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. :)