Boobs, Bump and Gear...

First, whenever I look at the picture I have on this page, I think "wow, I don't look like that now!" LOL I can't wait to get a little bigger and post a picture of me running with my big prego belly! I'm thinking about planning a photo shoot--I want LOTS of pregnant belly running pictures!!

Despite feeling a little tired and having some round ligament discomfort all day at work, I decided to get out and get moving a little after work. I knew I didn't have a lot to give so I told myself, "Go out and do 20 minutes, girl! You can do that!" And I did a little more than 20 minutes. But it was rough out there. It was the warmest day this year by far--not sure of the exact temp but it had to be in the lower to mid 80's. I ended up doing a lot more walking than normal just to feel comfortable but even when I walked, I pushed it hard. My butt could feel it!

So some things have changed now that I'm a little further along in the pregnancy--tomorrow I will be at 20 weeks! It's amazing and I'm so very excited! But it's hard to get used to all of the changes that my body has gone through. First of all, my breasts are HEAVY. I have NEVER had this problem in my life. I've always been on the smaller side up that way and to have these --things--up there that I've never had before is a new and dreadful experience. They bounce more, they hang more, they just ARE more. Weird.

The belly bump--it's like I'm carrying a fanny pack with a 5 pound weight in there or something. I find myself wanting to hold it from the bottom while I run. And at this stage in my pregnancy, I think I still look like I had *too many donuts and beer* and it's all just settling in up front. Perhaps by six months, I may look truly pregnant. But then I'll just feel like I have a bigger dumbbell hanging out in my fanny pack. I really need to look into buying a support belt for my workouts.

And for the most recent change with which I've been dealing--my running wardrobe is failing me. I've always had just enough of the right kinds of running clothes, and I've been happy with that fact. Now, though, I can't quite enjoy much of what I own. First of all, the things that DO fit just aren't flattering anymore! But the truth is, some of it just doesn't fit well enough to wear anymore. I've been shopping online for maternity running gear and I've discovered two things about it. One--if it's reasonably priced, it's cotton. COME ON! Two--if it's not cotton, it's not reasonably priced. What is the deal, people? Why is there not a line of reasonably priced, decent looking running gear made out of a wicking fabric for PREGNANT WOMEN?

I'm getting irritable and it's NOT because I'm pregnant! I had my run today, so I'm good!

Happy Running, folks!

Tough 2 Miler

Today was the first day I've run since last Saturday--and while it was nice to get out, it was a pretty horrendous 2 miler. I don't know what the issue was but I do know that everyone has bad days, pregnancy causes more bad running days for me, and I've gained almost 5 pounds in 7 days. So I guess it all makes sense now. LOL

I'm glad I got out there today even though it was a rough one--but I wanted to share even these experiences. As amazing as pregnancy is, and as good as I've been feeling lately, there are still tough days! We're only human!

Happy Running!

Annoyed Pregnant Lady Rant

Guess what? I am pregnant and I still run.

*gasp*

Are you going to call the police on me because my running is "putting the baby at risk for shaken baby syndrome?"

Do you think I'm a terrible mother because I'm out there running and being healthy instead of eating Twinkies and Doritos? I bet you think I should stay home because of my "delicate condition."

Is my running "obsessive exercise behavior" that I should avoid and perhaps see a psychologist about?

These are all things I've recently read and angrily re-read. Are you serious? Many people who know that I'm a runner and recently found out that I'm pregnant have asked me one important question, "Are you still running?" And everytime I answer, I do so with an emphatic "Yes, of course!" And about 60% of those people look at me with shock and disapproval. I'm sure they are thinking all of the things that I've read about us crazy, mean, selfish running expectant mothers.

Here's the deal. I am pregnant, not disabled. I run safely, not with risk. I hydrate more than ever before. My diet has become even more healthy and I eat plenty, just not too much. I'm a healthy woman who happens to be pregnant and so far, I have a low risk pregnancy. My doctors have told me to keep doing what I have always done--and that includes running. I've decreased my intensity and listen to my body before I even go out to run, and even more when I'm out running. My body knows how to run because it has for almost 14 years (even more if you count my childhood!) and my body knows how to grow a baby because it's a natural, amazing and normal thing. So guess what? My body knows how to run with a growing baby inside.

And my baby will not have shaken baby syndrome because I run. Ever heard of implantation and amniotic fluid? Look them up.

Lots of women run for multiple reasons--not just to lose weight. Some of us run to maintain a healthy weight, keep our hearts strong and healthy, and for overall mental well-being. Running doesn't mean I'm a weight-obsessed, selfish, bad person. It means I want to continue to live a healthy life for myself and my baby.

While I understand that running is definitely not an activity that everyone enjoys, it is something that I enjoy. And I have enjoyed running for many, many years. If that's what my body knows, my body can handle it now that I'm pregnant because my body handled it well before I was pregnant. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, do not let negative, uninformed and ill-informed people have any effect on you and your doctor's decision. Only you and your doctor will know what's best for you and your baby, and that should be your only concern. Be confident in your decisions and be in touch with your baby and your body.

Polar Bear Grand Prix Recap

Today was last leg of the Polar Bear Grand Prix racing series--the Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler. Prior to that, there was the Reindeer Romp 4K (which had to be rescheduled twice due to weather conditions) and the Frostbite 5K. These are always a fun series of short distance races, and they always help keep me motivated through the coldest months to keep running!

As a reminder, I wasn't aware that I was pregnant when I registered for the series, but I couldn't have asked for a better racing series to have signed up for--the distances have been quite manageable for me during the early part of my pregnancy. I cringe when I think that I could have registered for the Triple Crown and/or the KDF Mini-Marathon without knowing I was pregnant! Luckily, I was in the perfect running shape prior to becoming pregnant to complete the Polar Bear Grand Prix!

Each of the three races were very similar in our execution--my wonderful Husband ran all three with me to keep me company and keep my speed in check, though I did have my HR monitor during all three races. The series is a lot of fun and to add to the enjoyment, I will be able to tell our child that it ran and won at least the last two races--my belly popped quite a bit for those and we're assuming the baby crossed the finish line first!

Though these are absolutely nothing to brag about, here are my very slow and pregnant finish times, with average pace included in parentheses:

Frostbite 5K - 42:51 (14:17/mile)

Reindeer Romp 4K - 33:59 (13:40/mile)

Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler - 53:55 (13:28/mile)

As you can see, I did set some PR's--PR's for slowest race times!

On a positive note, though, there are two good things to come out of those races. First, I got out there and did something healthy and fun for me, Hubby and baby and second, if you look at my average pace for each race, I got progressively faster. That means I'm learning how to be a better pregnant runner, huh?

Happy Running everyone!

First Trail Run as a Prego!

Since being pregnant, running has become a totally different sport for me. No more care and concern for times, no competitive racing, no worries about increasing distance. This more laid back approach, which is what my body is telling me it needs right now (and also what the doctor ordered), has been difficult to get used to. Quite frankly, it's been a little boring. But I keep getting out there because I know how important this is to me and my growing baby.

To switch things up, though, I decided to go for a trail run today. This is the first time I've hit the trails since being pregnant--I was honestly a little apprehensive about hitting the trails because of the uneven footing and hilly terrain on some of my favorite trails. I figured, though, that I needed a change of scenery, literally and figuratively.

I ended up at Jefferson Memorial Forest, which is one of my favorite places to trail run. There are trails of varying distances and terrain which really make it more exciting. And with the opening of the semi-new Yost Ridge Trail, they really opened up the possibilities for increased distance and adventure, if you desire. And that's where I started. The trail begins with a gradual incline that doesn't let up for several hundred feet or more--it's always a good place to warmup before your workout. About 1 mile in (I may be off on the distance a little) there's a fork in the trail where you can either go left to the Paul Yost area of the Forest or right toward the Horine reservation area. However, each of the times I've been on this trail in the past, the trail to Yost was not complete and therefore not open. This morning it was! So I excitedly ran the trail to the Yost area and met a huge friend--a beastly Pyrenees! She was very interested in me and decided that I needed a running buddy. She stayed with me for about 2 miles, even as I ran over to the Mitchell Hill Lake trail at the Horine side. She made me feel very guilty for not bringing my own dog out, but I was also grateful that I had not because I don't know how these two would have gotten along!

All in all, I had a great, safe and fun run. But trail running is SO MUCH harder now. Talk about having to take walking breaks--and lots of them--to keep my heart rate in the appropriate range. But it was definitely worth it. It was just great to get out and get into something different--I bet the LO was bouncing around a lot and probably wonders WTF I was doing!

Happy Running, folks!

First Race as an (almost) Family!

Today was the second leg of the Polar Bear Grand Prix winter racing series, the Frostbite 5K. The first leg was postponed and then cancelled due to snow and icy conditions on the race course, so it was good to finally get out there with everybody! And while it wasn't the first race since I found out the good news, it was the first race where I actually KNEW about the little plum/lime within--and DH ran with us!

The race went a lot better than I expected--I wasn't feeling well at all before the start. We made it in and parked, got our bib and waited in a short line for the THREE port-o-pots! I quipped that maybe they could have used the money that they aren't refunding us from the first race to spring for more port-o-pots. That, at least, would have been nice.

After a half-mile warm up (that's about all I had in me this morning), me and DH lined up and the race started right on time. Smooth start but I forgot about the seemingly never-ending hill that greets you at the start of the race. Almost instantly, my HR alert was beeping so I had to walk up the entire hill.

The first mile went well, despite what I thought was a tough start on the hill--14:00. The second mile was also pretty fast for my recent times as a Prego--13:40. By the end of the 5K, we rolled in at 42:30 by my Garmin. I felt GREAT. I wasn't even breathing hard!! LOL It's the first race I've EVER run where I crossed the finish and didn't feel like I had even been running.

Obviously, this was my slowest 5K ever, but it was one of the most fun. I had my DH at my side, and we just took it easy breezy! And it WAS breezy!!!!

Hope everybody had a great Saturday morning! Happy Running!

Running for Two

Running has become quite a different activity for me lately! It's not about pace and distance goals anymore--it's now about getting out there and feeling good and making sure I DON'T push too hard. I hope the Little One appreciates my decrease in intensity!

I've only told family and literally a handful of close friends about the news because we're still so very early in but I am interested in documenting my running experiences throughout pregnancy and I figured now was as good a time as any to start.

Today I went out for a 5K and just took it easy. No heart rate monitor because, with the Holiday and lots of home re-organization, I've somehow lost my Garmin. I've got the monitor, just not the Garmin! I ran a hilly course so I just walked fast up hills and coasted down comfortably. I've been relying on the age old advice--run as hard as you can while being able to hold a conversation.

I've been following that advice for a little over two weeks now and it's amazing how much more PHYSICALLY enjoyable my workouts have been. Yes, I'm still facing many MENTAL hurdles out there. I find myself wanting to scream to other runners and walkers that pass me, "I'm PREGNANT! That's why I have water in 17 degree temps and that's why I'm so sloooooow!" It's hard for me to get used to this whole having-to-stop-and-walk-when-I-get-short-of-breath thing. I'm so accustomed to pushing past the discomfort and making myself better and faster. Hills? No problem. I would race up them as fast as I could so that I would get stronger. Not anymore. Hills? No problem. Walk it, girl!

I'm being very conservative until I see my doctor, which means I've decreased my weekly mileage by about 30% and my pace--I can't even talk about it. It's still hard to believe. My resting heart rate has jumped by about 15 bpm so as you can imagine, it doesn't take as much to get it up there when I'm running. That means I've had to slow way down--by 2-3 minutes per mile. It's unreal!

I'm convinced I'll keep running throughout and part of me even hopes it gets better, easier as time goes on. I'm just happy to have 30 minutes to an hour of no nausea or fatigue! Running is still the only time where I just feel GOOD!

Happy Running!

Back at it...

I thought that it might be time for an update! I'm getting back into the swing of things now that the weather has cooled and my hiking expeditions have slowed!

Had a crazy run yesterday--5.2 miles of negative splits, rain, doubt and eventually, a little speed to get me going. That run got me thinking about the future a lot, and I have a lot of little goals I've been working on in my head for the past 24 hours. I may expand on them at a later time, but I think I may need to work through them all first!

First things first, anyway! NEW SHOES!

After my race on Saturday (Home Run 5K at Bernheim Forest, time goal was sub 34:00 and OT was 33:50!), I went with Mom to Swag's and bought two new pairs. I needed them badly!

First, my regular road running shoe--the Mizuno Wave Inspire. These are the 6:

And I'm very excited for my first pair of Brooks--the Cascadia 4. Can't wait to hit the trails in these babies!

So, in case you're wondering where I'm at in my running life right now, here are some notables:

*Long run is currently at the 6 mile mark. I intend to stay there until it feels comfortable and recovery is a breeze, and then I'll start bumping it up again.

*Back to speedwork once a week, either in the form of a tempo run or intervals. I'll take a break on that until December, when I'll start back at it again. But for now, my goal is to get my speed up a little more so that I run a decent race on Thanksgiving morning--there's lots of cooking to do!

*Recovery has become even more important for me, so I spend a considerable amount of time rolling and stretching. My knees have been taking a beating at work and when I sprinkle in some heavy training, my body let's me know it. I feel so much better when I spend 20-30 minutes a day working out all of the aches and stiffness!

Happy Running everybody!

Shoe Review--Adidas Kanadia Trail 2

I was a little apprehensive to purchase this shoe--my first try with Adidas trail runners was the Supernova Riot and I wasn't really that impressed. They did their job but I never felt ONE with them. I decided to give these a try, though and I'm very glad I did.

The first thing I noticed about these was how light they felt in my hand. They're just a few ounces lighter than my previous pair of Adidas trail runners but it's a noticeable change on my feet--and very welcomed. The mesh upper comfortably hugs your foot and the non-slip lining is great when you're bounding around a rocky trail or moderately hilly trail (doesn't work so well on extremely steep portions, but I don't think any shoe is foolproof in that area).

I've had these shoes out on gravel, grass, mud, and mulch and I felt pretty confident in all of those. The only concern I've had was on muddy, wet terrain where the shoe had a hard time getting any traction on the uneven edge of a cliff. Scary time, but honestly, I attribute that to runner error, and not to a problem with the shoe's soundness.

[b]Two things impress me the most with these shoes[/b]--their superb ability to react to the ever-changing terrain on the trails I frequent (coupled with my occasional aggressive bounding and leaping) and their ability to shed mud from the outsole. That's always a major problem I have--mud and dirt will compact into your tread and you're left without any traction. This shoe does not have that problem. Sure, mud still finds it's way to your tread but not at all at a bothersome level.

I highly recommend this shoe if you're looking for a new trail shoe. No slipping, no hot spots, nothing. Just a solid trail running shoe that is unbelievably comfortable on my foot.

I'll let you know how durable they are after a solid period of trail running.

2010 Throo the Zoo 5K Race Report

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it make a sound? Today, I finally discovered what I personally think the answer is. Now, as a warning, everything I say from this point forward involves me sharing personal feelings and opinions. It’s not me trying to whine or gripe (though others today might disagree!) Instead, I am venting a frustration I have and sharing my learning experience for future races with you, people who may at least understand my frustration, even if you do not agree.

Today was the Throo the Zoo 5K at the Louisville Zoo. It was my third time running this race and each year, I definitely have a blast. It’s a unique course in that you run through the Zoo and are amongst the animals. And it’s a lot of fun to stay after and enjoy the free admission to the Zoo. It’s actually the one time each year that I visit the Zoo and get up close to the animals. Plus, each year we have more people join us, which only adds to the fun. The first year, it was just me and my husband (we weren’t married yet!). Last year, we walked it with both of our Mothers! (We still weren’t married yet, but we were newly engaged!) And this year, my Father-in-Law and Brother-in-Law joined the four of us! It’s such a fun time, and because of that I will continue to do this race annually—just with a changed mentality.

Also, I want to shout out the awesome barefoot runner I talked to before the race. Everyone was saying “Hey look at him, he has no shoes!” That has to get annoying, but I imagine someone who barefoot runs probably has a pretty thick skin (no pun intended!!) already. I stopped to talk to him because it’s something I am moderately interested in. He was what I would consider an experienced barefoot runner—with two years’ experience. He was open and friendly, and as far as I could tell, ran a great race. Highlight? Seeing him bounce into a pool of mud and get his feet wet. It was so innocent and fun! Observation? He had nice feet.

Okay, moving on. Three major problems existed with this year’s race. The flawed course design (which isn’t a new issue, but it’s usually easily overlooked), incorrect course distance and terribly designed finisher’s chute (I believe it’s possible that the chute problem was the main reason for the distance problem, so combine the last two problems if you wish.)

First of all, the start needs to be moved. It moves participants through a VERY narrow portion at a very early stage in the race. And we all know what that means—bobbing and weaving through walkers, strollers and groups of people oblivious to the world around them. Narrow passageways are fine on courses, but give everyone a chance to spread out before forcing us onto these early in the race when we are already dealing with congestion.

Second, my Garmin read 3.02 at the “finish line.” Anyone with a Garmin knows that if you want to run 5 miles on Friday, run until the Garmin reads something like 5.15. LOL Could my Garmin be off? Sure. But by my finish time, I know it wasn’t. The course was short, which many will overlook. After all, what does 0.10 really matter? Well, for me, it matters. It’s 160 meters. It’s 528 feet. And for me, it takes well over one minute to run that. That’s a pretty significant, if you ask me. Now, I wasn’t running a PR today. So why does it matter? Maybe it doesn’t. But it was frustrating.

Last but probably most annoying, the finisher’s chute issue. Have you ever run all out during a training run or a race—almost as fast as you can—and then stopped immediately. No walking, just STOPPED? Well, I did today. It sucks. It doesn’t feel good. Then, they proceeded to create two separate chutes just behind me, splitting me and my husband up. We walk a step or two, then stop. Walk a step or two and then stop again. This went on for the length of the chute and THEN they had two people taking our bib tags at the end. Unbelievable. So guess what? Even though my husband and I finished AT THE SAME TIME, he is recorded as coming in over 140 people behind me. Again, unbelievable. If you are going to take bib tags as a point of reference for the place of finishers, then do so BEFORE splitting the chute into two.

Of course, I’m probably in the minority of people out there today. Most people probably didn’t notice, probably didn’t care. And maybe I shouldn’t either. But I do. This is the one thing in life that I have CHOSEN to do for myself because I LOVE it. I love almost everything about it. So I care about almost everything about it. Why wouldn’t I want to run a well organized and well executed race? Of course I would!

So the answer to my opening question, does a tree that falls in the forest make a sound? Who cares? The forest isn't even certified! So it doesn't matter to me, and it won't matter to any other runners or walkers who even remotely cared about their race time or the distance of the course. Did I have fun during the race though? I sure did, and that’s the saving grace of the Throo the Zoo 5K race. It’s fun. Though I learned nothing new today, I did discover my personal feelings about running a non-certified (albeit USATF-sanctioned) race. If I intend to, I will do it for fun and only for fun. In other words, I won’t be paying attention to the falling tree. I’ll just be looking at all of flowers instead.