Run/Walk

What a beautiful trail!

I did not, technically, get my target of 20 miles running last week. When DH and I headed out for a 9 mile run on Sunday morning, I knew about 1 mile into it that it just wasn't one of those running days. I just was not feeling it. Oh well. Rather then scrap the whole outing (we had a beautiful route planed) we turned it into a 9 mile walk instead. Does that still count? =)

Our run walk was so beautiful because we are visiting upstate New York. We'll be moving here in about 6 months and took this week for an initial house hunting/pre-baby get-away trip.

With all of the house hunting related walking, I haven't been doing much running on top of it. So, no mileage target for this week. DH has been doing *GREAT* with his marathon training, though, and is still on track!

All of a sudden, at 33 weeks preggo (which isn't that far along), I feel HUGE. Sigh, I may be hitting the run-to-walk transition much earlier with this pregnancy (ran until ~38 weeks the first time around).

I have gained about 6 pounds less so far in this pregnancy and am measuring a little smaller (by two cm). So, I was confused why I feel so much worse. It occurred to me today, though, that there are likely two reasons contributing to my general discomfort:

1. Between caring for the toddler, busy work, and travel/house-hunting, I just haven't been resting properly

2. Thanks to already destroyed ab muscles from pregnancy #1, I think I'm carrying a little lower; thus increasing pressure and discomfort.

Whatever the cause, I'm just going to try and rest, relax, and do the best I can! If that means more walking and less running, eh, I'm okay with that.

Does this make my bump look big?

In truth, there are few good things about preggo running. You're slow, you're uncomfortable, but it's usually worth it because you feel good afterward.

One good thing, though, is getting cute new running clothes =) If you have to be out there with a basketball shoved under your shirt, may as well dress it up!

My new maternity running skirt!*

I love running skirts when non-preggo and the maternity ones are no exception. They are quite expensive, though. Fortunately, I scored the one above for 50% off!

Running: I don't have anything super exciting to report re. preggo running right now. I'm just plodding along. I do still hope to hit my 20 mile goal for the week, though!

*I don't know why the dogs were so excited. In the picture I had just gotten home from a run. So, they can't have thought that they were getting to go somewhere =)

Marathon Training Envy

In May, for DH's birthday, I committed the cardinal sin of gift-giving; I gave him something I really wanted for myself: entry into the 2012 San Francisco Marathon. Come race day, July 29th, I'll be 8 1/2 months preggo. While I'd love to do this race again (I PR'ed there last year and had my most enjoyable marathon experience to date! (report here)) the closest I'll get is living it vicariously through DH.

In defense of my poor gift-giving, DH has been making noises about wanting to do a marathon for years. I knew, and he admits, that if I didn't go ahead and sign him up he probably would never have done it himself. Since we ran a half marathon together at the end of May (Pasadena half, report here), it seemed like a good spring-board into full marathon training.

That brings us to this weekend, and why I'm jealous. This morning DH completed one of my favorite training runs, through the Berkeley hills and then up/down the East Bay waterfront trail. In fact, it's such a nice run and he was feeling so good that he did 20 miles instead of the planned 18 miles. Man, was I jealous as he glowed from his long-run-high all afternoon!

Of course, I'm super proud of him and how far he has come with his running! He has never been much of a runner and now he seems to be 'getting' what is so great about it (for me at least). The long, quite, beautiful morning runs to yourself are therapeutic in a special kind of way. I can't wait until I'm no longer restricted to two-mile loops around the neighborhood for reliable bathroom access =)

What I really need right now is something new to make me accountable. With some recent travel on DH's part, a busy work schedule of my own, and no real goal in sight my running has been suffering terribly. So, I'm giving myself a realistic but still challenging goal (challenging at this point, anyway) to run 20 miles this week. It's completely arbitrary to set such a number target, but I bet it will help get me out the door!