Running Again

I am not a fast runner.  I'm not even a slow runner.  I'm a ridiculously slow you-should-just-walk runner.  That stopped me from running for a long time.  It also held me back from running long distances.

When I got pregnant with Ethan I decided I was going to keep running the little bit I did, which was a mile, two tops, sporadically throughout the week.  Sometimes I went two weeks without running (thank you morning sickness).  I had to stop when I hit my third trimester.  Everything was too uncomfortable and I was too freakin' huge.

Here I am now.  I've been running a lot, and longer distances, despite not being very fast at all.  Three Saturdays ago I found a free 5k and signed Josh and I up.  Poor Josh had to wait for me to catch up, but I ran the whole thing.  My time was 37:47.  I could have cried.  I really wanted to cry.  My worst time in cross country was 35 minutes, and that involved not feeling great at all and working really late the night before.  But I didn't cry.  I took the fact that I ran the entire race, even at an you-should-just-walk pace, to mean that I was ready to push myself more.

Last week I decided that I'm going to try and run a marathon on Jan 1st.  It's at the Olympic Oval.  You run for 5 hours around the track, so for some it will be a marathon, for others it won't.  I would like to try and run a marathon but I know I might not make it with my you-should-just-walk pace.  So I set out to find a training schedule.

Find one I did.  One night last week I was supposed to run 4 miles.  I found a route I wanted to take and set off.  It had me go through a neighborhood I've never been through before.  Well I got lost.  I knew I was too deep into the neighborhood and I hadn't seen the park I was supposed to run by.  After heading back towards the main road I finally found it.  I was ready to quit running, but at that point my legs felt comfortable enough that walking would have felt worse than running (plus at my speed it was basically the same thing, one just bounced my ponytail a little more).  I felt great when I got home.  After mapping everything out and trying to remember streets I had gone 5 miles, the longest that I've ever ran straight.

Last Saturday I ran a 5k my ward put together.  I was the third woman to finish!  Okay, okay, I was one of three that actually ran.  There were a couple that walked it.  At least that means my you-should-just-walk pace is actually slightly faster than walking now!  I didn't notice my time, and I really didn't care.  It was fun to just get out and run.

So this week, and many weeks to follow will be full of running.  If the marathon works out I would like to do the Salt Lake and Ogden marathon for sure.  There are a lot of races I would love to do, but running gets expensive, so we'll see.  For now it feels good to be running again.

Tidbits

I don't take many pictures (or I never get around to uploading them) of things that don't involve my kids.  I also don't blog too much about things they aren't involved in.  So I'm thinking once a month or so I'll just post a little of the random stuff that's more about Josh and I.

First off, we celebrated our anniversary!  Josh took me to the Melting Pot and we had a good time.  We had Ethan with us but he was decent.  Awake, but mostly content.  I liked it a lot but Josh wouldn't give it 5 stars.  Only Ruth's Chris gets 5 stars.  It was nice to be able to get out alone-ish so soon after having a baby.  Next year is 5 years....what will we do?

Josh had his Birthday.  We used our bounce back passes at Lagoon, split up the kids, and went out ALONE!  First time kid free since Ethan was born.  It was fun.  It was so hot when we first got there, but luckily within an hour huge black clouds came rolling in.  After ten minutes of rain it cleared up a little and was twenty degrees cooler.  We went out to dinner with Josh's mom and grandparents on his actual birthday.  

Our TV broke.  On the 4th it turned off suddenly and we thought Josh hit the power button accidentally.  Well it wouldn't turn back on.  We thought it was the remote because out kids have practically ate it multiple times.  Turns out there really aren't buttons on our TV.  There is a weird way to turn it on, but I don't think it's ever worked.  We had a repair guy come out and the board is fried.  So after two years we've had to say goodbye.  It isn't worth it to replace the board when it's not too much more to buy a new one.

I started running again!  Does this need any explanation?  I've ran a few miles and hope to get my endurance up quickly.  I do need to go to the chiropractor though.  There is something out in my lower back that I can't pop or stretch back into place.  

There are a few other things that have happened, like Ethan's baby blessing and Elli make dirt angels, but those deserve their own posts.

First, last, third trimester running

Does that make any sense?  And no, still no pictures, I'm lame.

Yesterday I hit my third trimester.  To celebrate I sent for a run.  I went about a half mile and realized that this was my last run.  I walked home slowly feeling a mix of emotions.

Yay! for running until my third trimester!  Especially when I took a month and a half off in-between the first and second trimester when I couldn't keep anything down.  At the time being I didn't think it wise to keep exercising when I was losing weight anyways.

Boo! for not making it closer to the end of this pregnancy.  While I'm becoming physically exhausted, I mentally needed to run.  Pregnancy makes me get cabin fever being trapped inside my own body.  Especially when I lose the ability to bend over.  I've already lost the ability to see my feet.  So running will be very missed.

Only 128 days until I can run again!  Okay, trying to make that sound like a happy thing is even more depressing than just being upset about it.

Little Runner Boy

It's been nice enough for about the last month to put my kids in the double jogging stroller and head out.  I don't always run, or I make it a hundred yards before I feel like I'm going to pee my pants and I walk the rest of the way.  Normally I'll just run later if this happens.  With this happening a few times a week my kids have started to do a few cute things.

First off, they both shout "go!"  Even Elli has joined in.  How can you not run faster when you have an adorable girl shouting at you?

Then Michael learned to shout "run mom!" and "faster!"  I also learned I can't tell him that the baby is making me want to pee my pants, because he says rather loudly to strangers "mommy pee pants."

A couple of weeks ago he kept saying "Michael want run".  So I decided to let him get out of the stroller and run.  I was surprised when he kept running for a good 100 yards.  Now he usually asks to get out and run on his own a little whenever we go out.

This morning I took the kids on a long walk to see some cows and horses.  Michael wanted to get out and run, so I let him.  He ran 20 feet then fell flat on his face.  I asked him if he was okay and he never responded.  I told him that when we fall, we get up, wipe our hands off, and keep going.  He took off running again and fell after another 20 feet.  I asked if he was okay again.  He responded "I get up, keep going!" (I geet dup, keep goin')

Maybe it's the hormones, but this was a proud mommy moment for me!  Even though he only ran another 10 feet, saw a port-a-potty, thought I was tricking him into using the potty, and jumped into the stroller.  I was still happy he kept going!  Now I need to invest in some better shoes for him...

The secret to LOOKING like an awesome runner

A few people in my neighborhood have seen me running lately.  Now, I suck at running.  I ran cross-country for two years in High School and sucked...well until after I graduated, I had a while there where I was doing awesome. 

Anyways...

I try to look like a good runner, until I get around the corner and start walking as I sound like I've walked through the Sahara without any water.  So here is how you look like a good runner:

What you need:

• Awesome shoes.  Now they don't need to be super expensive, just make sure they have some neon colors in there
• Running shorts.  The old soccer shorts don't cut it. 
• Old race shirts.  Now, I have a few from cross country and I cycle through.  If you don't have any check the DI.  Or go to a race and just buy a shirt...but be careful, people might not believe you ran a marathon, but a half is usually a safe bet, same with a 10k.  No one will be impressed with a 5k (which is why I only wear the shirts that say multiple races lengths on them, I like to keep them guessing).
• Sun glasses.  This can also help hide the look of desperation to stop.  Make sure they are the sporty ones with weird designs on the side.
• If you take an ipod you need the arm band.  No one will take you seriously for a second if you have it in your hand.

The Technique:

• If you see a person, RUN!
• If you see someone you know, SPRINT!
• If someone stops and waves you better wave back.
• If someone says hello to you, you say it back, but in a normal voice, not the I've ran a mile kill me sort of voice.
• When you pass close enough to someone who can hear your heavy breathing, just stop breathing. 

The REAL secret:

• When people are out of site, walk or lay on the ground panting.  Cry if you need to.  Drink your weight in water.  Hide behind those green utility things.  Hide in the tunnel slide at the park.  Hide behind parked cars.  Make sure no one is watching you, especially little kids, they point and laugh.  Get home and sit in an ice bath for an hour, then a hot bath for an hour.  Use a whole tube of icy hot.  Eat a burger then have some ice cream.  Do all of this with the shades drawn.  Most important of all, post mile times on facebook for the world to see, and good mile times, not your actual ones.

Oh, and keep running, because one day you could be awesome and not have to do any of this.  Until I get there, I'll be hiding in the slide at the park down the street.

Things that only happen when I run

I've started running again here and there.  When Elli has woken up 5 times during the night and I have to work, or worked the night before I just don't make it.  Since Elli wakes up 5 times every night that's not really an excuse, but I'm still using it. 

On the days I don't have the energy to rationalize not going and finally get my butt outside I've noticed the following happen:

• I like waking up, after the run of course.  When I'm rolling out of bed every day around 6:30 I really just want to go back to bed.  After I run I'm happy I didn't make Michael cry it out until 7.  It's also easier to forget that Elli woke up at 10, 12, 2, 4, and 6.
• I like taking cold showers.  Josh will greatly appreciate this because normally I use up all of the hot water for the rest of the day.
• Dishes get done.  When I get home I shower then put kids down for naps, but I'm too wired to go to sleep, so I usually clean.  Or in this case blog.
• Michael is extra cranky after his nap.  Well it couldn't all be good.  He usually didn't get out the energy he needed to before his nap and is now groggy and hyper.  Usually he is crying as he runs head first into walls and doors.  Then he cries harder because he got hurt.  When I try and pick him up or kiss him better he screams.  I think I need to stop at a park on the way home, but Elli usually doses off a little and wakes up whenever I stop pushing.  Maybe I need to figure something else out.

Unfortunately I don't have extra energy.  I don't see the results.  I don't feel the results, except sore feet and knees.  Hopefully that will change soon, you know, when I'm not gasping for air like I've been drowning and hanging on to the stroller for dear life.