where I've been

I found out I was pregnant in February of 2010. I worked out through the duration of my pregnancy, but I stopped running pretty early. I could never catch my breath and my ego (let's call a spade a spade) wouldn't let me run 11 minute miles. I walked, I swam, I lifted weights. I also ate McDonalds. And ice cream. And bagels (so many bagels). At one appointment my OB told me I'd gained 6 pounds in two weeks. She said that it didn't effect my health of the baby's health -- just that it would be harder to take off post pregnancy. I didn't care. Perhaps I should have cared. I didn't know how much weight I'd gained until my 6 week postpartum appointment, when I asked the nurse my last check in. 185. YIKES. I was about 135 when I got pregnant (I put on weight before Ironman - both fat and muscle). so... 50 lbs. yikes. Before I got pregnant I was one of those "oh, it's ridiculous when women gain so much weight, a baby only weighs 6-8 lbs, blah blah blah, it's an excuse to just eat." And maybe that's what it is - an excuse - but many women (and many women athletes) spend their lives restricting calories and dieting so can you really blame them (us) when such an easy excuse presents itself? but that's a topic for a whole 'nother day.

So despite an emergency c-section (no gory details and no "birth story" - this isn't a mommy blog) because the cord was around his neck, I had a pretty easy go of it. I started walking as soon as I got the go ahead. I started running shortly thereafter. And those pre pregnancy easy 9 (and sub 9) min miles did not come. I was running at 11 mm (take that, ego!), with frequent walk breaks. Franky, it sucked. I was an Iroman. I was a sub 4 hour marathoner. and now I was about 20 lbs (plus) overweight, running at a pace I couldn't previously fathom. There really wasn't anything else to do but suck it up and keep on keeping on. When H got big enough, we started running together (well, that's not entirely correct - I ran and he napped).

And then I started racing again.

I ran the Baltimore Half Marathon in October 2011 - one year and three days from the date H was born. It was no where near a PR, but I wanted to go sub 2, and I did it -- 1:58:55/ 9:05 pace

That one race was all it took for me to remember how much I loved racing. I got back threw myself into it..

last year [2011]

--> Annapolis Half Marathon [November 19]: 1:52:20/ 8:35 pace ...I think the course was short, but the RD maintains it was the correct length. Inaugural race, so some logistical issues, but a neat course through the city.

---> Zoo Zoom 8K [November 20 - yes, you read that correctly. THE DAY after the half marathon. I was HURTing]: a laughable 56:36/ 11:23 pace (HA) ...however, my friend had run a marathon the week before, so we were on equal footing, pain wise. Course goes through the zoo (you smarty pantses could probably figure that out from the race name), which is cool.

-->  Camp Letts Turkey Chase 10K [November 24] : 31:40/ 10:13 pace ...yes, slow again, but this was a family run and I pushed H most of the way. very impressed by my husband, who is not a runner but put up this respectable time! It was an awesome way to spend Thanksgiving morning.

this year [2012]

--> Penguin Pace 5K [February 2]: 24:59/ 8:02 pace. ... and all I wanted to do was break 25. nice.

 --> GW Birthday Classic 10K [February 18]: 49:06/ 7:55 pace. .. I really wanted to break 50, but didn't think it would happen since I didn't break an 8 mm the week before at a 5K. However a flat course but just having a good day made it happen. SO HAPPY

--> RNR Marathon [March 17] my first DNF. Story later.

--> Clyde's American 10K [April 15]: 50:39/ 8:09 pace
--> Potomac River Run Marathon [May 6]: 4:24:55/ 10:07 pace .. blew up. Hard.But at least it got the DNF taste out of my mouth.

--> Baltimore 10 Miler [June 16]: 1:25:16/ 8:32 pace

--> Arbutus 10K [July 4]: 52:36/ 8:28 pace

--> Annapolis 10 Mile Run [August 26]: 1:25:02/ 8:30 pace

--> Police Pace 5K [September 9]: 24:22/ 7:52 pace

next up: where I am and where I'm going