Saturday Recap... and Inspiration

Slow to post, but Saturday was a pretty good day. I was considering only doing a 5-miler, since that would put me at 31 again for the week, which would be fine.

Then I wandered onto Facebook...

... and of course, my amazing sisters had posted some videos of a SUPER-WINDY 7 miler they did together in the chilly Utah hills. I have a lot of inspirational people around me... especially when it comes to running. I have a husband who is incredible in his achievements, and these sisters (in-law actually, but since I never had sisters growing up, they are like my real sisters... very awesome ones) who accomplish any amazing goal they put in their minds. And generally, with more outside responsibilities... and more kids. They are tough chicks.

So, if they could get out there in that nasty wind, I said "okay, I can do 7 on my flat treadmill with a nice cool fan on my back." And I did. I can't remember the exact time (I have it written down in the basement, but I'm too lazy to go check). But I know the average was in the low 7:40's per mile... so it was a good run. I used the gel blasts again, and felt great... none of those drained or dehydrated, running-on-empty, kind of moments.

So THANK YOU, Cathy and Joy, for making me want to do more! Love you guys!

More tricks

Thursday: Did 5 on the treadmill in 39:05. Nothing special, but it's done.

Friday: 6 on the treadmill in 46:45.

Yet again, I was feeling super tired, with a little bit of nausea here and there. Never enough to make me throw up, but just enough to make the thought go through my mind. But I tried to focus on drinking a lot of water throughout the day. Also, we got a big container of Gatorade powder mix... so we can save some money on that. For some reason, a bottle of Gatorade really helps me lately when I am feeling that hollow and drained pregnant thing. So I have been having one in the mid-morning hours most days this week. And I do feel a difference. Sometimes water just isn't enough for a busy, running mom I guess.

Also, to help the drowsiness, I swiped some of Adam's Powerbar Gel Blasts... ate a few shortly before the run, a couple halfway through, and then the last few when I finished, always accompanied by some water. I don't know for sure that those made the difference, but I know that I was over the tiredness quickly and felt pretty good and less thirsty throughout the entire run... so I might start trying to use those more often... probably just on my longer days, unless I'm feeling really desperate for energy.

I have to say, I am enjoying trying out all of these different things and seeing the effect they have on my pregnancy symptoms, especially in relation to my running. I feel like I am already doing a lot more to keep things running smoothly than I ever thought to do in the last pregnancy. So I'm hoping for a bright future these next 7-8 months. Here's hoping!

Work through it

I got to spend the first half of my day yesterday running errands, which included way too much driving on these winding Virginia roads that surround our home. Normally, it doesn't get to me often. Just another one of those pregnancy things. Oh the joys of motherhood.

So the headache and drowsiness were pretty intense after lunch, but I knew a nap was nowhere in the forecast, so I decided my only choice was to try and work through the misery and hope I could get the best of it. Luckily, that pretty much worked. I prepped dinner items ahead (so that I could just pop them in the oven when it was time to eat)... did some dishes... and felt like I was better enough to change into my running duds. 

The kids and I headed down to the basement (which is one-part gym, and one-part playroom). And they were extra good for whatever reason, so I was able to do my 6 miles with only one stop... and really, that was probably just as much for me as it was for them. I find myself so much more thirsty lately on my runs. 

Anyway, my total time was 46:35. Started at 8:00 pace, then just kicked it up one notch on the tread for each subsequent mile, which left me at 7:30 pace for the last one. It all felt pretty good. Glad I was able to get over the yucky pregnancy-related feelings and get a decent run in. 

And really, isn't all the nausea, belly-expanding, nose-wiping, and diaper-changing worth it in the end? 

Always.

Mind Games

Yesterday, still felt super sluggish. Haven't caught up on sleep... and that whole first-trimester exhaustion thing must be kicking in more than I wanted to accept. Anyway, I was not feeling like hitting the treadmill... but sitting on a stationary bike sounded slightly more appealing... at least I'd be sitting, right? 

So I go to Coach Adam and ask his opinion on the matter. And being the genius he is, his reply is... "No bike, just run 2 miles." ....... 2 miles, I can do that. And it's a much shorter time than I had thought to do the bike. Fine, I'll do 2. 

But of course, once you've done 2, and you're already there on the treadmill sweating it out, your mind automatically says, "well, I may as well do one more"........

5 minutes later... "Okay, I'll just make it an even 4 miles... it's only a few more minutes anyway."

4 miles in 31:05.

Adam always knows the answers. So if you are thinking of skipping a run, "Just go do 2" and you'll likely end up with 4 or more. I love my coach.

Post Run Snacks

I think the weekend is still on me right now. That early outing for Adam's run, then some not so peaceful nights with kids, and an early wake-up for church yesterday has left me super worn out. 

I had a pretty productive day today, but through it all, I've felt like I could fall over and go to sleep at any point.  In fact, I did at one point when the kids wanted me to come in their room while they played. That's what I get for choosing the bed to sit on. 

Anyway, did 5 miles this afternoon. Didn't feel like my legs and body were waking up till after mile 3 or so... so it wasn't the funnest run ever, but it was alright. Time was 39:35. 

But the kids and I were happy in the end because runs always mean post run snacks! A banana and some chocolate milk for me AND  for them. Happy times. 

A Sympathy Long Run

Friday: Did 5 on the trusty old treadmill. Planned to use it as a recovery day of sorts, but felt pretty good, so I ended up pushing it a little more. Finished in 38:10.

Saturday: Feels like I did a long run today. I served as the drive along help on a 23 mile training run for my husband and a friend. Obviously, they are out of my league, but I like to support their awesome efforts, so I drove ahead and stopped every 4 miles to set up a water/gu stop on the tailgate of the truck, then followed after, picked up the bottles, and went to the next check point. I even had the two kiddos strapped in the truck the whole time (they were pretty darn good, considering how long we were out). Anyway, the guys had a good run, and I came home happy to have contributed, but exhausted from the early wake up and endless driving. Felt like I was running right along with them. Of course, Adam had to head to work shortly after we got home, so I did my 4 easy miles on the treadmill pretending I was on the beautiful back roads from their run this morning. 31:30. That brings my week to 31. Good enough.

Pregnancy note: Keep drinks handy... always. Not just on runs, but all day long. Water is of course the key priority, but I have been finding that those smaller bottles of Gatorade can be a real pick-me-up when I'm feeling that drained, empty, or light feeling that I get on those busy pregnant days.

Gu got me through...

Warning to other mom's: If you're going to decide at the last minute to attend a playgroup with some friends... don't do it on a day where they are doing a potluck. Now what in the world am I going to pull together in the next 45 minutes?...... I guess I will figure something out. In the meantime, here's last night's report:

So... 5:30 started creeping up last night, and it was my turn to get onto the treadmill and get those 6 miles done. I complained to Coach Adam that I was feeling super sleepy and not pumped for a run (one of those lovely pregnancy and just general motherhood symptoms). And being the smart and helpful coach that he is, he ran up and down two flights of stairs (after just having completed his second run of the day) and brought me a Gu with some water to wash it down. He always has the answers.

This is actually only the second time ever that I have used a Gu or other energy gel pack... so I don't have a lot to compare to. They may be hard to swallow sometimes, but I do know that both times I have used them have been days where I was feeling drowsy and heavy, and they have totally done the trick. Just a short few minutes into the run, and I was feeling much better.

I ended up just doing 1 mile warmup (8:00 pace, as always), then .25 mile intervals... one on, one off. The on's ranged from 7:30 pace, up to 6:57 pace on the last one, with the recoveries at about 7:47 pace. It all felt pretty good, especially with that little caffeine boost I got from the Gu. My total time for 6 miles ended up being 45:50, or 7:38 pace. Not too shabby at all.

Workouts for the week...

So, since I started this blog midweek. Here is a quick recap of what I've done so far:

Monday: 6 miles on the tread. Started the first mile at 8:00 pace, then kept increasing speed gradually. Ended up with a total time of 46:30. Not bad.

Tuesday: Got to run outside! Just did a quick 5. Felt sluggish, but happy to be out (I even got to run 2ish of those miles with my wonderful husband who was out to complete 12 I think... crazy man). Time was 38:13.

Wednesday: Got busy all day, so didn't get to run until after dinner in the evening. Not my favorite thing, I always feel heavy and sluggish when I run after dinner... guess I eat too much. Either way, got 5 done and in 38:52. I'll take it.

Today, I plan to get 6 done in the afternoon once lunch and all that has settled. Wish me luck. I will report later.

In the mean time, time to go be crazy with the kids. There are no moments of peace in this house. Unless you are lucky enough to have both kids asleep at the same time. A rare occurrence. Trust me.

A pleasant surprise... with a challenge

Yes, it's official. As of 2 days ago, I have confirmed that I am indeed pregnant. Honestly, it came as a relief. My body was feeling very off the last few weeks, and I felt like pregnancy was the only cause that made sense of it all... so at least I know what's wrong with me.

This is my 3rd pregnancy. I have a 3 year old daughter, and a 1 year old son (and of course our little mystery now on the way). Life is crazy and will only get crazier. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I am excited for our growing family!

I am also excited for the new challenge ahead of me in my running life. I started running off and on when I first got married. That's what happens when you marry a runner. Can't stop them, might as well join them. At first, it was painful and obligatory, but now I love it (most days, that is). I didn't run during my first pregnancy, but picked it up again a few months post. For my second pregnancy, I cut down in the first trimester (it was a long, snowy winter), but then ran from the second trimester right through my due date. Not much mileage, but I did it at least. It made me feel so much better... mentally and physically. And after the easiest birth I ever dreamed possible, I decided at that moment that I HAD to run all the way through any subsequent pregnancies. I just had to.

This is me at the 8 month mark of my second pregnancy.

So here I am, surprised with pregnancy #3. But I feel ready. I average about 30 miles per week right now. I just got a new 5k PR on New Year's Eve with 22:19, which was super exciting. Most of my runs average between 7:30 and 8:00 miles. I haven't decided on a lot of specific goals yet... like I said, this is all still new. But for now, my general goal is to maintain through the first trimester. This maintenance is two-fold:

1. Keep my 30 mpw average

2. Keep all my runs at or below 8:00 pace

And because of how desperate I was for any blogs by other pregnant runners when I was first deciding to make the effort in my second pregnancy, I have decided to share my journey for others to observe, learn from, or scoff at (if you feel that's necessary)... Don't worry, I won't take it personal. I grew up in a house full of boys... I can take it.