A Run just Before the Storm

  I almost got caught out in the storm, but I got my 4 miles in and ran the last mile at a 9:09 minute pace. The last mile was due to the storm coming, and I wasn't sure how bad the storm would actually be. I was a mile out when I called Cameron to come pick me up, so when I thought he was on his way I sped up and tried to go as fast as I could. I had .3 miles left by the time he pulled up to me so I thought screw it I would finish my run.
  I am finishing this entry the next day so yeah, I won't be risking that anymore. I now have someone who depends on me and needs me in his life, I can't just go out running in storms and stuff. I have to now be careful with everything I do, including when I go out with my camera to shoot abandoned, dilapidated buildings. I don't want to do something stupid that would leave my son alone in this world, I mean yes he'll have his father and family but as Cameron keeps reminding me, a child needs their mother more than any other, especially during the first few years of his life.
  This weekend's run will be 5 miles; I am not too worried about it though, I just have to remind myself to stretch and take it easy during the long run. I suppose a 12-13 minute pace during the first half will be just fine, then I can pick it up as I feel comfortable.

Four Miles Tuesday Night

  Last night I ran 4 miles, at least I hope so or I am pretty sure I did. My garmin's GPS was turned off and I didn't know it until .7 miles into the run so it started there, I hit the 2 mile mark and turned back so I am pretty positive I ran 4 miles. I won't really know my pace per mile though but that is alright with me, I am not going to worry about it. It was pretty hot and humid, almost more than I like and what is even more annoying is that all this week is going to be like that. Note to self: Do NOT include more than one hill during long runs. At least not until after the Half and I've been running 8-10 miles consecutively. I am not sure if I want to run 4 miles Thursday night, or 3.75 miles instead, this coming weekend I am supposed to run 5 miles so I am not sure. Team 13's calendar shows that we keep running 3 miles during the week until after the 5k race which is next Saturday and after that our weekly runs will move up to 4 miles. After the 15k race on September 8th our weekly runs will be 5 miles all the way up to the Half Marathon.
   I am debating on whether running 4 miles or 3.75 miles Thursday, I don't want to do 3 because the 2 mile difference bugs me. I guess I have over 24 hours to think about it, maybe I'll just go on how my legs feel during the run.

My Four Mile Long Run

   I was a little worried about last night's run, I was still feeling sore from Thursday's squats, lunges and then 3.5 mile run. It actually wasn't that bad 4 miles, I mean I did make the mistake of including a lot of hills AND I had to stop and dive into the woods to use the restroom. I spooked something that was quite large, I am still hoping it was a deer but I am not sure so it spooked me.  I had a route planned but after that, I turned down a side road into a neighborhood (rare in that area, normally just a bunch of country wooded roads with no street lights) and had no idea where I was going or what road I was on. The only real thing I hate about running at night is that my senses are on such high alert, my adrenaline is pumping and I am ready to sprint at the first uncertain sound or sight. I had my pepper spray in my hand the whole time, with the attitude "spray first, ask question later", it was definitely unnerving. I do not care for running on streets that have trees lining the side, god only knows what could jump out at me or run in front of me. The main issue is summer, the trees have leaves so you can't see anything until you're on top of it, and there's no street lights. Winter will be better, no leaves to hide a lot and when the moon is full or still mostly full I will be able to see into the trees and in front of me better, I can't wait for those runs.
   I wanted to stay at an easy pace for my long run, but it didn't quite go that way. Here's my pace sets for each mile: 
Mile 1 - 12:20
Mile 2 - 11:51
Mile 3 - 11:51
Mile 4 - 12:06
.04 Mile - 11:31
Average pace: 12:02 mpm


Okay maybe it was slow for some, but I am pretty proud as Thursday's run was much slower (due to talking). I have a link showing a more detailed version of the splits including the elevations.




http://connect.garmin.com/splits/202161934

Got my Run in Tonight

   I feel a bit better today than I did last night, my mom and brother came over at 8 p.m and my brother rode my bike with me. I told him I wouldn't be much of a talker during the run, but I found myself talking and running very slow. Strangely I got faster at the last mile and the last half, and took on two hills in the last Half mile.

Missed Another Run

  I can already see where shit is going, now that Cameron has a Kindle thanks to Preston buying it for his birthday. As soon as he gets home, he's going to be on that all night, either that or his phone and not want to hold Dorian for any long than 10-25 minutes unless he just so happens to be asleep. I missed another run last night, mainly because it was lightning outside and Cameron didn't want me out there running in that but when it finally stopped around midnight, he didn't want me going out that late either. He wanted to go ahead to bed since him and Ethan were getting up at 6 the next morning, so I couldn't go out and run.
  I am having mom come to the house tonight, I really need to run but I am not going to wait until Dorian is finally calm enough for Cameron to want to hold him because that might not be until midnight as usual and now Cameron doesn't want me running that late. I felt myself losing ounces of sanity last night while trying to fall asleep, I wanted so badly to go into the living and just start doing lunges, squats, plank position, push ups, dumb bell curls, k-bell swings and even running up and down the flight of stairs on our porch just to feel like I did something. I ate a glazed donut yesterday, figuring I'd be running later that night, I even ate a piece of Cameron's DQ Oreo Ice Cream cake thinking I'd be running later that night..... I wanted to go into the bathroom and gag myself to puke it all back up. 
  As long as I run, I don't feel so bad looking in the mirror... but after yesterday when I took my post-pregnancy pictures and compared them to a month ago.... I noticed some extra fat muffin topping it over the top of my bikini bottom and right under my arm pit it was muffin topping over my bikini top line, that part I'd like to think was because my boobies were filling up with milk. I still weigh the same as a month ago, 150 lbs but I feel so frustrated. On www.myfitnesspal.com I've decreased my calories from 2490 to 2100 and still feel like it is too much right now, I mean my milk supply is fine, it hasn't increased for about a month or more so the only place this food is really going to is on me :(.
  I am trying my damnedest to ignore these feelings, keep telling myself I just had a baby and it will take a while before I will even get close to what I was before. Here is a couple photos from yesterday, 3 months and 6 days post -pregnant. 

 These were taken 07-19-2012 compared to ones taken 

06-05-2012.

Okay, I could have sworn I had gotten bigger but now looking at them they seem the same so I guess I haven't gotten bigger, but I haven't slimmed down either.... I guess I should be somewhat happy.

A Midnight Run

   Team 13's Tuesday night training run was canceled yesterday due to heat advisory, I was hoping to get my run in around 9 p.m but Dorian was being difficult and Cameron was being even more difficult and didn't want to hold on to a cranky little boy. So I rocked him for an hour, and even when he was sleeping I waited until Cameron finally came in to take him. It was 20 til midnight when I got out and ran, it was great to get out there but I do not like the idea of running after 10 p.m and definitely not on country roads with no sidewalks. I was running on the side against traffic, but I feel so stiff and nervous when cars are coming my way behind me. I've heard stories of people driving all the way to the opposite side of the road just to hit a runner and that is something I do not want to happen.
   I ran 3.25 miles again, a bit faster than Sunday night's run which was 39 minutes, this run was 37:47 minutes so I am still a ways behind my pre-pregnancy pace but that is alright because I will keep telling myself that what matters is that I got out there and ran. Running helps me tolerate the annoying baby fat that is determined to stay on, I mean yes I am training for a Half in October but I wouldn't mind so much if I missed it as long as I keep running. I want to get to the point of two 5 mile runs a week and one long run ranging between 8-12 miles during the weekend, my goal is 15-20 miles a week minimal.... heck the weekly runs can even range between 5-8 miles, whatever my body is feeling like doing.
   I might not have a perfect body, or a great looking body, or even the body I had when I got pregnant, but at least I can run and possibly run 13.1 miles in a couple months.... I will repeat that everyday.

Three Point Two-Five Miles

  I didn't get my run in Saturday but I did get it in Sunday night, it was around 85 degrees but humid. I know the calendar says 3 miles but I don't know for sure if they did 3 miles or not, so I did 3.25 miles since we are going up to 4 miles next Saturday. The calendar says 3 miles Tuesday and Thursday which is kind of weird, I don't remember how last year went but if I run with them then I will stick with what the schedule says even though I am sure they might change it while there. I felt that I could have kept going, keeping a 12 minute pace and I almost wanted to, just so I could see how far I could go but being the fact that I am training for a Half just 3 months away I don't want to take a chance in injuring myself. I will be so happy when this humid weather goes away, I will run in it at night, when cloudy but not with the sun out and glaring down on me....... no freaking way.

A Great Run Last Night

   Last night's run was great, it wasn't easy by no means but I definitely didn't hate it like some of the runs. We ran 3 miles, Shauna ran with me and our first mile was an 11:10 minute pace, our second mile was a 10:31 pace and our third mile was a 10:11 minute pace so we were picking up speed with each mile. I think it was mainly because we knew we were getting closer so it felt safe to pick up the pace, but I definitely felt like I had the energy to do it which I guess is what matter most. I started to feel a little sick when we had about a half of a mile left but I kept pushing it, Shauna helped push me too. I would love it if all runs were like last night, I felt pretty good though a little tired. The weather wasn't bad either, it was cloudy, 85 degrees and a bit humid but the cloud coverage helped a lot.
   Dorian has been waking up around 4 a.m for the last 3 days, just grunting and making noises but keeping me up none the less. I told Shauna I wasn't sure if I would be able to run with Team 13 tomorrow morning, it all depended on Dorian and whether he would be back to sleep by that time. Otherwise, I will just have to run the 3 miles when I get a chance.

Last Night's 3 Mile Run with Team 13

  I was too wore out to blog last night, our heat wave finally ended Monday but it was 95 at 6 p.m when we ran, I didn't know that and probably wouldn't have gone if I did lol. Shauna and I kept it around 12 minutes per mile, last year that would have been a slow jog for me, but it sure felt like heck now. I mainly figure it was because the heat and me not adapting to the heat, AND instead of running this weekend I did my squats, lunges and squats with a kettlebell press, more than my usual and my legs are just now beginning to recover from that so last night's run had my legs feeling pretty heavy. I am glad the heat wave is over, but I kind of miss running in the mornings, but right now Dorian is waking up at 6:30 a.m and I just don't have the energy to get up at 4 a.m after going to bed at midnight or later so as long as temps are below 95 and the humidity is lower than 40% I am going to run with Team 13 in the evenings. Saturday morning's runs might be a different story, who knows yet. We're going to be doing 3 miles Thursday, Saturday, next Tuesday and next Thursday then up our long run to 4 miles and so on. Eighty-seven days until the Half Marathon, I really hope the temps start cooling off, or at least more cloud coverage lol.

Another Good 3 Miles

   It almost feels to good to be true, 3x 3 mile runs in a row......... okay with a day between but still, you know what I mean. This Saturday is Jump Start's last day and the 3 mile run for them, I might go ahead and run with them and get my shirt and the schedule. Team 13 starts next Tuesday, it would be awesome if it was later in the evening right now, with this hot and humid weather but I guess I will just keep running in the mornings by myself until the weather cools off about 10 degrees. I am still averaging just under 12 minutes per mile, but that is alright with me, cause I am still finishing my runs with a bit of energy left and feeling like I could run another easy mile or so. 

A Humid 3 Miles this Morning

  If only every morning could be like this morning (except a little cooler), and every night could be like last night. Dorian allowed me to go to bed just before 10 p.m and this morning I got up at 5 a.m and prepared myself for what was supposed to be a 2.75 mile run but ended up running 3 miles by accident (I was secretly hoping I would) along the country roads by the house. It was humid but 70 degrees, I was slower than my past 3 mile pace but I am just glad I got out there and ran. I will say one thing, the sweet smell of corn fields is definitely nice to run with. I will cry tears of joy if Thursday turns out the same as today, I didn't even bother to go back to bed, I came back home and fed Dorian, ate some oatmeal myself and took a shower then headed into the shop.
  Other than the heat, there might be another reason I might have to do my runs in the morning and not run with Team 13. Cameron is getting much busier at the shop and might not be able to watch Dorian at 6 p.m, it kind of sucks because I really enjoyed running with them last year and it means I will have to be careful if I am going to train myself. This Saturday is the last day of Jump Start; 3 miles and then an informational meeting that I probably will go to so that I can get the training schedule and just copy off that with my runs. I am hoping that these last 2 runs being 3 miles are a sign that my body is slowly recovering and ready to use 3 miles as a base and go from there, though I probably will run 2.75 miles Thursday and 3 miles Saturday, 3 miles next Tuesday (or whatever day I do run) and 2.75 miles Thursday depending on how I am feeling and what Team 13's schedule says.