CSWS: Week 5

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

 

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Such a sweet face to come home to.

 

I'm not so full of words today. I guess I had a pretty good training week. I had to switch things around a bit in order to do my long run on Friday. I introduced Sarah K. to my crazy love for the track, and FINALLY got to enjoy a run with Sarah D and company. A little weather drama led to an unexpected successful 16 miler, and I ended the week with a run at my favorite place in Columbus.

 

• 6/19: 8.12 miles, 8:47/mile. I guess overall average doesn't matter since it was track day. Workout: 2 mile warm up, 12 x 1 minute fartleks with 1 minute recovery, 3 mile cool down. I ran my warm up solo from my house to meet Sarah at the track. I imagine she wanted to kill me for making her meet me so early (we usually meet at 5:30!). Ha! I'm glad she joined me because we killed that workout!! I ran about the same distance as I did 4 weeks ago when I had 1 minute intervals (approx. 250-275 meters) meaning I ran in the high 5s and low 6s for that short distance. I was feeling good for the first five, but started feeling it after that. It was hard and glorious at the same time. After the intervals, Sarah and I ran to her car, and I finished my cool down in my hood. It was nice running on my home track for a change.
  

  

  Love my Asics.

• 6/20: 6 miles, 8:52/mile; Arm workout, 30 minutes. I posted looking for an easy run for today and Sarah D. made it happen for me (along with some other ladies). I don't always have the chance to run with her (which makes me sad, y'all). I woke up expecting to run in the range of 9:30-10. I let Sarah take the lead so I wasn't tempted to go too fast...I wanted my easy day! Umm...this girl, the same one that denies she is fast, ran us to an 8:52 average!! I was impressed, but also fully ready to blame her if my legs didn't feel rested for my steady state run tomorrow. ;)
  

  

  The Tuesday Crew! [Beth, Emily, ME, Jen, Sarah, Elise]

• 6/21: 8 miles, 8:46/mile; Yoga in the Park, 1 hour. Steady State Run (5 miles at 8:22-8:32, 10-20 seconds slower than race pace). A huge group of us met for our respective speed workouts...well, the others were running speedy...Katie and I ran a more moderate pace. I was happy she was willing to stick with me for this one. I had a rough start because sleep has been lacking. I warned everyone that I was in a "mood." Katie refused to let me feel like crap and chatted me up until my attitude turned around. Miles 5-7 felt a little challenging because we were going up a slight incline most of the time. Not gonna lie...I was ready for that cool down mile. Just wasn't my best run. I should've felt better. My steady state splits were 8:27, 8:32, 8:33, 8:17, 8:20. Later that evening, I joined Sarah K. for a free yoga event in Dublin to celebrate International Yoga Day.
• 6/22: Rest...from running anyway. I did a quick 15 minute ab workout after work (along with foam rolling of the butt). After the kids went to bed, I practiced some yoga moves. I was so close to doing my long run tonight. I planned to do it Friday morning so my husband and I could enjoy a night out on Friday (and the opportunity to sleep in on Saturday). The freaking forecast sucked. Ugh. I was so pissed. Looks like I'll be running long on very little sleep and a potential hangover.
• 6/23: 16 miles, 8:51/mile. So...as you read from yesterday, I thought I was stuck running long on Saturday. I randomly woke up at 4:20 a.m. and decided to check my phone for some reason. I had a text from my friend Jessie that the weather was clear and a group was still running 7 miles at 5 a.m. I looked at the weather to see if it would be clear for my entire run...NOTHING! I was slightly annoyed because I had already given up on running long today and had nothing prepped. I'm so glad I got out of bed because I would have regretted missing the opportunity to get this run out of the way. I scrambled to get dressed, get my fluids, nutrition, and gear gathered, and head out the door. I ran my first 7 with Katie, Jessie, and Tamara (9:44, 9:23, 9:08, 9:14, 9:05, 9:08, 9:18).
  

  

  Just missing the life of the party (a.k.a. Katie). [Tamara, Jessie, ME]

  I was solo for the rest of it, but surrounded by a lot of fellow runners on the road. I convinced myself that I couldn't tolerate race pace miles today. I was mentally prepared to fail, but I also didn't care. I just wanted to get the miles. As I was approaching 10 miles, I remembered Tamara telling me that I didn't necessarily have to do 4 race pace miles in a row. She suggested splitting it up with recovery periods. I decided to try mile 11 at race pace to see how I felt. It actually felt awesome so I decided to try another one. Those two miles were 7:57 & 8:06 (goal was 8:12 so a little fast). It was gel time so I decided to just do a recovery mile (8:56). I followed that up with two more faster miles (7:55, 7:53) and a cool down mile (8:43). Phew. DONE. Now I can go party it up with my boo.
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
• 6/24: Rest. Enjoyed some amazing time with my family. Such a great day.
  

  

  Breakfast for two. [South of Lane]

  
  

  

  Muffin making with Baby Boo.

  
  

  

  My sweet lady.

• 6/25: 6.27 miles, 9:51/mile; Hatha Yoga class, 1 hour. Highbanks...my favorite place to run. It's pretty and hilly. What more could a runner ask for?! I got to see some new faces and faces I haven't seen in a while. I got to run with Theresa for the first time in forever and even enjoyed a walking cool down with her so that we could catch up on some things. It was certainly a great start to my day.
  

  

  What a crew we had at Highbanks! [Rachel, Elizabeth, Theresa, Hannah, Meg, Megan, Chris, ME]

  

 

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I have what appears to be a tough week ahead of me. Once again, I have to do my long run on Friday morning so that makes things a little screwy. If I can survive this week, I'll feel like a running queen.

DTHT: Weeks 3 & 4

Delivery to Half Training

 

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My beagle always looks so thrilled about life.

These are the last two weeks of me getting my body used to running again before I officially start half marathon training. What does that really mean?! It just means that I have 12 weeks until race day.

 

I do have a half scheduled in December, but I have no real expectations for my performance...at least not yet. I also have no intentions of incorporating intentional speed work. My main focus is building my base mileage. I would like to be able to run at least 10 miles by the time I start full marathon training (October 31st). I have a couple of smaller races scheduled between now and my half that should give me a decent idea of what I might be capable of running.

 

So, basically, I have no real plan the next several weeks except for long run distance goals.

 

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• 9/5: Team Isaiah 5k. 1 mile warm up (10:31/mile), 3.5 mile race (9:50/mile). Ran with Ruthie in tow!
  

  

  Ruthie is ready to race!

• 9/6: REST.
• 9/7: 5.21 miles, 9:31/mile. Ran with my dear friend, Ellen, and some more awesome ladies. This is my highest mileage to date. I remember it feeling slightly difficult, and I was praying that it was in the 9s!
• 9/8: 5.01 miles, 9:29/mile. MONTHLY DONUT RUN with my running sisters. Again, slightly difficult because of the weather, but I can tell my body is getting used to it. Still no pain!
  

  

  Just because pic. I love sweet cuddles with my babe.

• 9/9: REST.
• 9/10: 5 stroller miles, 10:46/mile. The night before, I was given a free entry into a 5k over the weekend. My goal for today was to attempt 6 miles, but I changed my plan so that I could run faster at the 5k. I packed up Ruthie and met the New Albany girls for some easy miles!
  

  

  Post run yummies at Starbucks

• 9/11: Run Like a Girl 5k. 3.09 stroller miles, 9:15/mile. Again, I ran with Ruthie for a tour through downtown. I was shocked that my first mile was sub 9! We had a lot of fun and I felt the effects of my hard work shortly after we finished!
  

  

  A gentleman made up an award for me...1st in the stroller division!

 

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• 9/12: REST. I REALLY needed a rest day after that race!
• 9/13: 4.01 miles, 8:47/mile. MY BIRTHDAY! For my birthday miles, I was looking to run with some of my most beloved running buddies who I knew could push me to run in the 8s. After running that faster stroller race, I knew I could handle 4 miles sub 8. What I didn't anticipate was running that pesky Emerald hill in Dublin! Since Theresa had no pace requirement (because she killed a marathon two days prior), I decided to slow her down for a day! I felt great the first 2.5 until we hit the hill. I was crap after that...SO close to NOT getting sub 9 for those miles (8:59, 8:57).
  

  

  Birthday miles with Theresa!

  
  
• 9/14: 4.31 stroller miles, 10:13/mile. I took my girl on a morning stroll through the neighborhood. It was so freaking humid that I had to strip my shirt. I just couldn't care that I was jiggling all over the place.
  

  

  It's too hot to care about what's under your shirt.

• 9/15: 6.77 walking miles, 15:09/mile. I met my girl Jackie at the O trail for some bonding time. She just had her babe two weeks ago so we had a lot to complain about (and also share joy about!).
• 9/16: REST.
• 9/17: 3.76 stroller miles, 10:18/mile. Super annoyed that I missed my planned morning run. I had a tight schedule and the weather screwed things up a bit. I opted for a shorter afternoon run with Roop in hopes I could fit in my long run the following day.
  

  

  She's over all of this picture taking.

• 9/18: 7miles, 9:29/mile. Longest run so far. I was only planning six this week, but my friend Meggie (who also just had a baby) was going for 7. I thought, why not?! I wanted to quit after about 5 miles!! It was so humid. I honestly don't know how I survived the last two miles at our goal pace. I didn't have any pain until we stopped and I noticed my pelvis was just a little sore. I started getting sore a couple hours later! PATHETIC!!
  

  

  I loved coming home to this sweet boy!

 

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Say what?!

So, running aside, I have only two more days at home with my sweet, gassy girl (who pooped on my face at church today). I have already been made aware that work is cray cray right now so I'm trying to keep a positive attitude. I'm just not ready to leave my girl.

D.O.A.P.: 38 Weeks

Diary of a Prunner

 

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I'm wondering if this will be the last of my "D.O.A.P." series.

Such a cute banner for Baby Boo Deux from my sweet friend, Karen!

The week had a crazy start to say the least. I can't believe I've been having contractions on and off for two weeks, and I don't have a baby yet!! So annoying. I'm not ready to have this baby because I'm uncomfortable...I actually feel really good. My energy level has been better than I can imagine, so I really can't complain. I'm just super frustrated that my body is going through all of these signs that point to baby coming at any moment, and it decides to trick me.

 

• 8/1/16: REST. Unintentional. I had my alarm set for a 5 a.m. run but decided 2 more hours of sleep was more important. I wasn't too worried about fitting in a run because I knew I'd have time to go to the gym after work. Long story short, I started having contractions around 11:30 a.m., approximately 10 minutes apart, that lasted the next three hours that I was treating patients. About that time, the contractions were getting closer...more like 7 minutes apart. I was feeling pretty crappy and decided running might not be the best thing to do at that moment. I was in Hilliard at the time (my delivery hospital being Dublin Methodist) and decided it wouldn't be wise to drive back home to Gahanna just in case I continued to progress. Doing so would run the risk of having to drive back to Dublin in rush hour traffic. No bueno if I was actually in labor. Anyway, I went to the hospital around 4:30 pm, they monitored me, I walked an hour, monitored again, walked another hour, then one final monitoring. When they did my final vag check around 8:30, I remained at 3cm dilation and 70% effaced (same stats as when I arrived that evening but a progression from my OB appointment last week). Total, I contracted about 13 hours.
  

  

  I had to take a belly pic while waiting in triage just in case Baby Boo Deux was coming.

• 8/2/16: REST. Intentional. I WAS SO SORE AND FATIGUED WHEN I WOKE UP! The last 6 hours that I had the more intense contractions really took all the energy that I had left in my body. It took all that I had to attend my work meeting and treat two patients that morning. That afternoon, I had my weekly OB appointment. I was STILL 3cm dilated and 70% effaced. UGH. I wouldn't have cared as much if I didn't feel like shit. All those contractions could at least have given me a centimeter! I committed to resting the remainder of the evening in hopes that I could tolerate a run the next morning.
  

  

  Gifts from my coworkers!

• 8/3/16: 2 walking miles. I was feeling like crap again today...not as sore as yesterday, but definitely exhausted. I wanted to run but had absolutely no desire to do so. I went to the Y after work and walked a mile on the treadmill and a mile on the track. I was having contractions throughout the day but my most consistent ones were when I was walking. The end of this pregnancy has been SO different than with James. The only false labor I had with him was at 36 weeks...then nothing until the day I had him. This baby might be a little turd.
• 8/4/16: 1 mile running, 10:01, 1.5 miles walking. What a fun visit I had at the Y today. A young a-hole had his face in his phone as I was running my last lap on the indoor track. He proceeded to cross over the track lanes without looking at who may be coming (I'm pretty sure I can't be missed at this point). I wasn't about to stop running because I had a goal and I was on a roll. I had to yell "EXCUSE ME!" loudly because he had headphones in as well. He paused and the physical interaction wasn't as violent as it could have been. He stared at me for about two seconds and went about his way without an apology. I yelled at him and told him to get his face out of his freaking phone. When he made no acknowledgement to what I was saying, it pissed me off even more. I typically don't put up with rude shit like this so I took action...sure, not the most Christian thing of me to do, but I was pissed and full of hormones. I walked up to this boy as he was getting on the elliptical, tapped on his arm until he pad attention to me, and told him of his stupidity. The only thing he could muster up to say was "Ok." Idiot. Anyway, my running mile felt good but my ankle was a little sore afterwards. I'll likely stick to running a mile at a time until the baby comes. Now's not the time for me to feel pain again.
  

  

  My angry face.

• 8/5/16: REST. I had the day off work so I spent a lot of time with my boy. He spent the night with the grandparents so I joined Jimmy at his volleyball tournament. I was exhausted by 9 o clock and passed out by 9:30! P.S. Mucus plug was lost in the morning.
  

  

  Splash pad fun with my boy.

• 8/6/16: 1 mile run, 10:27; 1 mile walk; 1 mile run, 11:17. Still childless, Jimmy and I had a gym date. I did a mile run on the indoor track along with a mile walk. When I finished my running portion, a senior citizen said to me, "Isn't that bad for the baby?" WTF, dude...yes, I'm intentionally harming my unborn child.  I kept the anger inside and simply said, "That's a silly question. Of course I'm not hurting my baby," and continued to walk. On the inside, I was completely annoyed by this. I vented to my husband and decided I wanted to talk to the gentleman about it. I walked up to him as he was sitting and we discussed the situation. It was actually a very nice, get-to-know-you conversation in which I discovered he was just very uneducated about the situation. Later that morning, Jimmy played a bit of volleyball, so I ran a mile while he was doing that. I did this outside, and it was blazing out there. I pretended I was running on the cool, indoor track.
• 8/7/16: REST. I stayed busy between church, a baby sprinkle, grocery shopping, etc., but I didn't go on any exercise walks or runs. I did have a 3 hour dose of false labor while Jimmy was at poker night. I was a little worried about having to pack up then wake up James to go to the hospital!
  

  

  Cuddles while daddy was at poker night.

 

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I forgot to ask Jimmy to take my weekly pic so you just have to settle for this side view.

How Far Along: 38 weeks, 5 days

 

What Baby Boo Deux is Up To: The day after my hospital visit, I had my OB appointment which I talked about above. I've continued to have contractions all week long and baby is moving as usual.

 

Weight Gain: I keep going between gaining 30-31 lbs. My weight gain has plateaued the past couple of weeks

    

 

Symptoms: Lots of contractions and mucus plug lost on Friday.

 

 

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing really.

 

Coming Up: OB on Tuesday if I haven't had baby yet.

 

D.O.A.P.: 37 Weeks

Diary of a Prunner:

 

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Belly selfie!

 All of my runs felt amazing this week! Definitely a confidence booster. Let's just hope my hard work continues to pay off and I can bounce back after I have this little one.

Also, this week, some of my sweet friends threw me and my girl, Jackie, a baby shower (we are due just two weeks apart!!). I was so happy to see everyone since I can't keep up with any of them on the road right now!

Trying to hug with our big bellies! [Jackie, ME]
 

A few of my sweet friends...missing some, of course! [Megan, Dani, Marion, Christine, Amanda, Jackie, ME]

• 7/25/16: 3.1 miles, 11:29/mile. I joined a group of ladies in New Albany for a little 5k action. Early morning runs haven't been my thang lately, but I was ready to rock it today. It was super muggy out, but I loved all of the sweat!! I'm hoping for motivation to get up another morning or two this week.
  

  

  Rockin' the mean streets of New Albany.

• 7/26/16: REST. Trying to play it smart and allow my body to get the rest it needs so that I can enjoy the moments I do run. Today, I was going on two days in a row of feeling like complete crap during the day...migraine, nausea. I'm guessing it was the heat but I'm not sure. I've been a complete mental case about going into labor.
• 7/27/16: 3 miles, 10:40/mile. I had just enough time after work to get in a few miles since I opted to "sleep in" this morning. I was bored after running a mile on the Y treadmill so I hit up the indoor track. Yes, it takes 17 laps to get a mile, but, for some reason, that seemed way better than the treadmill. I must have been feeling good today because mile two was sub 10 (9:50)! My first sub 10 mile since I was able to run again. I'm looking forward to returning to running post baby and working my way back into the 8's for my easy runs.
  

  

  All smiles after that run.

• 7/28/16: REST. I continued my trend of resting the day after a run. My body seems to be holding up that way!
• 7/29/16: 3.11 miles, 10:46/mile. Another early morning with the New Albany crew! I felt so good today. Nowadays, I get very nervous about joining these groups. I just never know how I'm going to feel and don't want to hold anyone back from what they need to do.
  

  

  Another early morning?! What's wrong with me?

• 7/30/16: 4 miles, 10:30/mile. So, I broke my two-days-in-a-row rule. I guess I was hoping that a good run would help me have my baby over the weekend. My pelvis actually felt good until the last quarter mile. It wasn't in a lot of pain...just starting to get a little sore. I had the pleasure of running with Heather. She was my partner yesterday morning as well. A few of us convinced her to do 4 miles which is a recent mileage PR for her! It was really awesome to see her excitement!!
  

  

  Big ole group on Saturday!

• 7/31/16: REST. Decided to eat my weight in food at a church potluck.

 

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Just me, JD, and Chuck.

How Far Along: 37 weeks, 5 days

 

What Baby Boo Deux is Up To: I had a great appointment on Tuesday. Baby Boo Deux's heart rate was 132 bpm. James was dying to hear the baby's heart beat so he joined me for that part of the appointment. I was 1 cm dialated and 60% effaced.

 

Weight Gain: Didn't weigh myself this week.

    

 

Symptoms: I had those two days of nausea and migraines along with some false labor...4 hours of contractions on Wednesday! They started at 4pm and progressed until about 7pm. They finally subsided around 8pm. I felt good the rest of the week.

 

 

Cravings/Aversions: No coffee this week even though I want it so bad!

 

 

Coming Up: I'm officially going to the OB weekly until I deliver...every Tuesday.

D.O.A.P.: 36 Weeks

Diary of a Prunner

 

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Holy crap on a cracker. 36 weeks?!

James about a month ago at the Chloe Stroller Stroll.

This week has given me so much confidence. I'm nervous admitting this because, every time I've said it in the past, I've had a bad week that follows! I've really been focusing on my leg strengthening and allowing myself appropriate rest days from running. This week, I felt so good that I wanted to run everyday. On the other hand, I know it would have destroyed my body if I didn't allow my pelvis and injured leg to have a break.
 

 

• 7/18/16: REST. I decided to do half of my leg exercises one day and the other half the next. I put my easier ones on the days I would like to run. We'll see how that pattern works out. Today included lunges (forward and sideways), deadlift (double and single leg), step ups, and heel taps (sideways and forward). These tend to poop me out and get my heart rate going.
• 7/19/16: 3.1 miles, 11:01/mile. Faster and more tolerable than two days ago! I hit up the treadmill at The Y after work. My friends tell me this heat is brutal so I opted to stay inside in case Baby Boo Deux decided to act up. From the first step, I did not feel any significant pain!!! I was SO happy about this. I could tell the problem still existed, but there was no pain. I'm praying that my hard work and slight caution will pay off. I'm just so happy to be running again!!!
  

  

  Baby Boo Deux saying HEY!

• 7/20/16: REST. Welp, today was fun and interesting. I intentionally rested from running but still planned to do my leg workout. On our way home (Jimmy and I carpool), our Impala broke down and we had to pull over ON 270 EAST DURING RUSH HOUR!! I was internally freaking out for James because it was so hot outside and I didn't know how long we'd be stuck in the car. People were jerks as our car was slowing down (on its own, I may add). People kept honking at us like it was our fault we were in that situation. So stressful. We finally got to the shoulder, called AAA for a tow, and called friends to pick up James and me. We spent a good hour, maybe 45 minutes, out there. It could have been worse but definitely not something we wanted to deal with. We didn't end up eating dinner until 7pm so going to family gym night was out of the question. UGH.
• 7/21/16: 3 miles, 10:52/mile; 0.6 mile shakeout after leg rehab, 11:03/mile. Another short work day allowed for time at The Y before picking up my boys. I was so bored after two miles on the treadmill that I opted for the indoor track (I've been nervous about running outside during the day because of the heat and being preggers). I actually ran one of my fastest miles since returning to running while doing the indoor track. I can't wait to get past this phase so I can get back on a real track. That evening was family gym night. I did my harder leg exercises followed by a short run around the track.
  

  

  I can't wait to get back on a real track!

• 7/22/16: REST. I was on my feet most of the day...lots of cleaning, playing with my boy...but rested from running.
  

  

  He was so excited about his Paw Patrol bed set!

  
  

  

  Splash pad fun that evening at church.

  
  
• 7/23/16: 4.01 miles, 10:36/mile. Because of my leg pain, it's been more than two weeks since I've attempted 4 miles. I was a little nervous about making it happen, but, because my pain has been basically non-existent this week, I had some confidence going into it. I joined a hilarious group of ladies in Westerville who wanted to go 6 miles at 11-11:30 pace. I've been able to hold my 3 miles runs in the pace range this week, so I thought I might be able to hang with them for part of it. I decided not to look at my watch and just stick with them the first two miles. Since I haven't run in the humidity since last weekend, I had a tough time the first mile. It got hot very quickly and my body seems to take forever to warm up. By the time I reached mile two, when I separated from the group, I felt so much better. The girls were a good distraction from the tough start. I decided to just run what felt comfortable the last two miles and focus on my gait and posture. I was pleasantly surprised to see my overall average when I stopped. I had no pain at all the entire run!!! I felt like I slowed down a bit at various times when Baby Boo Deux was pushing down, but those moments lasted seconds. Today, I am so thankful that I was brave enough to run with these girls. It reminded me of the joy I feel running with others that love this sport.
  

  

  Saturday's crew! [Emily, Tracie, ME, Emily, Bethany]

• 7/24/16: REST. I started to go for a run but felt really tired from Saturday's festivities. After running yesterday, there was a lot of household choring (made up word?) and moving of furniture (James got his big boy bed!)...that just did me in. Today, we did a ton of shopping and rearranged the extra bedroom so that I could turn it into the breastfeeding room.
  

  

  You can't tell I'm pregnant from behind. I turn around then...BAM!

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My only belly pic this week. OOPS.

How Far Along: 36 weeks, 5 days

 

What Baby Boo Deux is Up To: 

 

Weight Gain: 31 lbs. Starting weight 112 lbs., current weight 143 lbs.

    

 

Symptoms: Sore pelvis toward the end of the day.

 

 

Cravings/Aversions: Coffee has gone back to being iffy but I can tolerate it sometimes.

 

 

Coming Up: OB appointment on Tuesday!

D.O.A.P.: 35 Weeks

Diary of a Prunner

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 I rested a lot from running in the middle of the week. I've been really concerned about my knee. I know it's a pain that has resulted from my foot injury. (SCREAM!!!) Because of my mess of a leg, I decided to really focus on strengthening the next couple of months rather than how often I get to run. I hope this will benefit me more than getting the miles that I desire.

• 7/11/16: 2 miles, 12:46/mile. I intended to wake up early and enjoy cooler weather, but getting up early just isn't happening nowadays. I need to sleep when I can! Because of life, I had to wait until after 8pm to head out. I wanted to get back in time to kiss and hug my little munchkin before he went to bed (which meant I only had time for two miles). I decided to skip a walking warm up because I wanted to get in as much running as possible. I felt ok-ish at first, but my pain settled in fairly quickly. It would come and go, but I just dealt with it so I could get home. Even though running isn't as tolerable as I'd like it to be, I'm still enjoying every moment out there.
  

  

  One of the reasons time was limited...but the best reason. Love my boy.

• 7/12/16: 4 miles cycling, 15 minutes; 1.5 miles running, 20:08. I was going to take today off of running and just stick to cycling, but the treadmill was very tempting. When I do walk/run intervals outside, I never really know my mile splits. I just guess the range by looking at my pace occasionally. I ended up doing a walking warm up of 0.25 miles, 1 mile at 12 min/mile, 0.25 walking cool down. The running portion was actually pretty easy with regards to cardiovascular/respiratory systems. It was my leg pain that stopped me. I came to the realization that I need to focus more on my leg strengthening the next two months. I figure, I'm not going to shatter any running records before I have the baby. After the baby, I'm sure I'll have to take 4 weeks off of running. I might as well put a huge focus on my strengthening in the meantime so it can be nice and strong when I make my comeback.
• 7/13/16: REST. Even though my leg was bothering me all day, it was so hard to rest today because I had a short work day and a lot of extra time to spare. I was so exhausted, though, that I knew resting was necessary. I did spend some time thinking about the changes I needed to make to get stronger and survive this phase.
• 7/14/16: Leg Beasting. I got with my hubs to help me think of ideas for a good leg strengthening program. I came up with a good list and put it into action today. There are some exercises I can do daily, and others that I'll do just a few times a week. My hope is that focusing on this the rest of my pregnancy and the 4 weeks post pregnancy (the weeks I won't be allowed to run), will get me strong enough to tolerate running again.
• 7/15/16: 8 cycling miles, 30:02. After waking up and seeing my only patient for the day, I decided my leg was still irritated enough that I shouldn't run (three days in a row...UGH). As much as resting from running is annoying me, I know it's the best thing. I just want to enjoy the moments that I am able to run while pregnant rather then being in intense pain every time. The cycling felt great, and I was still able to get a great workout.
• 7/16/16: 3.25 miles, 12:28/mile.  I did a 0.25 mile walking warm up and ran 3 miles. My pain was the worst in the first mile, but I felt mostly warmed up after that. I find it so frustrating, though, that my lungs feel like they can go so much faster but my leg doesn't want to cooperate.
  

  

  James LOVES being in my post run selfies. He asks me everyday, "Did you go running, mommy?!"

• 7/17/16: 3.1 miles, 11:25/mile. As sore as I was yesterday from running then prepping/hosting the hillbilly party, I woke up feeling great (sleepy, but not sore). I was planning to do my leg rehab and nothing else, but my knee didn't bother me at all through the morning or afternoon. We decided to do family gym time at The Y, so I hit up the treadmill. Because of time constraints, I skipped a walking warm up. It ended up working out in my favor. I had my usual knee pain the first half mile, but it mostly went away after that! I was so excited. I could feel that my knee wasn't right, but I wouldn't consider it a pain. I did start to get weak towards the end of the run and my knee gave way a time or two. Other than that, I felt really good about this run. I had no signs of ankle or foot pain. I started the pace at 12mm and progressed to 10:50-ish pace. It was a great end to my week!
  

  

  He's the best little dude.

 

 

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How Far Along: 35 weeks, 5 days

 

What Baby Boo Deux is Up To: OB appointment was short and sweet. Baby Boo Deux's heart rate was in the 130's, and doc says he's still predicting a 6 lbs. and some change baby.

 

Weight Gain: 30-ish lbs.

    

 

Symptoms: Sleep is so back and forth. Hopefully I'll have more good nights than bad in my future.

 

 

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing.

 

 

Coming Up: OB appointment two weeks from this past Tuesday...then I'll start weekly appointments. Eek. I get to look forward to a vaginal exam. Super.

D.O.A.P.: 34 Weeks

 Diary of a Prunner

 

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 Trial and error continues. This is just the way it will be until baby comes. I've decided I'm too unpredictable to commit to any more group runs. The downfall to this is simply that I won't be as motivated to get up if I have to run in the morning. Oh well, I'm a month from having a baby so that's my excuse!

• 7/4/16: 3.1 stroller miles, 12:49/mile. This run probably shouldn't have happened, but I'm not always the brightest crayon in the box. I originally planned this to be a rest day, but I was antsy to go for a run because I felt fine and all of my friends kept posting about how awesome their runs were! When my boys went down for a nap, I decided I would head out for a run. On my way down the stairs, I slipped on the top step and fell all the way down! This was not my first rodeo...I fall down those freaking steps all the time. I screamed out of fear and pain loud enough that the hubs popped out of bed to "save" me. I felt I was ok, but my elbow was very sore. I iced it and decided I could still run. About that time, James was waking up. Ugh. I didn't want Jimmy to miss out on his nap so I decided I would take James on the run with me. This was the point that someone should have stopped my crazy thinking! I got James all strapped in and we were off. I thought I was going to die. I wasn't in pain, but I was SO TIRED! It was freaking humid out. I made it to 1.9 miles and decided to walk for 0.10 miles. I "ran" the rest of the time. Never again.
  

  

  I can't resist taking him on a run when he's so eager.

• 7/5/16: REST. I woke up this morning SO SORE from falling down the stairs. My neck and upper back were so tight, and I had a bruise on my butt. I was overall sluggish and knew I needed to take the day off.
• 7/6/16: 4 miles, 11:20/mile. My butt hurts. I was still sore from falling down the stairs. Honestly, I think I'm more sore today than yesterday. I met up with a great group of ladies in Westerville for a 4 miler. I'm starting to think 4 miles is my limit before needing to incorporate walking. My ankle bothered me the last mile today. We stopped occasionally to let other runners catch up since it was super early (safety, people!!). I think the stop/start irritates my ankle a bit. Also, it seemed like we were constantly on either an incline or decline. My ankle just isn't used to that yet. I had a great time getting to know some new ladies and talking about our different running journeys.
  

  

  I ran with a new, wonderful group of ladies. They didn't kill me too much!

• 7/7/16: REST. I started this day wanting to rest because I still had some soreness from falling but mainly because my ankle was bothering me during yesterday's run. As the day continued, I felt better and better, and my soreness had subsided. I decided to take advantage of some free time that evening and go for a run. I donned all of my gear (including clothes that really don't fit me at the moment), and set out for at least an hour long adventure. I kid you not, ONE STEP into this run, I had a shooting pain from my big toe up the inside of my ankle/leg up to my knee. I have never experienced this before and wasn't sure what was going on. I decided to try to run and see if it went away. Only 0.10 miles into my run, I had to stop and walk. I was hoping to walk it off, but it didn't help. I only made it a quarter mile out when I knew that this wasn't going to happen. I turned around and went back home. UGH!! I was so mad!!! I hope it's a fluke.
• 7/8/16: 3 miles, 13:32/mile. I was having the same pain at the beginning of this run but decided to approach things differently rather than give up. I've always required lengthy warm ups before feeling great. I walked about 0.15 miles before trying to run. I made it about a quarter mile and had it in my head that I would have to walk the rest of my workout. This didn't settle well with me. I walked less than a half mile when I decided to give it a go. My pain had decreased slightly. I decided I would just do walk/run intervals based on my pain. To make myself feel better, I thought of it as a fartlek run. ;) After 1.5 miles of doing this, I started my next running portion. I gave myself a pep talk and kept repeating "Relax, Lisa. Just relax." I was able to run the next 1.5 miles without walking! Today wasn't my best attempt, but, after yesterday, I was very happy to be able to run with minimal pain.
  

  

  Not my best run, but definitely my best effort.

• 7/9/16: 3.5 miles, 12:42/mile. Today was even better than yesterday. I still had some funky pain, but it subsided after warming up. The workout ended up being [0.25 miles walking, 1.5 miles running] x2. When I got into the heart of Huron (we were visiting the family cottage at Lake Erie), there was a festival and parade filling the streets. Having the people around motivated me to keep going. Of course, it was hot enough that I stripped my shirt a half mile into the run. I had my middle finger ready for anyone who had a problem with it! I kid, I kid. In my pregnancy running experience, most people have been very nice about it (as if their opinion matters anyway). During my last running segment, there was a lady sitting on the curb watching the parade from a distance. As I passed her on the sidewalk, she looked at me like I was stupid and insane then said (in what seemed a condescending tone) "Doesn't that hurt?"  I paused for a split second to think about how to respond. The first nice thing I thought to say was "I'm a runner. This is what I do no matter my situation." What I really wanted to say was "Doesn't sitting on your ass hurt?" or "No, it actually doesn't hurt. You should try it sometime." or the classic "Shut the F up." Leave it to a non runner to comment on something they simply cannot and will not understand. My passion for running is deep. What she didn't realize is that the hatorade she was sippin' on motivated me even more.
  

  

  Lake Erie weekend!

• 7/10/16: REST. We traveled back to Columbus, and all I could think about was getting my hands on the lawn mower. I love to mow and haven't been able to do it at all this year because of my injury. It was glorious. It gave Jimmy time to take a nap while James helped me with his fake lawn mower. This was enough to make my ankle just a little sore.

 

 

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I was in the back seat with my sweet boy, and he asked to hold my hand. Be still my heart. These moments don't happen often.

How Far Along: 34 weeks, 5 days

 

What Baby Boo Deux is Up To: OMG. This booger moves so much! I LOVE it. I did have some crazy false labor on Friday night. It only lasted a couple of hours (unlike my 14 hour fake-out with James at 36 weeks!). I knew it wasn't real simply because it didn't hurt that bad. It was just uncomfortable. My belly would tighten like with a contraction, and it was happening every couple/few minutes. It did get my mind thinking about the real thing and freaked me out a bit!

 

Weight Gain: Didn't weigh myself this week.

    

 

Symptoms: So very tired at the beginning of the week, but my sleep started to improve the second half. I had decent energy over the weekend so that was nice.

 

 

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing.

 

 

Coming Up: OB appointment Tuesday.