Walking into parenthood

Now that I've cleared 37 weeks pregnant and I'm into 38 weeks, we have been trying everything to get things moving along even further. Eating spicy foods, walking, cleaning, etc. - nothing so far. Last week was the first time I actually took a walk around the neighborhood since before bed rest, and man was it weird! To be in my sneakers and moving - getting to do something physical - was exhilarating. Since then, I've walked about five more times with the dogs and Bryon. It's been nice to get out of the house in that way, and I can't help but think of pushing Baby R in a stroller around the block when she's here.

Last night, 2007 Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack was at our local running store to chat about his experiences in triathlon and a little signing. Man I love Aussies! They're care-free attitude - let alone their accents - are so nice to be around! Not only listening to him talk about racing but to be in a running store once again (because why have I needed to since ~April??) made me miss running even more.

On a similar note, I must say I'm shocked in myself that I am missing running. I am not good at running, I've always had a complex about running - but man, I cannot WAIT until I can shuffle my feet faster than a waddle. I have visions of fast times, fast legs and baby weight being lifted off my frame. But let's get serious here; I know that once I do get the opportunity to run I will be huffing and puffing and playing mind games all over again.

Here's to less than 6 days until I get the chance to meet Baby R. Anxiety and anticipation grows!

Running is what again?

My husband and I were driving down the road on a beautiful Fall day and I saw a woman running. At that moment, I realized I forgot what running felt like.

I forgot how the wind feels in my face.

I forgot how my quads feel when they burn.

I forgot how to play mental games to keep me running...

Well, I miss feeling the good things about running and biking and swimming - just plain moving around! And it made me feel sad that I've forgotten the adrenal rush of a good workout.

In other news, at our last doctor's appointment, she asked if we wanted to induce a week early - uh, yes! So the new official date is Nov. 16. That is, if she doesn't come earlier, which everyone around me thinks she will. (And I hope so too!)

Everything in the baby room is ready to go...we just need a baby to fill it!

Where has summer gone?!

It's already August and I just noticed I didn't post once in July - it came and went too fast I feel like I didn't even have a chance!

Lots has happened since I last posted late June:

We're having a girl! We surprised my family with a cake. Bryon and I found out at a dinner by ourselves - we had the doctor circle whether it was a girl or boy, stick it and seal it in an envelope and we handed one to a baker that day and another to our waiter that night. The waiter was to bring ou t a cheesecake if a girl and tiramisu if a boy - I'm sure you get the idea of what transpired. :) It was a great way to find out together! Plus, I was always in the mood for cake, so didn't go wrong there!

I'm still getting out and about, though rather slowly, and my runs are now more majority walk, run pick-up here and there. This is taken at 21 weeks after a run/walk (around July 14th).

We're starting to make advances in the baby's room. We've got the crib, we've got our everyday stroller (we went with the UPPABaby - but still waiting on our BOB :)), and showers are being planned. We're also making some headway on our to-do list around the house to make sure everything's wrapped up before Baby R comes. Unfortunately, my time to comfortably help on those projects is quickly vanishing, so nothing like using that as ammo to get hubby to move a little quicker.

I'm now edging closer to the third trimester and it doesn't seem like it could be coming soon enough, now that everyone I know who was pregnant is starting to have their babies! However, I need to keep remembering to enjoy these remaining few months, make sure everything's in order and to RELAX! It's hard, but I'm trying.

Excuse to work on my running

Not only is it an excuse to work on my running, being motivated by hearing peoples race stories and thoughts on running, but who also doesn't like a good discount on running gear? I do! Yep, because I'm a part of the Brooks ID running program.

"Brooks I.D. athletes members use their athletic talent to help carry out the Brooks mission: To inspire people to run and be active. We look for athletes who have a passion for Brooks, race and train in Brooks’ shoes and apparel, and enthusiastically evangelize the brand." (Inspired Daily. Get it?)

I thought maybe this group would be beneficial for me to get more inspired to run and ENJOY running. I'll let you know how that goes. But, my 40% discount on my Adrenaline GTS shoes is absolutely awesome! (I can always do another order...free shipping for orders over $125!)

I've also got chosen to attend their first-ever I.D. camp in June outside of Seattle - which I've never been to. I haven't brought this up to hubby yet, but it would be a great excuse for us to take a trip up there as his company is based there and he can show me around, and maybe even a day trip to Vancouver?! I wouldn't mind getting out of the Dallas heat by then anyways...

As for my running - it's stalled this week, though I did do some more elliptical on Wednesday (gag). I swear I get more prone to injuries on the elliptical and treadmill than running out doors. What gives?? I guess my legs know when I'm outside or not! :)

So, here's to inspiration. Inspiration to put your running shoes on and get out the door. Inspiration to make it through another harried day or inspiration stop and smell the roses.

What's your inspiration?

Moving along

For some reason, it's feeling more like March than May right now in North Texas. It's raining every day and it's even been getting a bit chilly. And while we're smack in the middle of our kitchen remodel, the rain is not really a friend of ours, though I know we could definitely use it.

But, it has made for some nice mornings for runs, except for Friday. I actually showed up to the Friday run group to do a short, slow 3 mile run, and I felt like I was sweating a bucket of sweat. It was so humid! All day it was like that - did I move to Houston? I don't think so, so please go away. Well, it did, and Saturday and Sunday were actually chilly.

I have actually done 3 workouts in 4 days! Yes - me! They aren't great workouts but I'm moving, and that's what counts, right?

Thursday night - 40 min elliptical, some arm weights
Friday morning - 3 mile group run
Sunday morning - 50 minute run

It's not what I was doing a year ago, or even six months ago, but with everything going on in my life right now, it's what I can handle.

"Training is the opposite of hoping"

Hmm. This quote is so true, yet the last month and half I've been doing more hoping than training - hoping that my lack of working out is just a good break for my body and not doing anything horrible to it by not working out. Think it will work?

Well, not exactly. Although this extended quiet period from me doesn't mean I completely fell off the face of the training world, it does mean I've slacked - er, relaxed - my necessity to train. But, mostly it's because of things happening outside of my training life, and things I can't quite control. But more to come on that later.

In the last six weeks or so since my last post, I've done a run here and there, bits of swimming and jaunts in the weight room and on the elliptical. But I miss my set training schedule, I miss my energy to get up every morning and MOVE and I miss racing! (Who knew I would ever really say that?!?) However, in these few weeks, I've thought about my passion for triathlon and wondered if it would be right for me to take a break and pursue something else.

How about trying to qualify for Boston? Watching the women's race was exciting, though I was eating mac & cheese at my desk at work...doesn't really get me on the right foot to do so! However, I first need to leap the hurdle of completing my first marathon-only race (still!). (By the way, anyone registered in the lottery for New York? Can't wait to find out if I made it in or not...) But lately I've been reading more and more tri blogs and getting my itch again. A bit of bad timing, but I'm hoping it'll help me keep my sites on for next season. We shall see. In the meantime, I'll just stick with running and swimming and see where it takes me.

11 miles - by accident?

I ran 11 miles by accident this past Sunday. I've been asked how you run 11 by accident, much less anything by accident. It's simple math, really:

Trying to determine route to run past former President Bush's new house + getting lost/turned around and not-wanting-to-seem-suspicious-so-take-another-route-back-home = 11 or so miles round trip.

Now, 11 miles may not seem silly for a long run on a Sunday morning. But, my longest run (since early December's Dallas White Rock half marathon) has been only approximately 7.8 miles . And that was a couple weeks ago. So I have greatly increased my mileage in a short amount of time. Especially considering not even two weeks ago two days' worth of running added to a total of a little more than 11 miles.

Oops.

Nevertheless, I felt pretty darn great! Minus the last 1.5 miles or so. Luckily, I was smart enough to carry along a gel pack (first one since the half marathon - hello gooey mess of goodness). However, I did it all with no water. Double oops on that. Make it a triple oops when you add in the fact I'm running in shoes I bought in probably July or August and have done much more than a handful of marathons total in miles. My knees were loving that.

After passing Bush's street - blocked off by a Dallas police Tahoe and a make-shift stop sign in the middle of the street - and realized I don't want to turn around (like I was doing an out-and-back) and cause suspicion, I realized going home was going to take a lot longer of a route than getting there. That's when I started getting a game plan in my head in case of emergency, as to where I could stop to borrow a phone in the case I needed to call Bryon to pick me up. I was imagining my body plastered to the street in the middle of a quiet neighborhood, where I wouldn't be discovered until a family came home from their post-church lunch. Luckily, I made it, but I was definitely having these thoughts up until I made it past our Y and I knew I was in the home stretch - the last 1.25 miles. Whew.

But, I am amazed at what my body handled and the pace - the pace! - was terrific. For not doing much long distance training in a really, really long time was awesome. Go figure. But the knees were another story.

Needless to say, I got a brand spanking new pair of my Brooks yesterday and they're just waiting to discover new ground this week. Yesssssss!

13.1 miles and counting

Half our gang in the start chute. I started with our marathoners.

Mile 8.5ish. Still moving strong!

Done! And enjoying a nice post-race beer.

13.1 miles done at this year's Dallas White Rock Half Marathon. And boy, am I happily surprised with my performance!

2006 time: 2.04.40
2008 time: 2.06.02


1 minute, 22 seconds separated me from a PR - with no training! Now, I'm not condoning racing without training, but ccan I please get a high five for that? My body can carry me 13 miles at a 9.37 pace with hardly any training....and I'm still moving. :)

The race course did change for the half - I wasn't too thrilled with it as much as years before, but it still worked. I did miss running the last few miles on Swiss Avenue, seeing downtown come into view; instead, I got view of Katy Trail and bushes on either side, not knowing where the end was coming. It made it for a dreary last 5k.

Weather - um, was it May in Dallas today? It was in the 60s, sunny at the end. Beautiful day for running - however, we all could have done without the 20+ mph gusts of wind! Definitely took some energy out of everyone and made it difficult for PRing (so maybe I did actually PR!).

Congrats to everyone who did the half and the full today! Great day and thanks to my hubby for following us all around, cheering us on and taking photos. It was very easy to spot you in your helmet and bike gear. :)

This just in: I'm racing on Sunday

You know how my last few posts have been stating my lack of any sort of training for the past two months? So call me crazy now that you know that, but I'm thisclose to running the White Rock half on Sunday. THIS Sunday. Eek! I know I can do it, and I know not to set any great expectations for my run, but it still puts a butterfly in your stomach when you start thinking you're in a race this weekend.

(Unfortunately, my husband won't be running with me as he had recent steroid injections in his spine. :( )

But isn't that the beauty of racing? The excitement, the thrill, the hoards and hoards and thousands upon thousands of people running around you?

I have to start my mental preparation in one...two...three...

Turkey and trotting

I know I already posted about Thanksgiving and lack of workouts, but I failed to mention the Turkey Trot - 35,000 strong! - on Thanksgiving Day that is now a family tradition for Bryon and me. This year, along with niece and nephew and brother-in-law, we also decided to bring Duke. Please note he has never - NEVER - been in a crowd larger than, um, 15 people. So putting him into a crowd this huge may not have been the best idea, let alone leave him alone with me to deal with!

Long story short, I ended up with sore and blistered hands after my 3-mile trek with him. And yes, it was a very, very chilly start but warmed up fairly well. Note my celebratory Longhorn shorts. :)

My niece and nephew awaiting the start of the 3 miler.

Off season

It's the off season now. And I am definitely OFF. Longhorn 70.3 was nearly two months ago, and here's what I've accomplished:

• some runs (once or twice a week, but at this point, I haven't run in almost two weeks)
• no bike
• no swim
• once or twice/week weight workouts

With that last one, I have made it to the gym at LEAST once a week. Do at LEAST 30 minutes of cardio and then some good weight workouts.

And the best part (or the part that's making me complete less workouts per week than during regular training): I have not once gotten up at 5:30 a.m. to do a workout. Of course, this does mean I have been getting to bed later and later which in turn does not allow my body to function enough at 5:30 to get out of bed even to pee. I haven't even bothered to bring my cell phone into the room to set the alarm on it. Because I know I WON'T GET UP. I've accepted it.

I do have to say, though, I haven't been all that lazy. For the last four weekends, hubby and I have been redoing our front landscaping. Yep, I tillered, laid new soil, laid the metail trim thingys for the beds and planted more than 30 plants. Doing all that is a workout in itself.

But, I will need to begin again. Thanksgiving's in two days, and then Christmas - I've got to stay on top of my body while gourging on all this food!!

Let there be light

It's been unseasonally cool in Dallas nearly the past week now, but you won't find me complaining, although that cool weather has been brought in by storms - lots of them. But it's been a nice change... and made some of my recent workouts quite, um, interesting.

Now, the last two days haven't looked quite like that, but swim Tuesday and track today was a little too close to nature for my comfort.

Tuesday swim had me running into the wall. It was a tough set and during one of my kick sets, I was on my back and staring up into the gray clouds, wondering when the sky was going to break open and pour down on us in the pool, and BAM - my hands are in the wall. How I missed the flags I have no idea, but it made for a good laugh. I can't believe I was daydreaming during my swim workout, but I guess I was nice and relaxed!

The workout was:

300m warm up

400m kick

10x100m on 2:05

300 swim

300 kick

100 cool down

Today was track, and again, dealing with bad weather, lightning all around. But I survived. Whew. :) I have to give myself a pat on the back for that one - I did contemplate going back to bed as I was standing in my driveway, car door open, looking to the sky and trying to determine how far away the storms were. However, I didn't have time to get a full visit to the loo, and so I did one of the weirdest things - no, take that back, THE weirdest thing - I've ever done on a run: I stopped in an alley between houses during my 1 mile warm up to the track and went. Yep, I visited nature in the most natural of ways. It was quite liberating, really. You should try it... :)

Track was:

1 mile warm up

10x30 sec pick ups with 30 sec recovery

5 min recovery

4x1 min pick ups with 2 min recovery

1 mile cool down

This afternoon was supposed to be a 2 hour bike ride, but rain has been off and on so I'm pushing it to tomorrow afternoon. Swim masters tomorrow morning and group run Friday morning. Saturday is 20 min open water swim, 3.5 hour bike and 15 min. run; Sunday is 30 min. bike followed by 90 min run. All this in my designated HR zones, of course.

Oh, and my workouts this past weekend?

Saturday was 3.5 hour bike and 10 min run; Sunday 30 min bike followed by 90 min run (which actually turned into 105 min!). Whew! And I have to say, my training appetite is back in full force - Sunday Bryon and I had two meals within 2 hours of each other, one of which included having chips and salsa, share of chicken fajitas and a side of fries at Chili's! Hey, we get to because we train, right?? :)

Got the swim, got the bike...where's my run?

I've had some great workouts this week. And yes, I've done a full week!

After Tuesday and Wednesday's workouts, Thursday was a good workout - morning swim, covering 2000y.

Friday was a 4.5 mile group morning run. Luckily, I felt strong enough to make it through without walking.

Saturday was an early (6:45 a.m.!) 60 mile bike ride. I rocked it and felt great, up until my quads starting screaming at me. Big group today too and it was fun, which always help get through the workouts a little easier. I've kicked up my Accelerade use, after being off of it for two years. I haven't quite been able to tell if there's a difference yet for me, but I've got something working for me. I think my timing in taking nutrition has gotten better. It probably helps that I just like the bike much, much more than running!

A full week of workouts - and just in time! I've got confidence in my swim and bike distances for the upcoming 70.3... I really need to get the running miles in now (as always!!).

We did miss our morning long run today (didn't get out of bed until 8!!) but we did A LOT! Put in new wood floors, laundry, dishes, cook breakfast and dinner, groceries.... it was a busy day. But, I do plan on getting up early and getting a good distance run in to make up for today.

Nothing like remodeling your house while training for a big distance race... Anyone else tried that? It's quite exhausting... Next is our kitchen!! :)

My workout days come in threes...

It's Monday morning and I'm pretty proud of my last three days of training. Yeah, I haven't done a lot (consistently) lately but I pushed myself the last three days and got it all done.

Friday morning came and Bryon and I peeled ourselves away from the bed to do the morning run with the group. I did the full 4.5 without stopping, which is great since my last run was the Monday before.

Saturday morning we met up with the group and did a 60 mile ride out to Flower Mound and back. This ride is always a challenge because it goes straight past my parents' house. I always daydream about stopping by for waffles and eggs! Yum! However, the ride was great and I felt great! I guess the new position is really helping. The group was good company and we were handling a good pace - not too hard all the time but not too easy all the time. There was even a time during the ride that myself and another girl "chicked" the guys and lost them in our dust! I did a 15-minute run brick afterward as well, but that was a beating with how hot it was getting.

Sunday morning was rough, however. I knew it within the first 2 miles that this wasn't going to be an easy 9 mile run for me. My legs were no where to be found. I thought that I'd feel better after getting them warmed up and moving, but nope - they never came. It was painful through the first 5.5 miles as I was motivating myself to stay with a couple of others. But after that, I couldn't move anymore. I HAD to stop. I shuffled/walked the rest of the 4 miles. That was the closest my legs had ever gotten to bonking while running. It was HARD. But I did finish - although I may have shed a tear or two...

Luckily, a few of those running yesterday saw my awesome (or stupid, since I may have gone too too hard!) bike performance the day before and said I had a hard ride.

That has to change! No more being tired! No more being lazy! I've got a race in two months, dangit! And still a 99.5% chance of an Ironman on the near horizon!

Hump Day

It's Wednesday, and I couldn't be more happier as that means it's closer to the weekend and shopping with my mom! Luckily this week has flown by, but now that I say that, it'll slow down of course.

I have been super busy at work - 10+ hour days consecutively and it's not going to slow down for at least another month. I guess that's what happens when you're working to get to the next level in your career. So, no biggie - I can get through it. At least it's different and exciting and challenging, all at the same time.

Made it to track this morning, for the first time in a while! Yay me and Bryon! :) Did pretty good, too, although I think my legs nearly stopped moving forward during the 1 mile+ run back to the Y. I swear I was about to fall flat on my face had I not started walking.

Worked till 7:45 or so tonight, and came home to dinner started and an ice cold margarita! Thank you Bryon! :) So, I'm feeling good right now. Storms are rolling in, so I hope I can get a good night's sleep - I don't do so well with storms at night! Let's hope I'm out cold...

MC200 photos

Photos from this past weekend's Madison to Chicago 203-mile, 12-man running relay.

Steamed Muscles Team 2 before the race start last Friday

Handing off to Bryon on our first legs - I PR'd my 5k time, and my next leg which was a 10k!

Our last legger running down the finish chute at Montrose Beach on day 2. We finished in 25 hours and 41 minutes.

Steamed Muscles Team 2 after the race on Saturday. Time for sleep!

Bryon, me and Kevin (Bryon's brother) - Team R at it again!

Here's to the weekend

This weekend's been eventful. Friday we went to dinner at The Porch (GREAT food by the way) and saw Troy Aikman! That made the first visit even better.

Saturday I didn't ride, and I'm almost glad for it - it was so humid. Ugh. I didn't feel well either and ended up sleeping most of the morning and then cleaned the house while Bryon was still riding. I do need to get on the bike though - it's beeen too long!

Today was nothing like yesterday - we woke to 55 degree temps and not humid at all! Ran the lake again and did awesome! 9.26 miles in 8:54/mile pace for a total of 1.22. I'm getting stronger and faster and better! I'm so excited. Hopefully this isn't sucking up my bike strength. We'll see next week at CapTex! I can't believe it's so soon already.

Also, can't believe that I'm getting to go to a beach this weekend - I keep forgetting that we're flying to LA soon for Taylor's graduation. I feel I've lost track of time...

Speed Lightning

That was me this morning - Speed Lightning. I ran our group's regular Friday 4.5 mile run in - hold on to your seats - a speedy (for me) ~8.15/mile! That's crazy. Good crazy. I'm ecstatic. And it was topped off with my hubby saying my running's really coming along. A compliment! (Just kidding!)

I'll always take a compliment - I especially seek it out during my training because so many thoughts - negative and positive - run through my mind during my workouts. I oculd use more too, and this morning I thought I had done well and to get to actually hear it from someone else rather than my own beat-up brain was icing on the cake.

Performances like this are making me more and more excited for the Madison-Chicago 200 mile relay we're doing the first weekend of June. Twelve-man teams traveling nearly 200 miles by foot. We did the Wasatch Back Relay last year, which was my first, and it was fun. It's hard, but fun.

Time to try some gourmet mac & cheese that got rave reviews at a new restaurant in town.

Don't forget it's mother's day on Sunday!

Pain, pain, go away

I didn't happen to mention in yesterday's post that I have a rib in my back out of place. Well, I do, and I tried running this morning with no luck at all! Was only able to get in the mile warm up run to the track, a 400 and then had to walk/jog the mile back to the gym. Not fun. Took half a vicodone and prescription anti-inflammatory and got to the chiropractor as fast as I could this morning for an adjustment and massage. I'm still in pain and plan on taking a full vicodone before dozing off tonight. Unfortunately missed my chance for a ride this afternoon - what a bummer. Wish I had some extra muscle relaxers...

We'll see how I feel tomorrow morning for swim.

"Heel Duke! Heel!"

Bryon's out of town again. Which meant shorter swim workout this morning. Got in 1950 yards and had to leave in the middle of a 15x100 at 1:50 pace (was doing them each in 1:30 or so though - and leading the whole time. That's hard work!).

I did take Duke, our rescued 2-year-old Lab, on a short run this afternoon. He's been through training and we're currently working on him and would like him to be our running dog, but hadn't taken him out on a run since he had been trained. He did awesome! There was only one or two instances that he was getting a little too close to me, but he heeled at stop signs and for cars when I stopped and kept a good pace! Yay! Of course, we really need to run him because he's learned how to get into the container of dog food... We're going to have to fix that. Took him back home (didn't want to stress him out too much on the first run) and went out again. Ugh - it was hard, with the humidity from this morning's storms (and the ones looming for tomorrow) and allergies, it wasn't fun. But I got a good 3 miles in. Didn't want to do too much since tomorrow's track if it's not raining.

One more week until LA! I'm excited - I love SoCal and I miss the beach. I miss surfing. I miss my nice golden tan. I miss the cool breezes. Bryon's actually been in San Diego the last two days and teased me this morning by calling me right before a 6 mile run on Pacific Beach.

Not cool, Bryon, not cool.

One day...

Anyways, still have two options to race next weekend, a running road race on Saturday and an aquathon on Sunday. Not sure which night we'll be out late celebrating my sister's college graduation, so it probably be a pretty late call. Can't wait!