Like Water I'm Drained

I spent a number of minutes trying to convince Ryan to come running with me. I told him the baby wanted him to join us. Still he said no as he had run during lunch. I told him most of my motivation comes from him saying he'll run with me. He said he noticed my lack of motivation, and that is particularly bad right now. I told him I wasn't sure why -- I know I want to be healthy in general but especially now -- but I can't seem to get myself to do what I know I should do and what I want to do (at least on an intellectual level if not a physical one).

I eventually plodded my way up the hill and moved my body into a run. I 100 yards later I said "Hi!" to a neighbor who has been working on his driveway and mailbox. Then we chatted for 1 minute. Then I kept going on my run and half way down the hill another neighbor was out and I said "Hi!" to him too. He said "Hi!". I also said "Hi puppies!" to two dogs that were barking at me even though I run by them all the time.

I didn't even make it half a mile before I realized I really had to pee. The good thing is the track is close so I swung by there for a pit stop. I contemplated just running at the track or just heading home. And I told myself "No. You have to do this 3 mile loop." And so I said "Ugh." to myself and my decision and moved along. It took me over 1 minute to cross the main road, and I was happy for the break. It really refreshed my already tired legs. I moved along and felt so tired and slow but kept running.

I got to say "Hi!" to a handful of walkers and yardworkers - for a total of 6 - and they all said "Hi!" back. Then a couple in their mid-30s were walking and I took a stab at saying "Hi!" to them even though I knew the odds were low I'd get a return greeting. They pretended I didn't exist even though we were only 20 feet from each other.

I then finished mile 2 and walked for 1 minute. Then drew a deep breath and got back up to speed. During my run my main thoughts were: "I've underestimated how much running while pregnant is going to make me feel like peeing." and "My recent goal of staying fit enough to do 3.0 miles during pregnancy is not going so well.".

For the final hill it usually takes 2 minutes to get from the bottom to my driveway so I told myself I needed to go that pace and push this out. I got to my driveway 1:59 later and felt like I had accomplished something. Then I left my driveway and walked around for 4-5 few minutes, tacking on an extra .25 miles for good measure. Total Workout: 3.0 miles in 30:30 + .25 cool down = 3.25 total.

I also decided today that I would like to finish up my Journey of 1500 miles during my Memorial Day weekend vacation to the lake. It would be a nice place to accomplish my final milestone - it is beautiful, a place full of amazing memories, and most of my friends will be there and maybe could even join me for my last mile. I have my work cut out for me to keep plugging away at these final miles in time to make my goal come true, but it is definitely feasible provided I find some motivation and stop feeling so phyically exhausted by the littlest of things.

New Miles: 3.25
Total Miles: 1453.75
Miles Remaining: 46.25
Weight: 129.0

The Final Fifty

Instead of just saying "I should walk." I actually got up, put on my tennis shoes, and went walking. I didn't change into workout clothes as I knew I just wouldn't. The most important step was to put on my walking shoes and just do it. What excited me was the fact that by doing a mile I would be into my final 50 miles of this journey. I need to finish this strong and do what I need to do. I won't stop when I reach 1500.0 miles but I want to get to that milestone ASAP. Total Workout: 1.0 miles in 14:20.

It is also very important for me to keep active since I can't stop myself from eating candy and cookies. (Oops! Guess the baby loves sugar!)

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 1450.5
Miles Remaining: 49.5
Weight: 130.6

Signals Uncrossed

A nice long day of shop vacuuming my car, cleaning up, supervising Ryan cutting down tree branches, holding the rope as he killed a few tiny trees, two naps, and 2 hours of making chocolate chip cookies and Russian tea cakes. I finally got a healthy dose of energy while singing and making cookies, so come the Saturday night radio program of hits from the 1920s -40s I went out on a run. I made it two minutes before I finally listened to all signals from my body stopped running, turned around and walked home. I went and told Ryan I was walking instead and then I went out on a half hour walk. I walked around the neighborhood, entertained by the radio and enjoying the 70 degree evening. Total Workout: 2.0 miles in 34:45.


New Miles: 2.0
Total Miles: 1449.5
Miles Remaining: 50.5
Weight: 129.0

A little lazy fair

I feel like I have been lazy recently as my mileage in this home stretch is painfully slow goings. But I can take solace in that on Mondays and Wednesdays I run around for 1.5 hours coaching soccer. On Tuesdays I could do something, but usually those days I am tired and happy to sit and relax. Which leaves me with Thursdays as the day to take action and run.

Thursday was sunny and warm-ish, though a few extra degrees of warmth would have been nice. I went on a 3.0 mile run in the 56 degree evening and felt chilly at the beginning, but as I went along I happily warmed up enough. My mind floated to many things, here and there, its usually ramble of randomness - which I find relaxing. I often think to think of important things but don't. But it is still a refreshing time to myself. Total Workout: 3.0 miles in 28:48.

New Miles: 3.0
Total Miles: 1447.5
Miles Remaining: 52.5
Weight: 129.0

A Run with a View

Today was race day for Ryan - a 25K that he's trained for for so long. I walked with him to the start, back to the car so I could get up to the top of the mountain and get pics of him, and then drove on to other locales. Eventually I went back to the starting area, parked, and walked to the finish line area. Between the walking and long periods standing with my snack filled back pack I felt like I had gotten a ridiculous workout too. Standing in the freezing cold and snowflakes shivering a bit probably also had something to do with it. When I added it all up I had walked (or jogged (due to me trying to "run" up a hill to the finish)) 2.25 miles.

New Miles: 2.25
Total Miles: 1444.5
Miles Remaining: 55.5
Weight: 129.2

Forgetting How to Run

The weather was a fantastic 86 degrees in the evening and so I went out on an nice and easy run, and it was a bit challenging. After 11 minutes I walked for a minute, after 21 minutes I walked for a minute, and the rest I "ran" at a 10:00+ pace.

I feel like my body has already forgotten how to run. I felt awkward. I felt like I had to tell my body how to move rather than it instinctively knowing what to do. I have been running and walking forever and today I felt like an uncoordinated kid who was told to "run" but not told what running is. I did not like this feeling one bit! I need to get my body back to feeling like it knows how to run.

Total Workout: 3.0 miles in 31:25 plus a 4 minute cool down walk

New Miles: 3.0
Total Miles: 1442.25
Miles Remaining: 57.75
Weight: 128.8

Lunch Walk

Walked .25 miles to lunch, sat and enjoyed a lunch time performance by a college marching band that was putting on a free performance, and then walked back to work. Total Walkout: 0.5 miles

New Miles: 0.5
Total Miles: 1439.25
Miles Remaining: 60.75
Weight: 129.0

Lunch Walk

Went out to lunch with Matt, walking across town and back for a nice walk of 0.75 miles.

New Miles: 0.75
Total Miles: 1438.75
Miles Remaining: 61.25
Weight: 129.2

New Lunch Time Walk

A ridiculous 77 degrees! Rain-cloudy and a touch of sun momentarily with some nice wind I went out and walked around the area just outside my downtown office building. I walked through the local park, joining the masses of active lunchers. Numerous runners, bikers, walkers were bustling around.

It made me envious of those runners and it put in my head that some day I will do that. It is doable seeing that I discovered my office has a shower in the bathroom. So now I just have to plan and be brave enough to do it.  Breathing in the fresh air and feeling the warmth made me so happy and so it is definitely doable to get out and run during a lunch some nice day. I kind of wish that day was today. But it also made me feel sad that I have to work indoors on days like today - I love being outside on a nice day!

I walked for about 20 minutes and did 1.0 miles, finishing up by walking up the 3 long floors of stairs back to my desk and around the long layout.

I was also proud of myself for not being hit by cars - which is a general fear of mine - worsened by being downtown with loads of drivers (one of which happily sped through a clear red light). This will be good practice for me facing my silly fear since in order to walk I need to cross a number of roads.  

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 1438.0
Miles Remaining: 62.0
Weight: 128.6

The couple that runs together has fun together

Sunny and 73 degrees - an amazing day! Early on in the day I put "Run! :)" on my To Do list. When I got home I changed and got ready to go. Ryan came home and I asked him if he wanted to run with me. He said no, as it was his day off. But then I sat around for 10 minutes and he eventually said he'd run with me. I'm glad I hung around to let him mull it over.

I filled up my 23oz Nathan water bottle and we headed out. As we walked down our drieway I told him, "You know what they say... The couple that runs together has fun together!" (And by what "they say" I meant it was something that I had just made up.) I walked up the hill, stretched a little, then we ran. We ran at a nice "slow" pace but it felt challenging - I was winded and it felt like I was exerting a lot of effort. After just over a mile in we took a 2 minute walking break. Then we ran again and went just about a mile and then took a 2 minute walking break. Then we ran and at the end I felt very tired and like I was running out of steam. To get myself thru the final part I told myself and Ryan that I was running to the hill and then walking the hill. As we got to the hill I told Ryan I was running it since I haven't been running much and so need to finish it out. I wanted to also say "And I am using the term "running" loosely - in this sense it just means "not walking"." But I was too winded and needing all my available air for the running.

I got to the top of the hill and lightly jogged around recovering as I waited for Ryan who was walking up the hill backwards. I did this for just under 1 minute and then I asked him if he was going to run again. He said no, so I turned and ran home to get a final run time. I got there in 31:31. Then I turned again and ran back up the hill and at the top I walked to Ryan, grabbed the water from him (since I decided he could hold it after mile 1 :) ) and walked a few steps past him, turned and walked with him. We walked up our driveway then down and back, cooling down for roughly 4 minutes.

Mostly running 3.0 miles was difficult. But I was proud of myself for doing it. In an ideal pregnancy I would like to maintain an ability to do 3.0 miles. I'd prefer to not have to struggle through all 3 of them. But if I could manage to continue doing 3 miles that means I can do 5Ks and I would like to have that be my base level of fitness. We'll see how it all goes - I'm sure later in pregnancy I'll realize the body does and doesn't do whatever it wants and that is more powerful than brain power. But I am hoping I can keep doing 3.0 miles - walking and/or running for as long as possible.

Total Workout: 3.25 miles in 31:31+.

New Miles: 3.25
Total Miles: 1437.0
Miles Remaining: 63.0
Weight: 128.8

Walking Buddy

After I got home from coaching soccer (which was nice to get a win in the first game of the season!) I asked Ryan if he wanted to go on a walk with me. I mostly expected him to say know so I didn't really pay attention to his answer. 10 minutes later he said "Is it nice enough for shorts and a t-shirt?" and I said "Yes" excited that this meant he was going to walk with me!

We changed into some walking clothes and went out into the sunshiney and windy 70 degree afternoon. We went towards the school and walked 2 laps at the track then turned around and walked home. Total Workout: 1.75 miles in 39:00.


New Miles: 1.75
Total Miles: 1433.75
Miles Remaining: 67.25
Weight: 128.6

Trail & Error

Ryan went on a 14 mile woods trail run in the sunny mid-40 degree day. I went to the track and walked 1.0 miles in 18:23 then I ran 1.0 miles in 10:47 then I walked again but ran 1.5 laps in the final mile - doing those 2 miles in 25:13. I wore my tropical twists and they felt nice on my feet. I was wearing a vest and carrying my phone since Ryan was giving me updates every so often on his course. And I was also wearing my glasses since I didn't think to change into my contacts - which was a bit of a mistake when your body jostles with running. But at least at a slow run it wasn't impossible to have them stay on my face.

The run felt good to be moving but otherwise awkward. And it was slow and easy so that accounts for part of it. But my legs and lungs were like "What is this?" as I think they have forgotten how to handle jog-running. My head and neck felt tight so that was uncomfortable but I think running loosened them up a bit.

It was nice to get outside and moving.

Total Workout: 3.0 miles in 43:26

New Miles: 3.0
Total Miles: 1432.0
Miles Remaining: 68.0
Weight: 128.4

Evening Walk

A nice easy 1 mile walk like usual. Total Workout: 1.0 miles 14:40 164cals 1%

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 1429.0
Miles Remaining: 71.0
Weight: 127.6

Ultra Sound

I walked 1.0 miles in 14:43 4.1mph 1%. The Kindle's battery was dead and so was the iPod's and so I  just sang and walked. I also had a bit of a migraine so I focused on keeping my head positioned upwards. I even walked with my eyes closed for awhile while holding on to the railings or handrail. I was a bit nauseous but not too horrible.

Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment with Ryan and got an ultrasound. We finally got to see our little baby and it was incredible! And yes I have neglected to mention that I am pregnant. But now that we have started to tell people, that is, people beyond our family, I can finally explain why I haven't really been running in the last weeks. I am at Week 12 and have been trying to take it easy by just walking and lightly running so that the little baby has a healthy, safe start. I hope to get running again in a little bit -- perhaps once my constant nausea settles down. It was such a relief to get a good update from the doctor. Now we are working on telling our friends our awesome news!


New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 1428.0
Miles Remaining: 72.0
Weight: 127.2 (You may have noticed I keep losing weight... this is all due to nausea and lack of appetite. I have been trying to get all the nutrients I need but it's been a bit difficult. I imagine someday soon I'll be gaining weight like crazy.)

Evening Walk

I got onto the treadmill and walked 1.0 miles in 14:40 164cals 1% 4.1mph. I did the daily readings even though Lent is over and then I played one game of Solitaire.

New Miles: 1.0
Total Miles: 1427.0
Miles Remaining: 73.0
Weight: 127.4