On Saturday morning, my husband had to go out with the Boy Scouts Troop and collect food for a local food bank. He came home at around 9 am, so I was ready to get up and go running. My husband then announced that he wasn't done yet, and had to go back, and would be home around 10:30 am.
I was already hungry by this time. I figured I would be starving by 10:30 and running while starving would not be too conducive to the run. Therefore, I decided to make myself an egg and turkey bagel w/ hummus. I also made some eggs for my children. Eggs have quickly been becoming a favorite around here. It is a tasty, cost-effective protein :)
My husband was 30 minutes off when he gave me his estimate on returning home. He got home much closer to 10 am, than to 10:30 am. I like to get my runs done as soon as possible. I don't like to give myself time to talk myself out of going for a run. When he arrived home, I went upstairs and changed into some running clothes. It was a bit cooler than it had been on recent runs, so I put on a jacket, my ear warmers and some mittens. I told my husband I would be home in about 40 minutes.
As soon as I stepped out of the front door, I turned on my stopwatch and off I went. I was feeling really good. I love getting my run done in the morning. It frees up the rest of my day to do whatever it is that I feel like doing. As I ran, I enjoyed the brisk cold air. I was very happy that I had on my mittens and ear warmers. I wouldn't have enjoyed it so much without them. I am not a fan of being cold.
I continued my run to Center Street. There is a small incline as you run up Center Street. You wouldn't notice it if you are driving, but it is definitely there. The further I ran on Center Street, the more dogs I would hear barking. I am so thankful for fenced-in dogs. I ran past a Yellow Lab on one side of the street. A little further down, there was a Golden Retriever and a Rottweiler, fenced-in together. I have a fear of Rottweilers. My parents' dog, Duke, was attacked by one, while I was walking him. The Rottweiler just tossed him around like he was a rag doll.
Once I turned the corner onto another street, I was thankful. This street was a bit more quiet. It was on this street that I could tell that it might have been a good idea to let my food settle a little longer. I started to realize that this breakfast was too heavy to eat before a run. Oh well, what could I do when I was halfway through the run. I just kept going.
I reached the halfway point and turned around. A little bit passed the halfway point, on my way back home, I decided I should take off my jacket. I felt like it had warmed up. I know I had warmed up by that point. I wrapped the jacket around my waste and kept on going. By the time I reached Center Street again, I had wished that I was a nudist, because I was really hot. I would have been happy stripping everything off and continuing my run. I wouldn't have really considered stripping, but I really was hot.
By the time I reached mile three, I was very happy. It meant I was home. It meant that, although I had ran too soon after eating, I didn't throw up. I ran up my driveway, turned off my stopwatch and stepped into the house. I finished my run in 35:39.26. I announced that someone would be coming to the door soon and went and took off my mittens and my ear warmers. The doorbell rang and someone was inviting the children to an Easter Egg Hunt this next weekend.
It is always wonderful to get home after a run! I had a Klondike Bar and was ready for the rest of my day :) Oh, and as far as the Boy Scout Food Collection, my husband reported that was successful as well!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
1.38 Miles into a 2 Mile Run
I had to do a two-mile run this evening. It is much easier to do the runs in the evening when my husband gets home. When I tried to run with my daughter in the jogger, it took much longer to get it over with and it was much harder than I had imagined. I have a nice imagination, I imagined that it would be very easy to push a 10+ pound stroller with a 20 pound baby in it. The reality of it, it isn't easy to push a 10+ pound stroller with a 20 pound baby in it. I need to figure out how to enjoy it, because eventually I am going to have to run much further and I am not sure I will be able to complete the runs before sunset.
Tonight as I ran, I was enjoying it. It was going well. I could breathe well and it didn't seem like it was very hard. Then, for whatever reason, at 1.38 miles, I got really hard. I don't know if I hit the proverbial wall, or what happened, but it got really hard.
The thoughts in my mind went something like this: "You can do this. This isn't hard. You ran a 5K on Saturday, so this is easier. You are more than halfway through the run, you got this." I was trying to convince myself that I was fine.
I kept that going on during my run. Then at about 1.5 miles, I started telling myself: "You can slow down. It is okay to take it easy. You are running faster than your SmartCoach plan tells you to anyway."
Well, I kept running. I kept a rather steady pace. I reminded myself that I have a three-mile run on Saturday, so it was important to keep running today. I went on to remind myself that next week I will have a four-mile run, so I really can't give up on a two-mile.
Am I the only one that holds conversations, in my mind, while running? I give myself a pep talk, try to convince myself that it is okay to slow down, but keep on going anyway. I haven't ran with an MP3 player since I found out I was pregnant with my toddler. I get to hear all the sounds of the road and of the city. Maybe this is why I take the time to listen to all the thoughts I'm having.
I was happy to complete my run. I came home to my slow cooker lasagna and then headed to Walgreens. I bought some Hersheys Kisses and some Fish Oil capsules. I had a sick child at home today so I didn't do much. It was nice to get out.
Tonight as I ran, I was enjoying it. It was going well. I could breathe well and it didn't seem like it was very hard. Then, for whatever reason, at 1.38 miles, I got really hard. I don't know if I hit the proverbial wall, or what happened, but it got really hard.
The thoughts in my mind went something like this: "You can do this. This isn't hard. You ran a 5K on Saturday, so this is easier. You are more than halfway through the run, you got this." I was trying to convince myself that I was fine.
I kept that going on during my run. Then at about 1.5 miles, I started telling myself: "You can slow down. It is okay to take it easy. You are running faster than your SmartCoach plan tells you to anyway."
Well, I kept running. I kept a rather steady pace. I reminded myself that I have a three-mile run on Saturday, so it was important to keep running today. I went on to remind myself that next week I will have a four-mile run, so I really can't give up on a two-mile.
Am I the only one that holds conversations, in my mind, while running? I give myself a pep talk, try to convince myself that it is okay to slow down, but keep on going anyway. I haven't ran with an MP3 player since I found out I was pregnant with my toddler. I get to hear all the sounds of the road and of the city. Maybe this is why I take the time to listen to all the thoughts I'm having.
I was happy to complete my run. I came home to my slow cooker lasagna and then headed to Walgreens. I bought some Hersheys Kisses and some Fish Oil capsules. I had a sick child at home today so I didn't do much. It was nice to get out.
Monday, March 18, 2013
A Run Around the Block with my Kids
This evening I had to do a two-mile run. I could have done it this morning, with the baby in her jogger, but it was a bit on the chilly side and she has had a runny nose. It was 34 degrees this morning. Instead of running, I decided to go grocery shopping. I think I have everything I need for the week. I am not, and never have I been, a fan of shopping, of any kind. I don't like going grocery shopping or clothes shopping. I am sure I would enjoy chocolate shopping, but have never gone on a shopping trip, strictly to buy chocolate.
When my husband got home from work, I went downstairs and asked the children if they wanted to go on a two-mile run with me. I figured they did so well in the mile run, I might as well see if they wanted to run again. They didn't agree to two-miles. Since I was going to run with them, I was going to do three laps around the block and then to the end of the street and back. My two middle children (9 y/o daughter and 5 y/o son) decided they would run with me. They agreed to one trip around the block, which is .62 miles. I figured that was better than nothing.
My daughter grabbed a pair of flat church shoes and my son put his shoes on the wrong feet. I told my daughter not to wear her church shoes, and I told my son to switch the shoes to the right feet. My son listened, my daughter didn't. She ran around the block in her church shoes. She did well. She would have come in first in the trip around the block, except for my son decided to run across the lawn when we got in front of the house, instead of going up the driveway like my daughter did. He laughed the whole time he ran up the lawn announcing he was going to win. I smiled.
While we were running and were on the street we don't live on, a little girl asked my daughter where my older son was. My daughter announced that he was at home watching "Alex vs Alex." I thought it was cute that she was asking. I asked my daughter, when I got home, who the little girl was. She is someone that has a crush on my son.
When we got back to our house, and my children ran inside, I still had over a mile to run. I decided to run to the children's school and back. The fewer times I run passed my house, the less tempting it is for me to run inside and not finish the complete mileage I need to. When I got to the school, I decided I would run half way down the block so when I got home I wouldn't have to run back to the church to complete the 2 miles. Halfway down the block, I decided that I would run all the way to Main Street, then down to the road that connects with mine, and then home.
When I got home, we ate dinner. I had it ready before I went for my run. I had expected that the kids and my husband would eat without me. They didn't. We had Shake-N-Bake chicken tenderloins, brown rice, I added fresh tomatoes, green onion and cheese to mine, and salad. It was a good meal.
After dinner, I figured out how far I ran. I love mapmyrun.com . It lets you figure out the distance by mapping out where you ran. I ended up running 2.15 miles. It was a nice run. The things I love most about running is that, to me, it is a stress reducer, anxiety reducer, and anti-depressant. It also helps that it is free. I enjoy running outside, so I don't need a gym membership. I do need to buy new running shoes, socks and clothing every so often, but I would need to do that otherwise. I pay to run races, but that is because I choose to. No one makes me run races that cost money, they just keep me motivated.
When was the last time you ran with someone you love? It is wonderful to get out there and run with someone else. I look forward to running many races with my children, and perhaps, someday my husband will run with me too.
When my husband got home from work, I went downstairs and asked the children if they wanted to go on a two-mile run with me. I figured they did so well in the mile run, I might as well see if they wanted to run again. They didn't agree to two-miles. Since I was going to run with them, I was going to do three laps around the block and then to the end of the street and back. My two middle children (9 y/o daughter and 5 y/o son) decided they would run with me. They agreed to one trip around the block, which is .62 miles. I figured that was better than nothing.
My daughter grabbed a pair of flat church shoes and my son put his shoes on the wrong feet. I told my daughter not to wear her church shoes, and I told my son to switch the shoes to the right feet. My son listened, my daughter didn't. She ran around the block in her church shoes. She did well. She would have come in first in the trip around the block, except for my son decided to run across the lawn when we got in front of the house, instead of going up the driveway like my daughter did. He laughed the whole time he ran up the lawn announcing he was going to win. I smiled.
While we were running and were on the street we don't live on, a little girl asked my daughter where my older son was. My daughter announced that he was at home watching "Alex vs Alex." I thought it was cute that she was asking. I asked my daughter, when I got home, who the little girl was. She is someone that has a crush on my son.
When we got back to our house, and my children ran inside, I still had over a mile to run. I decided to run to the children's school and back. The fewer times I run passed my house, the less tempting it is for me to run inside and not finish the complete mileage I need to. When I got to the school, I decided I would run half way down the block so when I got home I wouldn't have to run back to the church to complete the 2 miles. Halfway down the block, I decided that I would run all the way to Main Street, then down to the road that connects with mine, and then home.
When I got home, we ate dinner. I had it ready before I went for my run. I had expected that the kids and my husband would eat without me. They didn't. We had Shake-N-Bake chicken tenderloins, brown rice, I added fresh tomatoes, green onion and cheese to mine, and salad. It was a good meal.
After dinner, I figured out how far I ran. I love mapmyrun.com . It lets you figure out the distance by mapping out where you ran. I ended up running 2.15 miles. It was a nice run. The things I love most about running is that, to me, it is a stress reducer, anxiety reducer, and anti-depressant. It also helps that it is free. I enjoy running outside, so I don't need a gym membership. I do need to buy new running shoes, socks and clothing every so often, but I would need to do that otherwise. I pay to run races, but that is because I choose to. No one makes me run races that cost money, they just keep me motivated.
When was the last time you ran with someone you love? It is wonderful to get out there and run with someone else. I look forward to running many races with my children, and perhaps, someday my husband will run with me too.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
St Patty's March Run/Walk 5K
Early this week, on my Facebook page, there was an advertisement for the run that I did this morning. There were a few different choices, there was going to be a 10K, 5K and a 1 mile fun run this morning. There was also going to be free pancakes for runners and their supporters, an obstacle course and face painting for the children.
I didn't know if I was actually going to do this run until this morning. If I could have made up my mind by a couple of days ago, I would have saved myself $9. Since my toddler has not been feeling very well, I had to take that into consideration. I also took a peek at weather.com which indicated that it may be a rainy morning. This was also taken into consideration. I figured I should wait until today to see how the weather was, and how the baby was doing.
When I woke up, at 7:30 am, the weather was overcast, but there at been no rain. The baby had slept well and her nose wasn't running quite as bad as it had been the past few days. I took a step outside and it wasn't too cool. I decided that we would do it. This made my children happy. They were excited for the fun run, the obstacle course, and the (green) pancake breakfast.
This was the first 5K I have done since I gave birth in October 2011. I think the last one I did before that was Jan 1, 2011. The fastest timed 5K I have completed was 29:58. I was so excited that day that I had finally beat 30 minutes. My time today was 36:20. I came in 38th place overall and 15th in my age group. Someday I will break that 30 minute mark again, but for now, I am happy to have finished it running.
I started running again at the beginning of the year. I was doing a couch to 1 mile with my sister and continue to run with her. I started running non-stop about a month and half ago, and then decided to figure out what kind of running I need to do to be ready for a half-marathon. This is week 3, so I had to do a 3 mile run today, so this race fit in perfectly.
After I finished the 5K, there was about a 45 minute break before the 1 mile fun run. My 5 year-old wanted to do the mile with my 8 year-old and my son who will be 10 tomorrow. I didn't think that he would be able to keep up, so I decided to run that one so he wouldn't be by himself. At the starting line, there was a 3 or 4 year-old child in front of me. When the race started, he immediately fell down, face first. I bent right over and picked him up and held him up face level to make sure he was okay. He looked at me and immediately started crying, I am a stranger, of course. By this time, a concerned parent came running over and I handed him over.
By the time the child was returned to a parent, my children were at least a minute up the road. I decided to run it anyway. I never caught up with them, but I could see them the whole way. I was very proud of them. They all stayed pretty much together. I finished in 11:11 and I am guessing the finished in close to 10 minutes. Now, I just need to keep them running. I was amazed that my 5 year-old did so well. After the race, he said to me, "See Mommy, I told you I was super fast." I smiled and told him that he is really fast.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Running in the Evening
Today I had to do a three-mile run. I knew that it wasn't going to happen with the baby in the jogger. I might not be able to do a three-mile run with her in the jogger until I am able to do a five-mile run without her in the jogger. I had to wait to do my run until my husband got home from work.
It is amazing how much more energy I had in the evening, than I have had in the mornings. I ran the three miles in 36 minutes, and this included some inclines, so I was happy with that time. I imagine the energy difference is because I never eat in the morning before my runs. That means I am generally running after not eating for 10 to 12 hours.
I am training for a half-marathon that is downhill. It should be fun. Sometimes I wonder what I have gotten myself into. The only thing I realize is that if I didn't sign up and pay for it, I wouldn't be running now. I know myself well enough, that I have to be financially invested in a race, in order to be sure I train for it. I also save money if I sign up earlier. I like to save money.
This week I have two, three-mile runs, and one, two-mile run. My two-mile run is on Wednesday, so at least the runs get broken up this week. I enjoy running, but I miss the days when the two- and three-mile runs were easy runs. Now, even though they are labeled as "easy runs" on my SmartCoach training calendar from www.runnersworld.com , they are not something I call easy. I keep reminding myself that these really will be easy one day. These will be short runs. Right now, they are long runs and difficult.
I try to ingrain in my head how these runs are. I think I do this so that I can remember when I run four miles or five miles and I feel the same way, I can remember that I pushed through before and I can do it again. In my marathons, I ended up walking in both of them. Once I started walking, I didn't walk the whole time, but I did walk. The first marathon, when I ended up needing to walk, I felt defeated. People would be cheering me on, even as I walked, and I felt like I had let myself down. At some points, I was holding back tears, because I was disappointed in myself. I wanted to run the whole thing.
My second marathon rolled along six weeks later. I had once again hoped to run the whole way. I didn't run the whole way that time either, but I did run two miles further before I started to walk. I started to walk at 18 miles, instead of the 16 previously. I was happy that I made it further, but still disappointed. I hope to, someday, complete a marathon without walking. I don't know if/when it will be possible, but I hope it is possible someday.
With this being said, I am thankful for a healthy body. I am thankful for legs that can carry me. I am thankful that I can walk, that I can run. I am thankful for my family that supports me. I am thankful that my sister runs with me. I am looking forward to doing some races with her. It is always nice to have someone to run or exercise with.
It is amazing how much more energy I had in the evening, than I have had in the mornings. I ran the three miles in 36 minutes, and this included some inclines, so I was happy with that time. I imagine the energy difference is because I never eat in the morning before my runs. That means I am generally running after not eating for 10 to 12 hours.
I am training for a half-marathon that is downhill. It should be fun. Sometimes I wonder what I have gotten myself into. The only thing I realize is that if I didn't sign up and pay for it, I wouldn't be running now. I know myself well enough, that I have to be financially invested in a race, in order to be sure I train for it. I also save money if I sign up earlier. I like to save money.
This week I have two, three-mile runs, and one, two-mile run. My two-mile run is on Wednesday, so at least the runs get broken up this week. I enjoy running, but I miss the days when the two- and three-mile runs were easy runs. Now, even though they are labeled as "easy runs" on my SmartCoach training calendar from www.runnersworld.com , they are not something I call easy. I keep reminding myself that these really will be easy one day. These will be short runs. Right now, they are long runs and difficult.
I try to ingrain in my head how these runs are. I think I do this so that I can remember when I run four miles or five miles and I feel the same way, I can remember that I pushed through before and I can do it again. In my marathons, I ended up walking in both of them. Once I started walking, I didn't walk the whole time, but I did walk. The first marathon, when I ended up needing to walk, I felt defeated. People would be cheering me on, even as I walked, and I felt like I had let myself down. At some points, I was holding back tears, because I was disappointed in myself. I wanted to run the whole thing.
My second marathon rolled along six weeks later. I had once again hoped to run the whole way. I didn't run the whole way that time either, but I did run two miles further before I started to walk. I started to walk at 18 miles, instead of the 16 previously. I was happy that I made it further, but still disappointed. I hope to, someday, complete a marathon without walking. I don't know if/when it will be possible, but I hope it is possible someday.
With this being said, I am thankful for a healthy body. I am thankful for legs that can carry me. I am thankful that I can walk, that I can run. I am thankful for my family that supports me. I am thankful that my sister runs with me. I am looking forward to doing some races with her. It is always nice to have someone to run or exercise with.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Running a 5K and an ItWorks! Wrap Party
I woke up yesterday morning. I knew that I had a three mile run ahead of me. I lay there trying to convince myself to get up and get ready to go. I had not run three miles in almost a year. I knew that it wasn't going to be an easy task. I finally convinced myself to get up and do it. It took a good fifteen or twenty minutes.
Around my block is .62 miles. From my house to where my children go to school and back is 1.28 miles, according to www.mapmyrun.com . Before I started my run, I told my husband that I was going to run around the block five times. That was my full intent. Anyone that lives in this area knows that yesterday was quite windy. I don't know if everyday is windy in Utah, or just the days I decide to run. In fact, at one point later in the day, my nine year-old was out riding his scooter and came inside and told us that the wind was pushing him.
By the time I finished my third lap, I knew that I was tired and I didn't want to run anymore. This was not an option. I had to do three miles, and that was what I was going to do. At this point, I decided that if I ran around the block again, for the fourth time, I might not be able to convince myself to do the fifth time around. It would be really easy to run into the house, pat myself on the back, and tell myself I did a good job running 2.48 miles. So, I decided I would run to the children's school and back. That way, there was no chance that I would give up and run inside.
I continued to run. Have you even been running and had to convince yourself that you can keep running? I kept telling myself that my legs can do it. That my legs would not just crumble to the ground. They sure felt like they would, but they never had before. I was right, my legs did keep working. I was able to finish this run. It was a bit further than the three miles I had to do. It was 3.14 miles. So, I officially finished my first 5K of the year. It took a while...38:03 to be exact, but it was finished and I was happy.
I didn't run this with the baby and the jogging stroller. I might have died if I had tried. I am thinking that I am not going to attempt running three miles that way until I can run 5 miles. It is hard to believe that I have a half-marathon on June 15. I have every intent to be completely ready for that. My weight yesterday was138.8 183.8 pounds, so I lost .8 pounds. I will take that any day over gaining weight. That is going in the right direction.
Last night, I hosted an ItWorks! Wrap Party. A good friend of mine from several years ago and his wife did the party. I had a wrap applied to my stomach. It is to help lose inches, tone and firm spots that need help. My stomach isn't as firm as I would hope. I have had four children, which I think contributes to loose skin. Measurements were done around my belly button, and then two inches above and below. In the hour that I had the wrap on, I managed to lose a total of 4.75 inches from the previous measurements. This morning, I had lost another 4.75 inches, for a total of 9.5 inches. I am really excited!
I will post before and after photos. The wraps, and the lotion on them, keep working for 72 hours. I will not have after photos until Tuesday evening. There are also other great products distributed by the ItWorks! Company. I am looking forward to sharing the results :)
Around my block is .62 miles. From my house to where my children go to school and back is 1.28 miles, according to www.mapmyrun.com . Before I started my run, I told my husband that I was going to run around the block five times. That was my full intent. Anyone that lives in this area knows that yesterday was quite windy. I don't know if everyday is windy in Utah, or just the days I decide to run. In fact, at one point later in the day, my nine year-old was out riding his scooter and came inside and told us that the wind was pushing him.
By the time I finished my third lap, I knew that I was tired and I didn't want to run anymore. This was not an option. I had to do three miles, and that was what I was going to do. At this point, I decided that if I ran around the block again, for the fourth time, I might not be able to convince myself to do the fifth time around. It would be really easy to run into the house, pat myself on the back, and tell myself I did a good job running 2.48 miles. So, I decided I would run to the children's school and back. That way, there was no chance that I would give up and run inside.
I continued to run. Have you even been running and had to convince yourself that you can keep running? I kept telling myself that my legs can do it. That my legs would not just crumble to the ground. They sure felt like they would, but they never had before. I was right, my legs did keep working. I was able to finish this run. It was a bit further than the three miles I had to do. It was 3.14 miles. So, I officially finished my first 5K of the year. It took a while...38:03 to be exact, but it was finished and I was happy.
I didn't run this with the baby and the jogging stroller. I might have died if I had tried. I am thinking that I am not going to attempt running three miles that way until I can run 5 miles. It is hard to believe that I have a half-marathon on June 15. I have every intent to be completely ready for that. My weight yesterday was
Last night, I hosted an ItWorks! Wrap Party. A good friend of mine from several years ago and his wife did the party. I had a wrap applied to my stomach. It is to help lose inches, tone and firm spots that need help. My stomach isn't as firm as I would hope. I have had four children, which I think contributes to loose skin. Measurements were done around my belly button, and then two inches above and below. In the hour that I had the wrap on, I managed to lose a total of 4.75 inches from the previous measurements. This morning, I had lost another 4.75 inches, for a total of 9.5 inches. I am really excited!
I will post before and after photos. The wraps, and the lotion on them, keep working for 72 hours. I will not have after photos until Tuesday evening. There are also other great products distributed by the ItWorks! Company. I am looking forward to sharing the results :)
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Running with a Jogging Stroller
Today was a two-mile run. I have a jogger, it is an old jogger. My brother bought it at a consignment shop to use with his daughter. She will be eight soon. I adopted the jogger from him. I have never ran with a jogger before. Can I just say, it is a whole new experience!
I placed the jogger in the van before heading out to bring my children to their respective schools. After getting them to school, I had to head to Wal-Mart. I had to get a bicycle pump so I could pump up the tires of the jogger. They had been flat, for a long time. I pumped up the tires in the Wal-Mart parking lot.
I had been running two miles in under 23 minutes, barely under 23 minutes, but under 23 minutes, nonetheless. It was a different route today. I don't know if it is more than two miles. It is supposed to be a 1/4 mile loop. I ran around it 8 times. It was just under 29 minutes when I finished. I don't know if it is because I was pushing a 21 pound baby and a jogger. I don't know if it is because I can't pump my arms when pushing the jogger. I don't know if the two mile run ended up being closer than three miles. I do know, I was pooped out by the time I finished the eighth lap. After the run, I took a picture of my daughter and I. I had run with her in a stroller a few times before now, but this is going to be serious. Here we are:
My baby had fallen to sleep between Wal-Mart and the trail. She stayed asleep as I put her in the jogger. I am not sure at what point she woke up, but by the time I finished, she was awake. She was not making a sound. I don't know if she was just enjoying the ride or what was going on. I had her all bundled up because I didn't know if she would get cold as I was pushing her.
I have a three mile run on Saturday. I will do this run without her since my husband will be home to take care of her. I haven't run three miles since last year, and I only ran it once. This should be interesting :)
If any of you reading this have run with a jogger stroller and can give some input about the time difference, it would be appreciated.
I placed the jogger in the van before heading out to bring my children to their respective schools. After getting them to school, I had to head to Wal-Mart. I had to get a bicycle pump so I could pump up the tires of the jogger. They had been flat, for a long time. I pumped up the tires in the Wal-Mart parking lot.
I had been running two miles in under 23 minutes, barely under 23 minutes, but under 23 minutes, nonetheless. It was a different route today. I don't know if it is more than two miles. It is supposed to be a 1/4 mile loop. I ran around it 8 times. It was just under 29 minutes when I finished. I don't know if it is because I was pushing a 21 pound baby and a jogger. I don't know if it is because I can't pump my arms when pushing the jogger. I don't know if the two mile run ended up being closer than three miles. I do know, I was pooped out by the time I finished the eighth lap. After the run, I took a picture of my daughter and I. I had run with her in a stroller a few times before now, but this is going to be serious. Here we are:
My baby had fallen to sleep between Wal-Mart and the trail. She stayed asleep as I put her in the jogger. I am not sure at what point she woke up, but by the time I finished, she was awake. She was not making a sound. I don't know if she was just enjoying the ride or what was going on. I had her all bundled up because I didn't know if she would get cold as I was pushing her.
I have a three mile run on Saturday. I will do this run without her since my husband will be home to take care of her. I haven't run three miles since last year, and I only ran it once. This should be interesting :)
If any of you reading this have run with a jogger stroller and can give some input about the time difference, it would be appreciated.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Running Against the Wind and Unleashed Dogs
This morning was a scheduled 2 mile run. It was beautiful out, well, beautiful compared to what I have been facing in the past month. It was probably mid- to high 30s. I put on a technical long sleeve shirt, some long running pants, a jacket, ear warmers, and gloves.
I drove my 5 year-old to school, letting my husband know that I would be stopping to do my run on the way home. I let him know that when the baby woke up, she would have to eat and get changed. Out the door we went.
My son goes to school about 3 miles away. He gets driven to and from school daily. There is a park that has trails marked off so I know which one to use to get my 2 mile run in. After dropping him off, I went back to the park. I put my ear warmers on and my gloves. I stepped out of my car and walked over to where I start, which is just a matter of a few steps. I took a quick glance around to see what I would be dealing with. I noticed a dog with its owner in the distance. At this point is when I always hope that the dog is on leash.
I hit start on my watch's stopwatch and off I went. I need to run around the trail 3 times, as it is a 2/3 mile loop. The first thing I noticed was that it was windy. I am not sure how windy it was, but it was windy enough that it was hard to catch my breath as I ran north and I was still running against the wind as I ran east. These are the first two directions of my run. The north and south distances are the longer ones. I would say that they make up about 1 1/2 of the 2 miles.
It is hard to explain the difference between running against the wind and running with the wind. Even though it was a gentle wind, there was still the resistance of it against me. I don't think I would have realized the resistance, except for when I turned south and then west, it was much easier to run. My breathing got easier. I didn't have to try to suck in the air. My legs didn't have to work as hard. I wonder if I would have appreciated it as much if I had started my run going east and then south. There is a clear difference, when running, between when the wind is at your back or coming directly at your face.
I have to admit, I prefer running outside, far over running inside. Treadmills are what I started training on, back in June 2009. I trained for my whole first half-marathon on the treadmill. There is such a difference between running on a treadmill and on a hard surface. I will run against the wind happily, over running inside. I think it might help with lung development :) I enjoy running against the wind a lot more than running in the snow though.
As I ran, I discovered the dog that I had initially seen in the distance, was not on a leash. Those realizations tend to slow me down. I don't want to get that close to a dog without slowing down and trying to figure out the situation. As I got closer, I realized that it was a young yellow lab. It seemed to be well-trained, as it stayed close to its owner. I still went slower passed it, just to be sure I had correctly accessed the situation. Thankfully, I had. This dog was on the north part of my run.
As I continued running, and rounded the east, then the south, the closer I got to where I would turn west, I made another discovery. There was a woman with a dog. This dog was obviously not on a leash. Once again, I slowed down. As I got closer to the dog, it seemed like an old dog, but I couldn't get a good sense of it. The owner was leaning over, feeding some other dogs through the fence. As I neared, the dog let out a bark at me. I slowed to a walk and then once I got passed it, I continued to run.
I was happy to get passed the dogs. I was even happier that on my second and third times around, the dogs were not there. I don't know for sure why people think it is okay to let their dogs run around without leashes. It has always been a bit of a pet peeve of mine.
My worst dog encounter was when I had my daughter in a baby carrier, and I was kind of doing a slow jog, a couple of dogs ran out from a house when the owner opened the door. I heard a lot of barking and turned to see a dog not too far from me. I turned my body away from the dog, so my daughter was the furthest away. The dog jumped up and bit my arm. If I hadn't had a coat on, I am sure it would have broken the skin. If I hadn't turned my body, it would have gotten my baby in the face.
Do you have any pet peeves about running outside?
I drove my 5 year-old to school, letting my husband know that I would be stopping to do my run on the way home. I let him know that when the baby woke up, she would have to eat and get changed. Out the door we went.
My son goes to school about 3 miles away. He gets driven to and from school daily. There is a park that has trails marked off so I know which one to use to get my 2 mile run in. After dropping him off, I went back to the park. I put my ear warmers on and my gloves. I stepped out of my car and walked over to where I start, which is just a matter of a few steps. I took a quick glance around to see what I would be dealing with. I noticed a dog with its owner in the distance. At this point is when I always hope that the dog is on leash.
I hit start on my watch's stopwatch and off I went. I need to run around the trail 3 times, as it is a 2/3 mile loop. The first thing I noticed was that it was windy. I am not sure how windy it was, but it was windy enough that it was hard to catch my breath as I ran north and I was still running against the wind as I ran east. These are the first two directions of my run. The north and south distances are the longer ones. I would say that they make up about 1 1/2 of the 2 miles.
It is hard to explain the difference between running against the wind and running with the wind. Even though it was a gentle wind, there was still the resistance of it against me. I don't think I would have realized the resistance, except for when I turned south and then west, it was much easier to run. My breathing got easier. I didn't have to try to suck in the air. My legs didn't have to work as hard. I wonder if I would have appreciated it as much if I had started my run going east and then south. There is a clear difference, when running, between when the wind is at your back or coming directly at your face.
I have to admit, I prefer running outside, far over running inside. Treadmills are what I started training on, back in June 2009. I trained for my whole first half-marathon on the treadmill. There is such a difference between running on a treadmill and on a hard surface. I will run against the wind happily, over running inside. I think it might help with lung development :) I enjoy running against the wind a lot more than running in the snow though.
As I ran, I discovered the dog that I had initially seen in the distance, was not on a leash. Those realizations tend to slow me down. I don't want to get that close to a dog without slowing down and trying to figure out the situation. As I got closer, I realized that it was a young yellow lab. It seemed to be well-trained, as it stayed close to its owner. I still went slower passed it, just to be sure I had correctly accessed the situation. Thankfully, I had. This dog was on the north part of my run.
As I continued running, and rounded the east, then the south, the closer I got to where I would turn west, I made another discovery. There was a woman with a dog. This dog was obviously not on a leash. Once again, I slowed down. As I got closer to the dog, it seemed like an old dog, but I couldn't get a good sense of it. The owner was leaning over, feeding some other dogs through the fence. As I neared, the dog let out a bark at me. I slowed to a walk and then once I got passed it, I continued to run.
I was happy to get passed the dogs. I was even happier that on my second and third times around, the dogs were not there. I don't know for sure why people think it is okay to let their dogs run around without leashes. It has always been a bit of a pet peeve of mine.
My worst dog encounter was when I had my daughter in a baby carrier, and I was kind of doing a slow jog, a couple of dogs ran out from a house when the owner opened the door. I heard a lot of barking and turned to see a dog not too far from me. I turned my body away from the dog, so my daughter was the furthest away. The dog jumped up and bit my arm. If I hadn't had a coat on, I am sure it would have broken the skin. If I hadn't turned my body, it would have gotten my baby in the face.
Do you have any pet peeves about running outside?
Saturday, March 2, 2013
An Introduction and Background to this Mommy in Motion
This blog is for motivation, for myself, and possibly for others. As I keep it, I hope that it helps to show that although I am not perfect, and never will be, I am trying to become better. I am 39 years-old, 5'6" and as of this morning 184.6 lbs. I don't expect the first two statistics to change, at least for several months, but I am hoping the last one will decrease dramatically.
I am a mommy of four. I am blessed to have my four little ones and they bring so much joy to my life. Upon finding out I was pregnant with my last child, I stopped running. This is due to the fact that I had been pregnant in May of of 2010 and had a miscarriage. The bleeding started after I did an easy two-mile run. Two miles back then was easy for me. I had completed several 5K and 10K runs and a half-marathon. I was training for a full marathon when I found out I was pregnant. I didn't plan to do a marathon pregnant, but I thought I could keep running. I wanted to stay in shape.
The bleeding started the same day as the run. To me, even if it really had nothing to do with the run, it was too much of a coincidence. I continued to bleed for three weeks, off and on. I would go and get regular ultrasounds. The baby's heartbeat was really weak, but there was still a heartbeat. I would pray really hard that the heart rate would pick up. Finally, one day, the bleeding got really bad. I went back to the doctor and there was no longer a heartbeat. My heart was broken. There is no way to put that pain into words. If you, or your spouse, has ever experienced a miscarriage, it is a bit more understandable to you what I felt. I knew for three weeks that the baby was unlikely to make it, but I kept hoping, kept praying, as any mother would.
The day I found out I had a miscarriage, I felt like I should be running a marathon. I had started running on June 8, 2009, with the purpose of doing my first half-marathon. I had found joy and peace in running around June 8, 2009. I had started with the goal to run, in order to lose weight. I lost weight, rather quickly, but found something I enjoyed in the process. After my miscarriage, I ran a 17.75K a couple weeks later. Much to my surprise, that was a trail run. I had not trained, ever, for a trail run. This was a couple weeks after miscarrying the baby. I had stopped running for the three weeks when I was hoping the baby could make it. That was a difficult run.
I then ran the Akron RoadRunner Marathon on Sept 25, 2010, in 5:39:46. On Nov. 13, 2010, I ran the Richmond SunTrust Marathon in 5:31:46. I found it very interesting that it was exactly 8 minutes less. I didn't run the whole way, I had to walk off and on starting at about mile 16 w/ the first and mile 18 with the second. I was pleased to complete those. So, that is my background. I am not fast, but I enjoy it.
I completely gave up running the day I found out I was pregnant, the next time. That day was February 14, 2011. Yes, Valentines Day. Doctors, nurses, everyone told me that it had nothing to do with the running. I wasn't going to take the chance. I had many problems during my pregnancy, all having to do with the Pemphigoid Gestationis that I was diagnosed with. I had to be on prednisone for 9 months. The problem continued after birth. My baby was born on Oct 5, 2011. She was tiny, but healthy. Due to the problems associated with the Pemphigoid Gestationis, I had an amniocentesis to make sure her lungs were functioning at 37 weeks and 1 day. She was delivered Caesarean section on the next day, weighing in at 6 lbs 3 oz and being 18.5 inches long.
I started running off and on when she was a couple of months old, because I had to let my body heal from the surgery. I admit that it was more off than on. I would run, maybe, a couple times a month. Things would always come up, as any mother of a young baby knows. I would not commit and pay for any races. The commit and pay is a big motivator to me. If I pay for it, I am going to do it, unless my back goes out.
As I started running on Monday, which was the first day in my running plan to do a half-marathon on June 15, 2013, I thought I should start a blog about being in motion. I didn't want it to be part of my family blog, because that is more of a journal about my family and myself. It is something that I try to write in regularly to keep track of fun times and other things that happen around here.
I initially thought, as I ran, that I would call it "A Body in Motion," but that one was taken. "A Mommy in Motion" fits.
My first week called for 2 mile runs on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. I did the first two runs at a local park that has a running trail. The last run, I did in the neighborhood. One of the best things about running is that you can do it anywhere. I love to be able to just step outside and start a run. It doesn't require a gym membership.
My next purchase is going to be a jogger stroller so I can run with my little one while the older children are at school.
Please feel free to follow me and read my blogs. Comments are appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read the introduction to what I hope is a long-life of running from this time forth.
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