Running in Circles

This weekend was a rare treat! We were kid-less for Friday night, carbo-loaded on the yummiest pizza, and raced Saturday morning. 

Brice and I got to the race just 10 minutes before the start time so I was a little panicked but we just went with it. I made it to the starting line with about a minute to spare and off I went. The marathon started ten minutes before the half. I was able to see Brice once along the course and that was totally fun! I had a solid race until mile 21 and then my quads were just so tight and achy and I just didn't have the energy I should have. I kept going along, but was bummed as my pace went from solid 7:10s to 7:50-8:20 minute miles. I finished in 3:19 and placed 1st in my average group and 2nd women overall. I was the 8th finisher out of 140?

Brice finished the half marathon in 1:45 which was 7 minutes faster than his Thanksgiving half. We both ran slower than we trained for but its alright. After hanging out in Irving for a while we headed home, barely made it up all our stairs and enjoyed warm showers and naps until we went to pick the kids up. We missed having the kids around but at the same time I didn't miss them at all. I really hope that doesn't make me a bad mom.

A big thanks to my cousin, Lisa, and her husband Ryan for watching the kids for us. I'd really like to run another marathon, faster this year, but I can barely walk or squat right now so I'll give it awhile to decide on anything. 

And a big shout out to my friend Andrea for finishing her first half under her time goal! It was fun to spend time with them on Saturday!

The Irving Marathon is next Saturday!

 I have had a really solid raining cycle- good distances, good workouts, and injury free, but I'm feeling nervous and excited for the big day. I really like the progression of training and hope I can flip the "competitor" switch next week. 

Brice's run this morning was 10 miles by himself and his average pace was 7:30. He is getting faster every week and is always checking Strava, or the nike website. I love it and am so proud of him. 

Here's what my last two weeks of training looked like. I peaked at 23 miles three weeks ago and have started tapering off last week.

Monday: 7 miles and insanity

Tuesday: 11 miles and insanity (aveage pace of 7:08)

Wednesday: 7 speed miles

Thursday: 10 miles

Friday: 5 easy miles

Saturday: 15 miles at average pace of 7:30

Sunday: rest day

Monday: 8 dreamy miles outisde

Tuesday: 12 miles (2 warm-up and then 10 mile wave @7:08/ @6:40) back and forth

Wednesday: 7 miles easy outside

Thursday: 6 miles at 7:08 pace

Friday: 6 easy miles

Saturday: 12 miles (miles at 7:30, 7:19, 7:08, 6:58) repeated 3 times through

Monday: 8 easy miles and Insanity

Tuesday:11 miles (tempo run with 6 miles at 7:19-6:58 pace)

Wednesday: 8 miles, sprint intervals average pace of 6:15

Thursday: 10 miles on the treadmill

Friday: 8 miles + ab workout

Saturday: 18 miles in 2:15 (average 7:32/mile pace)

Sunday: rest day!

total miles: 63

I did it. Well the easiest part of all marathon training. I signed up for a full marathon here in Irving, Texas on April 16th. Brice decided to run the half.  26 miles for me...13 for him. 

Brice has also lost two more pounds since Thanksgiving. He is starting to really enjoy running and the benefits.

I'm actually really excited to train and we've figured out the best schedule so our Saturdays aren't totally consumed with hours of running. I ran the Utah Valley in 3:37 which I was happy with but I was on track for a faster finish until I hit the "wall" hard at mile 22. I'm hoping to finish under 3:20 but we will see what happens!

This has nothing to do with running, but Brice was watching the Iowa Hawk-eyes play in the Rose Bowl on Friday (they didn't do very well unfortunately) and Hazel kept yelling

 "Go hot guys! Go hot guys!" 

We think she meant to say "hawk-eyes" but either way works really :)

I'm in party planning mode for Henry's FIRST birthday! I like to make a big deal about their first birthday because it really is so special. He is still a tiny little guy but I can tell he is understanding everything we say. He is great at helping clean up toys and loves to eat anything. I'm excited to celebrate him and really hope he learns to say "mama" in the next three weeks!

Also, Hazel went to primary today. We can't believe she is a sunbeam already!

Monday:  7.5 miles in 51 minutes and insanity

Tuesday: 10 miles and Insanity + taught pilates

Wednesday: 7 miles of sprint workout  (44:00)

Thursday: 12 miles and Insanity + taught pilates

Friday: 6 easy easy paced miles outside

Saturday: 12 miles with Brice again

This week was great but i'm too tired! 

We were up this morning at 5:45 so we could go running together, but it was so worth it! Having that time to talk together has been great for us and the running endorphin's aren't too shabby either. Next week I think I'm going to take a break from insanity and just enjoy the great fall weather and cool morning runs.

Miles this week: 54.5

Monday: 8 miles and insanity 

Tuesday: 14 miles

Wednesday: 7 miles of sprint workout

Thursday: 7 miles outside and insanity

Friday: 8 miles outside

Saturday: 13.5 miles with BRICE :)

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles: 57 miles

Miles this year: 1531 miles

Monday: 8 miles and insanity

Tuesday: 10 miles and insanity

Wednesday: 6 mile sprint workout and abs

Thursday: 10 easy miles in 1:15

Friday: 7 miles and insanity

Saturday: 12-13 miles around White Rock Lake

*Brice and I have been trying for several weeks to run together on Saturday mornings but i hadn't been having any luck finding an available babysitter who was willing to be here by 6:30. We got lucky yesterday and we're finally able to go! It was so worth paying a babysitter! I hadn't run outside all week, we woke up to a cool 66* and practically no humidity, and we had a great time together!  I felt giddy all day! Brice has a 13 mile run scheduled for two weeks from now so hopefully we can go again together! 

Brice isn't sure if he likes running yet but he hasn't missed a scheduled workout and he's consistently getting his times faster and faster. I hope that the cooler weather will put a little spring in his step. 

Overall it was a great week of workouts for me.

Monday: 7 miles and Insanity

Tuesday: 8 miles in 59 minutes and Insanity

Wednesday: sprint workout (6 miles total) and ab workout

Thursday: 10 miles

Friday: 8 miles and Insanity

Saturday: 10 miles at an average 7:19 pace and ten minute ab workout

Sunday: rest day!

JANUARY

- I completed my last pregnant run yesterday (1/19/15) of 4 miles. I felt fine actually but just decided I'm done!

- The weather has been in the 60's the last few days so Hazel and I have been out walking(2-10 miles) almost everyday, mostly just for fresh air but none of it is putting me into labor so I'm just enjoying the time with my little bug.

-Total miles run in January: 219

- Weeks of Pregnancy: 38-41

-Total weight gained: 24 pounds (the exact same as with Hazel)

- I REALLY REALLY want to run a marathon this year- so well see!

At 36 weeks pregnant with baby #2 I have surprised myself by still running as much as I am. Honestly, the motivation to go is definitely slipping but during and after my runs I feel so good! I can't believe I'm full-term now. 

During my pregnancy with Hazel I ran until 2 days before my induction and felt great during labor and recovery so I guess that is sort of my plan again... but I think I'm gonna go ahead and start scaling back a bit (even if I feel great!)

 I am so grateful that I've been able to run so well during pregnancy but don't let the numbers fool you- it isn't a breeze and I have had to keep myself motivated more than ever before!

Monday: 8 miles on the treadmill

Tuesday: 7 miles and a few light moves with weights

Wednesday: 6 early miles outside before Christmas morning 

Thursday: 9 "easy paced" miles in 1:17

Friday: 8 miles- 2 mile warm-up and then 6 miles of .25 sprint intervals

Saturday: 8 miles on the treadmill ( between 8:40 and 7:40 minute miles)

Sunday: rest day!

Miles this week: 46

Total miles this year: 2458

Weekly Workouts

34 weeks pregnant with baby #2

Monday: 9 miles + 15 minutes of planks/lunges/squats

Tuesday: 7 easy miles on the treadmill

Wednesday: 7 miles ( 2 mile warm-up and then .25 intervals for the next 5 miles)

Thursday: 10 miles outside ( felt great until I stopped)

Friday: 6 miles on the treadmill ( these were so hard for some reason)

Saturday: 9.6 miles with a friend

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles: 49

Miles this year: 2489

 - I had my 30 week appointment this morning- from now on they are every two weeks!

Weekly Running Recap at 30 weeks Pregnant

Monday: 7 miles on the treadmill

Tuesday: 10 miles outside in 1:30

Wednesday: 8 miles and 10 minutes of light weights

Thursday: 11 miles outside in 1:36

Friday: 6.5 on the treadmill (this run felt really hard)

Saturday: 11 miles outside, it all felt so good except for the two bathroom breaks ;)

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles: 52.5

Miles this Year: 2241

I think it's safe to finally say that my energy has come back. It took a lot longer (I'm almost 25 weeks) but combined with the cooler temperatures this last week- it as made all the difference in my workouts. I feel fast and i feel really good!

I didn't get a "longer" run in on Saturday but I still hit above 50 miles and my fastest mile of the week came in at 7:33! what!?

I know everything can change overnight, but I ended this week of  pregnancy and running feeling really happy!

Monday: 10 miles outside 

Tuesday: 10 miles outside 1:27

Wednesday: 7 miles

Thursday: 10 miles outside

Friday: 6 miles (2 mile warm up at 8:15 pace and then 4 miles of  .25 mile intervals)

Saturday: 8 miles in 1 hour (fastest 8 miles in a long time)

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles:51

Miles this year: 1940

 Here we are 24 weeks pregnant and still going strong! I've even got a bump to prove it now.

Monday: 10 miles in 1:35 on the treadmill

Tuesday: 10 miles outside

Wednesday: 8 miles (5 miles of 1/4 intervals)

Thursday: 8 miles - today was a hard running day- tired legs and feeling heavy!

Friday: 6 easy miles

Saturday: 10 miles outside in 1:30- felt great!

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles: 52

Miles this year: 1889

Monday: 10 miles outside

Tuesday: 10 miles outside

Wednesday: 6 miles (.25 mile speed intervals for 4 miles)

Thursday: 11 miles outside- these miles were slow :/

Friday: 6 easy miles in 46:00 minutes and 30 minutes of Pilates

Saturday: 12 miles with a friend around White Rock Lake

Sunday: rest day!

Miles this week: 55 (20 weeks pregnant)

Miles this year: 1728

Thank you all so much for the texts, calls, and love sent our way! 

We are very excited and honestly kind of overwhelmed with the thought of another baby! I can't help but laugh out loud because Brice and I both want several more kids, but pregnancy is uncomfortable and motherhood is a lot of work!

This pregnancy has had a lot of similarities and a lot of differences than my first. 

Things that are the same:

- I still am relatively small, but its just because I carry so low (but no complaints from me about this)

- I still have gained a surprisingly amount of weight in the early weeks 

- I'm up 11 pounds already but trying to not even worry about it

- Exercise is enjoyable and easy (knock on wood)

- I'm actually running more this time around but I'm not teaching Pilates so maybe that adjusts for the extra mileage (averaging 50-55 miles a week)

- My longest run has been 13 miles and I do it every two weeks

- My chest has grown fast and guess what- I still don't like it! I like being flat-chested ;)

- Foods that I've enjoyed: turkey and Swiss sandwiches, apples, milk duds?!? and CHEESE

- I felt the baby move at week 18 for the first few times and am feeling him regularly now but mostly after I eat a meal.

Things that are different:

- With Hazel, I hit 6 weeks and just felt terrible with nausea and vomiting. This time around week 6 came and went, 7, and 8, and nothing. Around week 9 i started being nauseous in the mornings/afternoons but never threw up more than once a twice.

-The nausea was totally gone by week 14.
- I am so tired still! I cannot for the life of me keep my eyes open past 10:00 am and sneak a nap in every chance I get. I do get up early to run most mornings though 6:20 am...It's week 20 now and I still don't have the flood of energy back.

- I have broken out so much more on my face this time around :/

- We kept our good news to ourselves a lot longer and honestly nobody in Dallas still knows I'm pregnant except for friends I see regularly.

- My favorite treat; plain M&Ms haven't been touched since week 5-- peanut M&M's were enjoyable for a little bit, but sweets are just to sweet. Chocolate doesn't taste right and the thought of ice cream makes me want to gag. I still have sweet tooth but nothing sounds good so it gets passed over almost every craving.

 - I'm still running relatively "fast"- with Hazel my pace slowed down right away and there was nothing I could do about it. Right now I'm running between 7:15 and 8:45 minute miles, the longer the run the faster the miles get. its kinda strange.

 ^15 weeks^

^20 weeks^

We are so excited to finally announce to friends and family that we are expecting another baby in early January! 

I had a hunch I might be pregnant after moving into our new apartment in Dallas and being exhausted for days afterwards! I mean moving is a lot of work, especially going up two flights of stairs- but I was so wiped out for days I just knew something was different. I didn't say anything to Brice because we tend to both get a little overwhelmed with pregnancy announcements so I waited until Brice's birthday to take a pregnancy test. I figured if it was negative no big deal and if it was positive- then it'd be the perfect surprise! 

Well, he loved his "birthday present" and couldn't believe that I had kept my mouth shut about my suspicions. 

*I tend to blab my feelings and concerns fairly quickly since being married :)

So here we are already 20 weeks along and today we found out we're having a BOY!!!

Monday: 10 miles on treadmill in 1:15

Tuesday: 8 easy miles in an hour

Wednesday: 6 miles and weights

Thursday: 12 miles with 4 miles of speed intervals

Friday: 6 miles outside in the rain and it felt so good!!

Saturday: 13 miles at White Rock Lake with a new friend and by far my favorite run in a long time--thanks Megan!

Sunday: rest day

Weekly Miles: 55

Miles this year: 1516