A Non-dud run!

Early morning run was cancelled at the last minute by a sweet boy who decided to be (mostly) happily awake from about 1:30am to 5am this morning-- checked the diaper, temperature, etc and he was fine.   THat meant it Mama was unhappily awake during that time. He was playing, yelling "Mommy and Daddy", play-kicking the crib, talking... oh my!  It was a long night. 

So I bailed on the early run and instead pushed the little guy for about 3 miles.  It was more of a workout to push him but less miles than the 4 I had planned if I ran early.  It felt really good and I was glad it was not a dud run again!  Yeah!!


If  this face does't stay "stinker" I don't know what does!  : )

16 months old

The alarm sounded today at 4:40am! Yuck!

Another befor crack-o-dawn run this morning... 8 miles starting at 5:15.  Thank goodness the park is close but that was still a 4:40AM wake up call!  BUT I won't have to do a long run this weekend now and also don't plan to do it early!  Yeah!!  There is always good news!

And I have been burning the candle at both ends this week.  I've been blessed with two small archi projects but they are happening around the same time!  So working on that and house rental stuff all on top of life = wanting to crawl into a hole and sleep.

I finally called my OB office today about the lack of a period.  Just to put my mind at ease that it's ok/normal/.  ; )  I'm actually at peace in the waiting (yes, of course I'd love another kiddo soon) but just in case this little lady should have started again after almost 14 months from having a baby, I'd like to be proactive. 

And a last random nugget for today since some of my old elementary to highschool peeps read this 'ol blog... I just finished looking back at some old photos from the middle and highschool years and seriously wanted to laugh/cry/cringe over spans of my dorky years.  I actually wore a homemade halloween-themed puffy paint sweatshirt at my 15th birthday party!  Who does that?!  (Yes, my birthday is right before Halloween so at heast it wasn't spring or something too!)

My poor kid might have no chance at having dork-free years with these two parents!  : ) 

Please-- someone make me feel better and share your own dorky highschool moment!

Run by the (fun) numbers!

Todays run by the numbers:

Running buddy: 1 (my step dad)

Run Distance: 11 miles

Started run: 5:15am

Finished run: 6:55am

Deer: 6

Cars: 6

Rabbits: 4

Times I wanted to scream: 3

Times I actually did scream: 1

Bird that flew into me: 1 (Hence the 1 actual scream above)

Times we had to slow up to keep a 10 min/mile pace: 3 (One of these times was after the bird incident!)

Energy bar: 1 Chocolate Powerbar

Water Consumption: 1 Camelbak

Hours of sleep the night before: About 4.5 hours (ugh!)

Nap after my run: About 1 1/2 hours (yeah!)

Next run: 5 miles on Tuesday at 5:45am

Today's run

Got in 5 miles today and I am feeling wiped out.  Between getting up early, sleeping poorly the last 2 nights, having friends stay with us before their move out of state and working on this dang rental house (it just posted to MLS today-- fingers crossed we get a buyer!)... I just want to curl up and sleep.  Instead I need to keep moving and catch up on my own stuff.  Alas.

Today was 5 miles at a 9:30 pace.  It was decent temps at least and not as DARK as it has been that early!

Jogger

Next time I want to bail on my running buddy at 5:45am on a Tuesday or a Thursday morning-- remind me how much harder pushing a jogging stroller is and I will make sure I set my alarm!  Whew.  Arm workout today with the kiddo after cancelling for my early morning run.   Note to self-- go to bed earlier on Wednesday night!

An Early Saturday

Woke up at 4:45am to do an 8 mile run this morning before I needed to be back home and get the family going.  Whew it felt good!  It was perfect temps (around 65 degrees) and kept the pace slower (10min/mile as opposed to the 9min/mile I'd been running).

I don't think I've mentioned it yet but a few of my friends/family are planning to do a half marathon here (Kentucky) on November 12th.  I am looking forward to doing a race in a time of year I have never done one before!

After the morning routine-- during baby boy's first nap-- I decided to sneak back to bed for an hour and a half too.  Then we all headed off to a little family "zoo" of sorts here in town.  What a nice Saturday!  ; )  Hope you are enjoying yours too!

PS-- Hubs is saying he wants to start running again... we'll see if we pair back up as running buddies again soon!  He's such a good runner and inspires me with his dedication and enthusiasm once he's back in the saddle.

H.O.T. with a Capital T!

Moly it's HOT out there.  Hence upping my runs to three days a week before the crack-o-dawn.  Yes-- you read that right-- three days a week I actually beat the sun up in order to run outdoors.  I'm a wuss about waking up early but even more of a wuss when it comes to running in heat.  Hate it.  Despise it.  So I will drag my bootie out of bed to be at the park between 5:30-5:45 for lower temperatures.  And I am still pooling sweat when I'm done.  Thankfully I have added to my arsenal an additional running buddy so between my two running buddies I have only had to run solo at that hour once!  Yeah!
And as my hubby reminded me-- you don't get to sleep in anyways-- (with a little guy that wakes up at 7 everyday)-- so whats a bit earlier?!  True, dear.  True. Thanks.

An update on some previous posts-- been working on the first birthday party-- will post some photo's afterwards.  The big day is August 21st and thanks to a sister-in-law who lives in a much nicer neighborhood than us-- we're going to rent out the party room there instead of cramming 30-40 of our closest friends and family into our little house.  And did I mention it's been HOT here, so that would be a whole other factor!

And an update from my last post-- Feeling a bit better in the chest after digging out my creams and trying to make sure he's latching good enough-- still not 100% though-- but also not enough to quit nursing.  This update brings me  to another point-- when I run early in the morning I've done both--pumping first or just running-- lately I've been just running.  It's a bit more tender and a lot more full that way-- but so far it seems to be ok.  I still wear two bras to run to keep everything in place.  Unless anyone comments with some reason that's a bad idea I haven't thought of yet-- I plan to keep that routine going-- it gives me extra sleep time!

Was this post random enough?  Have a great week everyone-- I'll end here!!

Runs and Party Plans

I have resumed morning runs the past few weeks because it's just too stinkin' hot to be outside in the evening/afternoon.  So that means I am back to having my 10 month running buddy.  For some reason when I was pushing him yesterday my arms felt like complete mush.  It was like I was using an area of my arm that doesn't see much miscle-action.  Hum.  Ever happen to any of you all who run with jogging strollers?
I must say while I'm happy my little guy likes to "run" with me.  It's much easier to run when you can swing your arms.

The little guy now has 5 teeth and I think he's working on more because we're chewing and drooling up a storm.  And knock-on-wood-- he has never been one to get cranky when cutting teeth so I just find them sprouting up.

I am working on his first birthday party.  I was working on his shirt last night.  I think it's coming out pretty cute.  I'll share more details soon... (Side note:  Yes, I realize it's a bit silly to plan so much for a party he'll never remember-- I didn't do anything close to this when I turned thirty-- then again I had a two month old and little interest in celebrating-- so there.  Maybe it's a celebration as much for me and one I hope he'll think looks cool when he looks back at photos!) 

You want a hint... he's turning ONE... ha ha.  I know-- not much of a hint.  Check back.  : )

Random thoughts

Oh my goon-ness (said likes it's spelled... that's the way I tend to say it after years of watching Annie as a kid)... it's been a while since I've had a real post, blog friends. Sorry.

So whats happening around here? A lot but not really much.

I have been running with a gal on Tuesday nights and Thursday mornings.  By mornings I mean we are at the park at 5:45am to run!  Did you know even the sun doesn't get up that early!  It was an especially beautiful morning this week with cooler temps and fog and a nearly full moon.  I know the iphone image did NOT do it justice but here goes anyway:

I have been doing my longer runs on my own on the weekends which is kinda nice too since I am always around people!  It's nice to have some alone think time.

So other random things on my mind these days:

Read yesterday that an Architect is the 7th most stressful job per some recent survey.  I agree.  And often wonder what I want a second career to be.  That said I feel like God keeps wanting me to stay in Architecture because I do zero marketing and keep getting calls for work!  I put in a proposal for a doing an architectural model with a company I have never worked for. If I get it, I may not be around much for a bit. I have to take advantage of naps and early bedtimes to work when I can.

How and when to wean my baby boy? I'm totally attached to it. Never thought I would be and now that we are coming up on 10 months the thought of ending our 4-times a day bonding time at around a year does not sound appealing. Then again neither does having a 3 year-old coming up and asking for booba. Oh and did I mention the kid is getting two big front teeth right now? Maybe why it's on my mind.  Oh and I would totally be up for baby numero two which would be another reason to wean since I still haven't started my period with all the nursing going on. 

Remember my little guy's nursery? Here's a refesher... it says "BABY" on four covered canvas'. Along with 4 teeth my little guy can now say Uh Oh, Mama, Dada, Duck, Nana, Night Night, Banana and tell you what a monkey says "ew ew ew". So yeah. Kinda hitting me he's also growing out of the baby phase. I think since he has a two-middle-name name I am going to use his initials in place of "baby." Hopefully it turns out cute and I can make that last a while until I grasp that he's an even bigger boy!

Oh, and working on planning my hubby's first Father's Day!  We're hoping to grill out with friends and I have a few other surprises up my sleeve!

So that's about it for today.  Any thoughts and comments are welcome! 

Have a great day!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY!  (Speaking of big days-- I woke up early to watch the Rotal Wedding and I am not ashamed to admit it!)

Anyway-- back to my BIG DAY-- the half marathon is tomorrow!  I feel ready... hopefully its a fun one.  Fun/enjoyable being the main goals!  Looks like a high of 78 around these parts and only in the 60s in the morning.  So warm. I am not a fan of shorts because my legs are ghostly white but this weather calls for shorts.

Here are my plans for tonight...

My little sister (in college) in coming over tonight (she will be the sitter tomorrow).  We shall talk about boys now that she has a serious boyfriend and eat Pad Thai and some kind of dessert -- all by request of my sister.

Set out my running clothes, pin bib on my shirt, pack a post-run bag of stuff and flip flops.

Feed and get the little guy to bed around 7:30.

Talk more about men-folk with my sister.

Try to get to bed by 10 or so.


Here's a rundown of how I see my morning...

Wake up at 5am

East Breakfast and pump which without feeding first will take about 30 minutes.  Ick!

Get dressed

Head out the door by 5:50am to catch the bus that leaves at 6:20am!

Prayers with the group before the race.

Race starts at 7:30!!

RUN!!

Carb load at the finish

Change into flip flops and wait on my mom who is walking the race!

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!

6am runs and 80 degrees!

Today was another peaceful morning run at 6am... but may I also mention it was 80 degrees and humid!  I find it funny that I am pregnant during a summer/spring that is even hotter than normal since I despise hot weather more than most!  And I will also volunteer that my air at home and work cannot keep up, so the office and house are nice and warm by the afternoon!  Thank goodness for a twenty minute drive home with the car AC blasting!

Just read an article on activities to avoid when pregnant.  I wanted to see if running made the list.  It was there, but as a "use caution" sport.  They also link to an article on running during pregnancy which doesn't have any real profound advice but is good to read for general advice on running during pregnancy.  As with anything-- if you were doing it before you got pregnant, chances are, you can continue after pregnancy, modifying as your body changes or as needed.

Peaceful runs

Usually Thursday nights are an evening run for me-- that is until Spring decided to be well into the mid-90's!  Yikes.

So I got my pregnant bootie out of bed bright and early for yet another morning run this week.  It was such a peaceful, blissful run at 5:45.  Seriously.  I ran in the road for the majority of the run and I think I saw about 2 cars the whole time!

Birds were singing, the sky was filled with colorful brush strokes.

Logged 3.36 miles at a 10:50 pace.  Felt good.

Tomorrow is 31 weeks-- but whose counting?! 

I really hope to keep this running thing up until the very end-- with perhaps a minor motivation that I read on average people who run up until they deliver will deliver about a week earlier than their due date.  We'll see.  But if its this insanely hot in JUne-- what is August going to feel like at 9 months pregnant?!