Denied!

Well, just like tons of other New Yorkers, I too was denied entry into the NYC Half Marathon this year. At first I was just like "Boo. Guess I'll try again next year." Then I started going through my facebook feed and realized that out of all my NYC runner friends (and I know a LOT of NYC runners) only one got in! Then, some of my runner friends started posting links to other blogs like this one.

Seems like the entire New York running community was PISSED.

Why?

Well, first of all, we were supposed to know about our status at "the end of November" and this deadline got pushed to December 15th. But more importantly, all of us entered what we thought was a lottery to get into this half marathon. (Whereas everyone had an equal chance of being chosen for this race.) As I understand it (though am still fuzzy on all of the details) there were three lotteries: one for tri-state area runners, one for out-of-state runners and one for international runners with the number of accepted runners being equal for each lottery. Obviously there would be more NY runners applying and not getting in. (Make sense?) And none of us knew this beforehand.

Presumably this is because NYRR is trying to make this a bigger, more nationally/internationally known event.

Here are some stats on what happened which sort of confirms all of this:
• Of the 27,737 tri-state area runners who applied 3,344 were accepted. Of those people 1,000 qualified for automatic entry.
 • Of the 5,200 out of state runners who applied 4,300 were accepted.
• Of the 1,710 international applicants 1,500 were accepted.

Seems like the best chance of getting into this half marathon in the future is to move out of the country.

My take on the whole thing?

I am mildly angry that I didn't get in, but I am ticked about the transparency on the whole process.

This is a really great race. There is nothing like running down 7th Avenue in this half marathon. It makes you realize that we really do live in an awesome city. And the NYC running community is a GREAT community. So I guess it just makes me kind of sad that we weren't given a fair shake at this event. We are the lifeblood of the NYRR and spend oodles and oodles each year to run a bunch of less glamorous races. I welcome the opening of our events to a larger audience but I sort of feel like this kind of premiere event should also celebrate the local running community.

I just watched this documentary called Run for Your Life about Fred Lebow, the man who is credited with making the NYRR what it is and also for bringing the 5 Borough NYC Marathon to fruition (and therefore popularizing marathoning as a sport). I can't help but think that he would have handled this differently.

I don't know. Just my opinion.

That being said, I look forward to cheering on my friend Gina, as she crosses the finish line in March :)

Running Misc (Or Not Running Misc)

I never realized how hard it would actually be to get out and run when  you have a newborn. In my mind I was just putting him in the BOB every morning and going out for a nice little jog...you know, since I would have "so much time" since I was on maternity leave.

Hahahaha. I have been choosing sleep over running because I get sleep when I can (since it sometimes only comes in 2 hour increments).

Even on the weekend it is ridiculous. I planned to do a nice 6-mile loop with my friend Gina this weekend. I was so excited because I haven't seen her in forever and I haven't run without the stroller since Liam. Well, all this would involve Liam having a milk supply and since I knocked over the bottle and lost an entire ounce of milk, and I pretty much hate pumping so I don't have a big store of it, the run didn't happen. Of course I didn't know this until right before the run and had to text Gina. Luckily she is a great, super-understanding friend. But I was still very very bummed about the whole thing.

I have actually found that it is MUCH easier to do workout videos. This is not as fun but it means that I am getting a lot of toning in. Which is great because...

...this weekend I found out that I fit in my old clothes! I am not back to my old weight, but I AM back to my old measurements!!! (except for a little more that I need to lose in my belly). Whoo-hoo!!! This made me very VERY happy.

I had planned on doing the Manhattan Half Marathon, because I am really really trying to do all five in the Grand Prix series of half marathons this year. Manhattan is first and is at the end of January. I am not very sure I can do this seeing my current mileage. I would have to have a pretty aggressive schedule from here on out and I just don't know if I am going to be able to count on doing that. It makes me appreciate mom-runners like my friend Lauren, all the more. They are hard core.

I also entered the lottery for the NYC Half Marathon (different from the Manhattan half marathon, but run in the same borough). And get this! We were supposed to know if we got in by the end of November. I just checked the website today and it says the drawing will be on December 15th. Boo! I want to know now!

This week I am going to really try and get some good mileage in...even though it is colder than cold out.

I'm Back!

Liam's First Day

Hurrah! I'm running again! And guess what? All of that worrying and complaining about my C-section? None of it mattered once I saw my cute little boy. Liam Xander came into the world on October 4th, and I couldn't have been happier. AND? I guess that Exercising Through Pregnancy book wasn't completely wrong...Liam was lean and mean: 19.5 inches long and 5lbs 15oz. My OB said that if I HAD delivered him naturally it would have probably been not so so bad, since he was so little. He is also super smart (I know, I know, I am bragging...but even his pediatrician is impressed). And he somehow missed getting colic. He is gaining weight perfectly and has a healthy appetite...all things that the book promised.

My little future runner

As for me? I've dropped 17 of the 35 pounds I gained, even though I had a c-section (meaning my weight loss will be slower). I recovered well and quickly.

Yesterday, I got the go-ahead from my OB to start working out again. The 6 weeks off were at some times agony, especially when I would take Liam out on a walk and jealously see all of the runners in the park.

So I spent a ridiculous amount of time today putting together the carseat adaptor for my BOB Revolution jogger and Liam and I headed out to Riverside Park. What I love about the carseat adaptor is that Liam faces me while I jog, so I can take in all of his expressions. This is a little distracting (since I just love to see him smile) but I managed to remind myself to pay attention to the jogging path too.

All bundled up in the jogger

We only did 2.5 miles (and I had to walk a smidge). It was quite tiring, but very rewarding. For now I am not going to worry about times or distances. I keep reminding myself I went through major abdominal surgery and took 8 weeks off of running, so I should probably ease back into this whole thing.

Running with the BOB is a whole new experience too. It's weird not to move my arms when I run and also weird to push a lot of weight up and down hills. But very cool to go for a run in the afternoon...especially with my favorite little guy.

Running in Riverside Park is great in the fall

On Hiatus

Well, the running officially stopped for me two weeks ago. Honestly, I just haven't been able/too willing to get out to do it anyways. At least I got one last race in, and while I didn't break any records, I did end up feeling great about my accomplishment.

And as of yesterday the workouts have stopped as well. I was actually doing really well on these...keeping them up despite the fact that I was done with them mentally. But by direct order of my OB I need to take it easy and not overexert myself. Since this was not really a "clear" directive, Bill even asked "So...no running?" which she laughed at and said "No running, no workouts."

Why? Well, I am scheduled for a c-section because my baby decided to be as stubborn as his parents and not turn out of his breech position despite everything we have tried (back bends, labor lunges, downward facing dogs, shining a flashlight on my abdomen, playing music to my abdomen, and some more serious methods too, like accupuncture, moxibustion and even a very painful ECV) . Since I've been showing a lot of pre-labor symptoms she doesn't want me to actually go into labor before my scheduled c-section.

I can't pretend I am not bummed about this.

Actually, running and working out was the furthest thing from my mind when this whole c-section thing started to be talked about. Well, except for the fact that I was cursing it. All I could think of was that book I read with all of the statistics saying that women athletes have a lower c-section rate, deliver early, deliver easier, etc etc etc. I was just like "It's so unfair! I've done everything right!" In a way I didn't even want to work out anymore because I was like "What's the point? I've been pushing myself to work out even though I didn't want to because of all of the so-called benefits, and I'm not even able to reap them on the most basic thing!"

Plus, I KNOW it is crazy but I was looking forward to labor. There are just so many comparisons to marathons that I wanted to know if it would help me out that I was a runner. I wanted to prove myself just like I do with every race. I knew I could do it, and I knew I could be strong and I knew I could master my body and my mind and I wanted to feel accomplished about it. Throughout pregnancy I have been reminded of how our bodies are so awesome the way that they work and accomodate to things (just like in running a marathon). So I kind of feel robbed, like I have no control over the whole thing. I won't actually be giving birth, my doctor will be delivering my baby. And the only thing I can test is my pain threshold.

Oh well.

I also have to take a much longer break from getting back into working out since this is considered major abdominal surgery. According to everything I read, I shouldn't even think about running for a couple of months. I know, I know, I will be busy with everything else anyway. Even so, right now it sucks.

So yes, a downer post and a horrible way to say goodbye for (possibly) months. I don't mean to be so negative, but writing is therapeutic for me in the same way running is. That's why this is not my last post. I still have to recount my story from the Fitness 4-mile race, which is a good one, even if it was two weeks ago.

Running = Therapy

I saw this on a shirt once. (Or maybe it was "Running is Cheaper than Therapy"). I never really bought into it all that much, and not because it didn't work, or that running doesn't always make me feel better, but that I just think there are so many other benefits to running for me, that outrank the therapy one.

This weekend though, I came to the realization that during my pregnancy running DOES equal therapy. Maybe its because while I feel like the tangible physical benefits are much less than before I DO feel the psychological benefits.

I actually feel like my long runs with Bill have become my emotional dump sessions. No matter how the runs start, when they get about halfway through I end up dumping all of the stress that I've had. Some of it is just incredibly silly stress and some of it is more substantial stress. All of it is stress that I don't realize I am stressing about until I get out there and run and talk it out. So I think that running has a great psychological benefit to pregnant women in addition to all of the physical ones (earlier births, lighter babies, less back pain, easier sleeping). I mean, everything you read about being pregnant always emphasizes that you shouldn't be stressing out about anything...which, for a type A person like me is sometimes kind of funny. (I think I told Bill "Haha. Try to avoid stress? Just another thing to stress about!")

I am getting slower and slower, but I think I have finally for real come to terms with it. I guess articles like the ones in Runner's World this month help make me realize that it is a huge accomplishment to be running this far along anyways (I just passed the 35th week mark this weekend...that means that next week I will be starting my 9th month!), which always helps.

I am actually now officially walk-running instead of run-walking. It just helps a lot with all of the calf muscle tightness I experience now. But I still logged 4 miles. And I still kept an impressive pace for me. So that makes me happy :)

Enough of These Heat Waves!

All right. Really? ANOTHER heat wave? This is what...number 12 or something for this summer? And really...it is September now. I am totally itching to go out for a run and having a hard time sticking to the pregnancy rule of 85 degrees and under. I swear, if I have to do my prenatal workout dvd one more time I might just go crazy.

The heat must also be making me crazy because I was working on an image board for work and my task was to find images of athletic women's empowerment. Of course I thought of all the great signs and ads etc from the Nike Women's Marathon and started looking for images of that online. And as I was scrolling through them I saw the identity for the 2010 Nike Women's Marathon (which is so much cooler and much more hardcore than last years). Anyway, it made me want to run that marathon again. I SWORE I would never run that marathon again, but I was seriously thinking about reconsidering that for the future.

This is not the first time I am missing training for marathons. I mean, it has been a substantial part of my life for three years now. Argh. Frustrating.

But I am looking forward to my next race, which is next weekend (the 11th). It is only 4 miles but that is a substantial amount for me now. Besides, it will feel good to "race" again, like I am doing something back from my "normal" life. :)

I Heart NY

I absolutely LOVE Summer Streets and look forward to it every year. Such a simple concept...close down Park Avenue from East 72nd Street to Chambers Street to anything but bike and foot traffic from 7am-1pm. I'm sure it's not so simple to pull off, but it is really one of the coolest things.



Unfortunately because I seem to have a penchant for sleeping in on Saturdays now, I have missed most of Summer Streets. This weekend was going to be my last chance to participate, so Bill and I made sure we got out there to run.

This year it seemed to be more popular and crowded than ever. It seems like a lot of businesses along the way were offering cool perks too. At several places you could wait in line for a free bike and helmet rental. At another place you could get a free roller blade rental. Whole Foods sponsored a "Picnic in the Streets" where you could get free ice cream and a bunch of the gyms were doing free workouts on the side streets. There was also a lot of fun stuff for kids, like face painting and crafts. It was so crowded with bikers and runners that at sometimes it was a bit frustrating. But at the same time, I love that it is so popular. It just emphasized to me (again) what an active city New York is, and how big of a deal running and biking are here.

I know I say it every year, but there is nothing like running under the New York Central Building on the Park Avenue Viaduct. It is amazing to drive under in a cab at night, but even cooler to run.

The run? It was a little rough. Bill and I realized that I really HAVE to do a long warmup and some stretching before attempting my run/walks now. Otherwise my calves tighten up on the outside and the pain is almost unbearable. I didn't do said warmup/stretching, so there was a lot of stopping and stretching in those first couple of miles or so. So I made the goal to reach Union Square (around 16th Street) and then hit Chipotle for lunch. At first I thought that was a wimpy goal, but as I kept running and my calves felt so tight I was thinking maybe it was an ambitious goal.

So Bill made me stretch on the side again, which actually helped.

I revised the goal to make it to the END of Union Square (like to 14th Street). There was a real bottleneck here with bikers and runners sharing a single road lane of traffic. Some (tourist?) girls who looked like they were maybe just very confused and were walking the WRONG WAY walked right in front of me, and to avoid running smack into them I jumped up onto the curb to bypass them, then jumped right back onto the street and SNAP ! twisted my ankle. Uh oh. Ow ow ow ow ow.

I was so mad at myself. I know that I can't do crazy things like jump up and off of curbs anymore. My joints are just too loose right now. So stupid! Argh! I was cursing myself as I walked around on the curb and rolled it around. (Bill said not to be so hard on myself...after all my choices were a twisted ankle or running hard and belly first into the two girls running into me. Seeing as that I am so pregnant, I guess I made the wiser choice.) And it seemed like after a few ankle rolls the pain was pretty much completely gone. In fact, I felt so good that I wanted to continue to the end.

We were now on Lafayette (Park Ave turns into Lafayette somewhere around the East Village) and I was really enjoying myself. In fact, I looked down at my watch and noticed that I had logged over 4 miles!!! A new record! The last time I did anything more than 2.5 miles consecutively was the last week of June...that's right...my half marathon before the third trimester!

I was really pumped now! So we ran all the way down to Foley Square, (okay, after seeing my friends Gina and Michael across the street on bikes and running over to talk to them for quite a bit). 5 miles! 5 miles! Hurrah! NOW I didn't feel so stupid for signing up for that race on September 11th :)

TNT Reunion!

Last night I got to go to an "Alumni" practice in the park with Team in Training. I think that this was mostly to get us to sign up for the next season, but knowing that I will not be doing that until NEXT fall season I just used it as an excuse to see my old friends/coaches and get a workout in.

Luckily there was a separate workout for us alums. I guess they realized that we wouldn't be in the same shape as the regulars at practice. It consisted of a lower loop of the park, nice and easy (1.7 miles) and then some running drills.

I was so glad that people were taking "nice and easy" seriously. Knowing that I haven't really run more than 3 minutes solid without a walk break since the beginning of my third trimester, I just stayed towards the back of the pack. My goal was to do the whole 1.7 miles without stopping, but I didn't know how I would feel.

Let's just say I could definitely feel soreness in my legs due to my loosening ligaments. Yowsa. I DID, however, make it 1.5 miles into the workout without stopping. And then I walked for a bit before finishing at Bethesda fountain with the rest of the team. I was proud of myself because I kept up with the back of the pack (one of the alums told me that the only reason she ran fast as she did was because I was right behind her the whole time and she knew I was in my 8th month of pregnancy). And even after walking, I was only like 20 feet behind the last person all the way to the end.

I felt good breathingwise and body tempwise but my legs were SO SORE. Kind of like they were in the first two miles of my last half marathon. (Guess its all of that relaxin  causing my ligaments to stretch again.) So instead of joining the team for the calisthenic part of the cross-training (which I shouldn't be doing at this point anyway) I stood close by at the tree and streeeeeeeeeeeeeetched. That pretty much fixed everything (and I'm still not sore today!). I was able to join the rest of the alums for things like walking squats and squat twists, which I could still do with the best of them.

But the BEST part was talking to all of my teammates who are training for fall marathons. It was SO GOOD to see them again! And all of the coaches ran over and gave me big hugs. I have to say, it didn't hurt that all of them thought I looked great/not-as-pregnant-as-I-am and were amazed that I was running. I was especially excited to see Coach Christine because I have been reading all of her articles about pregnancy and running on about.com. (She is one of their running experts.)

We all went out to a bar in our stinky running clothes afterwards, and I devoured a gigantic cheeseburger with fries as if I had run 10 miles instead of 1.7 :)

Running Ptttttt

I have not had the best relationship with running this past week.

On my Tuesday night run with Bill (same boring course, same low-mileage, same 3 minute run 2 minute walk) I felt like I was ridiculously slow. I THINK it might have been because I felt like Bill was continuously 3 steps ahead of me (which he was for most of the run). But when I checked my time at the end of the run, I really was only 1 minute off of where I normally am. And that's 1 minute for the whole thing, not pacingwise.

I am just really tired of feeling slow. I see other girls running in the park and I want to hit them. Especially when they are wearing cute little shorts and tight fitting tanks. Me, on the other hand? Well, my options at this point are my baggiest shorts from Target, which aren't even running shorts but those generic type "sports" shorts made out of thick synthetic material and any of my longer running shirts which are tight and I can't keep over my belly OR one of Bill's shirts which look ridiculously boxy and male on me. Not attractive. Oh and did I mention that on top of this I am a total sweat bucket during my runs? At this point I am not going to invest in maternity running wear because I have less than 8 weeks to go. So I guess I will stick with my two options and just begrudge the other girls in the park.

And don't even talk to me about my weekend run. Or should I say "the run that never happened"?

I pretty much didn't want to go. Besides I had twelve million other things I needed us to do this weekend (crazy nesting syndrome) so a run was just going to take up precious time that I felt I didn't have. Bill and I even mapped out our distance so that we could run to the park, around the loop and to Home Depot so that we weren't wasting any time. Well, the run to the park sucked. And then I about had a mental breakdown about how much I hated running and felt like there was too much to do to be running right now. I was reminded that it is never good to do a workout when you feel like that, so we revised the plan to just walking to Home Depot. I guess we got some of the mileage in at least. And sadly enough, my legs totally felt it like I had actually run a lot of mileage when I woke up this morning.

I know, I know. Quit running, right? I put in a good effort and if it's not going well I should quit.

But that's not it. I still don't hate running. I just want to go back to the days where I was jauntily sweeping around the park loops at a good pace (without walking) in a cute outfit with some fun running friends, getting excited about my fall marathon coming up. I miss pushing myself to where sometime I felt like I was going to puke, and getting PRs, and (believe it or not) doing hard hillwork sessions. I know I will get back to this again (Bill keeps reminding me that this is why we got a good running stroller) but I am frustrated that it is not now.

I was invited to a TNT alumni run tomorrow, which I am pretty excited about. If nothing else it will be nice to see everyone again. I don't know how much of the actual run I will be able to keep up with, but we'll see.

Lots of Energy

I don't know where all of this energy is coming from...definitely not from sleep because a full night of uninterrupted sleep is something I haven't had in a long time. Perhaps it is the two iron pills I am taking a day to combat my anemia. At any rate, I am NOT complaining.

I finally feel back on track with my workouts. I am not saying that I am doing amazing things on these workouts, just that the frequency of these workouts is more what I wanted them to be.

For example, Monday I went on a run with Bill, Tuesday I did my prenatal resistance band DVD and Wednesday I even got some weight training in! Tonight I plan on another run with Bill, another DVD on Friday and then Saturday we are planning on a nice, long run. (Long being like 5 miles, which will probably take forever).

I just can't figure out my runs lately though, and I've pretty much given up on trying to do this. I mean, last week I was hardly working out at all and I felt GREAT on my little run. This week it was a bit rougher. I stuck to my intervals (3 minutes run and 2 minutes walk) but it was a lot harder. I do still feel like I'm running up and down instead of forward. It's kind of crazy. At least last time I didn't have any crazy back pain afterwards.

I really really want to sign up for another NYRR race, probably the Fitness Magazine 4-miler. But I don't know. I would be 36 weeks by then, so it's probably not a good idea :) I don't really want to go into labor in Central Park. Unfortunately, August races are few and far between (I'm not really up for any more half marathons :) , so I think my racing career might be put on hold.

Bill thinks that when I do get back into racing next year that I will be crazy. I think he's right. I told him I'm going to come back from a practice run and be like "BILL! I was hitting 6:45 miles! For 5 miles!" and then the next week I'm going to be like "I don't understand...why can't I go any faster than 10 minute miles! For 2 miles?"

Running...My New Sleep Drug

OK. This week I finally actually feel for-real pregnant. Mostly because I am back to not sleeping again. It is basically just impossible when you get up 7x or more a night (yes, I've counted).

I felt like I had tried everything. I stopped drinking so many liquids after 3pm (I would NOT recommend this to anyone but me...I am a camel I swear) and started just consuming ice instead, I ate at a reasonable hour, I do relaxing activities like reading before sleeping, I even gave up my favorite past-time...three rolls of smarties while reading in bed (which I share with my dog). NOTHING was working.

So last night I made Bill go on a run with me. I think he didn't really want to because he didn't get home until 8. He even texted me like "Are we still going on a run? I won't get home until 8." And I texted him back "YES. I was waiting for you and NEED to go on this run." Seriously, I am going stir crazy. And the workout videos are not even helping anymore.

Usually I welcome a week without running. It gets on my nerves a little, but not enough to actually do anything about it. But it has been too freaking long without a run! Stupid weather. (I am not "allowed" to run unless it is less than 85.)

So last night we went on our favorite short Riverside Park run, which is 2.5 miles. I actually felt pretty darn good (ok, pretty darn good for my new running norms). I notice that I am now running more up and down than forward, but hey, it's still running.

Even Bill noticed. He asked how I felt at our turnaround, and I think he was surprised to have to ask so late in our run. I'm usually huffing and puffing by then.

The secret? I think it is because I'm finking out on my numbers. I used to run 4 minutes and walk two, but now I am down to a 3/2 ratio, which feels much more doable. Oh well. At least I am out there I guess. I figure this is something that everyone goes through eventually because even NYRR said something about women starting off running in their 1st-2nd trimester, eventually moving onto a run-walk, and then a walk-run. (Besides, even with this ratio I am keeping a 14 minute mile, which makes me feel pretty good, because believe me, during the walk breaks I am in no way shape or form walking fast.)

One thing that does suck is that after a run my lower back hurts the rest of the night. I looked it up in my Running Through Pregnancy book but all it basically said was "Yes. Your back will hurt when you run while pregnant." They attribute it to all the relaxin and the fact that my posture is off. Oh well. It is really more of an annoyance than an actual pain, and besides, I will take that any day for the benefits of running.

And? I slept last night!!! I only got up....TWICE!!! That is a record for me.

They say the key is doing a run 3-4 hours before bedtime and that's what I did. Amazing! Makes me want to run every night.

Working Out

All right. It needs to stop being so damn hot here. Really. I am following my rule of "no running unless it is less than 85 degrees out" which is meaning "no running". It's not even less than that in the morning. I guess it wouldn't make a difference since I feel like I need my sleep more than I need my running.

So what HAVE I been doing? Lots and lots of DVD workouts.

But here are some things that I am calling "accomplishments":

• I am still working out in my 7th month of pregnancy!
• Working out actually makes me feel GOOD
• I am gaining weight and inches perfectly, (according to my doctor) which I attribute to the working out
• I don't look pregnant from the back
• I actually have to make modifications to my third trimester workout video to make it harder (I don't use a chair to balance for the squats, lunges, stretches, etc)
• I can stand on one leg to do my quad stretches for 45 seconds without losing balance!
• My belly is still rock solid! (although like a big, round, rock)

I also have really been digging these things called labor lunges. They are SO COMFY and relaxing. They are meant to be done in the delivery room to relax you, and when I heard this in the second trimester I was like "What?! I don't think so!" But now I am truly considering them for that. (I couldn't find a link to describe what I am talking about...basically it is a wide second position plié where you rock side to side, bending deeply in your knees.)

Some lady at the running store also told me to stock up on GU for the delivery room. Why? You need the calories and can't eat solid food! She said her sister swore by this when she was in labor for 17 hours.

Also, it seems like Kara and Paula are making people realize that you can run while pregnant...well, maybe only in the running community, but it's a start. NYRR even has a pregnancy article now! So take THAT all of you chastisers! (Actually, I haven't met too many, but the ones that I do tick me off!)

Running on Vacation

Or, haha, maybe I should title this post "NOT Running on Vacation".

This was actually the first vacation I've taken since high school where I actually did pack my running shoes. So that was a good start. I also packed a couple of workout DVDs and my resistance band. All of this was sort of in vain though.

I started out the week in a very positive way, with a run down the beach with Bill. We decided to cut it to a 20 minute run (even before we started) just because running in the sand is exceedingly difficult. The goal was to make it to this pier we saw (which turned out to be a lot further away than I thought). We ALMOST made it. But let me tell you...

Running on the beach is a whole different ballgame. Automatically my legs were TIGHT. It might have helped if I was running with my running shoes instead of barefoot, but come on, how can you not run barefoot on the beach? I did see some other runners that afternoon though, and they seemed to be manuevering better in their running shoes.

It was fun, but I guess I thought that heading to the beach every morning to read my book was more fun, because that's what I did every other day.

Luckily, it seemed to not affect my overall fitness. When I got back to NYC we did a nice little run on Monday and yesterday I was able to get in a decent resistance workout. I'm hoping for a nice 4-miler in the park on Saturday. Now all I have to do is convince Bill. :)

Liars!

This Sunday Bill and I ran the Stratton Faxon Half Marathon in Fairfield Connecticut. This half marathon had lots of selling points for me. For one, it was perfect timing...the last week before my third trimester. It also was billed as being flat (it even says on the website "The course is flat and very fast."). Also, it is on Jennings Beach, so I was looking forward to spending the day on the beach afterwards. And it is just a short train ride away from Manhattan.

Of course, even being a short train ride away, we still had to get up at 3:30 am in order to be there on time. Yuck. It was okay though, because it's been so hot here and it's made me so tired that I actually fell asleep the night before at 9:30 pm, giving me a full 6 hours of sleep.

Running all of these New York Road Runner Races made me actually forget what it's like to run a non-NYRR race. First of all, they kept talking about how huge this race was...the largest that they've ever had. They were warning us about the course being so crowded, which was kind of funny, because they had a record 4800 runners. The weekend before, Bill and I ran in a little 5 miler in Central Park that had 5000 runners, and that is pretty much typical for summer races.

Also EVERYONE got a technical shirt...even the people running the 5k. And you just went up to the booth and they gave you one. You didn't have to get an "x" on your number or anything.

The port-o-lets were the cleanest port-o-lets I have ever seen...before the race AND on the course (yeah, I had to stop twice on the course...pretty sad).

Also, it is SO NICE to run through pretty, scenic neighborhoods. Don't get me wrong, Central Park is beautiful. But I run there every week and know it like the back of my hand. The whole course actually reminded me a lot of the Flying Pig. I could have sworn we were running in Mariemont a few times. The crowd support was also about equal to the Pig's, which is pretty cool for a half marathon.

The start was kind of weird though, because they had women in one place and men in another. So Bill and I didn't meet up until after the first mile. I have to say, even with my run/walk plan I had a very rough start. My legs were in so much pain because my calves were so incredibly tight. It was probably a good thing Bill wasn't running next to me for that first mile because I was in bad shape mentally. He got an earful though when he saw me.

I was like "I don't know. I'm going to see how this goes, but at this point I'm not finishing this thing." All I could focus on was my leg pain even though Bill was telling me to focus on something else like my breathing, which pretty much just made me want to punch him. (Yes, mentally I was at mile 24 of a marathon.) He asked when we should consider stopping and I said I wanted to go until at least mile 5 and then see. He later told me that he thought this was kind of funny because since it was an out and back course I might as well do the whole thing at that point. Obviously (and smartly) he didn't tell me this.

We stopped on the side of the road in someone's yard and Bill massaged out my calves, which actually did help.

Except, there were SO MANY FREAKING HILLS on this "flat, fast course" that every time I started to climb one again my calves would seize up. So we Plan B'ed it. Every hill, we walked up. This of course, threw my intervals off, so we decided to play the intervals by ear.

We were definitely running at the back of the pack, which I definitely did not like. I know I used to run here all the time, but I was mad that I was running here now. It was so sparse (running populationwise) and it made me feel like I wasn't running a race. Plus I was like "I am definitely not going to make it before the cut-off." AND there were CARS on the road. Ergh. Not something I want to have to pay attention to during a race.

At about mile 6, I started feeling really good. I was even picking up my pace on the running part, and I was able to do 6 minutes of running at a time when I fell off of the intervals because of the hills. I was able to have a nice, fun conversation with Bill without feeling an urge to punch him (I swear, it's just the running thing...the whole time my mind was like "He is just trying to help. He is so supportive. He is the best husband ever." but it was also like "SHUT UP. Just SHUT UP." I am glad that he ran the Pig with me that one year, because he went through the same thing with me, and now he understands. :)

We were actually having a really good time, despite the fact that we were now regularly climbing steep Hyde-Park-Blast-type hills.

We were also doing this back and forth type thing with this other group of runners, who, at about mile 10, decided to change their run to a run/walk. My inner goal was to beat them.

Before we knew it, we were at the end!!! (And we passed the team in black that kept being behind and then in front of us.) And let me tell you, it was the first race where I didn't want to pick up my pace when I saw the finish line. I just didn't have any more left.

I was actually happy with myself even though my time was way off what I am used to. (I got a 2:46.25, which is a 12:44 pace. Last year, in similar weather conditions and on a hillier course in Queens I got a 1:54.07 which is an 8:42 pace. I only point this out because I am amazed at how much your pace can change without you having any control over it.) The medal was also nice, and I wore it all day, even over my swimsuit when we were hanging out at the beach afterwards.

And besides being super-chafed and having swelling feet, I felt pretty good physically. Definitely good enough to scarf down the free after-race food (a hot dog, an apple, two pieces of pizza and a half pint of fruit punch). :)

Lead Legs

The funniest thing happened in the last week...I feel like my legs are made of lead. It kind of stinks because:
1. I feel energized
2. I feel strong/am not injured
3. I had a great run 2 weeks ago

It is crazy...I don't feel sore or tired or anything, just like my legs are heavy. In fact, it feels like when you have a really hard workout and have a bunch of lactic acid buildup. Bill thinks it is the 17 pounds I have gained, and he makes a good point. I mean that is like over a 12% weight gain.

At any rate, it has made me re-evaluate my workout plans. This past weekend I had 2 long(ish) runs. One eight-miler and one five-miler and I decided to experiment with them. I had been meaning to try the whole run/walk thing, and I found this the perfect opportunity.

We started out with 4 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking. I soon found out that one minute was NOT enough rest time. It seemed like just when I was getting to where I felt "good" we had to pick up running again. Bill suggested a 3/1 combo, but I told him what I really needed was more REST. I already had my watch all set up though, so I wanted to continue the 4/1 for the 8 miler and switch to a 4/2 for the 5 miler the next day.

Yeah, well that didn't really happen. Because when I got to the little hills on the west side of the park they killed me. So we pulled over and I reset my watch and we did 4/2s. OMG what a difference! My energy was back, and just when my legs were starting to feel heavy again I was up for a walk break, which made me recover. Plus, the walk time is a great time to rehydrate. I actually felt like I could have done another 5 miles at the end, so that's good!

The next day in my head I wanted to run the whole thing (since it was a race), but I was willing to see how I felt. Since it was crowded (the first sold-out race of the summer, which meant 5,000 runners) I told Bill we would run through the first run walk run cycle (10 minutes) just to get past the crowd and then see how we felt.

Haha.

I think I should have just stuck with the run/walk and not worried about the crowd.

Oh well, good learning lesson. I was actually pretty happy with my race, even though it seemed dreadfully slow. I just have to keep reminding myself "You are running because it is good for you...not because you love it so much right now."

So the plan for this weekend's half marathon is definitely run/walk 4/2. I am looking forward to the nice flat course on the beach and then just hanging out on the beach afterwards. I am definitely ready!

Pregnancy PR Plus

This past weekend I ran the Women's Mini 10k. This race is sort of a big deal because it was the first women's-only race I think ever (it started in 1972 and is called the "mini" because it was sponsored by "Mini" Razors). It ends up drawing a lot of elites like Linet Masai and Lornah Kiplagat. But this year I was very excited because Kara Goucher and Paula Radcliffe were running it as a "fun run" since they are both pregnant (and both due a week before me!). I love, love, love Kara Goucher, so I was very very happy. I was hoping to snap a picture of them before the race and even had my camera on me.

Anyway, I always like this run, because it is very "girl power" AND you get to run up Central Park West for the first part, instead of being stuck in the same old Central Park loop.
It was a muggy day (66 degrees but 78% humidity) but at least it was overcast and a little cooler than I was used to. I had no time goals, but wanted to run with a good effort and just see how it went. Since it was a women's only race I was in the red corral (the second fastest) and I think it kind of screwed me up. Even though I was telling myself to take it out no faster than a 10-minute pace, I think I got caught up in the race pace. I THOUGHT I was holding back, but when I looked at my watch at the half mile I saw I was doing an 8:40 pace...whoops. I slowed down immediately, knowing there was no way I could hold that.


I was glad that I did because those hills were killer. Even the slight elevation on the way to the downhill part of Harlem Hill was tiring my legs out. I was keeping a nice even 10:16 pace though and felt pretty good. I was also making sure to stop at every single water stop because I could tell that I needed them. With my good head start of a 9:48 minute mile and the following 10:16 I decided to make a mental goal of beating my first ever 10k time, which was a 1:09.


The back end of Harlem Hill got me though. I was really fighting the urge to walk because I wanted to run the entire race. I decided to allow myself a little walk break when I got to Lasker Pool, at the bottom of the hill. But then I saw that the 3 mile marker was halfway up the hill and quickly revised my plan to make it to mile 3. That allowed me to run half the hill and walk half of it, and I felt that this was much more justified :)


Even with all of the walking and water breaks I was still not that far off my goal. That last mile was an 11+ pace, but I was getting my energy back now that all of the bad hills were over.


When I hit Cat Hill I didn't even feel like I needed the water stop, but I stopped anyway.


I don't remember what my 5th mile was, but I know it started with a 9, which made me ecstatic. I felt great...great enough to pick up the pace for that last mile.


I did feel like it was the longest mile ever. When I got to the 800m to go sign I was like "Really? A whole HALF MILE?!" I didn't know if I could keep up the pace. I must have though, because I saw Bill just after mile 6 and when I looked at my watch I saw that I was flying! I shouted to Bill "9:20!!!" I was super pumped! I haven't seen those kind of numbers since before pregnancy! I was definitely going to make my goal.

I dug in and concentrated and finished with a 1:02, 10 minute pace flat! I was so happy! So happy that I didn't even really care that I got the ugliest carnation the guy handed me after the end :)

THEN the best part!!!

Bill and I were walking back the race course to cheer on our friend, Bess when who do I see signing autographs? Kara Goucher! It took some needling, but Bill convinced me to stand in line and get my picture taken with her. ( I was like "NOOOOOOOO! I am NOT a ten-year-old girl!")

I think she is probably the nicest professional runner ever.

First of all, she noticed my "Running for Two" shirt, which she said she loved and then started asking me all kinds of questions ("When are YOU due?" "How do you feel?") I told her I got a pregnancy PR which she said was great and then told her that she was inspiring me to keep running. She was like "I don't see why not, right? I mean, if you feel good you should!" and then she said "We'll probably be singing a different song in the 9th month though, right?" Aw. She was very nice and I felt very happy to have talked to her for more than 2 seconds like everyone else. Her husband Adam was there too, but I was mainly just startstruck by Kara. :)

Me and Kara Goucher!

Sadly, I missed Bess' finish, but we all went out to celebrate our run afterwards with some greasy diner food :)

Bess, Gina and Me before heading to brunch

Japan Day Race

I don't know WHY I am trying so hard to get in my 9+1 races to qualify for the 2011 New York City Marathon. I already have guaranteed entry since I forfeited my guaranteed entry this year. I guess I always need a goal in running and this is it for me. I also like running races because it makes sure that I am still running and staying in shape.

At any rate, after my very hot 6-mile run on Saturday, Bill and I woke up early to do the Japan Day 4-mile run on Sunday. It was still hot, and there was no sign of the rain that they were talking about all week, which kind of made it worse (recorded temps were 75 for the 8am race with 79% humidity).

But I am SO GLAD that we ran on Saturday. It made Sunday so much easier, mentally and physically.

One thing I did forget was that the summer races are CROWDED. Especially in the middle of the pack where I run now. The whole time we were on everyone's heels and there was never any room to pass...not that I really needed to pass anyone.

I felt like I was putting forth a good effort, which made me realize the truth about effort vs pace.

I was telling Bill about this during the run. When I ran competitively it was a whole different ballgame than how I run now. Last year it was all about time, no excuses. Even though people were telling me that things like heat, humidity, whether or not you had a long run, or a hill workout or a speed workout the day before, etc affected your race, I was always trying to PR, no matter what. I remember being really upset with myself last year during the Women's Mini 10k because at practice I was averaging 7:40-8:15 pace on 10ks and on that race I averaged an 8:33 pace. And it was hot that day!

But running during pregnancy has taught me that those things really DO matter. I can tell when my body is pushing hard, and time is not always a reflection of that.

In this race we were doing a consistent 10:37 pace and it felt just as hard as those 7:40s that I used to do at practice.

I have also really been able to tell the difference between pushing it so that I get a good workout and knowing when I need a break. My OB says that this is why athletes do well in pregnancy workouts. She said that athletes have a much better understanding of how their bodies work, and they are the best measurerers (hmmm, not really a word, I know) of their effort levels. Studies have shown that when pregnant athletes need to stop or take a break, they do. So that's what I do...I push to get a hard workout, but not so hard that I will hurt myself. It ends up being pretty rewarding, and I have almost always felt good afterwards about my runs.

I even made it up Cat Hill without stopping (Cat Hill has been my Achilles Heel on my last 2 long runs) even though it was in the third mile of the 4 mile race.

So I was pretty happy with my 41:50 (which averaged out to a 10:27 pace!). And I felt GREAT afterwards. Great enough to walk the 2 miles home and scarf down a sausage sandwich from the corner bodega. :)

Hot Time Summer in the City

I have to say that I was not thrilled to wake up to 79 degree temps on Saturday morning. Not to mention that it was also muggy and that in the half hour that it took me to get ready it had already climbed up to 83. Yuck.

The plan was to do my 10 miler with Bill (nice and easy, but still...). I guess I should also mention that my pregnancy running book recommends not running when it is over 85 out. This had already screwed up my plans earlier in the week when I was supposed to do a 3-4 mile run and it was 85 out (at 7:30 pm!). Bill and I ended up walking the 3 miles, which made me feel pretty lame, but I figured it was better than not getting out there at all. ( I swear though, it was a good 10 degrees cooler by the river where we were walking on the way down, then in the park, which is elevated, on the way back...and they are RIGHT next to each other!)

Well, we had decided on 2 5-mile loops, or maybe a 5-mile loop in Central Park and then running over to Riverside to run by the nice cool river (but also in the hot sun with no shade). We were going to play it by ear.

Into the first mile I had already decided that 10 miles was out. I had already done a little walking (which I have no problem doing, but have never done before the end of the first mile). Bill and I decided that 6 miles was an admirable goal.

Shortly after that, we decided that 6 miles run/walking was an admirable goal.

I went through 3 and a half 16oz bottles on that 6 miles and a GU!!! (Unheard of! I do not take GUs until the 6th mile AND I usually go through about 8oz of water for every 6 miles).

We did finish our 6 miles. And it seemed to take forever...but even with all of the walking and stopping to get water our pace averaged out to 13:17, which I think was actually okay.

We ran into one of my running friends from TNT on the way back, and she said that it was so hot and unbearable that her group in the morning only did 2 of the lower loops (1.7 miles). Yuck.

If we have a lot more days like this, I think my pregnancy running days are numbered.

Afterwards, Bill and I went to Chipotle and I scarfed down 3 tacos (which I can never usually do) including grabbing a fork to get all of the rest of the meat that fell out. And then when I got home I had to have something else because I was still starving.

Luckily, I was smart concerning my hydration...because my pre-run weight was EXACTLY the same as my postrun weight! Hurrah to me!

Being Sick is the Pits

So I ended up taking a WHOLE WEEK off of working out because I had a cold. Yuck.

I learned two things from being sick while pregnant:
1. Your immune system is very very much down, which means it is a lot easier to catch things like colds. It also means that it takes a much longer time to get over colds. I caught mine on the 17th (a Monday), and had to take off of work because it was so bad for THREE DAYS. I never do that. It still wasn't fully gone until the following Sunday. And I still have a nagging cough left over. Blah.
2. You can't take any drugs. Oh yeah, and no herbal supplements either...so even Airborne is out because it is an extra dose of Vitamin C.

Normally this awful cold would have been gone with a half day of rest for me...but I was not so lucky this time. As a result there was no running. Also no weight lifting, no stretching, no yoga, no working out. Pretty much I just laid on the couch and watched tv. It sounds like fun but it isn't. I think I was driving Bill nuts.

So when I got back into the routine of things last week about all I could muster at once in the heat was a measly 2.5 mile run. And it SUCKED. It was like I had taken 2 weeks off of working out instead of one. I even had to walk a couple of times, and then stupid things started happening (like my foot cramped up so badly that I had to take my running shoe off midrun. Seems I have a potassium deficiency. While I eat 3 bananas at work a day, which takes care of it, being sick at home I kind of had forgotten to do this.)

I MADE myself do a weight workout on Friday, lifting the lighter weights I have and it was hard too.

So on Saturday I was pretty much dreading our 8-miler.

Luckily I had lots of moral support from Bill and my friends Gina and Donna who joined us for the run. It was muggy out, which made it tough, but we muddled through. I only stopped to walk twice, once being at the killer Cat Hill (but I was proud of myself for making it through the first time...it was the second time that got me). We ended up averaging a 10:29 pace, even with the walking, so I was pretty happy.

It also made me feel like "Yes, I CAN do this half marathon that I signed up for at the end of my second trimester!"

Check THIS Out!

Seems like my most favorite runner, Kara Goucher, is also running pregnant! My friend Gina forwarded this article to me over the weekend. And her and Paula Radcliffe are due about the same time that I am!

So is it weird that this makes me feel more positive about my future running experiences? I mean, it's definitely not like "Well, if Kara can do it, I can do it." Because I read that she did 70 miles last week. Erg. I did like 10 miles last week. And I like that her "slow pace" is an 8:15 for a 10k. That is like my fast (non-pregnant) 10k pace! (But if her SLOW pace is 8:15, and her racing pace is like 4:58, that makes me not feel so bad about my new 10-11 minute long run pace). That article does make me feel like "Yay! I can do it!"

The other cool thing is that both of these ladies are running the Women's Mini 10k in June, which happens to be in Central Park, which I happened to sign up early for this year.

(Ironically, I think I am going to get in my 9+1 pretty easily this year, even though I deferred my entry to the NYC marathon for this year to the next...so I wouldn't even HAVE to do 9+1 to get in!)

Not Counting Time :)

I have decided that I am not going to be paying attention to my time too much during this whole running-while-pregnant thing. I say this because I was just checking out my race history for this year and it's kind of demotivating.

The good news is that I've completed another race! Yay! That makes 4 for this year, and I'm already signed up for another one. The nice thing about not training for a marathon (I've found) is that I can run a lot more races because they don't screw up training. I AM still looking for another half marathon to run though (before it gets too ridiculous to do so).

But anyway, back to the title?

Bill and I ran the Mother's Day run this weekend. It was perfect weather and unseasonably cold for May (but nice for running!) with 40 degree temps. Unfortunately there was a TON of wind, but I will take that any day over running in 90 degree temps.

Our first mile was 9:53, which is all well and good, except for the fact that I felt like I was running about a whole minute faster than that. AND (as I pointed out to Bill) kind of demotivating, knowing that I ran an entire 13.1 miles at about that pace two weeks ago. Yuck.

The next mile we picked it up to a 9:09 (whoops, no wonder it felt a lot faster).

Oh yes, and I forgot to tell you. Ever since about 2 weeks ago I start a race or run and immediately have to pee. It doesn't matter that I go right before the run. It doesn't matter that I drink my fluids all at the beginning of the day and run at night. It just doesn't matter. And this past WEEK I feel like I am running with a full bladder the whole time. Like, you know how it feels when you load up on too much water at the water stops and then go to run again? And you feel all heavy in the stomach as it bounces up and down? Yeah, well that's how I feel all the time now.

So I had to stop at mile two. And of course there was a long line...which added on I don't know how much time. But luckily, it allowed us to see our friend Donna and catch up to her in the next mile so we could be chatty for awhile.

Bill wanted to know how I felt and the best way I could describe it was "I'm definitely pushing myself. But I don't need to go slower." Which I think was pretty good for me. Oh yeah, and I had to pee again, but decided to try and finish the race first because seriously, this was getting ridiculous.

When we were around 79th some guy shouted "Only a quarter mile to go!" I said "What? That can't be right!" But here's what happened: I KNEW it was a 4 mile race and I KNOW the park loops like the back of my hand, but in my mind I was doing the 5 mile loop...so I knew that when he said .25 miles, I really had like 1.6 miles (the total of the lower loop). But there was no lower loop!!! Hurrah!

I guess my body was planning for a 5 mile race too, because I suddenly was able to take off and kick it in like crazy.

Which is why I feel like I deserve the 9:50 pace that my Garmin had for the race instead of my 10:36 pace that NYRR had for me. (That bathroom break took a long time).

Yes, I hate people that do that, but come on! Can I get a pass for it this time? :)

The shirt was Bill's idea :)

My Love/Hate Relationship with Yoga

I can never seem to stay motivated enough to stick with a yoga program and I'm not sure why.

Obviously, it is one of the best things that a runner can do for herself...especially a runner like me who can't even touch her toes (and this has nothing to do with pregnancy...I have always been this way). I am always amazed at how at the beginning of my yoga workout I can't even sit comfortably in the crossed leg position, but by the end this is more than comfortable for me.

This is why I haven't taken any yoga classes. In Cincinnati it was different. There were people of all different skill levels in these classes, and while it was embarassing to be the least flexible person in the class, I could totally deal with it. Here, people are SERIOUS about yoga. I guess they would have to be, because the classes are so expensive. There is also a very unhealthy standard of being ridiculously thin here, and the yoga classes are even worse (so I've heard from all of my friends and co-workers who have taken these classes.)

I KNOW this will help me with my running. I WANT to be a crazy yoga-girl who wears cute outfits and can put my leg up against the side of my head (or really, even just touch my toes) and eats insanely healthy and feels connected with the earth and her body (btw, I loved that article in Runner's World last month about the Zen running camp in Shambhala. I want to go there.)

So I try. And I quit.

I've tried several Yoga videos including Crunch Candlelight Yoga which weirds me out because the girl reminds me so much of Sarah Silverman and she says weird things in a calming voice like "close your eyes...there's nothing to see on your tv screen." I've also tried the MTV Yoga video with Kristin McGee...but she is VERY annoying and doesn't come off and being very athletic OR bright. So maybe that is part of the problem.

My mom gave me this new DVD called Prenatal Yoga with Desi Bartlett. I like it so much that I've already done the workout twice this week.

I've been trying to stay away from prenatal workout videos because I feel like they may be too easy for me (since I have been in good shape for awhile and I feel like most of those are geared towards women who don't work out at all). But this one is great (probably because I am totally a beginner in Yoga and can't do half of the moves). It is 45 minutes long, which is just long enough for me to not get bored, but long enough that I feel like I'm getting a workout.

It also REALLY stretches me out in a way that feels really good. I'm sure that this has something to do with the fact that it's geared towards a very specific segment, but I'll take it! It was a perfect thing to do the day after my half marathon when I was still a little achy in my muscles.

And every night that I do the video? I sleep through the ENTIRE night...like a ROCK!

So I'm crossing my fingers that I can keep up this yoga thing for longer than a month (which is usually my breaking point).

My Adventures in the NYRR Medical Tent

Before I start this post I just must say: no, it wasn't a big deal, but yes, I ended up in the medical tent after the More Half Marathon. It was actually my first experience of this sort in all of my running career, which I guess is sort of impressive...especially considering my tendency for injury when I ran cross-country in high-school.

Anyway, it all pretty much started AFTER the race. I was freezing cold and couldn't wait to get into my warm and dry clothes since I had been running in the rain for 2+ hours. Bill and I maneuvered this over by bagcheck. He held up two umbrellas and handed me dry clothes while I did a soccer change (this is where you change your shirt into a new shirt without showing any skin...it came from the days when we would get our soccer jerseys the day of the game.) I was so glad I brought lots of clothes. Off came the soaking technical shirt and sportsbra and on went the dry race t-shirt, a dry sweatshirt hoodie and a dry racing jacket. I also dumped my wet socks and shoes for sandles. Unfortunately, I didn't even bother with bringing pants because I figured there was no way to change out of my skirt in a non-obscene way. (Yes, I could have gone into a port-o-let, but I think that's kind of gross and anyways I don't trust my balance these days.) At any rate, I think this whole not-changing-out-of-my-skirt was my downfall. (In my defense though, I DID look all over for those space blankets for afterwards, but I think they had run out by the time I finished.)

We then proceeded to find Gina to cheer on our other friend Bess, who hadn't finished yet. Gina and I were very pumped to go to brunch afterwards. So after we saw Bess finish, I stepped off of the curb to head over to the finish and OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

I didn't even know what to call where I was feeling pain. My inner thigh? Was this my groin? My adductor? All I know is that it was this immense, radiating pain and it made it very hard to walk. I have NEVER EVER felt pain like this. We were now way behind Gina and I told Bill we might be taking a cab to brunch, even though it was only a few blocks away.

Each step intensified the pain and I actually started making audible noises. They were so loud that people started looking. Luckily, one nice man said "There's a massage tent back there." We thanked him and turned around. Bill texted Gina to go ahead without us. The massage tent seemed so far away, and I couldn't even tell which tent it was. It was getting worse and worse and I really couldn't move.

Bill then went over to a course attendant and asked where the medical tent was. Luckily it was only about 10 feet away. But those 10 feet seemed like a mile. I barely made it in. I just kept thinking "Maybe they could get a wheelchair and bring me in."

Now, from the minute we got into the tent it was all business. I kid you not. NYRR does NOT mess around.

They made me lie down on a cot (quite a feat) where they covered me in three blankets. They made me wrap one around my head and I felt like I looked like the guys in the sleeping pods from 2001 Space Odyssey.

This lady with a clipboard asked me for my number (of course, attached to my wet shirt in a plastic bag within a bag, so that took awhile to get) and took down a bunch of information from my tag.

Then, they moved me to the "warmer part" of the tent onto another cot. A man asked me what was going on and then called over a doctor saying that it was my hip (aha! my hip) and that I needed it worked out.

So the doctor asked me all about the pain, and I just kept stressing how this has NEVER happened, EVER in all my running. Bill thought that this was funny because he thought the guy probably was like "haha. What? In all your training you did for this half marathon?" I really did feel stupid being there. Like I didn't know what I was doing or something and overexerted myself (which I didn't).

I am very very sensitive about this now. I think it's because people keep asking me "Is it really okay to run while your pregnant? Really? Even all of that mileage?" And believe me, everything I've read says yes, its okay, but most importantly my OB says it's ok. So I'm all worried that people will be like "See, you shouldn't run like that!" and "You have to be more careful!"

Anyway, the doctor was great and only had to work my leg for like 10 minutes before I could move it completely again.

He said that it was just a muscle spasm brought on by the cold. Standing around afterwards in a wet skirt certainly didn't help matters. He also said it was probably also due to the fact that my circulation is much much different since I am pregnant. The solution? Go home as soon as possible, get into a warm bath and just make sure I got warm. I could also alternate cold and warm compresses on it. (He also had no problem with me running a half marathon while four months pregnant.)

When I went to stand up, I could move again without ANY pain! I could walk normally without a limp! It was amazing!!!

I actually made it almost all the way out of the park normally without it seizing up again. But when it did, it hurt LOTS. So we took a cab home. A whole 3 blocks.

It must have just been the cold though, because as soon as I got into the building from the warm cab I was walking with only a slight limp, and once I was out of the tub I didn't have any pain for the rest of the day.

Guess I learned my lesson – body temps drop dramatically after you STOP running. I may have been able to get away with it before, but not anymore: change into ALL dry clothes after a wet run.

The MORE Half Marathon

It finally arrived! The day of the half marathon! It's kind of crazy because I didn't have a marathon to train for this year, so this was sort of my "big event". However, I didn't really get myself all psyched-up to run or anything. No big pasta dinner, no going to bed super early, nothing like that. In fact, I was pretty low-key about the whole thing. But I think that was maybe because my goal was just to finish the thing.

I will say, the expo for this event was pretty cool. There were LOTS of good freebies. In the race bag alone you got a full-size box of wheat pasta, a full-size Murad moisturizer with sunscreen, a Lady Speed Stick, a bunch of weird (and scary) vitamin supplements, Silk soymilk, a lululemon headband, and a bunch of other stuff that I really can't remember right now. (I was mainly psyched about the expensive Murad moisturizer, which normally retails for $30!). There was all kinds of other free stuff at the expo tables...Lady Speed Stick was giving away free technical shirts! My parents (who were in town visiting) got me this cool florescent green short sleeve hoodie made out of technical fabric. Along the side it said "I Run Like a Girl". I had to wear it Sunday, so I broke the whole "Nothing New On Race Day" Rule. I actually kind of broke that rule a lot because I also was wearing a new sports bra, new Balga socks (my favorite kind!) and new elastic shoelaces.

Of course, that morning it was POURING down rain. And it wasn't supposed to stop all day. I brought lots of extra layers in a plastic bag that Bill so kindly held during the race. I was pretty psyched because I was in the red corral, which meant I was in the group with the second fastest times (of course, I wasn't counting on keeping that kind of pace for this race). Standing in the rain was COLD, and I couldn't wait until we got moving.

The course was pretty packed, but people were being nice. I was actually surprised at the pace of the girls around me (who also started in the red corral) because we were keeping a pretty easy 9:58ish pace for the first couple of miles. I also decided that while long bangs and layers are stylish right now, they don't make very good running accessories in a downpour.

I felt pretty good, but like I was pushing the pace a little. I was having a hard time taking it back though. I couldn't believe I was already up at the 102nd street transverse! Then, a great surprise! Gina was running right beside me! It was so nice to have a friend to chat with, ESPECIALLY through Harlem Hill. We noticed that we were going a little fast though (I had a 9:21 pace). OK, time to slow down for real. I needn't have worried. Harlem Hill really took it out of me.

Unfortunately, I lost Gina at a water stop, when I stopped and she didn't...which was probably okay, because I needed to slow down a ton, and she was going for a sub 2:00.

I did see Bill though, in the lower loop, and smiled and waved. One loop down, one to go! When I saw him on the other side of the lower loop I was still smiling but a lot more tired. It was more like "One more loop? A whole loop to go?"

I think I looked tired too. When I passed the course monitors at 72nd Street on the east side, one of them said "Good job Emily! Water just around the corner!" I was like "OK." Then I was like 'Wait! How did he know my name?' Turns out it was one of my TNT teammates from the summer. Yay! As stupid as it is, it helps me to see people I know on the course.

I started singing in my head to distract myself. I got stuck on Britney Spear's "Radar" (I know, I know! Lame!) which ended up being good because it is nice and easy with a good rhythm...exactly how I needed to run. Before I knew it I was at 102nd Street again!

It was here that I realized that I was sort of kind of cold. Like not hypothermia cold, but just uncomfortable cold. It was distracting me (but not in a good way) on Harlem Hill and all I could think about was how I wanted to get OUT of my wet clothes AS SOON AS the race was over...especially my soaked sports bra that was right against my skin. Ok. Time to stop thinking about that.

Finally I was over Harlem Hill and I started segmenting the race in my head. My next goal was 90th street, where I knew the little rolling hills were over, then 72nd, where I would see Bill again and also only had one more lower loop to go, then 72nd on the east side, where the race was almost over.

I started feeling good again, and my splits went from 11:30s (for the past two miles) back to a 10:15. I was now shooting for a sub-10 pace for the entire race. It was definitely doable.

Oh. Except for the fact that I had this nagging nagging nagging need to pee. The problem was that I had had this need for about the entire race. At this point it wasn't even nerves or adrenaline, it was just downright annoying. MOSTLY it was annoying because I only had 1.6 miles to go. I tried to ignore it more. It just wasn't in the cards...I had to stop. ARGH. Luckily, in a rainstorm in the 11th mile of a half marathon all of the port-o-lets are deserted.

Back on the course, and when I passed the carousel on the east side, I picked it up. I entered the long corral at 72nd street and looked at my watch (I couldn't resist)...looks like I was averaging a 10:03 pace. NOOOOOOO! So I REALLY kicked it in.

But...I couldn't do it. I finished with a 2:12, which averages out to a 10:04 pace. But I was still happy. I ran a good and tough race and now I had a pretty medal to wear all day :)

The Secret's Out!

Not wanting to run...feeling tired...low energy...slower times...

Yes, these are all symptoms of running while pregnant...which I am...very much so. (My running friend Jen was also confused as to why Bill was checking my energy level so much and being so overprotective in my latest blog posts).

Honestly, I was just happy that I was still allowed to run! I mean I spent a good part of my summer last year studying the Runner's World Guide to Running and Pregnancy and learning just about everything I would ever need to know about running while pregnant (yes, it is safe...no, you do not have to keep your heart rate below 140...etc) but I still had this sinking feeling that my OB would say "forget it". Of course, she didn't. She is a runner herself and her partner is a tri-athlete who only stopped training in the third trimester because she was sick of all of the rude comments and stares. (Not only am I "allowed" to run, but it is recommended that I do at least 30 minutes of working out a day most days of the week!)

The book actually is WONDERFUL and I would recommend it to anyone, because it tells you everything you would ever need to know about running while pregnant and everything you will go through emotionally and physically (or, at least it has so far), which was a nice preparation.

One thing I didn't know? My times will increase dramatically. There is just no way around it. And I'm actually okay with that, although it took a lot of mental prep. I just keep telling myself that it is a whole new ballgame. It gives me "new" goals too. Like running a 5k race under a 10 minute pace. Or doing a long run without stopping. Or running my longest distance ever (while pregnant). Or even just training for a half marathon (which is this Sunday, by the way!)

Luckily, I have a GREAT support system with my friends and family and running buddies. So it's made everything a lot easier.

Bill and I have actually learned to really ENJOY running slower together. He said my attitude towards running is much more balanced, and he can tell that I really love running again (not that I ever didn't, but sometimes it really is more of a chore to tick off of the list).

And now that the secret's out I can FINALLY write about running freely again and not feel like I'm hiding anything :) And boy, do I have a LOT to write about now.

12 miler

This is it! The longest run of the season before the half marathon! I was definitely excited to do the mileage, but still a smidge sore from a 4-miler I did during the week while I was traveling in Philly. Seems my calves had it in for me.

Luckily, we had a whole group to tackle this task, which always makes running more fun..A bunch of my friends are doing the More Half Marathon and we decided to run it together...EASY, and then reward ourselves with brunch.

It's amazing how much faster it all goes when you are chatting. There were 4.5 of us (Donna only did 6 miles with us because she is not actually running the half) and we never ran out of conversation :)

We also maintained about a 12 minute mile because it was Bess' first 12-miler, Gina said she hadn't really been training like she should and I was nursing super sore calves. Guess what? It totally worked! I was sore up until the evening, but after that, I was fine! I was so amazed. I also told Gina that running at that pace seemed a ton less daunting even though it took a lot longer.

Gina said that taking your long runs at a much slower pace is actually a very crucial part of the Pfitzinger plan which is an intense plan that is heavy on mileage but promises extraordinary results. Gina used the plan to get her first sub-4:00 marathon in NYC last year and ended up smashing her goal! I had told her that if it worked for her then I was going to try it for my next marathon. (So I guess I have to try it now).

But I was very intrigued by this whole long slow distance thing. I mean, Coach Ramon ALWAYS tells us to do this, but the fact is, I run my long runs not THAT much differently than my goal pace for the marathon.

Anyway, we were all proud of ourselves when we finished, and walked another half mile to brunch, where I rewarded myself with a stack of pancakes and a plate of cheese fries (gotta have the sweet AND savory!)

Scotland Run

This Saturday Bill and I decided to run the Scotland Run, which is a 10k in Central Park.

I figured it would be a good idea to run the loop in "racing conditions" because in the More half marathon I will be doing that twice. It was also my first warm race of the season, so it was a good check on fluid intake, heart rate and all of that good stuff. Plus, I had heard that the Scotland Run was a lot of fun and that I should definitely do it.

I guess most of the "fun" comes from the cool race schwag. I always love races that give you stuff other than the typical white men's tee, even if it's stuff I never use again. I guess I just love free stuff. Kind of wasteful if you really think about it.

This race had a reusable bag with the Scottish flag on it, a plastic Scottish flag, a Scottish flag pin (which I will be adding to my bag full of race patches and pins...yes, I am one of those people), an ugly baseball cap and some Scottish flag tattoos. Plus, the shirt was at least clever. It had the race map on the back in a tartan plaid design.

Bill was a little bummed because we were all the way in the back...the second to last corral. Well, he was. And it was all my fault. When you sign up for NYRR races they base your corral on your best pace for the year in one of their races that is over 2 miles. So my corral is based on my 8:03 pace (and how many people are in the race). Since Bill had lost his NYRR number and had to re-register this year he had no race history...except for the 5k we did in March...where I ran a nice and easy 9:15 pace. I don't think he would have been that far back in another race (I say this because my 8:03 pace put me in the orange corral and I am usually in the green...I think it goes Blue, Red, Yellow, Green, Orange, Aqua, Purple, Gray, Pink). I went back into the gray corral with him though, because I completely and totally appreciate him running with me. :)

My goal was 9:30 pace, especially with the heat. I was feeling a little warm at the starting line already AND it was sunny out.

The start was crowded but I was focusing on feeling comfortable and hoping that I could negative split. Despite the crowd, I went a 9:40. Perfect! I felt pretty good too. It was warm, but I felt like the race was manageable. It was also nice because we were running clockwise from the west side, which meant that the bad hills were first, and Cat Hill would be a downhill instead of an uphill.

One thing I do hate about the slower pace is how long it takes to run a race. I mean 8:03 and 9:40 are not THAT different but the miles seem to take FOREVER. It drives me crazy. The whole time I am like "WHEN is the next mile?"

I definitely felt like I should hydrate at every stop, so I did. And it didn't slow us down either. The next mile was a 9:34.

Even on the hill we were keeping a good pace (in fact, we probably should have slowed down a bit). I like running up the back side of Harlem Hill much better, and we ended up logging a 9:14.

Then I felt tired. I was done. Totally done with the race. I told myself to look forward to something mentally, so I tried periodization: Hey! Only a little bit to Cat Hill which is a downhill, then you're already at 72nd. Then all you have to do is the lower loop and you are almost finished!

It worked until 72nd. Bill kept asking me how I felt and all I could say was "tired", but that wasn't even right. It wasn't tired exactly...more like it was becoming an effort to run. It was not quite as easy as the start and I was starting to concentrate on more things (my heartrate, where the waterstops were, how many hills were left, that next spot of shade) which was making me enjoy running less.

I usually feel like I can kick it in at the end, but that wasn't so true this time. I had worked as hard as I could and was content with finishing at the same speed with which I tackled the lower loop. No second wind for me this time.

Don't get me wrong, I felt fine afterwards. Even like I ran a good run.

And I especially enjoyed the chocolate chip bagels at the end along with the cool and funky Scottish music from Whiskey Kiss in the party area. (I always secretly wanted to be one of those girls playing the electric fiddle in those funky Celtic bands). It was also fun to meet up with my friends Bess and Donna afterwards.

I will say, I can't seem to get enough of racing this year...even if it does seem harder. It just seems very rewarding. :)

Long Slow Distance

Some days running just seems daunting. That's how this Saturday was to me. I was in a bad mood in the morning and the last thing I wanted to do was go for a ten-mile run. Also, Bill was nursing a foot injury, so I would have had to do it by myself. Normally, I wouldn't have minded, but I just did not want to even do one mile.

Bill made me a deal...he would RICE all day and try at least part of the run tomorrow with me. The only bad part was that Saturday was sunny and Sunday was supposed to be gloomy. I also pretty much hate putting my long run off until Sunday, but at the same time, I have learned it is so not good for me to run when I don't feel like it.

Besides, I have been trying very hard to follow Coach Ramon's advice:

"Run only if the run you are about to conquer has meaning and satisfies both your body and mind. stay away from senseless runs, they only damage your confidence and your body."

So, I took it easy on Saturday and on Sunday I actually felt like running!

I was a little nervous since it was my longest run of the year so far. I was also a little nervous because I was trying out some new equipment (my Amphipod handheld bottle) and a new Gu (Pineapple Roctane). But I decided to suck it up.

The plan was a full loop of the park (6 miles) and a middle loop. I wanted to start out at about 10 minute miles and end up with 9:30s-9:40s, averaging a 9:50ish pace. Just some nice, long, slow, distance.

Well, I totally forgot the Colon Cancer 15k was going on, so Bill and I just joined the runners for our first loop, knowing we would lose them at the top of the park when they broke off.

I have a love/hate relationship with doing races when I'm not racing. Obviously it is crowded, which makes it a little harder to find space. But it is also very distracting (in a nice way). There is no pressure to get a good time, so I kind of settle into the rhythm of the race and go with it. This whole thing is pretty funny to me because I am a very high-strung anal-retentive person at other times in my life...but when I'm not going for a PR I tend to be very Zen about running. (This is also something I am trying to do ALL the time in running).

Bill, on the other hand, has a different mindset during the whole doing-races-while-not-racing thing. He turns on his competitive edge (almost like he IS racing). Sometimes it takes the Zen mindset right away from me (Note: Bill and I are exact opposites...so it makes sense that we would be opposites here too. Yes, we drive each other crazy, but I think we would drive each other crazy more if we were exactly the same. So I know it sounds like I am giving Bill a hard time/the most awful person in the world, but its not true.) :)

I have to keep verbally reminding him that "we do have 9 more of these you know." And physically reminding him by just slowing down the pace, and then he eventually realizes that he isn't running with me anymore.

I knew this would all be over at 102nd street though (where I was pretty sure the race would break off as we continued north) so I wasn't tooooo worried. We were consistently taking about 15 seconds off of each mile, starting with a 9:42 (whoops), so I was going to try and pace a little better. I knew Harlem Hill was coming up, so I wouldn't have to worry long.

Harlem Hill has been my breaking point all season thus far, so I set out to exorcise my demons this time. That meant NO stopping! It's rough, because as soon as you hit the top of the park you can feel it in your legs, and that's just the BEGINNING of the incline.

Luckily though, I muddled through. I think I was the one driving Bill crazy now. I was very much trying to stay in the zone, listening to my breathing, my footfalls, concentrating on my body...but Bill kept encouraging me to try and talk. He just wanted to make sure that I wasn't overexerting. But I was trying to concentrate and kept giving him short "yes!" answers. Then he would prompt me, asking if I could say more than one word. Finally I said "Absolutely, I can say more than one word. I am just TRYING very HARD to CONCENTRATE."

The hill was tough, but I managed a 10:00 pace for that mile. I was very happy for that because I have learned that no matter what, Harlem Hill adds 40 seconds onto my pace time. No fail. Every single time.
So I had to be pretty happy with that.

I actually felt very very good during the first 6 miles...the next loop seemed very doable in my head.

And it was...

Except for the fact that my pace was way off. I was hitting 10:18s and thinking "This can't be right...I feel more like we are doing 9:40s." The next one I did pick up to a 9:42, which made me feel better. But then I was back to 10:00. ARGH.

Bill told me he felt great and could pick it up, but I just couldn't. I needed to stay in my pace, even if it was 10:00 miles. Luckily Bill is a nice and understanding partner and we finished it together (with a 1:38/9:50 pace).

I felt quite accomplished.

This was the first long run I did this season without stopping to walk AND the most mileage I've done so far this year. I just kept thinking that adding 3 miles on for the half marathon in a month is totally and completely doable.

My goal for this week is to work on negative splitting my runs. I think I do much better when I do that. But I think I needed to run an entire long run without walking before I could worry about that.

Sometimes I feel like I am learning to be a distance runner all over again. :)