Helped My Husband Complete His First Half-Marathon!

Not a race, just a run but we did it together and it was super exciting as it was my husbands first. I never thought the day would come, but he's come so far as a runner and I'm quite proud! We agreed to have 10 miles be the longest (which may be too long already) for the babies to come on a run with us. So we were prepared for this run by traveling up to my parents house in the 'burbs and leaving the kiddos with them while we set out in one of the long-running (30 miles or so of trail that connects town to town in the suburb). It's more corn fields and prairie than forest (which is my husbands favorite type of trail to run in), but it was a nice change. Beautiful day! The sun was just warm enough and there was a gentle breeze that really made us seem like we were surfing it while running, as we were on a lot of open prairie with nothing to block the wind and sometimes on top of a hill. There was nothing between us, the land and the sky - it seems perfect and surreal. The trail started off paved for about the first 3 miles, then went to a smooth dirt trail that was quite fitting once we hit the prairie and corn fields. Really made it feel like we were running some lonely back country road. When I used to live with my parents, I would use these trails quite regularly and I remember always going South on the trail instead of North (the way we were running today), because it was too secluded. Today, there was a sparse amount of people; just enough to keep things moving and keep with a nice isolated feel at the same time.
I was feeling great from start to finish. I had to check up on my husband a few times as he started out with some ankle issues in the beginning and low energy about 7 miles in. I was getting a bit worried when we met our turn around point as I could really see him struggling. I knew he made 10 miles a few times and I knew he had the determination in him - he's never quit anything he's set out to do yet  and probably won't. I knew we would make it. I love running with him and today, without the babies, sparked my love in running even more. I felt back in the zone and really felt the run today. However, I do have a bit of a type A personality when running (especially when not with the babies). I try to motivate and support my husband, but admittedly, sometimes it's of selfish intention. I know he can run a fast 5k now and I think some part of my brain was ready for him to run this whole distance at my pace. However, we started out at his pace (floating between a 9'20 and a 10'), but then he started to slow down at mile 6 or so and I was obliviously running ahead of him (just maintaining that pace we started out at). I was pausing and running back to him when I would get too far and did this pretty much the whole way back more than a few times. I felt bad, but at the same time, my brain and legs kept telling me that he'll catch up; I shouldn't slow down. He didn't really seem to mind this, so I kept doing it; making sure not to leave him too far behind. I wasn't running at a fast pace, just one I thought I could keep a goal for him to do (it was around a 10' or so). His Garmin did not work for this run; I guess when I packed it up, it was accidentally turned on and it ran the battery out. Oops! Thankfully, we had my Nike p.o.c. and used that for both of our times. As I was ahead of him, I would shout out our miles and when I went back to him I would try to give him little pep-talks and went into cheerleader mode enough to support but not too much to annoy. Then I would run ahead.
A great first half-marathon together. I'm looking forward to the next one and hope we get just as awesome of a day. This run will be a great memory; the gorgeous day, the relaxing run and an accomplishment of my husbands I'd like to say I had some part in influencing him on. :)

Dat Heat

The last weeks or so of not blogging have just been running in the park with the babies in tow on our usual park run of ~4 miles. The heat was pretty horrible, but we've been running after I get out of work so it isn't as sweltering. However, the last few days I actually had to say no to my husband in taking the babies out in this heat. Even with our breakneck speeds that provide the babies with enough of a breeze to cool them (Ha!), it is still way too hot for them. There is a little splash pad in the park, but I'm always a bit reluctant to let them go near it; seems a little dirty.
Anyways, so the last day we ran together was on Monday and my husband actually took the stroller the whole time (first time ever!) because he seemed he was still revved up from his race and had tons of energy. He actually tried to hand the stroller over once and I urged him to keep going, as he was doing so good. >:)
The last two days (after sitting out Tuesday and Wednesday; with Wednesday a sit out because I had to wait for the gas company to come reconnect our gas - long story) but I skipped morning nap with the babies and ran a ~7 miler on the treadmill on Thursday and today I only ran a 6 miler today because it was still so hot and humid in the workout room. The treadmill is located upstairs and we don't have the AC vents on in that room (only the babies bedroom and ours to save) and the vent is practically on the ceiling, so I just dealt with it.
This Sunday had better be a cool one, as my husband and I are going to the burbs and dropping the babies off at the g-parents house and attempting our first 13miler together. There is a long trail connecting town-town in the suburbs where my parents live, so we're going to try and head out early and get our half-marathon in (my husbands first and who knows what # this one is for me).
Until then, here's some pictures of the babies in the pool having fun and keeping cool:

Babies playing nicely.

Evander learning to kick, while holding on to the fence!

Madeline is a hard baby to take a pic of, but she's actually looking in this one!

First 10 Mile Run with the Baby Stroller

On our weekend runs, my husband and I try to pick out a location to go to that we can get a long stretch of trail with little stops (unlike our usual running path by our house that is riddled with stop lights, alleys, etc.). My favorite place is the Lakeshore path, so we decided on that for todays run. It's usually a safe place for a long run because it's a long stretch and there's a lot for the babies to look at and people to see along the way. Plus, if they grow too bored or upset, we can take them out at one of the many playgrounds along the way or even let them loose by the water on one of the beaches (which we haven't done yet). However, once we arrived at the lakeshore and after we got the babies settled in the stroller and took our first few steps on the path we both realized the wind was blowing pretty strong. It wouldn't be too much of a problem, other than slowing us down some, but with the baby stroller; we'd probably be slowed way down and exhausted well before 10 miles were completed. We decided to go to our other favorite location, at Miami Woods. I was a bit apprehensive, because the last time we went (a few days ago), the trail was swamped and parts were so flooded over that we couldn't pass. We've had a few warm days in between, but nothing I thought would dry up the massive pools of water. My husband made a point that, because the floods were from the river overflowing and not stagnant water, the flooding should've receded quite a bit if not completely. So we tried our luck and ventured out there.
Once we arrived, we noticed there were a lot of people using the trail, so we figured that was a good enough sign. Once we were off, both of us were feeling pretty good and the babies were content and smiling; I was doubtful it would last, but I had backup snacks and beverages for them and there was always sticks to play with that worked well last time that we could use. My ankle was feeling pretty good and my energy was high also, as I actually had breakfast before our run (I usually don't have breakfast). I actually did not run in my VFF's today and instead, was running in my regular running shoes thinking it might offer more support to my ankle). My husband agreed to taking the stroller up hills and if I needed a break. We were running at his pace, so between that and the breaks with the stroller, I think my ankle should be fine and my endurance would make it as well. Throughout our run, I would push for 20 and my husband would take it for 5 or 10 minutes after my 20 minutes were up. I was a bit disappointed in our run out, because I had the_worst side stitch that I couldn't push through. So I took a minute to walk it off while my husband took the stroller and kept running. It was somewhat better before I decided to try to catch up to him. The sprint up to him actually (coincidence or not), made the side stitch go away completely. I guess the burst of circulation might have helped?
Once we hit our halfway mark (at 52 minutes or so), I was still feeling great and so was my husband. On the way back though, the hills were really zapping us. We passed a few other running parents with strollers that seemed happy to see us out there as well. An older man, that I believe we saw out there on one of our other runs with the baby gave a hand wave and that made me happy. I love the older couples or older people in general that are out and getting some kind of exercise. They always seem the most friendly and happy to see you.
I am happy for my husband for completing his second 10 mile run (the first one without me). He thinks next weekend he'll go the full 13 miles. I don't think we'll be bringing the babies for that one and it does make me sad to leave them behind. It won't be the same. :(

The babies actually slept on the last part of our run!

Sharing their first chocolate milk! Cheers to daddy and mommys 10 mile run! :)

Back Again!

Yes, I'm back again from another running hiatus from the Peroneal Tendonitis flare up. My previous injury seemed to have healed up and I was back to feeling normal/not feeling the ache in that ankle. So, after I've been running regularly again with my husband (close to a month since my last injury) and everything has been going well on our runs together, he comes home one day and suggests we switch things up and go back to the trail that presumably gave me my first injury.  He offered to take the stroller through the choppy parts and this sounded good enough to me. I know I was going to hate it, but I also knew I would like a change of scenery and that my husband wanted to go back there. Well, it turns out the trail wasn't as bad as the last time we were there, as that time, it was mainly muddy from the rain and the sand they had poured over the mud had seemed to 'absorb' or wear away from being huge sinking piles in the trail. However, the mud pits were still there, but hardened and the hard-rocky gravel parts were still there. These parts create the dip and uneven parts in the trail that you have to jump over and dodge. Everything seemed "fine" until the last mile of that run. Guess what started hurting? Yep, that same ankle. I thought my body was playing a joke on me. My body is such a troll. Well, it was the real deal. I actually started limping when my husband and I next to him, started sprinting to our stop point. Once we started walking on our cool-down, I let my husband know about my returned pain and I think part of him thought I wasn't being serious.
My ankle was hurting way worse than the previous injury and on my lateral side of the foot, instead of the back of my ankle. I remember reading that the Peroneal Tendon runs on the lateral side of the foot/lateral aspect of the ankle, below it and lateral/outside of foot. That's exactly where it hurt and it was a deep pain, unlike the ankle part (where, when I massaged it, it would feel some relief). Massaging, icing, rolling out and stretching did not seem to relieve this injury at all. So I knew I wasn't going to mess around with the elliptical and I was going to be serious and rest it. I did not want this becoming a chronic injury and I was just going to blame it on the trail for now.
Thankfully, about a week and a few days of actual rest - it is feeling better. It still aches, but I am trying to go easy on my runs and stay on even ground trails (there will be no trail running for a long while, I think). My husband, for this run and the last two (which have been my first three runs back since my injury) has taken the stroller for some of the run to help me take it easy. It still amazes me how much of your muscles, mentality and endurance deplete after a week or so of no running.
So, I've handled up to 4 miles now on my healed injury and feeling OK about it, but still slightly hesitant. My husband wants to do another 10 miler on Sunday (which he did his own 10 miler when I was resting - so congrats to him!). I am feeling apprehensive about a 10 miler with the stroller, but I think if we switch off, it may be doable. The month is almost over and I am hoping to still get in my 13 miler, but we'll see.

Holy Trail Batman!

Today we set off thinking we were going to have a long "easy" run. An 8 miler in mind. My husband found a naturey type trail out in the suburbs and from the pictures on the internet; it looked awesome. When we got there, we thought it was too good to be true. Too many good signs; it stopped raining and it looked like the sky was clearing, the babies were able to walk by some Canadian Geese and walk up to a pond, the trail looked smooth and well-maintained AND(!) the trail we parked by was exactly an 8 mile loop. It had to be fate... right? We started off running with a guy and his dog on the trail ahead of us and then a youngish looking guy coming in from his run at the speed of light. By the looks of him (not too beaten up looking, but nice and peacefully focused), we thought this was probably going to be a pleasant run through a nice looking forest. The FOOLS we were!
This is a deceptive looking entrance to the forest we were about to start running in. Note: the monstrous hills were hidden fairly deep into the forest, already laughing at us and some of them, maybe shaking their heads in shame.

The deceptive entrance

Babies enjoying some grass

Daddy and babies milling about in a field

One of the lakes the trail loops around

Closer look at the serene lake

Once we were on the go into the forest, the hills started forming, but we were in such good spirits about our awesome find of a trail we were totally getting into them. It just felt right. The fresh, clean forest air invigorating us and the floral smell enticing us to trust the forest. After about a mile in, we went down our first unfathomably steep hill. I had to have my husband take over, because I just did not have the body weight to feel secure enough that the baby stroller and myself would not be sucked into gravities laughing hands and tumble into a helpless ball feeling every jagged rock on the way down. I wish I would have taken a picture of this hill after my husband took the stroller, but my mind was in awe and also fearfully thinking: if we go down a hill like this, there must be it's sister hill on the other side that we have to go UP.
We carried on and were still in absolute euphoria on how cool of a trail this was. It was super challenging, but in such a good way and that point, the babies actually were loving the bumps and hills. The trail was a quintessential of what one would expect when they think of a nature trail. It was immaculate to the eye, but to the foot, a series of different landscapes from smooth dirt, to rocky to mud to some fine gravel with peaks and troughs. All respectably "doable" with a jogging stroller (at this point). Although part of me was worried about the hills and what they would do to my ankle, I was trying to stay aware of it and keeping light on my feet with shorter strides, so I would be able to recover quickly if my foot fell into a dip in the trail. All was fine though.
About halfway in, it started to rain. Oh Great! I told myself not to panic and covered the babies up. The day was a decently warm day, so when the rain did start, it didn't bring a chill with it. However, once we rain out of the forest and into a prairie type field with tall meadow grass, it became somewhat surreal. I was actually enjoying it! What a Fathers Day Extreme Trail Run Adventure we were having! Hills, forest, and rain! Whee! (No really, it was actually kinda cool and I felt a little hardcore about it.. now if it was cold out, that would be a different story!). We had to tromp through some mud and water that was ankle deep, my feet were soaked and I was a bit leery of the fact that we still had about another 40 minutes of running to do and the rain might not let up and the trail might actually get worse. My mental attitude started to darken and then it hit - Maddy started to scream! Oh NO! Not here Maddy, not now! What were we thinking? There really was no where to let her out or if we did let her out, the thought of carrying her the rest of the 4 miles? I was starting to mildly panic in my head, but tried to keep my cool (as it was still our fathers day/weekend run, so I didn't want to ruin it). My heart was sinking with every hill we had to slow down and walk up (mosquitoes congregating around the stroller). And when I say hill, I really (with not much exaggeration) should say "mountain". They were SO steep! We had to keep going though, there was no turning back and time was only going to go slower if we took Maddy out and into the rain. We needed to make sure she was hydrated and safe, but to get her back as quickly as possible. Who knows what we were thinking starting an 8 mile run with a probability of rain still, but we had to finish it up. I hate to say it, but our long forest runs may have to stop for a bit and just continue on with the longer runs that are closer to home or have a park midway or something.
Anyways, we eventually came to the road that our parking lot was on. The trail went on another mile or so around that lake that is pictured above, but we cut it short and ended around 7 miles. Wow! Our pace was slowed from the hills and mud, but with all of the forest challenges, we really felt whipped. How did that one guy we saw coming in look so peaceful? Amazing.
What a crazy experience. Mixed with such elation to start with and then such dread at the end. I loved being out in the forest and running on the trail though. I loved being with my husband and babies and experiencing it, but we'll have to come back another time either when they're older or we're more prepared or have a backup plan for disaster. When you're in the middle of the forest and 4 miles out from your car with crying babies, it really does feel like a never ending trail in a nightmare. My husband and I already agreed we were going to go back soon to do the trail sans babies/baby stroller. It's a must; a technical trail and great for running with a beautiful environment - we couldn't say no to another try.
Thankfully, we made it out unscathed and hopefully Maddy wasn't traumatized. I doubt she was, as once I picked her up from the stroller, she started pointing at everything and hooting at it. Her crying stopped immediately and was only left with those little after-cry hiccups babies get. So cute, but I still felt so guilty to put her through it. Stupid running parents!
Till' next time Palos Hills Trails of Doom! We will conquer you yet with you're gargantuan hills and 8 miles of exciting trails!

My wet feet/shoes that were full of mud earlier.

Looking Forward to the Weekend to Run with the Family and Nature!

Well, now that we are all officially over our sickness, I hope the weekend is a healthy one full of running (and Father's day fun too, of course!). Yesterday, both my daughter and I were still sick and on Advil regularly for her fever and my sore throat. Thankfully, I felt OK but we still decided to keep the babies out of a long run and I would just run on the treadmill again while my husband ran outside. It worked out in the fact that he can get out of the house for a few and I can work on my sub 25 min. 5k. So, the night before I was at 25:20, last night I hit 25:01 and tonight's run was 24:37. I'm going to keep trying to and get this down to a science. I still don't have the endurance to run faster than an 8' pace longer than 10 minutes I think. So I start my first 10 minutes out at an 8'30" pace. My stupid Nike Sportswatch kept jumping to a 9'30 or so pace, which made me rage and then I tried to run faster. It's silly because I'm on a treadmill - there's really no way I could slow down that much at a set pace. Anyways, a few minutes after 10, I gradually push my pace up until I hit a pace of 8' by 15 minutes. I run that until 20, then I gradually push those last 3 or so minutes to a little over a 7' pace until I hit my 3 miles. I don't know if I will be able to work on my 5k timing this weekend, as I hope we'll be running family-style outside for a 6 or 8 miler on Saturday or Sunday, but next week I hope to make the last 10 minutes at a steady 7'30 or lower.

It's been a while since I last ran a 5k under 25min and it's not often that I do, but since I've been running with my husband and the baby stroller, I'm afraid my endurance and speed may suffer. I think by doing one 5k a week and pushing to get faster times, I shouldn't suffer too much.

Sick Again?!

Tuesday after work we were planning on another 40 minute run. My daughter and I were both sick that day, so after enduring work, I pretty much was done with the day (after the baby stuff was done, of course). My husband was feeling a bit off too, so there was no run for neither of us.

Today I was feeling way sick and knew I wouldn't be able to as well. However, thanks to my husband, I was able to get a two hour nap with my son (who also might be sick again), while he stayed up with my daughter (who was refusing to nap even though she was sick/feverish as well). Between sick kids and weather, we decided not to run again tonight. BUT! Later tonight, after the babies were asleep, I decided I felt better and to just jump on the treadmill and train for my sub 25 min 5k. 

It felt great to be running and at a nice pace of 8'30" consistently, up until I ramped it up to a 7' for the last half mile or so. Apparently, I should have ramped up sooner, because I was over my goal. 25:20, but I'll do better next time when I'm feeling 100%. 

I've been reading a little on the MAF 180 and might give it a try. I don't have a heart rate monitor on my sports watch, but I know my treadmill has one. Maybe on my next treadmill one, I'll give it a shot. Hopefully we're all feeling better tomorrow so we can go for a family run again. We've acquired a bell for our stroller, so that should add an entertainment value to our run. I know I'll feel a bit silly, but hopefully it will be effective and not offensive.

Short Run After Work

It's always chaotic to get out for a run on the days I work. Especially when I'm there until 4 or 4:30pm. Hustle home (ok, not really, with babies in the backseat and stop and go rush hour traffic), feed the babies, change, stretch, etc. to try to be on the run by no later than 6pm. We just did our usual park run tonight, nothing long as we have to make it home before 7pm to get the babies to bed. Wasn't feeling totally up to par today with what seemingly feels like a head cold coming on, so I warned my husband ahead of time that I might be wimpy today. Ironically, it seems whenever I do this; set low expectations for myself, I usually end up doing pretty good. We kept what felt like  a 9' pace or so throughout and I had the stroller for most of the run, save a few weird areas (like crossing the street, etc. where my husband takes it). Today, I really wanted to throw my Nike Sportswatch on the street and stomp on it though. My husband and I usually always compare current paces and average paces (he has a Garmin). I just started using this GPS watch a few months ago and initially loved it, but now it's just showing to be a piece of junk. I think I really just need to get away from Nike products. I don't like what they stand for and really, whenever I try to contact them, they don't act like they care about their customers. Well, it is what it is for now. Until I can afford a Garmin or something of that standard, I'll have to suck it up and just learn to tolerate this watch for now. Basically, what it comes down to is, it does not respect pauses (which unfortunately and inevitably, I have to do when we street run (especially with a baby stroller), with cars that cut you off, street lights, etc.). It's nice when we run on the lakeshore or Miami trail, because I don't have to pause there and my pace is accurate and consistent with ave/current paces. It seems the Nike Sportswatch does not respect pauses and incorporates that ZERO pace into my average. Really? It wouldn't be a thing if I could manually edit pauses, etc. but Nike does not let you do that on your own. You have to contact them personally and ask them to do it, which at that point, you have to send them a bunch of information for the website, on your watch, etc. Such a hassle! As superficial as it is, as soon as I hit my 5,000km milestone on there, I may rely solely on Runkeeper (as of right now, I don't even update that site or at least not with my treadmill/speed runs). Also, my whole run it was showing a current pace of 8'50 or so (which didn't quite seem accurate), but an average pace of 9'50. My husband's average pace was 9'20 something and he's usually behind me. I usually make it to stop lights or streets before him, so I pause my watch there as well and wait for him. Anyways, enough of the complaining. Hey, it's Monday. :)
All in all, it was a great run. Really felt like we got something out of it and my husband is getting faster. Still kind of bummed we didn't get out yesterday for a trail run in Miami Woods, but it just didn't happen. Hopefully we'll make up for it this week/weekend. Maybe a road trip to a nice long trail. We've been to a trail in Kankakee, IL that runs along the river, maybe I can talk my husband into driving out there? We'll see, after all it is fathers day/weekend.

A Beautiful day for a Lakeshore Run!

Today, both my husband and I woke up a little sore, but nothing that would stop us from slipping our shoes on and heading out to our planned running spot: the lakeshore. It's an old time favorite, which I don't get to run anymore since we moved from the lakeshore (aka a few blocks from the lakeshore) and into our humble house in Logan Square. We were planning on an 8 miler today, but with our soreness, we were just going to play it by ear and let our bodies tell us when to stop. Yesterday was the first time I took the stroller back into my hands for the full (save the first 10 minutes) run and I think I had some muscle wasting while I was on my running hiatus. It's amazing how taking a short break off will effect your endurance and strength so quickly. My calves were sore this morning, but throughout my run I was mainly fine and actually felt fine afterward, so I was a bit surprised feeling them this morning.
On the lakeshore, it was absolutely gorgeous. It was really hopping! Two different races; one ending (a half marathon) and starting (a warrior dash). I've never been a competitive runner, which I guess means, I never felt motivated to sign up for any races. I have a few friends that run races, but aren't really daily or regular runners like myself. However, today, as we were kind of thrown into the mix of these races and hearing the announcers from the warrior dash give their excited cheers and speeches kind of gave me chills and really felt some kind of comradery.  If I'm not running with my husband (and the babies don't really count yet), I really enjoy the isolation of running and being able to zone into your own thoughts, etc. I guess I always saw that running in a race, you would feel stressed and pressure to really do your best and then there's the fear of failure (not getting that PR or at worst, dropping out of a race from an injury). Well, with that being said, I know my husband has it in him to want to eventually do a race. He's actually already signed up with one through his work. His pace is getting closer to mine, so I do foresee entering a race together before the summers end. We'll see.
As my ankle seems to be holding up with these longish runs, I may start to throw in my speed training (which I do on the treadmill in my house while the babies nap/sleep at night). I'll start out with just a mile at a 7' pace or so and hopefully work my way up to a 5k. I'm not too sure I can maintain a 7' or so pace the whole time, but maybe I'll try negative splits. It would be nice to get a sub 25 minute 5k under my belt. I really get tuckered out at a miles end at that pace though. Whew!
I also proposed to my husband (assuming he won't be ready) for him to come along for my next 13 miler on the lakeshore. I suggested he could run as long as he can with me and then the rest of the miles he could either hang out with the babies at a park or bring his roller blades along and skate with the babies while I was running beside them. I don't think I want to push the stroller when doing my run though, because it does slow me down and suck up  my energy and I really would like to work on my time (hoping to get a 1:55 in by the end of the summer).

After our run, we let the babies out of their confinement to roam around in the "clean" grass (you never know what is in the grass at the usual park we go to). They really loved it and our daughter, Madeline, tried to escape to the path every time we set her down (we may have a future runner on our hands?).

 Here's the babies roaming around the stroller (aka "the beast"). Evander, our son, likes to push the stroller around in the grass and also chew on the seat belts. Not quite the nature boy, as of yet. Madeline, our daughter, is off exploring (she's usually the clingy one, so it's always nice to see her independent).

Still running with my ankle wrapped, to be sure. This morning I accidentally wrapped the wrong foot, so I was running with both feet wrapped. For some reason, I thought this was hilarious.

Back in the Urban Jungle

Ankle felt ok today, a little sore and mainly that is because I completely forgot to ice, massage and roll it last night. We were planning on an easy - paced run of an hour today, so we can do a longer one (maybe 8 miles?) on Saturday on the lakeshore. It's been since my injury that we went running in the park by our house. Not exactly my favorite place to run, but it's convenient and the bigger mindset here is if the babies were to complain about being in the stroller, at least there are diversions there and as a last resort to break from our run and let them play at the playground.
Today, our run started out slow. My husband was working out some stiffness and I was honing into my ankle since I forgot to care for it last night. By 5 minutes, we were picking it up without even noticing. I was letting him take the stroller for the first 10 minutes so I could warm up. From that point on, I took the stroller and kept with it. I was scared my endurance would have diminished from the two week plus hiatus, but I was feeling pretty good. At the thirty minute mark, I was a bit drained from the wind and the stroller, but we kept each other motivated. It seemed we were keeping up a 9'40 or so pace through the majority of our run until right at that point, but we still managed to keep it under a 10' pace from what I could tell from my watch. We had a few pauses and a few detours during our run (which is somewhat inevitable when we are running through city blocks and in a fairly crowded park), but if it wasn't for those things - I think our pace would have been a little better.
I'm looking forward to our run on the lakeshore tomorrow. I really hope the weather warms up a bit I loath wearing layers, but the good thing about running with a stroller is that it can also serve as a storage device. I'm not sure if I will be doing the whole 8 miles (if we do run 8 miles tomorrow) with the stroller. My husband already agreed we can switch in 10 minute intervals, etc. Although I'm almost 100% certain the rocky, horribly uneven trail we ran on is what injured my tendon, I do believe our last 8 miler was the day before. So really, it could have been either, or a combination of both. Well, off I go to ice my tendon and shop for baby books (as our babies had chewed through most of theirs and are now obsessed with reading stories). As cheesy as this sounds and sparked by our run today being slowed down at certain points by other people in the park and on the streets (which is their right to be there as well), but to make them a bit more aware of us and perhaps the babies safety, we are purchasing a bell for our stroller. It sounds like a hilarious idea and I can't wait to ring it as we're approaching people from behind. People will be expecting a cyclist, but nope - just some crazy parent joggers with twins in tow. :)

A Nice Run is Well Worth the Wait

It seemed kind of questionable if we were going to run together today again. It was raining in the morning and gloomy the rest of the afternoon. I'd like to say I would run rain or shine, but I'm a pretty big wimp when it comes to being cold (and behind cold AND wet is a certain torture). My son was feeling better, so I stayed optimistic.

Around 3pm is when the sun started to pop out of the clouds, so we decided to head out. We had an hour run in mind and maybe an 8 miler for the weekend. My ankle was feeling great so I offered to take the stroller half of the run. My husband is still working on his endurance and I am now totally aware of the signs of my tendon flaring up, so I felt comfortable taking the stroller - if only to see how I would do. The first 30 minutes was my husband's with the stroller and the last 30 was mine. On the first half, we ran pretty slow as the stroller was taking a lot out of my husband, plus he was running against the wind. On the last half, the babies decided to melt down and we had to stop twice to let them out of the stroller. After that second time, I decided I was going to try to get to the parking lot a bit quicker so they weren't suffering. Kept up a good pace of 8'40" or so for a good bit (felt pretty good, especially with the stroller!). The babies actually did pretty good from that point on because we gave them sticks to play with. :)

Ready to Hit the Trails with the Family

Yesterday was a good run. Not quite up to par, but getting there. Figured I'd keep a comfortable pace a little below 9' and try to go for 40 minutes (30 minutes was the day prior). Baby steps. I made it to 45 minutes/5 miles. Ankle handled it really well, especially considering I was ramping up my pace in my last mile (only to an 8'30" or so). Felt good. Continued to ice and massage before bed and today felt good again.

Today is national runners day! My husband was taking the day off and my son is on the mend but still one fever spike today. So it was just me and the treadmill again. I am hoping to hit the trails again tomorrow for a longish run. We'll reassess that depending on how Van is feeling. It would be great to run again, feels like so much has thwarted us from running together for too long now. So anyway, I decided on a short run so my ankle will have no excuse tomorrow. I ramped it up towards the end of my run again. After 30 min, I really wanted to keep going and was a little peeved about that, but I stopped myself. I've been quite proud of myself for healing this injury the smart way. It gives little bites of soreness every once in awhile to just remind me to still take it easy on tonight's run. This month I WILL get that 13 miler in!

Day Two Post-Injury Run.

So, Sunday was a bust. Turned out to be a rainy day and something told me it might be fate to give my ankle another rest day after my first run. My husband and I both agreed to have a super long run after work today. Well, once I got off of work, my son spikes a 103 temp and I decided to stay at home with the babies and let my husband go running without me. It world be pure, selfish evil to take  Van out when he's not feeling well. The "fresh" air would be good for him, but being restrained and uncomfortable would not be pleasant. Plus, he's been very clingy and needs cuddles when he's feeling yucky.

Once the babies were in bed though, I decided I'd get on the treadmill and just do another "test" run to see how my ankle does. I was on my feet all day at work, so I didn't want to overdo it. Plus, I'm not sure if I'm just paranoid, but sometimes I feel a little soreness here and there.

A good thirty minute run at my usual (solo) pace of about 8'40. I was feeling good. I use the Nike sports watch, which is great for GPS. However, when I run on the treadmill, I don't wear my VFFs and wear my Nike Frees with the sensor. I feel it's quite inaccurate with the sensor - tracking me sometimes at an 8'30 and then the next minute at an 9'30 pace. The sensor is pretty well matched when I use my iPhone app; I find it to be a bit more accurate.

A thirty minute run when I'm by myself feels like I'm just getting started. i would've loved to get a long run in. i am also sad that I missed my monthly 13 miler run in May because of my injury.hopefully  this month I'll be injury free so I can get one in. 

With that being said, it felt good to get another short run under my belt, my ankle seemed to have tolerated the run well so far and I'm hoping to be running again tomorrow (where, depending on my son - hopefully he'll feel better soon. Poor little guy).

I Made it! Post-Injury Running was a Success!

Today was going to be my gauge on if I could continue my running habit or be thwarted by an injury and kept in limbo of waiting for it to heal. I woke up feeling positive (and better yet - no soreness from my ankle). I've been pretty diligent about icing it, massaging it and stretching it for the last few days (and even staying off of the elliptical and actually resting). So, with no soreness felt and with my husbands help, we placed my KT tape for peroneal tendonitis, slide on our running shoes, swept the babies up and we were on our way!

I can't explain the anticipation and nervousness I had felt on our drive to the park. I was actually scared and had butterflies in my stomach; conflicting feelings. I imagine much like the feeling you get when you are about to step off of the cliff with a bungie cord attached to you (well, probably not as extreme or dramatic - but to a lesser degree, that's what I kinda felt). Silly, I know. It was just the idea of getting on the trail and being so ready for a run, only to be turned back once I felt the slightest little pang. 

We got to our favorite park (with somewhat easy, paved trails and tolerable hills) and popped the babies in the stroller. I made sure to stretch well before my run. I usually don't stretch before my runs, as I read some where that the correlation between a decrease in injuries with stretching vs not before a run was really nothing to mention. Either way, I'll be stretching before my runs now (it doesn't hurt to stretch and it feels good/loosens you up a bit, even if mentally). We were on our way!

I felt great, no soreness at all, but I wasn't going to get excited just yet - as I know it could hit at any time during my run. However, at my fifteen minute mark, which I decided would be my halfway mark, I still felt great and was enjoying being out there too much to turn back just yet. Another five minutes won't hurt, will it? Dah, the runner in me speaks. I asked my husband if we could do another five and when I looked back, I could see the stroller taking a toll on him. Yep, it looks easy because it's on wheels, but that beast is pretty challenging. Not only with your running form, but the little added weight, the wind resistance, etc can add up. I'm pretty sure that's how I messed my tendon up (combined with the running trails we were doing).

We made it to twenty and before long, we were at our parking lot again. An amazing feeling to have overcome another running injury (so far). They sure are scary and hopefully, this one will stay away like my IT band injury has stayed away thus far. It was great being out there again, albeit slow paced (10'30") - it made my day.

A picture of my wrapped ankle (not swollen anymore as far as I can tell) and my two day old Bakilas. Still my favorite VFF's. I had bought two pairs of them at the same time last year and just when I broke out of my old ones and into these pair is when I started hurting (a coincidence, I'm sure). They feel like soft air under my feet. I may regret getting white. ;)

Peroneal Tendonitis, please go away so I can run!

So, I took a few more days off because I had woke everyday this week with soreness around my ankle. On (I guess?) a good note, I've been able to rule out that it is not my Achilles. To be honest, I think this long waiting for it to heal has also been a selfish delay, as instead of actually "resting", I was resting by doing the elliptical. I can't just sit around, I need to do something. However, my brain finally started working and I realized I need to *rest*. The last two days have been me sitting around, doing very minimal other than taking care of my twin babies. As I've said before, it's complete torture not running, doubled by the fact that my used-to-be-non-runner husband is going off running without us. I have to put on my supportive face, hide the jealousy and see him off every time he does though.
Today, my ankle feels pretty good though. I've been icing it at night, doing stretches and I even took out my old friend, the sport stick, and started rolling my right calve (as the peroneal tendon runs along the outside of the foot, below the ankle and on the outer aspect of the achilles tendon along the calve).
Tomorrow, I will test out it out. I'm nervous, but so very anxious to run. I don't want to be stupid about it, but I have to try. I bought KT tape in hopes that that will help stabilize my tendon and make it less of a potential to damage it more. Between the tendonitis and my previous IT band injury, I feel this injury is a bit more scary. I felt my IT band when I was not running, mainly sitting and once in awhile when I went up and down stairs but never when I ran. This injury, I feel it most of the time; worse in the morning, slightly when I walk and from the last time I ran - it had thwarted my stride to a hobble, for the most part. However, my last run, I was doing my speed run (7' pace) and tomorrow, I am going to take it easy - slow and steady and hopefully no hills (as from what I've read, hills and uneven terrain and damage the tendon). My husband will be the one to push the baby stroller (which I will miss), but tomorrow is about gauging my injury and not actually running. If it hurts at all, my husband and I have already agreed I will stop immediately and probably rest (no elliptical-rest) for a good week or so. I feel bad there is potential I may ruin his run, but he said we would both stop and he would just run by himself later in the day. Boo Hiss to running injuries! Crossing my fingers and toes to a pain free day tomorrow!

I Miss Running

Not having run for about a two weeks is really starting to effect me. I've always been a pretty-much-daily runner, save a little before, during and after pregnancy. The last injury that had me on hiatus was the longest I've endured; an IT band injury. That was in about 2009, when I was running 6 miles a day, plus the 3 miles or so with my husband at night when he was just starting running and doing the C25K program. I had to stop running for close to 3 months! Although, it wasn't completely void of running; I would still be running one day every 2 weeks or so, but for short runs. Now, with my husband running and running faster than he's ever ran, it's leaving me pretty jealous and depressed. The injury this time is Achilles tendonitis. Last week I noticed it after our trail run (the trail that I was complaining about the whole time that had huge hills and horrible terrain). This is my first time getting A.T. and apparently it comes with running too much, running faster or running with a lot of hills. It could be a bit of everything, but I think that with those recent trails we did with the hills, plus the baby stroller/extra weight and uneven terrain - that's probably what did it, as I'm totally not used to running that type of run.
So, after that trail run, I and in to end of last week, I was running through the soreness I felt. That's also when I noticed it was a stupid idea as the soreness soon became an actual pain (even when I wasn't running). I had taken close to a week off, then started feeling a bit better. I decided I would try a quick 10minute speed run on the treadmill instead of venturing off with my husband on the streets only to tempt fate and have my ankle start hurting 15 minutes in or so and then have to walk back and maybe even ruin his run. So, when I was running on the treadmill around a 7' pace, I was aware of a little soreness, but thought it felt ok. This is the problem with runners. We always notice some kind of subtle pain, but it seems we are trained to think pain can only be temporary if we don't think about it and to keep running. Well, I was only planning on doing 10minute so there was that encouraging me to not stop as well. What's 10 minutes? It's practically nothing. Of course, after my run was when I realized 10 minutes was enough to do some damage. I was feeling the pain again and realized I shouldn't have even gotten on the treadmill at all (let alone the rationalizing in my head of maybe I cold have ran on it but not so fast). Whether it was speed or distance, I'm sure I would have hurt myself regardless.
My ankle seems to be on the mend. It still feels a bit sore, but after some massage, it actually feels almost 100% better. I have been not icing it, as I should, but I will do that tonight and I have my fingers crossed to try a short/easy-paced run on the treadmill tomorrow. The true test is to see how my ankle feels in the morning when I wake up; as for some reason, that is when it is at it's sorest (other than when I'm actually running on it).

Get faster at 5k week, Day #1.

Today was our first day to make it to 5k in 30 minutes or less (actually, it's my husbands goal, as when I run by myself I'm around a 26 minute mile when I run at my regular pace). It was a gorgeous day, albeit a little humid, but my husband was determined. I had already started out the run with a little negativity by saying I hope that my side stitches didn't come back today. I told my husband, if they did, for him to keep running and to not hold back with me if I did have them. Thankfully, there were NO side stitches, so my energy was there. However, my ankle was being a pain, but those little hurts I usually can run through by just changing my stride, etc.
We started off great - around an 8'50 pace and pretty much kept it under a 9' pace until the 15 minute marker, where once we turned around, the wind was against us. Wind + baby stroller = no easy Sunday morning jog. But here's the more frustrating part. Throughout our whole run today (and the previous 5k training runs we've been doing), I've always ran ahead of my husband, which he allows for these "speed" runs. I was about 2 minutes ahead of him (maybe a city block and a half distance?). I did slow my pace to a 9'30 and even ended up stopping at a stop light to wait for him. Other than the stop, I had to stop at two side streets for people and their cars, an stop sign intersection as a lady in her car was not paying attention and did not let me cross, and a truck that was blocking the side walk so I had to go around him and run in the street. This, is why I hate street running. I had to pause my GPS more than a few times and because of this, I feel my GPS was probably wrong, as my husbands GPS said his average pace was a 9'36 and my GPS said my average pace was at a 9'50 (even though I was about 2 minutes ahead of him?). Well, I won't get too concerned over it, as it was technically his run/his goal.
All in all, it was a great run - felt like I was actually running and NO side stitches! Hooray. AND my husband made it to his goal; completing a 5k in 30 minutes!

From One Runner to the Next. Day #2 2,500 mile challenge.

Sunday, May 19th run:

This was day 2 of my husband and I's running for the 2,500 mile challenge. On Saturday, we made it to 8 miles and it was my husbands first time making it that far - he is officially a long distance runner! I told him there's no going back now. Today's run was not on the lakeshore, but on the outskirts of the city in a forest preserve. This trail was beautiful. Paved trails, lots of trees, streams; pure nature. The air smelled great and the morning sun was shinning. We knew it was going to be a hot and humid day, so we set out right when the babies woke us up, around 7 a.m.! We always gauge how far and how fast on my husband. The focus is on him on these runs together, because he is the one who is training his body now and getting proper running form down again. I did my re-training 4 months or so after I gave birth to twins (I gave birth in January 2012 and the last time I ran from that point, was a half marathon on the lakeshore in June 2009). So, today, my husband was a bit sore from the 8 miles from the previous day, so he was going to try to make it to 5k today (an easy paced one). We were loving our run through the forest so much with the great scenery and the NICE people, I think that motivated us to go further. At our 20 minute mark (when we usually turn around), my husband wanted to push further. He continues to surprise me. The previous years I have ran with my husband (when he started the C2k5 in 2008? and the continuing summers), he's always knew his limit and usually didn't push too much. Well now, he really loves to challenge himself and refuses to let his body tell his brain what to do. We ran another 10 minutes. We were starting to feel the humidity, but it still felt great to be out there; tired from the babies and sore from yesterday. For me, I wasn't sore at all, as I usually don't get sore unless I'm running close to a 13 miler, but a new thing I was dealing with the last two days were side stitches. I am not totally unfamiliar with them, but they are rare (along with shin splints). I usually am able to run through them, but even with my breathing techniques (and sometimes short bursts/sprints) were not making them go away completely. Thankfully, the intensity wore down around 20 minutes in to the run and I was able to breath easier and run more comfortably. We made about 6 miles and were so happy because we set out thinking this might be a short run.
The highlight of this run: on our way back, on the path ahead, we saw a "running family" coming in the opposite direction. We were all about "good mornings" and in a great mood this run, so we were getting ready to greet them. There was an older lady (I'm guessing mid-50's?), a man presumably her husband and a middle aged woman (daughter?). The lady beat us to a greeting by raising her arms up and waving them excitedly and saying out loud to us "I LOVE THIS FAMILY", as she looked at us and gave us the worlds biggest smile. One can assume, from one runner to the next, the appreciation or admiration one can feel when running through a challenge that may thwart another from running (i.e., age, babies, etc.). I was so happy to hear her comment and her sincerity that it really gave me chills while running. I really hope that I can be that person when I get to that age. To be running, to have that energy, to have that happiness and sincerity. It was truly awesome. From the "runners nod" to this exchange of "runners love" is something should keep us all running; for the betterment of ourselves and each other.

Lakeshore Path run. Day #1 of 2,500 mile challenge.

Today was a great day for a run. We got up early, packed up the babies and headed to the lakeshore with an 8 mile run as our goal for the 2, 500 mile challenge. Perfect weather, 70's and a slight breeze off of the lake. People were sparse, but the one's that were out that early in the morning on a Saturday were the type to say "good morning". We decided to just take our time with the run and pace ourselves comfortably and enjoy the scenery instead of working for speed (that we can work on in my husband's 5K's we're working on for next weekend!). Pushing the stroller was pretty easy going, but once we started hitting the smaller hills, then working against the lakefront wind, it started to become "work", but enjoyable. Once we hit the 6 mile mark, I was feeling my calves a bit, but we were determined to make it to 8. Toward the 8 mile mark, there was a split in the trail. On one side, there was a pretty decent sized hill and on the other was just flat trail that did a wide curve for a bit more distance. My husband decided he wanted to challenge himself to the hill. I decided it sounds like a great challenge, but to conserve my energy, I thought it best to take the flat side of the trail and just increase my speed (I think making it up to a 7' pace). My husband and I met up at the connecting trail at the end of his hill and curve of my flat trail. He was quite happy with himself for making it up the hill. I was pretty surprised at his energy - he was doing so good.
We turned around at this point and of course, one of the babies was very upset that we had been running this long and happy with ourselves. Whenever I have a crying or unhappy baby while running, it sometimes makes me feel like a neglectful mother to keep running. Obviously I'm running because I enjoy running, but if the baby is not enjoying it - it just seems totally selfish. Of course, I do what I can to try to calm the baby, but the real thing the baby wants is to not be restrained anymore and wants to be out running around and also enjoying this nice day. We had about 10 more minutes to get to the parking lot. I am a regular runner of half marathons, but that is solo/no baby stroller. So, even with what little energy I had, I sped my pace up a bit; leaving my husband behind (which he HATES), but babies first. Surprisingly, everytime I looked back to make sure he was ok, he wasn't too far behind me. I was only running at a 9' (sometimes 8') pace through some of it, but our usual speed together for this run was around an 11' pace. Eventually, we got to the parking lot with minimal screaming and minimal sneers from passerby's. Time to let the babies out to play in the grass in front of the lakeshore and stretch out. A great run and with 8 miles under my husbands belt, I'm hoping he might be able to run my next half marathon with me (this month?).
Also, wouldn't you know it, I was so involved with appeasing the screaming baby that I forgot to turn the GPS watch off and it tracked my time standing around and whatnot for a few minutes. Whoops. :)

Trail Fail

Tonight was a running with husband night. Last night I ran a 10k by myself on the treadmill (at night, while the babies were asleep). We had an obligation to do in the evening and it was my husbands night off, so I'm dedicating his nights off to my two goals of running a sub 25 min 5k and/or a 10k at a steady pace of 8'30 (I'm currently around an 8'50 pace on my "long" runs).
Anyways, tonight my husband suggested getting out of the city and driving up to a trail. We ran our first trail on mothers day and it was pretty difficult running through gravel and such as opposed to pavement in the city. Little dips and hills gave a comfortable challenge, but nothing too severe. Tonight's trail, however, had the_worst "terrain" at most parts. The trail was unkempt; we recently had some rain and most parts of the trail was soft mud with some parts hardened grooves and pits from bikes, shoes, etc. Then there were parts where the park district had thought it a good idea to put sand over the mud (sounds nice on the feet, but the stroller was zig-zagging and sinking - argh!). Well, I guess a trail runner should be wary of these things and expect them, but when you're pushing a 3 ft wide jogging stroller carrying two ~20lb babies, it becomes questionable if it's safe/comfortable for them.... and well, mommy isn't enjoying her run that much either. Running that way totally makes your run feel really draggy and chaotic and I like running with soft steps and easy glides. It also makes your form all wonky, I think I was heel striking a lot during this run. The babies were a bit whinny in the beginning, but they eased up about halfway into our 45min run and fell asleep probably in our last 10minutes of the run (go figure).  Maybe the bumps actually lulled them to sleep instead of jostling them uncomfortably. Did I mention it's also not the greatest to be running over big, jagged pebbles and chunky gravel in barefoot shoes? Not to mention pushing through this gravel going uphill as the stroller sinks into the gravel... phew.
BUT! I definitely am willing to run trails like this, but a little more stroller friendly to get a break from running in the concrete jungle that is Chicago. The constant stop and goes, dodging of oblivious people, running off of the paved trail in the park into the grass because the tamale vendors (or other random Hispanic food carts) take up the whole trail path, etc. Where, halfway into your run, you feel like you've inhaled tons of city dirt, gross peoples perfumes/colognes that they were to a PARK, and even though your running through a park that has some trees and grass - you know you've inhaled loads of car exhaust from the streets less than an eyes blink away.
Well, that being said, I do love running outdoors and I hope my husband can endure it once the weather gets sweltering here in Chicago once summer hits. It will be a huge challenge to me too, as we are running a bit more together, he's getting a bit faster each time. I'm sure if he keeps with it, he'll be shooting up to an 8' pace and wanting to run longer distances. Yikes! I hope I can keep up, but if I do, I'll need to build up some strength in my legs to do so. I was thinking of doing 200 squats app to get more toned.
I think I've done enough complaining for this blog entry. That's where we are; sticking to regular runs to our local park in the evening after work and venturing into the trails on the weekend. Getting a good bit of new feel on the feet is a good thing though. One thing I do have to say I love about trail running is that once the trail gets smooth (there were some parts on today's trail), that earth under your feet feels great!

Husband is getting faster

Throughout my running 'career', I never cared much about my pace. I always ran to what I was comfortable and tried to keep going as long as I could. This is what had me excited about running; is going the distance - not really how fast I could go. It wasn't until this last year, reading up on HIIT running and increasing my strength and endurance after pregnancy that I realized it was a good thing to try and challenge myself further. I've been doing a bit of it with a goal of once a month. I'm shooting for a sub 25 minute 5k and nearly there. However, now that it is summer and I run with my husband (and babies) outside, I run at his pace. In order to not lose my endurance and speed, I try to hop on the treadmill after our runs to try to put in a quick 10 minute run at my fastest though.
Today, we set out with my husbands goal: to reach 5k in 30minutes. I wasn't sure how fast I could go with the stroller (I run at my husbands pace, but it's about my comfort level with the new challenge of pushing the stroller), but I told myself that I would do it for him and knowing it would full-well benefit me as well. So I pushed and was pleasantly surprised at how natural it felt. My husband starts his runs out fast (which is around a 9' pace) and I usually try to start out a little slow and burst towards the end of my run (if even for that last mile or half mile). We kept a good pace under 10 throughout the majority of the run (the slow downs being the usual urban obstacles of stop lights, hazardous sidewalks, alleys, etc.), but I was feeling quite confident we would make it. We hit our hit our halfway point and my husband was telling me we weren't going to make it. I was running ahead of him at this point (which he usually doesn't like), but I wanted to be the marker for under a 10' pace. I would yell out to him when we went above 10'. He kept up with me, but was still lagging behind a bit and didn't want to push him too much because the last thing I wanted was for him to get ill (as the last thing he said to me before we started our run was "give me a kiss in case I die on this run and I'll leave everything I own to you" and I replied with "oh yeah, debt and dirty laundry"). :)
Well, to conclude, we didn't meet our goal, but we were only 19 seconds off from hitting 3 miles in 30minutes. It was the fastest he ever ran and he feels good about himself - and that's what matters in running. It really doesn't matter how fast or how far you go, as long as you feel that great feeling that running offers you at the end of your run. Good job babe! I love running with you (and the babies)!

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First time blog, long time runner.

So my husband told me to start blogging about my runs. I've been running since about 1999 and I love it. I started running to get fit, kept running through university (studying my nursing notes while I ran on the treadmill). Yes, it's an acquired skill to read while running. I didn't live in the best of neighborhoods in university and my classes and clinicals didn't get out until late, so there was no way I was running on the roads by myself. The treadmill became a good best friend. A lot of runners scoff at the treadmill, but it's convenient and it's the best place to get into a zone and isolate myself.
Once I graduated, I moved to the city and started working right away. I didn't like running on the urban roads (stop go, stop go, with tons of people to dodge and by the end of your run you felt like you had dirt and smoke caked in your lungs. ew.). So, I got a gym membership and kept on with my love of treadmill running. I never stopped. Until my husband moved down and I took a few months break. Soon, we moved in together in a bigger artist loft with a spare room (a room I could utilize for a workout room). The treadmill moved in and I moved on and on. Shortly thereafter, my husband wanted to start running and started the C25K program. We started running together on the streets at night. It was great. I finally had a running buddy to drag me outside and try to enjoy the feel of the road under our feet. Sure, I still didn't like it as much as the treadmill; still dirty, still noisy, still not convenient. I kept with it though! On my husband's off days, I would run down to the lakeshore and run 10's and 21k's by myself. Running by the lakeshore, I found, was BETTER than running on the treadmill.
So, we eventually moved into a house and on that same moving day, I found out I was pregnant with TWINS! One of the first things on my mind was if I could still run/workout; as this would be a huge change since I ran a 10k everyday. I was told I couldn't run anymore because of the fact that carrying twins was a high risk pregnancy. Low impact. Walking, elliptical and stairs. No fun. I missed the zoning out that running brought me and the feeling of visceral elation afterward that running gave me. Admittedly, I was quite jealous whenever I saw a runner while I was pregnant, but that was a fleeting thought as I knew I was already embarked on a bigger and better journey with pregnancy.
Once the babies were born (2 months early), they had each a medical ailment that kept them in the NICU for close to 3 months. Once they were healthy and stable at home, I gave every minute to them until about 4 months out. That's when I decided I should start giving back to my body and mind and start up my running routine again. Wow! Through pregnancy, bedrest and a few months post-preg, my body was completely useless. Running was SO hard and I felt hopeless at times with no endurance and no strength to speak of. Finally, about 8 months out from trying to extend my distance in running and HIIT running to build up my strength, I was finally able to complete my first 13 miler in February 2013 (last 13 miler being in 2011in June, right before I found out I was pregnant). Since February, I have made it my goal to try to run a 21k once a month. So far so good. Also, my husband is back to running. He currently is trying to build up his stamina and pace. We run at different paces, but I'm sure that won't be for long. He's taller and he's a male (currently running a pace of 11' to my 9'). I've always been a 9 pacer and I'm comfortable with that pace, however, I do feel once he gets faster, so will I as I'll be learning to push myself. I'd like to add that running outside with the duallie/twin running stroller is NOT easy. I call it the beast. It really makes running awkward and much more challenging. I'm getting the hang of it though and I think it's definitely making me stronger.
Well, I guess I had a lot to say, TLDR; running is fun and I won't ever stop!