Week 16 - Race Weekend

Apparently I lost count of my weeks at some point, because I'm pretty sure I should have come up to 18 weeks by the end. That will happen if you stop training midway through. Looking forward to race weekend - lots going on - out-of-town guests to entertain, carbs to consume (!), race packets to pick-up, preparations for SPC activities and, oh-yeah, a RACE to RUN!

And after this week, I'm going to draft a full-blown prenatal workout schedule to keep me accountable. Totally looking forward to yoga, biking and swimming, on top of running as long as I can.

Week 15 - Me n' Sweetpea

So here goes my first announcement to the worldwideweb (Facebook might come a little later...) that I'm preggo! Very excited for this little body I have inside me who is currently named Sweetpea, but that also means that I'm not actually running the marathon this year. I had reached a training distance of sixteen miles, fully knowing that I was pregnant and reading all the articles I could find on-line that supported my opinion that it was okay to run a marathon while pregnant. Sweetpea and I had some great, frigid runs together in North Park in the dead of winter and he (my opinion) even seemed to enjoy the thrill of speed workouts, but at my first doctor's appointment, I was informed that I should not run the marathon...or even the half. This news even came from a P.A. who is running her first marathon in Pittsburgh on May 2. Not sure if that made the news easier or harder to swallow.

I then went back and read all of the articles on the other side of the debate on whether or not you can run a marathon while pregnant...and, quite honestly, the articles on that side of the debate are much more medically sound. I'm okay with the decision at this point and know that it is best in the long run. The doctor said that it was totally fine to keep running, just to take it at a slower pace and not go for more than an hour. I've since broken that rule only once and only plan to break it one more time while I'm pregnant. I did the 8 mile option for Just a Short Run, attempting to pace myself at 10 minute miles and came in at exactly 1:19:56; you can't get much better than that!

And I'm proud to announce that I'll be joining the Cool Runnings Relay team and will be doing the first leg of the marathon relay!

Week 14 - Run 4 Haiti

After much opposition to the race course and its hindrance upon Sunday morning worship services for churches along the course, my Church has finally decided to embrace the Pittsburgh Marathon and all four pastors will be joining together to run a relay together. They are raising support for the Run 4 Haiti fund.

Last year we also set up an orange tent (SPC is just about at mile 14.5) and we'll be doing that again, so keep an eye out if you'd like some citrus nourishment at that point.

Our service will be moved to 4 pm that afternoon, with a potluck dinner at 5 pm, a cupcake contest (I'm lobbying to be a judge) and Fitness Fest with hula-hooping, yoga, face-painting and balloon-sculpting.

Weeks 12 & 13 - Just a Short Run & Catching-up

I'm behind on my posts and figured I'd catch-up all in one. Two weekends ago was the Just a Short Run with a 5k, 8 mile, half marathon or 30k option - guess which one I picked? It was a great spring day, which meant that it was frigid before the sun came up, but once the sun rose, it was quite pleasant and spring-like. Only thing is that this meant we were absolutely freezing at the start line. This was the first time I had ever run a race at North Park. I'm sure its convenient for race organizers, but its a pretty anti-climatic, boring route, which I can pretty much run anytime I want to. Half the fun of road races is that you get to run in places you normally don't get to - straight down the double yellow lines, if you want!

This past weekend was gorgeous and I slept in a little on Saturday (no work!) and got to take Fres and Nate with me on my run! Recovery breakfast was freshly baked homemade cinnamon buns and a mango smoothie - yum!

Highlight of the week(s) - Spring!

Difficult part of the week(s) - The final push at work for some upcoming deadlines (seriously, though, I think the tough part is almost done)