Can't Believe I Actually Did That

Most weeks I think I am CRAZY, nuts, bonkers for wanting to train and run in a half marathon while pregnant. Every week I question if I am actually able to do it as it is getting more and more difficult to find the energy and will power to get my butt to the gym to do my runs during the week. But today, I proved that I can do it.

I walk/jogged/ran 9 miles. MY FIRST 9 MILES EVER! I have done 9 miles. While 24 weeks pregnant and am still standing, (sitting while typing this though.) I survived!

Who would have ever thought that I could actually do this? I hoped I could do it and now I can say, I CAN DO THIS! I will say that the first mile was horrid. As it usually is. Body warmed up by 2.5 miles and I felt strong, and great until mile 6-7. Then I ran out of steam, no energy. I literally walked the next 3 miles to finish my run out but made sure I kept a quick pace to keep under the 16 min mile limit. But I did it, and that is the important part. I finished and kept under the 16 min mile pace restriction.

I will say that I am again suffering from a stuffy nose and didn't feel all that great today. And I was on a treadmill for the whole run.The good thing that this taught me though is that I will be fine at the half. There is going to be so much excitement and positive energy from everyone that will help fuel me, plus I will be running with my best friend who will push me to an extent, and I tend to run faster and better when out on the street so now I know, I CAN DO THIS!

The Bright Side

This pregnancy has been totally different than any other pregnancy I have had, in regards to the food that I am eating. When I was pregnant with Mason, the only thing I couldn't stand was milk chocolate and Subway. I could still eat at Subway but couldn't stand the smell inside so I never ate there. (nothing against Subway but something about all the meat and everything just overwhelmed my senses.)

Second pregnancy, I only knew I was pregnant for 1.5 weeks so no real changes there. Third pregnancy I ate ice cream. A LOT! It was my comfort food. I would celebrate with ice cream and have my own little pity party with it since the hubs was away. I didn't buy a whole carton of it I went to an ice cream shop and would get my butter pecan ice cream with peanuts and carmel in a waffle cone. That was my go to. (hence the reason I gained 15 lbs with the 12 week pregnancy.) I also ate out more, hubs gone and I just didn't want to deal with cooking after all the good or bad news I was getting.

Fourth pregnancy. I have a huge desire for more water at the beginning of the pregnancy, and can't really eat too much of anything else. My appetite has just diminished with this pregnancy. I am eating about a 1/3 of what I was eating prior. I just can't finish most of my food. I am finally getting that "full" feeling for like the first time in my life and it is while I am pregnant. Also, sweets aren't doing it for me this time around. Half the time I have a hard time eating sweet things, or have a little here and a little there. (except ice cream, I realized the other night that I can still down that stuff even if my "full" meter is going off. Keeping it in check though.) I am also way more conscience of what I am putting in my mouth this time around than any other pregnancy. Because I can't eat as much food I have to put the right foods in. My main priority is protein, protein, protein. When I eat a meal I really have to have protein. I crave it. If Matt gets pizza for dinner I have often had an egg on the side just to get the boost of protein. PB is a great friend of mine as are eggs. And milk. I have been craving milk so very much. My greens intake isn't so hot though except when I make green smoothies but I am taking supplements to help out with my fruit and veggie intake to make sure I am getting enough minerals in a day.

I think the lack of being able to gorge out on food and the increased in exercise has helped me maintain my pre-pregnancy weight from this pregnancy. I am still 2 lbs under what I started this pregnancy at. I still eat. And if I am hungry enough and my body will let me I can still put away a good amount of food, but it is the proper amount of food that my body needs and wants. Another cool trick. If it doesn't feel right to me I can't eat it. Couple times now I have tried to eat something and it was not what my body wanted and it was Bad, like BAD tasting to me.

Long story short. I am listening to my body. In the food dept. probably for the first time in my life and it is pretty cool realizing that I can still exercise, grow a baby and eat clean healthy foods and feel pretty good too! Thank you body of mine for being so amazing!

Guest Blogger

I wrote a guest post on a fellow bloggers page and it is being featured today! Check it out here!

http://www.katieheddleston.com/2014/01/23/guest-post-one-fit-momma-to-be/

Be sure to check out all of Katie's blog as she has a TON of awesome posts to read up on and an amazing business. She makes running/exercise headbands in super cute designs!

Thanks Katie for letting me post!

MIA? Not Really

I know I have been MIA but this week has been a fun week for us in the Allen household. Monday was a federal holiday, which my hubs gets off, so family day for us. Then with the snow he had a half day Tuesday, yesterday and TODAY! CRAZY HUH! This central VA area just freaks out with snow and such, but the ice has been pretty bad too so I understand, and I kind of like the extra family we are getting so I haven't blogged because my schedule has been off and we have been having some fun together.

Monday Matt and I were able to go on a DATE! We try to go on one every month. We both need some time away from the kid. We went to one of our fav resurants here in town, Kabob Palace. It is an Afghan food restaurant. It is so yummy and clean tasting! And it is the only time my hubs will eat butternut squash and a salad! They have an appetizer that is called a Bolanee Kadu and it is a turnover filled with butter nut squash, onions and special seasonings served with a garlic yogurt dipping sauce. TO DIE FOR! If you have an Afghan style food restaurant look for this and try it! SO GOOD! Then they have such yummy kabobs and supper yummy brown rice and fresh from scratch made nan bread! I love that place!

Tuesday was the snow day. It finally started to come down around 10am. We didn't get too much but that night it iced completely over!

Wednesday, fun Wednesday we took Mace out to play in the snow. It was about 11 degrees out and felt like 4 per weather.com. Mason's gloves were too small so he went out without. (later my mom suggested putting socks on his hands, why didn't I think of that!) I got Mason all layered up even in his snow bibs we got at a consignment sale last fall. Mason had fun at first, following Matt around. Archer was the first to bail, his poor paws were cold. Mason liked to touch the white stuff and called it pretty but then his hands to cold. After about 10 minutes he freaked out and went to Daddy to go back inside. While inside it took about 15 minutes to calm him down from being scared not understanding what was happening to his hands and why they were so cold. Again Daddy to the rescue which is a first in this house! The rest of the day, we stayed nice and warm inside. I haven't been to the gym, due to schedules being off. And planned on going today, but as I was writing this out, Mason came upstairs to me and puked. LOVELY! Today is going to be an at home walking day it looks like. Did it yesterday too because I have to get my miles in this week. 9 miles to do on SAT!

Sorry for being MIA but loving the family time!

QOTD: How do you do exercise when the weather is freight full?

~After all the excitement in the snow we stayed inside. Learned my kid has one heck of a kicking ability!~

January Week 3 Workout Recap

This week was a slow week for me. Literally. I walked all week. Didn't make it to the gym on Monday. Tuesday we had another 2 year old visiting us all day while his mommy was  having her 2nd baby, so no gym. But when I did go, I just couldn't get that groove to run. I don't know what happened this week. I tried but it was like trying to fight my body too much, so I walked. I was get really strong round ligament pulling pain and it affected my speed of the walking. This week I will see if it continues, but I might have to get a support belt to help me out if this continues. Yesterday in my 4 mile walk, I got 3-4 braxton hicks contractions along with round ligament pain. But I am pretty sure yesterdays icky feeling was due to a lack of water the day before and day of.

Monday: rest
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: 2 miles walk (18 min/mile)
Thursday: 1 mile walk (16:30 min/mile), prenatal yoga
Friday: rest
Saturday: 4 miles walk (was supposed to do 5 ARGH!) (17:15 min/mile)

This coming week is a big mileage long run on Saturday so I have to do way more, and get my groove back!

Each walk was way over the min I need for the half marathon. I know I will have to do lots of spurts of running with my walking for the half. I know I can do it! 5 weeks left until my race, then I can back off on the mileage! BUT I CAN DO THIS!

Any tips or advice to push through a burnout week?