Running Chronicles

# 13

2012-01-29T17:12:00.001-05:00

Well, I went ahead and did it. As of today, I'm officially registered for the 2012 Grandma's Marathon on June 16!

I picked this one for a lot of reasons. Ever since my first marathon in 2000, I've heard good things about it. People say the point-to-point course is beginner-friendly and that the race is well organized. It's in mid-June, which gives me enough time to train, but doesn't force me to start training until winter begins to fade. Also, it's scenic and pretty and close enough to home that the travel won't be too difficult. And, both of Baby's grandmas are on board with helping me train by taking on extra baby duty while I'm logging the miles (ie. Grandmas for Grandmas ;)). So in a way, this is the perfect marathon choice for me.

I've been thinking about my "comeback" marathon for some time now. Back in July, I discussed a few possibilities when my self-confidence was falsely amplified by the fact that I had just completed my first post-baby six miler. It was a start, but, obviously, I was far from being marathon ready. Six months later, I'm putting my money where my mouth is, despite the fact that it's been difficult to get here. It's been a struggle to build a base, but with weekly mileage nearing 30, I'm feeling a little better about taking on this challenge.

Before I registered this weekend, I wanted to make sure I had a double-digit run under my belt - I haven't done a tenner since well before Baby was born. And it seemed like a good distance to measure my current fitness level. Ten miles puts me close to half-marathon shape, and feeling like I could realistically do a half hasn't happened in quite some time. So yesterday morning, I set out on my quest for ten. Unfortunately, I had a miserable sleepless night on Friday, which had nothing to do with Baby. She slept her twelve hour night; I slept about three. I'm wondering now if it had something to do with being nervous to run, but these days, running worries typically pale in comparison to those having anything to do with raising a child. And sometimes my nights are just like that; I toss and turn while Baby sleeps peacefully. Oh well. This is probably a forecast of what's to come - I'll likely be training on fumes. But despite feeling lethargic, the run itself went pretty well. It was cold and sunny, but windy; gusty winds that hit you no matter which direction you headed. So I changed directions frequently and did some out and backs along the lake. I ran steady and strong, holding about 9:20 pace, and rejoiced when it was over (Total time - 1hr33)

Though I only ran three days this week, each run counted for something. Tuesday's seven miler was a regular run - just something to get in the miles. Thursday's five miler was a tempo run (or speed work). And Saturday's run was the "long run." That may have to be my training strategy for Grandmas; three runs a week that incorporate those basics and increase in distance as the weeks progress. We will see, but one thing's for sure, I'm not planning to start real training until March 1. But it's awwwn.. number 13 here I come!

Fast-ish

2012-01-27T11:48:00.000-05:00

Looking at my recent splits, I can't help but notice that my pace has been picking itself up off the dusty floor. This week alone, 10 of the 12 miles I have run so far start with an "8" as in 8:xx min per mile (the other two are slightly above nine minutes per mile). Yesterday's run was particularly fast for my rusty legs. I hovered around 8:30 pace for all five miles (8:28, 8:12, 8:20, 8:27, 8:43). I wasn't really pushing myself, but it's hard not to crank up the leg speed when I'm watching my splits plunge back into pre-baby territory. And I'd be lying if I said these times aren't sparking some excitement.

So what does it all mean? Good question. I've never been the kind of runner who puts performance ahead of fun. I run because I enjoy it and want to keep it that way. When I trained for Philly in the Fall of '09, I definitely pushed myself - but it was all within the parameters of keeping it fun. Right now, I need running in my life to trick myself into thinking that motherhood is a doable job. When I'm running, the challenges of raising a child and the exhaustion that accompanies it momentarily disappear. I feel free and liberated. It's MY time and I take full advantage of it. I don't think about my pace or my improvement, but I do pay attention to how I feel while running. If I feel strong, I go with it and occasionally chant mantras to myself like "push it, girl - you got this." in hopes that I will burn the last couple miles of the run. If I'm faltering, I become my own biggest fan and silently cheer my way to the end of each mile, making sure I stay strong and keep my head up. Usually it works.

On one hand, since Baby was born, there was nowhere to go but "up." So perhaps my faster paces have only been the result of making a comeback. But regardless, I'm pleased with what is happening and can only hope it continues. One run at a time.

Amendments

2012-01-25T11:10:00.000-05:00

My last post, Four by Four, seemed a bit heavy on the food mentions and light on the originality - who doesn't love the smell of bakeries or freshly washed clothes? And though I love California, it's a frequently visited state that probably appears on most people's "states I have seen" list. Where has my creativity gone? I feel like I used to be able to manufacture interesting and unique answers to routine questions, but now my head is so clouded (and exhausted) all the time that I just type some garbage and call it a post. I'm going to attempt to amend some of my responses to the survey -

States I have seen: Arizona should have made the list. In the summer of 2005, the sticks and I went there to hike the Grand Canyon. Our two day adventure began at 4am in the dark when we headed down the South Kaibab trail (steep!) stayed over night at Bright Angel Campground, and then hiked back up the North Kaibab trail (longer and steeper!!). Our original plans were to hike back down and up to where we started, but we had to scrap them due to the realization that we had done enough (and perhaps the fact that our itinerary was stamped "Dangerous. Do not attempt." had something to do with it). But, blisters, soreness (quads get wrecked with this kind of activity!), and fatigue plagued us..it was supposed to be fun, not a death march. So we packed up shop and drove to Las Vegas for a little pampering and some nights out on the town.

Grand Canyon, July 2005

When thinking of smells I love, it's hard not to rush right to the food category. But if pressed, I could come up with a number of good smelling things that aren't edible. Brand new school supplies come to mind. After teaching for many years, you start to associate the scent of freshly sharpened pencils and unopened composition books with new beginnings. Each year is a chance to start over and do a better job. Even though for most people, the new year starts in January, I will forever think of the year as September to June (with the summer being "free" of course ;))

first day of school

I'd also add flowers to my list. I'm particularly fond of lilacs - few things announce the spring season like recently blossomed lilacs. Plus they're purple and a gorgeous shade of it!

As for goals, I pretty much exhausted my list. I don't set too many goals, and the ones I do aspire to achieve are usually pretty attainable. Though I did once think I could spend a whole year living on a sailboat - I probably could have, but on one of our first sailing expeditions, I realized I am not cut out to live the boating life for too long a period. A week or so is plenty. I do think it's possible that we will someday sail the windward islands; if we do, we might have a decent sized "crew" of kiddos to help out on deck!

the Grenadines, March 2010

The TV show category is just a waste. I was already hard pressed to find TV shows to list that are worth spending my limited time viewing. So I won't add any more.

Anyway.. running. That's what I'm supposed to write about. Last week was a good one. Another 27 miles. I ran five days and had a nice mix of longish runs (7 on Monday; 8 on Sunday), recovery runs (2 on Tuesday; 4 on Thursday), and even some speed work (6 miles on Friday with 6 x 800s at 8:10 pace). I did two ab workouts and some yoga as well. Writing all this makes me feel like I'm already off to a lazy start this week. I only have one 7 miler on the books from yesterday. Perhaps I can muster up some motivation to strike some poses later today..the sun is out and could use some salutations, haha.

Four by Four

2012-01-20T16:55:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine sent me an email with this little "Four" survey. I decided to steal it for my blog and complete it two ways. One way would have a running slant - this is, after all, Running Chronicles. But the other would be completely non running (gasp!). I wanted to see if I could challenge my one-dimensional blogging philosophy and add something a little more personal. So here we go:

First up, The "Running" Survey -

1. 4 states I have seen: (for marathons, obviously)

Wisconsin: I've done three marathons there. Two in Madison and one in Green Bay. I also went to the University of Wisconsin - Madison for undergrad. Go Badgers!

New York: I've done two NYC marathons ('06 and '08) and countless road races during my tenure there.

Ohio: I got engaged here shortly after the 2004 Flying Pig Marathon. Aside from an eighth grade class weekend trip here, that was the only time I've ever been to Ohio.

South Carolina: I did the Myrtle Beach Marathon in 2005. For some reason, this one tends to get lost in my memory. But it was a great one with lots of memorable events!

2. 4 smells I love:

Coffee! Many runners would agree, nothing gets you ready for a run better than a piping hot (or ice cold) mug (glass) of java. I suspect many runners use that fresh brewed scent to get them out the door no matter what time of day it is.

The Fall: This is my favorite time of year to run, and it has a lot to do with that indescribable smell of the season..falling leaves, cool air blowing in, evaporating humidity, etc.

Freshly laundered running clothes: since most of them must be air dried, that freshly washed aroma clings to them more intensely than clothes subjected to the dryer. Unfortunately, the pleasant smell disappears almost immediately after the run begins (but occasionally peaks when things begin to heat up..and then quickly vanishes when the sweating begins).

Post run brunch: Usually this includes coffee, but pancakes is a close second.

3. "4 goals I've set this year" :

Complete Marathon # 13! - Details coming soon!

Remain injury free!

Flirt with my 8K PR.

Rock National Ab Month!

4. 4 TV shows I Love to Watch: (This was difficult since running isn't the most televised sport.)

The Olympic Marathon

The nyc marathon

The Olympic Marathon Time Trials

Whatever local marathon is covered (Chicago)

And now, the "Regular" Survey -

1. 4 states I have seen:

Maine: So beautiful! It was summer when we visited, but I bet it's also gorgeous in the winter.

California: Mostly norCal, but I've had a few stints in SoCal. I'm intrigued.

Louisiana: A fun place to visit, especially in the winter.

Minnesota: Another beautiful state with lots of outdoorsy fun!

2. 4 smells I love:

Coffee! It is such a good smell I had to include it in both portions. I'd argue that the smell of fresh brewed coffee is even better than the taste. But I'm also partial to the sugar that gets added to favorite drinks like vanilla lattes and mochas.

Bakeries: Fresh baked bread, sugar, butter? What is better really. Combining the three is basically genius. (Think the croissant. Even better: the chocolate croissant.)

Wine: a wine with a good nose is likely to have a good taste. Most of wine tasting involves sniffing, so chances are if you like the way it smells it will please the palate. Red or white, doesn't matter.

The sea: The sea doesn't necessarily smell the greatest, but if I'm smelling the sea, I'm either sailing or beaching. Sailing brings plenty of fresh (sea) air, which is nice (especially compared to city air which is occasionally offensive), and beaching usually has that sunscreen scented undertone. And chances are there is some kind of BBQ nearby which adds another layer of goodness.

3. "4 goals I've set this year" :

Cook (at least) twice a week. I usually concoct something in the kitchen and call it a meal, but I'm trying to make it more regular and also with some kind of educational component. I'll do recipes sometimes or I'll just make something up. I'm not one to scour websites for ideas; I usually just borrow concepts from Deborah Madison (she's a genius!) or Tom Colicchio; both of them subscribe to the "good seasonal (local) ingredients prepared simply = delicious" philosophy.

Be the best mom I can be: Motherhood is filled with challenges. All you have to do to discover the infinite number of them is become a mom. I'm working on it and will continue to strive for success. Right now I know I have a happy, healthy baby, so that's how I'll continue to measure my progress with this goal. But it's not easy and will likely continue to be an uphill battle.

Get to know Chicago: It's a great city, but I have hardly made a dent in our relationship. I'd love to have a list of favorite restaurants, neighborhoods and parks, and some go-to cultural establishments. So far I'm fairly comfortable with Navy Pier, the Children's Museum, and the Art Institute, but there's a city out there that I'd love to explore more intimately.

Spend more time with family: One of the reasons we moved to Chicago was to be closer to family. So far it has been pretty easy to make plans, and it really is a blessing to have grandparents and an uncle for Baby to play with. I want to continue to make family events a regular occurrence.

4. 4 TV shows I Love to Watch:

The Daily Show

The Today Show

Modern Family

The Office

(TV is not too important to me, but I do like to know what's going on in the world and I also don't mind a few mindless comedic episodes every now and then. But I will tune in to whatever big game happens to be on. I come from a very sports obsessed family.)

So there it is - Four x Four. Feel free to play along if you like. Happy Friday!

winter time

2012-01-17T11:11:00.000-05:00

Well, it's winter. There's no doubt about that. We have snow, sub-freezing temperatures, and gray skies. This will mean some changes to my running routines. The treadmill will play a much stronger role in the upcoming months, and I will have to plan even more strategically to get in the runs. Here are a few things that have been going through my mind as the winter cold settles in:

* I have plans to register for marathon #13 in the next two weeks. Even if I have to nix it and eat the cost, I need something on my radar.

* "National Ab Month" is on the horizon - my abs don't know what's coming. But they might think this is a cakewalk compared to the beating they took during pregnancy .. not to mention labor and delivery..

* I'm sad to hear that one of my favorite blogs "21 Days" will be going off the air at the end of this week. While I totally understand where Jess is coming from, I will miss her fun and witty posts.

* Last week was an accidental cut-back week in terms of mileage. After my ambitious 9 miler on Tuesday, I scaled back a bit. Wednesday was another gorgeous 50 degree day, and I got out for a recovery three with Baby. Thursday I did a little yoga and an ab workout.

* Speed work might be the way to go during these cold, dark winter months. I did a tempo run on the tready on Saturday - 4 miles with three of them around 8:15/8:30 pace. Note to self: please do more like these.

* So far I have 7 miles logged for this week; yesterday I did a solo out and back at around nine minute pace.

* The Olympic Marathon Trials were pretty awesome to watch (on TV)! We have an incredible team heading to London - go USA!

9 miles / 9 months

2012-01-11T12:06:00.002-05:00

I am a big fan of "celebrating" things with a run. It's a great way to honor the occasion, be it a birthday, a holiday, a beautiful day, a snowy day, etc and still get in a run. Last month when Baby turned 8 months, I decided to run 8 miles. It was a good excuse to push the distance and get outside on a frosty day (one of the few we've had thus far). Yesterday, Baby hit the 9 month mark, so I figured I'd run 9 miles in her honor. Yesterday was also 50 degrees --> perfect for running.

My route was an out and back to Lincoln Park Zoo. I've been wanting to run through the zoo for a while now, and this was a perfect day to do it. I only saw a few animals, but it was pretty and scenic and not at all crowded. I took a few pics on my way out.

As for the run itself, it wasn't easy, but it wasn't terrible. I held a very steady pace of 9:20/mile and kept it pretty consistent. The wind wasn't much of a issue, but my legs were feeling the 27 miles of last week. The sun was pleasant and comforting, and it was just nice to be out along the lake with all the other happy runners (I assume they must happy since it's spring in January -- at least for one more day). Baby stayed home with her grandparents (god bless them), so I was able to enjoy my peaceful, solo run. Today I'm thinking about taking Baby on a short recovery run - it's another 50 degree day, which would be a shame to waste indoors. Hopefully she will agree ;)

9 months

27 miles

2012-01-08T16:06:00.000-05:00

This week was a chart topper in terms of mileage - both for the new year and since August of 2010. I hit 27 miles for the week, which consisted of a nice mix of solo, baby jogger, treadmill, speed work and roads. The temperatures and weather conditions also varied widely. Here's a breakdown:

Monday - this was my snowy run - five and a quarter. In wintry temps (20's).

Tuesday - speed work on the tready. I decided not to freeze my buns off again and instead got on the treadmill for a six miler with six 800's. My pace for the half mile repeats was around eight minutes per mile. I was pretty satisfied with this workout and hope I can do more of these runs in the future (doubtful).

Wednesday - Yoga. This is part of my commitment to include one strength/stretching activity per week. It's also a weak attempt to do all my stretching at once, since I often have to skip it post run due to a wee one demanding my immediate attention post run.

Thursday - 4.5 miles with Baby. She was less than cooperative, so this run was full of starts and stops.

Friday - rest.

Saturday - 8 miles at nine min pace. Temps in the 50's with beautiful sun and bright blue skies - perfect conditions for a Saturday morning run in ~~April~~ January.

Sunday - a recovery run good for three and a quarter. It was also a family run, so all of us were together (and my husband pushed the jogger!)

My legs are pretty shot right now - in a good way. I know my best bet is to rest up and recover so I can do it all again (with more mileage and greater speed, of course).

New Year Goals

2012-01-03T11:56:00.000-05:00

Welcome, 2012!

Chicago finally figured out it was winter (temps in the high teens/low 20s, windchill in the single digits, snow/ice on the ground, etc). I'm thankful for the delay.

My last week of 2011 was my highest mileage OF THE YEAR at 25. It also included my FASTEST 8 miler, a virtual race, and a family run, as well as a random rendezvous on the path with a new mom friend. Here are the details:

Monday - Home for the Holidays 10K (57:40) - 6.5 miles total / killer lift session at night

Wednesday - 8 miles solo (8:52 pace)

Thursday - 3.5 miles at dusk (family run)

Saturday - 7 miles (4 miles to the fish market - family run / 3 miles extra - with friend)

Total: 25 miles

That's not a bad way to end the year, and it is in line with my plans to ramp things up in the coming months.

This week started off with a snowy run on Monday. The flakes had stopped falling, but there was some accumulation on the ground. It was pretty, but they novelty will soon wear off.

Today I managed a six miler with 6 x 800. Hooray for grandparents and their desire to babysit! There have also been two ab workouts this year (and it's only January 3), but I have Ab Month on the horizon, so I better start warming up the core.

So, back to my 2012 plans .. here are my goals for this year.

1. Train for and run a marathon. I have one picked out, but I haven't signed up for it. I hope to register by the end of this month. My time goal for #13 is TBD -- it most likely will be established closer to race day.

2. Participate in National Ab Month. Last year I had to drop out due to pregnancy, but this year I hope to go all out.

3. Continue to add some strength training (yoga, weights, etc) and stretching to my weekly routine so I can maintain my injury-free status.

4. And lastly, I'd like to run (race?) three or more races in the upcoming year. My participation in races has really dropped in the past two years, and I'd like to turn that around.

So there they are. There's nothing special about these goals, but they will help me focus my running in the upcoming year. I'm eager to hear about other people's goals this year - I might even add some to my list if I see something I like.

2011 in Review

2011-12-31T10:51:00.000-05:00

What a year!! When you have your first baby, you can certainly say that with conviction. Lots has changed for me, but I wouldn't change a thing. My running career took a bit of a hit this year, but that doesn't mean it was without its share of excitement. I've decided to do my two part new year post again. Doing this last year gave me a really nice summary of 2010, and it helped me plan my goals for 2011. Here is what I wanted to achieve:

1. Keep running during pregnancy as long as I can.
I ran up until 36 weeks (and one day). At that point, the doctors were telling me to "take it easy" and I didn't want to put my baby in jeopardy for a few nonsensical runs. I was thrilled to run a total of 361 miles with a baby on board!

2. Recognize the need to take some time off when the baby is born.
If you've had a baby, you know that it just lends itself to time off from running. Newborn care is an all-consuming job! and you must do it on no sleep! after you've been physically through the ringer delivering the baby! (IMO, childbirth recovery trumps marathon recovery by a few thousand landslides.) So taking time off wasn't too challenging. I was anxious to get back on the roads, but waiting out the suggested six weeks was a smart move.

3. Gradually return to running after baby.
Again, nailed the target on this one. Once I got the "go ahead" from my doc, I started with an easy two mile run. Then I gradually added to my distance, all the while listening to my body. I have never been such a good listener.

4. Learn to run with a baby jogger.
This was way easier than I imagined. Our first run together was a success, and we've been at it ever since. I have run 135 miles with Baby so far, and I look forward to many more. {Stats for 2011: Baby and I went on 33 runs together; the average length of run was about 4 miles; the longest run was 8 miles; the shortest run was 2 miles}

5. Continue to coach, encourage, and cheer for others.
My running friends have made this easy. Two of the Sticks ran sub 3:10 marathons this fall (3:08 and 3:09), my husband continues to consistently run (and occasionally asks for my advice..and occasionally takes my advice), and I'm able to cheer for my Flyer friends via facebook.

A+ for me!

As for the year in review, here's the month by month recap.

January - I was about six months pregnant at this point, and I began doing prenatal yoga. I have all good things to say about prenatal yoga and would advise a pregnant woman to try out a class if possible. Not only did I enjoy the classes, but I feel they helped me relax and gain strength at the same time.

Besides yoga, I also kept up my running despite the snow and cold of January. I "celebrated" 26.2 weeks of pregnancy by going on a run with my friend and her son (then 8 months), whom I pushed in the baby jogger.

February - It was cold and snowy throughout most of February. I nixed my participation in National Ab Month but did manage a six miler in my third trimester. I also attended two family baby showers, which in and of itself was a workout! So much generosity!!

a small sampling of giftys

March - I turned 32 on the first of March and ran 32 minutes that morning. It was a blessing to be able to do that much. My husband joined me for the birthday run at the early hour of six AM. At the end of the month, I was hanging up my running shoes (until after baby), but not before sneaking in one last pregnancy run with the sticks!

36 weeks

April - Happy Birthday, Baby W! April 10, 2011

baby W

sleeping angel

April was a blur of visits from family and friends, getting to know my newborn baby, and trying to sleep whenever possible. I was so lucky to have so much support during this time, and to be able to celebrate Baby's arrival so thoroughly. Running took a back seat.

May - I eased back into it. As soon as I got my doctor's approval (6 weeks after delivery), I was back on the roads. But slowly. Cautiously. Carefully. I started with two miles and went from there. My abs suffered more than my legs on these early runs. But I was thrilled to be out there, even with the rising humidity.

June - This was a month when I did whatever I could whenever I could. Most of my runs were done in the evenings (luckily it was daylight savings time), and all of my runs were done with a side of extreme fatigue. Looking back, fitting in the running was just as hard as completing the actual run. But I do think they helped me fight the drowsiness and most of the time I returned home more refreshed.

July - We took our first cross country trip with Baby and visited family and friends in California. Part One , Part Two, and Part Three contain the details. Running on the coast was fantastic!

Baby meets ocean

wine tasting

3 months old

August - This month was nuts! This was primarily due to our move from New York to Chicago, but having a four month old didn't make it any easier. Between packing, goodbyes to friends, making moving arrangements, and 24/7 newborn care, I squeezed in as many runs as possible. I did my last race in ny for a while and ran my last loop of central park. We visited as many favorite places as possible before we sent our stuff off in the moving truck and hopped on the plane.

b cafe

williamsburg bridge

washington square park

murray's cheese

September - This was our first month in Chicago. It was filled with settling in, exploring the city, and meeting new friends. It was also the first time I took Baby in the Bob! and the first time I placed in my age group with said Baby in the Bob ;)

chicago

the bean

pritzker pavilion

first Bob run

3rd place

October - The highlights of October were a family trip to New Orleans and starting to "train" for an early November 15K. Both were a big success!

Louis Cathedral on Jackson Sq.

Bourbon St.

crab dinner

the riverwalk

beignets

November - The Hot Chocolate 15K started off this month, and a Stick visit ended it. In between were some scenic runs, a Thanksgiving feast, and a DNS (did not start).

Hot Chocolate 15K

run through the woods

sticks!

December - And that brings us to December. We kicked off the month with a run to get our Christmas tree. There were also runs to the butcher shop, the fish market, and even to buy Christmas presents. This is how you multitask! Baby's first Christmas was not complete without a virtual "Home for the Holidays" 10K, and the year ended with a feeling of gratitude that little can top.

getting our tree

shopping at macy's

christmas 2011

I think this is enough for now.. I'll be back with my goals for 2012. Happy New Year!!

Home for the Holidays Virtual 10K Race Report

2011-12-26T17:40:00.001-05:00

Like many other runners/bloggers, I participated in a virtual 10K race this holiday weekend. If I'm being honest, I did not really race it, but I did complete the distance in its entirety. I've done one virtual race before - The Mama Goes Masters Four Mile Dash and Crash, which was in honor of someone's birthday. The Home for the Holidays 10K was all about celebrating the holidays. I found out about it through Liz @ runbakerace, and when I clicked on the link for the details, I was in! It was a fabulous idea and well organized. I had my choice of four race days (December 23 -26), and could run any way, shape, or form I pleased (roads, treadmill, track--pool running would've probably been a viable option). For me these days, flexibility is key. I picked today (December 26) for my "race," but I had some fun holiday prep runs leading up to it.

Monday was a beautiful warm day with temps reaching 50. Baby and I got out for a four/five miler that afternoon. I left the garmin at home and just ran.

Thursday was a six miler with Baby. She was all smiley and happy so I just kept going. I think she even took a brief cat nap during the last two miles.

Friday I ran about 4.5 miles to pick up a goose for our Christmas dinner. No, I'm not kidding about the run to the goose, nor the goose itself. It's what we've been preparing for Christmas for the past 4 years or so. Anyway, two birds (one stone) .. or rather nly one bird ;)

Saturday, Christmas Eve, my husband and I ran to the fish market to pick up some fresh seafood for our Christmas dinner (a goose rarely yields enough food for a feast, so we have to supplement with seafood). The run was a little haphazard due to stops and starts and a bit of confusion as to the exact location of the fish market, but we estimated the run to be about 3.5 miles. Baby came with us and I "festived" up the run with a little Santa hat to get in the spirit.

Christmas Day was too busy for a run, and I needed a rest day anyway. That brings us to today's race.

The race was planned rather last minute, and there was a bit of chaos regarding the route and participants. Some family members wanted to join me, but it wasn't clear what portions they would undertake. After some discussion and decision-making, the race finally began at noon at my parents' house in north suburbia Chicago. Well, the "gun" went off at 12:06 (you know how start times are occasionally "approximate" these days..) and I was off. My dad came with me on his bike for the first two miles, which was a short loop back to the start. I started off strong running an eight minute mile, which is my fastest post-baby mile to date. The sun was shining and I just tried to fly. Mile two was a lot slower at 8:53, but that is what happens when one has no business running an eight minute mile at the beginning of a six mile race. At the three mile marker, my dad finished his part, and I picked up my husband who joined me for the rest of the race. My dad gave me a high five on his way out- it was almost like our wedding day where my dad passed me off to my husband (here you go - take her). Miles three and four took us toward some forest preserve trails, but we did have to dodge some traffic lights in the process. We held steady at 9:14 for mile three and ran 9:33 for mile four. The trail portion was beautiful, especially with the sun and clear skies. We didn't get "Brightroom" or "Marathon Foto" as our photogs, as is apparent from these amateur snaps. Most of me is missing from the first picture, and my husband wasn't photographed until he passed by. At least we can see the trail and part of the course, but I clearly won't be "ordering" any of these pics no matter how many email offers I get :)

We slowed considerably for the last two miles, but still maintained a sub-ten pace. Mile five was 9:51 and six clocked at 9:53. I picked it up for the last point two and finished strong in 57:40 (9:14 pace). The best part of this race was the finish line festival. It just happened to end at a pizza restaurant with hot pizza and cold beer. We were also joined by my parents, brother, and Baby (of course). Sometimes no matter how good or bad the race goes, the finish line party can make up for it. In this case, the beer and food hit the spot and the company was icing on the cake.

fosters and frosty mugs

I regret to say that I wasn't decked out in any holiday apparel. This was not because I didn't want to be. I just didn't have enough time to pick up some festive pieces for the occasion; I found out about this race kind of last minute. And, sadly, I had nothing sparkly or celebratory on hand. But that didn't stop me from appreciating the holiday season and reflecting on all I have to be grateful for. That's what the holidays are all about, aren't they?

I want to thank the race organizers (Stephanie, Robin, and Ashley), who did a great job setting this whole thing up! It was a great idea, and a fun way for a runner to celebrate the season. Happy Holidays!

Edit: My evening wasn't spent lounging on the couch with a cold mug of beer (like it should have been after a race). Instead, my brother convinced us to go to his gym and complete his workout. OMG. Forty-five minutes of lifting, squatting, lunging, pulling up, sitting up, curling, dipping, crunching.. and then it REPEATED! But we did it (some of us modified, truth be told). We did it.

21 things

2011-12-19T11:44:00.000-05:00

This may be the first time I was ever "tagged" to do a post (despite having my running blog for five and a half years). Anyway, I'm flattered that Laura (Mommy, Run Fast) thought of me, so I guess I will go for it ;) Here are 21 random (non) running things about me.

1. I love to sail. Specifically 40 foot monohulls. I am ASA certified in Basic Keelboat, Coastal Cruising, and Bareboat Chartering. I've been on many sailing trips with my husband in the Caribbean Sea - we sail from island to island and anchor for the night. They are the best vacations, and I cannot wait til Baby W is old enough to be part of our "crew."

December 2010

2. I can play the piano (took lessons for 7 years) and love to play whenever I get the chance. We don't currently have a piano - but maybe someday soon.

3. I also like to knit though I'm not very good. Believe it or not, some running friends got me into knitting. I've knitted some hats, a scarf, and some (felted) coasters for my mom and MIL. I'm hoping to do some more knitting in the near future.

4. I do not (downhill) ski. Most people assume I ski due to all my athletic endeavors. I do not, though I have skied - it's just not my thing.

5. I like musicals. And theater.

6. It's beer and wine for me. I'm not into cocktails or hard liquor, unless the occasion calls for a margarita or bloody mary.

first time tasting with Baby

7. I'm a Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Hawks, Badgers and Yankees fan.

8. Walking is my favorite form of transportation.

9. I like almost every food except apple juice and coconut (though I do like coconut curries and pina coladas).

10. Purple is my favorite color.

11. If I say I'm going to pick a number between one and one hundred, it will likely be 21. Or 7. Or 77.

12. I miss teaching fourth grade.

last year's class

13. If I were to get a pet, it would probably be a dog.

14. The thought that life is short really speaks to me. I try to live life to its fullest.

15. I'm grateful for my amazing family.

16. I'm an urban girl - I feel most at home in the city.

walking on 5th ave

17. One of my first (and last) onstage performance was telling the story of "Prinderella and the Cince." (Kind of like Cinderella, only sillier.)

18. I once built a door from scratch.

19. I see nothing wrong with being pampered on a regular basis..manicure, pedicure, facial, massage.. (see #14 re: living it up)

20. My husband proposed to me after marathon # 5. Pure brilliance!

21. It is my opinion that one can never have too much chocolate or too much coffee..though there will likely be consequences for overdoing it. I guess that goes for red wine too.

staples

Thinking of 21 things was harder than I thought!! Time is short (have to get out there on a run - temps are in the 50's!!) so here is a quick recap of last week runningwise:

Monday: 4.5 miles with the Bob
Tuesday: 7 miles solo (most miles sub nine pace)
Thursday: 6.25 miles solo (all miles sub nine pace)
Sunday: 4.5 miles solo

8 miles / 8 months

2011-12-10T19:27:00.001-05:00

Baby W is 8 months old today! To celebrate, her crazy mama decided to run 8 miles. But that wasn't the crazy part. The real obstacle wasn't the distance; it was the cold. Today was definitely the coldest day I've seen in a while. Temps fell to the teens and flirted with single digits. And the wind chill kicked it up a notch with face numbing seriousness (my iphone reported "feels like 2" - oh joy). Yes, I could've postponed my run til tomorrow, but we have a big holiday party to attend, and I wanted to give Chicago winter running a try. I know that in a very short time, today's weather will be the norm. So I better get used to it. Or at least know to plan for treadmill runs until April.

This morning, after a bit of coffee and deliberation re: this run (verdict: go for it!), I suited up: three layers of tops, jacket, the north face tights, a headband, hat, my new brooks adapt running gloves, and sunnies (luckily the sun was out - not that it made much difference). I'm not sure what else I could've added, but I better think of something because I was still cold. The first bit was shocking to my system. Pretty much everything felt cold, so I just ran steady and tried to zone to the ipod. Running with the wind was slightly tolerable; running with a headwind was downright frigid. I did some out and backs to stay close to home, but most of the time I tried to convince myself that this run had to be easier than labor was eight months ago..though the jury is still out on that one. After eight miles, I was ready to stuff myself into an oven; instead I cuddled with Baby (who was waiting for me at home with her daddy) and tried to defrost. Eight miles to the good!

The rest of this week was alright -
Monday - 3.5 with Baby in the Bob.
Wednesday - 4.5 with Baby (was shooting for 5 but Baby decided 4.5 was plenty and communicated that opinion quite clearly)
Thursday - yoga. This was great, though I was noticeably sore the next day (and the next).

Going forward, I'm just going to proceed with caution re: this cold weather. I haven't committed to training for anything, but I am tossing some ideas around. I know the new year is right on the horizon, and I want to keep that balance of running for fun and pushing myself. Sometimes it takes a race registration form to keep things from going stale. But even after 8 months of being a mom, I am still hesitant to sign up for anything major (ie 26 or so miles).

To end on a totally unrelated note, I'm not the only person in my household who can wear her hair in a pony tail!

8 months old / pony tail

Christmas Tree Run

2011-12-05T10:13:00.001-05:00

The holiday season is in full swing! Trees, lights, decorations, festivity -- everywhere! Our latest adventure was a run to the Christmas tree lot to pick out this year's tree. The lot we picked was about two miles from out apt, so we strapped Baby in the Bob and set off as a family. We disregarded the light drizzle and chatted about our plans for decorating that night. It was pretty easy to pick out a tree (we always go with the one that "speaks" to us), and after arranging a delivery time for the eight footer, we took a few pictures and then ran to brunch.

Baby's first Christmas Tree

It seems she is more fascinated with my hat than the trees.

With Daddy

Her introduction to our tree.

So in an hour and a half, we got in a three mile run, picked out a Christmas tree, and had brunch..all before noon! My husband seemed to love the idea of "running" errands, and we are currently brainstorming ways to do most of our Christmas shopping in this manner. If you think about it, it makes the most sense to combine these types of outings with running. Running on the Lake Shore Path is really no different than driving along Lake Shore Drive; you enter and exit just like you would in a vehicle, but you get the added bonus of a workout while you're traveling. Not to mention the little bit it does for the environment. And you don't have to fit in your workout later. Triple Score!

I had a decent week running.

Monday: a short 3.5 miler with Baby.

Tuesday: a half mile swim.

Wednesday: 6.25 miles with Baby.

Friday: 5.25 with Baby

Saturday: 3 miles (family run w/ Baby)

Total: 18 miles

I also did some strength workouts this week, mostly in the form of ab work and isolation poses. I admit, this is a bit weak (no pun intended), but I figure it's better than nothing. The swim was also outside of my usual routines, so that should count for something.

Bring on the Holidays!!

stick run - mama style

2011-11-28T11:17:00.001-05:00

It's not every day I get to see the sticks. Occasionally, we get lucky and travel plans coordinate with races or holidays. But what's even more rare these days is a visit with the sticklings ;) So far there are two of them: Baby R (who's almost two) and Baby W (seven and a half months). They've met once before, so this wasn't the first time, but it was special because they got to play together while their mamas (and daddies) visited.

We got to spend some time with C as well, who came down with Baby R and his family. We really wanted to get in a run together, but soooo many things were working against us. Number one was the time factor; babies (especially traveling ones) do not give us predictable schedules. Between naps and nap attempts, we missed the daylight window and would've had to run in the dark. There was also the rain and nasty weather - the fog was so thick we could barely see the park from our window. And last, but not least, one of the sticks forgot her running shoes - she was willing to go buy new ones, but with the "sun" slowly sinking and the rain continuing to fall, it just wasn't going to happen. It was all for the best, since we were exhausted and preferred to visit and go to bed early.

Sunday was a different story. After coffee and breakfast, L and I were raring to go. We had our running clothes on and were out the door in no time. The rain had cleared up but the air was damp and there definitely was a chill in the air. But the temps were relatively mild (they will feel downright tropical come January) and the wind was just right. It was a great run! With great conversation and great company - Thanks, L!! We did about five and a half miles before returning to the kiddos. Baby W was up from her nap and ready to play. We took some pics with her after the run.

And not too much later, Baby R joined us for a picture~

L, Baby R, me, Baby W

My weekly mileage came to 22, which appears to be the highest in a while. That's what happens when the holidays come around and I want to celebrate by running.

off road running

2011-11-25T16:19:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

As usual, I have a lot to be thankful for - number one being my outstanding family (especially my little baby girl!), but I am also thankful to have the gift of running in my life. While I have been struggling to regain my pre-baby fitness level, I am still enjoying most of my runs, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to just get out there and run!

This Thanksgiving, we were signed up to run a Turkey Trot...but, it just wasn't in the cards. Baby has been at war with her teeth - it seems they are growing in, though we have yet to see a pearly white. But it is obvious from her recent behavior that she is bothered by their journey through her sensitive baby gums :( This has basically meant a lot of extra TLC from her mama (typically provided during the middle of the night) and a couple doses of baby tylenol. The night before our scheduled Turkey Trot was a particularly bad night; perhaps being at a family member's home instead of her own bed was part of it, but we were up A LOT and she was an absolute mess in the morning. I knew right away we'd be skipping the race, and though I was disappointed, I was not about to put my tired and suffering little baby in a chilly jogging stroller to have her "run" a race with me. So we scrapped the race and napped while Baby napped. She was in much better spirits later that morning, so I knew we made the right decision.

Even though we missed out on the 5K, I still wanted to get in a T-Day run, so I headed out on a loop in the neighborhood that I struggled with this summer. It's about seven miles and I just wasn't at that point three months ago. The heat (and my out-of-shape-ness) stifled my attempts to make it around the loop, and I had to raise my white flag on several occasions. But yesterday, as soon as I headed out the door, I knew I was going to settle the score. And I did. I got myself all the way around and the early miles were sub-nines. Though I slowed a little at the end (see above paragraph re: sleepless night), I finished strong and felt pretty good. That's about all you can ask for before sitting down to a fabulous home-cooked turkey dinner.

Today, we had our sights set on a nature-y trail run followed by a beer/burger at a local tavern near the entrance to the trail. We had a packed day and a limited amount of time to fit it in, but we bargained with Baby and she agreed to let us go. She held up her end of the bargain and took her nap in her stroller while we headed into the woods. It was her first "off road" run, and it was a huge success. Just to be clear, it was a gravel path through the trees and a smidge bumpier than regular asphalt - so not at all dangerous, but definitely different (read: more challenging) than road running. We did a three mile loop and then parked ourselves at the tavern for a rewarding lunch.

off road running

smooth ride

the trail going uphill

fam pic post run

happy baby at the tavern

Even though things didn't exactly go as planned (when do they with kids?), I'm very pleased with these runs and am happy to have shared it with my family. Bring on the holiday season!

slump

2011-11-22T12:08:00.001-05:00

I'm in a bit of a slump at the moment, but it could be worse. The tail end of last week was pretty poor mileage-wise. Wednesday was my yoga workout in the morning and then I pushed myself out the door that afternoon for a short three miler with Baby. While two workouts in one day sounds good, the next three days were exercise-free. I just didn't have the desire to run or do much of anything. So I waited it out and decided to get out there on Sunday and just see what would happen. The weather was decent, but my feet were dragging and I called it quits just shy of six miles (5.75). But at least that ended the drought. I also did my second strength session of the week, but it was meager and not my best work. Yesterday was a little better with six and a quarter at a decent pace, and today was another yoga workout.

In more exciting news, K and C of Team Stick ran Philly this year, which was Sunday. So I lived vicariously through their race adventures, reminiscing my own experience with Philly two years ago. I'm pleased to say that they both ran excellent races, and it was fun for me hear how it all went down. I think that seeing their results helped me get my butt out there on Sunday and run something respectable. They covered 26.2 miles; the least I could do was cover the 6.2. Congrats, girls!! I am so proud of you both ;)

So where do we go from here? I'm signed up for a Turkey Trot on Thursday - the same one I've done several times in the past. (2010, 2008, and 2007). This year I'm planning to run it with Baby, but that will be a game day decision. And I'm hoping to even out the turkey feast on Friday with a solid run and then maybe do something decent this weekend. Winter is coming and I have to take advantage of the clear streets and sidewalks while I still can. Soon they will be covered in snow and ice and temps will be arctic.

What to Wear

2011-11-15T10:43:00.001-05:00

After the Hot Chocolate 15K, I fell ill. It was just a cold, but "just a cold" takes on a whole new meaning when you're a mom. Luckily, my parents came to my rescue (once again!) and I was able to sneak in a few naps for faster recovery. But the whole sick thing really threw a wrench into my mileage last week. The weather was also a culprit, convincing me to do most of my running indoors.

Tuesday I was feeling a little better and decided to employ the old "run it out" strategy in hopes that my cold would disappear. I even threw in a few 800's - the treadmill can be boring (very boring) and it helps to have distractions even if they are disguised as speedwork. In the end, I ran 6 miles with 4 x 800 @ 8:45 pace. And I did feel better! (Though I believe my mom's chicken soup and her baby coverage is what really did the trick.)

Wednesday was my yoga day for strength session number one. It was decent, though I have yet to find an "on demand" yoga class that I really like. I really miss the yoga studio I used to go to in ny - but this will have to do for now.

Thursday I was in no mood to run, but I headed down to the treadmill anyway. My plan was just to start running and go from there. Sometimes this is the best way to combat a (huge) lack of motivation. As soon as I started running, I knew it would be short. But I didn't want just two miles, and by three miles I convinced myself I could get to four. So four is what I got.

The weekend was more or less a bust. I was under some impression that I could go out both nights and not suffer consequences (ie. a baby who likes to wake up in the sixes regardless of the fact that it's the (freakin') weekend!). So I was basically a zombie during the day and kicking myself that I had chosen a social life over sleep (and running). I skipped Saturday's planned run completely and was going to do the same with Sunday. But my husband persuaded me to head out for a few miles; it was 70 degrees and sunny..and November..in Chicago. This is not something you mess with. Out the door I went in shorts and a tee and six miles later I came back in much better spirits.

My second strength session of the week included lifting - mostly upper body and abs, but also some hamstring work. I'm happy to report that the free weigh work seems to be getting easier ;)

This week started off with a 3.5 mile run yesterday with Baby. It was about 50 degrees with overcast skies, but the wind was mild and the sun was making every effort to peek through the clouds. I think Baby is pretty comfortable in there, but I never know for sure if she is too warm from the bundling or if she is cold. She seems content but she is also very easy going. I wonder if there is a "what to wear" page for babies in baby joggers, like there is "what to wear for runners." It would be very helpful.

Will Run For Chocolate

2011-11-06T21:05:00.001-05:00

The Hot Chocolate 15K-Chicago was both a huge success and a bit of a reality check in terms of where I stand. Throughout the 9.3 mile course, I felt strong, energetic, and revived; but I also ran s-l-o-w, despite feeling "fast." I clocked a new PW, but I have basically disregarded such negative labels since I've been in "baby recovery mode."

Yesterday's race was one of the most fun and exciting races I've run in a long time! C of Team Stick spent the weekend with us, so I had some great company race morning. We sipped soy lattes and ate peanut butter toast while playing with Baby W (the latter being a new addition to my pre-race routines..) Baby was in excellent spirits and wished us well as we psyched ourselves up.

In addition to my official bib, I was also wearing a supportive bib for a fellow Flyer who is battling pancreatic cancer. She is an incredible runner and a true inspiration for all. I wanted to dedicate my race to her as a small token of support. I understand that many Flyers wore a bib for her in today's nyc marathon too. Here's a pic of the bib pinned to my back.

Race morning brought us the most perfect conditions. Looking out the window, I could tell it was going to be a good day for running. The sun was just rising and the wind was light. It was chilly (ie brought out the compression capris! and gloves..) but it wasn't cold. Here's a look at the tents in Grant Park, where the post-race chocolate fest would take place.

C and I jogged about a half mile to the start area and then she took off to frontload with some additional miles. I hung out with the masses and took in the scenes. In ny, I would've known a ton of people and had plenty of folks to schmooze with before the face. Here, I felt like the odd man out. I tried to strike up some conversations with fellow runners, but it just wasn't the same as chatting it up with the Flyers. Instead, I took some pictures of the start line area.

start line

with C at the start

lined up in corral B

The start was delayed - something about the police needing to do some work on the course. I don't know the exact cause, but we stood around for an extra 20 minutes. This is bad news if you have timed your bathroom visits to coincide with a particular start time. I found myself in the "it's-too-late-to-hit-up-the-porto-potty-so-I-guess-I'll-just-deal" situation. I knew it would not bother me too much once we got going, but it wasn't ideal.

After some more waiting, we were off! I tried to ration my effort since I wanted to make sure I could cover the distance. At this stage in my life, nine point three is no joke. To my surprise, the early miles passed quickly - they felt quick, but they did not register as such on the garmin. Case in point --> 9:45, 9:27, 9:44.

The middle miles were pretty smooth. I took in the sights and just ran free. I started to feel a little more confident, especially as we passed miles five and six. My splits in the middle were more or less consistent --> 9:41, 9:45, 9:40. I snapped this picture of the Willis (Sears) Tower in the distance.

My ten kay split for this race was an even hour. It helps to know that my five kay split was an even half hour. So consistency re: pacing was right on. This told me that I could easily pick it up for the last three miles. I had the energy, which is something that rarely happens to me in the latter mile of races of any distance. So I stepped on the gas and busted out negative splits --> 9:32, 9:15, 8:48. The point three at the end was 2:23, which I believe is about 7:49 pace. I roughed up my quads with this sprint-like effort, but it was worth it to cruise over the finish line with something left in the tank (normally this is not a good thing when racing, but for the mother of a wee one, it is paramount.)

the finish

My official time was 1:28.03 (9:27 pace). This, I believe, is my slowest recorded 15K finish time. My previous PW was the Ted Corbit 15K in December 2008 (1:27.36), but that was not an "official race" due to nyrr's decision to make it a "fun run" at the last minute. So I guess that means the Colon Cancer 15K in March 2008 (1:26.27) was my PW until yesterday. But as I mentioned above, I really don't want to use that lingo to describe my post-baby racing achievements. I have two other 15K's under my belt with much more decent times. NYRR's Hot Chocolate 15K in 2007 (1:19.52) and the Colon Cancer 15K in 2007 (1:16.46), which is my current PR. They are all linked, should you be interested in more details. As C pointed out, I've done a lot of 15K's! Reuniting with C after the race was easy as pie. She had an excellent race finishing over ten minutes ahead of me! Way to go, C!

meeting up after the race

And then it was time for CHOCOLATE. Ingesting chocolate after a race, however, is kind of one of those things that is better in theory than in practice (like drinking beer after a marathon). But I typically rise to the occasion whenever chocolate (or beer) is on the table. So C and I went over to the tents to get our celebratory hot chocolate and chocolate fondue. Both were surprisingly tasty and a pretty fun post-race treat.

C's hot chocolate w/ whipped cream

fondue (Baby is after mine!)

After refueling with a healthy lunch, we whiled away the afternoon playing with Baby and sitting in the hot tub. These are both good recovery practices. Our evening plans were a night out on the town, which included "antioxidants" --> pomegranate/mango margaritas and red wine. Can't go wrong with those drink choices - and don't worry, we imbibed responsibly (again, this is paramount for the mother of a wee one ;))

Lastly, I am two for two in the November Strength Challenge. Wednesday was my yoga day and today (this morning), C and I went down to the gym to lift. I did all upper body (biceps, triceps, lats, obliques) and abs to give my wounded quads a break, and rounded it all out with some stretching. I feel pretty washed out (am suffering from a cold atm) so I'm hoping to get some good rest tonight. Despite my cold, it was a great weekend, and another fantastic racing memory to add to my vast collection. Thanks to C for such a great weekend!!

**Congratulations to all the nyc marathoners!**

Psyched for Strength

2011-11-03T10:40:00.000-04:00

So it's November. In my previous post, I mentioned a "Strength Routine Challenge" which requires participants to complete two strength sessions per week throughout the month of November. Consider this my official application - I'm in! And I already kicked it off yesterday with a yoga workout, so I'm on the board. My second workout is slated for Sunday (since I count my running week Monday - Sunday, I will do the same with this.) I'm really looking forward to it!

In an ironic twist of events, it snowed in New York last week; in Chicago, it was absolutely beautiful. My last two runs have both been 7 milers and have been in ideal conditions. Saturday, the whole family went on a run to the Lincoln Park Zoo and back. Though we didn't tour the zoo, we did venture in a little bit and might have seen a llama or two. Tuesday I had another terrific run of 7 miles, which has me feeling a little more confident about completing the distance on Saturday (9.3 miles). I will say upfront that I don't expect to run much faster than ten minutes/mile, but I do hope to finish strong and with some spare energy! C, from Team Stick, will be here for the race and I want to survive our rockin' post race plans!!

Other than that, I added a short swim to my workouts this week. Monday night I swam about a quarter mile, though I didn't diligently count laps. Instead, I relaxed and let my mind wander. It was highly therapeutic and I'm going to work on chilling with some pool time a little more often.

Before I forget, I want to wish all the nyc marathon participants the best of luck on Sunday!! Though I am far away and won't be handing out power gels (or engaging in antics at Fort Wadsworth) this year, I will most definitely be thinking about all of you! nyc happens to be one of my favorite races of all time. I ran in '06 and '08, and while I clocked some pretty slow times, I had an absolute blast! Let's reminisce.

2006 ..

2006 - around mile 19

2006 -fall foliage

2006 -almost done

2006 - my "fans"

2006 - part of the crowd

And 2008 ..

2008- marathon expo with the Sticks

2008 - powering through

2008 - almost done

2008 finisher

Team Stick at nyc 2008

Such good memories! Good luck to everyone running nyc this weekend! You will love it! The energy is amazing and the fans are outstanding. Enjoy every mile.

running strong (for a change)

2011-10-28T11:19:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I had the kind of run that has been "away" for the past year or so. Here's why.

* The weather was spot-on fall: crisp and cold with warm sunshine and leaves everywhere. And let's not forget the wind. Chicago has wind. All. The. Time. But it was a pleasant wind, so it just added to the ambiance.

* I was energetic. This may sound silly, but in my world feeling "energetic" is rare. Usually it's more like lethargic, barely functioning, or TiReD.

* My parents (LOVE them!!) came over and took over Baby duty so I could run solo

* Everything clicked. Despite being sore from Wednesday's power yoga session (another "on demand" flick), my legs felt great. Light, airy and speedy. This is what runners dream of on race day; the feeling that you could go on for miles and maintain your speed. I had that going for me yesterday. I can only hope this same feeling will manifest itself on November 5. (doubtful).

I started out cautious and realized it was a "good day." I was running about 9:15s and heading straight into the wind. For two miles I plowed through the chilly breeze and then turned to head back. Running with a tailwind was such a welcome relief; that instant quiet and helpful push really revived my spirit. That's when the energy really kicked in. I decided to add Navy Pier to the route, and completed the out and back with ease. I did stop to take this picture of the skyline from the end of the pier.

I added a few more miles to total 7 and was very happy with that. I really like that distance and feel like it is a great weekday run. My time for the seven was about 1:05, which is also super news. There was even an 8:40 mile near the end!

Aside from that good run, I had two mediocre runs on Monday and Tuesday. I wanted to go longer on Monday, but three and a half was all I could manage. I was also pushing the Bob and sometimes that extra bit just zaps me early on in a run. Tuesday we ran another errand, so the three and a quarter miles were broken up with a shopping stop. It was also an unplanned run, so in some ways it felt like a bonus. Wednesday was yoga. I chose a workout that focused on arms and abs. In many ways, I was not ready for the degree of difficulty this program called for. I had to sit some of it out (ie, the handstands. are you kidding? no way. i'm too old for that.) But I can't say I didn't get a decent workout of out it - I lost count of the chutarungas after twenty. My arms and shoulders are still squealing today.

Kim, over at Healthy Strides proposed a strength routine challenge for November. I am strongly (no pun intended) considering this because I need outside motivation when it comes to anything besides running. She suggests adding a strength routine twice a week for each week in November. If I keep my yoga thing going and add one lifting session a week, I could nail this. That's eight (or nine) workouts. I'm going to take the weekend to devise a plan, and hopefully I will join the fun.

Almost Ten

2011-10-23T18:54:00.000-04:00

This week has been a crazy mix of weather - from insanely (insanely!!) windy on Wednesday to picture perfect this weekend, with sun, clouds, and rain interspersed. I had to choose my running windows carefully, or risk getting blown away and/or soaked.

I've been working on boosting my average run from 3-4 miles to 5-6 miles. I usually tell myself that I'm just heading out for a short one, and then if I feel alright, I tack on another mile or two. This has been working, more or less. I've also been trying to push my weekend long run into the double digits. It hasn't been easy, but I think it's a slow process.

Monday I did six with the Bob. It was a pleasant day, but I wasn't up to par and suffered from aches and chills that night like everyone else I know. Luckily, it was a short lived illness and didn't cause much of a setback. I took Tuesday off to make sure I was recovered and Wednesday was a complete waste. Windy doesn't even begin to describe it. You would've had to have a death wish to have gone running on that Lake Shore Path. So I stayed indoors and did a yoga class (via 'on demand' TV) and added on some ab work to make it substantial.

Thursday I got out for a six miler. It was lightly raining, but otherwise decent. This run was solo - made possible by Grandma and Grandpa, who babysat. I returned after four miles, but they were having so much fun with Baby that they insisted (nevermind the fact that it started raining harder) that I go back out for another two. I indulged them ;)

The highlight of the week was yesterday's almost ten miler. It was mostly done on a beautiful trail with rolling hills and gorgeous fall foliage. The makings for a perfect run were all in place: picture perfect weather and setting, the right amount of hillage, excellent company (my husband), and an extravagant amount of mileage (9.5). I felt pretty good through most of it and considered pushing it to ten, but I had already pushed it to nine and a half (up from 9) and I am not (quite) as dumb as I used to be. But it was a fantastic feeling to knock out nine miles (and then some) and still have the whole day ahead of me. I also got some sweet pictures of the course.

one of the hills

perfect mix of sun and shade

trail along a pond

My average pace was 9:53 for a total of one hour thirty four minutes of running, and I'm happy with that. Building long runs is always a draining process and if you don't take it slow at first, it comes back to haunt you. Last night and today I am dealing with sore legs, but it is the RIGHT kind of ache that means things will get stronger as they heal. It's been ages since I've felt only muscle soreness following a hard effort. Usually I'm plagued with some sort of injury-esque pain in addition to the soreness. But for now, I'm absolutely enjoying this.

Note: I refueled from this run with several varieties of chocolate in order to "train" for the chocolate fest I understand will take place at the post-race party. I am thorough like that ;)

8 tough ones

2011-10-16T13:00:00.000-04:00

I admit I am a little scared of this upcoming 15K. I am also very excited. Isn't that the way it always goes with races? I have about 3 weeks to "train" for it, and while I'm not following any plans, I think I might be on target for my goal (to finish..in one piece).

This week was alright - Monday was my New Orleans Riverwalk run of 3 miles. For some reason this one seemed endless. Tuesday, Baby and I did an afternoon run of 5 miles on the Lakeshore Path. It was a gorgeous day and we weren't going to let it go to waste. Wednesday I swam a half mile. I need to do this more often; swimming is sooooo nice! Thursday was a rest day and Friday was a whopping 8 miles (with Baby). It wasn't anywhere near easy, especially on the windy parts (read: the latter four). But it was somewhat satisfying to see that number on the garmin. And while sub-tens are nowhere near cheetah pace, it is somewhat decent considering my current state of fitness.

Here's an inside look at my splittage:

Mile 1: 9:42
Mile 2: 9:53
Mile 3: 9:49
Mile 4: 9:58
Mile 5: 10:12
Mile 6: 10:13
Mile 7: 10:09
Mile 8: 9:41
Total: 1:19:39 (avg 9:57)

It should be obvious which miles were the windy ones..

I'm glad to have this one under my belt. If I do nothing else between now and November 5, I will at least have given it the old college try. But it's likely there will be another longer training run (or hopefully two) before race day.

After this run, Baby and I hung out in our matching Team Stick tops while I snapped some pics. I had to do something entertaining while I stretched...and pretty soon she's going to outgrow the Team Stick onesie.

she's giving me kisses ;)

Yesterday I wasn't going to run, but my husband was heading out and who am I to turn down a family run. He pushed the Bob and I tagged along on a recovery run (three and a half). I've come to really appreciate the recovery run. Pfitz taught me the idea behind it, and I highly recommend it. My legs felt much better after yesterday's short run.

N'awlins

2011-10-11T17:06:00.000-04:00

The Big Easy. That's where we spent the long weekend, visiting family, eating delicious food, partying with and without Baby, and, of course, running. New Orleans is probably my most visited city, not counting the cities I have lived in. It was the first city I traveled to as a three month old, and I continued to visit regularly until about 2003. After Katrina hit in 2005, there was a lot of regrouping and it wasn't an optimal time to visit. And, unfortunately, we had to cancel a trip there about two years ago. So this was my first time there in a while. Since it was a short trip, the runs were short. But that doesn't mean that they didn't pack a punch; especially sandwiched between loads of seafood goodness and no-nonsense alcoholic bevvies.

I typically run while away; I love the idea of exploring new territory while getting a run in. I suppose most runners do. But it's getting harder with a baby in tow, especially when we can't take the Bob with us. And traveling schedules are usually unpredictable. But because of my incessant insistence on running, my husband and I were able to fit in some nice little runs.

The first was Sunday morning. We were tired (when aren't we), it was hot, and we were still sorting out the previous night's huge crab boil dinner. (IMO, it's one of the BEST meals ever! and totally worth the painstaking effort it takes to crack those shells, not to mention the copious little cuts a novice will surely develop as a result of inexperience). There was also a significant amount of local beer on hand, and naturally I had to have something to swig during breaks from the crab cracking. I can't speak for my husband, but my head was less than perfect as we ventured out on this run. We headed to a beautiful nearby park with a two mile loop. My legs were a little shaky at first, but as we warmed up and pushed through that foggy head feeling, I felt a little better. The park was pretty and there were just the right amount of people out and about. We knocked out four and a quarter and then went on with our day.

Lafreniere Park

There has been a lot of talk lately about barefoot running or running naturally or whatever you want to call it. Having had a myriad of injuries related to "overdoing it," I cannot help but wonder if my shoes had something to do with it. About a year ago, I changed shoe brands and ditched my inserts (and also drastically dropped my mileage), and haven't dealt with injury. I'm not going to go all out barefoot any time soon, but I do have a pair of Nike Free that I really like. I usually wear them for walking, but I've worn them on a few short runs. They are really light and airy, but still have some support. I wore them on both runs this weekend and didn't notice much of a difference between them and my regular running shoes.

Nike Free

Post run glamour shot

Our second run was down in the French Quarter along the Riverwalk. About ten years ago, I remember running along the river, so this was not my first time doing this run, but it was my first time with company. My husband joined me once again and we put in about three miles before stopping at Cafe du Monde for coffee and beignets. Eating donuts outside following a sunny run is definitely one of those things that is better in theory than practice, but that doesn't mean the beignets weren't delicious!

Riverwalk

Another look

Destination

Post run indulgence

My mileage is holding steady in the upper teens. I am not totally satisfied with this number, but I'm having a hard time increasing it. There is just way too much going on and I almost always feel run down. These little three and four milers are sometimes way tougher than they should be, but I keep going after them.

Beautiful Weather

2011-10-06T12:57:00.001-04:00

Weather-wise, this week has been amazingly gorgeous in Chi-town. Most people would agree that 50 - 70 degrees is the perfect temperature range. I am doing all I can to enjoy it with Baby. Besides spending as much time as possible outdoors, we've also been doing some running. On Monday, we had to retrieve a forgotten changing mat that we left at giggle over the weekend. This kind of errand is normally a pain in the butt, and this time it was no exception. The only difference was that it was the good kind of pain - the result of running there..into the wind the entire way pushing a baby jogger. I managed near five miles on this adventure and successfully picked up the changing mat (the red cushy thing pictured in front, for those looking for a visual..). For the record, I have already lost the wipes case on the airplane..so I am not batting anywhere near a thousand when it comes to keeping my diaper bag accoutrements in my possession.

After the errand/run, Baby and I headed to a nearby park and chilled on the grass.

If you ask me, she LOVES running with her mama ;)

Four and five milers are nice, of course, but I'm hoping to increase my mileage in the coming weeks. I've signed up for a 15K at the beginning of November, and, as usual, I am nowhere near nine point three mile race shape. But I typically just roll with it come race day, and being a new mom, I feel I have every excuse under the sun for my lack of preparedness. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try. Yesterday I got close with a 7 miler. The weather was just too beautiful to stop. And negligible wind is a rarity in Chicago.

Own It

2011-10-01T19:34:00.000-04:00

Though we technically moved here in mid-August, we began living in downtown Chicago on September 1st. Today marks the beginning of our second month here. It was definitely a challenge to get in the miles last month, but I feel like I'm slowly getting there.

In the past thirty days, I've explored the lakefront a bit, stepped up my game with the addition of a baby jogger, ran one race with said baby jogger and placed 3rd in my age group, and literally ran several errands. Luckily the weather is still on my side, but knowing what I know about Chicago, it will take a nasty turn for the worst come winter. Until then, I am going to keep pushing my stroller over the clear paths and sidewalks.

The big surprise of this week was a 6.25 mile run on Wednesday (with Baby). It had been raining on and off ALL week and Wednesday was no exception. I snuck this one in right before sunset. hoping the rain would stay put in the dark gray clouds. I hadn't planned on making it to six, but sometimes the stars align and you just go after it. The other two weekday runs were both during errands; two on Monday and four yesterday. And today was another longer run of 6.25, (without Baby - far easier!).

Running around Chicago this time of year means I get to see the "Let'sRunTogether" signs advertising this year's marathon all over the place. They literally line the streets. Despite the fact that I am not running anything close to a marathon this year, I cannot help but feel the energy that such a big event stirs up. It also makes me think about my new city and how I'm slowly getting acquainted. Running helps me get to know a city's secrets: the "off the beaten path" hot spots, the quiet parks nestled among busy sidewalks, the "good" restrooms, etc. In time, you find yourself knowing a city so intimately you start to feel like you own it. That's how I felt in nyc, and I'm about 2000 miles (give or take a few thousand) short of "owning" Chicago. But I'll get there.

Third Place

2011-09-25T19:44:00.000-04:00

It was perfect racing weather this morning: overcast, dry, negligible wind, low 50s with the slightest nip in the air. I wasn't really racing, but I was participating in a neighborhood 5K. It was a new experience for me because I didn't run alone - Baby came with me in the Bob!

I signed up for this 5K knowing that they had a lenient policy re: strollers, dogs, kiddos, headphones, you name it. It was a fun run/walk, and I knew that if I was going to "race" with Baby, this would be a great one. Not only were strollers allowed, it was a short, flat 3.1 mile course. Baby was obviously thrilled to be a part of this. Her half-mast peepers clearly indicate her joy ;) But to be fair, I did wake her up early and disrupted her leisurely morning routine. Since she's not one to complain, she simply rolled with it and even snuck in a mid-race nap.

pre-race stretching

The start was a little congested for me. I had to start in the back due to the stroller, which meant that I did a tiny bit of weaving to make some space. I certainly didn't want to run over any kids! I was extra careful and looked both ways before veering left or right, but the first mile was a little slow, not that I was aiming for any kind of speed. I picked it up for the middle mile, knowing that it would be over soon. The only challenges were the copious turns; it seemed like every few feet the course abruptly swung to the left or right. This would slow down any runner, but with the Bob, it's a bit more complicated. I tackled the turns pretty well, staying clear of other runners and keeping Baby safe.

Throughout the race, a number of spectators informed me that I was the "first stroller." They were impressed with my "speed" and congratulated me with roaring cheers and applause. As soon as I knew I was the first stroller, I decided that there must be a "stroller division" and I was going to win it. I pressed on and passed a number of people. With the finish right around the corner, I slowed to say hi to my folks and encouraged some kids who were running next to me.

kickin' it to the finish

When I crossed the line, it was time to celebrate. Baby completed her first race and there were friends and family to celebrate with. Here are my stats according to the garmin:

Mile 1: 9:03
Mile 2: 8:42
Mile 3: 8:52
point 1: 1:23

Official time: 28:04 (9:02 pace)

After the race we hung out visiting, nibbling on goodies, and half-listening to the awards presentation. I hardly expected to hear my name for the 30-34 age group winners, but there it was, being called for the third place finish! When I was sure it was my name they were calling, I grabbed Baby and went up to receive our award.

3rd place!

with a very proud Grandma

What a day! I couldn't have asked for a better experience. While it's fun to compete in races and go all out for a fast time or PR, this was really gratifying. I am so not in race shape at the moment, but being able to do this race with my daughter was even better than setting a PR. I hope there are many more mother-daughter races in the future.

Multi-tasking

2011-09-23T11:47:00.000-04:00

As a new mom, I am slowly discovering the secrets of "success." Most of the time lately, it's been a constant struggle to get necessary things done on a daily basis. I sometimes find myself staring at a blank wall wondering what to do first. Obviously running and workouts that help with running have been a big part of my life. I never really struggled with fitting in the workouts before. But now I am realizing that it takes a special kind of talent to juggle motherhood and my desire to stay fit along with everything else on the schedule. I am lucky that I am not working this year; I cannot imagine adding my career to this mix!

Because I can now run with the Bob, I am feeling a little bit better about accomplishing some goals. And yesterday, I felt like I managed to combine a necessary evil (shopping-- and not the fun kind) with a necessary task (running!). In order to do both and make good use of my time, I ran my errand. Though I've done this before and applauded my ingenuity, this time I'm really blowing my own horn with regards to my achievement. Not only did I flawlessly find the store on my agenda, but Baby came along in the Bob, I got in a two mile run, AND we picked up the things we needed (and, arguably, some things we didn't need, but doesn't that always happen? ;)) I can't say I'll use this strategy all the time (Chicago is serious business in the winter), but it's nice for now because it helps me explore the city while getting stuff done. Here's another picture of beautiful Chicago..note: this was not our destination but merely something we passed along the way.

soldier field from the path

Recap of the week~

Monday: I finally lifted! I was able to do most muscle groups (biceps, shoulders, quads, hamstrings, back, obliques, & abs). The downside is I suffered from DOMS..which is primarily due to the fact that I am out of shape.

Tuesday: Ran 5.5 miles with Baby in the Bob. It was a gorgeous day!

Wednesday: Swam half a mile. I was able to find out that the pool is approximately 53 feet in length, so there are about 100 laps to the mile. I'm working up to that.

Thursday: Ran 2 miles on my errand detailed above.

I may or may not get out on a run today. There is rain in the forecast, but I might be able to sneak in a short one before the skies open up.

Cheers to the freakin' weekend..(I drink to that, yeah yeah)

A Dream Come True

2011-09-18T09:47:00.000-04:00

When I was just out of college and babysitting regularly for a family with two girls, I got the chance to take my first run with a baby jogger. The baby was somewhere between one and two years old and the day happened to be a sunny 85 degrees. I just remember it was unseasonable hot and very challenging. I was also on suburban sidewalks with perilous obstacles like monstrous cracks, annoying curbs, and the occasional tree branch. I think I went about 3 or 4 miles and called it a day. My only other experiences running with a baby jogger have been with my friends' kids: JH and baby W and L of Team Stick and Baby R.

But now it's MY turn. After years of dreaming about it, I finally took Baby out in the Bob yesterday. Not only was it the most gorgeous day imaginable, it was also very meaningful because it was a family run. That's right, my husband came too. I could not have asked for a more perfect way to take Baby out on her first run. Besides the fact that I was running with my favorite people, Chicago also provided us with a breathtakingly beautiful backdrop. Every time I run on that Lakeshore Path I am just amazed by the beauty of the city. I love looking at the skyline and hearing the lake splash around (though sometimes it splashes around more angrily than is desirable). It almost reminds me of the Caribbean with its bright turquoise tint, but the skyscrapers add a stunning contrast to the miles of surrounding solid blue water.

But let's cut to the chase. This was Baby's first time "running" with her parents. I got the thumbs up from both my old and new pediatricians to take her jogging; they just suggested I make sure she is secure in there since she is so tiny. To my surprise, she fit quite nicely in there.

I used an additional head support to ensure her safety and comfort, and we were ready to go. Yesterday's run was 4 miles long, but we did stop for pictures ;)

In another post I'll go on and on about the sailboats I get to see ALL THE TIME and how awesome it is to watch them in action while running. But for now, I'll say that I'm pretty excited to have the option to run this way. Special thanks to my siblings-in-law for providing me with this awesome baby shower present - they obviously know me quite well ;)

Besides this special run, I've been doing what I can when I can. I got out for a 5.5 miler last Saturday and did two mid-week runs of 4.5 and 5 miles Wednesday and Thursday. It's far from impressive and and barely an acceptable frequency, but I have been completely immersed with unpacking, getting settled, learning a new city, taking care of baby, and trying to have fun. I honestly don't know where the days go. I cannot believe we are two weeks away from October. Huh?! But it's a good kind of busy..and I'm enjoying every minute with my sweet baby girl.

2011-09-04T11:49:00.000-04:00

Running IS happening! I just haven't had time to review it on the blog. Since my last update, I've run on many surfaces and in many locations. My distances have been short, but I'm working on consistency. Life is still in transition due to the move (and baby), but it's all been very exciting. One thing I realize is how running is such a constant in my life. If everything is nuts and out of my control, going for a run somehow makes me calmer, relaxed, more alert, and gives me energy. I also love the fact that you don't have to think while running; I find that my mind just clears and all the craziness disappears for a while. Priceless. So here's the recap in bullet format :

* Wednesday, aug 24: 4 miles on the treadmill. It was 95 degrees that day and I have no intention of running in blazing afternoon sun.

* Thursday, aug 25: 3 miles out and back on a shady, windy road. Had to fit this morning one in quickly before a busy day.

* Saturday, aug 27: 6 miles through the woods and in noticeable sunlight. Held 9:20s though.

* Sunday, aug 28: 4.5 miles with the husband on a gravel path through the woods with a few hills. Legs were tired and kind of dead.

* Tuesday, aug 30: 4 miles out and back on flat ground. Too sunny. But breezy. Dad came with on his bike. Yeah!

* Friday, sept 2: swim. 40 laps in the pool. But I don't know the distance of one lap so I can hardly calculate 40. It was about 15 minutes of swimming. This was fantastic!

* Saturday, sept 3: 4 miles on Lake Shore Path. The one in Chicago. My new stomping grounds. It reminded me a little of the west side highway path, though there is really no comparison. Chicago is extraordinarily beautiful! And there are boats everywhere! There were also many marathon trainees all over the path. It made me a little sad that I am not in that place right now, but also gave me a deeper appreciation of the dedication required to pursue a marathon. Go chi town marathoners!

So that's my deal. I'm out of creativity right now, so things are pretty bland, but I'm maintaining and trying to keep my weekly mileage in the low 20s. I'm also looking forward to adding swimming to my repertoire. And running with baby in her jogging stroller. Soon. Very soon.

Full Loop and Onward

2011-08-23T14:34:00.000-04:00

Moving is exhausting! Physically, emotionally, mentally - all of it. In an effort to catch up turbo style, here's a look back at the past two weeks of running.

* After the Club Champs, I took it easy til Monday when I did a 4.5 miler on the treadmill. Baby spectated as usual.

* I've always felt that running the full loop of Central Park was a benchmark for me. If I could run the loop (which was 7 miles total from my apt and back), I considered myself in decent enough shape. It was a standard run with satisfactory mileage. I'd use it to assess my injury status, or to measure my progress whenever I was building my mileage. I figured that if I could run the loop, I was officially "back" as a runner. And such was the case when I ran the loop a couple Wednesdays ago. This run was made possible by another visit from Grandma. She was an integral part of our moving process, and one of the perks of having Grandma around is ample time to run ;) Thank you, Mom!! (Running wasn't the only gift she gave me this past visit; she was incredibly awesome with Baby and managed to teach her some new tricks ;)) I headed out that morning and figured it was now or never. With the move on the horizon, I had a limited amount of time to spend on this endeavor. I did a pretty smashing job tackling the west side hills, Cat Hill, and Harlem Hill, keeping my pace around 9:25. Of course there were water stops; it's summer and I'm less of an idiot than I used to be. But I did it and pronounced myself "recovered"..with a side note to not screw it up.

* That week also held some great "goodbye new york" runs. Friday I was super excited to run with JH and her son again, who happily indulged us by riding beautifully in his jogging stroller.

We did the inner loop for about 4.5 miles. I should also add that I broke out my new shoes for this run.

Brooks Adrenaline

This picture was taken before the run - with Baby, of course. It's only a matter of weeks until I take her with me in the Bob - can't wait!

* The next day, despite being up to my ears in moving boxes, I escaped for a Summer Streets run with JH again. In the past, I've enjoyed Summer Streets runs for all sorts of purposes. Last year it was just for fun, and the previous year, I used it for some recovery. This year, it was a way to bid farewell to Park Avenue and also to take a break from packing. Here are this years photos.

Park Ave recreation

Approaching Grand Central

ESB

Freebies

After the four mile run, I was in for a little surprise. A friend of mine stopped by my apt with her new puppy! Bella is a black lab and truly adorable. I bet she will make a great jogging partner someday.

Bella with her owner and JH

Bella

That same night, I escaped for a second run. Yes, another double. This time my running partner was my husband. It's hard for someone like me to turn down a run. Especially when it's among my last nyc runs and Grandma is practically kicking me out the door. So we headed out for a hilly run in the North Woods. You can seriously get lost in there! It ended up being 3.5 miles, which brought my total for the day to seven and a half.

* The night before we moved, my husband and I headed out for our last Central Park run. He prefers the hidden trails and exciting nooks and crannies of the park--and who can blame him. That park is amazing! I am boring and prefer to lose myself in my thoughts while I run, paying no attention to my route. So I ran the familiar loop. I knew this would be the last time, so I soaked it up. I had a great run - held 9:20s and ran into Flygirl near the end. We ran a little together and then said our goodbyes. The next day we flew into Chicago. On a one way ticket. Helloooo, Windy City!!

* We're not in our new place yet, so our current running routes aren't what they will eventually be. For now, we're running random routes and just getting in the mileage. Well, I've been running random routes for mileage; my husband has been scoping out way cooler routes through forests and on trails. He's having a better time of it too; several of my recent runs have been pure garbage:

* Wednesday: 5.5 miles (mid-morning; hot and sunny - struggled)

* Friday: 6 miles (evening; warm and sunny - struggled more)

*Sunday: 5.5 miles (mid-morning; hot, very sunny - struggled big time..at one point I was concerned I'd need to call for a ride home. I'm serious.)

I'm not sure why these runs have been so difficult. One theory is the sun factor; I'm not used to running in direct sunlight. Another theory is the extra fatigue I'm dealing with. As I said above, moving is exhausting. And not just physically. One last theory is that my routes aren't that exciting. Who knows and who cares. Runners have good runs and bad runs. I'm used to it.

* Yesterday's run was a little better. I did four miles and ran them at nine minute pace. According to the garmin, it was 8:59 pace, with the first mile at 8:53. Toward the end of this run, I was tired but not spent like the previous runs. And my dad came with me on his bike. Go, Dad!!

* Guess that's it. I'll end with a little statistic: I've run close to 200 miles since Baby was born.

On the Fly

2011-08-15T22:44:00.000-04:00

Over the past seven years, I've collected many memories and made some amazing friends because I joined the NY Flyers. It's no secret that I'm terribly saddened to have to leave such an outstanding running team due to our move. But I'm staying on as a member! My status will be officially a Flyer "on the Fly," which I think is pretty cool. And it means I can still wear all my Flyer gear in Chicago (because let's face it, those singlets make up about 90% of my running attire).

I've decided to dedicate a post to the Flyers, and my goal was to relive some of the memorable events I enjoyed as a member. I pulled up some of these pictures to include in the stories. Here they are, in no particular order.

1. A moonlight run, probably in 2007. "Moonlight runs" basically took place on nights when there was a full moon. Organizers created a run that would typically move between boroughs and end at some type of watering hole. I have a few of these runs on the blog here, here, and here. I really can't say if this picture is from any of those runs, but I did find it amusing because my face suggests I was having a miserable time. I also see Flygirl in here possibly checking her blackberry? Or perhaps that is a paper copy of our route. Either way, I like this picture because is shows a group of runners on the streets after dark. And for the record, I had a fabulous time!

2. This next picture is from my very first power gel station volunteering experience for the nyc marathon in 2005. I had recently run Marine Corps, and was eager to be a part of the NY marathon..but as a volunteer. I remember this being a really fun time. This pic is of me and LF, who is still a very close friend even though she moved away a couple years ago.

3. These next three pictures are from the same event, but I don't know what. When you do 9483592048603 races in Central Park, they tend to blend together. This was before the Flyers got all fancy with their singlets; we just had the white top with the red diamond. The "action" shot is me running with LF and the "still" pics are post race. One of the best things about being a Flyer was hanging out with teammates before and after races. There were always so many of us, and no matter what our race performance was like, we never had trouble smiling for the camera ;)

4. This was another early event in my Flyer career. Obviously, I had a limited running wardrobe (still do). Back then, there was only one color bib and it was blue.

5. The Flyers are a team that like to give back to the running community. One of the many things we did to help out was pace long training runs. I have some recaps of these LTRs on the blog: 2006, 2007, & 2008. I know there are others, but I do not need overkill. This pic is from my very first time as a pacer (2005?) It was a HOT day in August and I'm sure I didn't know what I was getting myself into. But I came to really enjoy this "job" and got progressively better at it as the years went on. You want ten minute miles, you got it. And I didn't even need the garmin to hit those perfect tens.

6. Every running club needs officers. Or maybe that's not true, but the Flyers have them. I was a captain for four years, which meant I was in charge of the Open Women (Women under age 30). Captains have all sorts of fun at quarterly meetings; I cannot divulge the particulars, but we'd meet at someone's apartment, a restaurant, or a bar (little got done at the latter), and we'd discuss how our team was doing and who might get awards and all that jazz. I LOVED being a captain, and it was another way to give back to the team. Here's a picture of some captains after a meeting we held a few years ago.

7. This next picture is from a race that I didn't run, but I had a great time running around and cheering on the racers. If you played it right, you could get in a decent run and support your team! Win/win.

8. Relays are becoming big deals in the running world. My first relay was not with Flyers, but with Team Stick in May of 2004. I had so much fun that I signed up for Need for Speed in 2008. Sadly, the relay was cancelled midway through due to dangerously hot conditions. I like this picture because it looks like I'm about to "throw in the towel" ;) But that's just how hot it was. Still a great time and there was HUGE Flyer representation.

9. As I said before, one of the best parts about being on a team is the post race shenanigans. Some recent post race fun includes playing war with carnations, posing with Kara Goucher, and coming up with silly dance moves to humor the camera man (see below pic).

No matter what the race, I could always count on numerous Flyers to swap battle stories with after the fact. We'd usually exchange tales over gatorade and bagels at the finish line, and sometimes the chats would continue over brunch at a nearby restaurant. I dug up some photos of these finish line festivities, and while I can't exactly remember which races they were from, I know we had a blast hanging out.

10. This last picture is from the start line of this past weekend's Club Champs. As I mentioned in the race report, I enjoyed hanging out in the corral with my (orange bibbed) teammates. This is a good mix of veteran and rookie Flyers.

As you can see, picture taking is big business on the Flyers. Believe it or not, I actually dabbled in Flyer photography in '07/'08. Going around with my point-and-shoot was a great way to meet members and entertain people at social events. Which reminds me, there were plenty of non-running Flyer functions that made for late nights and occasionally pounding headaches the next morning. There were countless social gatherings which always provided a great time and an excuse to dress in nonrunning clothes. The Annual Awards Gala was a formal night out in late January (with lots of drinking and dancing) to celebrate fantastic achievements. One year I actually got an award; it was a "frequent flyer" award because I had participated in a record number of points races. Here are some pics from awards parties I attended.

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

If it's not yet clear, the Flyers are a fantastic team! I definitely made the right choice when I joined; not only did I collect many awesome memories, but I got endless support when I needed it, perpetual encouragement during times of joy and woe, and made lifelong friends. There is no doubt that I will continue to cheer on my teammates from afar.

Go Flyers!

Firsts and Lasts

2011-08-07T10:36:00.002-04:00

Seven years ago, I did my first race as a NY Flyer. It was the Club Championships in August. Thank goodness I was a new Flyer, because that race was (and still is) the worst race I have ever run! Though only five miles long, I struggled from the start, picking up a time of 52:59 (10:33/mile). I don't know why that race was so bad, but I remember thinking that I'd better run another race to redeem myself!

ancient picture from club champs 2004!

I have since run many races as a Flyer, and most likely no one even remembers that hideous performance in August of 2004. So why do I bring it up? Because yesterday's Club Champs was my last race in New York for a while. The big news is that we are moving to Chicago at the end of the month; the husband, the baby, and me. It's all very exciting, and I'm really looking forward to exploring a new city. Plus, Chicago has a great running community and lots of incredible road races. While it is a bit of a surreal feeling to leave New York, I know this is what's best for our family at this point in time. But there are a lot of good people that will be missed. Luckily, I am in a period of transition in my life (with a new baby), so the New York as I know it is already somewhat different. More about that later...there is a race report to share!

I was really looking forward to the Club Champs for a number of reasons. I haven't seen many of my Flyer teammates in ages! I also haven't "raced" in ages. My last race was the Turkey Trot 5K in November when I was five months pregnant. And before that was Pride in June of 2010. I was also eager to run my first post-baby race. So despite this being my "last" race in new york, it was also a "first" for me.

So how did it go? I'll start by saying that I really ran the best I could. While temps were only in the 70s, the humidity was choking and uncomfortable. Watching the men finish really hammered that point home; they mostly looked like drowned rats. Going into this race, I was out of shape, lacking muscle, and overtired. Despite my best efforts to prepare, I was grossly unprepared. But no matter. It was fun!

My morning wasn't rushed because Baby was up at 6a (she also decided she was hungry at 3a, so there was that little blip in my sleep schedule..). Breakfast was oatmeal, but I didn't really make a dent in it. I felt pretty nervous!

I was able to get out the door at 8:20a, as planned. I wanted to catch the men finishing their race, which started at 8a. Despite overcast conditions and cloudy skies, the humidity was apparent as I jogged the mile to the start. Once there, I cheered for the men a little and met up with some teammates. Typically, I'm anxious for the horn to send us on our way, but for this race I enjoyed milling around in the corrals and listening (sort of) to the (loud) announcements. I wanted to remember all these little details.

flyer girls before the race

When the race began, I just focused on making it to the finish. I tried to keep the legs steady and my heart rate comfortable. Injury and burnout were two concerns I had, even though this was a short race. Plus, I always try to remember my commitment to making a SLOW return to running. With all that in mind, I ran steadily.

Shortly before mile one, I saw my favorite spectators: my husband and Baby W! It was her first time spectating and while she will never remember it, I don't think I will forget the look on her face as she watched all the people running by! She was so cute I had to (carefully) step out of the race to give her a big kiss. I doubt this small diversion made any difference in my time, and even if it did, it was worth it ;)

Mile 1: 8:53

The middle miles were a bit of a blur. I knew the course so well that I just zoned out listening to the sound of my harried breathing (I was sans the tunes). Obviously, I took a hit on Cat Hill, but slow is still a speed.

Mile 2: 9:14
Mile 3: 9:28
Mile 4: 10:00

The last mile of this race is always the best! Rows of teams line the course and cheer for pretty much everyone. Of course, it's best when it's your own team screaming your name. I even managed to see my husband again who took this picture of me on the home stretch. At that point, Baby decided she had enough of this spectating thing and favored a nap.

nearing the finish

Luckily there is a downhill at the end of this race, and with the screaming teams, it's enough to pick up a negative split for the last mile. I'll take it.

Mile 5: 8:48

Total: 46:26 (9:18 pace)

I looked up some past races of comparable distances, and to my surprise, this was not my slowest fiver. The aforementioned Club Champs '04 gets that honor. But coming in second was the Dash and Splash 5 miler from 2006 (46:57 / 9:23 pace). And believe it or not, I ran Pride last year in 46:53 / 9:23 pace, which is also slower. Of course with both of these races, I front loaded 6 and 4 miles, respectively, so that is not quite the same. And, I will include this horrendous four miler that was an epic fail, just as a reminder that things could have been much worse. So, I'm happy to have this race completed, and I was even happier to see that finish line!

After the race, I reunited with my family and we celebrated with the Flyers. Several of my teammates got HUGE PRs (Lam & Flygirl, to name a couple), and many others had scored for our team. I'm always so impressed by the talent that surrounds me - it's so inspiring!

Here are a few pictures .. and yes, Baby W sported some Flyer love on her onesie ;)

with Flygirl

D10's daughter holds Baby W

jb24 and I assist

team photo 2011

I ♥ the Flyers!!

Another Double

2011-08-04T19:11:00.000-04:00

I'd say that the week is off to a decent start, but I realize it's already Thursday. How does that happen? I think it's partly the fact that I've only run two days this week, though one of those days was another double. In honor of K's (of Team Stick) 34th birthday on Tuesday, I ran a double consisting of one 3 miler and one 4 miler. The morning session was actually the four miler; I did this on the tready and included 3 x 800 again. My splits were the same as last time (8:30, 8:15, 8:00). I only intended to run three miles, but there was an extra long recovery between the second and third 800 because I got involved in conversation with the girl on the treadmill next to me. Turns out she was 22 weeks pregnant with her first baby and had a zillion questions for me (the "expert" mama of an almost four month old). I was actually pretty flattered that she thought of me as knowledgeable, especially on the running-while-pregnant front. It's hard to give that kind of advice because everyone has different running backgrounds and handles pregnancy in her own unique way. I mostly shared what I did and enjoyed the walk down memory lane. In some respects, pregnancy seems like ages ago! Later that evening I went out for a recovery three miler on the rez giving myself a total of 7 miles for the day.

Today was my other running day; I did four on the treadmill. It was the kind of run that gets lost in the shuffle. It was nothing special and it won't be remembered, but it was good to move my legs and zone out to some tunes. I made sure to get in some good stretching afterwards and even put in some time on the stability ball for the benefit of my abs.

Tomorrow I "taper" for Saturday's Club Championships. This will be a very special race for me, which I will explain more about in my race report. Until then, I'm going to try to hydrate and get some sleep!

Another way to get to Six

2011-07-29T15:41:00.002-04:00

It looks like I'll have another consistent week of running in the books. Following the "big" sixer on Sunday, I ran a short three on Monday evening. My legs felt fine; ever since I went all-out Pfitz for Philly, I've been a big fan of the recovery run. Even if I'm not training for anything, I still like the idea of doing a short, slow run the day after a tough workout (though these days the terms "short," "slow," and "tough," are all relative..).

Wednesday night I ran another short three. My pace seems comfortable at about 9:15 for these evening jaunts, which is just fine. And yesterday, I did a DOUBLE! Yes, a double. The last real double I did was in Maine last summer when I was forced to participate in afternoon runs with my husband and brother-in-law after I had done my own run in the morning. Of course, this was before I found out I was pregnant..so my mentality was the more running, the better. This is probably still my mentality (and always has been), but I've had to tone it down lately due to fear of injury. However, I figure that if I do two short runs in one day, that can't be too taxing on a recovering body - and let's face it, I should be pretty much recovered by now.

So yesterday morning, Baby and I headed down to the gym for a treadmill workout. After reading Flygirl's facebook status that morning, I decided to incorporate some 800s into my run...though not nearly as many as she was planning to do. I figured three of them would be a nice start. I started with a half mile warm up (about 10 min/mile pace) and then did my first 800. I set the speed for 8:30 pace, which didn't feel too bad and the half mile was over before I knew it. There was a bit of recovery (about a quarter mile) and then another 800, this time at 8:15 pace. Again, it wasn't too terrible. It was during my recovery jog after this middle 800 that Baby fell asleep. She had been diligently watching me huff and puff my way through this "speed work," and I was able to get a picture of her shortly before her peepers closed. My little spectator :)

The last 800 was a bit challenging, though the last repeat always is. I ramped it up to 8:00 pace and moved my legs faster than they've moved in months. It was good though, and over in four short minutes. My cool down was just under a mile, and I was done. Some ab work (100 crunches on the ball and 3 x 30 seconds isolation poses) and stretching followed and that concluded workout # one. It's nice to have the gym to myself.

In the evening shortly before sunset, I headed out for my recovery run. I reminded myself that I was going to take all of Friday off and that three miles would be over in a heartbeat. My legs were on the tired side, but I took it easy and just completed the run. Yay - a double!!

As stated before, today is a rest day. I'm not sure what the weekend holds, but I will be out there tomorrow morning for something decent. Happy Friday!

Six Miles

2011-07-25T11:58:00.000-04:00

My latest running accomplishment was a six miler yesterday. Here is what is important to know about it.

* It's my longest distance since February 13, when I ran a six miler in my third trimester.

* I headed out around noon in temps flirting with 90 ... and sticky, slimy, soupy humidity and a dew point in the seventies.

* I maintained a pace of about 9:30/mile -- 9:38, 9:26, 9:28, 9:40, 9:39, 9:48 --

* The tail end of this run included the Harlem Hills, which I also haven't run in ages.

* I cheated a little since I had a pre-run iced skinny vanilla latte and Baby slept nearly 8 hours the night before. There was also cloud coverage, so the sun wasn't a huge factor.

* My inspiration primarily came from the Flyer LTR pacers who ran 16 - 20 miles the previous day in sweltering conditions. I kept thinking that if they managed to run that far in the heat, I could muster up the energy to knock out six.

* I'm very pleased with this run, even though it was a far cry from running on the California coast.

I have so many thoughts about future racing possibilities. At this stage, I'm thinking big and disregarding the fact that I have a little one to consider. Whatever happens with my upcoming race schedule (or lack, thereof), I'm enjoying the planning process and getting excited about racing again. Sometimes that is half the fun!

There are some short road races I'm considering this fall, but my eye (as always) is on the marathon. I really want to complete another one in 2012, even if I just run it for fun. I'm already assembling a list of possibilities including Napa, Big Sur, Grandmas, & San Francisco. I'm also eyeing up next year's fall marathons. Hopefully by the time I begin to train again, Baby will be on a more predictable schedule and I will have more ducks in a row re: my parenting job. Until then, I'm just going to dream about it ;)

Stats

2011-07-23T10:43:00.000-04:00

My weekly mileage is hovering around 15 miles a week. While this is an all time low, I have a moderately good excuse:

I'd also like to blame to the heat as a factor, but that is every summer and something all runners deal with.

All that aside, my current plan to ease back into running has been going very well. I'm concentrating on consistency and regularity, primarily because I don't have the time for distance.. and speed all but disappears in the summer. Since I've been back on the east coast, I've run seven times. Here's a look at the distances and my average paces for these short ones.

July 13 (W): 3.5 miles (9:38 pace)
July 15 (F): 3.5 miles (9:43 pace)
July 16 (S): 5.25 miles (10:05 pace)
July 17 (N): 3 miles (9:26 pace)
July 19 (T): 3.5 miles (treadmill/9:40 pace/1.5 miles of increasing hills)
July 20 (W): 3 miles (9:30 pace)
July 22 (F): 4 miles (treadmill/9:50 pace)

The two treadmill runs were indoors with Baby hanging out in her stroller. So far I've been lucky with this - she tends to watch me for about a mile and a half (with a quizzical look on her face) and then she drifts off to sleep for a nap. On Tuesday, I warmed up with a mile and then set the 'mill to increase the incline every fifth of a mile by .5%. I ended up with a 5% incline, and I maintained the same speed throughout. Again, I realize this is practically nothing, but I do feel somewhat like I'm starting over with running, and you've got to start somewhere. I also added some lifting with biceps and shoulders, since Baby continued to nap. Yesterday was another workout with Baby. She woke up just as I finished the four miler and offered some encouragement (in the form of quizzical expressions) while I cruised though an ab workout on the ball. I have to admit, it's kind of fun having her company during these workouts.

I plan on riding out the heatwave by avoiding outdoor running today; hopefully by tomorrow, things will at least feel a little cooler.

Cross Country Travels Part 3

2011-07-20T18:08:00.000-04:00

Though my stay in Pismo Beach came to a close by the end of the week, my travels were far from over. After a short drive up to San Jose, I continued the party on the west coast. I'm no stranger to this area and have experienced many memorable runs here in the past:

Holidays 2009
Fourth of July 2008
and Fourth of July 2005 but those runs aren't on the blog..though they did involve Team Stick and they were smokin' hot! Like inner-canyon hot :)

This summer's stop in northern Cali was primarily so Baby could participate in a meet-and-greet with the Team Stick West Coast Contingency. But where there are runners, there are most likely going to be runs. Before I go into detail, some thank yous are in order. First, I'd like to extend a huge thank you to L-ster of Team Stick for making a multi-hour drive down to San Jose for the cause. She was not about to pass up the chance to meet Baby W!

l'ster with Baby

I'd also like to thank the other L of Team Stick for joining us along with her adorable son. It's always a pleasure to play with the eldest of the Stick babies.

L & baby R

And last, but not least, I'd like to thank L's husband for minding Baby while the rest of us ran. She loved him and was excellently behaved while we were gone.

L's husband and Baby W

It was only a short run of three miles. And it was in the late afternoon sun. But it was a Stick run, and those are always awesome! We took L's baby in the jogger, and we all took turns pushing it. I think I got in a solid mile with the stroller, which, to my surprise, was pretty easy going. Of course, the pace was leisurely and the company was pleasantly distracting, so that may have made it seem easier to me.

The Team Stick family has certainly expanded in recent years. Not only does it include the original five, but there are now five stick-in-laws (ie. husbands) and two sticklings (ie. stick babies). Here is a group shot of the runners plus the sticklings. Love it!

Before and after the run, we caught up and hung out poolside, and capped off the night with a fun summer BBQ courtesy of my brother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Of note, the day of the west coast Stick run was Baby's three month "birthday", which we celebrated by putting her in the Team Stick onesie and eating cupcakes* on her behalf ;)

*not pictured

Cross Country Travels Part 2

2011-07-14T20:16:00.001-04:00

I spent last week on the coast of California, midway between San Francisco and LA in Pismo Beach. I loved this vacay spot for a variety of reasons...it's beautiful, there's no shortage of things to do (hello paso robles vineyards!), and the weather is basically PERFECT! Mornings started out cool and foggy - most mornings were in the low to mid 50s - which is my ideal running weather. Because of the sun's tardy appearance and lack of heat/humidity in general, I could ease into my day tending to baby, sipping coffee, and visiting with family, and still have plenty of time for a morning run. By early afternoon, the sun was shining and the non-humid air was a pleasant 72 degrees, just right for pooling, beaching, shopping, wine tasting, etc.

with baby at the pool

First Run in Pismo: After a long day of cross country travel last Saturday, I was eager to log some miles Sunday morning. Our resort was gorgeous, but the short path along the ocean was more suited for strolling than running. It was, however, a good place to start and end a run with the soothing sound of waves rolling onto the shore and miles of beachy goodness to gaze at while stretching. So I had to figure out where I could run, and luckily my sister-in-law (despite being a self-proclaimed "non runner") did some exploring on a short run of her own. She told me I could make use of the bike lane on Shell Beach Road. There was some traffic, but basically this was a safe choice with wide bike lanes on both sides of the street and occasional unobstructed views of the ocean. I headed out and did some out and backs to get an idea of the area. I ended up with a run just shy of four miles and a better understanding of my surroundings.

starting out

returning

Four on the Fourth: I kicked off this year's Fourth of July with a four miler. Again, it was along Shell Beach Road. I should add that this road consisted of rolling hills; nothing too outrageous, but definitely not resembling a pancake. I also got periodic glimpses of sunbathers on the beach and reminders about that night's big lightshow.

Wednesday held another four miler. Despite fueling with a variety of California wines the day before, I basically flew over the road in the chilly morning air. There may have been a mile or two in the eights. Perhaps there is some truth to the antioxidant claim. Thursday I checked out the fitness center in the resort -- all good stuff. I really wanted to put in some time on the elliptical (albeit a short 17 minutes) and pay some attention to the abs. I made good use of the stability ball for a set of 100 crunches and then added some more exercises on the floor mat. My last run along the coast was on Friday: a five miler. This has been my longest distance since the baby, and I'm happy to report that it was another easy one. I cannot get over how helpful that weather is when upping your mileage!

Total miles on the beach: 17

**A special thanks to Grandma (my MIL) for minding Baby while I went running -- she did a fabulous job and had a lot of fun bonding with her granddaughter. **

Cross Country Travels Part 1

2011-07-12T17:08:00.000-04:00

I just returned from a lovely vacay on the west coast (I ♥ California!!), and it seems I have some catching up to do. Because there have been a number of notable runs these past two weeks, I figured I'd do multiple write ups so they get the attention they deserve. This post, "Part 1" is the week preceding my cross country travels.

To put it bluntly, it was not a good week. I had multiple all-consuming stressors to sort out, so I did the best I could to get in the workouts. Tuesday (this would be June 28), was an evening three miler. I was unprepared for this run and had scarfed like 500 different snacks prior to running. Somehow my stomach manned up, but I felt lethargic and heavy on this run. Thursday was also an unexpected workout. After pushing the stroller up and down the Harlem Hills on an invigorating walk, I decided to take baby down to the gym and do some cardio/abs. She was happily asleep in the stroller, and I figured I could just leave if she didn't find the idea appealing. I did the elliptical for about ten minutes and then some abs; midway through the ab work, baby woke up. She enjoyed the mirrors and had quite the time staring at her own reflection while I crunched on the stability ball. I enjoyed her company and can only imagine what was going through her mind as I completed my workout ("what the hell is my crazy mom doing now?!?")

Friday was my other run that week - three and a half on the bridle path. I'm pretty sure I was a stressed out wreck and in no mood to run, but I've learned that any run is better than no run & that you will almost always feel better after the run.

Week totals: 10 miles, 2 ab workouts
Stay tuned for the next installment..

it was a very good week

2011-06-27T17:43:00.000-04:00

Given the circumstances, this couldn't have been a better week running-wise. I ran five out of the seven days and logged about 18 miles. I also snuck in ab work three days this week and did plenty of walking (which I usually don't count as exercise, but it pretty much is..esp when pushing a stroller and when the distance is triple my average run). Here is the breakdown.

Monday: The third run in a row, so it was a short three miler. And 100 crunches.

Wednesday: The shortest run at two and a quarter.. BUT, I ran this down in the gym with Baby fast asleep in her stroller right next to the 'mill. This gives me hope for future workouts when I can't get outside.

Thursday: Almost five..four and three quarters on the bridle path & rez. This was a fun one because I ran into Lam near the end of my run. He's never one to turn down some extra mileage so he ran a little bit with me and we were able to catch up. What a great surprise! There were also 100 crunches.

Saturday: Five miles. The inner loop. A great run with rolling hills and sunny weather.

Sunday: Three miles. On the rez. And 125 crunches.

Commentary: My pace is roughly 9:40 for most of these runs, which feels comfortable at the moment. I'm enjoying the short runs because they don't require much time. Going forward, I'm hoping to increase the distance of my "long run" each week. I'm also hoping to pay better attention to my stretching regimen. Currently, there is no stretching regimen.

I've been lucky to steer clear of injury thus far, perhaps because my mileage is so low. But I've always suffered when I play the odds re: injury, so I better not try my luck too much longer. Sooner or later that hammie and/or IT Band will start screaming at me, and we don't want that!! Lastly, I think I have to start upping the intensity of my core work. The crunches don't leave me sore anymore, and with abs, it tends to be "no pain, no gain"..at least in my case. So this week I might start incorporating some isolation poses.

Two in a Row (twice)*

2011-06-20T16:35:00.001-04:00

Last week I ran 14 miles. In addition to the two back-to-back runs earlier in the week (Mon & Tues), I also managed to go both days this weekend. Saturday was my longest run of four and a quarter. I actually did the inner loop, which is four miles, but I tacked on a bit before and after for the extra quarter. My pace was 9:57/mile, and it honestly felt like a long time. I went out at high noon, so part of it might have been the direct sun overhead. It was still a good run, but I can tell my legs have some catching up to do. Sunday was an evening three on the rez; pace was 9:24.

I think the key to a successful comeback will be consistency. Luckily I have die-hard motivation on my side. I've never really had a problem motivating myself to go for a run. Over the years, I've skipped class, called in sick to work, cancelled plans, altered plans, skipped sleeping in, chanced the weather, whatever it takes to get in a run. I'm not a streaker or anything close, but I do like to run regularly when I'm able to. Right now I'm just fitting in the runs when I can. I have no idea how this week will pan out. But that's ok - my running sneaks are ready to be laced up whenever!

One other thing I've been trying to do more often is some core work and strength. I can easily do a set of crunches when Baby naps. The first time I did ab work after baby (100 crunches), I was sore for three days. Perhaps I was a bit overzealous.. But I've been working them in every few days and I'm much less sore. The next step is incorporating planks and isolation exercises, because that's what really helps with strength. It doesn't take much time to do a complete ab workout, so I'm optimistic.

* edit: there was a third run yesterday.. close to 3 miles on the rez at sunset.

Picking up the Pace

2011-06-15T10:53:00.000-04:00

I've been incredibly lucky this past week. My mom was in town, and she made it very easy to get out for a run - "Give me that baby. You go run." :) :) To say she loves spending time with her grand daughter would be an understatement. Aside from feeding the baby, I did very little in the way of baby care since her arrival last Tuesday. She spoils me rotten ;) Here's a look at my progress made possible by the grandma factor:

Wednesday: 3 miles (9:25 pace)
Friday: 3.25 miles (9:44 pace)
Monday: 3.75 miles (9:22 pace)
Tuesday: 3 miles (9:29 pace)

Over the weekend, I came down with some kind of nasty cold and, like usual, lost my voice. Otherwise I would've run on Saturday and/or Sunday. I'm pushing it as it is with the back to back days this week. But my mom practically pushed me out the door both days. What could I say? She knows her daughter well ;)

3 generations

All of my post-pregnancy runs have been wonderful. I feel really good, and my pace seems to be improving. Just like during pregnancy, I am grateful for every run. I'm amazed how my body bounced back after having a baby, and I'm thankful that my legs remember how to run. Like I've said before, once a runner always a runner; even when your weekly mileage is in the single digits and your average run in miles can be counted on one hand. And someone must've known I was making my comeback because a Super Runners Shop just opened right across the street from my building! Finally something useful within spitting distance .. I mean, besides the sixteen different Starbucks stores..

Evening Runs

2011-06-08T17:32:00.000-04:00

Most runners have a preference for the time of day they like to run. I definitely prefer morning runs, but I also love running right after work, which in my case is 4pm - teaching has its perks. On weekends, my favorite way to go is to sleep in, linger over coffee, eat a runner-friendly breakfast, and head out for my run around ten. Obviously, this sequence works much better in the winter when it's smart to wait til the temps warm up a bit. In the summer, this plan is foolish. It's best to rise at an ungodly hour, slurp down some iced coffee while hastily slathering on body glide, and head out before the sun comes up.

Incorporating a run into a jam-packed day of newborn care is a challenge, but my naivety is the driving force behind my belief that it can work. When you're dealing with a schedule that's completely unpredictable, any type of planning is futile. And then there's the perpetual exhaustion that follows me around all day. But all of these obstacles just make me want to try harder to fit in some running.

Weekends are a bit easier, since my husband is home. On Saturday, I was pretty much able to achieve my ideal routine of coffee/breakfast/run, however the coffee was decaf and there were several rounds of nursing thrown into the mix. Baby came along for a walk in her stroller with Daddy, and we all went for a walk after my THREE & a HALF miler :) Here's a look at my pain-stricken face as I finished my "long" run. It's been a while since a three miler could inflict that kind of pain on me. Actually, it wasn't terrible at all - I have no idea why I look so displeased. Perhaps because the run was over?

Weekdays are another story. I'm on baby duty all day long, and she's too little to go in the Bob. But with the combination of extended daylight and my husband coming home "early" from work, I've been able to sneak out for a run right as the sun is setting. It's not my first choice, but any time to run is a good one. As soon as I hear his key turn in the door, I'm lacing up my running sneaks and handing over the baby. That half hour of solitude is heavenly; on Monday I watched the sun set behind the buildings on Central Park West, which could be seen from my run on the reservoir. Maybe evening running has a silver lining. Today, I logged another quality three miler, and it was much easier than the other day. My pace is right around ten min/miler, which I'm just reporting for future referencing. I have no concern for speed (it seems I never do). But I'm loving running as much as ever, even with the summer temps looming on the horizon. Ick to humidity.

post script: Five years ago today, I made my first blog post and "Running Chronicles" was born. To commemorate this, I am including a picture of Baby sporting bunny ears, a gift from her Nonna. It has absolutely nothing to do with running or blogging; it just makes me laugh and kind of shows how things have changed since that first post in June of 2006. Also, the Bob stroller, still in its box, can be seen in the background - we were doing some "organizing" and that puppy is now sitting in storage until the fall.

National Running Day 2011

2011-06-02T18:53:00.000-04:00

National Running Day is held on the first Wednesday in June (which was yesterday). I believe it started in 2009, but I could be wrong. In any case, I celebrated it then for the first time (go here to read) and must have skipped last year's event on account of my twelfth marathon the previous Sunday. This year my participation was iffy; my new mom status can mess with my best laid plans, and even some of my poorly laid ones. But I was somewhat determined to get a run in yesterday.

It might have been the nastiest weather to date; I'll take those frozen arctic days we had this past winter over yesterday's sweltering offerings in a heartbeat. During the day I barely managed to venture out with Baby in order to run a few errands; I was so afraid she'd melt! By evening I was itching to get out there. My husband also wanted to get in a run, so we worked out a way for this to happen. Our brilliance allowed all three of us to participate in National Running Day! Yay for family friendly events ;)

We both walked to the park with Baby in her stroller - she loves to be out and about! When we got there, I headed out on my run - a short two and a quarter on the bridle path. My pace was in the nines (9:40s), which was good news, but I could tell that my muscles are still building up strength. I also didn't have any of that ab soreness, and I felt great despite the steamy, sauna-like conditions. I wish I could have run longer, but I had to meet up with my husband to take the baby home while he ran. I also want to keep my promise to build mileage conservatively, so there is no need to rush this stuff. Sixers are in a nearer future than I think.

And, since I can't get enough of this little girl, here's a picture of us participating in National Running Day '11, Baby's first :)

And more running..

2011-05-31T09:16:00.000-04:00

Last week I ran Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and though the runs have been short (2 miles each), I've been keeping up with my steady and conservative comeback plan. It really is the best feeling to be out there and running again! My legs feel pretty good and since I'm staying on the slow side, my lungs are just fine. I still have some ab soreness, or side stitches, or something that needs to be ironed out in my mid-section. My doctor did say that I might experience this, so I'm not too worried. But I am hoping it gradually clears up.

A couple other comments:

* The current weather isn't my fave - it got hot! Not middle-of-the-summer hot, but hot enough (and humid) to be uncomfortable. Luckily my runs are short so I barely have time to notice the nastiness.

* I wanted to pick up a few new running items, so yesterday I swung by the Super Runners Shop. Baby was along for the errand and the staff just couldn't resist her adorableness. We walked out of there with a cute little balloon tied to her stroller (and some new threads for me!). We took this picture in Giggle, which just happens to have a changing table in their bathroom. As a new parent, you quickly learn where the best baby accommodating places are located ;)

Run

2011-05-24T22:10:00.001-04:00

The wait is over! After two months, I have re-entered the running world. Today I laced up my running shoes with the kind of giddy excitement one might expect to have when embarking on one's honeymoon. It was a long-awaited adventure, planned and dreamed about for months. The anticipation made me silly, and I nearly forgot what was required for a run (running sunnies, garmin, huh?)

I had been prepping for this monumental feat the past week with some cross training sessions on the elliptical as well as light lifting ("light" as in 8 lb dumbbells). I think this helped reacquaint my respiratory system with the process of transporting oxygen to my lungs at a faster rate than is required to sit on a couch and nurse a baby. It was also useful for waking up some latent muscles (hello, adductors!). In any case, the gym time led to a very positive first post-baby run experience.

The run consisted of a half mile warm up walk to the park, a TWO MILE RUN, and a half mile cool down back to the apt. The actual running part took about 22 minutes (ie eleven minute/mile pace), but I have no problem with that. Reverse-taper is rarely about speed, and I truly enjoyed every step of the way!

After shedding some initial cobwebs, my legs felt great, although far from tip top shape. My breathing was a non-issue, though this is unsurprising because my pace was that of an anesthetized snail making its way through frozen molasses. I did feel a bit of ab soreness, which may be due to a severely weakened core or perhaps some wandering abdominals. But other than that, this run was a big success, both physically and mentally. I feel very out of the game re: my running endeavors, and while I know things will be slow going, I'm eager to get back into the swing of things with a more regular running schedule.

To prove I was out there, my husband took a few snaps. This one was during my "home stretch." I was clearly elated to realize I still had it and was about to complete my run.

And these days, no event is complete without a mommy-daughter shot. Since Baby was in the park on a walk with dad while I was running, this was an easy maneuver.

First Post-Baby Workout!!

2011-05-17T16:31:00.000-04:00

It was no major thing, but it was a workout. My first real one after having a baby. It included donning workout clothes (welcome back, nike track shorts!) and collecting a decent sweat session at the gym.

I've been feeling good these past few days. Maybe I'm getting used to my new schedule, but whatever it is, I've been eager to exercise more than just a stroll with the stroller. Yesterday I went out (in light rain) and walked a couple miles in the park. It was a total speedwalk, but I did pick up the pace and walked like I meant it. I just wanted to see how it would feel -- and I wasn't disappointed. Today I thought I'd try a light cardio session on the elliptical. I put in twenty minutes worth and loved. every. minute. I don't think I've ever said that about an elliptical workout before. But it was great to sweat. Anyone who's ever been sidelined from exercise can understand that feeling; it's the best. I also put in a bit of light weight lifting -- nothing crazy, just some 8 lb dumbbells. My baby doesn't even weigh that much, but when she does, I'll be ready ;) Speaking of Baby, here's what she did while I worked out..though it appears from her little arm reaching out that she was happy to have me back.

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T11:02:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day '11 took on a whole new meaning for me. Not only did I get to thank my mom (and MIL) for being such awesome mothers, but I also got to celebrate my first Mother's Day. It was kind of like having an extra birthday - with text messages, phone calls, IM's and facebook wall posts all wishing me a happy day. I did have a happy day!

I got to go to brunch with my husband and daughter :)

And the afternoon was spent with a very special visit from C of Team Stick!! She had a few hours in nyc, which she spent with us, meeting the baby and catching up. We took Baby on a long walk and enjoyed a beautiful day with lots of spring tulips!

Still no running in my world, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about it often. It's a great time of year to be on the roads, and rather than feeling like I'm missing out, I'm trying to make the most of my walks and take in all the sights (ie stop and smell the flowers ;))

Happy Mother's Day!

Random (non) Running Related Ramblings

2011-05-04T17:19:00.000-04:00

** I'm playing the waiting game; waiting for my 6 wk checkup to get the green light from the doc re: resuming running. Until then, I'm just walking for exercise. Well, that and taking care of a newborn -- a highly, highly strenuous activity.

** I'm intrigued by this whole "abdominal separation" phenomenon that occurs due to pregnancy. At the moment, I have a small gap (about one finger width), but I'm wondering if it will ever close completely. I'd like to start working the abs again!

** Even though my baby is currently under 7 lbs, I wonder if picking her up all the time counts as strength training?? Sometimes my arms feel like they've been through the ringer. Not to mention my back. I have to remember to lift with my legs.

** Pushing a stroller is sort of like steering a sailboat. When I first started taking Baby on walks, I was convinced the stroller had "prop walk." And steering against it felt a lot like dealing with weather helm. If picking up my baby doesn't count as a workout, then pushing a stroller certainly does! (FTR, the stroller does not have prop walk--it's just that new york city sidewalks aren't always on an even keel ;))

** Speaking of navigating the city streets with a stroller, I ventured out in the rain today and found that holding an umby in one hand while pushing the stroller in another required quite a bit of coordination. Luckily, it appears I am quite skilled in this regard. And I'm ever grateful for the rain canopy that kept Baby perfectly dry!

** Who says you can't cheer for two baseball teams? Especially when they aren't in the same league; and one tends to lose (cubs, duh) while the other tends to win..

** And lastly, it's obvious that childbirth hasn't hurt my jumping abilities in the slightest. Case in point: I visited my fourthers last week (wasn't able to say a proper goodbye due to baby's early arrival) and we took some fun pictures--one was a jumping one. As you can see from the photo below, I got myself at least adequately airborne(I'm in the white shirt in the middle..and yes, I am aware that I am basically the same height as a ten year old.) I was always an average jumper and appear to still be in that category.

Future Places to Run

2011-04-25T19:08:00.000-04:00

Since the weather has been nice lately, one of the things I've been doing with Baby (who shall be referred to as "W") is taking her on a tour of her future running routes. Our first stop was the running mecca in nyc: Central Park. After picking up a (decaf) starbux latte, we headed to the park and I pointed out the main loop. W seemed content in the peaceful oasis and drifted off to sleep, perhaps dreaming of running? I enjoyed my coffee while chatting on the phone.

Today was even more gorgeous - one of those perfect sixty-something degree days with sun and a light breeze. This time we headed to Riverside Park so I could show W the alternative --a particularly good choice when she wants to up her mileage on flat ground. Of course, we needed a picture for this adventure too.

As far as exercise goes, all I've been doing is these little walks. I find that it's helpful to get out of the house at least once a day for a walk or an errand. Some days I've had to contend with April showers, but for the most part, I've been getting out and about with her. And since New York is really a small world, we've been running into lots of people we know, and W is expanding her social network at a rapid pace ;)

She's also had some visitors, two of which have running blogs. jb24 and D10 visited the other day so I thought I'd include this pic.

Other than the walks and the visitors, W celebrated her first Easter yesterday. Mostly this meant I dressed her in something cute that actually fit (few outfits do at this point, most are too big) and she posed for some pictures with her Easter basket (note: she did not eat any candy..at least not that I know of..).

Baby Runner Girl has arrived!!!

2011-04-16T17:07:00.000-04:00

My weekend didn't exactly go as planned. I expected to cross off a lot of things on my "pre-baby" to-do list. I did not expect to cross off "actually have the baby." But on Sunday, April 10, she decided it was time, and that meant it was time ;)

I'll be brief on the labor/delivery details, but I will say that when you don't expect to go into labor (wait, I still have 2 weeks!), it certainly adds an element. My water broke Saturday night and by Sunday morning I was in the hospital. I looked at this whole labor/delivery thing as an athletic event. I had no choice but to get to the finish line. I guess all those years of National Ab Month paid off, since I was able to push her out in a short time. She is a cutie!! It's still so hard to believe that I now have a baby - the same one who was kicking and moving and hanging out inside me for all those months. I cannot stop looking at her!

My mom's theory on why she was 12 days early is that she wasn't happy about the lack of running. She was bored just sitting around and figured it was time to see the world. I agree. I also think she's smart enough to know that the sooner she gets out, the sooner she can get in that baby jogger! I also like the fact that she picked the day of the Scotland 10K in Central Park AND the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago for her birthday. I was kind of hoping she'd be born on Boston Marathon Monday, but she wanted to pick a race I had actually run, which was perfect, just like her. In addition, my friend C of Team Stick reminded me that exactly one year ago I ran and PR'd in the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler, so I guess there's lots of quality running events associated with the birth of my first born. Leave it to me to point them out ;)

As for my current state of fitness, the good news is I certainly don't look like I was just pregnant. The belly was pretty much gone with the baby. It's so weird seeing the missing baby bump. I'm also pretty weak and feel like I have no muscles. My back has been hurting nonstop since the delivery. Luckily I can pop any kind of pill I like. Since I didn't really know what to expect re: childbirth, I feel like I had it on the easy side. The hardest part was worrying about my baby and whether or not she'd be ready for the outside world given her small size and earliness.

I have six weeks of recovery ahead of me, so the running will be on hold for a while. There may be more talk of "running after baby" than running on the roads. Be warned.

Last Run...for now

2011-04-04T18:39:00.000-04:00

After almost 37 weeks of pregnancy, I have run my last pre-natal run. Though I am disappointed that I must put running temporarily on hold, I am certainly okay with it and know it is best for my baby (and probably me, too--running is not easy at nine months pregnant). In fact, I feel lucky to have run this far into my pregnancy! The decision to stop was not entirely mine. I was advised by several doctors to "take it easy" and "be less active" during these last few weeks. I asked one doctor for specifics, since the definition of "less active" to a runner can be so ambiguous, and her answer helped me see clearly see that giving up running for the duration of this pregnancy was in our best interests.

Here's a look at my monthly mileage while pregnant:
August: 116 miles
September: 35 miles
October: 35 miles
November: 41 miles
December: 32 miles
January: 46 miles
February: 29 miles
March: 27 miles
April: 0 miles
Grand Total of miles logged with baby on board: 361!

Even I am impressed by this ;) I enjoyed each and every mile and vow to ease back into this after baby is born. There is no need to rush recovery (as I have often learned the hard way in the past).

So now what?? If I want to continue to blog about running without actually running, then I have to be creative. Luckily, running is still a big part of my life even when I'm taking a break. For example, yesterday was the MORE Half Marathon. In the past I've paced the MORE half for women (2007 and 2009), but this year I was a spectator. I was mostly there to cheer on a good friend who was running her first half ever, but I was also excited to encourage the Flyer pacers. It was a perfect day for running, and I stood on the sidelines with Flyer photog BC waving, chatting, and cheering.

runners on the west drive

BC even got a pic of me hanging out..umm literally ;)

My friend did great, and it was really fun to see so many Flyers I haven't seen in ages. Spectating really was a blast!

I'd like to end this post with a picture I find hilarious. This was taken last week when my best friend and I were shopping for baby stuff. I got a phone call during our excursion and felt like playing ball while I chatted (I am rarely idle, you understand). Picture, if you will, a nine-month pregnant chick continuously dribbling a ball one-handed between her legs. That is what I was doing. My friend snapped this pic when I caught the ball after successfully bouncing it through my legs (hence the blurry hand). I find it funny that my belly closely resembles the ball ;)

playing ball in the store

Stick Visit!

2011-03-29T10:10:00.000-04:00

I've really been enjoying my stay-at-home spring break this year. While it's unfortunate that I can't travel, it's been great having local playdates and out-of-town visitors. Two of the Sticks decided to spend some time in ny with me this past weekend, which included some running (of course).

Saturday morning, I headed out with C and K to put in a mile or so. They had different distances in mind, so starting their runs slowly wasn't a big deal. We walked to the park in chilly, brisk, sunny weather. Our plan was to run a loop of the reservoir together and then I'd walk home while they added more mileage. When we got there, it was so beautiful out (but cold) that we had to get a picture.

C, me, K

Then we were off at a very slow pace (11:40s) and a very fun run! The conversation is always enjoyable on Stick runs, and I felt great running with the two of them. They let me set the pace, and I had no problem chatting as I ran. The mile and a half went by way too quickly, but before I departed, they were able to get a pic of me running the rez in my ninth month of pregnancy.

36 weeks ~

I ♥ the Sticks!!

It's a Marathon, not a Sprint

2011-03-22T18:48:00.000-04:00

My due date is one month from today. Though I'm no expert in the whole pregnancy timeline thing (how many weeks = a month is a mystery to me), I figure I'm now in my ninth month. One one hand, it seems like just yesterday that I found out I was pregnant; on the other, it seems like I've been pregnant forever! Here's a self-portrait of me at 35 weeks (8/9 months--your guess is as good as mine).

I'm still chugging along on the running front. I got in a three miler today, at a leisurely pace. I also went to yoga on Saturday (and found myself among the most pregnant there!). With a month to go, my emotions are running the gamut. One moment I'm a ball of energy--cleaning, planning, organizing, running errands, shopping, going about my social business--and the next I'm sprawled out on the couch wishing it were time for bed. I hope that's normal.

One piece of advice I recently received from a runner was: It's a marathon, not a sprint. Not only was this appropriate given my penchant (fetish) for long distance running, but it was also very applicable to the whole pregnancy business. If you think about it, it takes a lot of energy, patience, planning, hard work, and dedication to train for a marathon. It also takes all of the above and then some to grow a baby. In some ways, I feel like I'm getting close to the "taper phase" where I will lounge around, stewing and waiting for game day. Unlike a marathon, I have no idea when the action will start. That's what makes it so challenging. But the excitement (and fear) is right up there with a big race (perhaps more so), and for this one, I have no prior experience, so it will be even more intimidating. However, no one can argue that the "finisher's medal" is second to none.

Spring

2011-03-19T09:10:00.000-04:00

I'm officially on spring break for two weeks. Since I'm too far along to be traveling, I'll be spending my time in nyc, prepping for baby, entertaining visiting friends, and hopefully getting in more warm weather short runs.

At 35 weeks along, things are getting pretty close. Over the next two weeks, we should have a "nursery" in our apartment and hopefully most of the baby stuff will find a home, instead of hanging out in a corner of the living room.

I've been running about twice a week now. My pace is noticeably slowing and I take several walk breaks during the short 3-4 milers. I have no problem with this whatsoever; I look at every run as a treat and I try not to take it for granted. Yesterday, temps in nyc were around 75 degrees, which meant shorts and t-shirt for a run. Wearing a t-shirt definitely shows off the bump, and I noticed a lot of people "noticing" me running. I can't decipher between looks of approval and looks of concern, so I try to ignore all of it. I much prefer to maintain a low profile, but the 8 month pregnant belly is a bit difficult to conceal. But when compared to this guy, who ran by while we were dining outside yesterday evening, I'm practically invisible!

Sox

2011-03-09T20:07:00.000-05:00

My brother got me a really cool birthday gift -- CEP compression socks! Not only do they have great running benefits, they also can help with pregnancy-related swelling and leg cramps. In addition to all this, they are a pretty sweet color! As soon as I got them, I had to try them on. They are really fun for lounging after a long day, but I also can't wait to wear them on a run!

Though I got lots of fun birthday presents, the only other one I will include in the blog is the one of the beautiful flowers a co-worker gave me at work. They're pink- with a rose for the baby. I guess pink is my current color--we seem to have a lot of it in the apartment these days ;)

In running/exercise news, I've been on a couple three and a half milers (last Thursday and this Monday) and I attended another pre-natal yoga class on Saturday. While it seems like nothing, I am happy with the every-other-day plan and hope to keep it going as long as I can. Baby, on the other hand, seems to be getting plenty of exercise; I swear she does calisthenics at least three times a day. She moves at lightning pace, jabbing me in the gut with her little elbows, knees, and feet. Though I have nothing to do with it and obviously can't control it, I'm pretty proud of her pre-natal exercise habits--it's very possible she'll be a runner someday ;)

Birthday Run

2011-03-01T21:34:00.000-05:00

Since I've been a runner, I've always wanted to do a birthday run. I like to enjoy my birthday, and it only makes sense to run on my special day. Here are just a few notable birthday runs from the past.

On my 20th birthday, I ran with my running class (Running 130). What I remember of that run was that it was cold (obviously!) and somehow the topic of age came up. I informed my running friends that I had just turned 20 that day--there were lots of "Happy Birthdays" and I probably logged about four miles.
I celebrated my 26.2 birthday with a run, but I don't really remember the details. I just know I thought I was really clever to think to celebrate this ;)
On my 29th birthday, I ran with Team Stick. They came to New York to celebrate with me and we had a great tenner the day before and a four mile recovery run on my actual birthday. It was fantastic to have so much Team Stick love!
On my 30th birthday, I ran half my age in miles. This was a big deal because it was the "off season" and I had to "train" for it. Of course, I had a blast, despite the breezy flurries in my face and noticeable out-of-shapeness. Memorable to say the least.
On my 31st birthday, I ran with Flyers. I managed to join the evening group run and got in about four miles or so before celebrating with post-run drinkies.

This year, my plans were to run for 32 minutes. Yes, minutes. That's about where we are now with weekday runs. My choices were very early morning or after work and a b-ball game. Neither option was particularly appealing due to darkness, tiredness, and the fact that I'm now in my eighth month of pregnancy. But...all problems were solved when my husband eagerly volunteered to get up (ridiculously) early and run with me on my birthday! I could not imagine a more perfect way to start my day! He was a real trooper, rolling out of bed effortlessly and throwing on running clothes. We headed out the door into 34 degree weather, but the perfect kind of crisp, winter weather where the sun rises beautifully and brightens everything up. Our run was great! We maintained a slightly faster pace (just under tens), which meant our three mile run fell a little short of 32 minutes. We had to slow down a bit and run around the block to get to 32 minutes, which was kind of fun. Post run was coffee and breakfast at home before I darted off to school (not that anyone cares if I am late these days...it's amazing what you can get away with while pregnant ;)). Anyway, I am still loving the fact that I got to do a birthday run with my husband--he knows it was fun, but I don't think he truly grasps how much that meant to me. I haven't stopped talking about it all day--a perfect birthday present!

Running Books

2011-02-24T20:04:00.000-05:00

One of the many things we are doing right now to prepare for the baby's arrival involves getting rid of things we do not need/use any more. This is a challenging task for anyone at anytime, but it's one that needs to be done to make space for the baby, especially in a new york city apartment.

While going through the 8385493927592017 books I own, I came across some old running books.

I bought these in the late nineties/early two-thousands. Though I'm going to be donating them, I wanted to commemorate them properly in a blog post, much like I did with my medals. It makes parting with them that much easier.

So here we go..

The Runner's Handbook, by Bob Glover

This was my first running book purchase. The copyright date is 1996 and it says "all new" on the cover, so I assume I bought it very early in my running career (1998?). I remember reading it often to learn as much as I could about my new sport. When I experienced my first injury (plantar fasciitis), I scoured the injury section over and over to get me out of denial and learn about possible rehab possibilities. I also read the "Beginning Marathoner" section when I considered my first 26.2. This was a great reference book for me when I was new to running, but for the past 10 years or so, it has been little more than a dust collector on my shelf. I'm preserving its memory in digital form and saying farewell to my first runner's handbook.

I Run, Therefore I am--Nuts, by Bob Schwartz

This next one was purchased because I began to feel I was a bit crazy with all my running. In the early 2000s, running wasn't as popular as it is now, especially among college age folks. The only runner friends I had were Team Stick and the rest of the bunch in our university running club; but most of my friends really thought I was nuts (some still do). As promised on the back of the book, the author (Bob Schwartz) covers the "idiosyncratic personalities of runners and the strange and hilarious situations they encounter." If you are a runner (which I presume you are), then you can most definitely relate to the excitement of exhaustion from a long run, the drawers and closets overflowing with running clothes, the intricate art of drinking on the run from paper cups, and the potency of the marathon bug. Over the years, I've become well acquainted with the side-effects of being a runner, and while I still find them plenty funny, I don't need this book anymore to refresh my memory.

There's Nothing Funny about Running, by Timothy Martin

Another humorous one. But this one also "allows you to appreciate the humor, grace, and courage of running." One chapter describes the various types of runners such as the Sunday jogger's saunter, the look-easy loper, and the competitive strider. There's a "you might be a runner if.." section; the majority of the checklist applied to me back then and an even greater percentage applies now. And then, of course, there's a chapter on how weird we seem to the non-runner: "How far is marathon? How can you run that far?? WHY would you want to run that far?! Doesn't it hurt? Don't you get bored running that far?" You can't be a runner for any length of time without being asked at least one of these questions, and most likely you've been asked all of them..in that order...on more than one occasion.

The Quotable Runner, edited by Mark Will-Weber

This last one is filled with quotes on the subject of running. I'm pretty sure I bought it for wisdom, motivation, and inspiration, but I haven't looked through it in years. My favorite quote is, "Why couldn't Pheidippides have died here?" which Frank Shorter said at the 16-mile mark in one of his first marathons. How many times have we felt that way during a marathon? There are a lot of good quotes in this book, but I currently talk to runner friends and read blogs for the aforementioned wisdom, motivation, and inspiration. I don't really need a book of quotations on my shelf.

It's still not easy to part with these books, but I know it's the right time to let them go. They served their purpose and now it's time to give them a new home. And I feel better knowing I can always reference them on this blog. I am keeping my Pfitz book ("Advanced Marathoning") because it holds hope for success in future marathons. I would like to believe I will run another (and another and another, etc) and if (when) I train seriously again, I want to have this book as a guide.

To all the others, I bid farewell.

The run I did not go on; and the run I did..

2011-02-22T20:25:00.000-05:00

Perhaps the six miler last weekend was overdoing it. I say this because I felt a very weird abdominal pain last week on Wednesday and Thursday that had me very concerned. While it did not appear to be related to my Sunday "long run," it has had me thinking about how much I'm doing and whether or not it's beneficial or harmful. I have no idea if my exercise is too much or not, but I did take some time off after the ab pain scare. For the record, I went to the doc and it turned out to be nothing. The baby is fine and the pain is since gone. Huh.

Since then (and even before), I've pretty much dropped the Ab Month idea, which I wasn't doing anyway. I also took a week off and rested. It was somewhat good timing because this past weekend was a Baby Shower Extravaganza; two of them back to back! One was hosted by my mom and best friend and the other was hosted by my MIL and sisters-in-law. Both were lovely! (and exhausting!).

Two of the Sticks came in for the weekend, which was totally fun! Saturday C was with us and L joined us Saturday night. Unfortunately, I didn't even bring running clothes, so there would be no Stick run for me. Also, it was sleeting or freezing rain or something, which would've been a problem for me anyway. The bad weather didn't stop C and L from getting out there for a four miler (originally supposed to be six, but our coffee time ran late and, coupled with the weather, they cut it short). I took a pic of them before they embarked on their cold and wet journey. Honestly, I didn't mind missing out on this one!

Even though I didn't get out on the run, I still enjoyed plenty of Stick time! Here's a pic of the three of us with the most recent Stick-in-Law, M. I miss them already :(

I got back to nyc yesterday and had the day off today. I mostly rested but I wanted to try a short run. I got out for 3.5 miles today and felt great. It was cold but sunny and the park is still covered in snow. Since it wasn't a work day, I was able to adequately recover with lots of couch time and a movie. The rest of this week will be busy, so I don't think I'll be doing much in the way of extra exercise until the weekend.

Two months to the day to go..

Third Trimester Sixer

2011-02-13T19:49:00.000-05:00

I have my good days and I have my less-than-good days. The former tends to be the days I get the most sleep and have the most relaxed schedule (ie. weekends). The latter tends to be the end of the week when I'm ready to put my feet up and sit on the couch in my sweatpants. I take these couch/sweatpants/pint of ice cream liberties guiltlessly now that I'm into my third trimester.

This week was a mix of the above, which means there was some exercise and there was some rest. Wednesday was the only day I had zero obligations after work, but it was also Parent Conference Day. Talking about my lovelies all day long to their parents can really tire a teacher out, but I stayed focused and almost (I said "almost") had fun. After that, I wanted to get in a run, but the skies were darkening and I realized how beat I was. Instead of heading outside, I got on the tready and did another run/walk combination for three miles. This was followed by a series of cat/cows and some light stretching. Tuesday was my other day of ab work, and that consisted of 10 x hands and knees balance.

Thursday and Friday were null and void of extraneous exercise, including ab work. I had enough with a late basketball game on Thursday (coaching, not playing) and a migraine on Friday. I wanted to be rested for Saturday's Yoga class. Yet again, it did not disappoint, and I seem to be getting stronger since I wasn't nearly as sore after this class and to quote another participant, "this class isn't easy!" It also scored me a solid session of ab work including cat/cows, hands/knees balance, & standing pelvic tilts. Here's a pic post yoga with my mat.

I also want to acknowledge the four plus miles of walking I did on Saturday, which is usually part of my day anyway, but I'm counting it this time since some of it was definitively brisk (ie. was late to yoga..).

Today was my running day. I was really looking forward to getting outside and doing something in the park. My husband was planning on doing the full loop of the park from our apt and back (7 miles). I was shooting for six with an option to turn back early (that option is always a given). It was another beautiful day and I just felt good. About two miles in, we ran into a close friend of mine, M, who was fending off some IT Band troubles, but she was looking strong and keeping it going. We said a quick hello and headed on. The miles seemed to roll by, but I was plagued by the sudden need to pee (these things happen to pregnant women all the time). I told my husband to go ahead while I veered off course for the pit stop. Luckily, the NYRR offices are open on Sundays so I ducked in there for their indoor plumbing. I was also able to get a quick drink of water, which really revived me. This brief respite was about four and a half miles in and at that point, I knew I could make it to six. The rest of the run was a breeze. I felt even more energized for the last mile, but I still kept my pace slow and steady. I finished the run with six and a quarter on the gamin. Not bad. Shortly after I arrived home, my husband came back with a loop of the park in the bag--nice work! Here's a funny little picture of me barely fitting into my running clothes these days..I'm lucky to get that zipper over the hump ;)

I'm really not sure how much longer I'll be able to keep up with the running. I feel good right now, but I try not to take any of these runs for granted. I don't think six milers should be my norm, but I will admit it was awesome to be able to run that far at this point!

Summary, etc

2011-02-07T20:08:00.000-05:00

Where to start...

1) Abs--I've already skipped two days of Ab Month this year. After my fantastic start, I lost the desire to do the "every day" thing. Friday was exhausting--a whole week of indoor recess due to frozen rain and sleet covered playgrounds really takes a toll on kids and teachers. By the end of the day, I was fried and just wanted to put my feet up and let the weekend commence. So I skipped. I also skipped Sunday. Today I did 2 x 10 cat/cows. Nice and easy.

2) Yoga--I went to another pre-natal class on Saturday (which I love!). It was harder and really worked my muscles good. I'm still shaking off the soreness, but in a good way. I cannot speak more highly of pre-natal yoga--I'm definitely a fan! Since we did a fair number of standing pelvic tilts during class (a harder version involving a slight bend of the knees while squeezing a block between the thighs), I figured I was covered for abs for the day.

3) Running--I had a nice "long run" of five miles yesterday. I was shooting for six but began to feel a bit of dehydration coming on and decided it was best to head home. There is no need to push it, and I'm more than happy with five miles at this point. It was an enjoyable run in beautiful, sunny, mild weather! My husband, who was running with me, wanted to put in another mile for an even six. However, he was feeling so good he extended his run and ended up with 7.5 miles! This is his longest run to date, and I cannot stop gushing over it. I admit, I'm a tad bit envious that it wasn't me logging that distance, but mostly I'm proud of him and thrilled that he's making such good progress with running. I tell him almost daily that it's not an easy sport, and you're constantly fighting bad runs, inclement weather, nagging aches and pains, and a lack of time to fit it all in. But for some reason, the running bug is powerful and makes you get out there despite it all.

4) Pregnancy--I still hear plenty of comments on my small size, but I'm starting to feel the extra weight. While I'm mostly feeling good these days, I get tired more easily and sometimes feel uncomfortable. My abs, in particular, hurt most of the time and often feel like they're being ripped apart. Eating is another issue. I rarely feel hungry, so I'm just eating to eat. And then I get incredibly full from eating a meager amount of food. It's surprising to me because I thought that pregnancy would make me feel hungrier than ever--especially on the days I run or exercise. Maybe that is yet to come, but for now, eating is kind of a chore. I wish it weren't because I enjoy food! Even with this unexpected challenge, I'm doing my best to eat healthy-- fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Calorie-dense foods that aren't too filling are great (nuts, avocados, eggs, dried fruit, cheese), because they don't take up so much space and provide quality nutrients.

Day 3

2011-02-03T19:39:00.000-05:00

Ab month has begun, and so far I'm three for three! This year's workouts pale in comparison to previous years, but they are still getting done and that's what counts. Here's what's gone down:

Day 1: 10 x 2 cat/cows
Day 2: Hands and Knees Balance (10 per side/total of 20)
Day 3: 30 Standing Pelvic Tilts

On the exercise front, I've been feeling a little cabin feverish with the constant snow/ice/wintry storms we've been having. Most days I can't walk to work due to the bad conditions, and while the subway is no less convenient, I miss my daily walks. Despite all this, I am really loving this winter! I'm probably the only person in NY who is truly enjoying the active and entertaining weather of the season, but I can't help it. It's been great! Today, for the first time all week, the sidewalks were clear(ish), and I was able to get out there for a run. Sunshine added to the ambiance of the snow-drenched park, and I soaked it up for 4.5 miles. While I ran, I thought about how fabulous it was to be running in my seventh month of pregnancy, and how I should really enjoy every step. I've been feeling pretty good these days, and I want to celebrate that.

National Ab Month 2011

2011-01-28T17:57:00.000-05:00

It's practically February, and National Ab Month is right around the corner. If I weren't pregnant, I would have spent most of January prepping for the intense ab fest next month by doing increasingly difficult and lengthier abdominal workouts. Instead, I have spent January enjoying the break from these types of workouts and thinking I'd skip this year altogether. However, Team Stick recently sent around some emails about Ab Month, wondering who would step up as the ab guru and motivate the rest of the bunch to get off their duffs. There was also some conversation about whether or not I'd be participating this year.

After doing some research on the subject and talking to my doctor (it was rather embarrassing to admit that my ab-related inquiries stemmed from my potential participation in a fictitious celebration of abs that I co-created some years back--but I'm hoping there are no silly questions in the doctor's office), I came up with a few exercises I could do to fulfill my participation in NAM this year that are also beneficial during pregnancy. They promote core strength and flexibility, and the modifications I can use are safe for the third trimester. Some of them are even done during my prenatal yoga class.

Typically, I do ab work every damn day of February and the bulk of my workouts consists of crunches in one way or another. Whether I'm using the stability ball or on the floor, I crunch the hell out of my abs and obliques until I think I can go no further--and then I add plank torture, isolation madness, or other insane strengthening poses for good measure. This year, I am going to do exactly zero crunches. Instead, here are the exercises I plan to explore.

1) Cat/Cow - this is actually a yoga pose. It is supposed to increase spinal flexibility as well as build abdominal strength. It also makes for a good stretch. We do several of these during our warmup at yoga.

2) Hands and Knees Balance - This improves balance and core strength. If I can do 10 reps for each side, holding each for a count of 5, I'd be doing pretty well.

3) Standing Pelvic Tilts - Since it is not recommended to lay on your back during the later months of pregnancy, the standing pelvic tilt seems right for me. It helps keep mobility in the lower back, maintain core strength, and provides a mild lower back stretch.

I'm still considering frequency; I really don't want to do these exercises every day, but I need something more specific than "regularly," "occasionally," or "sporadically." One option might be to alternate between the exercises so I'm not doing all three at once. Another option might be to designate an ab workout time and do all three in a row. My plan at the moment is to test out the options for the first week of February and see what works best for me.

Though I'm well aware that I will not be sporting anything near a six-pack in early March this year, I know that these exercises will benefit me and my baby as I get closer and closer to my due date. In many ways, that is worth more than washboard abs. For the rest of you, I'd urge you to try your hand at Ab Month this year--it's a great opportunity to get yourself ready for that spring marathon!

Baby Clothes

2011-01-23T20:18:00.000-05:00

In an effort to distract myself from the pathetic Bears game that just occurred, I've turned to my blog. When you play like that, you lose. And not only do you lose, you lose without pride or dignity. In all my years of running, I've always tried to be proud of my efforts--even when my performance was less than stellar. I've run many "bad" races, but I've never just given up or just decided to quit. The way the Bears played today, it was evident that they just didn't care. They rolled over and let GB have it (in my opinion, Green Bay didn't play that great either). I'm just disgusted. Disgusted. But enough of that--I'm not going to waste my time (and yours) dwelling on the god-awful game I witnessed this afternoon. Instead, I'm going to pepper this post with cute little baby clothes--and send a big THANK YOU shout out to Jess.

Jess, a fellow blogger, offered to send me a box full of baby girl clothing, blankets, and other adorable items that her daughter has outgrown. Having just come to terms (sort of) that we will be welcoming a baby girl of our own into our family in less than 3 months, I took her up on the offer. Last week, the big box arrived, and I was overwhelmed with the adorableness (and quantity) of the items inside! In this post, I want to publicly thank her for her generosity and show off a few fun baby outfits.

This first one is a cute little newborn outfit (I'm guessing by the size) that had cute little pink bows and such.

I'm not entirely sure that you pair a onesie with the darling itty bitty shorts, but I liked this outfit and thought it would be cute for early summer.

Moving on to summertime, this one is a swimsuit--a one-piece with a little hat! And the shades!

And lastly, an early fall ensemble - cute little boot-cut jeans with a tank. I'm picturing some sort of cardigan to cover bare arms, or maybe a longsleeve shirt underneath.

There are many more outfits I could display here, but I just wanted to provide a sampling of modern baby couture. Thanks again, Jess!!

And lastly, some running recap for the week. Monday was a non-work day, which meant I was free to run whenever, so I did a 3.5 miler with my husband. Then I ran again on Friday afternoon: an "impressive" five miler, which included a brief encounter with some snow flurries. I stayed safe and upright but was annoyed with the flakes that occasionally went in my eyes. This was a good run, though. Saturday was another prenatal yoga class which left me moderately sore for today's short three miler with my husband. If you haven't heard, New York is experiencing a "deep freeze" at the moment, which means temps are in the teens/low twenties. This added an element to our run, but we were sufficiently bundled and enjoyed the frosty chill. I am well aware that in other parts of the country, these temps are the norm for most winter days or even a slight warm-up from the more typical single digits. The good news is that in a few days, NY will be back to the more seasonal low thirties.

26.2 weeks

2011-01-16T20:43:00.000-05:00

Today marks my 26.2 week of pregnancy ;) I suspect I am the only person in the world who thinks to celebrate this. I honored the occasion with a run (obviously), but not just any run. The run not only served the purpose of recovery from yesterday's effort, but it also provided me with a glimpse into my future.

Yesterday, I was really pumped up to run. I hadn't run outside all week, and the winter weather is so appealing to me, with its refreshing cold air and beautiful snowy landscapes. I couldn't wait to get out there and burn off some energy. My husband came with me and we enjoyed a great run in the park. Once again, I decided to include Harlem Hill in my route. I know this is bragging a bit, but I effortlessly sailed up that business and had no trouble whatsoever with the incline. At six months pregnant, I consider this a noteworthy accomplishment and plan to brag about it while I still can.

Today's run was more of a fun one. A very good friend of mine (JH) wanted to take her 8 month old baby for a run in the BOB. It was her first time running with it, and I was only too happy to accompany her. With the sun shining and the park glistening, we took turns pushing the jogger. I seized the opportunity to take it for a test drive, and I have only good things to say about the stroller. It rolled beautifully and was easier to push than I expected. This was all good news for me, since I hope to be doing this sort of thing regularly in the near future. Of course, we had to stop for a couple of pictures.

It's always been a dream of mine to push a baby jogger while pregnant; I guess I thought it would be as hardcore as you can get. Though I hardly look the part, I was thrilled to have this photo op! And the gorgeous nyc skyline in the background (not to mention the snow-covered Great Lawn) makes it just about perfect.

And I had to include a pic of JH and her adorable sleeping baby; he seemed to enjoy himself as much as we did, if not more. I've known him since he was two days old, and he is the best!

The run totalled three and half miles and was the perfect recovery run for me. When I got home, I warmed up with a cup of coffee and figured I'd commemorate my 26.2 week of pregnancy with a little belly pic.

Snow Day!

2011-01-13T20:51:00.000-05:00

nyc has been getting its share of snow lately. Fortunately, I was out of town for the infamous December 26th blizzard; the one with the sub-par plowing job and lack of garbage removal. But yesterday's snowfall was enough to make many schools, including mine, "call it" the night before. You can imagine my excitement when I got the recorded "school has been canceled" message around 10pm Tuesday night, even though the flakes had just started falling. Pure joy!

My typical snow day activities include running outdoors. It's always a fun time to get out there and run in the falling snow, whether the roads are plowed or not. Last year, I had two of these runs and re-blogged about them in my recent yearly recap. This year, I wisely chose not to run in the snow; instead, I completed an indoor run on a much safer treadmill. Obviously, it was not the same as running in the picturesque park, but I enjoyed it more than I expected. I had to start off with a half mile warm up walk; for some reason, I cannot make my legs run immediately when I step on the 'mill. After this, I ran a mile (quite slowly) and took a very short walk break. Again, I find my legs tighten up and it's nearly impossible to run unless I take a moment to stretch or walk it out. After that, though, I was able to run another two plus miles. I varied my pace according to the speed of the tune that came on the 'pod, which seemed to work well. At the end of my run, I walked another half mile or so and even did some light stretching. The running portion totalled three and a quarter. You can put it on the board...yes! ;)

Prenatal Yoga

2011-01-10T19:28:00.000-05:00

Running, in my opinion, is the best, but sometimes other workouts have a way of surprising me when I give them a fair chance. In my non-pregnant life, I dabbled in yoga, cycling, weight training, and alcohol-induced dancing shenanigans, but nothing has ever stuck (though arguably, I did have a pretty consistent record of dancing shenanigans..) Currently, my exercise regimen is running and walking, but this weekend I broadened my horizons by attending a prenatal yoga class. A friend of mine (who got me going to yoga in the first place) is pregnant with her second baby and is a huge fan of yoga. She encouraged me to check out the prenatal class she attends on Saturdays. So I did, though not without some trepidation.

When I went up against the first trimester, I lost a lot of strength, and even with my recent increase in running, I still feel pretty weak most of the time. So Saturday morning, I prepared myself for the worst. I really expected to be doing a lot of "child's pose," which is the "restful pose" you assume when you cannot take any more torturous asanas. But instead of battling quivering muscles and wishing for time to pass more quickly, I found that I could easily manage the stretches and poses we did for the full ninety minutes. Besides getting a great workout, I was tremendously inspired by the packed room of women in various stages of their pregnancies who all looked amazing and effortlessly glided through the class. Many were on their second pregnancies, and several were in their 36th week. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be back for more!

Sunday was my running day (4.5 miles). It was sunny, but cold. I ran a few miles with my husband and then broke off to tackle the Harlem Hills. This was kind of a last minute decision, since I had not set out to incorporate the hills in my route, but I felt good and figured why not. It was actually quite nice to chug up the hills, and I didn't feel like I was working too hard at all. My pace in that section was around 10:20, which has sometimes been the case with these hills in past training runs. After the positive yoga experience and this energizing run, I feel almost like an athlete again!

Goals for 2011

2011-01-06T19:42:00.000-05:00

Last week, my mileage hit a "record" high of 15 miles! This is the highest it's been since August, which is remarkable on one hand, and sad on the other. But I'm very pleased with my current running habits and grateful for the chance to complete each and every run. With that said, here are a few goals I have in mind for 2011.

1. Keep running during this pregnancy as long as I can.
2. Recognize the need to take some time off when the baby is born. (I didn't have a problem with this when the morning sickness hit, so I'm optimistic about achieving this one in the spring.)
3. Gradually return to running after baby. (Key word is "gradually.")
4. Learn to run with a baby jogger. (Obviously, this won't be for a while, but by the fall, I'd like to be skilled with the bob!)
5. Continue to coach, encourage, and cheer for others. (I do not want to let running out of my life, but I may need to adjust my participation. This is one way I can accomplish this.)

And now for a few stats:

* Runs this year have included a 3 miler last Sunday, a 3.25 miler on Tuesday, and a 3.5 miler today.
* My current average pace falls between 9:45 and 10:30.
* At 25 weeks pregnant, I have gained about 10 lbs.