, I don't need 54 oz of water for a 10 mile run (plus all the attendant crap I got used to carrying in the pack). I've downsized to a SPIbelt, and one of those water bottles with a strap for your hand. I did get the double SPIbelt, though, mostly because my energy of choice is ShotBloks, which aren't easily strapped to anything. They need a pocket.

(And sadly, no, neither CamelBak nor SPIbelt are sponsors of this blog in any way, though I love them both dearly.)

So then end result is I'm hauling around a few ounces less than I have been. I don't know if I'll gain any speed out of it, but both my body and mind are happier for it.

Click

Sometimes it all just clicks into place.

This past week, I was able to train my plan for the first time in years. YEARS. I am not exaggerating. That is what life is when you have a kid or two and a job.

I am healthy. I am uninjured. My kids are reasonably healthy (though the baby did vomit all over me while we were waiting at the pharmacy for antibiotics for her ear infection). It's The Supportive Husband's off season. The kids are sleeping well. There's no more snow on the ground, and the weather, though cold, hasn't been too bad.

I will admit to switching a run for a swim when I got the gym and realized that I didn't have a sports bra in my gym bag. But, that's why I always keep a swimsuit and goggles in my bag.

I squeezed in a run on my lunch hour. I got up in the pitch black darkness. I pushed my run till 10am to fit the schedule of my new running group, but got there early and put in an extra mile or two. I ran to the gym, lifted weights, and ran home. I did the most amazing core workout watching The Biggest Loser. Click, click, click, click. All the pieces just settled right in, and it almost seemed effortless. Almost.

Weeks like these are so rare. It feels awesome to be ahead of the curve training for the 10 Miler. This time last year I was barely training. My hip was in pain every time I took a step, and I was about to come down with walking pneumonia. Oh yeah. and I was nursing a 2 month old.

So I'm writing about this week not for you, the two of you who read my blog (hi Mo and Robine). I'm writing this for me, so I can remember that even if I only get weeks like this once every two years, I DO get weeks like this. They're out there, and there is hope for making a plan and sticking to it.

Come ON!

So, I was sick AGAIN. I have been sick - sick enough to not be able to work out at all, let alone run in the cold, for 3 of the last 6 weeks. This is crazy! Stomach bug this time. Nuff said.

Anyway, pounding vitamins C and D, eating my greens, and washing my hands till they crack. And setting my alarm for dark-thirty tomorrow morning. Of course, with snow expected tonight, I'm not sure if I'll actually be able to run or even drive to the gym at that hour. But damned if I'm not going to do SOMETHING tomorrow. Because all this sitting around is exhausting.

non-race report - NYD5K

Because the snow rendered the field used for parking impassable, the New Year's Day 5K was cancelled. I was crushed - it is one of my favorite races! I always look forward to starting the new year right - running in the cold, dreaming of PR's.

So Louise and I did our own 5-ishK this morning instead. At 8:10, five minutes before our scheduled meetup time, I was having serious regrets. The Supportive Husband and I had been out past midnight, communing with our inner gypsy punks at the Gogol Bordello show.

I haven't run outside since I came down with a nasty cold made worse by two days of nonstop snow shoveling. The cold air made my airway feel "itchy." So I've been doing the treadmill at the gym, but since I can only manage about 3/4 mile before I die of boredom, I've been running 1/2 mile, hopping on the bike, running 1/2 mile, lifting weights, running 1/2 mile, doing abs, running 1/2 mile, and stretching. So I was a little apprehensive about how my body would take to running three whole miles all in one stretch.

I shouldn't have been worried. I felt great. Mad props to Louise for poking along at my conversational pace, which I know she can do while reading a book and carrying a baby. My hip tightened up a little at the very end, but otherwise I have no complaints. Airway felt fine.

No complaints - no excuses. Hello, twenty-ten!

NOW can I get my medal?

I'm submitting this photo with my mother of the year nomination form.


Record breaking snowfall in these parts! It was up to my thighs, so no running the past few days, though, as you can see above, I've had plenty of vigorous exercise. And I'm paying for it. My head cold has morphed into some crazy airway thing, but hopefully a little rest and I'll be good as new. Because being snowbound with two kids underfoot is so restful, right?

Ah, heck

Long run? What's that?

I've been struck by a cold! A mild cold, but I'm so stuffy, I can't sleep well, and breathing is tough. So I've been sticking mostly to the gym this week, which means the dreadmill and the bike. For some reason, I can hardly bear a mile on the treadmill, but can go and go and go on the stationary bike, so I've been putting in lots of bike miles. Today, feeling particularly lousy, I managed to look wearily at the treadmill, but I did 7 miles on the bike. So, there you go. Not necessarily the most hardcore, badass workout I could have done, but it beats sitting on the sofa wallowing in self pity. And for about 4 hours after my workout, I felt a lot better - things drained, I didn't feel freezing cold, and I was breathing easier.

But now I'm all stuffed up again, and my nose is chapped. But, I don't feel too awful, so I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things soon. I had a really awesome morning run in the dark the other day that made me feel like a million bucks. I couldn't find my headlamp, so it was particularly dark. There were lots of Christmas lights and porch lights on, though, and I used my cellphone for a little extra illumination when I needed it. But all that dark took me out of my body a little bit, in a good way. Rather than running the same scripts in my head, I had something else to ponder. I felt light and swift, and by the time I had put in just under 3 miles, I felt I could do anything.

I was glad to have had that run just before coming down with this cold. It really inspired me to go back to getting up early to run, even if it's dark. I had no other responsibilities. For the first time in a long time, it was just me and road. Looking back on my blog posts from marathon training, it seems they're all about how I didn't do the workout I planned, or how I was battling back from the latest daycare sickness. I had all that going on - and I was nursing!! - and I still managed to run a marathon. I can certainly find room in my life for 13.2. I'm a better mom, a better wife, and a better person when I inhabit a strong, fit body. It's worth going to the gym when I'm sick, it's worth waking up so early that my whole run is in the pitch black. Even more than being worth it, it's a gift.

beat

I'm beat. The day after my fun Turkey Trot, I started feeling not so hot. I figured it was just a little cold. I was wrong. I ended up with some strep-like infection with a side of mastitis that resulted in a fever topping out at 105 and that bought me 10 days worth of strong penicillin. My tummy is not handling it very well, and even though I'm pretty well over whatever infection I had, my electrolytes are still out of whack, and where last week I was pushing the buggy through some of the most extreme hills and feeling happy about it, this week even a walk around the block requires forethought and contingency plans. I'm continuing to improve, and am planning on at least hitting the bike at the gym on Tuesday, with the goal of doing a "long" run of at least four miles this weekend.

So yeah, another setback. But, the 10 miler is four months away so I have at least a little while to get my shit together. The Supportive Husband is on notice that I need some Saturday mornings free and clear for long runs. And my body is on notice as well! The girls have been very cooperative and have settled right down since weaning - I'm FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I can throw away the industrial strength running bras and go back to my comfy Target cheapies. And so far my weight is holding steady, so I'm hopeful the 10 pounds extra I lost will stay lost. It feels good to be at my fighting weight and I *know* it helps my running.

Happy Turkey Trot Day!

I've been laying low, running-wise, knowing that weaning Sami would signal the start of training for spring races. This morning I ran the Turkey Trot. I had zero expectations - I was pushing Sami in the buggy, and have been doing precious little running. A couple of miles on the treadmill at lunch every now and again. No training to speak of, and no pushing kids in the buggy! And most importantly - I didn't have my pre-race nightmare. I did have a real-life nightmare, when I realized I had missed packet pickup, but it turns out that packet pickup continued through Wednesday, even though it was only schedule for Monday and Tuesday.

For whatever reason, my body loves this crazy, insanely hilly course. And I set a PR!! Not a "real" PR - I am truly light years away from that right now. But I set my buggy-pushing 5K PR - I beat my time from two years ago by 10 seconds!! Really, I was hardly exerting myself at all. I spent the first .75 mi caught up in the throng of non-runners, unable to maneuver through with the buggy. I stopped a few times to chat with friends. I took lots of walk breaks. My first mile was just shy of 16 min. I hit mile 2 at 29:30, and crossed the finish at 42:29. Hello, negative splits!! Am I really running faster by going slower? It appears to be so!

It was very encouraging to unexpectedly post this time. I know, 13 min miles are nothing to crow about. But I felt great, and I know now I've still got some legs on me.

I desperately need new shoes, and a new watch. I lost my cheap, plastic, 10 year old watch a few months ago, and not knowing what my pace is at any given time is a little frustrating, even at a fun run. And my shoes are nearly a year old (sinful!!), and really don't fit right. I got sweet talked in to buying narrows, and they're too narrow. I'm sorely tempted to try the new Nikes that are for overpronaters, but don't have the traditional bulkiness of stability/motion control shoes.

No black Friday shopping for me - it's Buy Nothing day, after all, but I'll be down at the shop sooner or later. I have a pocket full of coupons and I'm not afraid to use them.

catch as catch can

Is it any wonder that all my blog posts for the past year have been about how I don't have time to blog or exercise?

The baby is almost a year old - I can hardly believe it. The first year of her life has seemed to go by in an instant, except when she was crying in the middle of the night and then it seemed to drag on forever. Knock on wood, Ferber got her sleep all straightened out, though she's finally cutting teeth and that has thrown a wrench in the works. But enough sleep means that I finally crave exercise more than I crave sleep. In a little more than a week, the baby will be weaned - goodbye nursing boobs, and good riddance. Once the girls have settled down, then I'll come up with a training plan for spring races. But until then, I'm just being diligent about increasing my overall fitness level.

I gave up cookies after dinner, and lo and behold I lost five pounds immediately. I'm not only at my prepregnancy weight, but at my fightin' weight. Hallelujah! Downside: all my pants look like Hammer pants on me now. I'm doing my best to squeeze in workouts here and there. It's better to do a little than to do nothing. More days than not, I'm able to get to the gym, or go for a run or walk. And it's a great feeling. I even found the time to go to a group exercise class at the gym! Which kicked my sorry ass, by the way. I had charley horses in both calves for four days afterward. I've started doing real swim workouts, even if it's only 800 or 1000 on my lunch break. No more lazy laps - if my triceps aren't ON FIRE by the time I'm done, then I didn't do it hard enough. I did treat myself to a very lazy session on the exercise bike today - the new InStyle came, and I wanted to read it while I rode. But then I did a killer ab workout to make up for it.

Slowly but surely, I'm reclaiming my inner athlete.

Race Report - Real Girls 6K

Hoooo boy, it's been a long time since I had one of these.

6K is a new distance for me, so I knew going in that I'd set a PR. I really had no goals for the race, other than to actually make it to the start, and hopefully also make it to the finish, preferably not last. Getting to the start, as always, is the hardest part of any race. Sami's streak of wonderful sleep came to a screeching halt last night, and The Supportive Husband and I were trading baby-soothing duties until goodness knows when. I think I got about 4 hours sleep, total. To add insult to injury, I had to pump pre-race. Oh, THAT'S why I've been holding off training till she weans. What a freakin' PITA.

I arrived pretty early, and sat in my car rockin' out to my iPod. It was quite peaceful, actually. I so rarely just sit and listen to music these days. When I finally got going, I spent some time stretching, especially my hips, which are still a little tight-feeling, even if I'm pain-free. I saw a few familiar faces, rolled my eyes at the "rah-rah" group photo (but participated anyway), and I was off.

The first good bit was all downhill to the river. Even though there weren't very many racers, maybe 150-200, the course was narrow, which penned me in a bit. This was actually a good thing, as it kept a lid on my speed for the first half-mile or so. The air by the river was cool and damp, but after the turnaround about 1.5 miles in, I headed back up the hill, with a balmy breeze in my face. My car thermometer read 74 when I arrived, which was a lot warmer than you'd expect around here for this time of year. Rain had been predicted, but it held off till after the race. I was secretly disappointed. I like running in the rain. It takes me out of my head a little bit.

At the water stop, I took a few sips of gatorade and a few sips of water to get the gatorade taste out of my mouth. This started a long portion of running on grass. Bumpy, uneven grass. The uphills actually felt really good. All that pushing 2 kids around in the buggy is really paying off. The downhills were just scary. I slowed to a walk on some of them to keep my footing.

And then, the chute! I didn't push to a full-on sprint, but I did pick it up a bit in the chute, and ended up crossing the finish at (I think) almost exactly 43 minutes. I had forgotten my watch, so until official results are posted, that's as close as I can get. At a pace of 11:32, that sounds about right. I was at a pretty comfortable pace the whole time, with a few walk breaks.

I honestly don't remember the last time I ran more than a mile or two without pushing the buggy, so it was a nice change of pace. I felt great afterward, and it reminded me why I put up with the 5:30am wakeups to do this thing. I'm really committed to training for the 10 miler, and then for the half a couple of weeks later. It's really daunting to think about right now, but I'm giving myself permission not to think about it until Sami is weaned.

I placed!!!

My standard spiel about running is that I intend to keep doing it until I place in my age group. Well, I placed yesterday! Sadly, not in running. In pie-baking, of all things. I won the "nut/other" category in the Cville Pie Fest with my "Cheap Drunk Nut Pie." I can't believe it! Unfortunately, I was too sick to attend the event - my third illness in as many weeks. So there's been a lot more baking than running going on at my house.

Well, next weekend I am racing again. I think. I signed up a couple months ago, but realized that I've never gotten any kind of confirmation whatsoever that I am, in fact, registered for the Real Girls Run 6K next Saturday. Maybe I'll look in to that. With all the non-training I've been doing lately, even starting the race, let alone finishing it, is going to be a bigger challenge than I bargained for. I'm feeling much better, and would love to go for a run this afternoon, but I'm stuck at home with napping kids while The Husband is at work. Sigh.

So, in the meantime, here's my recipe for AWARD WINNING^TM Cheap Drunk Nut Pie.

Crust (This recipe is pretty much cribbed from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook - nothing fancy here. Though I do add a little salt where they don't, since I'm making a super-sweet pie.):
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups flour, sifted
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
4 Tbsp ice water

Directions:
Pulse flour, salt, and shortening in food processor until it looks like coarse crumbs. Scrape sides occasionally if necessary. Add ice water all at once and process until dough forms into a ball. Again, scrape sides if necessary. Pat dough ball into a disk, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450.

Roll out crust and place into pie plate. Flute the edge, or do whatever decorative treatment you'd like. Prick liberally with a fork, especially where the sides of the plate meet the bottom. Line with parchment paper and fill with weights - dried beans or rice work well for this. Press into corners to prevent crust from lifting up during baking. Bake at 450 for about 8 minutes.

Optional: Just before adding filling to crust, use a pastry brush to brush an egg wash (1 beaten yolk with a splash of milk) on the edges and sides of crust. This will give the crust a nice golden color once baked.

Filling (this recipe is the result of lots of research and testing, and passed the ultimate taste test - my 3 year old like it!):
Ingredients:
4-5 eggs (I get mine from the farmer's market, and am not always there at the crack of dawn, so I sometimes end up with medium eggs instead of large)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp cheap vodka* OR bourbon OR lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup raw, unsalted pecan halves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spread pecan halves on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for approx 5 minutes, stir, and bake for 5 more minutes. Watch nuts carefully and be sure they don't scorch.

Once the nuts cool, grind half of them in a food processor to form a meal**, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with the brown sugar till combined. Add corn syrup, melted butter, vodka, and vinegar and mix well. Add ground pecans and stir till combined. Pour mixture into baked crust, reserving about 1-2 Tbsp in the bowl.

Put the remaining pecan halves into the bowl with the reserved filling and toss to coat. Arrange pecan halves on top of pie.

Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes, or until filling is set. To prevent overbrowning of the crust, tent the edges with aluminum foil for all but the last 10 minutes of baking. Cool on a wire rack. Serve plain, or with Cool Whip or vanilla ice cream.


*A note about the cheap vodka: I heard that you can also use a little vanilla extract for part of this ingredient. Long story short, I happened to end up with a large quantity of vanilla beans, and have been making my own vanilla extract by soaking the beans in cheap vodka. This process takes months, and my extract is still mostly vodka. Really, really cheap vodka. So, having neither bourbon, nor vanilla extract, and discovering that the only lemon in my fridge was a dessiccated fossil, I used my not-quite-extracted vanilla vodka. You might even find that commercially available vanilla vodka works for you, but I've never tried it, as it is not the cheapest vodka at the liquor store.

**A note about the pecan meal - I find it makes the filling really nice and firm, and not as slimy/gooey as pecan pies usually are. It also cuts the sweetness a bit. But with a cup of corn syrup and a cup of brown sugar, who am I kidding. You can go with chopped pecans, rather than ground, but the chopped ones tend to float to the surface while baking, so they don't end up binding with the filling like the ground ones do.

Edit: Ummm, eeek! I accidentally double the amount of nuts, because I had made *two* pies for the pie fest. I'm sure it wouldn't suck w/2 cups of nuts, but it really only requires 1. I fixed it in the recipe above.

feed the blog, or, why isn't mama running?

So, another looooong blogging hiatus.

What have I been up to?

Sick kids, sick mama, the busiest work season of The Supportive Husband's year. Nursing, pumping, working. Knitting!

Not a lot of running.

Max went on a bit of a buggy strike for a while. Gaaah, $400 bucks for the double BOB down the drain! Happily, a coffee shop has opened on my regular running route, and now Max will gladly ride in the stroller knowing that there is a smoothie waiting for him halfway through the buggy ride. I'm back to running Saturday mornings as well - Max has started soccer, and it is the Supportive Husband's job to take him, so Sami and I have an hour to ourselves. So, I get a chance to go for a run pushing the single buggy. Pushing an 18 lb baby plus a 25 lb stroller is like pushing a feather after pushing 90 lbs of kids and stroller. And running with no kids - well, it happens so seldom these days that it feels a bit awkward. I'm not sure what to do with my hands, and I don't have anyone to talk to.

I've also been hitting the gym a bit more these days - I have finally gotten back in the pool, and it feels amazing. And yes, I'm amazed at how my swimming muscles have atrophied over the past 10 months.

I'm doing a 6K in a couple of weeks, and I'm excited to get out there, but at this point, doing a spring half, or even the ten miler, seems really daunting. Max was the age Sami is now when I ran the marathon, and frankly I can't even wrap my brain around that kind of distance right now. Having two children now means that those tiny holes in my day - 10 minutes here, 30 minutes there - have disappeared entirely. Just now, Max has called me into his bedroom multiple times - to turn his music on, take him to the potty, get him a drink of water - and now it's 9:30 and I'm not sure he's asleep, and I haven't had a minute to myself. Let alone found the time to go for a long run.

But in a few weeks, the Supportive Husband's work season will be winding down, and with any luck, the shorter days means the kids will get to bed earlier. And maybe, just maybe I can steal a few moments here and there, and stitch them together until I've got a regular running schedule back.

4 miles and 60 pounds of kids

I pushed almost 60 pounds of kids and 30 pounds of stroller up and down the Monticello Trail this morning. I was feeling pretty badass about it until a guy pushing THREE kids in a triple stroller smoked past me.

But, both kids were angels during the ride. Max happily rode all the way up, keeping watch for any bears that might be on our path. Ever since I told him the story about the time I saw a bear while running, he's been pretty keen to see a bear. Especially since I've informed him that the bears around here are nice bears and mostly just want to eat blackberries and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We had neither, so the bears stayed a safe distance away.

We did stop at the snack bar at the top of the hill. Monticello has entirely redone their visitor center, and there's now a proper cafe at the top of the trail, instead of just the hot dog stand. It was a nice break, having a snack and some chocolate milk in the courtyard by the fountain. When we started back down, Max decided to walk for a while. And then he decided to run. And I ran after him, and he ran past me, and we had a blast running and laughing and leapfrogging. Fartlek/speed play, indeed! He got back in the buggy after a quarter mile or so, and I ran the rest of the way down to the car.

For my cool down, I changed Sami's diaper in the back of the wagon, wrestled the double buggy back into the car, and helped Max climb a tree.

I'm finally getting in to the groove of including the kids in whatever fitness undertaking I'm pursuing. I simply can't do it any other way. The time available to me to run or do anything without at least one kid in tow is practically nil. But between last week's awesome family hike and this week's run up the hill, that's not a bad thing.

Life and other interruptions

So, where was I? The hip is basically healed - almost exactly 9 months to the day since I gave birth. Funny how that works. I'm nearly 10 pounds lighter than before I got pregnant, but I was shocked, shocked! at how flabby I look in pictures. Running 3 miles/week and never going to the gym will do that to a girl. Strangely enough, I'm okay with it. Not okay with flabby as a permanent state, but okay with knowing there's a journey ahead. I don't have delusions of ever regaining my pre-baby body, but I do want to get to a level of fitness that is comfortable for me. Somewhere between "harried, nursing, WOTH* mother of two" and "marathon-ready."

So where is that happy medium for me? It's clear that my life, in which I am The Supportive Wife to The Supportive Husband, can't really sustain year after year of intense summer training programs. The Supportive Husband works late on Saturdays, so out of respect to him, I'd like to not have those really early Saturday wakeups during his busy season (May thru Oct). And honestly, have you ever been to Virginia in the summer? As they say, it's not the heat, it's the humidity. Or maybe it is the heat.

So I'm planning on the Charlottesville Half Marathon in April. That gives me plenty of time to get Sami weaned before I ramp up for a winter of training. I'm kicking off the season with the Real Girls Run 6K in October. 6K is a weird distance, but it's an automatic PR for me since I've never raced it, so score one on that front!

I also want to explore more trail running. The whole family went for a hike on Sunday, and it all came flooding back, how much I love being out on the trail. Oh, how I have missed it, these early years of parenthood. And it was a pretty good workout to hike with Max leading the way and the baby on my back. But I'd also love to have some solitude on the trail, even if that solitude comes in the form of running ahead of the rest of my crew, and running back to meet them.

I know good things are around the corner - my gym is opening a branch just over a mile from my house, which makes me giddy. I can finally dash out for a workout after the kids are in bed, or before they get up! I can put the baby, who does not mind gym day care, in the jogger and take her with me.

Summer hours at work will soon be over, meaning I have to work regular hours on Fridays, but in exchange I get my lunch hours back. So my lunchtime workouts can resume.

And Sami will be weaned in a few short months, so yet another layer of logistics drops away from my being able to run or work out. And I won't have to deal with the girls!! I can go back to my cheapo sports bras instead of the industrial strength.

But, all that is in the future. For now, patience, Grasshopper.


*WOTH=Work outside the home

Sleeping and waking

The Princess has decided to sleep! I don't want to jinx anything (and I am sure tonight will be very rough, no doubt), but Sami has not only been sleeping 12 hours at night, but napping (napping!!!!) during the day as well (knock wood, send anti-jinx vibes pls). Whenever she wakes I tell her how much cuter she looks after her beauty sleep.

Between a nice stretch of sleep-ful nights, Sami's increasing intake of solids and corresponding decrease in nursing, and generally emerging from those difficult days of early babyhood, I feel like I am waking up.

The lack of running had really been getting me down. But my hip is better, and I can start working back up to some real distances. I have my sights set on a spring half, and am already perusing the online sales for cold weather running gear to get me through the winter. I am more optimistic about my running, knowing that the half or the full or the ultra will all be there waiting for me when I am ready. I know that my baby won't be a baby forever. In a few short months, she'll be weaned, and I'll be able to run early in the morning without pumping, or hit the gym after work without worrying about the next feed, and, most importantly, be able to run any time without having to accommodate "the girls."

Not only am I making plans about running, I'm also consciously embracing other non-mom hobbies and interests. Knowing that Sami is our last, there is an end-date to this gig of full time motherhood.* Not that I'll have to turn in my company ID, training manuals, and restroom key when she turns 18. But yes, at some point, she'll have friends of her own, and hobbies of her own, and she won't want me to carry her in the sling to prom. Weaning is just one milestone in the long process of separation that is parenting. So I'm getting fair warning that I will someday have to fill the hours that are now consumed with bottom-wiping, burping, tooth-brushing, dicing of food, carseat buckling, and a hundred other insignificant tasks that weave together to form Max and Sami's childhoods.

I'm back in the knitting swing of things - I've started my first non-baby blanket project since before Max was born. I renewed my flight instructor's certification (not that I plan to use it, but if you let it lapse, it is really tough to get it back) for another two years, and have started reading flight instruction blogs. Last time I actively sought information about teaching flying there were no such thing as blogs! I am becoming more involved with the Supportive Husband's business, and learning about his craft so that I can be an asset to his (our) business, and pitch in a little more as the kids get older.

I feel like I am waking up from the long sleep of my childbearing years, and I have a long day stretching out ahead of me.

*Astute readers may note that I also work outside the home full time. But I am, first and foremost, a full time mom, who just happens to have a day job, too.

9 months up

There's a saying about pregnancy weight - nine months up, nine months down. I am lucky (um, and I work my ass off, literally) that I've always lost my pregnancy weight quickly, but I have to constantly remind myself of this maxim. Your body really takes a beating during pregnancy (mine does, anyway) and even though I am at my goal weight, things are still easing back to where they used to be. And let's face it, I'll be happy if some things end up in the general vicinity of where they used to be.

The problems I have been having with my hip are slowly resolving on their own, which is great, since I still have not managed to find the time to actually schedule a physical therapy appointment. But my running hiatus continues. Partly because of the hip, but mostly because I haven't quite figured out how to be a running mom of two.

The double BOB mostly sits folded in the garage, as Max will only ride in it for limited amounts of time. The Supportive Husband, while still supportive, has registered his strong objection to my 5:30 am Saturday wakeups, and that objection has been duly noted. The nature of his work means that he is often working until 11pm or later on Saturday nights, so having been rousted at 5am by my alarm, and then again at whatever ungodly hour one or both kids decide to wake up is pretty tough on him. And to be quite honest, the last thing I want to do on a Saturday morning is get up at 5:30 to pump. I burned out on pumping when Max was about 8 months old, and it did not regain its luster the second time around. And truth be told, Sami is not the sleeper he was. Most nights, I am up with her at 3am for a quick snack and cuddle. 5:30 comes awfully fast.

So where does that leave me? Squeezing in a run/walk after work in the blazing heat. Squeezing in 20 minutes on the treadmill during my lunch hour. Basically, trying to maintain a bare minimum fitness level so that once Sami is weaned, I can consider doing a spring race.

The not running hasn't been so bad, but it has been difficult to not have a "thing." A thing where I don't have to be someone's mom. A thing that has a goal that isn't work related. A thing that is mine - my dreams, my achievements, my time. I am still figuring out this dance of being a mom of two, but as my bones shift back to where they used to be, I hope my thing will start to take shape again. I need my thing back. And I think it's going to take at least nine months to get it.

Where's Waldo?

Or really, Where's Mama?

I have been so absent from my blog! I didn't think my non-running was worth blogging about on my running blog. But I supposed I owe my fan (hi Robine) an update.

The hip/groin pain I've been having since mid-pregnancy is still around, despite having laid off the running big time for the past 7 weeks or so. It actually feels worse since I stopped running, and I think that increasing my physical activity in whatever form is probably good for it. Next stop, physical therapy. I just have to figure out when...

Life with two kids is great but there is not a minute of the day where somebody doesn't need me. Anytime I do anything, I should be doing something else. When I am at work, I should be easing Max through his rediscovered separation anxiety. When I'm with Max, I should be helping Sami learn to sit up. When I'm goofing around with Sami, I should be helping the Supportive Husband with the family business. When I'm helping with the business, I should be working out. When I'm working out, I should be folding the laundry. And so on. Everything I do comes at the expense of something else. Everything.

But this morning the stars aligned and I actually got in a bit of a run, with Sami in the BOB while Max slept in. It was the most perfect morning imaginable. A sweet whisper of a breeze, bright sun, warm but not hot, no humidity. I couldn't not run. Truth be told it was a walk-run with more walk than run. It's been 3.5 months since I had walking pneumonia, and I still cough and wheeze a bit when I run. And my hip - ow. I really need to not neglect that, because my opposite knee has started to hurt because my gait is all wonky and sideways to compensate. But I had a great time, and Sami quietly watched the morning slide by, still in her footie jammies. By the time we got home, Max was awake, and had got wind of the fact that Sami had gone on a buggy ride. So I traded kids with the Supportive Husband, and took Max for a bit of a stroll.

I had worried that scaling back my running would cause the pregnancy pounds to pile back on. But no, I am less than a pound away from the weight I was the day after the 10-miler. Go nursing!! After Max was born, I was nursing and training so much that I got down to a crazy skinny weight. At times during that period, I would have had to eat 3,500 calories/day just to maintain my weight. Impossible! After Max weaned, which was not long after I ran the marathon, I put on several pounds pretty rapidly - I think my body had gone into starvation mode. Since I've decided not to really train while Sami is still nursing, I am hopeful that I won't gain much (if any) weight after she weans. Even though I'm quite a few pounds less than my prepregnancy weight, I could stand to lose a few more.

However, after reading all the recent "body after baby" drek in the celebrity mags, I have decided I'd rather be a little flabby and five pounds too heavy than waste my life away by having a protein shake for breakfast, whole wheat turkey wrap for lunch, and poached fish for dinner. And oh, if I get cravings, I could l just have a stick of gum. Gum!!! Seriously, that is one celeb's diet strategy - gum to stave off cravings. As if I'm going to walk past the cupcake shop, pop in a stick of Dentyne and just keep strolling by, while a single tear slides down my cheek.

Let's face it, even if I lost five or ten pounds, my thrice-pregnant tummy will most likely never again be bikini ready without some serious Thermage. And I don't think People magazine is going to be knocking on my door looking for cheesecake shots either. I'm fit and healthy, and as long as that is the case, I'll never pass up a cupcake.

Happy Mothers Day!!!

I've done very little running in the month since the 10 miler. I've been trying to let my hip and my airway heal. The weather has been very cool and damp - not good for my sensitive bronchioles. But it is finally sunny and warm, so I am hopeful that I'll be back on the wagon soon.

Having two kids instead of one means that instead of having half the time available to exercise or do other "me" activities, I now have zero time. Early morning runs mean having to pump, and quite frankly I burned out on pumping the first time around, and I would rather grow slow and soft than add one more pumping session into my routine. Big-time training will have to wait until Sami is weaned. Marathons will still be there when the kids are a little older. In the meantime, I'll pound out a couple miles during my lunch hour or after the kids are in bed.

Happy Mothers Day to all you other mothers out there.

Spring in my step - Cville 10 Miler Race report

I should get that freaked out more often. I had an amazing race. I did not quite meet my "stretch" goal of 2 hours, but I came very close, and more than surpassed my "real" goal of finishing the race without causing permanent or egregious harm to myself.

The wind woke me at 4:30. I had barely gotten back to sleep when the alarm went off just after 5:30. The wind was still howling, and thumping the glider on the front porch. I wasn't sure how the day would shake out weather-wise, so I started the morning in tights and a long sleeved shirt over a short sleeved shirt, then put my fleece and windbreaker on over top of the whole shebang. I pumped, ate a little, and was out the door by 6:20.

Like every year, I arrived way too early. I think there were about eight other cars in the parking lot when I got there. I spent a good long while rocking out to my iPod in the car. I got pumped by Ryan Adams' "Magick," and Ellis Paul's "Because It's There" helped me to be a brave sailor. And Lily Allen made me Smile. I finally decided to run inside to use the bathroom before the crowds descended, and spent some time stretching and fussing about my layers. The wind was already dying down, but it was still chilly, so I reluctantly ditched my fleece, windbreaker, and long sleeved shirt. I took a couple drags off my inhaler, and waited for the race to start.

I started way back in the back, and took my time moseying up the long hill that makes up a good part of the first mile. I stuck to a strict run 8 min, walk 2 min plan, even when I felt fantastic enough to keep going. The only exception I made to that was I ran through my walk break to take advantage of the screaming downhill from Grady all the way down Preston to McIntire. And then, of course, I took more walk breaks in the brutal hills of the second half of the race.

At the halfway point, I was at just 58 minutes, more than two minutes faster than I thought I'd be in my wildest dreams. I knew I'd lose most or all of that in the second half, and sure enough I finished in about 2:02:30.

Even though I felt my fair share of the pain, especially when my right hip flexor curled into a ball and refused to do any more work in the last mile, I was smiling nearly the whole way. I felt lighter and faster than I have in ages. The wind died down and the sun came out, and it was simply gorgeous running weather. I had my thoughts to myself, and I left a lot of the stress of the week out there on the race course.

By the time I crossed the finish, I felt new. The relief and elation I felt crossing the finish sucker-punched me, and for a few moments, I thought I might burst into tears. But then I found myself in line for a head of lettuce and couldn't do anything but laugh and drink in the miraculous morning.


i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

-e.e. cummings

full-on freaky freak out mode

10 miler tomorrow! I am freaking out in a way I haven't freaked out since I ran Richmond. It's been an incredibly emotional and draining week on all fronts, and the race seemed like the least of my worries. There was a lot of resolution and tying up of loose ends today, and I found myself at packet pickup after work breaking out into a cold, panicked sweat.

What am I so worried about? I know I am not in the best shape, given my recent bout of pneumonia and oh yeah my four month old nursling, but I'm confident I can finish and not cause permanent damage to myself. I know I'll probably fall short of my two hour goal. I know there are going to be some low moments (hello mile 8 I am talking about you), but nothing I can't handle, despite my lackluster preparation. I guess I've spent so many weeks being consumed by so many other matters that instead of having weeks and months to work out my anxieties, they're all crammed in to the last 12 hours before the race.

So if you see a lady in black, wearing a buff as a do-rag, with a very small "Max's Mom" and "Sami's Mom" written on her bib, running about a 12min mile (if she's lucky), please cheer extra loud. Remember, I am an alumna of the scream tunnel, so you'd better BRING IT.

A sidenote, I happened to pick up my packet right next to Cville Dave, but I was too shy to introduce myself.

6 miles

And what a six miles it was. Like a big dope slap upside the head. Not pleasant, but I really needed it. Some runs are better left out on the road or trail. Today was one of those runs.

Race Report MJH8K

It did not rain as forecast, hooray!

Just a brief race report as I am soooooo tired from the baby waking up at weird hours this week. Of course, she sleeps in for Daddy the morning that I have to get up at 5:30 for the race. And I was up wicked late last night because Max went to Monster Truck Jam and didn't get home till 10:30 pm and was amped up on cotton candy and had a huuuuuge meltdown that lasted until goodness knows when.

So anyway, like I was saying, I woke up at 5:30. Which was really too early for an 8am gun time. But this was my first time this kid for the pre-run pumping thing, so wanted to make sure I had enough time to do that, do my other regular get ready stuff, and make it to pre-race packet pickup. I know, I should have picked up my packet last night, but I think nursing mothers are exempt from that. So I rolled into packet pickup at 6:45 sharp, and was about the only person there. Chatted with Brad from The Corner for a bit, then headed to my parents' place two blocks from the start to watch the morning news, stretch, and hydrate.

Once I headed to the start, I bumped into Louise, who was having a cranky IT band. Between my still coughing stuff up (yes, FIVE weeks later, oy vey) and having lingering pelvic ligament issues, I was planning a strict run-walk strategy to get through the race. Louise and her IT band decided to go slow with me. Nothing much out of the ordinary to report - we ran and chatted; when I took walk breaks, Louise would stop to stretch, and then run to catch up with me. All the normal giant hills kicked my ass, as they do every year. We finished a little shy of my goal time (1 hour) in about 1:02 (maybe 1:03 gun time, I haven't checked the official results yet).

I'm just glad I got out there - it was a good confidence builder for 10 miler training. It's just a few weeks away, and this illness and injury combo has really derailed my training. I am planning to do some 6-8 milers on the Monticello Trail with its lovely, forgiving, perfect, ultra-crushed gravel, and hope for the best on race day.

Doughman 2010

IronMo clued me in about The Doughman, in Durham, in which running, biking, and paddling across a pool in a kiddie inner tube are combined with competitive eating. I am seriously doing this next year. Since I was nursing when I started running seriously, I had to eat constantly, including before runs. While I made a concerted effort to reduce the size of my pre-run meal as my distances increased, I never went running on an empty stomach. And while I think the Doughman will be a real challenge for me, I think I'll have no trouble with my leg of the race.

Case in point, my day after 4:30pm.
4:30 - leave work, head to daycare to pick up kids
5:15 - arrive home. Nurse baby on porch while 3 y.o. plays in the yard
5:30 - leave 3 y.o. in yard w/Supportive Husband, head inside to make dinner.
6:00 - in the home stretch w/dinner, begin bathing baby in kitchen sink
6:15 - dinner on the table, baby clean and ready for jammies. Head upstairs with baby while husband and 3 y.o. start eating dinner.
6:30 - baby asleep. Eat dinner of breakfast burrito, turkey bacon, and blueberries.
6:45 - head out for quick run.
7:15 - blog as cooldown

That's right, I ate my own dinner before going out for a run. Daylight was fading and I was famished. And you know what? I actually felt pretty good.

Doughman, here I come!!!

and a little brag

I am now two pounds lighter than I was when I got pregnant with Sami.

Of course, I'm still about 5 pounds over my ideal weight, but hey, I am making progress! I just remember stepping on the scale the week after she was born and being shocked, shocked! at the number that appeared. Now I can just be shocked at my squishy, stretchmarky belly.

Spring (take 1)

Snow day on Monday, and today it topped 80. I am sitting here at 9pm debating whether I should turn on the air conditioning in the house. How crazy is that! I am sure we're due for another cold snap or two before spring sets in, but the taste of it this weekend was delicious.

So naturally, I decided that it was fine day to take my wheezy, possibly-had-walking-pneumonia lungs out for a spin. Who needs religion on a Sunday morning when you've got running? Thinking that it would be nice to give the Supportive Husband a bit of quiet time, I loaded both kids into the double jogger. Sami started wailing immediately. Max kept up a running commentary, seemingly oblivious to Sami's discomfort. I guess he got used to the noise during her colicky newborn days.

About 10 minutes into it, he wanted to go home. Sami was still wailing. So go home we did. I think I did a grand total of 1.5 miles. But I must say that between pushing the double (OMG, it's massive) containing at least 50lbs of kids, the mental anguish of listening to Sami crying as if being boiled in oil, and the physical work involved in getting the double out of the garage, unfolded, and loaded with kids, I feel like I did a heck of a lot more. Then we went for a hike this afternoon with Sami strapped on me in the Beco, so I think I'm good on mileage for today, even if my per mile pace is nothing to write home about.

My lungs are finally starting to feel clear again, after four weeks of coughing and misery. I still have some pelvic ligament issues, but it seems like the more walking I do, the better it feels, so now that I can up my activity level again, I'm hoping it will start to resolve on its own. The big challenge is finding the time to put in the miles.

I forgot how having a nursling changes everything about my exercise routine. Early morning runs require pumping to accomplish, b/c the girls simply CANNOT run first thing in the morning without being emptied. So rather than getting up 30 min early to squeeze in an early morning run, I have to get up 50 min early to pump beforehand. And then I'm stuck deciding whether I should feed her the pumped milk, or straight from the tap when I return. She hates taking a bottle from me, and I would much rather nurse her. But what if I don't have enough milk onboard for her breakfast after having pumped? Her biggest meal of the day is breakfast.

Running at lunch is a possibility. But I am using most of my lunch hour in the form of pumping breaks. I do sneak off to the gym a time or two each week, but usually only to lift weights, since I don't want to get sweaty enough to require taking the time to shower before I race back to the office.

And then an evening run - even with DST now in effect, it's still dark by the time she's down for the night. I suppose I could load everyone up into the jogging stroller for a pre-bedtime run, but that's not so much "running" as "pushing the loaded double buggy." I could run by myself if the Supportive Husband is home for the evening, but I can never count on him being home, and those precious minutes between the end of work and bedtime are my time to spend with the kids and I am loath to give them up.

So, I squeeze a little activity in here and there, and try to make up for it on the weekends. It's not perfect, I am definitely not living up to my athletic potential, but it's what I can manage right now without compromising my parenting.

Hello? Is anybody there?

Anyone still here? It's been a while. In the 27 days since my last entry, I have been sick for nearly all of them, had two sick kids, returned to work, and run just a handful of times. The MJH 8K is in just two weeks and while I know I'll finish (walking, maybe, but I'll finish) I'm certain I will not be posting a PR this year. And lest I forget, is it but 5 weeks until the 10 miler. That one I am just hoping to finish. I need to get some miles in!

I'll save the Interwebs from my tale of woe. It involves amoxicillin (for Max), a Z-pak (for me), albuterol (also for me), and liberal applications of breastmilk up the nose (for Sami). I think we're all on the mend. It is my yearly tradition to be sick before the 8K, so hopefully this is it and we will (knock on wood) not be struck with any other calamities before the race.

Why I run

Why would a new mom run? Because the pain makes the sleep deprivation not feel so bad.

My immediate recovery from Sami's birth was so much easier than Max's. I was astounded at how quickly, you know, things felt normal again. However, my loose ligaments have yet to tighten back up. I still can't open jars, and I'm still not convinced that my pelvis won't take off in two different directions at any given moment. And today it really caught up with me.

It's been cold lately, and we've had some icy weather, so I haven't run outdoors as much as I'd like. I've done some time on the treadmill, which always seems to exacerbate any injuries I may have. Many years ago when I had a knee injury from overtraining, even a few minutes on the treadmill would cause it to flare up again. After a couple of miles on the treadmill the other day, I felt pretty creaky. So like a moron, I went all out today.

What can I say, it was 60 degrees and just lovely; the baby was sleeping, and I had cabin fever. So off I went, with no plans other than to enjoy the day, and throw in a few gliders just for kicks. I started feeling some weird twinges in my back at the halfway point of my out and back, so I had two mostly uphill miles to struggle through before I got home. And no cellphone to call for backup.

Struggle I did. I had a weird twinge in my back with every stride, so I gave up the gliders. Then it settled in and just started to ache all the time, so I walked. I walked a lot. By the time I got home, my back wasn't hurting, but it was stiff, and yes, my pelvis felt like it was about to fall apart.

How timely is it that the latest Runner's World has an article about pelvic stabilization. It features the advice of the awesome Jay Dicharry, who I happen to have worked with once in a blue moon at my old job. Thank you, Jay, I will be taking your advice to heart. I am sucking in my bellybutton as I type!

I am still committed to the 10 miler in April (I don't want to miss it twice in a row!), but I am seriously reconsidering a fall half. Is it wimping out to say that I want to spend my Saturday mornings at the Little Gym with Max, or the pool with Sami, rather than abusing my ligaments in the heat and humidity? Maybe a break will give me time to recover, and I can train in the wintertime (no humidity!) for a spring marathon. It took nine months for my body to get all shot to hell, it's going to take nine months for it to knit itself back together.

I feel like a quitter even considering not doing a fall race. I am Mama Marathon, after all! I ran a marathon when Max was just 10 months old, and still breastfeeding! I did it once, surely I could do it (or even a "measly" half) again. And really, other than the pain, I feel great after a nice run. Mentally, that is. Even physically - my lungs feel bigger, my muscles feel relaxed. But it is a relief to think about not having to pump pre-run every Saturday at 5 a.m. With my childbearing years now behind me, I don't feel the urgency to cram in a marathon in between pregnancies. Those marathons will all still be there when I no longer have a nursling.

And even if I'm not training for a big race, when the clouds break or the humidity relents and it's 60 degrees on a Sunday, I still have permission to drop everything and go for a run.

Out with the old, in with the new

Being newly postpartum and not having run for several months does have an upside. I am retraining myself how to run. Since I am heavy and slow these days, I am using the slow-going as an opportunity to really concentrate on my gait. I'm cultivating a spring in my step I didn't know I had. Added bonus - I think once I get my weight down and fitness level up, I will actually be faster than I was before. 'Cause I sure couldn't get much slower!

I'm also making an effort to work some hill repeats and other gentle speedwork into my weekday runs. I haven't done enough of that in the past. I guess I was scared that I would look stupid or hurt myself or wear myself out. I already look pretty stupid with my giant, double-bagged chest; the only nagging injury I have ever sustained was on a garden-variety long run (oh, and that one time walking up the stairs at the bagel shop); and I'm already pretty worn out, so I have nothing to lose and no more excuses. I feel better about a short run when I've pushed myself hard on a hill.

So I suppose my New Year's running resolutions boil down to "train smarter". With the second child, I definitely have less free time than before, so I've got to make the most of the time I do have.

NYD5K09 pic

Mama and her little bandit, just about to enter the chute.

NYD5K09

It was quite the circus getting out of the house with two kids and a husband in tow, but thanks to the Husband's superior navigational skills, we managed to take a shortcut and arrive with plenty of time to spare. Which was not so great, since it wasn't quite 30 degrees when we arrived. I was all layered up, wearing my winter buff and new Nike shell that actually zips up over the girls (thank you, Supportive Husband).

I had three times in mind when I started:
The "just wanna finish" time: 45 minutes
The "I think I could actually do it" time: 40 minutes
The "No way, but it's nice to dream" time: 35 minutes.

And damned if I didn't finish in 36:56 (by my watch - gun time was about 20 sec longer). This included a good long pause at the end to kiss the baby, and have Max run with me into the chute, wearing his froggie rain boots, no less. I know, bad form, but no one was immediately behind us, and I made sure to tell the officials that he had not, in fact, run the whole race and shouldn't be counted.

I'm pretty satisfied with my race. I decided that no matter how good I felt going out that I would run 5 minutes, and walk 1. I kept this up for most of the race, except for about the last half mile where I walked a bunch, and didn't run much at all. I had an 11:53 pace overall, which jives pretty well with my splits. So it was a good lesson in pacing for me.

But most of all, I just feel good about running again, and feeling stronger and stronger every time I go out. Now if those last five pounds would just hurry up and come off...

Freak of nature

I took some of my birthday and Christmas money (thank you, Santa!) to the running store for a new pair of shoes today. After a dalliance with my old flame, Asics, I have realized that my blocky Brooks Addiction really are the ones for me. I went through the rigamarole of getting fitted, since it's been a whole pregnancy and shoe redesign since I last bought a pair.

And it turns out I am possibly the only woman on the planet to go from a regular width shoe to a narrow width shoe after pregnancy. I know, you're so jealous! Of course, it would be much more envy-worthy if the same transformation had happened to my posterior.

The girls strike again

We've had lots of cold, rainy weather lately. I had about 45 minutes in which to squeeze in a run today - not enough time to get to the gym and back with any kind of decent workout, so I decided to brave the cold drizzle for an outdoor run. I got dressed in my cold weather gear, and then pulled out my water resistant shell. When I went to zip it up, I found that it wouldn't. The girls are just too big, even when "double bagged" as Louise put it. So I went to pull on my quilted Brooks jacket. Again, no way were the girls fitting in that (and honestly, the postpartum belly made that one impossible, too). I finally settled on the baggy fleece that I wore through week 32 of my pregnancy. Good grief.

It was late spring after Max was born when I really started running, so I never needed anything heavier than a t-shirt until he was well established on solids and the girls had already started shrinking again. If I'm going to keep this up, I'll have to invest in some cool weather gear that actually fits my postpartum and nursing physique.

In happier news, I'm now running 3:30/walking 1:30. Foul weather really ups my motivation to run fast!

And happy birthing thoughts to Louise, who is either just about to or just has given birth to her new baby!! I must mention that she ran her entire pregnancy, and ran 4 miles as recently as a couple of weeks ago. Hats off to her! So congrats Louise, and welcome, Baby!!!

Three for the road

The first double buggy ride last week - Max was crying because the sun was in his eyes, and Sami was crying because that's what babies do. But we all made it around the block in one piece, though I may have left my sanity somewhere along the way.

Plodding along

The miracle weight loss that occurred after Max was born hasn't occurred this time. Yikes. I am not terribly overweight, but I am about 8 pounds above a comfortable weight, and a good 15 above where I'd *really* like to be. Since the initial 15 pound weight loss, I've been eking out a pound per week, which is healthy, but still very frustrating.

So I am making a conscientious effort to quit eating so much junk, and to exercise each and every day. Not so tough right now, but I wonder how I'm going to keep up the exercise routine once I'm back at work. I'm averaging about 45 minutes per day of some kind of exercise - running, walking, lifting weights/stretching. And that's EVERY day. How on earth can I squeeze that into my lunch hour and eat my lunch, and pump 2-3 times per day, and run errands, and make healthy meals for my family and breastfeed and and and and...

I just need to remind myself that I trained for a marathon with a nursing infant, I can definitely maintain a basic level of fitness. It's just going to take a whole new kind of commitment this time around. To seal that commitment, I've already signed myself up for the New Year's Day 5K (13 days away!), the Martha Jefferson 8K in March, and the 10 Miler in April. The jury's still out on the C'ville Half on April 18, but as long as I'm in 10 miler shape two weeks before, I might as well do the half, right? I'll find some way to make more hours in the day.

I did it!!

I actually ran!! I took advantage of the balmy weather while Max was at school and Sami was chillin' with the Supportive Husband. I ran 3 min, walked 2 min for 20 min. I know, nothing spectacular, but hey, I JUST gave birth less than four weeks ago, and I haven't run since I was 20 weeks pregnant. It wasn't quite the euphoric experience I've been having in my dreams, but I'm on a high anyway. I did it!

I managed to squeeze the girls into one of the sports bras I used when I was nursing Max, but since I didn't start running until he was a good 6 weeks older, I'm spilling out, and it really isn't enough support. I had to hold my posture strangely erect to keep things comfortable; I felt like the prow of a ship. My core muscles are conspicuously absent. And I definitely need new shoes (helloooooo Santa!!). But I did it! I'm back!!

On the road again

I ran all of about a half a block today. The nursing boobs were NOT happy - I definitely need new running bras. Yes, Mama is back in fine form and talking about her boobs again. And the running did not feel like the running I've been doing in my dreams. I felt heavy and slow. And large chested.

I did manage to get both kids in the stroller for the first time today! Max happily climbed in and kept up his usual commentary - "Hey, that's a big truck. Mom, why aren't we on the sidewalk? Look at the Christmas!" - while Sami wailed the entire time. Naturally, she settled in and fell asleep just as we pulled up in front of our house.

In fine form

And the wagon has come to a screeching halt. I've got a sinus-y head cold that is exacerbated by the lack of sleep that comes with a newborn. Plus it is raining. So there will be no run today.

I started having running dreams again, like I did during my pregnancy with Sami. In them I'm running, I'm fast and light and euphoric. And then the baby cries and I wake up all tired and heavy and sick and lactating and it's some ridiculous hour of the night, and making that dream come true is just out of my reach.

Game on!

I could never believe those women who were at the gym days after giving birth, until now. I had the world's easiest birth, left the hospital the next day, and felt completely recovered almost immediately. Boy oh boy did I luck out! Even after Max's relatively easy birth it was more than a week before I wanted to walk farther than the distance from the nursing chair to the bassinet.

I've been taking long walks daily since Sami was 2 or 3 days old, and today finally found time to hit the gym! Nothing hardcore - I walked there and back from my parents' place, which is maybe a mile total, and then lifted some weights and stretched. It felt great to be able to move and twist and bend again, though I'll admit that the emotional anguish of squeezing my postpartum belly into my workout gear more than made up for any lack of physical pain. I feel good, but I am definitely still recovering - I still have the feeling like my pelvis isn't connected all the way around, and I can practically feel my ligaments trying to knit themselves back together. Add in the ten extra pounds I'm still carrying, and general loss of muscle tone and I still have a really long way to go. But I am on track for the New Year's Day 5K, even though I'll probably walk all or most of it. I love having a goal again!

Baby Sister is here!

She's here!

Sami was born Thursday, after a very short labor - if I could run a marathon that fast, I'd be a Boston qualifier. I feel great, and am looking forward to the New Year's Day 5K in several weeks.

Vote!!

Taking a break from my blogging break to remind you to VOTE tomorrow!!! Don't you want to be able to complain for the next four years?

Quick update on me - I am still hitting the pool a few times per week, though the ratio of actual swimming to stretching in the warm water pool is getting smaller and smaller. I can't wait to welcome the new baby soon! Having to really slow down over the past few weeks has been very tough, physically and mentally, and I am looking forward to not being pregnant any more. I am hoping the new baby enjoys her time in the jogger as much as Max has, and the BOB double is assembled in the garage and ready to roll as soon as I'm feeling up to it. (Fear not all you safety minded folks, I will follow all pediatrician and manufacturer recommendations about minimum age prior to running with Baby Sister in the stroller.) My goal is to, at the very least, walk the New Year's Day 5K. That gives me exactly 6 weeks, so cross your fingers and send all the easy birthing vibes you can manage.

One final note, fellow marathoning mama (and actual fast runner) The Marathon Mama is putting out a call for participants in her new book on her blog. If you're a mom who runs, head on over for all the deets.

Hiatus

Well, dear readers, I am going on hiatus for the remainder of my pregnancy. I've had precious little to blog about in the way of fitness lately. My current routine consists of a few good walks per week, cleaning the house (since we got rid of the cleaning lady to save a little money), nesting, and a couple of swims per week that involve 20-30 min of my getting lapped by every little old lady in the pool, and then 20 min of stretching and soaking in the warm water pool. Heaven.

Anyway, I'm due in about 7 weeks, so I'm going to assuage my conscience and bid you all farewell until after the (still-unnamed) baby girl arrives. Please send easy labor vibes my way - I had it so good with Max that I am terrified of having a difficult labor and birth this time. I would LOVE to at least walk the New Year's Day 5K this year, but as it's only 6 weeks after when I expect to deliver, a C-section or complicated delivery would pretty much rule it out.

I'll be sure to post when Baby Sister arrives, and after the first of next year, I'll start my journey to becoming Mama Marathon x2.

Good luck to you all in your fall races!

Swimmin'

I'm getting all those fun 3rd trimester aches and pains. The sciatica has mercifully abated somewhat, but my joints, especially my hips, and my back and shoulders hurt. I've only gained 15 lbs, but I feel like I've doubled my body weight. And yesterday I woke up lightheaded and lethargic.

The Supportive Husband was off yesterday, so I took the opportunity to go to the gym while Max was napping. After a big bowl of cereal and a LOT of water, I no longer felt lightheaded, but I didn't want to push it. I intended to just float around in the pool for a little while, but once I got in I felt so good that I swam laps for about 30 min. I even did 25 of butterfly, just to prove to myself that I still can. Of course, it took me two tries to hoist myself out of the pool afterward, but otherwise I felt like a million bucks. I spent another 20-30 min stretching in the warm water pool which was positively delightful.

Race Report: Four Miles

The Four Miler has come and gone again. I walked my way through the race at a respectable (I think, for being 27+ weeks pregnant) 16:09/mi. My target was about 16:00, so I'm pretty happy. As usual, the course was crowded with amateurs walking three and four abreast, making passing difficult. And yes, gentle readers, this Mama was indeed passing people the entire race, despite having lined up in the 14:00 pace group.

Nearly every mile was exactly 16:09, and I'm pretty impressed w/myself for keeping such a steady pace despite the heat and the hills. I saw no less than 5 ambulances dispatched out onto the course to pick up runners who had succumbed to one or the other.

I saw several other preggos walking and running the race. Hats off to you, running pregnant people! I even saw one very brave woman carrying her newborn in a sling. Some of the spectators had apparently never heard of pregnant people staying fit and not only did I hear several comments of "Look at that pregnant lady," but one random woman even asked to take my picture. Specifically, a side view of my belly. Ummmmm, okay, thank you ever so much for making me feel like the bearded lady at a carnival.

Feeling like the bearded lady is actually quite a bit better than feeling like Violet Beauregard post-chewing gum and pre-squeezing, which is how I felt after bolting from the four miler to go roast in the heat as our home team got trounced in football. I had quite the waddle going by bedtime last night. A warm bath and a good night's sleep has mostly cured it, though today's physical state is best described as "creaky."

4 miles and a lot of heavy lifting

As much as I enjoy walking with the new friends I've made at the w4mtp, I am delighted that there is only one week of training left before the race. All that loud music is making me crazy. I almost left this morning, because the marathon/half-marathon training group was at the track this morning when we arrived. I can't tell you how jealous I was of them as they finished their speedwork on the track. Running is seriously impossible for me right now, let alone running hard. Even if I don't plan on doing a marathon next year (not terribly likely - I already know exactly how hard it is to do with a nursing infant!), I will probably still sign up for the program, just so I can go and pound out a quick 8 on Ridge with the group, or show up for speedwork. I just miss it so much, especially when the weather is cool and clear and perfect.

After the walk, I came home to discover Max in nothing but his Mater underpants, still picking at breakfast, and playing the harmonica. Boys will be boys! The whole fam headed to the pool and we all wore ourselves out. Max of course wanted to jump off the side of the pool about eleventy thousand times, and I obliged and mentally crossed off the need to go lift for the next couple of days. And after watching Curious George do it, he decided he likes to "float" on his back. The water on his head makes him laugh, and he'll kick his feet like he's really swimming. A backstroker, maybe?

Women's marathon is on the Olympics tonight - w00t!

Oh, and if you want to donate money to the UVA Cancer Center Breast Care program to show your support for the cause, for me, and for all the women who have worked so hard to make it to the race this year, please visit https://www.dominiondigital.com/Womens4Miler/donate_step1.asp . If you know me, feel free to sponsor me - just click the appropriate radio button, and then find my name in the list. If you don't actually know me IRL, you can still donate!! No pressure, it's not like we're trying to raise $300,000 or anything. And it's not like I'll be in my third trimester doing the whole four miles on race day while you're at home surfing the web. ;)

Crabby injured pregnant lady

I've reached that point where suddenly my *whole* body is pregnant.

I missed Saturday's training (waaaaaaah) because of sciatica (also waaaaaaaah). Sciatica is when you are walking normally, striding confidently, and then suddenly a fierce shooting pain rips from buttock to foot and you have no choice but to stop in your tracks and grab on to something while blinking back tears. I had this when I was pregnant with Max, and was hoping it would hold off a little longer.

I took the day off Saturday, as much as one can take the day off when a 2.5 year old is involved. I did get to spend some time in the pool on Sunday; between that and scrubbing cat poo off the floor of the basement, my sciatica seems to be much improved this week.

I was just getting over my cat poo and sciatica-induced meltdown when I injured myself again. It is an actual true fact that women's brains shrink during pregnancy. Also true is that your joints loosen up, and your center of gravity changes. Combine all those with the nesting instinct and it is a recipe for disaster.

Last week I suddenly felt the need to clean the HVAC return located above our coat closet. In the process of moving the stepstool so that I could reach it, I stumbled, dropped the stool, and rammed my gluteus into the sharp corner of the kitchen counter. And tonight after work I decided to whip up a pork tenderloin with peach glaze. When it was done, I pulled it out of the oven with my left hand (wearing an oven mitt) and then pulled the meat thermometer out of it with my right hand (not wearing an oven mitt). Yeeeeowch! I am now sporting Star Wars bandaids on my index and middle fingers. The pork was delicious, by the way.

Anyway, what does all this have to do with fitness? Honestly, I can't say. Other than that as my whole self becomes pregnant, I know that staying motivated is more of a struggle. So is staying safe. Wish me luck, Interwebs!

eating, drinking, and exercising for two

The past couple of weeks have been scorching hot. Yesterday morning I volunteered to stay behind on the track, as I had to leave a little bit early. I walked about 2 miles, instead of the 3 on the program, knowing that I had a hot and active day ahead.

I raced home so that the Supportive Husband, Max, and I could go to the County Fair. Max is actually the kid on the cover of the program, so despite the heat, we felt pretty obligated to go. For a little while after we arrived, it was quite pleasant - a little overcast, and hot, but not blazing hot, like it usually is. But then the clouds broke, and suddenly it was like being underneath a french fry light.

Being pregnant has completely negated my ability to cope with the heat, so I quickly scurried for shade and cold water while Max and his dad checked out the tractors and got a plastic firefighter's hat. We literally had to drag Max back to the car kicking and screaming.

Despite my active morning, I felt okay. Kind of. Then I took a nap, and did NOT feel okay anymore. I thought it was hard to stay hydrated when I was running and nursing, but being pregnant in August is a whole other ballgame!

I woke up this morning shaky and still dehydrated. I wolfed down a big bowl of cereal, some peanut butter, and a couple of glasses of water. I ate the rest of Max's breakfast. Feeling a little more human, we all headed out to Target and the grocery store. I got the shakes baaaaaad in the grocery store, and inhaled a candy bar. Finally after lunch and another several glasses of water, I started feeling better.

We found some steaks on sale at the grocery store, and after a dinner of steak, potatoes, sweet corn, and salad, I am finally feeling human again. And for my workout tomorrow, I am planning on a lazy swim in the indoor pool. Baby girl needs rest, central ac, and red meat!

more than halfway

I'm more than halfway done with this pregnancy, and the W4MTP is more than halfway done as well!

W4MTP update:
As much as I am trying to just go with the zaniness and rah-rah of being a Pink Lady, I still haaaaaaaate hearing the loud music blasting when I step out of my car. Part of what I love about running is getting up early and being surrounded by quiet. No traffic, no people noise, just the birds and the trees, and the sound of feet.

Luckily, Saturday was the first day for the walkers and novices to get off the track and head out onto the road. A call for Pink Ladies to volunteer to stay behind at the track was put out, and I flagrantly shirked answering it. No WAY was I going to spend one more day getting my eardrums blasted while walking in circles. Not that it was so quiet out on the road - it was already 8:15am, plus there are how many hundred women doing this program, but at least the noise was a little more ambient and a little less amplified.

I ended up having the best walk, with a great new buddy. She's a former marathoner/triathlete who is in need of a knee replacement, and had second thoughts about whether or not to even come on Saturday since it meant walking. We had the best conversations, and the 2.5 miles flew by.

And if that weren't enough, who should stop by on her way back to Durham but, (drumroll please) IRONMO!!! Woot! We had a great time catching up, and Max showed off all his trucks.

Preggo update:
I ran as a young crazy person, but didn't really get bitten by it until I started marathon training. I always joked that I never liked it, I was just addicted. But the funny thing is that now that I've stopped running (I am losing sight of my feet, my joints are all loosey goosey, I'm klutzier than usual, and hauling around 10 extra pounds), I really miss it! I have dreams at night about running, and for just a moment when I wake up I'm calm and happy, and then I remember that my last run was over a week ago, and I was heavy, slow, and winded the whole time. For my lunchtime workout today, I elected to go swimming.

What I did on my summer vacation...

That mythical second trimester burst of energy has kicked into high gear. I never really had it with my other two pregnancies, so it's been quite a pleasant surprise. And good timing, too!

So many delicious local fruits are in full season, that it has seemed a shame to waste a Saturday morning by going to sweat it out at the track. So instead, I've been hitting the City Market and my neighbors, Chiles Peach Orchard, for the best of what the season has to offer. Today I pitted a quart of the season's last (and sweetest!) cherries, and combined them with peaches to make a cobbler. I bought a whole peck of peaches and made not only the cobbler, but also a boatload of freezer preserves. About 40 oz. each of peach/blueberry (looks so gross, tastes so good), peach/strawberry, and just plain peach. Add that to my dwindling stash of strawberry freezer jam, and we might actually make it through fall without having to resort to the brownish slop that is store-bought jam.

Oh, and staying fit? Well, I've taken the past two Saturdays off from being a Pink Lady (last Saturday was actually cancelled due to thunderstorms). But I haven't been just sitting around eating jam. There's been lots of swimming, fishing, zoo-going, and parade-watching. Not to mention our usual walks around the neighborhood. Oh, and several hours on my feet this afternoon making jam, cobbler, and meatloaf.

Getting up early on a Saturday and going to the track may be good for the body, but making comfort food is good for the soul.