13.1 + 3 = Race Day Fun

Today was my second half marathon while pregnant.  With kiddo boy, I was 23 weeks pregnant running Nashville and this go round I am just shy of 20 weeks running Cincinnati.   To recap my first prego race go here.  I ran a whole 5 minutes faster this race and let me tell you-- from mile 5 1/2-10 it was pretty much a solid hill. It was also significantly warmer than any weather we had trained in.  Because of that I was especially happy with my time of 2:13:38. 

I have ZERO personal race photos.  Mostly because my hubby now has a toddle to corral while on the sidelines and I am not nice enough to add the weight of a phone/camera to my run!  I got to see the fam at mile 3 and the finish.

This course was one giant hill for miles and miles as evidenced by the marathon elevation graph (the half was the same course until the end)

So yeah-- giant uphills for 3ish miles = mega downhill too.  And man did it make this pregnant Mama have to pee from mile 9 until I stopped at 13.1!!  At mile 9 I started counted down the miles left until I got to see my family... only 4 more miles, 3 more miles... 2...

Unfortunately though at mile 7 I lost my stepdad who was running with me.  He was a step behind me on the hill but then all of a sudden he was gone.  I slowed up for a mile hoping to see him or that he would catch up but I never saw him-- then I was worried he passed me and I didn't know it... so I decided I was running the second half of the race just baby and me.  Around 11 1/2 miles there is a part of the course that laps back against people further ahead or further back in the race.  As I looped, my stepdad spotted me (he was behind me) and yelled my name-- since I was less than a mile away from the finish I kept going but waited for him at the finish line. 

He finished in 2:18.  I felt bad we didn't get to run it all together!  Also, because we weren't together and it's easier to spot him in a crowd of runners (bald head, headband, etc) than it is to spot me-- my hubby, son and mom didn't see me go by and I didn't see them.  Boo.  Especially a boo since I was counting down to that moment and felt strong finishing.

I felt MUCH better afterwards than I did finishing the Nashville half when I was prgnant the first time.  That alone I take as a success!

All in all, it was a fun race and I would do it again.  Good crowd support, music along the course, LOTS of water stops (but I ran with the Camelbak) and an all around fun theme with the "Flying Pig" name.

EDIT:  Because our hotel was across the river we walked a mile and half to the start and a little more than that from the finish back to the hotel.  Hence-- 13.1 + 3.  Lots of miles on the ol legs!

Last minute 10k and a revealing photo...

About 5 minutes after posted yesterday that I was going to have to do a 6 mile run without my running buddy, my sister called and said she had a friend that couldn't run the 10k race the next day and did I want to run it?  I said sure, went to packet pickup and lined up how to get downtown for race day!

It was such a fun race and reminded me that I need to do short races more often! 

I was happy with my time of 0:56:47.  I ended up running into a friend (we both rode the bus and both did not plan to run until the day before when given a free race bib) and decided to run the race together.  It was a really good pairing and I think we helped push each other more than if we had run alone. 

And the most exciting part... this was my first race as RUNNING FOR TWO again!!!  Yep... I've been holding out on you all... we're expecting #2 at the end of September (or if this kiddo is late like their big brother then we'll meet him/her in early October instead!

And I did break out my prego runner shirt again for the race... It's a logo I created the first go-round.

Soaked Morning Run

Today was a really fun run!! 

I went out a little after 6am and it was crazy hot and muggy!  I started a bit slow getting in the groove.  Then, there were occasional bursts of rain showers (but with the big drops) as well as a little thunder and lightning.  Let me tell you-- that put a little more pep in my step.  About a mile+ into the run, I could tell I was going to get wet!  There was a good downpour for just a minute or so which let up.  But then, a bit further up it was a full on constant downpour!! 

"This feels great!!" I thought to myself.  "How often do we get to play in the rain as a big kid?"

I sped up a little but enjoyed the full soak I was now running through!

I knew my hubby would start to worry though and sure enough I get a phone call** from him about this time asking where I was because he was out driving my usual course and didn't see me.  About the time he found me (I had mixed up my route for some variety), we were nearly home so I just finished running and I looked like a drowned pregnant rat! 

It was one of the more fun runs I have had in a while!  I really need to play in warm summer rain more often!

**Side note:  Yes, I run with a cell phone these days.  I am nearly 36 weeks pregnant so you never know when you may need the phone!  I also run with pepper spray in the other hand!

Recovery and Discomfort

Running has generally still been going well-- its after running that is uncomfortable.  The recovery seems to take longer and be more sore and stiff than I would ever get on short runs of 3-5 miles.

I am sore between my waist and knees... pretty much everywhere that is in between the two.

So, I did some searching online today and at least found an article I thought was comforting about other pregnant runners having discomfort.  I plan to keep running through it for now (after all, the constant pee urge has actually improved!) but I wanted to know that this was all normal! 

I really have in my stubborn mind that I want to run up until labor, so I need some other sources of encouragement to keep it up when walking around after the run reminds me of how my 90 year old grandmother used to shuffle around!

So, hopefully this is encouragement to anyone else running for two or planning to run for two!

Send any other links you find or like this way too!

Race Day!!!

The race went fantastic and for the most part, I felt really good and weird pregnancy symptoms were tolerable.  I ran the half in 2 hours and 18 minutes (yes, this is my slowest time ever, but certainly not the worst I have felt, and I am 23 weeks prego!).  So, I will take it!!

Little Squirt did great in-utero.  There was a time about mile 9 that this little kiddo felt like they were doing flips in there... and my belly would go further out and then back in.  Also combined with a feeling of sudden urgency to either pee or poo at those moments.  Luckily, that only lasted about a mile... it was odd.

I am very thankful to my step dad and brother-in-law who ran with me, and kept my pace when it slowed a bit after mile 5 or so.  We had kept about a 10 minute/mile pace at the beginning, and then I/we began slowing down a bit.  I said I felt fine, but all things in my hip/tummy/groin region started feeling odd which is hard to keep full pace through.

My wonderful husband got some photos at various places along the course I would like to post later.  He was great-- he would hold signs and wave, then run ahead to get a photo.  He also made the sweetest sign for me (and little Squirt as we refer to this baby).  I love my hubby so much-- I am so blessed and can't wait to begin the chapter or parenting together too.  Ok, sorry for the tangent off of running... I'm just crazy about that guy!

And shameless plug-- if you want some cute running gear, visit my website-- RunningForTwo.com  I hope to add more and keep up on the gear that others sell too.  I got some comments on my shirt and logo, which was fun.  "One lady said, is this baby's first race?"  To which I smiled and said "yes" and she responded with a "congratulations" as she continued to pass me... ; )

I did notice in the photos (to come) my belly seems to grow as the race goes along.  What's up with that?!