Mondays in Love: The Marathon

First, what you all want to know--I'm still pregnant. Not sure for how much longer though! Don't forget to enter last week's Baby Pool.

I know The Marathon sounds like a strange thing for someone 9 months pregnant to claim love for. In all honesty, I'm seeing all the spring time runners out and about and while they make me smile, I have a little jealousy, too. So why am I loving on the marathon so much right now? Because strangely, it has some parallels to late-stage pregnancy.

Today my friend Kayla and I hung out for a while. I love this girl. She's awesome and has been there for me so many times throughout this pregnancy.

Today she came to take a walk down to Panera with me. It's maybe 0.4-0.5 miles each way. While we were texting about getting together she said that if we got down there and I decided I couldn't walk back she could come home and get a car. This inspired me to wear my race tag necklace. I wear two tags--one with my marathon PR (Cleveland) and one with my half-marathon PR (Martian). I love these tags.

I told Kayla that I'd finished 3 marathons, so I could for sure make it home from Panera. She pointed out that I hadn't finished 3 marathons with a baby just a mere few inches from breathing outside air. True, true. But I get a lot of confidence and a lot of strength from knowing, knowing that no matter how uncomfortable I may be right now, walking half a mile is still nothing compared to facing those last 6 miles of a marathon once the wheels have fallen off. I love that I can know this with absolute certainty. Thank you, marathon.

My next Monday in Love might be a tribute to a new baby!! It could happen any day now. Stay tuned everyone!

38 Weeks: The countdown is ON!

Baby is due in less than two weeks! Can you believe it?? I could have him at any time. I think I'm ready. The last of the things I'd ordered arrived. The car seat is installed. The stroller and pack & play are ready. The clothes are washed and organized. I did a maternity photo session a few days ago (will share when I can!). We toured the labor & delivery floor of the hospital last week and now know where to go and park and check in and all that goodness. I just need to pack a hospital bag--that's it!

The countdown is ON!

So what does this mean for running for this gigantically pregnant runner? Last Thursday (at 37 weeks) I had a wonderful run/walk in the park. I was thrilled that baby was positioned so I could do this. Then Saturday I decided to try my 4 mile route and slowly run some if possible. And that was when I knew it was time to call it on running until after baby. If I'd had a phone I would have called Mr. Joanna to come get me. That's right folks, the running has come to a stop until I get medical clearance to R2R (to steal Red's phrase) after baby comes. I've also imposed a 5k limit on myself for walking, and, I'm not sure there will be many more walks. Most of the time even walking is pretty uncomfortable at this point.

But let me be clear: I'm totally OK with this. I am cherishing these last days of my pregnancy and the sweetness of wondering who this little boy is who I'll meet so soon. The discomfort comes with the territory and I love these last days of waiting and wondering. And it has to be said, I'm beyond happy that I was able to run through 37 weeks. I'll always be proud of that.

@ 38 weeks

So who wants to play a little game? What do you say we open a Baby Brother Pool 2012?? To enter, just leave a comment with your guess (day and time) on when Baby Brother will arrive. I'm due April 3. We'll play Price is Right rules. Winner gets a shout out and eternal bragging rights (because let's be honest, ain't no way I'm going to make it to the Post Office post-baby). Ha!

Mondays in Love: SPRING!!

Yep, still pregnant. Whooooole post on that planned. Stay tuned.

Today's regularly scheduled programming: SPRING!

Last week sometime it occurred to me that while spring is in full bloom here, it may not be yet in areas north that are colder, or areas south that don't get four seasons. Let me share ours! I have been loving all the color in the park and in the neighborhood during my walk/runs, and the drop-dead gorgeous weather that's come with it. I've been sleeping with the window open and opening windows during the day as much as possible. Heavenly!

I love walking under these trees!

And this one I think is about the most perfect spring tree I've ever seen:

Has spring sprung where you live? Are you loving it as much as I am on your runs??

Mondays in Love: I've never seen that before!

On Saturday I did my old 4-mile route, slowly running as much of it as I could/felt comfortable doing. It was so insanely gorgeous out that I added an extra lap around the block just to have an excuse to stay outside a little longer. As I was rounding that extra block, a car stopped at an intersection and the guy yelled out his window, "Now there's something I've never seen before! I'd put it on Facebook, but I don't want to violate you!" LOL! I wasn't sure what the proper response was. Thank you? A wave? Ignore him? It felt like the hugely pregnant version of getting cat called on a run.

What? What's so crazy about this?? Haven't you 

ever seen a woman running at 36 weeks pregnant? ;) 

Even aside from that guy though, this run was the first where I felt like people were just staring at me. Sometimes pretty openly. Can I get a maternity running top that says "My OB signed off on this" or maybe "This is still safer than sitting on the couch"?? I really don't want to be shamed out of a slow run if it's still enjoyable. I loved the run!!

Just so no one freaks out on me here, I am being cautious! My mile times are much slower than they were even 4-6 weeks ago (splits ranged from 11:22 to 12:27 for the miles I ran/walked) and if it's uncomfortable, I walk immediately. I carry water with me even for 2.2 mile walks and I often carry my phone. Nothing crazy going on here. As evidence, I tried to run on Friday morning and it was just uncomfortable, so I went for a walk instead. Some days it works, some days it just doesn't. It just depends on how Baby Brother is positioned on any given day.

From here on out I'll have OB appointments every week. I'm officially full term on Tuesday but not due until April 3.* As of my 36 week appointment, I was 1.5 cm dilated, which apparently is normal for someone at 36 weeks who has had a baby previously.** We're doing the last things around the house this week--getting close!! Nursery pics coming soon!!

* Just in case anyone is curious about all these weeks and how it works, here's a quick primer. A woman is considered 2 weeks pregnant at conception because weeks are counted starting at the beginning of the last period. So, while I say I'm 36 weeks pregnant, that means I've actually been with child for 34 (almost 35). A "normal" pregnancy ends at 40 weeks (actually pregnant for 38 weeks). A baby born before 37 weeks (35 weeks pregnant) is considered "pre-term" and a baby born after that is considered "full term." I think 42 or 43 weeks is considered post-term, but good luck getting a doctor to let you go that long without being induced. 
** Anything medically related here is specific to me and my pregnancy. Do not rely on me for medical advice!

Mondays on Notice: Garmin FAIL

You guys know I love some Garmin. We've been through so much together. The triumph of Lewis & Clark, the disaster that was Cleveland. We've spent many, many hours together smiling in the sunshine and celebrating new interval paces and long runs. But a little over a year ago she stopped recording map data. Last spring I spent several hours on the phone with Garmin support, eventually arriving at the decision that they should just send me a replacement. The replacement was a refurbished unit which for the most part has been fine.

So what's the issue? Every now and then right after I download data or come in from a run, it just freezes. Like this. No amount of button mashing will make the screen change.

It's looked like this since last night. And the worst part is that I have to let the battery die completely before it will reset itself. That's gonna take a few days. Has anyone else ever had this problem? Any ideas what I should do about it? 

February Recap/Resurfacing

Hello! I've been more or less AWOL from the blog world for almost 2 weeks now and am happy to return. The last two weeks have been a more than wild ride in my life. Eventually I'll be able to tell you all about what's been going on, but not just yet. Some things have been beautiful, some things have, quite frankly, been really difficult. Most importantly, the baby seems to be doing well and we continue to prepare for his birth. The difficult things, well, they will work themselves out one way or another. I have faith in that.

So, onward and upward--a February recap!

Miles ran/walked: 24.8 (considering I was out for a week, I'll take it!)

# Workouts: 8

Favorite run: 4.1 miles on 2/17 @ 10:48 pace. It was easily the most rewarding, best run I had all month. I felt great.

Current obsession: Sleep! Night time sleep is often interrupted and my days are so busy. I napped for almost 2 hours today and it was gorgeous. Very, very soon I will be able to indulge in last minute baby prep and I'm also looking forward to that very much. :)

Pregnancy Stats
# Weeks: 35/40, about 8 months

Weight gained: ~24 lbs. Massive carb consumption + lower mileage = higher weight gain. Oops! But, still totally in line with healthy limits for this point in my pregnancy, so I'm happy.

How running has been affected: One word--pace. I am much slower than I was and I'm walking more frequently. If it looks like a hill, I'm walking it. Mostly I'm just hoping to stay active this month. Oh, and cut back on the ice cream. It's a little out of control. Seriously. You know you have a problem when you're at the froyo place before it opens.

I promise I have not forgotten about you all! I really haven't posted or read blogs in almost 2 weeks. Hopefully I'll be able to make the rounds in the next day or two and get caught back up with everyone. Please excuse the absence--it really has been extra crazy up in here!