Pregnancy Weeks 14-15

Weeks 14-15: Actually training again! Plus, baby’s first win!

The great:

I’m feeling so much more normal now!

In terms of training, Chris is now allowing me to do a little more, both in terms of mileage and intensity.

I had my first “harder” workout Thursday, which was ~9 miles, taking the hills hard, downhills easy. I ran with Craig and we ventured over to St. Olaf campus to run their hills. I literally had a smile on my face the ENTIRE time. This was the first time that I’ve been able to make the lungs “burn” (relative!) since becoming pregnant, and I ate it up!! 🙂

I also realized how much you have to *want* to compete, *want* the hurt! Another realization was how much I’ll have to WORK for a OTQ post-baby. There is a huge difference between fit and OTQ-hopeful fit/fast. Likely, impossible, I was thinking as I was crawling up those hills… but it will be SO FUN to try!!!

So, I will keep smiling :).

Gustavus Alumni Meet:

This is always a highlight of the year. I have always done the 5k and the Alumni mile, but this year opted just for the Alumni mile.

Other than the hill fartlek workout Thursday, I haven’t moved fast for months. I had no idea what I could run a mile in. I think previously I’ve done it around 5:20ish? (After a sub-18 5k ~15 minutes before)

14 weeks, in my new TNC gear

I wore a HR monitor, and allowed myself to “race” up to 185 bpm (20 bpm below max). I started at the back of the pack, but found myself moving up to the top group of 6 fairly quickly. You can take the speed out of me, but you can NOT take the race mentality!!!

Officially, I finished 2nd in 6:39. My slowest mile ever! I am proud to have kept it under control, and even more proud to have run it despite knowing that I’d be so far from my top performance. Typically that’s hard for type-A women to accept!

Faribault “Run for Pancakes” 5k/10k race: 

Baby’s first WIN!!! 24:xx on the Faribault Nature Center trails, after a good downpour. I had a lot of fun with the guys around me, and again, I was smiling the entire time. I am so lucky to be able to run!!!

It was my slowest 5k ever (I’m sensing a pattern?), but after the initial shock of seeing the time, I quickly got over it. My job now is to grow a healthy baby and to remain relatively fit. Times don’t mean anything now. [I constantly have to tell myself this… it’s tough for a competitive athlete to not be remotely close to “what used to be”]

TNC won big!!! Real maple syrup!

The good:

My legs are finally at that “We are really tired” stage. It feels like I’m training again! It makes me so happy to feel that again 🙂 🙂 🙂

My stomach is starting to show! It’s a little scary, but awesome at the same time.

Beginning of 14 weeks. There is about 1 inch in between my rib cage and hips… so this baby has no where to grow but out!

The bad:

Nothing bad to report! If I felt like this for the rest of my pregnancy, I would be ecstatic. Obviously, I know I won’t, but I will take it for now!


Weight:
120.8 at week 14 (+.8)
121.0 at week 15 (+1)


Mileage:

50 miles is the goal for week 15!! 1 hill fartlek workout, one “race” mile, one “race” 5k, and long runs of about 10 miles.