Run to Remember...

Not every run serves your training plan.  Sometimes a run is about so much more.

On Memorial Day, across the country, thousands of runners and non-runners took to the streets and trails to dedicate their miles to fallen service members with wear blue: run to remember.

Here on 29, though it was a hot, hot morning in the desert, Stroller Warriors banded together to add our own miles to this remembrance.  Running in memory of friends, running in memory of loved ones, or running in memory of total strangers, more than thirty women and children (even a few men) joined in to dedicate a 5K.

Miss A, Baby K, and I ran in memory of Corporal Terrence P. Allen, USMC, who was killed in Al Anbar Province on September 15, 2007 while serving with 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, NC.  

My children took to the challenge of running this course (challenge because it was hot, they have short legs, and it was 3.1 miles) like the champs they are.  Well, let's be realistic, Baby K actually cruised in the jogging stroller for all but about a quarter mile.  But he ran that quarter mile with heart.

The run also gave me the opportunity to talk with Miss A about why we were really out there on that course.  It can be confusing for small children when their moms or dads deploy into combat zones.  It's even more confusing when they don't come back home alive.  Miss A, after our talk, was happy that her daddy has come home from all his deployments, though saddened that some don't.  She picked up her chin and said "let's do this for him {CPL Allen}."

We did not know Corporal Allen before dedicating our run to his memory (we were matched with hi by wear blue: run to remember), but I have taken the time to learn about him since.  He was just 21 years old, from New Jersey, and a newly wed.  A young man who enlisted even before he graduated high school.  This young man had a long-term goal to become a high school history teacher.

After it was over, to reward my children, of course I let them have some play time on the tanks.  After all, Memorial Day is about both remembering and celebrating...what better way than playing on the tanks that have given so much to our country as well.  Happy trails!!!

2017 miles to date:  658.48 miles

Observations:  I've still got soreness in my tendon that borders on pain.  It dissipates a bit once I get a mile or so into a run.  I'm currently treating it with a bit of spray on Icy Hot before workouts to numb the pain.

 

  I'll be able to focus on healing it after Zooma half next weekend.

Onward ho...

All good things must come to an end.  The last bit of an ice cream cone.  The last page of a great book.  The final chord of a favorite hymn.  The final steps across the finish line of an amazing race.  And yes, even maternity leave.

This past week has been a celebration of my time at home with Baby K.  We’ve spent more time physically active together.  We had two great power walks this week.  Wednesday was the usual trip to the library.  The day was bright and sunny.  I actually had to take off my track jacket halfway through because (a) it was warm and (b) I was working hard enough to generate a good lather. 

On Friday, Baby K and I had Striders business over at Quiet Waters (mark your calendars for the Anniversary Run 15K on December 14).  While we were there, and since it was an amazing day, we decided to get in our power walk there.  The trail that rings the park was surprisingly bustling with walkers, joggers and strollers for mid-day during the work week.

I’m not much of a walker, but one of the interesting things I’ve learned while power walking these past several weeks with Baby K is that walking can be a great glute workout – especially when you focus on your foot strike, speed and stead movement.  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve finished and felt like I’d done a workout especially focused on that particularly troublesome muscle for women.  While I’m happy to be moving back into full-time running (not as a function of time or fitness, but because I’ll be going back to my lunch time runs at work), I’ve learned a bit about the benefits of walking.

In addition to the two power walks, I also logged three runs.  Wednesday and Thursday I took on my usual 4 mile route out College Parkway to Log Inn Road and back.  You can tell spring sports season is upon us because I had to play chicken with a number of soccer mom vehicles all rushing to get their kids to practice at Bay Head Park.  Car dodging aside, finding the rhythm that works for my feet, my heart and my head has been invigorating.  You don’t realize how much something is part of you are forced into a bit of a vacation.  This particular route is familiar enough to help me regain that rhythm.

Saturday found me back on the streets of DTA (that’s downtown Annapolis for you non-Annapolitans) with my bestest of best running buddies, Brie.  I was so happy to be hitting the pavement with her.  It’s been months…at least since October.  It’s funny, at the end of 2012 and into 2013 I was getting faster and she was slowing down as she advanced in her pregnancy.  Then this past year she was getting faster as I was slowing down as I advanced in pregnancy.  For the next future period of time, I think we’re both moving forward and eventually I will regain my speed so I don’t slow her down anymore.

Sun and warm spring temperatures propelled us through DTA, across the Naval Academy and back through her neighborhood to browse the yard sales as we made our way back to her house.  It was slow, but improving.  Give me another month and I bet I can bring my average pace down to 9-10 minutes per mile. 

As for the weight loss challenge – week one saw me with an overall body percentage loss of nearly 2%.  I’m not going to lie, ensuring I put down 100 ounces of water a day was tough but the daily booty blast workout was tougher.  Oh yeah, and then I learned that I was doing more than necessary…in fact double on those exercises that should have been alternating legs not the rep number per leg.  Who knows, maybe as a result my booty will be that much more irresistible come bikini season.

So as I return to a more normal routine, back to work, back to normal, I will look back on maternity leave fondly for what it taught me and the time it gave me to be with Baby K but I will look forward to really getting that rhythm back – or maybe even a better rhythm.  Happy trails!!!  

Stats – (There’s a week worth of backlog here, so bear with me)

Miles:  4.01 (Wed), 4.1 (Wed power walk); 4.25 (Thurs); 4.22 (Fri power walk); 7.15 (Sat)

Times:  42:12 (10:31); 1:03:47 (15:33); 45:40 (10:44); 1:10:00 (16:35); 1:19:30 (11:07)

Location:  Broadneck Peninsula and Quiet Waters Park

Feeling:  everything works, despite the exhausted glutes from the booty blast workouts
 

Ode to a rainy day...

Not all days can be wind free.  Not all days can come with sunny, blue skies.  Somedays come with rain.

Yesterday Baby K enjoyed our walk so much that we decided to go for another one today.  Okay, in reality the walk lulled him to sleep, but grabbing an hour when the baby is asleep can be regenerative. 

It was a warm(ish) afternoon, enough to wrap up the baby for a long power walk.  Though the clouds hung heavy in the sky, we bet against mother nature that we could sneak in a few miles before those clouds opened up and drenched us.  Mother nature showed me not to bet against her.

The walk started out really well.  Rather than heading to the paved trail, we went up the road near my house that is flanked by fields.  No noise from route 50.  Just us and the fields covered by canadian geese...and the occasional car heading to the neighborhoods lining the edge of the bay.

As we turned into Chesapeake Preserve to walk the cloverleaf I sometimes run if I only have time for a couple miles, the blackberry started going off.  Luckily I can multitask, so set to work answering the mail at the office and keeping one foot moving in front of the other...oh and there was the phone call as well.  And through it all, Baby K slept. 

When we were about three-quarters of a mile from home mother nature let the sprinkles fly.  I don't mind running in sprinkles or even an outright downpour, but I've been told that maybe its not awesome to let a baby get drenched by the elements (or the blackberry and iPhone).  So I quickly learned how to attach the rain cover to the pram and turned back toward the house.  And through it all, Baby K slept.

Though our walk was only a couple miles, a good short power walk is better than none, and its a couple more miles toward my goals.  And while I had every intention of capping that off with a couple miles on the treadmill later in the evening, life happens when you have kids and sometimes the best intentions don't pan out.  I'll get it tomorrow.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  2.20
Time:   39:16 (average pace of 17:51 per mile)
Location: Broadneck Peninsula
Feeling:  slightly damp
 

A lot of good...

Good weather, good attitude, good partners, good distance.

Today I tried out a new exercise partner.  Enter Baby K.  Though he's too small for the jogging stroller as yet, meaning I can't really run with him in tow, we did get in a nice power walk this afternoon.  So, nestled in to his pram, we headed in the direction of the library. 

Sun, warm temps and a quick pace quickly equated sweat.  Add to that the trees and flowers beginning to bloom and you've got a great workout.  Baby K, however, didn't seem as interested in his surroundings.  He zonked out about 15 seconds after being placed into the pram (with a brief exception when we stopped for a red light...he doesn't like to stop moving) and didn't wake up until 4+ miles later. 

I'm looking forward to more of these walks...at least, that is, until he's ready for the jogging stroller.  Then there will be no stopping us.

This evening, I headed over to the gym for some rare solo time.  With dad responsible for all the kids, there was no pressure to get it done as quickly as possible.  I got in a short run before hitting the weight machines.  I got a great laugh as I started my last set on the row machine.  Was it just coincidence that, as I was thinking about my body transformation journey, "Sexy and I Know It" piped through my earbuds?  I think not...especially as the words "I work out" fit perfectly into the rhythm I was pounding out.  Add to that, I know the perfect animal print running pants I could add to the mix (seen at the Nike Women's Half in DC last April...a big PR day for me).

And now as I sit here relaxing and thinking about what I can squeeze in tomorrow before the rain makes it impossible for Baby K to be loaded into the pram, I'm happy with what I accomplished today.  Happy trails!!!

Stats -
Miles:  3.11 (run), 4.12 power walk
Time:   32:00 (average pace of 10:17), I accidentally forgot to stop the watch after my walk, so the time was off
Location:  Broadneck Peninsula and Greater Annapolis Y
Feeling:  awesome