Monday, June 28, 2010

Attack of the Birds; Part II

I'm not running that way until after the nesting season is over... when is that anyway?  October?  I'll be too big at that point, so I guess I won't be going that direction on foot until January 2011.

They came after me again.  And this time, a lady walking her dog got to witness my running/flailing/yelping.  At one point, I turned my head around to see where the black devil was, and it was diving right for my head!  I ran faster.

I ended the 6 miles on a different route and with a VERY bizarre pain in my nether-regions.  I have a doctor appointment on Friday, so I'll be asking about it and if I can keep running.  I have a 10K on Saturday, but if I have to walk it, I will.  But I think it will be okay.  I'm pretty sure (hoping) that it was just muscle/ligament stretching that happens with pregnancy.

Also, my pace has slowed WAY down with pregnancy and the heat.  This is going to be a LONG summer.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Out of a Hitchcock Movie

Last night, I talked my husband into going for a walk with me.  We went up to the little lake that I love and did the top half, then he wanted to go home - so I said that I would walk home and he could leave (I didn't really feel too bad - he works on his feet for 10 hours a day, whereas I sit on my butt for 9 hours a day).  So I start heading home and decide to jog until I get to the bottom of the hill.

At the bottom I'm walking along under some trees, minding my own business.  Then I hear birds above me.  2 birds.  That obviously had a nest in a tree.  And they obviously think that I'm a coming after them ("Serpent!  SER-PENT!!" - Name that Disney movie and you get 10 gold stars) and they start to fly above me and come for my head! 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!

So I start to run again.  And I'm watched by at least 7 cars that are waiting at the intersection.  I'm pretty sure that I have my hands over my head at one point.

I barely escaped with my life.

The End.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Wasatch Back

Wednesday night, as I am in the Sea-Tac airport, I get a text from Christy.  She can't run the Wasatch Back relay anymore (because of her job with Ragnar)... so I've lost the only person that I knew on the team, and my ride up to the start in Logan, UT.  I tried not to stress out about it, and Thursday morning I lucked out and found a ride with a girl that would be in my van, who also didn't know anyone.

We get up to Logan for the van decorating party and meet the rest of the people on our team.  Then a few of the girls were all staying together and I was invited to stay with them.  After about 5 hours of crappy sleep (I slept on the floor and it wasn't very comfortable), we are up and heading to the starting line.

6:30am, our first runner starts and we are on our way, 188.2 miles, to Park City, UT.

I was runner #2 and my first leg was 6.7 miles.  I felt really good and my van was really AWESOME support!  I ran a 10 minute mile and finished in 68 minutes (Garmin said I ran 6.8 miles).

After our van finished our first leg, we headed up to the next exchange for some rest and food.  They had massage therapists up there, and I got a 10 minute massage - it was so FREAKING awesome!  She found some drainage points on my feet to help the poor pregnant lady's swollen legs and feet.  LOVED IT!

The second round of running came around 5:30pm.  It was HOT!  I ran my leg (3 miles) at about 6:30pm and did 10 minute miles again.

After the van finished (it was almost 9pm when we were done), we headed up to the next major exchange and tried to get some sleep.  I'm pretty sure we got there after 11:30pm and then we had to be up and ready for our last runs at 4:30am.  Yeah, I'm pretty sure that I got 1.5 hours of sleep... in maybe 15-20 minute intervals. 

My last run started just before 6:30am.  I had only 3.3 miles to run... but it was seriously the HARDEST run that I have ever done in my LIFE!  I had no energy for my run after such a crappy night's sleep, plus just being drained from the day before and not having "real" food to refuel with.

Our van finished and then went up to the finish line to wait for Van 2 to come in, so that we could all run across the finish line together.  Our team officially finished in 33:59:29.  Thirty-four FREAKING hours!  It was insane... but so much fun.  I really didn't think that I would have as much fun as I did, especially with not knowing ANYONE on the team.

Will I do it again next year?  I don't think so.  The rumor is that they will have DOUBLE the amount of people running, and I thought it was out of control with as many people as they had this year (around 20,000).  So maybe I'll look into doing another Ragnar somewhere else, like Vegas or Arizona or Southern California.  Who knows?  It was awesome, and I'd like to do it again... but just with less people.

And instead of posting a billion pictures on here, I'll give you the link to my small album on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=224129&id=528698832&l=7c7496eab1

P.S. I couldn't believe how many pregnant women I saw running - farther along in their pregnancies than me, and running tougher legs!  Pregnant runners RULE!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Speaking of Hills

Check out this monster that I ran up in Edmonds, WA on Monday morning (just ignore the incredibly stupid look on my face - I don't know what I was doing).
We just got back last night from our trip to the Seattle area and I'm leaving in less than an hour for the Ragnar Relay tomorrow.  I'm excited - and bummed.  Christy isn't able to run on my team anymore and I don't know anyone on the team.  But it will still be an adventure and hopefully I make 11 new friends! 

I'll have a full report on Sunday or Monday.  I hope I don't die.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

I Run Up Hills

After Saturday's run in the heat, I decided to try running in the morning before work.  I got out Tuesday and Wednesday morning, but not today.  I didn't want to run in the rain.

Tuesday morning I ran only 2 miles, but I threw a nasty hill into it.  Up and over and at the bottom was exactly a mile, so I turned right around and went back up and over again.  When I turned around I "merged" with a group of three other ladies running up.  And then they each had to stop to walk at different points.  TAKE THAT!!  The pregnant chick is running up and over the hill!  One of the ladies caught me on the downhill... but I'm not going to let fly on the way down and risk tripping.  So whatever lady - you can claim that, if you want.

Yesterday morning was 3 miles on a different route.  I still had a hill, but it was less steep and over a longer distance (probably a half mile to the top).  My legs were really quite sore yesterday, which was weird.  I always run that hill... it's my normal running route up to the lake.  But the legs are feeling good today and I'll be running tomorrow morning again. 

I don't know if I will be able to get any more runs in before Ragnar (we're going out of town) and I am stressing out.  I am NOT prepared for this.  But it will be an adventure and I'm still excited for it.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Hot Legs

Thank you for the well wishes with our baby girl.  It's so funny, because as we went into the doctor's appointment, we were both sure that it was going to be a boy.  But we are SO excited for this baby.  We really didn't have a preference and all we want is a healthy baby.  Is that too much to ask for?  (By the way, this was an early look at the baby, and we go back in a few weeks for the big 20 week ultrasound where they look at all of the fingers and toes and heart and lungs... and there is still a small chance that Baby Girl could turn into a Baby Boy!)

Saturday morning I went out with plans for a 10K run (I've got the Wasatch Back relay in less than two weeks and I am NOT prepared for it!).  But the weather decided to turn into summer over the weekend I wasn't ready for the heat.  So I crapped out and only did a 5K.  But at least I got out there, right?

It was a slower pace.  I had to walk after 2 miles, to make sure that I didn't overheat.  Next time I go out, I will go a couple of hours earlier.  Dang Utah weather decided to go from the 60s to the upper 80s over the last 4 days and I really don't do well in the heat.

Friday, June 4, 2010

It's A...

I'm so excited that I can't even see straight!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

15 Weeks and 5 Miles

I love three day weekends!  And while I didn't do much (that's always the best part of a holiday, right?), I did get out and ran 5 miles yesterday morning.  I ran from my house, to my parent's house and then they made me breakfast.  I felt really good and got stopped only twice along the way.  The first was a stop light that took FOREVER to change!  Holy crap - I'm pretty sure that I wasted a minute and a half just waiting for the light to change!  It totally killed that mile, as I had just come off a STEEP downhill and had been really cruising!  Oh well.

The other stop was at a small pasture where a momma horse and her super cute little filly were.  So I had to stop and making kissing noises at the baby and try to coax it over to me.  It didn't work, so I started running again.  Stingy little filly.  By the way - I'm a BIG TIME sucker for horses.

In other things - check out the belly!  And just so you know, this "belly" is mostly just my insides being pushed up (and out).  And I've been feeling "Baby" move for the last couple of days.  It's a VERY weird feeling.