24 weeks

Ah! I need to go for a run!!! It's been 5 long days since I've hit the pavement and I'm going stir-crazy!
BUT my husband is still out of town and I don't have a stroller to take the boy with me.

Might have to convince him to take his bike out with me again...see if he can make it farther than 2.5 miles this time.

This Evening's Spectacle

This evening's spectacle, down a quiet little neighborhood street:

My 4-year-old boy riding a WAY-TOO-BIG bike recovered from a dumpster whose training wheels screeched like fingernails down a chalkboard; all the while he was growling screaming out car engine sounds and pretending to get blown-out tires.

Next to him: me and my 23 week pregnant belly slogging* along soaked in sweat, chanting "Go Lightning McQueen Go!" or "Peet Stop"** in a really bad Italian accent or "Bring on the confetti!"***

Talk about a circus!

*runningfor3's fabulous term for slow jogging

** Guido anyone?

***Chick...and yes, thanks for asking: We HAVE seen the movie Cars 1084 times.

That song again?

This morning's run was foiled by the 4am wake-up song:

"Mommy, My Stomach Feels Funn-----[bbllleeeeeuuucchhhhh]."

"Race" Update

Hello All!

Crumbs here - Back from The Land of Fatigue and Heaving (a.k.a First Trimester) and happily gliding along through Celebration and Energy (well, relatively speaking!). I'm 22 weeks along in my 2nd pregnancy and have a renewed love of running quickly-paced waddling.

I've never been fast, but My Oh My, just 2 months ago it took me 45 minutes to force myself to go 2.5 miles. The agony! All because of this weird addiction that seemed like it was going to promise me relief in my rough months of sickness. Really - food was intolerable. Advil unadvised. And a Mojito with a floater? Highly frowned upon by the masses. I knew I was allowed to run, though. And when I run, I get a Runner's High! Sweet - Hook Me Up. Only, I couldn't really make it through the first mile so easily without getting dizzy and feeling like a 7 year old was taking drum lessons in my head. I guess only being able to force down 500 calories a day meant there wasn't much in the bank for added exercise. This, it seemed, was going to be a very, very long 40 weeks. Weekly milage went from 25 to...well, 3 (or 10, if you count running to the toilet).

Fast forward to this week.

I had slowly reintroduced myself to running over the last 8 weeks - first with the treadmill and then out on the street - week by week adding a little more. I even completed a 5 miler in just 1 minute/per mile slower than pre-pregnancy. HOPE! HOPE, I tell you!

So I signed up for a 5k in my old stomping grounds of South Miami. (I'm back in town for a little while and what better to meet up with old friends than at a race?! It's a fun way to let folks know about the little one, too!) Anyway - I knew I wasn't going to set any records but I couldn't believe that I finished a cool 2 minutes slower than I did last year - right around old running buddies. Just 2 months ago I had lost hope of ever having my runner's high again. But there it was: Baby and Me waddling through at a relaxed pace, waving to familiar faces, enjoying the course, passing the finish line with a smile and energy to spare!

Each day I get bigger.

I know every run won't be that smooth.

BUT it's so comforting to know that, even when I hit rough patches (be it morning sickness or injury or burnout), I'll eventually get my groove back.

Happy Running All!

18 weeks

18 weeks 4 days

I had my monthly visit with the midwife this morning and was a little bummed to find out I've gained 6 pounds in the last 4 weeks.  I thought I was being so good - really aiming for 1lb per week as directed.  Apparently, my home scale is a little more lenient than that of the midwife.

However, considering I was so sick the first 3 months and gained next to nothing, 6 lbs total isn't so bad.  My midwife put it into perspective, too.  She measured me at 2 weeks larger than I should be, which means the baby has grown a lot this month.  

Looking down at her chart, she said, "Ooh, your first was 8lbs 3oz!  Oh you'll have no trouble with a 9 pounder!"  Yikes!  Not really what I want to hear! :)

Today's Run

Another cool late-morning meant another great run.  I didn't have much time, so I was only out for 30 minutes or so and a quarter mile less than 3 miles.  I started really slow, taking walk breaks every 4 minutes, but 15 minutes into it, I didn't want to stop.  My pace picked up to a steady 9:50 minute mile (2 minutes faster than my "normal pregnancy" pace) and I'm sure I could have done a couple more if I had time.  

18 week run

18 weeks pregnant

It was 66 degrees this morning and I decided: screw the gym, I'm running outside!  It's been a little while since I've actually run off the treadmill, so I was a little worried how my body would handle it.  I wrapped a belly belt around my hips (more details later) and hit the trail.  I took it easy, running 4:1's, finishing 4 miles in 48 minutes.  Looks like that's my pace now, which is fine. 

Delicious.  Now if I can just do something about the non-stop armpit sweating, I'd really enjoy this trimester. :)

Kids these days

So, my belly is getting bigger and I realized it's time to get something to wear other than my 3 elastic band skirts that I wear everyday.  I headed on over to Old Navy to get me some cheap fashion and what do I see?  A whole wall selection of maternity shorts and pants!  Sweet - they had the look of style, BUT a big 2 inch elastic-looking band around the top.  No problem, a long T-shirt could hide that.  

But wait....they weren't stretchy.   As my hands pulled at the top, they did not give.  THEY WEREN'T maternity!  What? What? What?  Ugly maternity pants are now in fashion?!?!? 

Does that mean my ever expanding waist and thighs are cool, too? 

Sweet?