Running Pregnant: Week 23

Baby Germain is the size of a papaya

This week's craving: Nothing out of the ordinary
This week's aversion: This week was pretty normal. THANK GOD! 

MONDAY- Marathon Monday! Easy 4.1 up and Down Heartbreak Hill with Caroline: It was warm today! Hot for runners, but nice temperature for spectating and for a casual run up heartbreak hill on the causeway. I waited until I saw all the runners from Wave 1 go by, and then I headed out for a quick run before our Wave 2 female teammates came by. Very proud that the men and women had so much representation on and off the course! It was a great day to be a runner! I feel bad that the heat was an issue for so many (especially those of us who trained in below freezing temps and had to endure such a drastic change!) But it seems Boston is rarely about the time and more about the experience.  
Bathroom Breaks: 1... although the porta-potties lining the course tempted me for more than one stop! haha!


TUESDAY- 5.3 on the Presidential Rail Trail in White Mountains. As much as I love Marathon Monday, what I love more is leaving it all behind on Tuesday. For over half a decade Matt has worked the expo the week of the marathon so he is tired and I've hardly seen him and there is nothing we both want more than to leave the city far far in our rear view mirror. There were MANY complications getting up to the mountains... starting with the fact that Matt didn't renew his car insurance since he's been waiting to get the company car... so his car isn't insured and isn't registered, so we had to take my car... which has a giant hole in the exhaust which I plan to fix when we get our tax return back (hopefully this week!?)... but my car is TINY so we really had to squeeze everything in. THEN we actually had to go to Boston first to drop off shoes to a store. THEN I put my wallet (which is attached to my keys, and the keys to the cabin) on the roof to put Raea in the car... and I left them there. Normally I can't start my car like that,  so I've never left them, but Matt was driving, soooo.... When we got on the highway the keys went flying off the car.... and we had to go get them. In the process of turning around, someone else got them.... so Matt was running back and fourth on the most dangerous onramp in Medford... Thankfully the man that picked them up called my credit card to get my phone number than called me. He came and brought them... but when I called Matt to update him on the whereabouts of my keys/wallet.... I heard his phone ring in the car... SOOO it took some time before he gave up. He was relieved they weren't stolen. Our only money was in my wallet! (we're broke until Friday... The once a month pay he's on is.... an adjustment)... anyway, we weren't off to a good start. We got to the mountains way later than planned and it was getting dark... and we were starving... but both of us NEEDED to get out and move. Matt ran about 8, I ran the sections that were not snow covered, and walked the sections that were. It was 70 minutes total, and so worth it! 
 Bathroom Breaks: 2


WEDNESDAY- 3 Mile Hike with my .... Weight Vests....  We went to the base of Mt. Adams and Matt planned to run a loop on the Link trail and I hiked in the opposite direction of his run. Since we had my small car we had to prioritize and brought the baby bejourn instead of the Kelty... The Kelty would have been much better. 1 hour into the hike Raea complained she needed the bathroom... But really I think she was complaining because she was chaffing ... Poor kid had a rash after. I had to carry her down in my arms the whole way or listen to her scream and try to jump out of the carrier. I was trying desperately not to slip on the ice so I was carrying her in one arm and then I had the baby belly, and both poles in the other hand. I was very relieved when Matt came. Raea still wanted me to hold her, but at least Matt could help me is some of the slippery sections. It wasn't the most enjoyable hike I've ever done, but Raea did have a lot of fun on the way up pointing out all the yellow marks on the trees to keep us on course! :) The Hike took about 2 hours total. 


THURSDAY- 3 Miles easy... I felt terrible all day. Carrying Raea up and down the mountain trail didn't make my back feel great, and then I had terrible heartburn! I barely slept because Raea does not sleep in the Pack and Play so I had her in a big kid bed with pillows for bumpers. I heard one peep from her and thought it was a good idea to check on her, but that was really stupid. #Parentfail. I rarely respond to Raea's little fusses in the middle of the night at home.. which is why I think she generally doesn't make a fuss anymore, but I was so afraid of her falling off the bed that I responded and paid the price! She partied all night! Matt took her outside to stack some wood for my dad midday and I took a nap. After that nap I was ready to run. Matt came with me on the rail trail in the  direction away from the mountains (no snow)... Heartburn gone after that! Phew!


FRIDAY- 4.4 Miles at Winnekinni! We left the mountains around 10am and stopped at Matts moms house on the way home to visit our Nephews who are up from Maryland. Raea hung out with the boys while Matt and I hit up some old stomping grounds during the seemingly endless rain. I was moody as I have been a lot lately when it comes to running... But WOW, my whole life changed just from stomping in a few puddles. My garmin, and my phone didn't cooperate so I don't know how long it took me, but the whole loop is marked every tenth of a mile so I'm sure I did 4.4. It was GLORIOUS. I did try to do a 1 mile pick up in there, but it ended up a .75 mile pick up because I hit a hill and Braxton Hicks said "nope"... so the "pick up" was just under 8:00/mi total, but my half was 3:23... My goal was sub 7 mile so I carried that pace until I hit the hill. I tried to maintain, but it hurt to try and run through the Braxton Hicks at that effort, I had to listen to my body and slow down... and SLOW DOWN I DID! :) 


SATURDAY- 4 in 35:00 at Rutland Railtrail. After the best night of sleep of my life (I say that every time I come home because our mattress is amazing.... and I appreciate it more each time!!) I got out a bit late and ran with Chrissy at Rutland Rail Trail. I felt mostly good... I was going to add on for 6 but called it a day because the tendons in my lower abdomen are hurting a bit. I never remember to wear or bring support for my belly. 


SUNDAY-10 miles in 8:58/mi: We had a sisu Team run in Hudson. I pushed the stroller the whole way. Did a little over 4 with Jim and then did the rest by myself. I felt lousy the first 2-3 and once I went to the bathroom I felt A LOT better! I wore my flip belt as support... not as good as the real band I bought (and still left at my moms house), but it definitely helps to have something offering support. I'm very proud of this run, and LOVED the weather! It 40s when we started and 60's and sunny when we finished. We hit up the cafe after and I had the worlds best most fluffiest crossaint ever. I might be exaggerating, but don't be surprised if it's next weeks craving. 
Bathroom Breaks: 1


**TOTAL MILES: 34.0** Not too bad!
This was a pretty good week. I didn't overload myself any day, but also got out there everyday. I felt good keeping myself at 3 if I needed to or walking, or hiking if I needed to, but I also had days where I got a pretty standard genuine training run in.

Additional Training: 
-Hiking with baby
-Some stability disc balancing


Lessons Learned:
1. I love mud! 
2. Always Bring the Kelty
3. Never leave keys on the roof of your car. 

Looking Forward To: Memorial Day weekend. Teachers basically live their life counting down from one extra day off to the next. I believe we don't have one until Memorial Day... I will be in Vermont that weekend. CAN'T WAIT!

Gender Prediction: I really gotta come up with a girl name. ​