good running week

Since I've been trying to ramp up the mileage I've noticed the thing I'm really missing is consistency on the 'non-rogue' days. I am pretty good about getting up to run on Tues, Thur, and Sat...but I know I can't build mileage running 3 days a week :) Today makes 6 days of running in a row which for me right now, is big! I ran an easy 5 around the lake with Skylar on Monday to start of the week. On Tuesday I ran 10 with the group and actually felt good enough to have a bit of a close! Woo hoo!

Yesterday I met up with my friend Tim and some people he knows (turns out they were gazelles, ahhh!) and ran 8. I did a good job of talking up how amazing team rogue is :) Then today I needed to go a bit longer since we have a youth conference all weekend. I wore my garmin which I haven't been doing...but of course I forgot to turn it on between two water stops so I think I ended up with about 17, maybe a little less. That's my longest run post baby so it was good to get it out of the way. I'm not sure how much running I'll be able to get in while I'm gone. Tonight we have an overnight bus trip, then we bus overnight on Sunday to come back super early on Monday morning. I have a feeling I'll be pretty wiped out so sleeping might win out over any intense running, but I'm hoping to get a few miles in here or there.

pluses: family dinner tonight

minuses: not going to be with skye all weekend

knee update

I struggled the last few weeks with consistency because my knee was really bothering me. I'd run with the group one day, then it'd hurt the rest of the day so I'd take off the next. Of course that would help it feel better, so I'd run the next day and start the cycle all over again. Finally I went to see Lisa and she said basically it was just a stuck IT band and hamstring tendon. I was hoping hamstring issues would be over with since I took about 10 months off because of Skylar, but no such luck. It's always going to be an issue and I just need to get over that and be diligent with stretching, strength, etc. Since I saw Lisa I have ran a 3 mile run which was a little rough. Just felt tight all over. Today I ventured out for 10 and was pleasantly surprised with how everything felt. No knee pain. Got in a nice quick soak afterwards and I need to do some of the exercises she showed me tonight and hopefully everything will clear up!

pluses: time with katie and kenna tonight

minues: tired

week 2

so much for consistency with the blog! i guess i kind of slacked off with consistency on the running last week too. i ran with the group again last thursday and then bailed on weekend running. my kiddo was sick and my knee was still bothering me, so i decided to rest. unfortunately, that does not seemed to have helped my knee at all. yesterday i did 6ish with my friend tim and then today i ran 9 with bruce and geezer. it doesn't really hurt when i run, it just gets so stiff when i'm done. today it was throbbing on my drive to work and anytime i went up or down stairs. i did switch back to my good old mizunos. i'm hoping the new pair will help alleviate some of the issues. i've been switching back and forth between worn out mizunos and new brooks launches which keep giving me blister issues. i hope the new shoes help. i'm not really motivated to take time off since i just am starting to ramp up. if it was really painful when i ran it'd be a different story, but it's really just an issue after running, so we'll see. maybe a trip to see lisa will be the next step if it doesn't clear up. not sure about running plans tomorrow. i think i may just do a few miles with skylar in the neighborhood before work.

pluses: dinner with laura

minuses: brian and i have been crossing paths

team rogue

Team Rogue started back up last week and I joined up with them today. I was in MI last week which was a nice vacation and break from the real world. It's been hard coming back to the heat! I did like 2 miles with Skylar in the stroller yesterday and it was HOT! This morning I did 8 and met a few new people in the group. I'm looking forward to being in a regular routine and having people to hold me accountable. I decided starting the blog back up again would be another good accountability tool. My right knee is a little stiff and sore (it has been for about the last week or so) but I am hoping with my new shoes, good stretching habits, and some rolling out, it'll pass.

pluses: lazy evening

minuses: no AC at work

long run!

I did my longest run post-pregnancy so far this morning. I ran 12 with John Alter. Our plan was just for 10 but we missed that turn. I'm glad we did because I felt really good for the whole 12 miles. It was perfect weather and the pace felt really comfortable (ended up about 8:25 pace). It's kind of funny because that is actually faster than a lot of my shorter runs but the whole thing felt great. I'm looking forward to a great Saturday with some family time too!

On a random note, I've noticed that since I've become a mom I've become more domestic than I ever thought possible. In the last week we've had to get a new washing machine and a new vacuum, and I'm really excited about them. I think that makes me a nerd, but I'm ok with that. I did about 7 loads of laundry in the first day with the new machine (we were w/out for about 3 days and babies create a LOT of laundry). It's funny how much things can change in such a short amount of time. It's been 15 weeks and things are great :)


pluses: family time, weather

minuses: no nap time

update

The running has been getting better. Still not too many miles yet, but I'm at least getting something in almost everyday (with a few exceptions here and there). I did 17 miles last weekend (two different runs) but I was still happy with that. I plan to do 10 with Rogue on Saturday and maybe 8 on Sunday. I am ready for Boston to be here so I can get in a regular schedule with the team after that. 5:30am runs work the best for me but now I just need someone who's willing to get up and go at that time that isn't running 15+ miles at a time :) I am tired and have a lot to do for school, and Brian's super busy with work now (march/april sucks for tax accountants) but I'm looking forward to a few days to relax over spring break!

pluses: great weather

minuses: skylar's teething

checking in

I guess it's been awhile since I've blogged about any running things. I am running, so that's good. I've been trying to run 5-6 miles about 5-6 days a week. It's going fine, I just find I don't really have much time. Between being a wife, a mom, a youth minister, and a student...it's hard to be a runner too (well at least a fast one). I'm pretty hard on myself so I don't really feel like running with everyone again or racing until I know I can be competing at the level I was before Skylar. It's not looking like that'll happen anytime soon, but I'm just trying to hang in there and stick with it for now. I guess one upside is I get a pretty good workout when I'm running and pushing Skye in the BOB. I am going to be stuck on the treadmill today because I don't want to take her out in the snow.

pluses: got a lot of reading done

minuses: lack of motivation

getting back in the swing of things

So it's been kind of an up and down journey in my running life the past few weeks. The bottom line is that "mommy life" takes up a lot more time and energy than I have, so running life gets pushed aside a bit. I have realized that on the days I do make time to run, it ends up being a better day. I'm going to be tired and short on time no matter what, but at least if I run I can check that off of the list of things I want to get done for that day.

Today I ran for the third time this week. 3 out of 4 days isn't bad. I ran with Katie this morning. We met at the first st bridge and ran over to congress, up congress, and through campus to 24th. After 2.25 miles we turned around and headed back the way we came. It was a nice run. Great weather.

I'm hoping to meet up with some people from the team this weekend for a long run. Granted it'll be about 1/3 of what their long run will be, but I thought it'd be good to get back in the running community to help me get motivated again!

pluses: nice weather

minuses: long day, class, lots of time away from skye :(

3 days in a row!

That's right...I've run 3 days in a row! I know that seems like nothing, but it's a good start to being consistent which has been a really big challenge for me. It's hard to fit in running with Skylar. She keeps me up more than I am used to, and I can't just leave the house whenever to run now :) So she's my excuse for inconsistency for now :)

Yesterday I did a 3 mile run on the treadmill. Good news is that Skye slept like a rock right next to the treadmill in her bouncer. I wasn't sure if it'd be too loud for her, but I guess the noise was soothing enough to put her right to sleep. After a short run, I did about an hour of light weights, core, and body weight exercises. I'm trying to get some strength back before I increase mileage to avoid injury. I was kind of sore/tired/weak...but I think it was a good start.

This morning I met Katie at the lake for a 4 mile run. It felt good. It felt less like a struggle than the last few days.

pluses: dinner with Brian, Skye, Katie, and Paul

minuses: work

back, again!

So now I think I'm finally back :) I was good with running for about a week, and then got an upper respiratory infection that had me sidelined again. I kept trying to put off going to the doctor, but I finally got an antibiotic last week so I think I'm getting rid of all of the congestion. Yesterday was my 26th bday (woo hoo) and Brian got me a Garmin 405. I'm really excited about it. I used it for the first time today and just downloaded all of the software and stuff to my computer. I ran 4 miles today. I'm still having to work pretty hard when I'm running. I am out of shape and my body just isn't used to running right now. I know it'll come back, I just need to be patient. I think I might run on the treadmill tomorrow...depending on the weather :) Since I don't have a specific race or goal in mind right now, it's been really hard to be consistent with training and the things that go along with it (TP work, abs, eating well, etc). I especially am not really interested in getting up super early, since I can't run to far/fast yet. Maybe I will get back into a good routine here soon!

pluses: skylar was good at church

minuses: the whole family has been coughing

first two days back!

I got cleared to run on Monday...so I hit the road for the first time in about 4 months. Yesterday I just did a two mile loop in my neighborhood. The hardest thing to adjust to was the cold air. My lungs felt like they were frozen! I haven't been outside much in the cold in awhile, and I'm sure I was breathing a lot harder than usual...so that added up to some discomfort in the breathing category. Other than that, things felt ok. I was slow, heavy, and felt kind of awkward...but that is what I expected :)

Today I met up with Katie for a run at town lake. We did the 4 mile loop. We just walked a bit by the water stops, but it was probably 95% running and 5 % walking. I was happy with that. I still feel ridiculously out of shape, but that's ok. The way I feel now makes me have a lot of respect for people who have never been runners and are starting out for the first time. I have a feeling that's similar to how I am feeling now. Pretty much for as far back as I can remember, I've been playing some sort of sport. I've always been in "shape" even if it's not running shape. So when I start back up with running, I've usually been playing a lot of basketball, softball, swimming, biking, or some other sport. Since I've done NOTHING but walk since the summer, my fitness is worse off than it's even been before. I guess the thing to keep in mind is that it's only been 26 days since I had a baby, so I just need to be patient!

pluses: great Baucher family Christmas last night

minuses: sister in law and brother in law are moving

hike

Brian, Skylar, and I went on a hike yesterday at my parents house in the hill country. The land is pretty rocky and there are some nice hills, so it was definitely a workout for me. I'd say we walked around for about 45 minutes or so. Skylar tried out her new Jeep front-pack carrier so I actually had both hands free! We decided Brian would carry a gun and I'd carry the baby :) It felt great to be outside (it was really nice in Mason) and enjoy the weather, scenery, etc. It's not as nice in Austin, so I'm thinking I may do some treadmill walking this afternoon!

pluses: lost 25 pounds in 2 weeks

minuses: think i lost all muscle i may have had

skylar is here and i'm ready to run

So I am officially not pregnant (haven't been for 2 weeks) and have a beautiful baby girl to show for it! Skylar Jane was born on Nov 20th at 12:06pm. I know I have a very biased opinion, but she's kind of the cutest thing ever. After a short, painful, drug-free delivery, I'm on the road to recovery to start running again. I'll spare everyone the details, but the doctor is asking me to wait at least another week (maybe two) before I start running again. I'm ok to walk, so it's back to that for a bit. The only tricky part is going to be figuring out how/when to start running again with Skylar's schedule. Right now she likes to eat at 1:30am and 5am. Hopefully she'll be able to spread those times out as she gets a little older so I can just feed her once in the middle of the night. She's only 2 weeks now, so I'll cut her a little slack. We do have a sassy bob running stroller so she can go with me in Dec as I start gradually running again. I'm hoping to join back up with Rogue in January once I go back to work and get on a regular schedule. It'll be interesting to figure out how to get in my run and get myself and Skylar ready to go and get to Lakeway at a decent hour...but we'll see how it goes! Right now I'm just enjoying time with the little one and looking forward to getting back on the road!

pluses: baby :) , lost 22 pounds in 2 weeks

minuses: tired!

i can see the finish line!

So it's been about a month or so since I completely gave up on running. Too much SI pain to make it worth it. Also, I don't "love" running when it always involves feeling out of shape. I like running to feel fast and competitive. Running while pregnant doesn't really give you either of those things. The good news is, the end is in site! Skylar should be here in about 3 weeks. The plan now is to induce on November 20th if things are still looking good. If that's what ends up happening, then I only have 23 more days left!

Post-baby, I'm really looking forward to getting back out on the road. I know life will be much different, but I know I'll find a way to fit running in, even if it's a modified version of how it fit in my life pre-baby. I did pick up a nice BOB jogging stroller yesterday from Angie, so I'm looking forward to using that. I really want to get a race on the calendar so I have a goal and a focus, but it's a little too soon to do that. While I want to come back as quickly as possible, I do need to be realistic and listen to my body. I don't want to end up sidelined with another injury (hamstring) like before.

pluses: things are settling down at work

minuses: tired, sluggish

i miss running

105 days left until baby is here.....then a few weeks recovery....then CRAZY running will begin. i miss it so much!

it'll be a slow and gradual comeback, but will have potential for craziness as things progress.

i want to race!

team breakfast

Yesterday I was planning to meet up with Angie for breakfast after the team's long run. I'm not really in "long run" shape now, so I did 4-5 miles and met Angie and barton springs after her 20 miler. I was glad to see everyone from the team, but was sad that Mike, Ken, and Damon were missing!

We ended up going to Austin Java with a group of 12 or so. It was really nice catching up with everyone!

Good news as far as the run, my back felt good, and I actually felt kind of quick for the first 3 miles are so. Quick meaning closer to 8 minute pace as opposed to 10 minutes pace. I don't wear my watch anymore when I run, so I don't really know what pace I was going, but it felt better than normal :)

pluses: pool time today, relaxing weekend with Brian

minuses: drive to Galveston tomorrow

cravings

So one of the most common questions I've been asked about being pregnant is what weird cravings I've had. As far as food goes, none really. I guess I'm not that exciting when it comes to different foods. That's probably a good thing, otherwise I may be a bit larger :)

The one thing I have been craving like crazy is running! I've had a lot of people around me talking about running. Although I don't see my Rogue friends as much, there seem to be more people around me who are getting into running. A few women i my office decided to train for a half. I have some other friends who have been calling to ask questions about running or see if I want to meet up with them to run. While I'm not totally disabled at this point, it's just not the same as before! I'm craving a 20 mile long run on a sunny Saturday morning, a run through scenic and balcones, maybe even a run where I look down at my watch as we finish and realize our last 4 miles were around 6:40 pace. I've also really been craving the race environment. Walking up to the starting line with the nervous butterflies, checking the pace band, my watch, goo, electrolytes, etc...just waiting for those last few minutes to pass by before the gun goes off and the work begins. I really want that! I guess for now I'll have to settle for my treadmill at home and my walks in the neighborhood.

The plan is to be back racing in April. Maybe, if things go well with the pregnancy, I'll enter the Austin 1/2 or Full....obviously I wouldn't be in "pr" shape, but it'll be good to be back out there. To those of you who are working hard and putting in many many miles, enjoy it!

pluses: dinner with Laura tonight

minuses: can't chaperon work camp next week

update

The last few weeks have been pretty crazy. We have a big trip coming up this weekend so I've been kind of busy getting ready for that. Over the 4th, Brian and I went to Mason to spend some time with my parents. It was really relaxing...at least for my mom and me :) Brian and my dad did quite a bit of work out in the pasture, so I'm sure they didn't get in as much r and r as we did. We did take a few nice walks. It's always a nice change of scenery. I will say that I was having really strong desires to go on like a fifteen mile trail run...but I don't think that would've been the best idea :) I have done a few more runs with Katie J which has been nice. When I went on Tuesday I had a lot less back pain which was very encouraging. I also got some orthotics so I am working on getting used to those. Today was another intense walk around the neighborhood. I didn't go until 11am, so it was pretty warm.

In other super exciting news, we did find out that we're having a baby girl :) It was so cool to see the sonogram. Last time we had one you basically were looking at a little blob with a heartbeat. This time you could see her little feet and hands and face. It was really neat! Also, her little legs were going up and down like crazy. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that she was running in place....just getting in some early miles :) I'm super excited about being able to start getting her some things (and letting other people spoil her) now that we know it's a girl. Name wise, we're almost 100% sure we're going with Skyler Jane.

pluses: baby is good, Steubenville trip this weekend

minuses: 12 hr bus ride

booooo

I've been doing a whole lot of nothing lately, or that's how it seems. I've been going to the gym 2-3x a week which really isn't enough. Running has been about 2x a week. Again, not enough. It's been so hard to keep myself motivated to be active when I'm not really capable of working as hard as I want to. I guess I can attribute that to the fact that in general I like to go 110%, and when I can't...well I just don't get anything done. It kind of reminds me of the quote "Go hard or go home." It seems like I've opted with the "go home" mentality. The only issue here is that I still have 5 more months until I can run hard again, so if I do nothing between now I then I have a feeling the comeback will be a little hard. The last few days I've felt pretty crappy, so I haven't been doing much. This weekend I'm out of town, then I'll be gone another week and a half in July. Then 3 weekends in a row in August....so the question becomes when will I get back into a routine?!?! Even if it's a super-modified, low intensity, routine.

The one positive thought is that last time I was chatting with Steve he reminded me that up until June of 2008, I did next to nothing to train for marathons. Then in around 8 months I already had my goal time down to 2:55....so hopefully the same pattern follows and I can get back into running quickly.

Ok, time to quite complaining. Good news is I think I'm going to get a treadmill this afternoon so then I can run even if it's 110 degrees outside. Other good news, we find out in 6 days if the baby is a boy or a girl!

pluses: above

minuses: further up

last few days

Last Thursday I met up with Katie J and we did a 6 miler. It was pretty humid, but overall I felt good. It was nice catching up with her too, so I was glad I got up early to get the run out of the way before the second to last day of vacation bible school.

Friday was an off day. I was beat from VBS, and directly after it was over I drove to Houston for some family time this weekend. We had a bridal shower for my sister, and also ended up getting to spend some good quality time with my dad for Father's Day.

Saturday was a short 3-4 miler with my sister. It was pretty hot by the time we got started so it wasn't the most pleasant run. We also did some lunges, squats, and core work after the run.

Today I went for a 7-8 mile bike ride with my dad. I rode my mom's hybrid bike which was pretty funny. I guess I've gotten to be a road bike snob :) After the bike ride, we went to the neighborhood pool and I swam some laps and did some water aerobics moves with my mom :) It's funny how much my workout life has decreased in intensity, but it's probably a good place for me to be right now.

pluses: dad

minuses: time away from Brian