glidergirl

• 5 miles, 5th south loop

• Body Pump class (strength training)
• ran north for 4.5 miles from the gym, rode the bus home

• Cyclying class

• 15 minutes on the treadmill while I waited for the class to start
• 1 hour Powertone class - cardio and strength training intervals.  I wish I had my heart rate monitor on to see how high it got...that class was hard!

• 2 failed attempts to go running (long story)
• 15 mins on the treadmill at home
• 40 min weight training circuit at the gym with sis

• 6.7 miles, 4th north
• PM: weight lifting at the gym with sis

Found my mojo again this week!  Today's run felt good. :)  I figured I had lost all "umph" for running (or moving in general) for the next 4 months.  Last week all I felt like doing was sitting on the couch and eating.  It got so bad that even James said a couple times, "Hon, don't you need to go workout??"  He has never once had to say that!  Haha. :)  Well it turns out someone was just having a little growth spurt!

January 2nd

only 5 days later....January 7th

• 1 mile on Bountiful Blvd.  I was enjoying it, but my tights were too tight around my waist despite many efforts to move them around...sharp pains, had to stop and walk back to the car.
• Went home, changed into capris that fit better.
• 3 miles on the treadmill (trying to improve my relationship with the treadmill...I think it's working!!)

• 5 miles - 5th south loop

Weight update!  Things are cookin' now. ;)  There are many times I find myself wanting to EEEAAAATTT lots of junk food.  I know everyone wants to do that, but this is serious stuff I'm fighting against you guys!  Hahaha. :)  Here are my numbers so far and my goal for the next 4 months...

• Best running weight so far: 125 lbs (2010)
• Starting pregnancy weight: 145 lbs
• Total pregnancy weight gain: 10 lbs
• Current weight: 155 lbs
• Goal preg weight gain: 20-25 lbs* (165-175 lbs total)
• Weeks left: 17

I'll try and stick to the goal weight gain as long as baby girl is progressing well; I won't freak out too much if I go over.  And I'm not going to count my calories.  I'll just eat when I'm hungry, but try to get the highest nutrition possible. I want to at least try for the low end since technically, being only 5'4", I was "overweight" according to the BMI scale when I became pregnant (!!!).  Definitely not the weight I am proud of, but maybe it helped us get pregnant easier??  Who knows.  I can definitely feel the 30 extra pounds when I run.  It will be nice to be at 125 again, whenever I can get to that!  Just think of all the strength training my legs are getting with each step right now! =0)  Oh how nice it would be to just use the excuse of pregnancy to be lazy and eat!  That would be fun! :) 

• 3 miles walk/jog - 2100 south loop (Bountiful)

4 easy miles + 1 marathon pace mile on the treadmill

Thanks for all your treadmill workout ideas everyone, today I really liked the treadmill! I actually ran marathon pace...feeling pretty good about that. :)

• .75 miles @ 5.0
• .25 miles @ 7.0
• .75 miles @ 5.5
• .25 miles @ 7.3
• .75 miles @ 5.7
• .25 miles @ 7.3
• .75 miles @ 5.7
• .25 miles @ 7.3
• 1 mile @ 5.3

• Body Pump class
• 3 mile run north of the gym and then rode the bus home.  A few pickups thrown in there from bus stop to bus stop. ;) 

Told 3 people at work who asked if I still run that I felt like my running days were over for a few months after last Thursday's run (that turned into a walk and was a lot more uncomfortable than normal in the bladder/womb/lung region!).  Guess I just needed a little rest because I can still run!  Yay!

• 5.5 miles, 5th south loop

Put some chocolate protein powder in my green smoothie this morning in efforts to ensure adequate protein...I'm not so sure I like it. :| Maybe I should get some vanilla or orange flavor to go in the green smoothies from now on!

**chocolate/green smoothie update:  yuck, couldn't do it...had to throw the rest away**

• 4 miles on the treadmill with 4 x .25 mile marathon pace pick ups each mile (pretty much the exact workout as Monday, just one mile less)

OK, I'm feelin pretty darn groovy.  I now love the treadmill, I have now had 3 runs this week with 30 seconds/mile faster times than my normal pregnancy average AND I continue to run despite my constant fears that I'm going to have a 24 weeker pop out of me while running and end up with a NICU baby (what, not everyone thinks like that? :) ). 

• 3 quick miles on the treadmill before I had to leave...I was proud I fit it in, that's what sets us runners apart from the sedentary world! =0)

6.5 miles - 1.3 miles to and from the post office to mail a letter and buy stamps, then continued on to the regular 5th south loop.  Last 800 meters were at marathon pace. 

Today's green smoothie is a very deep purple.  We like to try different frozen fruits [to cover up the spinach taste] and this time James bought marion berries.  Yum! 

 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/144072702

• 5K and weightlifting at the gym with sis

Extra shift at work = four 12's in a row = no running inbetween (too tired when pregnant)

...but the extra overtime money for upcoming baby expenses is nice! :)  I'll maybe do a few miles Friday, but for sure a 5-miler at least on Saturday.  

• 30 mins on the elliptical, 30 minutes weightlifting with sis at the gym

Still dragging from last week's 60 hours of work in 5 nights.  Although I'd have to say that thanks to the conditioning running has provided, me and my belly totally rocked it!!  Now if I could just get my running momentum back.  PS - everything on me is getting BIGGER!  Fun times!  Hahahaha.  I keep forgetting to weigh myself, but I'm sure it's up 1-2 pounds from last week. ;)  Definitely one of the things I just have to ignore and realize that in time...it will come off and I'll be able to run normal and walk without a slight waddle! 

• 5 miles, 5th south loop

• 5.25 miles, 5th south loop

I love my Garmin!  Set it to beep at me every .75 miles then .25 miles so I could pick it up for a total of 5 x 400 meters....like the workout I've been doing on the treadmill.  It helped me pick up the pace overall and it felt like a good workout.  There are a few "hills" (hahaha) in there which kind of wear me out (doesn't take much), but otherwise, the pickups were around marathon pace.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/146630811

• 5.25 miles, 5th south loop

• 5.25 miles, 5th south loop

Tried out my Hattori's again, I love those things!  My running mechanics are so much better in them.  Felt like I was gliding...which is saying a lot right now for my ~160 pound self! ;)

• 5 miles, treadmill

.75 at 5.5mph/.25 at 7.0mph for 4 miles with last mile at 5.5mph 

10:30 pace 

• 5 miles on the treadmill at our hotel while James was sleeping :)  (he has the uncanny ability to sleep 2-3 hours longer than me)
• 3.5 miles of walking!!

We went on a vacation...it was so fun!  It was James' birthday on Sunday.  I picked him up from work on Thursday with the car all packed and just started driving south, he had no idea. :)  He figured it out pretty fast.  We got into Las Vegas at about midnight on Thursday night.

Today we had a yummy salmon dinner on the patio at a nice restaurant and went to the Blue Man group (and walked around A LOT).  What a great show! So entertaining!

• 1.5 miles on the treadmill
• more walking!

I was pretty hammered after yesterday!  I have been having what feels like a strained muscle or ligament between my right hip and pelvis.  It was hurting more than normal all day Friday and then during my run Saturday, so I cut my planned 3-5 miles short.

Today we walked around again and went to the Jabbawockeez.  We also had free vouchers for restaurants so we went to a really nice steakhouse.  The waiter was NOT pleased to have us at his table since we didn't drink lots of wine, gamble, eat a lot of food and desserts...etc.  Hahaha, it was funny!  We saw the bus boy more than him.  He was also very offended when I asked "what comes with the steaks?"  Apparently, when you eat at $60+ per plate restaurants, "everything on the menu is ala carte...Ma'am."  (making it $80+ per person) Well excuse me!   

We were beat by the time we got back to our hotel around midnight.  We used the rest of our vouchers for a breakfast buffet at "Le Village Buffet" at the Paris Hotel the next morning before driving home.  It was so yummy!  Made to order crepes and omeletes, food everywhere and the hotel looks like you're walking in a Paris village (with a blue sky, clouds, trees and everything). 

It was a lot of fun, but we both agree...we're Las Vegas'd out for a very long time!  You can only stand so much smoke and junk for so long.  Now we're back to reality and wish we could still be gone somewhere. :) 

Bought a maternity band today.  I'm just going to hold off on cardio until I can get it in the mail because the ligaments are still pretty sore/tender to touch.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying the extra energy from not exercising and not being as tired at work at 4am....and....I feel like I'm getting squishier by the minute! ;)  Hahaha...except for my belly, that's nice and tight from the s t r e t c h i n g.  She is getting big and moving my whole stomach now and gets the hiccups everyday.  I'm loving every minute of it and I wish she would move all day!  Makes the extra pudgy packs I'm finding all over my body totally worth it. :)  3 months left! 

I find myself getting more and more nervous at how long it's going to take to get back to normal running and a normal weight, especially with a new baby, so I'm trying to just relax and remember that I'll just need to go at my own pace and keep a good balance with everything and enjoy it!  I guess it's not like I'm missing out on any big 1st place award checks or anything. =0) 

Needed to get outside for fresh air and exercise, did 3.6 miles of walking (with about 1.5 miles of running).  Ligaments hurt later in the night, so I'll for sure just be taking it easy for a few days.  Guess I had to be sure it really was hurt...haha. :)  Not being able to run right now is coming as somewhat of a relief, unlike the deep depression during injuries in the past!  I need more energy to get some things done on my days off work, so it's working out well. 

• 2 mile trial run at the gym with the belly band, seemed to work well.  Hoping to go for a nice run outside tomorrow!  Maybe 3 miles or so, we'll see.

• 2 easy miles to the gym with the band
• weightlifting
• waddled 2 miles home
• fantasized the whole starving way home about all the yummy, fattening things I wanted to eat (don't worry, I just stuck to healty tuna fish when I got home :) )

update: ligament started hurting after about 1.5 miles of running.  So I'll either just run 2 miles at a time and see what happens or find another form of exercise until further notice. =0)  

**I think it may be this (the round ligament - on the right side at the bottom...usually only when I run or walk around all day, though, so that's good):

http://www.fitsugar.com/Pregnancy-Round-Ligament-Pain-8199221

• 30 minutes elliptical & weightlifting at the gym with my sister AND my mom

After several days of no exercising, my ligament has finally healed!  The 2 miles of joy I got from running last time was NOT worth the painful and incapacitaded pelvic girdle the rest of that night.  OUCH.  So...I'm nervous to try running at all for the next 2.5 months. 

Felt good to exercise again tonight...it really helps my lower back feel better and stronger, along with all the other great benefits.

• 45 mins elliptical
• weightlifting

• 35 minutes elliptical
• weightlifting

Not quite as tired lately, would love to go for a long, hard run!  Soon. :)  It's an interesting life...slowing down, doing less, getting heavy.  But we are enjoying this phase and having fun.  Putting the crib together this weekend! 

PS - passed my glucose test with flying colors!  No 3-hour test needed for me, yay!  She's measuring roughly 3 lbs 4 oz (average is about 2.5ish pounds) and she's made it to my NICU magical # of 30 weeks without trying to come out early, so I'm very proud of her. :)

• 45 mins elliptical (level 10, speed 4-5, heart rate 130-145)
• 15 minutes stairclimber (level 7, heart rate 150-160, it was hard!)
• 60 minutes Body Pump class

Felt good to workout hard this morning!

• 40 minutes on the elliptical (level 10, speed 5, heart rate 145)
• weightlifting

• 30 minutes on the elliptical
• 8 minutes on the stairclimber

Things are going great, I just may be MIA from my blog posting for a littlle bit.  I caught up on everyone's blogs tonight, looks like you're getting in some good runs. :)  I hope you're all doing well!

Should be back to exercising by Monday or for sure Tuesday.  Check back then for a wickedly exciting post...something to the effect of "30 minutes elliptical and weightlifting." ;)

I thought this post was neat.  Aaron is married to Nan Kennard who ran the Boston Marathon last year and did really well (she is a good friend of my good friend and grew up in Utah).  She would have done better, but became injured during the race (but kept running anyway).  I followed Aaron's blog as he trained for his first off-road marathon (and first marathon at that I believe).  I am going to put up a picture of a cool looking girl runner when I start running again.  I did this while training for SGM in 2010 and I felt like it helped me focus. :)

http://www.aaronkennard.com/2012/03/boston-vision/

• 55 minutes elliptical!
• weightlifting

No exercise...again!  For the first time in a few years here at work we have had record number of babies several times over since December!  It's crazy.  So instead of structured exercise on the elliptical, I've just been working a lot (a lot) in the past 2 weeks.  I feel like I'm getting lots of exercise, so I guess that's good!  Need to pad the bank account for our spring chick coming in 7 weeks. :)  Every time I come into work I pass by the streets I used to run on in Salt Lake and it always gets me excited to start running again!  Having said that, it surprises me at how content I am to not run until after May.  I thought I would be devastated. =0)  I guess having a protruding stomach changes things a bit...

Craving some hard runs, tired muscles, wide-open lungs, a lower resting heart rate and a strong core! =0)  Although my midwife did tell me the other day "you have some really strong ab muscles" as she was feeling the position of the baby to find a heart rate.  I laughed and said it was from all that running I used to do.  She said it should come in handy when pushing...I REALLY hope she's right! 

• 1 hour spin class!  Felt good. :)

Today I am THIRTY! 

• 35 minutes spin
• 30 minutes elliptical
• some weightlifting

Turns out that somewhere between today and Monday's spin class something happened and I can't bend over to reach the handle bars as easily. :)  Someone's trying to grow big...go baby go! 

• 40 mins elliptical
• 10 mins stairclimber 

 Typing this on my new tablet James gave me for my birthday.  Who knew they could be so fun??  I've probably logged 8 hrs on it just since Saturday. (keeping in mind I am currently more lazy than normal...for some reason...:O) )

Achieved amazing feats today with my 175 lb self!

• successfully shaved AND lotioned my legs - 15 mins
• walked up and down the stairs a lot - 20 mins
• carried several items up and down said stairs - 5 minutes
• ate lunch WITHOUT spilling on my belly - 5 minutes

only 3 weeks left of heartburn! :)

If only us runners could utilize the power of the uterus!  Man, that muscle is strong.  Thanks to its powers, I'm 80% effaced and at 1 cm. ;)  There was one night last week at work when I was convinced my uterus was pulling in and down so hard that it was going to wrap my body up into a ball!  I could barely walk!  (luckily there wasn't any sharp pain associated though)  My coworkers kept touching my belly because it was so tight... I joked about my amazing one pack....to think of the strength!

We bought a 2nd car last night after 8 years of only one car, which will greatly improve my running options and my gym time...I'm really excited!  REALLY excited!!  Oh, and we bought an awesome jogger off KSL a few weeks ago.  Planning to take baby girl on some fun runs on Bountiful Blvd this fall.

The house is clean and I've finished sewing the curtains for our windows.  They are up now.  My nest is ready.  Baby can come any time. ;) 

Contractions for about 5 hours yesterday, but like before...they whimpered out.  The darn things.  I guess I'm 8 days out so we'll give it a break for now.

All the women in my family who have had babies before were really excited for me last night while this was going on and James finally said "the word excitement does NOT come to mind...more like NERVOUSNESS" hahaha. :)

Here's what she looked liked 6 days ago...she's maybe gained 1/2 pound since then.  Grow baby grow!  We're so excited to meet her!

Still here, still pregnant.  We're going on a really long walk on the Boulevard when James gets off work tonight!  I'm feeling waaaay too good to supposedly be due in 1.5 days!  Besides some heartburn and maybe a few other small complaints here and there, I'm really not that uncomfortable. It's not that I don't want her to come on her own time (and I know first babies sometimes go over), it's just that my last day of work is tomorrow night and I'd really like my 12 weeks of FMLA to include her and not waiting around. =0) 

We watched some childbirth shows and videos the other day.  I couldn't stop watching James' face, it was hilarious!  I've seen my share of births because of school and work, but he really hasn't seen anything at all.  Afterwards I thought he would be totally scared, but he is now ready to tackle this thing head-on!  Guess that's what he needed! :)

Another 3 mile walk on the boulevard today! I sure like that route.

41 weeks tomorrow.  We decided to wait till the weekend to re-evaluate what to do.  We could have gone in tonight to get things started, but I figured every woman who has been "started" against their wishes would have said I was crazy to go in willingly even though my blood pressure is fine, the amniotic fluid is fine, she passed her non-stress test with flying colors today, I'm not uncomfortable, I'm changing on my own (very slowly)....soooo.....we canceled the induction appointment tonight and we'll just keep waiting.  My doctor won't go more than next Thursday (42 weeks), but I sure hope she comes on her own before then!  I don't think I'm OK with waiting that long.  I'm scared of that darn pitocin though. :)  I'm sad tonight knowing I could have just gone in and probably had a baby in my arms tomorrow.  Trying to be patient and wade through the waiting and boredom!! 

Baby Hailey was born 10 days ago (May 18th)!  She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz and was 19.5 inches long!  She was 8 days late, but she did finally come.  We love her so much. :)

I am feeling so great and can't wait to start working out. In fact, I think I'm going to drag my husband and baby along to go buy some running shoes today..or at least try some on!  I'm going to start walking everyday and then when I get the go ahead to run, I'm going to run!  Nothing like loosing 20 pounds of fluid in one week to make you feel lighter on your feet and want to get out there and run!

I've been keeping up on the blog...you all inspire me and it's so fun to read your posts!  Keep up the good work everyone! 

Forgot my Garmin, but I'm pretty sure we walked 3 miles (my sister came with me).  I tried to keep the pace up...it felt like a good workout.  It was her first stroller ride and I think she liked it.  I tried out the jogger to see how she would fit, but she is WAY too small!  Oh well, I'll just do treadmill until she can fit. :)  She's too young anyway to be jostled around that much I'm sure!

I tried on some shoes yesterday!  I ended up ordering them online since I can't run yet anyway and they were cheaper, but I can't wait to try them out.  I can tell I need a couple weeks before I run, but I feel like walking and maybe the elliptical, stairclimber and some aerobics will be OK to do each day.  Feels good to get outside in the sunshine!

• 3 miles on Bountiful Blvd with the regular stroller and a sleeping baby.

• 25 minutes of Mitch's GMF sculpting DVD

• 55 minutes of Mitch's Gold Medal Fitness DVD (some abs included)

• 3.5 miles walking with the stroller on Bountiful Blvd.  What a beautiful morning.  I want to run so bad!

• 50 minutes DVD (with abs)

How long did you wait to go running after you had kids?  I don't want to ask my doctor because I'm pretty sure she'll say 6 weeks but I don't think I need THAT much time. =0)

• 2 miles of running! It went like this:
• 1 mile run @ 5.5mph, .5 mile walk, 1 mile run @ 6.0mph....cue hungry baby screaming on monitor...at which point I had to get of the TM, but maybe that was a good thing so I don't overdue it :)

Happy National Running Day!  To celebrate, I decided to bite the bullet and run on the treadmill, thanks to my good friend who said she only waited 13 days post-baby, that's all I needed to hear!  I'm 19 days post-baby.  I haven't run since Feb 22nd and the month of running leading up to that wasn't all that pleasant...felt like running through tar, my feet hurt, my pregnant ligaments felt like they were going to tear off...yada yada yada.  I was nervous for my post-baby, inaugural run today because I figured I would feel awful and blubbery.  But it was GREAT!  It felt SO GOOD!  My conclusion is this:  it's much easier to run without a baby in your belly.  Go figure. :) 

I LOVE RUNNING!!

• 4 mile walk on Bountiful Blvd 

How could I resist the pure blue sky and cooler temps??  What a gorgeous day.  I think Baby Girl likes getting out on the Blvd as much as me and that's saying a lot for a 3 week old. 

• 30 minute warmup with the GMF DVD
• 2 mile run on the treadmill @ 5.5-6.0mph
• 0.5 mile cool down walk

I'm excited for the first two races I have lined up!  Allie's Wedding 5K on the 23rd and the Centerville 5K on July 4th.  I hate 5K's, but I'm really excited for these since they are my first races! :)  Now that I know my insides aren't going to fall out when I run, I'm going to start working on a training program this weekend that will lead up to some half marathon(s) for this fall.  I'll post it when I get it worked out.  I feel so refreshed from my LONG break and I'm ready to get going! 

• AM 2.5 mile run outside http://connect.garmin.com/activity/187970988
• PM 1 mile shake out run.  Just kiddin... my sister has started running (YAY!) so I went with her.  I can't wait till she's running more miles so we can run together. :)

After feeding the baby and putting her back to sleep, I realized that if I hurried, I could do my run outside instead of on the TM today.  It was a lot of fun!  I was a little too zealous and excited at first (and worried I would make James late for work), so I went out too fast and got winded, but I found a good groove after about 1.25 miles. 

Here's what I have so far for "ease back into half marathon running."  It's extremely tentative.  I may do less or I may do more, all I care about is that I don't get injured because I did too much too soon!  I just need to keep focusing on what I can do right now and not what I used to do or what others can do!  Hopefully I can be wise with this thing. :)

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
1	3	3	3	3	xtrain	4	Rest	16
2	3	3	4	3	xtrain	5	Rest	18
3	3	3	4	3	xtrain	6	Rest	19
4	3	3	5	3	xtrain	8	Rest	22
5	3	3	5	3	xtrain	10	Rest	24
6	4	3	5	4	xtrain	11	Rest	27
7	4	3	6	4	xtrain	12	Rest	29
8	4	3	5	4	xtrain	13	Rest	29
9	6	3	4	3	xtrain	10	Rest	26
10	3	3	3	3	xtrain	13	Rest	25

Hailey girl is 3 weeks 5 days and doing so well

• 2 mile easy run on the TM, felt great!
• Will maybe start my training plan next week or the next

• 3 mile easy run

It was 6am and baby didn't want to go back to sleep after eating.  So we decide to try out the jogger.  She fit much better today than she did 2 weeks ago....they really do grow fast, don't they!  It was awkward at first, but I got the hang of it eventually.  It slowed me down quite a bit, but I think I'll be able to go faster once I get used to it. 

P.S. She fell asleep within 30 seconds and was OUT the entire time....I don't think she minded the jostling. :)

Hailey in the jogger at 11 days old:

Hailey in the jogger at 3 weeks and 6 days old:

• 3 miles on the TM, still at a very easy pace
• 2 x 1 min planks...I was determined to make it to 1 min this time!  I've been trying for a week or two now.  I think my abs are fully back together and functioning normally...crazy that they can separate and then come back when the baby is out.

Last night I had the feeling that I was just about fully recovered.  I really want to be able to run more days this week and start increasing my mileage.  I hope it sticks!  I want to get this thing started. :)

• 2.5 easy miles on the TM

• 5 mile run with the baby jogger to the Bountiful post office to get stamps

Wanted to go longer today and I got what I was looking for: burning lungs and tired muscles. :)  I felt like I kind of got into a groove today.  The jogger throws me off.  I did however decrease my AP by 49 seconds this time with the jogger.  I would rather be able to do all my runs outside by myself as opposed to on the TM or with the jogger, BUT I'm glad I can still run and it's kind of fun having her tag along.  Baby girl was awake the entire 2.5 miles home and loved looking around at everything!  She's so cute! 

• 50 minutes spinning
• strength training circuit (arms, obliques, quads)

Needed a good workout to keep up the conditioning effort, but I wanted to rest my running muscles so I don't buildup the mileage too fast and get injured.  There wasn't a spinning class when I could go this morning and I canNOT for the life of me workout hard on a stationary bike by myself like some of you crazies, so I found this recording of a live cycling class online.  I went into the empty spinning room and used one of the bikes.  It was actually a pretty good workout! 

Avg HR 150 (I got it up to 172 during some of the sprints)

http://archive.org/details/FreeIndoorCyclingWorkout33

There is just music for awhile at the beginning, but eventually you hear talking.  It's easier to understand as time goes on.  I'm glad I found this so I have something to fall back on when I can't make it to spinning! 

• 30 minutes stair climber (level 7)
• 2200 meters row machine @ level 8 for 11 minutes total.  Worked really hard to keep the pace at 2:30 minutes per 500 meters.  Tough workout, my back and arms are tired!

Allie's Wedding Bells 5K tomorrow!  My plan is to avoid going out at the start as if I'm still in 2010 and 20 lbs lighter so I don't embarrass myself and get too winded to finish at a decent pace. :)  I'll probably shoot for about 9:30 AP.  It's sad that I'm that slow right now!  Maybe I'll surprise myself and be faster --or slower- ...we will see!

I had so much fun at the 5K today!  Thanks Allie and James for putting that on.  It was fun to celebrate your special day with you!  It was also great to meet so many FRB runners in person.  I met Allie, Bonnie, Tara, Kam, Kelli, Catherine, Eric (facelessghost), Andrea, Jake K, Carina, James (fiddy) and the entire Sasha Pachev family!  I also saw RAD after her awesome 1:30 AF Half finish time!  Today was really inspiring.  It was great to be surrounded by so many runners who work hard each week and are dedicated to such a positive activity.  I think the most inspiring part of today was watching all those Pachev kids kick some major trash!  They are incredible.  It was fun to watch Jake and Andrea's team fly around the track, too.

• race times here
• race pictures here

Anyway, here is my race report: I've got my work cut out for me.  I could pretty much stop there. :)  I wanted to get a good baseline, so it was nice to have this flat 5K today.  And let me tell you, we're starting pretty low here folks.  But I guess that's too be expected since it's only been 5 weeks since baby girl came.  It's been about 1.5 years since I've been where I want to be running wise, but now I can start working on it again and I'm happy about that.

• Lap 1 - 2:07, 8:30 AP oooops, rookie mistake 
• Lap 2 - 2:21, 9:38 AP
• Lap 3 - 2:27, 10:05 AP this is when I thought "how long are these stupid 5K's anyway??"
• Lap 4 - 2:28, 10:12 AP
• Lap 5 - 2:31, 10:10 AP
• Lap 6 - 2:34, 10:20 AP
• Lap 7 - 2:35, 10:04 AP
• Lap 8 - 2:46, 11:03 AP
• Lap 9 - 2:25, 9:32 AP
• Lap 10 - 2:28, 9:50 AP
• Lap 11 - 2:15, 9:16 AP
• Lap 12 - 2:05, 8:28 AP
• Lap 12.5 - :59, 7:40 AP wanted to see what my current VO2Max is

Thanks to Tara and Kam for making sure I didn't have to be out there by myself at the end! It really helped to have them helping through the end! :) 

Despite the fact it was just a 5K, I needed an extra rest day...

• 4 miles 10:34 AP
• abs incl. 2 x 1 min planks

3100 S - Orchard Dr - past the cemetery - Main Street - 1400 S and back

Can't believe I used to run all the way up Sunnyside at the end of my loop and still have an AP in the 9's!  And now the "incline" on Orchard kills me.  It isn't even big enough to be called a hill!  If you were driving it, you would think it was a flat road.  Someday. =0)

• 5 miles on Bountiful Blvd with the jogger

Good hill workout. Beautiful day!  (Garmin died halfway through, but the last time I had checked my AP was 10:38)

Still playing it safe.  Rest day.

• 4 mile run
• abs with 2 x 1 min planks

I did this same route Tuesday.  Today I lowered the AP by about 15 seconds per mile, but it didn't seem more difficult.  I felt like I could push it and that my turnover is getting quicker and I'm getting my midfoot strike back.  Feeling stronger overall.  All good things!  I love running. :) 

I really wanted to run 4 or 5 this morning on Bountiful Blvd, but I'm playing it safe again today.  If I have even an inkling of an infection or otherwise from giving birth or feeding the babe, I back off.  I have no interest in going to the doctor/ER or being on anitbiotics because I did too much too soon!  That already happened to me once a week after she was born and we are not going there again.  I guess there's no rush, I'm still just 6 weeks out.  So...I'll enjoy a sleepy Sat morning with the fam and start again Monday! 

Hope you're all having a great pre-4th of July weekend. :)

• 5 miles with the baby jogger on Bountiful Blvd, AP 10:21 

I worked hard for that AP with the hills and it felt gooood...opened my lungs way up. It felt really hot, like 80's or 90's but turns out it was only 71.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/195346614

• 4 miles on the TM, AP 9:43
• abs and 2 x 1 min planks

This ended up being an unplanned progressive run, mostly because it kept getting easier, so I kept upping the pace. ;)

Here is a great treadmill pace conversion website. I need to remember to put the incline at 1% so my pace can be more true to outdoor running.

Wake up (again) to feed the baby, drive to the race, get a 42 sec/mile PR despite having to lug my 154 pound/6.5 week post baby self around for 3 miles... NBD....I got this! 

Today's 5K went a lot smoother than 1.5 weeks ago. I remembered to start out slower and get into a good oxygen consumption zone, which made it easier to sustain a faster pace through the whole race.  I had a fun time! :)  HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

AP 8:59  

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/195641684

Rest day

• Easy 4 miles, 10:35 AP
• abs with 3x1 min planks and foam rolled the legs

Changed my blog name to Brooke...just to thoroughly confuse everyone!

• ~about 6.5 miles on the Boulevard, AP around 10:10 (according to cell phone and odometer)
• abs with 2x1 min planks

I hate it when I forget my Garmin!!  Now this run- and any effort I made to run fast- is lost to the running gods F O R E V E R ! !

Still feeling really good! :)

• 4.5 easy miles

• 40 minutes strength training DVD
• 4 easy TM miles, 1% incline @ 9:50 AP
• abs with 3x1 min planks

The DVD goes through various strengthening exercises using a medicine ball.  Well, they're more like dynamic stretching than static movements and it was just what I needed! I had weird aches in my back and right quad/hamstring and they were all gone by time the video was over.  The run felt great.  I continued with my Once Upon A Time series while running on the TM.  I only let myself watch it if I'm on the TM to make it more more appealing...it works!

• 5.5 miles, 5th south Bntfl loop @ 9:49 AP

Everything felt very smooth and strong on this run!  Extra runner's high for sure. ;)

• 1 hour recorded spin session in the spinning room
• abs with 2 x 1 min plank
• foam rolling, concentrating on keeping the calves loose (no more achilles injuries here EVER)

I prefer the live classes, but it's so nice to have this option!  The best part is I don't have to fight for the huge ceiling fan in the corner.

I want to try for 25 miles this week, so if my legs will allow it, I'll shoot for a 2-3 mile TM run later today.

• 4 miles, 1400 south and back, AP 9:58
• abs with 2x1 min planks
• foam rolling 

This run has a steady incline for 1 mile and then a decline for 1 mile and then I turn around and do the exact route back. I try to keep the ups and downs the same pace or better on the way back.  The last time I did this run, my AP was 10:10 so I was glad to end with a sub 10 AP today, although I did not like the effort it took!  Feels like it should have been a lot lower.  My legs are either still tired from the week or I'm still really out of shape...probably both!  But, dang it, I'm going to keep putting these slow AP's on this blog even if it kills me so I can see how far I've come! ;)  8 weeks postpartum today.  But really, I haven't been in good running shape since Dec 2010 because of an achilles injury and then nursing school got intense there at the end with full-time work at the same time and then I got pregnant....(yada yada yada)...it's nice to be getting somewhere now!  As of today I'm 4 lbs away from pre-pregnancy weight (145) and 24 lbs from what has been my best racing weight so far (125).  So I basically gained 20 pounds in a matter of months, I'm not even joking.  The last 2 semesters of nursing school while not being able to run to keep sane was a personal you know what that pretty much did me in!  I need my running!

Oh, I decided to not do the 2-3 miles yesterday so I could try doing an almost long run tomorrow (8 miles).  I'll cut it to 6 if it's not working.  Excited for my Saturday "long" run on the boulevard!

3 miles on pure fumes.  I've bonked before, but this was a BONK!  About 0.2 miles into the run (that ended in a walk) I started mentally scanning our entire fridge and pantry. After I came to the conclusion that nothing would satiate, I spent the remaining crawl to the car daydreaming about which restaurant we would go to for breakfast after I got home to drag James out of bed. CLEARLY I was hungry. I should have known better...we had a fun BBQ with friends last night and although the food was delicious (juicy cobobs, fresh fruit, crisp cabbage salad...yummy!!) this lactating runner needs more than a couple flecks of meat.  Great, now no one on this blog is going to invite us to dinner for fear of dissapointing, but if you do... I beg of you, give me a huge slab of chicken breast or something!!

Ran the 2 miles to 1400 south, but had to stop after that.  Because of a blister.  A blister!  It's one I got on Saturday's run on a toe that was next to another toe with a bandaid.  I've had blisters before, but they haven't made me stop running like this one...owie!

• 1 hour cardio and strength training DVD
• abs w/ 2x1min planks

My foot still hurt with any type of closed-toed shoe, so I didn't even attempt running.  I did the DVD barefoot and the rest of the day I either walked around barefoot or wore flip flops, carefully maintaining the 3 bandaids protecting my poor pinkie toe.

• 5 easy TM miles, 10:10 AP

Blister felt much better.  It was nice to run again! 

No wonder I've been so hungry and need to eat so much...I found out yesterday my baby has gained over 5.5 pounds in 8 weeks!  She is 13 lbs 2 oz and 23.5 inches tall, in the >95% category!  She eats about 5 oz every 4 hours during the day and so far I've been able to keep up with her!   

• 5 miles on the TM @ 1% incline, 9:20 AP
• abs with 2x1min planks

TM details:

• 1 mile @ 6.0 
• alternating 800m @ 7.0-7.5 then 800m @ 6.0 till 5 miles
• walked for cooldown

• 5 easy miles on Bountiful Blvd

• 2 easy TM miles

This is one of my favorite races.  My goal going into this race was to run smart: start out at a good pace while still using the downhill in my favor and then step up the effort when my lungs and body were ready to run closer to VO2 Max.  It took longer than I expected and what I used to be able to do (around mile 3.5).  But I was able to hold a nice steady pace and keep it under 9:00 AP without falling apart, so it was enjoyably uncomfortable if that makes sense.  The flat 5K that I ran on July 4th was 8:59 AP, so with this race being aided, my goal was to get 9:00 AP.  I ended up doing 8:53 AP and felt really good about it.   

I went away from this race feeling ready to do more tempo runs so I can keep getting that AP down.  My running appetite wants to do 1 a week, but I just have to base it off what my body can do (this lactation thing really takes a lot of resources, doesn't it?!...wow).  We'll see what happens and take it as it comes. :)

I stayed after the race and had a fun time chatting with Catherine and her hubby Facelessghost (and their cute baby) while we waited to watch Fritz and Allie finish the marathon.  They are amazing runners!! 

• splits: 8:30, 8:54, 9:12, 9:04, 8:48, 9:10, .2 @ 7:23
• For reference, in 2010 my AP was 7:10 for a time of 44:29

• Nice and easy 3.3 miles on the boulevard with the jogger

• 4 TM miles @ 1% incline and ~9:40 AP

Followed it with a green smoothie: kale, collard, spinach, 1 apple, blueberries, marion berries, 1 peach yogurt and some vanilla soy milk...yummy!  I have a lot more energy and I'm recovering quicker this week compared to last, so it must have just been a fluke...I was really dragging from 2 Saturdays ago up until this Monday.  I almost didn't run today because I assumed it was the same, but today's run felt great and it worked out any remaining soreness from the race.  Hoping to try again for 25 miles this week. :)  If not, then at least 20!  Surely I can do at least 20!

• 5.5 miles, 5th south loop, AP 10:29
• abs, foam rolling

I'm working hard to break through some mental barriers after 1.5 years of sub-par running and I think I conquered a couple of them today!  (i.e. It's too hard to get back to where I was before, I don't have enough time/energy now with a baby, I'm going to get injured again, I'm too tired and sore-I'll try again next week....)  I started the run feeling sluggish and tired and ended it feeling empowered and energized. :)  Trying to make it normal again in my brain to run 35-45 miles per week with a tempo run.  

Progressive run as I got more warmed up and confident (I haven't ran 5 days in row in a very long time).  The route is front-loaded with a hill and then an incline, the remaining has either slight declines, flat or a couple inclines:

11:47, 10:42, 10:18, 10:16, 10:14, last 0.5 @ 8:40

• 5 miles on the Blvd, 10:31 AP
• Abs w/ 2x 1min planks, foam rolling

Legs felt surprisingly good today. 26 miles this week!

• 3 easy TM miles

• 5.5 miles 5th south loop with tempo run as follows:
  • 1.5 mile warm up
  • 2.5 mile tempo @ 8:34 AP!
  • 1.5 mile cool down
• abs w/ 3 x 1 min planks

I wanted to do a tempo run today and try to maintain my 5K and 10K AP's that I got on the 4th and 24th of this month (8:59 and 8:53). I was able to maintain 8:30's and it felt so good!  So this tells me (1) I should have warmed up more for the races (2) my lungs are getting more conditioned each week and (3) I had a little too much kick in me at the end and could have gone a bit faster during the races.  I was too nervous, though, because it's hard to know what you really can do when you first come back and I didn't want to fall apart during the race.  Now I know I need to push it harder and need to shoot for at least 8:30's AP during my tempo runs for the upcoming weeks.  I want to work up to 10K tempos as well.  I was planning to do a 5K today, but my Garmin totally froze right at 2.5 miles into it, so I decided to just stop the tempo pace and cool down.  The watch eventually came back to life 1.5 hours after the run, but it's still finicky and has been for about a month now.  I need it to last a little longer, though...we can't buy anything extra right now until I start work again. =0)  Stay with me Garmin, stay with me!!

• 5 miles on the treadmill, 1% incline
  • 1 mile 6.0mph
  • alternating 0.5 mile 7.0mph then 0.5 mile 6.0mph for 4 miles
  • TT 47:38, 9:31 AP
• abs with 2x1 min planks

Today has been such a great running day for me!  It started off with me not wanting to run on the TM, but I did it anyway and I felt really strong!  The 7.0mph seemed a lot easier than it did a few weeks ago.  I just felt stronger period today doing the run and the ab workout. Yay! :) THEN I was checking Facebook and I'm a fan of the Big Cottonwood Half Marathon page when I saw MY name in their status post...I won a free entry to do the half!!  I am beyond excited!  And then I thought "crap, when is it, I gotta get ready" haha. :)  It's Sept 22, which gives me 6 Saturdays, so I think I'll be fine. I can't wait to start "training" for it!  Such a great day! :)

• 3 easy TM miles, 9:35 AP

Bear Lake today, family reunion at a cabin this weekend.  We runners should get a medal for our great time management skills in order to get all our miles in. :)  Hoping to do 27 miles this week, so I went easy today in order to do a longer run tomorrow or Saturday depending on baby's schedule.  Hailey is sleeping through the night longer and longer each morning, which is great (yay!), but I miss my little 5am alarm clock (aka hungry baby) which gave me enough time to get her back to bed and run outside before James needs to go to work.  Now we both wake up too late so the treadmill it is! 

• 7 miles, 4th north loop
• abs, foam rolling

Decided to set my alarm so I could run 7 miles here at home and outside instead of by myself in the woods tomorrow when we go to the reunion.  (Turns out my baby slept till AFTER I got home...12 hours straight! Woot woot! And I was out running and missed the exciting extra sleep I hear other moms talk about hahaha. :) )  I fell back asleep after the alarm went off and woke in a panic and had to rush out the door so I could be back for James to go to work (makes for a great motivation to keep up the pace during a run!).  I was still in rush mode the first few miles so I worked on relaxing everything so I could run more efficiently and enjoy it.  The last few miles were great because I pushed myself to get my AP below 10:00 and I wanted to have that "I ran hard this morning" sort of tired/satisfaction today. Each day I'm feeling less and less like I ran earlier in the day, so that tells me I can keep pushing it harder, which is really great.  I keep expecting to bonk again, but I just feel stronger each day instead.  My garmin died at 6.10 miles, but I have learned my lesson and kept checking it.  It said 10:05 AP and at the rate I was running I'm pretty sure I got it down below 10:00 by the time I got home.  It was hard for me to get even 10:30 AP and eek out a 5.5 mile run just a couple weeks ago. I'm hoping to have most of my runs under 10:00 from now on, unless there are lots of hills or I'm really tired.  Not sure what to do about the Garmin situation.  I could beg my husband for a loan...he saves all of his personal money and has who knows how much racked up in his personal account.  Me?  Running is my pimp, I am its "b" and I spend every DIME on it. :)

First night back at work last night and another one tonight with no babysitter inbetween to get solid sleep.  I'm sure it will take me a week or two to get used to this whole back to working nights dynamic.  So far it's going better than I thought. Thank goodness I have a treadmill so I can run in the middle of the day!

• 5 TM miles, 10:06 AP

Got home from the night shift at 8am, slept 3 hours thanks to Grandma. :)  Wanted to get my run in so I hurried down to the TM.  It started out a little rough, but I ALWAYS feel better if I run after a night shift. Then about 2.3 miles into it, baby girl woke up early from her nap.  So I went and got her and her play mat with a piano at her feet and hanging toys and that enabled me to finish the run...whoever designed that thing is my hero! :) Things were much better for the last 3.7 miles.

• 5.5 miles, 5th south loop, AP 9:54 - 11:06, 10:25, 8:34, 8:49, 10:22, 10:18
• abs, foam rolling

My first thought was that I would give myself a break from any hard running this week while I get used to working nights again, but then when my watched beeped 2 miles I decided to just try running some tempo miles.  It's funny how it's easy to run fast once you just start running fast. =0)  I did 2 tempo miles and I feel pretty darn good about that. 

• 5 TM miles 1% incline, AP 9:50

Started at 5.5mph and worked up to 7.5

• 8.6 miles, Pages Lane loop, 9:45 AP

• 5.1 miles total:
  • 3.1 miles outside 10:10 AP (1/2 mile of 8:30 AP thrown in there)
  • 2.0 miles on the TM, 9:28 AP (6.0mph with 1/2 mile @ 7.5mph)
• abs

I ran outside for as long as I had time for and then came back and finished on the TM, the perfect combination. It took over 1.5 miles to warm up, but then I was able to do 1 miles worth of faster running.  Happy Monday!

***Just registered for the Utah Half Marathon for $10.84 using the code "FAMILYHALF".  http://www.utahmarathon.com/  Thanks RAD!  Anyone else doing it?

3 TM miles right after eating lunch (technically breakfast) so it was a rather slow pace!  More of an easy day today, hoping for a tempo run tomorrow.

Tempo run - 5.5 miles, 5th south loop

1.5 mile warmup

5K: TT 26:33, AP 8:34, 8:36, 8:35, 8:36, 7:51 (for .1)

1 mile cooldown

abs with 2x1 min planks

I'm making progress!  The two 5K's I did in June and July were 30:08 and 27:42.  Today wasn't full out and it was still faster.  I think I used to do too many miles at too fast of a pace back when I did tempo runs before because I would dread them more than I do now.   Starting out at a manageable distance and a doable speed works out much better for sure!  I really like these 5K tempo runs.  I want to eventually work up to a weekly 10K.  I also think I can start pushing the pace a little.  I get nervous to go faster than I did today, but by the time I'm home I feel totally fine which tells me I could have tried harder.  Just gotta get up the courage. =0)

• 10.5 miles, Parrish Lane loop, 9:27 AP
• abs w/ 2x1 min planks, foam rolling, stretching

11:08, 9:35, 9:05, 8:56, 9:15, 9:19, 9:36, 9:44, 9:16, 9:09, 8:39 (.54)

I meant to just do 9.5 today, but it turned out the loop was longer than I thought, oops!  But it felt great to run long and I feel really good about my AP!  Last week I did 8.6 miles at 9:45 AP.  Today didn't seem harder, I just paid attention to my pace more often and picked it up if I needed to.  I am also happy with my efforts...I tend to slow down on the way back home because there is a slight incline and my mentality wanes a little.  So today I did some strides to counteract that and it really worked.  Well, I think I did what all of you call strides. :)  Is it just where you pick up the pace (to about marathon or tempo pace) for a little bit?  How long do you guys do your strides for?  I did 3 and they were .1 to .2 miles long.  It helped get my legs moving faster again.  Made a yummy recovery green smoothie afterwards (tons of spinach, a banana, some frozen strawberries, a small apple, a yogurt, 5 ice cubes and a little water).  We love those things here.  Which is good because we wouldn't get enough greens otherwise.

So I'm taking it easy this week.  For the past few weeks I've had a really sore spot on my left tibial tuberosity.  It doesn't ever hurt when I run, but it hurts really bad when I touch it or kneel down and my knee gives out easily when I bend it and it hurts when that happens...I'm not sure if that is caused by the sore spot on my tibia because I'm not sure they are exactly connected that way (Teena? :) ), but they started at the same time.  I've never had problems there or with my knee so I'm going to be proactive and stop running for a bit so it can heal.  I would MUCH rather sit it out because I choose to than be forced to rest because something bad happens.

I haven't ran since Friday and I'm already super bored and antsy to get back to it.

3 miles on the TM at 5:30am because I couldn't sleep. ;)  Might as well get the run done for the day!

Abs with 3x1 min planks

My knee doesn't give out quite as much and it's not quite as tender to the touch on my tibial tuberosity.  So hopefully it just eventually goes away! 

• 5 miles on the TM @ 1% incline in 47:45 (9:33 AP)
• 6.0mph to 7.5mph alternating every half mile
• abs with 3x1 min planks

Knee still just gives out a few times a day like when I'm going upstairs or standing up with Hailey on just that leg, almost as if it just needs to warm up and then it doesn't do it.  Tender spot not as tender.  Who knows what these are from!  So unless things get worse, I'm just going to resume my regular running.  My half marathon just over a month away. :)