Last week was a good week of runs. I have slacked a bit on my mileage in April with the long Easter weekend, with closer to 23-26 miles per week instead of my goal of 30. It hasn't even been lack of feeling good - running feels great - it's that the high winds, swinging temperatures, and spring allergies took a toll on my motivation here and there. Combined with the long Easter weekend, I didn't run as much as I wanted recently - but I feel good and I'm ready for more in May. And even a few ...
Mile Markers
Mile Markers: Day by Day
One of the biggest changes I made with running during pregnancy is that I often head out without an intended mileage. I'll have a wide range - 40-60 minutes, for example - and gauge how far I run by how I feel. Some days I feel fantastic and run almost as if I wasn't 17 weeks pregnant. Other days, I just get out for a short run or even opt to move around my rest day. There are several factors playing into how I feel day by day: the weather, energy levels, what I eat, and my slower ...
Mile Markers: Ringing in Spring
Spring arrived in full last week and with it, spring racing! I raced a 10K race over the weekend. Technically, this was my second race while pregnant. I ran the Frosty Forest Trail 6K before we found out. My recovery rate is slower now that I'm 16 weeks pregnant. I tapered for this race with about 50% of my average weekly mileage and did not complete my normal race week workout. I wanted to start the race feeling as refreshed as possible. Monday: 5 miles & strength ...
Mile Markers: Pregnancy Slowdown
I've coached a few pregnant women and read many runners' accounts of running through their pregnancies. I knew that inevitably, due to weight gain, hormones, and changing priorities of the body, my pace would slow down. But I also knew it occurred at different points for different women. I imagined it as this awful sensation: feeling sluggish, short of breath, and weak. Surprisingly, it's not. The pregnancy slowdown didn't hit me until about week 11 or 12. Now, at week 15, my tempo ...
Mile Markers: Second Trimester Energy Burst
Last week's workouts felt strong. Maybe it was the sunshine and spring temperatures, or maybe it was the start of the second trimester. I ran the highest mileage of this pregnancy - 32 miles! - and felt good. I'm starting to experience the pregnancy slowdown but that doesn't matter to me as much as how I feel. I don't feel slow or short of breath yet. Running feels really, really good right now. I overhauled my approach to strength training this week. I need to focus on strength ...