Running recap

This is a recap of my running the past 18 months...


I ran in the Sublimity 5K in September of 2008 and did really well. I felt great. It was a small 5k and the people timing us were not getting the accurate time. We didn't even have numbers. So I think I intentionally forgot what my time was because I didn't think it was correct anyway. Plus Hailey was sick that morning and throwing up all over the car so we had to leave almost as soon as I crossed the finish line.


I lost motivation after that and hardly exercised until I joined the Courthouse in January of 2009. This began the first time I was truly exercising...working all areas of my body and loving it! I was amazed how better my running became because I was doing weights once or twice a week. I ran about three times a week, went to Group Power (weights) class once or twice a week, and then went to Centergy (pilates/yoga) once or twice a week. Most of this I did before 7 AM. I got up around 4:50 AM and got all my workouts done before the kids were awake. Aside from feeling tired by 9:45 PM, I had energy all day long and hardly needed to take a nap. I ran my best long run (about 9-10 miles) in Virginia Beach along the ocean on a beautiful paved path when I was visiting Jonathan and Megan.


Then in early March I found out I was pregnant with Kara. Because my body was in shape, I knew I could and should continue to work out. I dropped Group Power because it was way too much. I continued to go to Centergy for another month. I quit that in late April when first trimester morning sickness hit hard and the 4:50 AM wake up was too much. I could not switch to the evening class because it met at an inconvenient time. I did not like the instructor as well (and that does make a big difference!). Tried water exercise in the summer. I only went a handful of times and realized quickly it is not "me." It is a very social class. You think being an extrovert and loving to interact with many people, I would thrive on it. It was quite the opposite. I am a focused runner and found all the chatting distracting. It also met at an inconvenient time. Changing in my swimsuit, showering, and changing back into clothes made my visits to the gym longer.

I knew running was what I enjoy the most, and I should stick with it. I ran about two miles on the treadmill at 4.5 pace. I know many people speedwalk at this pace so I knew I was not overduing it. I kept this up until later in the summer. Then I switched to walking two miles. I kept this up twice a week until late October. Kara was born on November 5th. I went to the gym the first time when she was three weeks old. I walked on the treadmill and slowly started to add running. By the time she was five weeks old, I was running for the whole workout. I started following Hal Higdon's training guide for a 5K. I ran a 5K on January 23rd and my time was 30:04. It would have been shorter, but I missed a turn and got off course and lost a couple minutes. I miss the 5k's I used to run in Michigan that were a little bit better organized! I also went to evening Group Power or Saturday morning Group Power. I tried to go about twice a week. It helped that Trena and Rachel were going too.

Then Kara got sick and our whole routine and schedule got thrown out the window. I got very sleep deprived. I went to evening Centergy a couple times more to get out the house, refocus and to do something less stressful than Group Power . I think I ran once or twice in the month of February. I don't think I went to Group Power at all. Which I paid for last week when I returned to Group Power. Trena and Rachel are up to 10 pounds and I am back to 5! I know it's not a competition. You don't really gain anything if you don't go on a regular basis.

So last week I started up again with the same 5k training plan in hopes to run a 5K in May. Last week I went to Group Power Tuesday night, ran 1.5 miles during Rob's lunch on Wednesday, went to Group Power again on Thursday night, and then ran 1.5 miles on the treadmill at a 5.7 pace on the cross country track on Saturday. I wanted to run yesterday. The fact Kara finally took a long Sunday afternoon nap for the first time in weeks, I took advantage of it and slept.

My goal right now is to run three times a week, Group Power twice a week, and eventually add swimming once or twice a week. Rob bought me a private swimming lesson for my birthday. I don't have a swimming suit yet. :) I am not looking forward to going shopping for one, but I need to do it this week. Eventually I want to get back into the morning workout routine. Kara is sleeping great for a four month old, but she is not as predictable yet. So for now I am running during Rob's lunch, on his day off, or on Saturday or Sunday late afternoon. I have been going to either Tuesday or Thursday night Group Power and/or Saturday morning Group Power. Our schedule is different every week. Rob has a lot of Tuesday night meetings and he likes Thursday night karate. We're pretty intentional about taking turns so everyone gets to do what they want to do. If they don't they get more a priority the following week. So far it has worked and no one is complaining.


I realize reading a running blog is about as interesting as reading the phone book. But it helps me so much to keep a log of my running. I like the fact blogger archives it. I can search for certain workouts. So this blog is more for my reference if anything. Will I run a marathon in 2010!? Oh it would be so awesome!! At this point, I don't know. One step at a time.