National Half Marathon

I spent the past few weeks having horrible runs, calves cramping up, side stitches (blaming it all on being 17 weeks pregnant) and was extremely nervous about this run- and I had nothing to worry about. That feels so good to say!! The only ill effect I experiences was my legs below my knees and my feet falling asleep. My sciatic nerve has been bothering me, so this wasn't unexpected. If I walked for a few minutes, it seemed to resolve for a few miles. Now about the race.......

Wow- what a great race. It was nice to be able to get up a little before 5 and get downtown, park at the start and go! The weather could not have been better. It was chilly at the start, but once we were moving I felt great. The start was not crowded, we were in corrals by where we put ourselves, no crazy corral guards like Disney. It took me 90 seconds to cross the start, compared to something like 16 minutes in Disney for the half. We headed through SE to the Capitol as the sun rose, around the mall and then off to Dupont Circle. For some reason I was sure we were running the hill on Connecticut Ave by the zoo after I heard so many people talking about the killer hill- the killer hill wasn't that hill, it was the hill from Dupont to Kalorama, so that was an amazing treat at 6 miles, finding out that there was no 'killer hill' coming. We headed through Adams Morgan- that was a lot of fun running past Chief Ike's, Perrys, McDonald....plenty of places visited late night years ago. We headed over past Georgia Ave where lots of Howard students were out playing music, cheering us on- including a group of cheerleader/ dancers doing some sexy dance to go-go music, so out of place but so funny and it did give me a good laugh and a boost of energy. We headed past the Washington Hospital Center/ Childrens Hospital Complex, and then headed back to RFK through Capitol Hill. The finish was nice, no hill like the Marine Corps finish. I crossed the line around 2:08 chip time, but I stopped my watch for potty breaks and it was at 1:59:29 when I finished. The race was heavy on Half Marathon runners- I think it would have been a bit lonely to run the full alone. As I drove away I could see a few points where full marathoners were running, with no one else in sight. The course was nice, plenty of water & Gatorade and potties were pretty good to!!! I enjoyed a run that was not as crowded as the Marine Corps or Disney- and really did not mind the smaller number of spectators. The full marathon continued into Anacostia and all of the places I passed the course on the way home had ZERO spectators- that may have been tough as you got to 20 miles plus. I know I appreciated that push so much at the Marine Corps and Disney. I saw a guy on the course with a sign "Gotta Run.....Getting Hitched Tonight". Now that is an awesome way to start your wedding day- that will calm your nerves!!

And the cherry on top of a great race- soft pretzels at the end. I could eat nothing but soft pretzels and salt bagels for the rest of my life (washed down with water and Diet Coke with Lime of course) and be happy!!!!

A Wet Shamrock Race!!

The race yesterday was wet!!! Only Claire and I ended up running. It was raining pretty hard all morning. William and Hailey did the fun run. It started a few minutes late, so I mistakenly assumed that meant the 5k would start a few minutes late as well. It did not, so as Claire and I were finishing the fun run, we saw the 5k start without us. We ran anyway- My Garmin said my time was around 24:10- if I had made the start I would have been 2nd in my age group. Oh well!!

op!

Shamrock Race Tomorrow

A bunch of us (and our kids) are doing the Shamrock Race in Manassas tomorrow. Of course, there is supposed to be heavy rain at 9am, just in time for the start. Last year they had bad ice for the race. This race just does not have luck when it comes to weather!!!I am hoping it is warm enough to wear something SeeMommyRun!!!

We'll be back tomorrow with pictures!!!

Despising this weather!!!

Nothing like bad weather to put the brakes on running!! I took Monday off after running Fri, Sat and Sun., with Saturday and Sunday totaling 26 miles. Since then- I ran Tuesday, my husband was out of town Wednesday am, and the weather has been miserable the rest of the week. I hate the feeling I get when I take more than a few days off running, especially when I want to run!

Here is what is keeping me inside today- can you see the icicles on the playset??











Let's hope for a big melt today because I want to run my 16 tomorrow! Please!!!

Crazy Marathon Mom...............

So I just need to do one more!!!! I got the okay from my OB today to run the Charlottesville Marathon on April 19th. She looked at me like I was crazy at first because of the course, but after I told her about the Goofy Challenge and that I had run 26 miles over the weekend, she said why the heck not! So Charlottesville, here comes a crazy mom and her baby (which I hope to find out the gender of the week before the race). Wish us luck!

Disney Full Marathon & Goofy Challenge Finish

It took a while (and a promise to my husband that I would walk), but I convinced him that I should do the full after how well the half went. The am deal was the same as the 1/2- up at 3:30, on the bus before 4 to go to Epcot for a 6am start. They had us leave the staging area earlier this time as the start line was further away. They divided the start into 2 groups with 2 start lines. As they counted down to the start they had fireworks and flame throwers. The two start groups went on different courses for the first couple of miles, then met in Epcot. This made it a bit less crowded than the 1/2 marathon start where I spent so much time dodging walkers. We ran through Epcot first, then headed to the Magic Kingdom. By the time we got to the Magic Kingdom it was getting light and warm. We then headed to the Animal Kingdom- the stretch between MK and AK was the really boring part, and it was long. It was really neat to run through the Animal Kingdom- you could see some of the animals and smell a few too. From the Animal Kingdom we headed to Hollywood Studios, then through a resort area, back into Epcot to the finish.
My plan was to run the first 13 and then see how I felt- I never got to the point where I thought I should stop. The last 2 miles started to get warm when the sun came out, but it was not too hard to push through those. I finished in 4:28, not a bad time at all. When I finished the race I was given my marathon medal, then taken to the Goofy tent and given the Goofy Medal.
The race was very well done- much more 'Disney' than the 1/2, we got to see all of the parks. There were 22 water stops, 2 banana stops, a Gu stop, and a candy stop. Lots of bathrooms along the way, and very supportive volunteers.
My biggest fear in running the Disney Marathon was running by myself. I run every morning with my girlfriends, whether I run 5 or 20 miles, I always have someone there to run with. I thought that not having that support would be my downfall, but having thousands of others around made a difference. My teammates wrote 'Baby on Board, Baby's 3rd race' on my shirt- and that started a lot of conversations. Any man on the course who had a wife pregnant with #1 ran with me and told me all about it. A few dads chatted with me for a while, and a few other people started conversations. It was such a fun race!

Disney Half Marathon

The races went great! The half marathon was an easy course, much flatter than what I am used to, and a heck of a lot warmer! Getting up at 3:30 am to catch a bus was not the highlight, but it was easier than I expected. When the bus dropped you off, you had to walk a good distance to the race area. Waiting around went much faster than I expected, between meeting with my team, potty lines, and then the walk to the start. Running through the Magic Kingdom was fun, but it was only 5-10 minutes of a 2 hour race, a little less Disney than I expected. By the time I finished (2:08- top 15% of my age group) I had decided to run the marathon the next day- it was just convincing my husband that I should do it against my OB's advice. I got back to the Wilderness Lodge just as the kids and Rich were having pancakes. I thought I would dislike the 6 am start, but having run and being back to the hotel by 9:15 was nice.

Last Long Runs Before Disney!!

Tracy, Stephanie and I have our last long runs before Disney this weekend!! We are all very excited and cannot wait to run. We are doing teh 1/2 Marathon- I am finally okay with not doing the Goofy Challenge and am aiming to do it in 2010! Taking care of myself and baby #3 is most important!

First Race of the New Year

Today I ran my first race of the year- and my first race pregnant! It was so much fun- I ran the Rotary Resolution 10K in Lessburg. It was so nice to run a race that was off road after my last few races (Marine Corps Marathon & Army 10 Miler). The weather was perfect, and the course was hilly. I worked very hard to keep my pace slow and take it easy (which is not my personality). I was happy with my time (58 minutes) and was okay with not running a fast race by the end. We made a sign for my back that said 'Baby #3's First Race'. I got lots of comments- most supportive. After the race a guy came up to me and said that he had been trying to catch me the entire race and vener could- that made me feel great! I cannot wait for Disney next week. I am alright with not doing the marathon- especially after I found out that Paula Radcliffe, the NYC Marathon winner, never ran a marathon distance while pregnant in an effort to stay healthy!

Happy New Year!

Pregnancy Fitness

I have been doing a lot of reading and research on running/ fitness while pregnant. My biggest find is that the whole 'heart-rate' thing is out the window!
Dr.s are now using perceived effort-
this is from an artice on Paula Radcliffe, the woman that wone the NYC Marathon-
"Heart-rate precautions do not have scientific backing, said Dr. Mona Shangold, director of the Center for Women’s Health and Sports Gynecology in Philadelphia, and an expert recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Gynecologists no longer recommend even monitoring a pregnant woman’s heart rate if she exercises because heart rates vary so much from pre-pregnancy levels, as do the heart rate’s responses to exercise.
Dr. Shangold recommends using perceived effort as a guide and making sure that the effort remains moderate."

Here is some info I found on Runningskirts.com
Benefits of Pregnancy Fitness:There is a lot of recent research about the safety and benefits of running during pregnancy for both mom and baby, some of these include:
Healthier Moms
-regular exercise during pregnancy builds stamina and prepares & strengthens muscles and body for delivery
-running during pregnancy reduces fatigue, nausea and constipation
-maternity exercise has been proven to help prevent gestational diabetes
-maternity fitness contributes to shorter labor & less delivery complications
-fit mommies have fewer c-sections
-running moms also experience less lower back pain
-moms to be who exercise also have less swelling of extremities
Happier Moms
-regular exercise and/or running promotes well being and less postpartum depression
-pregnancy fitness regimens lead to quick recoveries & return to pre-pregnancy weight
-a fit mom has less anxiety & stress related to pregnancy
-better sleep, less insomniaYummy Mummies
-running during pregnancy prevents excessive weight gain
-cardio exercise during pregnancy increases blood flow to skin = healthy glow
-pregnant running improves posture & appearance
-It's just makes you look & feel better!
-A regular moderate running program leads to increased energy in first and second trimesters
-Maintaining fitness during pregnancy helps moms regain pre-pregnancy body quicker
-Running and other moderate impact exercise leads to less development of varicose veins
Happier Babies
-A regular pregnancy fitness regimen better prepares baby for transition from womb
-Pregnancy Running increases blood circulation & placental efficiency
-Running while pregnant also increases newborn baby's capacity to self calm & self quiet
Healthier Babies
-Regular exercise decreases baby fat without decreasing normal growth
-Cardio fitness leads to increased blood flow from placenta which supplies nutrition & oxygen to the fetus
Smarter Babies
-Mommies who run have increased fetal movements, which studies have shown leads to quicker development of oral language skills
Most experts recommend continuing any fitness activities and moderate exercise you participated in prior to becoming pregnant, but scaling back the intensity and duration of your workouts. Of course, you should avoid any activities that present elevated risk of falling or injury such as ice skating, roller blading, downhill skiing, snowboarding, downhill cycling, water skiing, etc. Be sure to stay cool & adequately hydrated, especially during warm days and summer months.