Tag Archives: mother runner

It’s a…

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These two little sweeties are excited to add a baby brother to the cuddlefest!

These two little sweeties are excited to add a baby brother to the cuddlefest!

It’s a boy! We found out earlier this week we are having another little boy! My husband and I have never had a preference on boy or girl – we both say we’d love a house full of either/or – but we are excited to see the little guy kicking around and looking as healthy as can be.

Last photo of me before my ultrasound revealing baby #3 is a boy!

Last photo of me before my ultrasound revealing baby #3 is a boy!

In awesome, daily-life-changing-news, my nausea has gone away! I can enjoy the tastes of all foods/drinks again and I am not stopped in my tracks to gag while running! The nausea lifted at 17 weeks which is the longest it’s lasted for me during pregnancy. I won’t complain because people go through MUCH worse and I have been able to eat and sleep and function like a normal person for the most part. A text from Ashley described my feelings best – “like a perpetual hangover”. All day every day! Ah! Happy to be feeling better now!

As far as running goes, I’m still chugging along, doing 2-7 miles a day, usually more like 3 miles. I have to laugh at myself because before I got pregnant I was running 70-80 miles a week, at least an hour a day. Then I got pregnant and like usual a switch flipped and I had zero desire to train like an elite runner. I was a half mile into an evening run this week and I was feeling like poo. I decided to do small loops around my house so I could stop at any time. I just wanted to get to 1 mile (I ended up doing 2 miles). I wasn’t sad about it at all. I was just thinking of the countless friends/family members/athletes I’ve coached, who are so proud to run a mile for the first time. A mile is really quite a big deal! And I was happy I got out there.

Bathroom selfie taken at 18 weeks after a 3 mile evening run.

Bathroom selfie taken at 18 weeks after a 3 mile evening run.

I don’t claim know the secrets to life or to a successful pregnancy, but I think this change of mindset during pregnancy is the reason I have been able to run up until the day I gave birth to both of my children. I think it’s easy to say “I’m slowing down” or “running more than 1/2 mile is painful so why even go out there” but I go into my pregnancies totally elated any day I complete any exercise. I don’t try to compete with what I was doing pre-pregnancy or even previous pregnancies because it doesn’t matter. I just do what feels right each day. (That being said, I think it’s fine to completely hang up your running shoes during pregnancy and find some other activity that you enjoy. You don’t have to keep running during pregnancy if it’s not working for you!)

Here is where I have to throw in 3 awesome tidbits I’ve taken from other runners lately:

  • On the RunnersConnect podcast with Carrie Tollefson, she spoke a bit about running while pregnant and adjusting expectations and said something to the effect of “maybe you can’t go 10 miles, but you can go 5.” I highly recommend this podcast for pregnant runners but also for the general public since Carrie talks about having a life beyond running and life balance.
  • On the RunnersConnect podcast with the Hungry Runner Girl, she spoke about how “running will always be there”. She was referring to injury and life circumstances, but since I’m expecting, I related it to pregnancy. It can definitely be seen as a bummer that if you want to have a baby you might have to take 2+ years out of competitive running (getting pregnant, being pregnant, returning to top form), but your running will always be there for you if you want. I understand aging is a factor people worry about but look at examples like Molly, who ran a marathon PR and got an Olympic Trials Qualifying time at the age of 47! Or Catherine, another inspiring masters runner who is killing it. Or the 22, yes 22 masters runners who qualified for the last marathon Olympic Trials. Or countless grannies who are out there just getting their daily miles in, enjoying life!
  • At a talk given by Erin (also known as Jungle Chicken) who is mostly social media-less, but is well known and loved in the running community – she spoke about how running will always be there for you and love you in whatever way it can. Her talk wasn’t about pregnancy at all, but I think back to her talk often now that I’m expecting because my running has changed but it’s still there and I know it will be there (and I have a feeling better than ever) after I’m holding my new little sweetheart in my arms.

All of that being said, I had a REALLY hard time dealing with running in October. As the weather turned perfect for racing and my fall goal marathon got closer and closer (the goal I had before I found out “oh hey, I’ve been feeling so horrible lately because I’m pregnant!”), I felt like I was experiencing a loss of sorts. I wasn’t sad to be pregnant or regretful of any way my life was changing, but I couldn’t stop thinking of the goal I had been working towards since I had my last baby and all the hard work I put in that would never come to fruition. I had 3 almost completely sleepless nights mourning the “loss” and many days where I went through my life feeling a bit bummed out. I asked my husband “what will make this better?!” and he simply responded “time”. He was right. Actually, just talking to him and a few friends made the sadness pass much quicker than I expected. I also thought about the 3 tidbits I shared above and they helped me cope.

What a bummer way to end this post, but I’ll wrap things up now. I always have a goal to update the blog more frequently, let’s see if I accomplish that this time around. Thanks for following along and for all the wonderful comments and messages about baby #3!

Another Big Decision

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Three and a half years ago we moved to Rochester, NY, bought our first home, and had our first child all within a month. We apparently like to make big decisions all at once. So, with news of a baby on the way, it’s time to share that we will be moving again – to Pittsburgh. Jeff landed his dream job and we will be moving sometime this summer / early fall.

rochester house

New house, new baby, 2010.

I’m obsessed with Rochester and sing its praises to everyone I meet. I never could have imagined what a wonderful city it would be for me and my family. The people in Rochester are the nicest people in country! Activities for families are fun and plentiful. The running scene from people to races to trails – unbelievable! Our home is beautiful, affordable, in a great location. I’ve already shed quite a few tears over leaving this city and I’m sure there are more tears to come (this has been exaggerated by the pregnancy)! But, it’s time to move on, and I’m excited about all that Pittsburgh has to offer us.

I’m already scheming a possible marathon comeback after baby arrives, maybe May 2014. The Pittsburgh Marathon is in early May. That will give me almost 7 months to train after having new baby Bigham. (Actually, I plan to take a month off running after giving birth like I did with Currie, so it would give me almost 6 months to train.) It would be a good way to jump into my new local running community and maybe meet some training partners! Then I can race another marathon in the Fall, hoping for an even speedier time. This is all pregnancy daydreaming right now. We will see how delivery/recovery/life is going at that point.

There’s the next big reveal. Sorry it wasn’t “I’m having twins!” :)

Have you made more than one big life decision at once? How did it go?

Any words of wisdom about PIttsburgh? Running or otherwise? 

 

 

 

Running During Pregnancy – 15 Weeks

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Thanks to everyone for all the kind words on my pregnancy IRL, email, text, twitter, instagram, facebook, etc! It’s an exciting time and I’m so thankful for your thoughtfulness!

A few things about running this pregnancy:

  • I’m exhausted pretty much all the time. If a run doesn’t happen in the morning, it’s really hard to get done. I have the most energy in the morning. I’m down to maybe a half cup of coffee a day (because I can’t stomach it and anyway, caffeine isn’t exactly a great thing to have during pregnancy). I sometimes drink one cup of tea instead. Just not the same…
tea at pamelas diner in pittsburgh

Tea is fine, but coffee is my first love!

  • I have to pee even more while on the run. My daily “fun-yet-somewhat-needed” outside pee has become a total necessity. Sometimes I go more than once in just 4-5 miles!
  • Food Baby + Poop Baby + Real Baby = Uncomfortable! Did you realize digestion slows WAAAAAY down during pregnancy? Let’s start with Food Baby. I have a hard time running on an empty stomach and always eat breakfast the second I wake. Usually, I can start a run within 15 minutes of chowing down an almond butter chia seed sandwich. Now, that breakfast requires at least 60 minutes to get to the point where I’m ok to run. And even then, I feel like I’m carrying a food baby the whole run. Not the most comfortable. Next, Poop Baby. Guess what else happens when digestion slows?! That’s right, the normal poop schedule goes out the window! Long gone are the days when a little breakfast and a hot cup of joe was all my body needed to clear out the pipes. Everything kind of hangs out in the bowels for awhile. Add that poop baby to the uncomfortable equation. Finally, don’t forget there’s a REAL BABY growing in there! Three “babies” competing for space in a little body (though it’s not so little anymore).
pregnant runner

Fantastic diagram for your viewing pleasure.

  • I get (needlessly) nervous about every run with others. I love running with other people, but something about being pregnant and getting winded so easily makes me so nervous! My first friend-run of this pregnancy was with Matt and it’s a good thing I was given exactly 5 minutes warning that we were running together and I was still in my pajamas at the time so most of my thought process was spent wondering what the temperature was and what I was going to wear. Matt is a speedy dude and I was sure the run would be a disaster for me. But, I made it through 7 miles alive. In fact, he kept it at my pace. Thanks Matt! The next friend-run was last weekend with my husband and our friend Josh. I was equally nervous, because Jeff and Josh are both speedy dudes as well, but they were also kind enough to keep the pace super easy. Thanks guys! Finally, today I ran with Hollie and Laura and was once again nervous. I was actually happy a friend came over last night and suggested we eat pasta because I wanted to carb load. :) We were going to run 10-12 miles which is the most I’ve done this pregnancy, but they said we’d keep the pace easy and we did. Thanks ladies! The run went by so quickly!
rochester neighborhood run

Already sporting the baby bump on my run with Matt, but still fit in my running clothes. And this was about 6 weeks ago!

  • Big boobs. Whoa, things have changed in the chest region. My little chest that fit my little running body so well has expanded just as quickly as my belly. They aren’t knocking me in the face or anything, but I have to laugh every day when I can literally feel the extra weight (and jiggle) when I run.

Those are the main running differences I’ve had the first 15 weeks. I promise I will post a pic of me and my growing belly headed out for a run soon. I surprisingly haven’t taken any pictures this pregnancy. With my Currie pregnancy, I took pictures almost daily. “And here are my 15 weeks, 2 days pictures! And here are my 15 weeks, 5 days pictures!” This pregnancy seems to be flying by and I haven’t taken a single belly pic!

What were some of the biggest changes you noticed the first 15 weeks of pregnancy? Do you get nervous to run with others (due to pregnancy or something else)?

Happy New Year! My Exciting Night

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Happy New Year! Did you know that I’m a twin? Yep! See below. My twin sister was in town to help me make a “12” out of our bodies to signify our last run in the year 2012. We wore matching outfits and everything. Aren’t we cute?

Just kidding! That’s just 2 different pictures of me, stitched together to show how much snow we had on my last run in 2012. I went 4 miles and it was around my neighborhood since the streets are decently plowed. Now that I look at the pics, I know I could have made a better “2” by swinging my left hand over my head and extending the right hand along my waist. Oh well, you live and learn right? I will resolve to do that better in 2013. Must start planning 2013 body shaping now! :)

My NYE was spent doing all sorts of exciting things… like grocery shopping, hanging out with Currie, bathing, reading Cooking Light, checking out some blogs. Are you jealous?

cooking light, jan/feb 2013

Actually, the shopping part was strange. Currie and I went to Wegmans (our local grocery store) to get salmon, contact solution, and butter. I’ve never seen the store so busy and we had to park far away. Not a problem for us, but I worried about the madhouse we were about to enter.

We went straight to the contact solutions and my brand was sold out. Darn. We headed over to the seafood counter and passed by the kids club cookie bin. Currie had her heart set on a cookie-they were out. We walked to the bakery to ask for one. They said we needed to go to the bread section. Just as we started walking away, a random woman told me she had 2 boxes of chocolate chip cookies and we could just take one of hers. SO KIND! That just warmed my heart! We thanked her and moved along to seafood.

Apparently everyone eats seafood on NYE and the section was packed. I scanned the items for wild caught salmon but only found farm raised. I settled on wild caught cod instead. Just as I was deciding how much to buy, the store went BLACK. It was freaky. Everything was still, quiet, eerie. Within a few seconds, a dim backup lighting system came on and we were able to see again. But, we couldn’t get our seafood because the scales weren’t working. I thought maybe they could just estimate, but they didn’t agree so I figured we weren’t meant to have seafood. We paid for our butter and left. What a weird night at Wegmans!

I started 2013 with a 6 mile treadmill run. It was torture, but it was my only option. I watched Sesame Street with Currie while running. I started at 7mph and cut down to 9mph (but only did that for the last quarter mile). I probably shouldn’t have chugged 2 strong cups of coffee immediately before stepping on the treadmill because I was feeling a little barfy towards the end. Still, I survived a run on the treadmill, so that’s a positive!

Happy 2013 everyone!