Happy Tuesday! Last week was pretty good in terms of runs and I’m proud of the fact that every single run I got in was OUTDOORS!
It’s getting darker and colder, which means it’s time for me to hibernate – or at least hit the treadmill more often. Or dreadmill. I’m not a fan of the super cold and though I’ll eventually get used to it and be able to run outside, at this point, I am not ready for it! Plus, it’s much harder to get in a stroller run when it’s in single degree temps.
But this week, everything was outside. Including my LONGEST run since LM, which was on Sunday. And it was a gorgeous Sunday for a run!
Here was how the whole week looked:
None of the other runs were quite as picturesque, but I am happy to be back in the 20s for mileage!
Tuesday, Tuesday, gotta write a running post on Tuesday … (sung to the tune of Rebecca Black’s Friday – is that in your head? You’re welcome!)
Anyway, this week was an okay week in terms of running. I ran 5 of the 7 days, but Tuesday’s run was pretty stellar. I ran my longest pre-work run since LM was born, mostly because she got up at 4 a.m. and wouldn’t go back to sleep for an hour so I just went for a run and had more time than I usually do.
Other highlights of the week? We had a super rainy week, though, so I’m impressed that I made it outside all those days. Luckily, if it was raining in the mornings, it was just a drizzle or mist and was still 40+ degrees so it wasn’t to awful. I can’t stand rain and cold runs – I just can’t get warm after those!
I also got in a Sunday stroller run, something I haven’t done in ages. I had a few errands to run before the day, which included picking up a prescription about a mile from my house, as well as returning a library book and buying bread, so I decided to run with FW to do all of that. It was fun to literally run errands with him!
So here’s how the week looked:
Almost 20 for thr week! And fingers crossed the weather is nicer this week and it’s not cold and rainy in the mornings.
I’m excited to share that this week, I had a running first – I did my first official race with a stroller!
Do I run with a stroller often? Somewhat – especially in the summer/spring, I have run a few times a month with FW and even on maternity leave with LM in the stroller.
Have I ever participated in a race with a stroller? Nope! Not until last week, however. And not only did I survive, but I got my goal of under 10 min/miles. Was it a 5k PR? Not at all by any chance whatsoever. BUT it was the fastest stroller run I’ve done and it was fun to run with FW (B pushed LM at the same time, too).
In addition to our race, here’s how the week looked:
Finding time to race with 2 little ones is hard, but hopefully there will be more stroller races in my future!
Phew. Last week was tiring. I was up late working most nights, up a few times in the night with LM, and then waking up at the crack of dawn to run. I know I can’t keep this up for a while, so I’m just doing what I can right now to keep up the runs. AND last week was pretty good in terms of running – with some ups and downs. One morning I felt great … and then the next morning, I could barely run at all. I guess that’s how it goes? Here’s what it looked like:
Nearly 20 miles! I’m happy with that.
Some days I was FAST (for me right now) and hitting sub-10-minute mile paces …
Other days I couldn’t keep it together and felt like I was running in slow motion! Friday I ran 3.52 miles and hit a 10:40 pace – nearly one minute slower per mile than a day earlier.
I took Saturday as a much needed rest day, and with a nature hike we took as a family, still got in my goal of 11,000+ steps. No wonder I’m tired!
Happy Tuesday! Last week was my first full week back after maternity leave, which meant I was up EARLY getting in some runs. I still managed to get in two stroller runs on the weekend.
Here’s a bit how the week looked:
Some highlights:
My TWO stroller runs – the one on Sunday was with the whole family (B pushed LM) and the one on Saturday was just me and FW. AND both of those runs were under 10 min/mile pace, my fastest stroller runs yet!
AND the wildlife seen this week. One day I saw FIVE skunks, the other day I saw one skunk and a deer.
Some questions for you:
What kind of wildlife have you seen on your runs?
Have you / your dog /etc. ever been sprayed by a skunk?
Happy Tuesday/pseudo Monday! I love short weeks, and even though today feels like a Monday, it’s time for a Tuesdays on the Run post. This week started out pretty bare – I was in New York and New Jersey through Tuesday on vacation, and we didn’t get in any runs. We got in plenty of walking around and steps from dancing, too, at my cousin’s wedding!
So, when I got back Wednesday, I had to get out. And somehow managed to get in runs every other day of the week.
Here’s how the week looked:
Some highlights:
My furthest run since LM was born was Friday! And I also saw a skunk that morning.
Every run this week was an “even” number. Ok, they all were .5 but I never am that exact- I usually do distances like .33 or .41 and doesn’t bother me. But this week it was all pretty even!
Some questions for you:
What wildlife have you seen running?
Do you run “even” distances; do odd decimals bother you?
Well, what a weekend. For having nothing really planned, we got in a lot of fun! Friday night included sushi and a family walk. Yup, we keep things simple these days as a family of four. But I am LOVING sushi right now and can’t get enough of it now that I’m no longer pregnant!
Saturday morning started off with our first run as a family of four! B took LM in the stroller and I took FW in the stroller and the four of us went for a run around our neighborhood. We live about a half a mile from some paved trails and it makes running with a stroller so much easier.
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It was semi-hot and I was tired afterwards. I don’t know how I bounced back so quickly after FW – it’s harder this time around for sure!
LM may be going through a growth spurt, because I spent the rest of the day feeding her on and off, while B did some work around the house and yard.
That night we got pizza! A weekend with pizza and sushi is a pretty good weekend 🙂
Sunday morning we took a walk around our neighborhood before it got too hot. And then it was time for the World Cup! My friend Stephanie was having people over to watch the game for a brunch at her place. There was so much good food – and soccer – and babies!
Sunday afternoon, after doing some more yard work and work around the house, FW hung out with his cousins for a little. They had been on a vacation in Spain and brought back matching soccer jerseys!
FW and I also got in a short walk – it was HOT but nice to walk around the lakes.
Per usual, Sunday night ended with dinner with B’s family. FW got in more cousin time and it was a nice end to a nice weekend.
Happy Tuesday! This week started out as another HOT one, but once again, I got in a few walk/runs, walks and one run! Wish me luck as I hopefully get approval from my doctor this week to resume regular running now that it’s been six weeks since LM was born.
Here’s a bit how the week looked:
Monday: 3.9 mi walk/run on the treadmill
Tuesday: 3.65 mi walk/run on the treadmill
Wednesday: 2.5 miles run with FW in the stroller outside! It was the first time I’ve run with FW in the stroller in several months – B typically pushed FW while I was pregnant with LM. It was 4th of July and we all were home, and it was fun to get outside with him. Plus, now that he’s older, I think he may have even enjoyed the ride!
I was pretty proud of my pace considering this is the longest I’ve run at once (in terms of walk/run breaks) and I was pushing a stroller … AND it was hot!
Wish me luck as I go see the dr this week and hopefully some more runs to come!
We had a HOT weekend here in Cleveland – it was 95ish or so degrees both days and humid. Or as FW says, “toasty!” So, we had to find some ways to keep 2 kids entertained and stay cool.
Friday night started off with a walk to get some ice cream at a nearby ice cream shop. It’s about a mile walk there (FW didn’t make it the whole way there or back on foot).
FW enjoyed sharing ice cream with both of us.
Also, this little lady turned 1 month old!
Saturday morning tarted orly – B and his dad were going to chop down a tree in our backyard. It was starting to grow and invade our neighbors’ house so they asked us to do something about it.
FW joined in – he watched over the chopping with donuts:)
And made sure the ladder was safe to use.
Then, we took a little family walk. It was HOT out so we didn’t make it too far.
That afternoon, B had plans and was out of the house for a few hours. It was my first extended time alone with the two kids … and to be honest – it was hard! They got along for some time, but there were a few meltdowns from both of them at some points.
When B came home, I was READY to get out of the house. It was past dinnertime and FW (and B) were hungry. So, B went with the kids to pick up pizza, and I went for a short run. It was 90 and humid and I’m so out of shape from not running after giving birth, but it felt SO GOOD to be outside and moving!
And, my favorite local pizza – plus wine and soda! – for dinner.
Sunday morning, we watched some World Cup and went for a walk before it got too hot. We walked to some local lakes where FW likes to watch the fish.
The afternoon included trying to keep cool – hanging out in the AC, watching some World Cup inside, and relaxing on the porch. A perfect weekend for the summer!
Warning – what follows may be TMI for you. Before having kids, the though of reading anyone else’s birth story was foreign to me. I didn’t understand why people shared them and what the point of documenting them was. But now, I actually get it! So if that sounds like you, just don’t read any more.
I didn’t really capture FW’s birth story (minus introducing him here), and I somewhat wish I had. His was pretty “normal” as far as I can tell (minus the fact that I started sorta having contractions at the Cavs parade … ) – I had some contractions that started out small in the afternoon, but lasted through the night and got stronger until it was clearly time to go to the hospital, where he was born several hours later after less than an hour of pushing.
LM, on the other hand – well, she was almost born in our car. She came out fast and I want to remember the story, so here it is!
The Weeks Leading Up to the Due Date
LM’s due date was 5/24. About 10 weeks prior, I was having some issues and the dr. told me that she thought I may go early. So, as you may know, I had to refrain from any activity for a few weeks while I had some tests done (and repeated).
The Day Before My Due Date
Even after I was cleared to do normal activity (and I participated in the Cleveland Marathon 5k and 10k events), everyone seemed to think I was going to go early – even my dr. So when the night of 5/23 rolled around, I just assumed that I was going to go another few days. FW had been 2 days late, so I assumed LM had waited this long, she’d probably wait until 5/26. Wanting to make the last few nights we ha alone with FW special, we went out for ice cream and a walk before bed. B had a soccer game that night and had decided he wasn’t going to go – but I assured him it was okay, so he went. After the game, he even went out to watch the Cavs game at a nearby bar.
(video for humor … it has nothing to do with LM’s story)
The Due Date
I woke up around 1:45 a.m. having to go to the bathroom (story my life as a pregnant person), and noticed I was having some strongish (what I thought were) Braxton-Hicks contractions. I decided to get out of bed to see if they went away. They didn’t. I realized they may be the real thing, so I decided to time them for 30 minutes before calling the dr. at 2:30. The dr. told me to keep timing them, and call back probably in an hour or two.
B at this point woke up and heard me on the phone with the dr, so he decided to call his mom (she was going to come over and watch FW). I think he called her around 2:45 a.m. and told her to come over. Knowing that it may be likely another hour or two before we headed to the hospital, I texted her, telling her to take her time and that we likely wouldn’t be heading over anytime soon (keeping what the dr. had said in mind).
Luckily, however, B’s mom didn’t see the text and came over right away. She got to our house around 3:15 a.m. and B gave her the lay of the land – what to feed FW for breakfast, his morning routine, etc. We headed out to the hospital around 3:30 a.m. At this point, the contractions had gotten VERY strong. But, they were still not what I was expecting – they were lasting less than a minute but happening about every other minute or so.
The ride to the hospital is about 25 minutes without traffic. To be honest, I was not sure we would make it. I could barely talk through the pain of the contractions. But, part of me also believed that we’d get to the hospital and they would turn us home because of how irregular they seemed to be. B could tell I was in a lot of pain and drove there FAST. (side note- it’s 45 -55 minutes to get there when it’s rush hour or traffic so thank goodness this was 3:30 AM and not PM!)
We got to the hospital a little before 4 a.m. and I got checked on at 4 a.m. to see if I could be admitted. They told me not to push and told me I was (I think?) 6 cm dilated. I asked for an epidural and they said that they’d admit me and get the process started.
I was in so much pain at this point during the contractions, that I could barely move. I told them that they didn’t need to put me in a hospital gown because I was wearing a sundress and it would be easier 🙂 Nevertheless, they got me in a gown and were about to admit me when my water broke. They checked me again, and I was 8 cm dilated. It was time!
There was no way I was walking, so they wheeled me into a labor/delivery room. By this time, it was 4:08 a.m. and they told me that it looked like I wasn’t getting an epidural – and it was time to push! I was fully dilated. I couldn’t believe it – it was all happening so fast. We had literally just gotten into the hospital less than 10 minutes earlier.
Lucille Marian was born at 4:13 a.m. She was 7 lb. 10 ounces. Shortly thereafter, B nearly collapsed from the adrenaline rush/fall (I’m sure the cup of coffee he made for himself before we left the house and had on an empty stomach didn’t help either) and I had to put an arm out to catch him (my other arm was holding the new baby). After getting some fluids and resting for a few minutes, he was all better. He was so GREAT in helping me through the birth, even without the epidural.
I’m still in disbelief that we have a baby girl! Keeping the gender a surprise again was definitely worth it. I admit that I was a little in shock after she was born and they put her on me. It all happened so so so fast, that I was a little shaken – it felt a little traumatic. Traumatic may not be the right word – after all, we are all healthy and happy and everyone is fine, but it took me some time to start to realize what had just happened and feel okay again.
So far, we are doing well. LM is an eater and is gaining weight and eating well. Now, if only we could get her to sleep at night! But she’s a newborn and I know that will change in the future – though I’m not wishing time away. I know firsthand how fast it goes.
Here’s to our new family of four! We’re still adjusting to it all, including the lack of sleep, but all are so so so smitten with our newest lovely addition. ❤
AND it was hot!
I Crashed The Web 