starting over and giveaway

I am back, well sort of …  Levi Joseph was born 8 weeks early on April 11, 2011. He has been in the hospital for three weeks and comes home tomorrow. I CANNOT wait! So far I have lost 20lbs, but I still have a lot more to go. I will be cleared for exercise in 3 weeks and will start slow with a new running program and working back up my fitness. For right now I will walk and keep up with two kids

I have been following other blogs, even though I have not kept up with my own and I saw a giveaway for the Mile Markers Book by Kristin Armstrong and I would love to win!

Here is the link if you are interested  …

http://paceofme.blogspot.com/2011/04/mile-markers-by-kristin-armstrong-my.html?showComment=1304280374641#c866815421198433735

running a new race

I have been absent on here because I have been wrapping my mind around a new race I will be running called pregnancy. Yes, I do have a 5 year old daughter, but back when I was pregnant with her life was different. I was slightly overweight and not a runner. This time its different, I want to eat healthy, I want to continue running and come out on the other end stronger for it. For those of you who don’t know my daughter was born 10 weeks premature and fought for her life.

This pregnancy wasn’t planned due to the fear of that happening again, but now that we are pregnant we are excited and blessed at the prospect of a new little one. With my history though my doctor has already told me that I will probably have to stop running at some point during this pregnancy if not go on complete bedrest. UGH. Not what I wanted to hear. So we will take this journey one step at a time as it comes. For right now I am back the treadmill as winter is approaching and I am running more for time than speed. I do at least 30 minutes, up to an hour a day. I take 1-2 days off per week.

Whatever this pregnancy brings though I already can’t wait to shake the dust off my BOB running stroller and get out their once again with baby in tow!

10 days and counting

 

Well, I am running my 3rd half marathon this year in 10 days and what happens I of course hurt my leg while doing the shred. Its a strange injury because the most pain is from my adductor muscle, but I think because I compensate, my ITB hurts as well. I am at a loss at what to do because I can’t just not run, but I also don’t want to hurt it more.

I have been running only 3 times a week at this point to give it a few days to heal, but nothing changes. No worse, no better. This happened with my calf 2 weeks before my full marathon as well and then boom, during the marathon I felt fine, took a week off after to recover and no pain since. I did alot to treat that injury, laser therapy, foam rolling, KT tape ect. I am hoping this one heals up as well.

I am able to run its just sore and tight. It actually feels better after a run once I am warmed up. As with the marathon, I am sure I will surprise myself and be fine, but the mental games leading up the day are insane.

Also, the colder days and late arrival of the sun in the am are messing with the morning runs. I know some like the cooler weather, me – not so much! Tonights low will be 46C. NO!

The bottom line though, is I LOVE running. For me its a stress reliever, me time, an addiction I can be proud of and for that I am grateful!

10 days and counting …

30 day shred

Back when I lost all my weight last year I was doing the 30 day shred and running 6 days a week. When marathon training ramped up I cut back on doing the shred because my body was aching and I couldn’t keep up with it all.

Now that marathon training is over and slowly some of the weight has sadly crept back up on me I am re-vamping and incorporating the 30 day shred once again.

I am on day 3 and incredibly sore. Its crazy how I can run 26.2 miles and come away barely sore, but a couple days of this and I can’t walk down the stairs! I started the shred on day 30 of my fall half marathon so hopefully I can keep it up till the end and be a stronger runner for it.

I am taking before and after pix and will share someday when I get the guts!

Applefest Half Marathon

I signed up for the Applefest Half Marathon in Hollis, NH with Jason while he is on leave. I am excited and striving to beat my current PR which is 2:05. I would love to finish sub-2 hours and that is what I am training toward.

I did my first speedwork this morning. Usually I just run for distance. It was different and defintely pushed some limits, but I think it will be good to bring me to another level in my training. I live 1.5 miles from a high school track so its a perfect warm-up run to the track and cool-down back home.

Strawberry Run 5 Miler

So its been a crazy couple of weeks, at the end of June we moved. As I am sure most of you know it is ALOT of work. Thankfully its done and we are settled. The morning of our move I was schedule to dot he Strawberry Run 5 miler. I started talking myself out of running it due to the move and other issues, but thankfully in the end I made the right decision and ran it.

Last year I had to opt out due to a stress fracture, I wasn’t going to let that happen this year. It is a small town race, and along a familiar route I have run many times in the past.

My goal was to beat 45 minutes, I started slow and pushed hard at the end. My time 43:54!!

Right now I am taking it easy, I have been running every other day and doing Jillian’s Yoga Meltdown on the opposing days.  In about a week I start a 10 week training program for my next half marathon at the end of September. I would love to PR and finish in 2 hours!

You pretended the snooze button didn’t exist. You dragged your butt out of bed while others slept. While others ate their pancakes. You had a feast of protein, glucose and electrolytes. You doubled-knotted. You left the porch light on and locked the door behind you. You ran. 5Ks, 10Ks, 13.1 miles, 26.2 miles. Some day more, some day less. You rewarded a long run with a short run. And a short run with a long run. Rain tried to slow you. Sun tried to microwave you. Snow made you feel like a warrior. You cramped. You bonked. You paid no mind to comfort. On weekends. On holidays. You made excuses to keep going. You questioned yourself. Played mind games. Put your heart before your knees. Listened to your breathing. Sweat sunscreen into your eyes. You hit the wall. You ran through it. You decided to be a woman about it. Finished what you started. Proved what you were made of. Just kept putting mile after miles on your internal odometer. You are a runner. You do it because you can. You will do it for as long as you can. -Nike