Running Pregnant: Week 18

Baby Germain is the size of a Sweet Potato-  Which I think is really confusing. Sweet potatoes come in a huge variety of sizes... Or are those Yams? ... Whatever... It's bigger than a Turnip. 

This weeks craving: Nothing really! HOoray for feeling normalish
This weeks aversion: Plain bagels. Suddenly the one thing I craved for 13 weeks is SO GROSS to me. SO BLAND. It tastes like being sick tastes. 

MONDAY- 45 minutes of Yoga: I had to do Yoga at home today since my husband had to drive to Rochester (6 hours maybe?) and my mom needed to pick up my sisters in various places in Connecticut. Everyone in a hurry before the storm.  No babysitter means no yoga in studio. Sadly this was the last yoga class I paid for at the studio, so I have to buy some more classes with the money I don't have.... I NEED the yoga!   
Bathroom Breaks: 1


TUESDAY- ANOTHER BIG FAT GOOSE EGG!! 0 Miles!- It snowed all day and I was alone since Matt was in upstate New York. Raea and I were stuck inside all day due to the massive blizzard. She was terrorizing the whole house and just wanted to go outside, but when it's snowing sideways that's not the best option for a 1 year old. We got a little over a foot. Once Raea went to bed I tried to get to the treadmill but because of the drifts the mounds of snow in front of the garage were huge. I needed to shovel just to get to the treadmill. Shoveling was REALLY hard, it was super heavy snow! While running pregnant is safe, shoveling probably isn't the best thing. I did 45 minutes and called it a day. By the time I got Raea to bed, got myself outside, shoveled out a car and the garage, it was almost 10pm, so I opted out of the treadmill. I had worked out enough! 



WEDNESDAY- 50ish minutes 5.7 miles 4 x 800 @ 6:00/mi: Another snow day, but since I had shoveled the car out the night before I was able to get out and get over to my parents with Raea. I met my sister for her workout and we warmed up about 2 miles to the Willows Retirement Home where they do an AMAZING job taking care of the parking lot. The loop around the whole complex is .42 miles with a little incline and a little decline (and the usual wind) I was expecting to hit 3:10's but after hitting my first 800 in exactly 3:00, I knew pressure was on, I wanted to hit all of them. Then next repeat I stayed relaxed and ran drafting off Jane until the incline and then she took off on me. I was able to maintain the same pace as her once we got to the slight decline. BOOM another 3:00. I was cutting it uncomfortable close. The third repeat Jane and I agree was the easiest. The wind stopped for those 3 minutes and it was very appreciated. I ran similar to the other laps, drafted off Jane until the hill, and then fell a little behind and then matched her pace to the finish, 2:58, The final loop was the hardest for me as Jane took off immediately and I had to cut the wind myself. I also needed the bathroom badly at this point. I fought hard for this one and ended in a 3:00 high. We were using my GPS and a car as markers, turns out we were doing .52 the whole time, and DAMN IT, I'm taking the extra .02 per lap for the SUB 3:00 800's! Slush run cool down home... and then lots of pizza at the Corner Grille. Still no husband. 
Bathroom Breaks: sadly, none.



THURSDAY- 3 Fun Run miles with Caroline and Barbara: Just stuck with the traditional Sandy (AKA snowy) Bar loop at Sneakerama. It was dangerously slippery so I was totally okay with running over 9 minute pace. Barbara is such a running badass. I love running with her, I'm hoping she makes a baller comeback. I was still unsure about running New Bedford as the forecast was bad and I'd feel so much guilt having Raea stuck in the cold... but Caroline stepped up and said she'd watch her at our house, which was AWESOME! Knowing at the very least I can use the roads to get in a nice long run was just awesome. 
Bathroom Breaks: 0



FRIDAY- 6 Miles after work with Cat and Caroline, 8:49/mi. I picked a route that was flat and that typically had good shoveling, and although most of the walkways were clear, people don't really understand that they should shovel continuously to the road. We ended up stopping and going a lot with the HUGE mounds of snow at the corner of each street crossing. I wore the support band for the first time... and then left it at my parents house. #fail.
Bathroom Breaks: 0- Support band helped I think.



SATURDAY- 3.4 Stroller Miles 30 minutes. It was actually pretty nice out. Birds singing, and snow melting. I waited until Raea was ready for a nap (which she never takes) and I took her to the parking lot at the school in town. We looped for 30 minutes and I LISTENED TO MUSIC! Which I've resorted to for these parking lot/ stroller loops... I can see why so many people use headphones (which I didn't, I had the beats just bumpin from the stroller).... but I think I still prefer my breathing 99% of the time. 
Bathroom Breaks: 2- I was trying to hydrate all day for New Bedford!




SUNDAY- New Bedford Half Marathon 1:39:57 Watch time (I had a bathroom break... and damn it, I'm pregnant so I'm using my watch time NOT my official chip time... which was 1:41:34. Not sure what gun time was, probably about a minute more): If I took a poll of everyone that ran the race; Sum up the Half Marathon in one word,  I'm sure 90% IF NOT MORE would answer WINDY. I've never experienced wind like that before. My face still hurts. There were literally times that if both feet were off the ground I was blown into the cones. I was tripping over my own feet from the wind blowing my feet into each other! Cones flew across the street at top speeds! It was insane! Most of the race was managable, but 9-12 were just insane. My goals were as follows 

a. beat last years time when I did a progression workout (1:37:57) I was on track to do so until I got bitch slapped in the face repeatedly by Mother Nature.... 
b. break 1:40
c. finish

When I was running through the wind at mile 10 and then 11 I contemplated life choices... primarily the one to run the notoriously windy half marathon... which I think this year was a wind breaking record. I think we will hear about this one for decades to come!
Bathroom Breaks: 1 failed attempt (damn gas station didn't have a bathroom!) and then 1 successful one where I also took the opportunity to tie my shoes.


**TOTAL MILES: 31ish* 


Additional Training: 
Shoveling... and very minimal band drills. Gotta get back on it!

Lessons Learned:
1. Shoveling is harder than easy runs
2. Snow days are not as relaxing as they used to be... Love my girl, but wish she'd nap! Especially since I can't seem to sit on the couch without falling into a deep nap of my own.
3. Hater's gonna Hate (hate away.... I'll still be here grindin')

Looking Forward To: A vacation with my husband... even for just a few days! Love him so much and we barely saw each other this week because he got snowed in in upstate New York... and any day he was home worked opposite hours of me... 

Gender Prediction: I think I referred to the baby as "he" this week... so that's obviously what my gut intuition is saying, but I've been emotionally feelin' like it's a girl lately! I'll be so grateful for just a healthy little thing, but wouldn't it be cute for Raea to have a sister! I know how much I appreciate having sisters (I ran with one of my sisters three times this week and then another day I had a sister babysit... I'd never trust my brothers!)




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