Week 5 - Lots going on, including starting training again!

The last 5 weeks have FLOWN by, perhaps as evidenced by my lack of posts…

The two weeks since my last post have been filled with a lot of sleepless nights, trying to keep the house clean for showings (aka a half day’s scramble to make our house presentable!), directing the Frightening 5k, appointments, an electrical and cabinet final walk-through and the subsequent time spent pouring over the details of the plans and proposing changes, one more designer meeting, celebrating Halloween, helping host the Gustavus regional meet dinner, and planning and putting on a birthday party.

You know, not much!

Here are some highlights:

The Frightening 5k, the Northfield Halloween race I started directing last year, went really well! We had 41 participants in the 5k and about 10 kids that ran the kids race. Come join us next year!

The Mini Monster’s Dash!

Greta’s 2nd birthday party! It was so fun to watch her play and laugh along with the kids that came to celebrate with her. She is becoming her own little person.

Nate and I headed over to Carleton before the birthday party to cheer on our Gusties at the NCAA D3 Regional meet. The night before we helped host their pre-region dinner with 2 other Northfield Gustie families.

That meant I needed to have everything made, decorated and prepped before Friday afternoon, so it was a little crazy earlier that week!

Happy Birthday!

My mom gifted this beautiful quilt to use on Greta’s toddler bed when she moves into one. This picture doesn’t do it justice; it is absolutely gorgeous!

My mom also made a quilt for Greta’s dolls. Greta loves putting her dolls in a bed, covering them up, taking them out, smoothing the blanket out perfectly, laying her doll on it… you get the picture.

Greta’s expression is priceless.

Anna got a present as well. Kathy (Kathryn – the namesake behind Anna’s middle name) made this Gustie colored rag-tag quilt for her. It is so perfect!

I wonder how much GAC will cost by the time Greta and Anna are going to college. Yikes.

Halloween: I was able to go to Greta’s school Halloween party. It was fun to be able to do, but also a little frightening to have 20 green-nosed toddlers swarm around “a baby!”. Nooo – we just got over the plague, please don’t give us anything new!

Halloween at St. Olaf. Greta loves bugs. You would think that this spider would be scary for her, but no. She thought he/she was hungry so wanted to share her M&Ms.

She went as a duck to school and to St. Olaf. Later that night we went as bees and beekeepers. Even Mesa had a bee costume. Winning.

Training: At 4 weeks, I was able to try running! My dad and brother were visiting for the day so went on my first run with me. The run went great – it helped that we went slow since my dad is a 10+ minute/mile guy. I had absolutely no pain, but it was really interesting to note that I had absolutely no knee drive. Knee drive must be partially controlled by your lower abs — either that or the relaxin hormone which relaxes ligaments has effectively made my hip flexors into mush.

Before starting to run I did ~2 weeks of 30-45 minute elliptical work.

I texted Jerry with pictures of my finished workout on my Garmin after most of my workouts – I’m sure he loved seeing those random updates from me while he was vacationing in Maui. That poor guy is stuck with me for life – I love him too much and am so excited to tackle whatever crazy plan he has in store for me!

He also knows me *too* well and has really held me back so far. Nate is thankful that someone else can tell me to hold back & I’ll listen.

Aside: does this machine makes me look short? Ha.

Anna is too young for child watch at the Y, so I set her beside my elliptical or the free weights. I time my workouts right after one of her bigger feedings so that she happily naps all snug in her car seat.

Yup, I was lifting those giant weights.

First run! We ran to the new house & back – just about a mile each way.

Goals: I know I need to see how well things come back to me, but if all goes well, my longer-term goal is TCM next year. I would love to break 3:00 there.

Short term goals include:
-Being able to do 1 pull-up. I have another athlete of mine who also has this goal so we are racing each other to completion. Any other TNC’er want in on the competition? Nate, NO, you cannot join.

-Abs that are connected again!

-Feeling fit and strong again. This breaks every S.M.A.R.T. goal principal out there – it isn’t measurable, there is no timeline… but it’s a big goal of mine nonetheless. Anyone else out there that loves that fit and strong feeling?

-Sub-19 in the 5k by the end of indoor track season or early outdoor track.

-Sub 1:25 in the 1/2 marathon by summer. Because you have to run sub 1:25 before you can run sub 3, right, Michelle? 🙂

Out There goals:

Nate has also planted a seed: what about moving up to the ultra distance at some point (soon-ish)? I know I am more competitive the longer the distance (hello, PRs of 1:19 for a half vs. 2:44 full) and honestly love putting in high mileage. I’m also very durable, which helps. I just need to put some miles on trails so I can run them with confidence. Right now I have zero faith in my feet/legs keeping me upright if I’m running on anything other than crushed gravel.

I’ll have to see what Jerry says. I’ll wait a good 6+ months to bring it up with any seriousness.

And… there is a big part of me that wonders if I could break 2:50 at TCM. That’s my Dream Big goal!

Maternity Leave: I go back to work next Monday. In one way, I’m excited. I am a better mom when I’m working. I love achieving things, routine, and “my time”. On the other hand, these 6 weeks have FLOWN by.

I’m hoping she will start to string together longer and longer nights… otherwise working might be even more of a challenge.

You forget how much time a newborn requires. Yeah, all they do is eat, sleep, and poop — but wow. How is it possible that can take up an entire day? Oh, veeeryyyy possible.

Anna is growing up fast! In one way I love that I’ve been so busy with fun things on maternity leave, but on the other hand, I wish things would have been less busy so I would have had more time just to hold and stare at her.

It’s probably also a second child thing; I’m not able to devote all of my attention to her because there’s a gregarious toddler who wants/needs my attention too.

Family time!

Alright, I need to pack up a kiddo and myself to go to the Y for a 5 mile run and a short easy lifting session!

Your turn:

-Any other women return to running after a C-section or natural birth that have had trouble with their hip flexor strength? If so, any tips?

-Are you racing on Thanksgiving? Where?

My dad and I are running at Marshall’s Gobble Wobble. He made a promise after exiting treatment that if I could stay healthy and sober for a year, he would do a 5k. Since I’m almost at day 500 (!), he is stuck doing his second 5k with me! I couldn’t think of a better reward – well, other than the absolute happiness sobriety has brought me.

-Do you have your own “Jerry”? If so, how did you find him/her? Or – are you able to self-coach?
I was given Jerry’s phone number via a coworker at RWSC that kept pestering me about getting a coach. Jerry was the retired HS XC coach in Red Wing. Neither of us were sure about the proposition at first… the rest is history!

-What are your short term and long term goals? Your Dream Big goals?

Until next time,
Run happy!
~N