A lot has changed

Last time I posted on this blog, I lived in Colorado and had one daughter. I now live in Arizona and have two daughters. We moved for a new job shortly after my last post.

I didn't exercise much during the pregnancy because of the move, starting a new job, and various other reasons. I really wanted to run a half marathon during this pregnancy like I did with the first, but to my disappointment, I didn't. I don't really have any excuses. With the move and everything, I was already well into my pregnancy by the time we got settled and I was out of shape at that point so I didn't feel like having to do the work to get back into shape while that far along.

Anyway, I'm back to running and swimming laps. Arizona is so hot, though, that I hate running outside in the desert heat, so most of my runs are on the treadmill. I do like being able to swim laps in an outdoor pool, however.

I see in my last two posts that I set goals for 2013 and 2014. I have to laugh at the idea of setting 2015 goals when there's only two months left in 2015. Maybe I'd be better off setting goals for 2016 instead. I just looked at my 2014 goals and I might as well copy and paste those goals for 2016! Anyway, here goes:

2016 Goals:

1. Enter at least one open water race.
2. Run at least two half marathons.
3. Lose my two layers of baby weight.
4. Run one mile in under 10 minutes.
5. Blog more than once a year.

Success!

Not that I set the bar high to begin with, but I've now blogged twice as much in 2014 as I did in 2013.  I blogged only once last year, and this post makes twice in 2014 now, so... you can do the math.

I've been running the 3W Six Pack races and improving my time each race, so that's good.  The bad part is that the times are nowhere near what I used to run before, but I'll get back into shape eventually.  My last 5K was yesterday - the 3W Heart Throb 5K.  My only goal was to finish in under 40 minutes, and I made it with half a minute to spare.  My next 5K is next Saturday so I'll make it a goal to beat 39 minutes.  I think my best 5K time ever was around 32 minutes, years and years ago.

I haven't been running at least one mile a day as I wanted to.  Work and other things keep getting in the way.  That is a lame excuse, I know.  I'll do better.  Really!

Happy New Year!

So much for my 2013 goals.  I didn't get to do an open water swim race.  I was swimming on a regular basis but then a series of personal and professional setbacks happened and I just stopped and haven't gone back in months.  However, I did finish two half marathons - the Slacker Half Marathon in June and the Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon in August.  I barely trained for both so that kicked my butt.  I fell way off the running wagon after Georgetown.  I think I burned myself out.  Since August, the most I've ran has been probably 3 or 4 miles at a time.  I also have not updated my blog on a consistent basis.  I want that to change.

For 2014, I'd like to start slow and short instead of immediately training for a half marathon.  That was way too much in 2013.  So, I've registered for the 3W Winter Six Pack Series.  Specifically, I signed up for three 5Ks, then a 4-miler, 5-miler, and finally, a 10K.  I think that will help me to progress at a steady rate instead of rapidly increasing my mileage.  I don't know when my next half marathon will be, but I want to focus on shorter distances and speed for a while.  However, the first 5K is already coming up in a week and half and I am NOT in shape.  I'd better get on that starting today!

Here are my goals for 2014:

1. Run at least one mile a day.  Thank goodness for my basement treadmill!  This will be a difficult goal to stick with.  One of my good friends has ran at least one mile a day for 800 days and counting, and it has made a huge difference for him in his health and weight loss, so I want to give it a try.  It takes less than 15 minutes to run one mile on my treadmill, so that does not require much time and effort on my part no matter how much my mind tries to convince me otherwise!
2. Swim one mile at least once a week.  Swimming is such a great workout.  I didn't mean to stop swimming laps but I missed a week, and then two weeks had gone by, and so forth.  It just all added up.
3. Improve my running pace.  I'd really like to be able to run under 11 minutes a mile.
4. Do at least one half marathon.  And actually TRAIN for it!
5. Do an open water swim race.
6. Lose my freaking baby weight!  Whoever said that nursing melts away the baby weight is a lying SOB.  It has been the exact opposite for me.  I am heavier than I have ever been in my life, and it SUCKS.  I am not happy with my appearance and I want to change that in 2014.  I want to lose the weight by being more consistent in tracking my food intake and exercise with MyFitnessPal.com, and making an effort to exercise more.
7. Blog more frequently!  Blogging will help me to stay motivated and on track with my 2014 goals.

What are your goals?

This is going to hurt.

I haven't ran since June 2012.  Several days before running the Platte River Half Marathon in April 2012, I found out that I was expecting a child due in December.  I had had a series of horrible runs leading up to that race and felt "off" but couldn't figure out why.  I complained to a friend about the awful runs and he commented that when that happened, it was usually because something was going on with your body.  Well, apparently he was right.  As the pregnancy progressed, my running went downhill until I stopped running in June or so.  It was just too uncomfortable.  I kept meaning to try and run at least a mile, but it just never happened.  I had hoped to run throughout my pregnancy so I was very disappointed with myself.

My beautiful daughter arrived a few weeks ago and I'm finally itching to run again, but I'm a little afraid of how much it is going to suck to get back into running shape.  I also am not back at my pre-pregnancy weight yet so the extra weight doesn't help.

I want to do more half marathons but I'm trying to pace myself since I haven't ran in several months.  I couldn't do the Pikes Peak Ascent last August because of the altitude and low oxygen levels being harmful for the kiddo.  I also had to bail on other races.  I have to admit that I'm tempted to sign up for the Pikes Peak Ascent again this year but I think I'm putting the cart before the horse for such an extreme race.

I plan on signing up for a 5K or two and blogging again to motivate myself.  I've really missed running.  I also want to start swimming laps on a regular basis.  I can't run more than 3-4 times a week or I get sick of it, so I want to incorporate swimming laps.  I used to be a competitive swimmer and have swam several open water races.  I haven't done that in several years so I'd like to start doing that again because I think I'm a good open water swimmer.  I'd like to do at least one open water race this summer.

I've heard from several women that they became faster runners after having a child, so I REALLY hope that proves to be true for me.  I'm already a slow runner as it is, so I could use the help!

So, my goals for 2013 are:

• Get back into running shape.
• Register for and complete at least one half marathon.
• Register for and complete at least one open water swim race.

Links for Trail Running in Colorado

I finished the Platte River Half Marathon this past Sunday and it wasn't pretty.  I need to post a race recap soon.  In the meanwhile, I plan to switch to trail running for a while because I'm running the Greenland Trail Races 8 miler on Saturday May 5 with my friend.  That should be fun.  I am SO glad we decided to sign up for the 8 miler instead of the 15 miler, especially after the ordeal that was Platte River.

This post is mainly so I can share my favorite links for trail running in Colorado, particularly in my area.  If you have any other trail running links to share, I would love to have them!

I discovered a website listing of Colorado Trail Runs thanks to RunColo.  The list can be found at http://www.runcolo.com/section/colorado-running-trails_1-407.  I plan on trying out several of these runs.

Jefferson County has a listing of open space parks and maps with trail descriptions.  Very handy!

The website for Runner's World has a section on trail running.

Speaking of trail running, I just received the latest issue of Runner's World and it is a special on trail running!  I can't wait to devour it.

Chocolate Milk

After reading countless articles and blog posts touting the benefits of chocolate milk as recovery after a run, I finally decided to join the bandwagon.  Hey, I'm up for trying anything that helps my body recover more quickly from long runs.  However, I have issues with lactose tolerance and must drink lactose-free milk so I bought Silk Light Chocolate Soy Milk.  I wondered if that wasn't as good as regular dairy milk, but then I found this article which states:

Chocolate soy milk, which is also available in a light style, is a good alternative if you are unable to digest lactose, a sugar that is found in milk and milk products. Chocolate soy milk does not contain lactose, it contains stachyose and raffinose, prebiotic sugars that help boost immunity and decrease toxic substances in the body, according to the Soya website. Chocolate soy milk also provides the highest quality of protein.

Awesome!  I also have to contend with celiac disease which requires me to maintain a gluten-free diet, so that restricts my diet even further.  While Silk doesn't label its products as gluten-free, I found the following statement from Silk's website:

We do not make our products using any wheat, wheat gluten, rye, oat, barley or malt ingredients so we would not expect the presence of them in our products. However, at this time we do not conduct the tests that would allow us to label our products as gluten-free. Anyone with severe allergies should always consult a doctor before introducing a new food.

It sounds like the only reason Silk doesn't label its products as gluten-free is because of the tests and not because of any danger of contamination.  I've drank soy milk many times in the past and I've never had any allergic reactions.  I'm not too concerned about an allergic reaction with the chocolate soy milk.  It tastes delicious after a nice long run, especially when I drink it out of the carton!  I know that's a gross habit but no one else drinks out of it, so why bother with a cup?  Hey, I'm just doing my part to conserve water by not having to wash the cup! :)

Are there any other runners out there with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, or other dietary restrictions?

Pikes Peak Ascent

I think I did a stupid thing.  Yesterday I registered for the Pikes Peak Ascent.  As in a 13.32 mile race 7,815 feet up Pikes Peak to the summit.  Check out the race route:

Just looking at that route scares the living bejeezus out of me!  I definitely need to train as much as I can!  One way I plan to train is by hitting the mountain hiking trails this summer with my husband.  He is tall and thin so he hikes very fast while I'm much slower.  I have to ask him to slow down for me, so instead of hiking with him and trying to keep up, I'm going to run the trails while he hikes at his own pace.  I also want to hit Pikes Peak at least twice this summer for training runs.  I need to sit down and come up with a training plan for the Ascent.  I'm not setting any time goals - I just want to finish, period.  The cut-off time for the Ascent is 6 hours and 30 minutes!  That's over 4 hours longer than my best half-marathon time!

If anyone out there is also running the Pikes Peak Ascent, I would love to hear from you!