Pain in the knee + barfing + Toddler arrival

My blog suffers from (enjoys? depends on your points of view, I guess!) multiple personality syndrome. I love to talk about my running but I also happen to love talking about my wacko kids. If I were a Varsity blogger I would probably focus completely on one or the other - or write TWO separate blogs - but I am very much on the JV squad.

So, first, the  knee. The Eastern States 20 was maybe the best race and worst race I've done. It was the best for the following reasons:

• I ran the entire distance with a great friend
• I got to the place where I really hated it.... and then got through it and finished strong
• I ran at a pace that was respectable
• It was an explosion of gorgeousness, from the weather to the views of the Atlantic & incredible homes along the way

It was the worst for the following reason:

• My body was not ready to run 20  miles.

Everything from my waist up was in great shape. Cardiovascular-ly  I was totally solid and could have run on forever. But the lower half was just not ready for the kind of beating I gave it. I am thinking that I have runner's knee AND Dead Butt Syndrome. (It's a thing. Trust me.) I have been trying to be better about strength training and stretching this week to assuage those things. I have also only run about 5 miles all week, which makes me shudder in shame, but I've definitely felt the effects of laying off the miles: good for my body, if not for my mind.

The non-running has actually been not so hard to manage because of another big event at our house this week: barfing. It started with Gabriel on Tuesday night. And it hit poor Tom at school on Thursday afternoon. So far, the rest of us have not suffered from it. Knock wood, it's been long enough that I think we are in the clear. The active care for the barfing really puts the kibosh on ones desire to pop out of bed at 5 for a 3 or 5 mile run. So, thank you, horrendous stomach bug, for helping my body recover from that wonderful, terrible race.

Finally, it happened yesterday. Gabriel, my 11-and-a-half month old nugget, became a toddler. He is (mostly) choosing to get from Point A to Point B as a  biped as opposed to a quadraped. Is there anything cuter than a newly walking kiddo? They always look like they've head about 4 or 5 too many cocktails. So far we have not had any disastrous spills, though a few bruises might be spotted on his noggin if one looked carefully.

The other momentous event yesterday is his parroting. Elliott & Tommy were playing and Elliott was saying (loudly, musically, dramatically and repeatedly) "DUN-DUN-DUUUUHHHHNN". Gabe was playing across the room from them and he would mimic Elliott with a sweet, singing duh-duh-duh every time. I asked Elliott to change to different easy sounds and sure enough, anything Elliott said, Gabe tried to copy. 

It's time to get rid of the bottles. It's time to stop cursing around all three kids, not just the oldest two. It's time to batten down the hatches.

Toddlerhood is here!

Eastern States 20: Race Report

As I sit here on Sunday evening, I am icing my knee and my foot. And switching over to my hip and my hamstring, just above me knee. All on my right side. They are all completely screeeeeaming at me tonight. That's because I ran the Eastern States 20 today with the amazing Lauren, who is barely back to running after breaking a bone in her shoulder. Ouch.

So, the race was, in the end, pretty ouchie, but it was overall, very awesome.

Lauren picked me up at 6AM this morning and we made the trek down to Hampton Beach. At that early hour one might think it would have been a quiet ride, but of course we were gabbing and laughing the whole way. She had her GPS off and counted on my keen sense of direction to get us where we were going. (I actually had a paper print out of the directions.... Just like the Pilgrims used when THEY ran Eastern States!) 

We arrived in time utilize the portopotty in the parking lot (we over-hydrated on the way down to compensate for under-hydrating on Saturday. Not a useful move but a pretty natural one, I guess!) and  catch the first bus to Portsmouth High School. When we got there, it was pretty quiet and they were not set up for registration yet. It was about 8AM. The gun was set to go off at 11AM.


So, ummm, maybe we didn't need to leave QUITE so early for the bus.

Before

Anyway, being us, we chattered happily and commented freely on the situations that arose around us. We also ate some bananas and bagels and whatnot to fuel us. (The start time of 11AM is a tough one for runners fueling-wise. They start then to mimic the Boston Marathon start time because many, many of the runners use it as their final long run before the marathon. Now Boston starts at 10, but I guess Eastern States hasn't quite caught up to that new time.)

After awhile some of Lauren's Vermont pals arrived. Kristin, "Mitch" (his real name is Marty, but I kept forgetting and referring to him as Mitch, so I'm going to go with it), Abby (who Lauren was meeting for the first time, too) and another fellow whose name (eek!) I can't recall this second. They were kind enough to offer us a table near them and so we moved ourselves over and I had the chance to listen in on the chatter of some SERIOUSLY hard core runners and triathletes. For. Real. These folks do NOT mess around. On top of it, they are incredibly friendly, even to mortals such as myself, and it was great to be in their aura, even if none of their speediness immediately rubbed off on me.

This brings me to another point. (When, oh, when is the darn race gonna start, you wonder!?  I know, I'm getting there!) Eastern States is not a race for casual runners. This is not your local 5 or 10K where people just decide to hop in at the last minute for a fun time with their pals. I looked around that cafeteria and was struck by the fact that I, a fairly fit and capable gal, was probably one of the LEAST fit people in the room. We are talking about flat abs, amazing calves, quads of steel... Whew. I couldn't decide if I felt more inspired or depressed about the whole thing. I'm going with inspired. Also, I'm going with the fact that I need to hang out in crowds such as this much more often. Keeps me humble!

After 6,542 trips to the ladies room, the race began. (Ten minutes late, by the way, because apparently the police didn't put it on the calendars. WHAT!?) The day was absolutely perfect. Just about 40 degrees at the start  but the sun was warm and glorious. We all had long conversations about what to wear and I came down with capris, compression socks, a long-sleeve technical tee, Run Like a Mother tank over top, light gloves and a hat with visor. I think I chose very wisely. Lauren had on a similar get up plus a windbreaker, which she regretted by mile 3. Live and learn. (Or don't... as Lauren is ALWAYS saying that she over dresses but continues to do so anyway.)

Because of her recent injury and my recent I-will-be-in-denial-about-this-20-mile-race-because-Lauren-is-injured mental breakdown, neither of us was prepared to go great guns for this race. I had said to her that if I went any faster than 9:30s before 15 miles I was sure my wheels would come off. Of course, we were going faster than 9:30s right away. It was hard not to because the day was so gorgeous and the terrain was (Angel choir: AAHHHH) almost completely flat. The few 'hills' we faced were sort of a treat, mixing things up a bit. It was nice to feel strong on them and pass a few people who needed to walk. As much as I curse the constant up and down of running in my neighborhood, it sure benefits me on days like this.

Mostly we kept to about a 9:15 pace. I was regretting that I had not pee'd 6,543 times, as I needed to go to the bathroom immediately at the start. D'oh. I knew their were portopotties where the 1/2 marathon started, so I just had to hold on till mile 6.9. And I did. We made an awkward (possibly illegal) cut through some snow to the bathrooms and as we did, I knew that my right side was officially talking to me. The talk was, basically, "Heh heh. You think you're running 20 miles today, Lady? You are hilarious."

After the bathroom break we hopped back on course and things stayed mostly at bay. We talked and talked and laughed and laughed and enjoyed this truly beautiful race course. SO much ocean. SO many amazing homes. At mile 10 we sang (loudly and obnoxiously) the first verse and chorus of Livin' on a Prayer because, "Oh, we (were) half way there... ooh, oh!...) We got surprisingly few disgruntled looks, mostly because the field had thinned out a good deal by then.

In case you were wondering or unsure, 20 miles, no matter how pretty the course and glorious the weather, or off key your hair band tribute, will always be sort of a long way to go.

Things got pretty interesting for both of us when we hit Hampton, the town where we parked the car... though not the finish line. The cruel joke about this race is that the finish line is about 3 miles from where the after party is... also three miles from your car. So you have to go past the people who are already finished and enjoying themselves (blessedly they are inside the ballroom of the hotel so you can't actually see them eating delicious soup and M and Ms...). It seemed forever until we passed it and hit the final water station. By that point neither of us could deny that we were hurting cookies.

But, we were just a 5K from the finish. So, we imagined the distances we had left in relation to where they would be from our houses. "Just from my house to the lake" and that kind of thing. There is a bridge that takes you into Massachusetts and this feels like it should the end. But it's not. It is a verrry long 2 miles (or so) from there. And it's pretty much a straight shot so you can see a long way off. It's one of those situations where you swear you must be on a treadmill because nothing feels like it's getting any closer. Gah!

Finally, we reached mile 19 and I had had enough. I hurt. I wanted to be done. And I knew that going faster was not really going to hurt my body any more. Cardiovascular-wise  I felt fantastic. So, I picked up the pace a bit. And then a bit more. Lauren, who was wearing a Garmin, finally said, "Hey, (expletive deleted), you know you are speeding way up, right?" But, of course, she came right along with me and agreed, best to get this whole darn thing OVER with!

Just when I was praying my entire right leg would just fall off my body for some sweet relief, we reached the turn off and the finish line. We did it in about 3:07, 9:21 pace. We were a bit broken (me more than Lauren) but very pleased with our finish. (For comparison, Lauren has done this race a bunch of times and last year ran it at 8:00 pace. Wowza!) We started in the middle of the pack and pretty much passed people the entire route, with almost no one passing us. We weren't being aggressive but it was good to know we ran a smart race. In fact, after the last bridge I spied a woman in a bright pink jacket fairly far in the distance and I got in my mind that we should shoot for passing.... About 200 meters before the finish, we did!

I am such a Tool. Lauren is classy, as always.

We took a few minutes for a photo at the finish and for a look at the beach. A very kind Mom with a very adorable toddler offered to get a photo of us. Then we hobbled to the bus for our bags and over to another bus for the ride to the hotel.

Strong. And finished!

We both had some great veggie minestrone soup and indulged in a Coke and peanut M and Ms. Best. Tasting. Food. Ever. (If you've ever done a race of this length or longer, you know what I'm talking about!)

We ran into Kristin, Abby, "Mitch" and The Other Lovely Gentleman Who's Name I am Forgetting. They each had a good day, to say the least: Mitch PR'd this race by 10 minutes, Kristin came in 3rd for women, and Abby came in 2nd for women. (WHAT!?! Toldja they was fast fast fast!)

A quick change in the bathroom (man, a shower would have been nice!) and a walk back to the car and we were on our way back to real life.

We had a great time getting an OK time at this race. The company is everything. And amazing weather doesn't hurt, either.

I'll have to let you know if I can walk in the morning. The jury is still out on that!

Official Results:

Time: 3:07:43  

Pace: 9:23  

Overall: 282 of 444 total runners

Age group (all females up to 39): 65 of 119 

Gender place: 111 of 215                                                
 

Back Bay 5K

On Saturday morning I headed down the road to Abenaki Ski Area to fun the Back Bay 5K. This is a race to support the area youth hockey league. It was also a fund/food raiser for the local food pantry, Life Ministries, which is housed out of my church's outreach building and is just straight-up good for the world. I was happy to run a race that was near my house, pretty short, and which benefited people I actually know and care about.

This race, by the way, was the last one I ran (at 14 weeks pregnant) before my back went totally wacky last fall. I ran a 27:27 then and I knew that anything in that range would be a disaster. It's a beautiful cross country course with exceptional hills... but there was no way I was going to allow myself to run slower than I did 14 weeks into my pregnancy!

The morning was gorgeous but COLD! My only capris were in the laundry and I really didn't want to wear 'swishy' pants, so I put on a pair of cotton leggings, better suited for yoga. What the heck. It was just a quick 5K so I wasn't too worried about it.

What a dreadful self-portrait, but I remembered to bring Polly and I wanted to prove it!

This was also my first race with my fancy schmancy iPhone. I was happy to find that the ski area/skating rink had wifi so I could download a new podcast before the race started - didn't realize that I hadn't downloaded more when I first subscribed to my chosen podcasts. (Which include Another Mother Runner radio, Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, The Moth, TED Talks, This American Life, Judge John Hodgman, and Slate's Political Gabfest. I can't stop downloading!! So much to hear, so little time!). And yes, I know I should race with music but I haven't had the inclination to spend any money in the itunes store yet so I'm sticking with free for now!

I used the MapMyRun app to time my race, but I didn't hit "stop" properly, apparently, because when I got home the timer was still going. D'oh!

My friend ,Sandi, and her 3 boys ran the mile Fun Run. This is 3-year-old Reid, who was one of my little daycare dudes last year. His was more of a 1 mile "Carry Me Mom" but he did win an award for being the youngest participant. I hope he gave it to his mom!

The starting line. You can see my yellow shirt in toward the back. 

I knew it would be a small race and at the starting line that was confirmed. The woman standing next to me said, "Are you Phoebe?" Lo and behold, it was Kara Jacobs, one of my husband's co-workers who is also the cross country and track coach and (notably) super fast. We chatted briefly and it nice to finally meet her for real since I see her in the paper for races and hear about her from my husband from time-to-time.

When the 'gun' went off, Kara, her friend Liz and few other guys and gals were just plain GONZO. Eek. I didn't panic and picked my way past quite a few people along the first few hills. My Map My Run lady was very friendly and I was quite happy with her when she told me at 1-mile that I was at a 7:40 pace. Woo! On those hills that was something else! Something went screwy at about that time and the "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" podcast just went dead. I spent about :30 trying to futz with the phone as I ran so I'd have something other than my labored breathing and mucus membranes to listen to... but it just wasn't happening. Oh well.

It's an out and back course so I could see the few guys and along with Kara and Liz ahead of me as I approached 1.5. The dirty trick of this course is that the turn around is a looooonggg hill back to mile 2. It's not the steepest section but it's by no means subtle so it's a bit disconcerting seeing the people behind you running easily down the hill as you are killing yourself on the way back up. I was certain the people behind me were going to catch up but no one passed me. 

I don't remember my split times from mile 2 or 3 (though I know Map My Run thought I hit mile 3 well before the race thought I did!) but I  know they were also under 8:00. I was psyched!

The busiest man in Local Sports (Josh Spaulding) covered the event and caught me heading toward the finish. That smile is genuine... the finish is all down hill, baby!

So, the results are thus:

Overall: 11/60
Females: 3/31
Time: 24:52
Pace: 8:01

GAH! Still not under 8:00 pace but had it been a flat course I would have KILLED that elusive 7:59. Oh well. A fun race.

And oh. Don't wear light grey cotton leggings to a race if you are a mother of 3. Trust me. Just. Trust me.

(As a point of reference, this is me finishing this race last year 14 weeks pregnant . Where did the time go? I wait. I know exactly where it went!!)

Tuftonboro 5K

Saturday morning... after a week with exactly ZERO training runs, thanks to Gabe a.k.a. Screamy McScreamerson... I did the Tuftonboro 5K. I knew it would be a small race as it is a small town and the very first time for this event. From the Facebook page I knew I would see many of my friends and acquaintances from around town there so I was looking forward to it, despite my total lack of training for the week. 

I didn't have a time goal because I haven't run a 5K without the stroller.

The highlights (or low lights, as the case may be) were:

• I, at long last, got to run with Heather, a Badass Mother Runner who also happens to be the Town Clerk. I fell into step with her around mile 1 and we kept each other company for the rest of the course. She's a rock star and had enough in her tank to crush the last .25 or so. It was great to see her finish so strong!
• My legs were total junk. This stems from lack of training last week off the 1/2 marathon, shoes that are far past their point of usefulness, and some serious-ass hills on the course.
• Scott drove the course with the boys so I got a high five from each of them at one point and another "Go, Mom!" with about a mile to go. Always great to have my people along the road for me.
• I came in 7th overall! (Toldja it was a small race!)

Here are my stats:

7 (overall) 

3/13 (age group) 

24:54 (finish time) 

8:02 (pace)

Great little race and I hope they make it a tradition. Sure nice to leave your house for a race and be back within the hour, race complete!

Funnies I Forgot

I knew I forgot to report a bunch of amusing pieces of the half marathon in yesterday's post. As I was trying to get back to sleep at 3AM this morning, I remembered a few:

Mile 7 Request... or Demand

A few years ago I ran a half marathon with Megan. It was super hilly and had an afternoon start which made figuring out what and when to eat before the race really tough. Oh, and it was her first road race EVER. All of these things conspired to make it a pretty enourmous challenge for her. Along for the run was Megan's friend, Rebecca. In an effort to 'inspire' ourselves (or maybe annoy ourselves enough that we would get to the finish line just to be away from us!) we would sing random songs. Loudly. And badly. At about mile 6.5, we started in with "Living on a Prayer", you know, because we were "half way there.. whoooaaah, livin' on a prayer." We amused ourselves quite a bit and now I find myself thinking of that song when I am half way through many of my runs, whether it's in a race or just a training run.

But see Jon, it actually DOES make a difference if we make it or not. (He's SO much cuter now than then, isn't he?)

So, at the water stop at mile 7 I told the volunteers there they ought to serenade the runners with "Livin' on a Prayer." And then I started singing it. Loudly. And badly. I got several amused, but MANY confused responses as I trotted off. I'm guessing they didn't sing that song to anyone... but maybe they did. A girl can dream.

Mile 9 Psych Out

All along the course the mile markers were fantastic. Nice big signs on the left hand side of the road with enormous numbers letting you know how far you have come. Some races, I swear, try to keep you guessing.  Because I kept hitting the 'lap' button on my watch, I never saw anything past 8:45 on the watch, which was pretty cool for my simple brain. I would glance down at the watch and know instantly about how many minutes I had before I would see a mile sign. After mile 8 I glanced at my watch and saw 5:something. Then I glanced up and saw a big, wonderful 9 on the side of the road. "What's that now!?" I knew I hadn't gone a whole mile in that time but I started hoping that the 8 mile mark was a little off and maybe I was going a bit faster than I thought. So maybe... MAYBE... I really was at the 9 mile mark. As I got closer I realized the mile marker sign was yellow. The others were white. As I got closer still I noticed that the mile marker sign had a bunch of extra writing on it.The others merely said "Mile X". As I got within 10 yards or so I read the sign:

State Vehicle Inspection

9

2013

Yeah. I was running by an auto shop that was letting people know they could do safety and emissions inspections and the current stickers would get you through September - ninth month - 2013.

Big fat bummer. But, again, highly amusing!

Mile 10 Water Stop. 

At this point the race is just plain HARD. There's still a good chunk of race left so you can't help but think about how much could still go wrong in the final 3.1. So, anything that can distract you from the drudgery ahead is good. I had this happen in the form of a nip bottle of Jack Daniels.

It's not just for breakfast anymore.

It was lying on the ground about 20 yards after the water stop. In my head it went like this: One of the faster ladies gets mile 10 and decides, "Screw it. This Gatorade needs a little more kick!" And then she cracks open the bottle, pours it in to the cup, and chug-a-lugs.

Maybe it's just me but that vision, and imagining the consequences of such a decision, amused me almost all the way to mile 11.

Okay. Enough looking back. I'm already a day behind for the race I did YESTERDAY, so FORWARD! Happy running!

ZOOMA Cape Cod race report... LATE!

(My apologies to Megan in advance because she will immediately recognize that I failed to share the enormity of the laughs and silliness that ensued for us from the moment she got in my car until I dropped her off at home late Saturday afternoon. I wish I could do the trip justice, but at this point, I just want to get ANYTHING written on this blog!!)

Last Friday night, after many days of stress and lists and planning and stress and cleaning and stress, I took a night and day away from my family to run the ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon in Falmouth, MA... which is on Cape Cod. My dear friend and fellow Mother Runner, Megan joined me on the adventure and (spoiler alert!) it was AWESOME.

Originally, Scott & my boys were going to make the trip down, stay at my in-laws Friday night (while I stayed at the hotel), watch the race and then we would all stay one more night at my in-laws Saturday till Sunday. But... as the calendar crept up on the date, Scott's work life calendar began to get crazier and crazier and it became obvious that he wasn't going to be able to pass off all of the responsibilities for those 24 - 28 hours on other people. 

Next, the plan was that my in-laws would come up from Cape Cod (ironically) and stay with Tommy and Elliott while Scott worked, I would take Gabe with Megan and me to the race, and some generous friends would watch the baby while I ran. About a week before the race, though, I got thinking about how STRESSED OUT I was about leaving the boys, and how that stress was nothing compared to the stress I was feeling about dragging a 5-month-old to what was (theoretically, anyway) a fun weekend race/road trip. I decided that if my husband and in-laws were willing, the baby was going to stay home.

I must say: Best.Decision.Ever.

Enough back story. 

We arrived at the lovely hotel (the parking lot of which was literally the start and finish line for the race - BONUS!) at 8PM, a.k.a after packet pick up ended. Thankfully the lovely and talented Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell were there representing Another Mother Runner at the expo and agreed to get our stuff for us. (No race day packet pick up). After ALMOST signing in as and taking the room of Christine Van Horn of Maryland (all we "Vans" are the same, right?) we met a very tired Sarah and Dimity in the lobby. Sarah was speechless. Literally. Total laryngitis going on. She was a trooper though and kept her promise to go out to dinner with us... until I said, "Hey, you feel like crap. You really shouldn't go out to dinner with us," which is what she was hoping I would say! As fate would have it, she and Dimity could not take advantage of the hotel's room service (because it didn't have any!) and so we caught up with them at the restaurant there anyway. 

This was my first time meeting Dimity in person and Megan had never met either of them. Like most things Mother Runner, there was no awkward "getting to know you" time and we laughed and talked (or sign-language'd, as the case may have been) and generally had a great time.

Dimity and I enjoyed a Blue Moon and pizza. Perfect pre-race hydration/fueling plan! 

We were all off to bed at the very reasonable hour of 10PM. Megan set her phone alarm for 5:30 so we would have time to eat a little something and let it digest before the 7:30 gun time. My first full night of sleep in 5 months? PRICELESS!

Pre-race. Feeling good!

Race morning was perfect for runners. Cool (50s) and cloudy. There were only about 500 runners in the 10K and half so no chaos or jostling about finding your way to the starting line. In addition, though this race wasn't closed to men, there were very few of them... I guess "Zooma Women's Race Series" doesn't scream out to guys "run me!" The vibe was very supportive and upbeat. At the very last minute, I decided to throw our a prediction of my finish time, which I had not given much thought to up until that moment. I guesstimated 1:55:00, thinking that 1:43 was my PR and it would be a good idea to add at least 12 minutes given my post-partum-ness and my severe lack of training in the final weeks before the race. (You may have noticed I haven't posted? It's for the same reasons I haven't been running: between Gabriel's nighttime scream-a-thons and my new job and my church obligations and Elliott and I being in "Gypsy"... well, time slips away, blogs don't get written and early morning runs are just not in the cards!)

The course had almost constant rolling hills. Nothing terribly steep but each of them pretty much running right into the next. I was happy to have trained on the mountains/hills of New Hampshire because I was ready for it.

Being me, I greeted every car with a wave and thanked all of the spectators, race volunteers and officials along the way. I had Polly (my "Fight Like A Girl" boxing glove) pinned to me and each time I went by the guy I assumed (correctly) was the official photographer, I held onto her and gave him my best fighting face. I may even buy those pics, they are so funny!

Dimity was on the course taking photos and grabbed this one of me, which is a rare look at me NOT being an ass for the camera. I was feeling good and it shows, I think!

I was surprisingly comfortable through out the miles. I hit my watch at each mile marker and psychologically that helped me a lot: I could glance down and know - about - how far I was from the next mile and I didn't have to look and see "oh, god, I've already been going for an hour and a half and it's still NOT OVER!" To hit my guess of 1:55 I knew my splits had to be 8:45-ish. My fastest mile was 8:00 and my slowest was 8:44... so I was much better than my predicted time - COOL!

Megan caught me at the finish....

Feeling good, all things considered! 

Megan rocked her 10K and we both made our most important goal of all: a glass of wine in our hands by 9:30AM. Now THAT's a good Saturday!

A privilege to hang with the Original Mother Runners! How many lives have these two changed? Countless! With mine at the top of the list!

 Post race was a blast, as you may have seen from the pictures. There was a great cover band with handsome young guys all dressed in snazzy black suits. We got in line on the beach, glasses of wine in hand, for a massage. SO good! We used out vouchers for the free lunch. We wandered about the expo, trying new things to drink and entering raffles that we will never win... And generally beaming at the other runners who were just as happy as we were for our collective lots in life. I started to miss my boys as I watched the other Mother Runners getting enthusiastic greetings from their little darlings... but I still knew I had made the right call!

On our way back to the room for showers we heard the announcer say, "And finishing now, all the way from Maryland, Christine Van Horn!" Too funny, we thought, that we happened to catch the runner whose room we almost stole. Being us, we of course went over to the finish line and told her the whole story, which seems lame now but was hilarious at the time. (Thankfully she saw the humor in it, too!)

After showers and checking out of our room (a couple of minutes late, but not bad, really!) we headed back to the expo for a little more schmooze time. That was when Megan cocked her head, looked at the band and said, "Ummm, I know the guitar player." Pretty random, huh!? He did theater with her back in the '90s. Soon enough he looked up and recognized her, too. They had a chance to catch up during a break in the music. Gotta love the small, small world we live in!

Dude on the left. I think his name was Justin. Anyway, Meg knew him. Funny stuff. Also, I can apparently always predict when a band is about to play "Living on a Prayer".

Eventually the expo ended and we realized we had to go home to our children and husbands... but we were totally ready after having such a great experience. 

One of the greatest things about this race is the website. They post the results AND you get a link to a video clip of your finish! Had I known the camera was there I totally would  have played to it. You can hear me give the guy credit for coming pretty close to saying my name correctly.

http://results.bazumedia.com/athlete/index/e/2071292

Race results: 

Chip time: 1:50:26

Overall: 39 of 246

Gender: 33 of 232

Age group (35-39): 5 of 62

Pace: 8:26

So, faster than my marathon pace, at least! And a great great great great GREAT "back from baby" race.

See you next year, ZOOMA Cape Cod!

I WIN... with an asterisk

 

On Saturday morning Gabriel and I headed out for a 5K. It was a cloudy, cool-ish morning and a flat course. A perfect scenario for a Mother Runner and her Stroller Dude. Once again I lucked out by having friends with cameras at the race. Here's my morning in photos, thanks to Karen and Josh!!



This is the race I ran.

 



My friend (she's having a baby in January!) Mandy was the race director. She's pretty awesome....



This is a pre-race photo of Karen, Megan and Jess. I think this may be the most gorgeous picture of anyone ever. Aren't they beautiful?

 

This is Gabe and me near the finish. It was a cloudy day so I didn't give him added sun protection/block his view with a blanket draped in front. BIG mistake. He wasn't happy. BUT, he didn't flat-out SCREAM either, so I'm only like the 3rd worst mother in the world, not the Top Vote Getter.

This is my friend, John. His wife is Mandy, the race director heavy-with-child. He would have finished ahead of me but he's busy with CrossFit and being very well-rounded. (That sounds supremely sarcastic but it's actually not.) He's going to be a great dad.

Megan and Karen both had fantastic races, both achieving elusive PRs... Karen triumphant at last over that 30:00 barrier! Great work, Ladies!!

 

I know Jim and Priscilla Adams from theater. They did this walk in honor of her brother, Tim, who is recovering from an aneurysm. They are pretty hilarious.  

Post-race banana and boob session.

What's this??

 

I won my age group!? (And was really meek and shy about it, clearly.)



And like any good Olympian, I took a bite. Man, NBC is glad that most Olympians brush their hair before the medal ceremonies! Puurrrrrty!

 

The asterisk I mention in the title to all of this is that I DID win my age group, but the overall female winner was in my age group... so I was the 2nd woman between 30 and 39 to finish. Also, the woman who won the 60-69 age group finished 2 minutes ahead of me. Wowza!

 

So, here's the real scoop

 

42 out of  131 finishers

2 out of 17 age group*

24:45 

7:59 pace (woo-hoo! under 8:00s!!)

 

Breaking the Rules: Alton Old Home Day 5K

Saturday morning's weather was forecasted as "iffy, at best". We have been having very humid, tumultuous days. You just never knew if there would be a 5 minute downpour, a 2 hour soaking, a long, hot, sunny spell or a serious thunderstorm. So, my decision to race the Alton Old Home Day 5K (results) was one I knew I had to make last minute.

Thankfully the day dawn humid-but-precipitation-free so Gabriel and I headed to Alton, about 20 minutes south of where we live. I knew it wouldn't be an enormous crowd and I was right: the field was 219. This was really only my second 5K ever (if you don't count the one I did as an 18-year-old or in the handful of cross country races I ran my sophomore year of college - which I don't!) And I knew running with the stroller provided me with a bit of a challenge AND a good excuse if my wheels fell off.... figuratively speaking, of course. The wheels on the stroller were secure.

Just after the start. Note the walky-ness of my stride.

I didn't want to be "that person" so I started near the back of the pack. I wanted to have some space in case I felt compelled to pass people. That happened pretty quickly since the course began on a short but not insignificant uphill. I gave people a wide birth and only came upon two moments of "eek".

1. A young kid (10 or 11 would be my guess) was doing the typical kid thing and sprinting like a maniac!Then walking.... Sprinting like a maniac! Then walking. He was not terribly in tune with the world around him and he almost wandered (while walking) right into the path of the stroller. I just said, "on your left, friend" and he was fine.

2. At about mile one, a woman about my age (again, a huge guess) was sounding like she was going to drop of a heart attack. Her breathing was so heavy and labored I was really worried about her. I came up behind her and settled in for a few seconds waiting for a good place to pass. She glanced my way and then moved very far to the right and waved me ahead of her. I was about to say thanks, as she really didn't need to allow for that much space, when she declared loudly and angrily, "Strollers in races make me VERY nervous, Ma'am!" I wanted to say back, "Out of shape runners who run their first mile far beyond their fitness level make ME very nervous, Ma'am." But I didn't.

Come to find out, she was right. The fine print on the race DID say that strollers weren't allowed. I failed to read the fine print and when Another Mother Runner saw me afterward and said she wished she had ignored the rule, too, I felt like a total idiot/jerk. I tracked down the race director and handed her my bib. I apologized profusely for not paying attention/checking on the rule. "I am sure I didn't win any of the awards but I am happy to disqualify myself for breaking the rule." She appreciated it but said it wasn't necessary. I still feel like a tool for not doing a better job of reading the guidelines but I am giving myself credit for at least owning up to it. (I also told the race director that at least one person was VERY upset with me and asked her to PLEASE tell the woman, if she asked, that I offered to DQ myself. I'm guessing if I was pissed about someone breaking the rules I would feel a tiny bit better if I learned they tried to make it right in the end.)

Anyway, back the race. It was good. Other than that, I don't really have a blow-by-blow. The miles weren't clearly marked so I had to guess where I was mileage-wise, which was fine.

Gabriel was AWESOME. Nursed right before the race, slept (as far as I could tell) throughout the race, and then was straight-up ADORABLE after the race. A good sign for future (hopefully LEGALLY) stroller-run races! And I can't say I didn't enjoy the small groups of people along with way cheering me (and my load) on. Always feels a little badass to pass people while pushing a stroller.

"Hi, Josh!" And as Polly's mom noted on FB, always running with "Polly on my shoulder." Fight like a girl!

At the finish I saw Josh Spaulding, the local sports writer/editor/photographer/trumpet player/stage crew/all around good guy. He was snapping photos and as you can see, I was happy to see him. Josh is a total workhorse and is a one man army covering local sports. Seriously, I don't thinking I know anyone who logs as many hours as he does at their profession. Thanks, Josh!

My results were pretty good:
26:08 (25:55 on my watch... it wasn't chip timed)
62/219 (overall)
5/35 (age group)  
8:25 (pace)

I felt pretty good at the end (maybe too good? why was I able to smile so broadly!?) and I guess it's not too much of a surprise that my pace was about :26 slower than my 1/2 marathon PR pace. It doesn't look like I'll be setting a new PR this September for 13.1, but I am thinking I'll be able to do it with a smile, at least.

In addition to having "Polly on my shoulder" I wrote "Kurt Giessler R.I.P." on my race bib. Today is the Celebration of Life in his honor. The boys and I are not attending (holy distraction, Batman!) but Scott is taking off from camp in order to be there.

Another 5K is on tap for August 25, so it will be intersting to see how that one goes down....

Back in the Bib

Gabriel was officially 7 weeks old yesterday and I had my first post-baby race. It was The Over the River and Through the Woods 5K in Concord. The course was really great because it offered a nice mix of road running and trail running. The only hills were on the roads (mostly going up and over a bridge which crossed a major highway... oh, and a river, as the race name would suggest). In a couple of spots the trail (which was in the woods, natch) narrowed to a single lane which was a great time to chill and maintain pace without feeling obligated to pass anyone. (Since I was not in a place to gut out an incredible time, I liked this aspect as it reigned me in a bit). 

The temperature was perfect: mid-50s. Unfortunately, this glorious temp was paired with rain. And more rain. And rain-rain-rainity-rain. (In retrospect, we actually lucked out because later in the day the rain got much heavier and the winds became vicious.) Again, the rain suited me as it seemed to offer another reason to take it easy on myself.



All the cool kids expose themselves a bit before a race.
Scott's camera phone offer the perfect amount of obscurity a la my ta-tas!

Scott and the boys drove me down. I had my first-ever "last minute nursing session before a race" with Gabriel. (Never raced while nursing the older two boys). Because it was pouring, we huddled in the back of the minivan. I had to make the tough decision of whether to wake him up from a sound sleep to feed him or let him sleep and risk his freaking out from hunger if he woke up before I was done. His naps are not exactly easy to track right now so it could have gone either way. I decided to err on the side of a full belly. Glad I did: he slept for the entire race!


3-M: Me, Meg, and Mandy. Before the race.

Before the race I met up with fellow racers Megan, Mandy & John. I also saw another FB friend, Andrea, who was running. We were lucky to have a mini-cheering (and photography) section in Karen & her little guy, Andrik, as well as Amy, of Wolfe 101 fame. So nice to have friendly faces at the start and finish!

I gave myself some vague goals for the race:

A) Finish feeling good
B) Finish in under 30:00
C) Finish in under 27:27 (my 5K time last October when I was 14 weeks pregnant)

Happily, I can report that I met each of these goals!

Chip time: 26:41
Overall: 131/274
Age group place: 8/33    
Pace: 8:36

Trust me: I'm smiling!

The fact that my pace was under 9:00 tickles me pink. Half marathon training officially begins tomorrow and this pace gives me a great place to start. (Trying not to focus on the fact that my last half marathon I ran at a pace of 7:57 or something obnoxious like that.... we won't be shooting for that this time around!)

Me, John, Mandy & Megan (who had ANOTHER PR yesterday!) There's a FB discussion going - started by my sister - about the size of my hooters in this photo. I was sort of shocked at them, too.

Train Like a Mother

I've been waiting for a long time. It seems like last summer, when the reality of what was happening truly set in, was eons ago. At times I was almost certain the day was never going to arrive. Hundreds of others shared my anticipation and we discussed it endlessly on Facebook and blogs. I wondered if they really knew how excited and anxious I was for the big day. Could ANYONE be as pins & needles about it as I was? And while I had a general sense of when it would happen, experience taught me you can never be sure when a little bundle like this will arrive.

At last, yesterday at about 11:15AM... the moment came! Delivery, though later than I had hoped, was a snap. Weighing in at just over 3 pounds and a lively bright orange, three copies of Train Like a Mother are now healthy and happy and HOME with this giddy Mother Runner.

(Did I fool you at all with my malarkey alluding to birthing a baby? I figured not.... but it sure amused me!)

You may already know that I am a psychotic really big fan of the ladies of Another Mother Runner. I stumbled across the first book written by Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell Davis (Run Like a Mother) after it was featured in Runner's World magazine a couple of years ago. I bought it for myself as a Mother's Day present. I discovered their  blog and their Facebook page and I was hooked. Lucky for me, those nice ladies are not only tolerant of, but somewhat amused by, my take on running and motherhood. So, we developed an email friendship. I was lucky enough to make it down to Cape Cod for a reading of the first book that summer where I met and ran and giggled and drank wine with Sarah. Since then we haven't been able to get to the same place at the same time, which is a big fat bummer, but technology has allowed us to remain in touch. (In fact, Sarah will be running the Boston Marathon on April 16th. A PERFECT opportunity for me to hook up with her. Alas, I will be a teeny bit busy with a new born and she will be a teeny bit busy spreading the RLAM and TLAM love. Oh, and running the actual race, of course!) 

Both of their books feature essays they have written about running and parenting (and wife-ing and work-ing and many other -ings). They also have a gajillion anecdotes and thoughts from Other Mother Runners who responded to their surveys. I was more than happy to share my nonsense with them and, indeed, some of nonsense made it in the book! (I haven't sat down to read the whole thing yet, but when I flipped open the book, I literally landed on a quote from... ME! Gotta dig that, huh??)

SBS and Dim... They like me! They really like me!!

Anyway, no arrival of such significance would be complete without photo documentation from a very talented (read: annoyed that he's taking dumb pics of Mom and not playing with his Legos) 5-year-old. 

Still wrapped up... anticipation is at epic heights.

Getting those babies out required a sharp blade and plenty of brute force. I hope my upcoming delivery of Baby TOP is not so violent!

That's the equivalent to 10cm dilated and fully effaced. "One more big push!"

Happy, healthy, Bouncing Baby Books! (One for me, one for Mom of Max & Sydney - Megan, and one to pass around amongst other Mother Runners.)

"Fascinating insight."

"Hilarious!"

Guess who's quoted a couple of times? AND in the acknowledgements? A first for this girl!

I'm so inspired! Totally ready to get training.... Okay. Maybe in a couple of weeks.... Are you scared yet? Dig that stretch mark on my belly?

So.... Get thee to a bookstore or to Amazon.com and buy this book! Get thee to Another Mother Runner and be part of the online party. Get thee to Facebook and "like" Run Like a Mother: The Book.

Also... if you happen to bump into Baby TOP, please tell him to get thee OUT of  my belly. I'm ready. Really really ready!