Tales of a Working Mother: The running bug...

It feels like so many people are running lately. Maybe I just didn't realize it before, but I feel like a ton of my friends have picked up the hobby/sport. Even my hubby! For so long he was just my cheerleader/support person. He'd come to my races, be really proud and make a comment like, "that must be such a good feeling" or "I don't know how you do that, I'm exhausted just waiting for you to finish". And then something switched.

I think most people remember when I revealed that I was pregnant with Isabella - it was at the finish line of the Newport Half Marathon. I put a note on the back of my bib that said "SURPRISE... BABY'S FIRST RACE!!!" and flipped my bib just after I crossed the finish line so that when I walked up to my family and friends, they would see it. I was 8 weeks pregnant at that point.
I ran until I was 7.5 months pregnant with her and then the pain in my hips and lower abdomen was just too much to take, so I walked and then even walking was tough by 9 months, so I waddled when I could and sat when I couldn't!
By the time I had Isabella, I was itching to go out for a run. At two weeks postpartum, I went for a 1 mile slow jog (at about 12 minutes/mile) and when I got home, I literally had to convince myself not to pass out. It was just too soon!
So I waited another three days and went again. That time it was a little better, no blacking out when I got back but I was still winded.
So I slowly got back into it.
As I did, Ryan said, "I think I'll go for a run when you get back" one day. He started out at about 12 min/mile as well and felt really good. He kept that up for a few days a week but then experienced a little knee pain (anyone who knows him knows that his knees are a huge mess!)
I told him that if he was serious about this running business, which he seemed like he was, that we needed to invest in a new pair of running sneakers and actually have him "fit" for sneakers.
We did, and $200+ later (if he was getting new sneaks, so was I!)
There's nothing like running in a brand new pair of sneakers that are made for your running style!
That was August of 2012 and it's over a full year later, and Ryan still runs about four times a week.
As most rookies do, he's had some speed bumps (see what I did there?) but we've worked through them. At the beginning, he told me he wanted me to be his coach (he was partially kidding, but I took it seriously) and told him that if I was going to coach him, he needed to take me seriously (I've read a lot about this stuff, experienced five years of running/training/racing and recovering).
His goal was to run a 5K. That happened in October of 2012 and he did great - his pace was about 9 minutes and 40 seconds per mile. Which is great for a beginning runner (hell, it's great for most intermediate runners!) We ran with two friends that are runners as well - it was pouring rain and pretty cold, but fun all the same! That's when the bug bit!

He kept saying, "We need to find another race to run"... so we did.
My BF is living in AZ with her husband who is an Army Ranger. He suffers from TBI and another friend takes part in a benefit for TBI that holds a 5K. What a perfect race! We can't help my BF, but we can do our part to support those with TBI. So that was Ryan's second 5K in October 2012.

After that, we ran a few 5Ks but then winter hit and no one holds 5Ks around here in the winter.
We ran through the winter (mostly on the treadmill, which I love and hate at the same time). I love it because having it means that I can still run when it's snowing and crappy out, but I just hate staying in one spot and I run slower on that thing! When I could, I would bundle up and run outside - but when I couldn't, I'd use the boring treadmill! (If my parents are reading this - I am grateful that you gave it to us, don't read this the wrong way!! Just - if given the choice, I'd much rather be outside!)

Once the weather was getting nicer, I remembered a 10k that I ran a few years ago in Cohasset Mass that was beautiful. It was all along the water with huge beautiful houses. I knew it was in April and thought that it would be a perfect first 10K for Ryan to run. We registered, and started to train. I wanted Ryan to run 6 miles at some point prior to the race. Just a few weeks before the race he ended a run feeling a ton of pain in his foot. I had him go to the doctor and it ended up being tendinitis in his ankle but the doctor wanted him to run through it (I like this doctor!) He did and the pain subsided!
We ran that 10K and our goal (well, my goal really, Ryan just wanted to finish the thing! was to finish in under an hour. We finished in 54:21! (that is an 8:45 mile pace). We both felt great throughout it!
We ran the whole thing together and at the end Ryan grabbed my hand so we finished holding hands. It was the first race we'd run together and we felt on top of the world for finishing with that pace!!

It was VERY cold for April - especially by the water!!

In July, there was a 10K at Gillette Stadium that we couldn't pass up. You finish the race on the 50 yard line! We signed up and arranged for our bffs to watch the kids. It was so hot that day, about 98 degrees out. I was a bit nervous about dehydration, but we did our best to hydrate. At the start line, they made a loud announcement that no one should be going for a PR (Personal Record) that day, and the goal was to just have fun and finish - it was too hot to push yourself, so hydrate and walk if you need to. We decided at that moment that we were not aiming to break an hour, instead we'd just run to have fun. It was fun... but it was HOT!!
We ran through neighborhoods in Foxborough and people were holding their garden hoses out spraying us down... it felt lovely!!! Then we had to run up all of the ramps in the stadium and then down them onto the field!! How fun!! Again, we ran the whole thing together and again, Ryan grabbed my hand at the finish and we crossed holding hands!

We then decided that we wanted to do a half marathon - and I knew that for Ryan's first half I wanted him to run the Newport one. It was just gorgeous and I think for anyone's first - it's pretty great! There are a few hills, but nothing too strenuous and the views are just gorgeous! So we started training in August. We have a great 10 week plan that I've used for all four of my half's that I've run and I think it prepares me very well.
Along our training route, we did a few 5Ks here and there. I actually won first place for women overall (not just my age range either - like all women that ran!!) in one a week before the half - that was an amazing feeling!! And Ryan came in 3rd for men in his age range! We knew we had a decent shot at winning something, because last year I came in 3rd in my age range and we knew that our pace had improved since then, but I didn't think it would be first overall - so that was a great pick-me-up!