Last Run Report of this Pregnancy

...and probably for quite some time. BOB doesn't make a triple. I'm going to have to get a bike, a trailer, some helmets and some awesome quads and hammies!

Thanks to a babysitter, I was able to get out for my last run before the Disney Princess Half Marathon next Sunday. I ran a city block and, here in Jacksonville it was close to 7 miles. Seriously, they're huge. Great music and a great run!

I am amazed and so thankful for what my body was able to do these past 20 weeks. Not that I was counting, but I'm certain I didn't run this much in the last two pregnancies combined. With my first I was nervous about everything: heart rate, the jumbling around of the fetus in his little home. I thought I was awesome for going on a hike. The second pregnancy I was too tired and made all the usual excuses a pregnant mamma makes plus we moved across the country and then I just got bigger...and bigger...32 lbs on someone that's never gained more than 17 is painful!

Within four weeks I will have run two whole marathons and that's not including the (lack of) training, chasing around after the kids and rolling with all the punches of the last two months. I am just thankful to have another healthy pregnancy and the chance to do this.

It's been good for my body and good to show the kids that mommy doesn't stop when daddy leaves.

But, it hasn't been so good for...................

Waaaaait for it.......................................................................

My toes:

26.2 with Donna

The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer

What an amazing race! It was an honor to run and be a part of the 3rd annual 26.2 with Donna.

When I thought to run this marathon it was for a few reasons: location and ease, for my Mammer, a breast cancer survivor, and mostly to prove to myself that I could. Just because.

Part of choosing to be a stay-at-home-mom means giving up a tiny bit of what you are. Losing a little bit of what you love, even if just for a few years. The years fly by in one fell swoop but at the end I'm certain you stand around wondering who the hell you are. You don't start out that way, though. When the baby is born you think you'll do it all and, before you know it, you're on the list...just in last place. When it came to me and running organized races, we were just last on the list.

When I found out I was pregnant for the third time I decided I was done with the excuses (Oh, I can't, I'm growing a baby; Maybe next year; *yawns* I'm tired; I was up late with one or the other...or both). So it was, on a chilly morning I walked my 19 weeks pregnant butt the 1.6 miles from the parking lot to the Mayo Clinic -the starting lin

e for a 26.2 mile run. I had on my cool shirt,

and didn't expect much from my body. I was up at 2:45am rocking a two-year-molar-teething Eli for 45 minutes, was sick and flat out exhausted from the months prior. Because of the circumstances, I wasn't able to train like I would have for a race. The long run didn't happen and I knew my muscles weren't up to exact racing par. I did what I could with what I had; I didn't have much to lose!

The gun went off and I had lined myself up with the 5:15 pace group. My first song was Warning by Incubus and, as I was coming up over the Inter Coastal waterway on JTB U2's Beautiful Day came on. What a sight: the sunrise and a sea of pink running over this bridge. Truly amazing. The next miles were through neighborhoods along the beach and then a 2 mile stretch of packed sand on the beach. It was tough, but not as incredibly painful as I thought it would be. I haven't exactly been pushing BOB on the beach. After that were more gorgeous

homes along the beach communities and I even found a super awesome park! Now, if only I can remember the name... The entire time I had been actually running with the 4:15 pace group but around mile 15 it happened: the wall. My legs started to feel the wrath of poor distance training. Also, because I was stopping at every water and Active Water station I had to stop at every porta-potty. Around the 15 mile mark I noticed I started to spot. I had spotted once during the 1/2 marathon and was fine afterwards so I decided to go on. I knew I was hydrated so I was fine with the decision.

Every porta-potty stop after mile 15 I was still spotting, but it was ver

y light not the bright red "call 911" kind of thing. I finally walked around mile 17. Actually I "let" myself run/walk until mile 20 and then started running again. If it could be called that. Still spotting when I arrived to mile 25 I noticed it was a bit heavier. Here's where I've got to be honest: I found a medic and got carted back to the finish line. Yes, with one mile (albiet an entire span of what looked to be an insurmountable bridge) left to go in the marathon. Under normal circumstances I'd follow my own running creed: puke or pass out. I did, however, listen to my body. I hate that I didn't physically run across the line but my chip registered and I finished, damnit! I just didn't want to make the, potentially, worst mistake of my life by ignoring that sign. I took my medal, any way and limped to the Family Reunite area. Just like all the other runners. I even walked the 1.6 back to the parking lot so, technically, according to Katie Ogden, I did finish.

It's fitting that this year's race poster is "A Labor of Love." It took a lot for me to get to the race. I have been beat down and tired from the last two months (hell, year), I was running on zero sleep and I'm emotionally drained from playing mommy and daddy to two super awesome toddlers. But, I did it. I followed through and remembered that I'm important too. I went out of my way to make sure I was able to run this race. I think part of remembering to balance is knowing that it's ok to leave your kids for a few hours to get out for whatever it is that makes you feel accomplished: whether it's exercising or just getting a shower and making yourself look pretty.

Thanks, Katie and Mom! There is no way I would have left my babies with anyone else.

Oh! And I forgot to mention I met a cool marathon mom. She runs the Marathon Mom Shop and is supposed to be starting a blog soon. She even found me on the course to see how I was doing.

My Deployment Schedule

As if I won't be busy enough with just life, here are my runs:

FL Challenge 1/2 Marathon -Tampa 1/31/10
ING Miami Marathon -Miami 1/31/10
I can't decide between these two. I may take the boys down to have a night with Noni & Pop Pop and drive to Miami, see my SIL and run the ING. Not sure.

Breast Cancer Marathon -Jax 2/21/10
This is a definite. I've wanted to run this since the inaugural year and now have the chance to do it.

Guana River 50k Train Run -PV Beach (Jax) 3/28
The piece de resistance! Yes 30 miles. Once you get up to 26.2, who's counting?

These are the races I've found and am interested in so far. By the time March comes around I am assuming a substantial break will be needed, there will be sparse races in the south and I will be house-hunting for our next duty station!

My goals is to run and complete these races. I am setting these goals not just for myself but for the boys, too. I will start this deployment-with-kids-stuff off on the right foot. It's important for my kids to understand that life doesn't stop with daddy's gone. I want them to see that not only can we survive (my back up plan) but we can thrive and succeed in living a great life.

See Mommy Run

My earliest memory of running is from Pine View Middle School. I joined the track team because my mom ran track and I thought it would be cool. I had no idea what I could actually do, so I tried sprinting. I completely sucked and threw up after the 800 during my first meet. At the next practice, I faked a pulled hamstring just so I didn't have to run fast (which I didn't do any way). The coach, Mr. Koop (aka the math teacher) told me to jog it out with the cross country team on their three mile loop in Lake Padgett. I thought I was going to die. But, I finished with my fake pulled hammy.

I loved running.

I felt accomplished. I felt cool. Like I was good at something.

Running in the rain could always cure my teenage angst. It was always a time when I could think straight through all the hormones. I loved hearing my feet on the dirt road.

Fast forward a few years. Running gave me something to do when John was gone for over 280 days while we were stationed in Japan. It gave me peace of mind when I thought I was going crazy with the "baby blues" and it made me feel like me again after having Turner.

It's been since February 2008 (ok, probably a few weeks longer) since I've been on a good run. Most people probably remember how long it's been since they've had a cigarette, eaten a forbidden food, or had sex. I, however, remember how long it's been since I've been on a good run.

I'm done making excuses. I'm running a 5k on Saturday. It's the start of my "run every race up to a marathon by February 2010" goal. Just to check my stamina, I set out yesterday and ran a 5k. Nice. I've still got it. I mean, not the time or anything -but my heart is still in shape. Let's not get on the subject of my flabby ass...

There. I've said it. I'm running a 5k on Saturday. Then it's a 10k, Tour de pain, half marathon and marathon. I've given myself a year because no one really runs these things during the summer down here. I'm hoping this will give me the motivation to remember why I love running. Just because I think it's cool.

No Pain, No Gain

Facebook has this little box that you can write something about yourself in. I've been staring at it for months. Who am I these days? I have no idea. Am I super mom? Uh, no. Hot mom? Eh, not too sure of that one. Awesome wife? I've been better. Am I Nellie? Still, nothing. I have no idea.

How to figure this out is something I've got to do. I feel like I've given up my body for long enough this time around. It's time to get my groove back. Groove? I'm not even sure if I ever had that in the first place.

I went for a run the other day, a la double stroller. It was tough (32lb stroller + 50lbs of kiddos -120lbs of me...give or take, depending on how much milk I'm packin'), but when I got back to the house I had that feeling. That little feeling that I love when I'm done working out. That little something that says you're better for doing this. That inner athlete feeling.

I'm pretty sure getting back in to running is a step in the right direction. The gym is a little tough for me right now. I think, though, in the coming months I'm going to check out the local gyms and the kiddie care they have. Especially when it will be too hot to run outside. I hate having the kids just sit and smolder in the stroller while I enjoy the wind. Something seems wrong with that.

That being said, I've picked out my first race. The Tour de Pain (seriously, that's the name) is in August. Honestly, I don't see it being all that bad from the cardio stand point. I can just imagine how sore you are, running 3 races in two days! There are also the logistics of training for a race considering the lack of extra hands around here. I can't depend on a schedule of any sort and I'm going to have to take what I can get!