Running Mama's Journey

Progress

2012-01-13T06:42:00.000-08:00

10 weeks
6.5 mile marathon effort workout-same course and similar weather conditions
2 min faster compared to 7 days ago and nearly 5 min faster compared to 18 days ago
Happy!
Tomorrow 2 hr very hilly trail long run w/45 min of faster running then eat while watching the Olympic Trails = Fun
Nicole

More Smiles and Goals

2012-01-08T18:27:00.000-08:00

Ember ~7 weeks

Roam ~ 7 weeks

9 weeks
Life is good!

Today I ran 12 miles moderate with a hard workout. I am getting faster every week. I think I am in 20 min 5k shape right now where as 2 weeks ago I likely was in 22 min 5k shape. I still have lots of hard work to get back into shape. My core strength is poor-barely can do a sit up and my weak abs have separated. My legs are wimpy from 5 months off but I am finally seeing some fitness gains which is so exciting to me. My goal is to work very hard to try to get into the best shape possible for June and attempt to break the Wulfman 14k CDT course record. If I can do that I will consider racing National Mountain Championships in July.

Running Happy

Nicole

Smiles

2011-12-29T15:17:00.000-08:00

8 Weeks

Roam and Ember smiled last week. They are happy hungry babies weighing each over 9lbs now, I am smiling too since I started running hard again. My longest run has been 95 min w/ about 20 min of faster running...more later

Running Happy

2011-12-10T17:09:00.000-08:00

5.5 weeks
I am running again. My first run of 5 min was 3.5 weeks post c-sect. I felt heavy and uncoordinated but no pain. My next run was the following day and I doubled the time to 10 min and felt a bit better. The 3rd day I was up to 15 min and then the 4th day at 4 weeks post c sect I ran 30 min at 8 min pace and felt really really good. Today I ran 80 min on hilly trails and felt almost my old self. Tomorrow I plan to run 90 min easy with my friend. Life is good.
Roam and Ember continue to be really mellow easy babies. They are super cuddly, happy and rarely cry. Ember smiled at us for the first time today too.
They are growing. Each weighs over 7lbs now. I am nursing them every 90 min to 2hrs around the clock. I don't feel that tired though since I am getting more accumulated sleep compared to being pregnant.
Can I tell them apart? Yes! Roam turns red when he is hot or upset and he has a little bump on his ear. Roam also seems to want to cuddle more with me. Roam likes for me to be very close to him at all times. Ember is more fair complexion and ooks at me telling me he wants to be carried around the house so he can look around.
Some people might think I am sugar coating everything. The truth is I am not. I know I am lucky. Having twins who are colicky and never sleep at night would be tremendously difficult. So far I am blessed with angelic-like babies who just crave love and attention.
Running Happy
Nicole
PS I got sponsored by Brooks for 2012 again!

Invigorating!

2011-11-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

10 days
Mount Sentinel Hill Climb- 1.75 miles to top of Mount Sentinel
Elevation gain: 1,958 feet to top of Mount Sentinel (3,200 feet to 5,158) 19% grade average.
Yesterday I hiked up to the top of this mountain (my husband raced the hill climb and took 3rd overall). I was truly surprised how good and strong I felt. Last year I raced it in 26 min and yesterday I power hiked up it in 52 min. Absolutely no pain anywhere during or after this hike. The hike was invigorating. It felt so good to exercise pain free outside in the cool crisp air.
My appetite is ferocious. Nursing 2 little ones and exercise = 1 hungry and thirsty mama.
I am also beginning to think about racing again. I am not sure if my body will be able to handle exclusively nursing twins and training hard but I am willing to try. As of today, they nurse simultaneously every 2-3 hrs around the clock. I am getting more sleep now compared to being pregnant however so the nighttime awakenings are not a problem.

Roam and Ember are so fun. They don't cry and they are full of cuddles and love.
Cheers
Nicole

Ember and Roam's Birth Story

2011-11-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

Wed Nov 2- For the 6th day in a row I hiked 3 hrs up and down steep single track trails in hopes of inducing labor. The fact that every day I was getting faster and no contractions helped me realize that I was destined to have that C-sect on Nov 3
Th Nov 3-Woke up a 4:45 am to do some pushups and other exercises. I had to be at the Labor and Delivery Room at 5:30 am. I started to have anxiety as soon as I entered the hospital. Knowing what happens during a c-sect was helpful but that did not ease my butterflies. After 2 hrs of questions and routine tests I entered the OR for a spinal block. This was not too painful (felt like a wasp sting) but I disliked the experience.
I was placed on the OR bed under very bright lights. It seemed like there were at least 10 people in the room and then my husband entered. The spinal was tested by my ob who asked me if I could feel the any pain.
I told him I could feel it and the pain on my left side felt sharp. He was poking me in 4 places and 2 of the 4 felt numb but the other 2 spots I felt slight pain (dull needle poke). They waited for 5 min and tried again. This time only 1 spot felt more sharp. They decided to proceed.
This is where I earn my badge. As he cut into me I felt the pain. It was agonizing and it was the worst pain ever in my life. The anesthesiologist told me after a few minutes that I could go asleep. Being a former RN I guess I knew too much and was scared that this procedure for a c-sect (which I thought was general anesthesia) might harm me or the twins. I also felt like the morphine mask was suffocating me.
Roam came out screaming and 1 min later Ember (now breech) came out screaming too! Their apgars were 9 each. Ember weighed 5.7 lbs and Roam 5.6 lbs.
Now I could go through life being depressed, mad and bitter about my birthing experience but I decided 5 days later that I could use this experience to build my character and confidence. Nothing in races compares to that horrid pain. I told myself that I will be a better person and athlete due to surviving and conquering the worst pain in my life.
The rest of their birth day is kind of a blur. Ember was placed in the nicu because 40 min after birth he suddenly turned white. About 2 hrs after the c-sect I asked to see Ember. I was wheeled into the nicu to hold and nurse him. I vomited several times but holding him for a few minutes was all worth it to me.
That night I was able to walk around my room with minimal assistance.
Fr Nov 4- Ember was discharged from the nicu at 10am. It was so good to hold them both in my arms and nurse them
I was able to walk about 15 min in the halls
Sat Nov 5- Discharged! Walked 1 mile
Sun Nov 6- Walked 1.5 miles a little faster
Mon Nov 7 Walked 1.5 miles a little faster
Tues, Wed and Thr Nov 8-10 Walked 45 min moderate at 19% grade. Very little discomfort. My plan is to hike 1 hour up a mountain on Saturday
The twins are so cuddly and very sleepy. I bought a nursing pillow so I can feed them about the same time every 2-3 hrs or anytime when they show signs of hunger.

My training plan is to crosstrain for 4 weeks and then attempt a short 5 min run. My c-sect pain is nearly gone. The only pain I feel is a burning sensation when I try to get in and out of bed.

I am excited to start running again and explore the beautiful mountain trails. I feel so lucky to have 2 healthy babies, and a fun loving husband and my adorable little boy Eon.

Cheers

Nicole

My 3 little boys

2011-11-07T13:12:00.000-08:00

Scheduled C Section 36 weeks 11/3/11
Ember 5.7 oz and Roam 5.6 oz
Very healthy and breastfeeding
More story to come...

The countdown begins...

2011-10-25T17:10:00.000-07:00

35 weeks
Yesterday I found out that the twins weights were 5lbs and 5lbs 12 oz. The high risk ob said that these measurements can be off 10-15% off now so he was not concerned about the weight discordance. All other measurements were normal including their fluid levels which were each around 5.5cm.
My high risk ob also informed me that he wants me to deliver the twins this week or next week. During the last 7 days, I did lots of research regarding optimal time for delivery and I found the same scientific data. Mono-di twins (identical twins who share 1 placenta) are at a high risk for death after the 36th week of pregnancy.
Yikes to say I am nervous and stressed out is an understatement. My regular ob never mentioned this to me and if it was not for my high risk ob who casually mentioned 2 weeks ago I should deliver soon at 35 weeks I am not sure if I would have been prompted to do my own research to discover the optimal time for delivery and the reasons behind it for identical twins. For those who have identical twins, check out this study http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2007.01556.x/full
So next week it is. I am excited to meet them but nervous for many other reasons. For one, I doubt my body will go into natural labor by then so this means a scheduled c-sect and two, the twins will not be fullterm yet and I am worried about them not being fully ready to live outside the womb. My ob will not induce me (against his policy for women who have had a prior c-sect) so I have no choice. I either hope for natural labor to occur on its own in less than a week or I am set up to have a repeat c-sect.
This pregnancy has been difficult. Aside from the physical discomforts, the emotional roller coaster ride has been challenging. I am now measuring 47 weeks so you would think my body would start labor soon! I am exercising through this and determined to exercise until the twins arrive! I love my 2-3 hr hikes on the weekends and 60 min stairmaster workouts.
6-8 more days. The countdown begins!
Cheers
Nicole

44 week Pumpkin Belly

2011-10-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

33 weeks - Had my biweekly ultrasound growth scan 3 days ago. Weights were 4lbs 11 oz and 4lbs and 9 oz and each twin has about 5.5cm of fluid. They were head down and growing about 1 oz per day. My ob also told me I am measuring 44 weeks! No wonder I feel so big:)

Every day that passes is exciting. Feeling good. Walking and now starting stairstepping 50-60 min moderate. On the weekends, all 3 or should I say all 5 of us hike about 3 hrs in the mountains. We then eat pizza and watch a movie.
More and more Braxton Hicks contractions which are becoming intense. If I get slightly dehydrated, the Braxton Hicks contractions occur about every 15 min. At night I need to drink lots of water which is a double edge sword. If I do drink a large amount of water, I have to pee every 1-2 hrs but if I don't drink a lot of water I will get BH contractions every 15-20 min or so. I prefer having to use the bathroom over those constant BH contractions anyday!
I asked Eon what he wanted to be for a Halloween. I told him he could be anything he wanted. I suggested a bee, fire truck, pumpkin, ghost and he said no they are all too scary. I then suggested lady bug and he said with such enthusiasm "Yes! I want to be a lady bug!" I will be 36 weeks the week of Halloween. I hope I get to go trick or treating with my little bug Eon and the two little ones in my 44 week pumpkin belly.
Thanks for all your kind comments
Cheers
Nicole

Candy and River

2011-10-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

32 weeks- At my last ultrasound appt a few days ago (31 weeks), baby A measured 3lbs 14oz and baby B weighed 3lbs 12 oz and the fluid was about ~5.5 cm in both sacs! This loss of fluid has given me more energy and breathing room. I feel really good. Blood pressure was low 100/55 and passed my glucose test too.
We are busy hiking and exploring new places. I walk at least 60 min every day and up to 3hrs. I can run a little but decided that I better stick with walking for the remaining weeks to avoid any risk of preterm labor.
The few pregnancy complaints I do have are insomnia, restless legs at night and shortness of breath walking up stairs (it feels like I am running a hill rep and sometimes I need to lay down quickly after I walk up stairs fast).
I can't believe their due date is fast approaching. I would guess the twins will arrive in 3 to 5 weeks.
I hope to have a VBAC natural birth but I fully expect for things to go differently. I will also use pain killers if the pain becomes intolerable as in my last pregnancy when back labor felt like there was a knife digging into my back for 24hrs before I consented to pain meds. Nothing in my life comes close to the pain that I experienced which is kind of scary to think about that I am subjecting myself to a possible painful experience again. I am open minded and willing to try a natural birth but not nearly as committed as last time.
I am excited to meet the twins. Eon is excited too! He named them Candy and River. Their true names are a secret :)
Nicole

"Lets Run"

2011-09-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

29 weeks

Yesterday I had another growth measurement ultrasound. Baby A measured 3lbs and Baby B measured 2lbs 15oz. All other scans and dopplers were normal. I am so relieved and happy that all is progressing well. I feel good too. Aside from some occasional fatigue, night time calf charley horses and breathlessness, I don't have any other symptoms of pregnancy. My appetite is good too. I now weigh about 28 lbs heavier than prepregnancy. ~10 more lbs extra compared to Eon at full term. I likely have 8-10 more lbs to gain before fullterm with the twins. I measured 40 weeks at my 28 week appt so I suppose I might be measuring high 40's later. yikes!
Below are some photos of my adventures. I hiked 3 hrs up and down a mountain. Traveled to Glacier National Park and hiked every day ~2-3 hrs. I walk every day either outside or on the treadmill at 24% grade.

Eon has became quite the hiker. He hiked up 5k to the top and down of the7500ft Logan Pass overlook all by himself and then later that day did a another 2.5 mile hike up and down hills on a trail. I asked him several times if he wanted to go into the chariot but all he wanted was to hike and run.

His favorite words walking outside on trails are "lets run".

Eon runs so fast that my fast walking is not fast enough.

Nicole

28 weeks and feeling great!

2011-09-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

28 weeks
At my last growth measurement at 27 weeks, Baby A measured 2lbs 6oz and Baby B measured 2lbs 4oz. Both are measuring slightly ahead. Fluid levels continue to be stable at 11cm and 6cm.
I have been doing lots of hiking up mountains and will write more about that later.
Feeling really good.
Nicole

Good News

2011-08-23T16:38:00.000-07:00

26 weeks

I have good news. The fluid levels continue to show improvement in baby A at 11 cm and baby B was highest ever 6.5cm. (5weeks ago they were at 14cm and ~3 cm and normal is 2-8cm) Surgery is recommended at less than 2 cm. Both twins measurements look fantastic ( 1 lbs 13 oz-70% and 1 lbs 12 oz 66%),

They told me that if I did not have any prior history that I would be considered a normal pregnancy.
I also do not have such stringent exercise precautions. I am not going to go out and run but I am free to walk around more and enjoy the outdoors. My plan for exercise is to elevate my treadmill to 24% grade and walk.

Yeah!!

I will never know if the changes I implemented helped so far but just in case this helps someone else this is what I am doing:

Had my blood levels checked and found out that I my body really was deficient in protein. I was making an extra effort to consume more protein but that was not enough. After researching TTTS there was some science out there that showed that drinking Ensure protein shakes 3 x day helped some women with TTTS. I knew this was what i was going to do but I did not like the high sugar content of those shakes and the rest of the ingredients. Instead I purchased Dr Mercola's protein powder.

Mercola Pure Power Protein: is a premium product designed to boost your overall health and fitness levels. It contains a unique blend of high-quality whey protein, chia seeds, and probiotics to give you an edge over the competition or if you're more demanding about enhancing your overall health.

It is organic and made for athletes and is very low sugar. This sounded perfect to me. In a few weeks I started to feel more energetic and my fluid levels dropped too.

Since I am feeling so good, I plan to hike up toward the 10000ft mountain my husband and I got married on 14 years ago this weekend. I doubt I will hike the entire 14 miles but I will likely hike up an hour, rest and then hike down again. I am so happy to be able to exercise some again :)

The twins are super active. Eon had his hand on my belly and he asked "was that Baby A?" Eon kisses or hugs my belly almost everyday too and asks me if the twins will like his toys. He is excited and so are Ray and I!

Thanks for all your support and helpful comments.

Nicole

Measuring 38 weeks

2011-08-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

25 weeks
At my last ob visit I was told I was measuring 38 weeks. No wonder I felt like I did with Eon at full term!!
Everything is stable. Next week the twins will have their growth measured.
I likely will deliver early so maybe I have just 9 to 11 weeks to go. That time frame sounds easy. :)
Nicole

Quick Update

2011-08-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

23 weeks
So far all is looking the same which is good.
The fluid levels have remained high in baby A about 13 cm and low in baby B, about 5 cm. If the fluid level drops below 2 cm then I will likely travel to Seattle to have the laser surgery.
The good news is that the twins are super active and measuring right on. Hopefully it will stay that way :)
I am doing better now too. I am at peace with not exercising and enjoying my extra free time. I am doing some body weight exercises just so I can keep some muscle tone.
Thank you everyone for your kind comments.
Nicole

TTTS

2011-07-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

22 weeks

OK, the truth- I have been purposely avoiding posting on this blog. I kept thinking maybe this can't be true...all will change in a few days. Days turned into weeks and here I am -nothing still has changed and now my biggest fear of carrying mono-di twins has been confirmed a few days ago by a perinatologist. I have Twin To Twin Transfusion Syndrome. I won't go into long details so here are the essential facts:

From the TTTS foundation web page, a great resource

What is TTTS?

-Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) is a disease of the placenta that affects identical twin pregnancies.

-TTTS affects identical twins who share a placenta.

-The shared placenta contains abnormal blood vessels which connect the umbilical cord and circulations of the twins.

-The events in pregnancy that lead to TTTS are all random.

-TTTS is not hereditary or genetic, nor caused by anything the parents did or did not do.

-TTTS can happen to anyone.

There are 5 stages and I am in stage 1. (stage 5 is death to 1 or both twins)

19 weeks was my last run. I ran up to Our Lady of the Rockies. I felt really good running although I had gained about 8 lbs in 2 weeks making running a bit more challenging (19 week photo above).
From 19 weeks to 21weeks I continued to gain weight rapidly and my belly became extremely sore and tight. This combination made running impossible so I mountain biked up a hill and stairstepped which felt good. Well at my last ob appt I was concerned about the rapid weight gain and tight belly and through ultrasound it was confirmed that these symptoms were a direct result of stage 1 TTTS.
I will now need to drive 400 miles total each week to be monitored 2 x week. The good news is that all the scans look fantastic!! The twins are measuring exactly on time and all the anatomy is perfect.
Stage 2 the bladder no longer is seen and if that happens I likely will go out of state for fetal laser surgery.

The peri said take it easy - no exercise but I can move around the house. They are worried that I may go into preterm labor. My cervix is really good but I am carrying too much fluid (which is stage 1) which could spark preterm labor.

The no exercise is extremely difficult for me. I love running and hiking outdoors exploring the trails and being limited to only walking around the house (not allowed to even walk more than 1 block) is hard. However, I know the time will pass quickly and for now I am relaxing on my deck enjoying reading and playing with Eon. Yes, I miss my favorite passions but if I can save these twins from progressing to the next stage, the time I spend relaxing will be worth every single second.

Nicole

17 week trail race

2011-06-23T18:04:00.000-07:00

17 weeks-Ran the Wulfman CDT 14k race this past weekend. I felt really good and the toughest part was holding back on all the uphills. I let loose on the downhills. Running moderate I placed 9th overall and first overall master. I ran 1:17:51 and my best time (and only time I ran this race) was 2yrs ago in 1:04:10. I can't wait until next year. My goal is to try to run faster than ever before.
I am starting to get really big. 9 lbs weight gain in just a few weeks. I don't know how long I will be able to run trails but so far so good. Every trail run I count myself lucky that I am able to run and feel comfortable. I know that my days are likely numbered where I will still feel good running.
Some symptoms I am experiencing:
Calf cramps at night. I upped my calcium intake and that helped a little bit.
Slight calf burning when I run up hill. This symptom was the killer symptom in my first pregnancy. It felt like my calves were on swimming in lactic acid when I ran uphill.
Sharp low back pain when I am doing some floor exercises. I decided to stop these for a while.
Other than that I feel fantastic. I have so much more energy and my appetite is decent.
Here are my next few planned adventures- leave for USFS cabin tomorrow. Plan to run 90 min to 2 hrs every day that we are there on trails.

Run a 25k trail race point to point course. This is tentative since the race director said there is waist high deep snow on the course today AND I am not sure how I will feel in 9 days. Every day I feel the twins are growing a little bit. If I don't run the 25k trail race, the plan is to run up a mountain and down with my trail friends.
My next ultrasound is in 2.5 weeks.
Thanks for all the nice comments everyone!
By the way, Eon turns 3 in 5 days. :)
Running Happy
Nicole

10 bags of Grapes

2011-06-15T14:28:00.000-07:00

16 weeks Thank you for your supportive and kind comments. I appreciate them all.
Someone asked me why I am considered a high risk pregnancy. I am considered high risk due to the nature of the type of twins I am carrying. They are called monochorionic diamniotic twins. They share 1 placenta and each have their own amniotic sac. I was told from the ob they can feel one another and bump into each other since all that separates them is a very thin cellophane membrane. The biggest risk is what is called twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTS). TTS causes one twin to receive more blood than the other and if that occurs one or both of them could die. There is nothing I can do to prevent this from happening. I need frequent ultrasounds to monitor if TTS occurs. At my 15 week ultrasound, the twins were looking great. My next ultrasound will be at 18 weeks.
By the way, the chance of having mono/di twins is 1 in 300. No genetic or age related component. There is a theory (that I like) from the Economist (a friend showed this article to me). They did an observational study of Mormon women in the late 1800's and found that mothers of twins are healthier both before and after pregnancy.

"Most strikingly, the pre-1870 group of mothers of twins actually lived longer than those who were not thus blessed. They were, in other words, simply healthier. This suggests that, in evolutionary terms at least, twins are far from a curse. On the contrary, they are indeed the mark of a supermum" (I hope this is true :) )

Running has been going fantastic. Since I last posted, some highlights were that I ran 2hr and 20 min up then down a hilly trail with short bursts of marathon effort reps. I ran a 5k race in 21:37 at marathon effort. The same effort 5 weeks earlier produced a 41:57 10k so I am slowing down. Running at that effort still feels comfortable. Although just in the last few days I have been feeling a bit more pelvic pressure when I run. I might have to run with my belt in a few weeks.
My next race is the Wulfman CDT 14k trail race. It starts near ~6000 feet and peaks around 8000 feet.
In 2009, I ran a 1:04. I am thinking that I might run a 1:21 which would be about 2 min per mile slower than my time 2 years ago.
I definitely have more energy but I still have my tired moments where all I want to do is lie down and sleep. My food aversions are still hanging around too.
I bought 10 bags of organic grapes yesterday (they were on sale and I crave them) The lady at the check out counter asked me if I planned to eat them all. I lied and said I will freeze them. In reality, I can eat a bag of grapes a day so they will only last me 10 days. I don't think she noticed that I was pregnant! :)
Running Happy
Nicole

I love hills

2011-05-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

A quick update:

I am finally in the 2nd trimester- 14 weeks. Due to time constraints I will try to post weekly updates but they will be short. We are in the process of trying to build a house and eventually sell the current house. This along with having to travel 3 hrs every other week to get an ultrasound (they consider the type of twins I have high risk), coaching business and taking care of my my happy go lucky almost 3 year old son- I am busy.

I am excited that this week I was able to run 65 miles including a 2 hrs 15 min trail run with some 30 sec steep hill intervals. Most of my runs were on very hilly trails. I am feeling strong and the twins are not hindering my breathing like my last pregnancy. I definitely have a belly bump.

I am also able to finally eat somewhat healthy again. For a few weeks I was surviving on watermelon, pistachios and 1 pint of Ben and Jerry's icecream (yes, 1 pint per day!!). Nothing else appealed to me. In fact, just the smell of certain foods caused me to gag. The last few days have been heaven. I can now eat my normal spinach salad with beans and fish. I just need lots of salad dressing. These types of foods I used to have to force down my throat while gagging at the same time. Hence I only ate a teenie bit of vegetables every day or sometimes none at all. I did end up losing a few lbs but the icecream brought me back up to my racing weight and I think I gained 1lbs since I became pregnant. This is all new to me since last pregnancy I was already 6-7 lbs over my prepregnancy weight. I am just listening to my body now and eating whenever I feel hungry which the last few days has been every 2 hrs.

One other thing- I should have clued in I was having twins with the intense crushing fatigue I was feeling. There were a many days during weeks 7-12 weeks that I was so tired during the day that I fell asleep on the couch reading a book to Eon. It was a chore just to walk up stairs or keep my eyes open. This feeling is mostly gone. I still need to take short catnaps (5 -10 min) every day but after that I feel great again.

My next ultrasound is in 8 days. I will post again soon after that.

Running Happy
Nicole

My big news

2011-05-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

My big news is that I am 13 weeks pregnant but not only am I pregnant but I am pregnant with identical twins!! I will post more later with more details of my adventure. For now, I am finally coming out of the 1st trimester funk of fatigue and nausea and feeling better. I am running about 50 miles per week and did a 15 mile very hilly trail run a few days ago. I feel so much better running compared to last pregnacy. I can actually run without feeling so out of breath. The babies are both measuring ahead and are looking fine. No weight gain for me so far which is much different than my first pregnancy. Ray, Eon and I are excited to meet our identical twins in November!!!

(above 10 weeks we are shocked to find out we are having twins)

(photo of Eon and I on my 41 birthday at 10 weeks and same day I ran easy a 10k race placed 2nd place 41:57)

(ultraound pics of baby A and baby B at 13 weeks)

Cheers

Nicole

Eye of the Tiger

2011-04-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

Eye of the Tiger- I love that song when I am running on the treadmill preparing for a race. The pics above are from the Circus we went to last weekend. Eon's favorite was seeing the elephants.

(By the way, when we asked Eon what his last name was he responded with "Mama" and then we asked him what his middle name was and he said "Toys")

He said his full name was "Eon Toys Mama" :)

This blog post will be super short.

I promise to update more in about 6 weeks with some news. For now I sign off saying keep your eyes on your prize and never stop believing in your goals.

Nicole

Dust Bunnies

2011-01-30T19:15:00.000-08:00

My goal set about 10 years has been to live to 100 healthy and energetic. Having Eon in my life now has driven me to make changes in my life so that I can live as long as possible. Turning 40 also reminded me that time flies by so quickly. I wanted to share the changes I made to my life to hopefully help me reach my goal of living to 100.

· Bought a juicer. I now juice Kale, carrots and broccoli every day after my workout

· Eat organic as much as possible especially the dirty dozen foods (ie apples, strawberries and celery)

· Avoid BPA- avoid canned foods and waterbottles

· Recycled all the plastic containers in our house and now use glass or ceramic cookware

· Eat at least 1 cup of raw nuts every day

· Eat 4+ Avocados a week

· Installed an undercounter water filter

· Started a vegetable garden

· Stopped my diet rootbeer addiction. I will never drink another soda again J

· Installed landline phones

· Curbed my sugar addiction (although I still eat chocolate every day)

I know I can do better but I am excited to make these changes in my life. Some people might think I am a little different but I rather be a little strange than risk possibly getting cancer or heart disease which is so prevalent in our society. I did a lot of research on the above too. I recommend you read the China Study by Dr Campbell which helped my husband and I make some dietary changes

Eon news-Eon is a late talker and up until about 2 months ago, he rarely said any words except "no" and "ball" and "go". He now is talking up a storm. Repeating words like butterfly and dust bunny. It is a treat to be finally able to communicate with him with words rather than grunts and sign language. His favorite word is “play” and “run” J

I have been training on the treadmill running 2 hard workouts a week. Next week will be a treat for me. I will be running on the trails in the dry desert Mountains of Montana with a group of my friends.

Happy Running!

Nicole

Digger

2011-01-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

The photo above was taken New Years Day. Huge snowflakes the size of cottonballs were falling. From Santa, Eon received a remote control digger. He was so infatuated with this toy that he insisted the digger be kept by his side at night and his first thought in the morning was "where is my digger?"

For New Years Day I went cross country skiing. The snow is extra deep and powdery this year in Montana. The path looked so pretty with the piles of white snow blanketing the forest.

My training is going well. After a few weeks of easy running, I feel ready to tackle another 9 months of hard training.

I was interviewed by our local paper. It is quite an honor for me to be interviewed by the media. Perhaps my story will help inspire others to go after their goals.

I am not quite 100% sure what my goals are this year. I would like to set a new record at the Wulfmans CDT 14k race and try to win overall masters at Bloomsday again but I would also like to race some new to me trail races. I have my eyes on Pikes Peak and La Luz.

What was my most memorable racing memory? Hands down-placing 3rd American at Mt Washington and qualifying for the World Mtn Team. Running felt effortless that day.

Cheers to another fantastic year of training, racing and adventure

Nicole

USATF Club XC Championships

2010-12-18T15:39:00.000-08:00

Due to my husband developing a DVT after his cycling accident, I would have to fly alone with Eon. I packed all my stuff into my backpack and 1 little canvas bag but I also had the running stroller and a car seat so I was feeling a bit stressed knowing I would have to lug all this around by myself while watching Eon too.

Our first stop was the Minneapolis airport. We had fun chasing the shadow umbrella projections. I had never seen anything like this before. When a person walks by the projected umbrella image the umbrella breaks into a hundred or more smaller umbrellas and then they all come back together again. There were 4 umbrellas and Eon was running from 1 to another smiling and giggling and putting happy faces on the people walking by.

We arrived at Charlotte airport at 10:30pm and Eon was such a good traveler. He was in a good mood for 95% of the trip and made my time with him extra special.

I was a bit concerned that Eon would cry while a teammate watched him during my race but Eon was happy and content to be pushed around in his cart. In fact, he looked really surprised to see me race by. I think he thought I was pushing him and when he saw me race by he became confused.

My race went well. We took it out quite easy so I had to take the lead for the first loop. What a thrill to lead a race! The 2nd loop I followed 2 other runners. In retrospect, I should have pushed the last mile much harder since I have no kick right now. This race came down to the last 400m. I placed 3rd and missed 2nd by 3 sec's. The lady who took first I knew from racing her about 6 years ago that she was an excellent kicker and sure enough I was outkicked by 2 other runners. I ran the best I could on that day and I am happy to take 3rd.

It is snowing here in Montana. Eon is sleeping next to the tree and I just finished my 3rd cup of Hot Cocoa. Life is good.

Nicole

USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Council Announces Runners of the Year

2010-11-28T17:18:00.000-08:00

A year ago, my confidence was down and my hamstrings were hurting. I told myself that if I didn't try out for the team, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I put aside my fears and doubts and started believing I had a chance to make the team. All I needed to do is train smart, stay healthy and believe that anything is possible. I am thrilled that I won this award. Cheers, Nicole

USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Council Announces Runners of the Year

Indianapolis, IN —- The Mountain/Ultra/Trail running (MUT) council of long distance running has named the 2010 USATF Mountain Runners of the year, Ultra Runners of the Year, Trail Championship Series winners, and Contributor of the Year. The following individuals will be recognized at the USATF National Convention in Virginia Beach, VA, on Saturday, December 4, at an awards breakfast.

Mountain men open: Joseph Gray, 26, Lakewood, WA, wins his third consecutive USATF Mountain Runner of the Year title. Gray was the top U.S. finisher (10^th overall) at this year’s World Mountain Running Championships to lead the men to their best-ever finish with a team silver medal. He earned his spot on the 2010 U.S. Mountain Running Team (his third U.S. mountain team) by placing third at the USA Mountain Running Championships held at the Mount Washington Road Race in June. Gray also won the NACAC Mountain Running Championships hosted by Canada in July and placed second at the 2009 XTERRA World Championships (December).

Mountain men master: Tim Van Orden, 42, Bennington, VT, had a stellar year in 2010 including masters top honors at the USA 10km Trail Championships, the USA 15km Trail Championships, and the Mt. Ashland Hill Climb where he also set the masters’ record. He finished fifth in his age group at the U.S. Mountain Running Championships. In the USATF New England Mountain running series, he finished ninth overall at the Ascutney Mountain Challenge, tenth overall at the Wachusett Mtn. Race, and sixth overall at the Northfield Mountain/NE Trail Running Championships. In addition, Van Orden was the top masters snowshoe racer in New England, taking overall places of three firsts, six seconds, two thirds and three fourths (masters’ champion in all but one).

Mountain women open: Kristin Price, 28, Raleigh, NC, is a first-time recipient in this category. Price won the USA Mountain Running Championships to earn a spot on her first U.S. Mountain Running Team, and was the top finisher (12^thoverall) for the U.S. women at the World Mountain Running Championships leading the team to its fourth-place finish. Team USA was the first team to finish all four women at the World Championships.

Mountain women master: Nicole Hunt, 40, Deer Lodge, MT, had an outstanding year as a masters’ competitor. Hunt is no stranger to mountain running awards having been named the 2006 USATF Mountain Runner of the Year. In 2010, Hunt finished fourth overall at the National Championships – third American – winning the masters’ title at MT Washington in a masters’ course record performance. She was the third U.S. woman finisher (17^th overall) at the World Mountain Running Championships. She finished fourth, first master, at the USA 15km Trail Championships. Masters Champion at Bloomsday.

Ultra men open: Michael Wardian, 36, Arlington, VA, wins his third consecutive Ted Corbitt Memorial USATF Ultra Runner of the Year Award in 2010. Wardian was the USA 50km Champion, and won bronze at both the 50km World Championships and the IAU 100km World Championships. He finished third – the best finish ever by a U.S. man – at the Marathon Des Sables in Morocco, and finished as the top U.S. runner at Comrades Marathon (89km). He finished second at The North Face Endurance Challenge in Washington, DC, just one week after Comrades. He posted six marathon victories in 2010 including ING Miami, National Marathon, Delaware Marathon (Delaware State Record & Course Record in 2:26:22), Grant & Pierce Indoor Marathon (setting indoor marathon World Record of 2:27:21), Kauai Marathon, and ING Hartford Marathon. He was also 15^th overall at the USATF Men’s Marathon Championships posting a time of 2:21:18.

Ultra men master: Scott Dunlap, Woodside, CA, 41, is a first-time recipient of this award. He was the top master and 11^th overall at the USATF 50km Trail Championships, third master at the USATF 50km Road Championships, third master at the USATF 100 Mile Trail Championships, and third master at the USATF Trail Marathon Championships in 2009. He also won the 40-44 age group at the XTERRA World Championships in 2009 and was first overall at the Woodside Trail Marathon (3:36, CR). He won the 40-49 age group at the Tahoe Rim Trail 50km (5th overall, the RRCA Nevada Championship). Dunlap promotes USATF and its championship races on his award-winning blog, A Trail Runner’s Blog at this link. (http://runtrails.blogspot.com)

Ultra women open: Kami Semick, 44, Bend, OR, is now a two-time recipient of the Ruth Anderson USATF Ultra Runner of the Year award having won this title last year. She posted an outstanding year on the road and trails. Her wins included the USA 50km Trail Championships, the Miwok 100km Trail Race, the Vermont 100 Miler, and the Portland Marathon. In 2009 (November), she won the IAU 50km World Trophy in Gibraltar. She was fourth overall and top American at Comrades Marathon (89km). Semick is an active member of USATF’s Mountain Ultra Trail Running Council.

Ultra women master: Meghan Arbogast, 49, Corvallis, OR, a first-time recipient of this award, was the winner of the 2010 U.S. 100km Championships, the USA 50 Mile Trail Championships, Where’s Waldo 100km and the Ice Age 50 Mile Trail Race. She finished second overall at both the 2010 Western States 100 Mile Trail Race and at the 2009 JFK 50 Miler (November) where she was also the top masters’ finisher. She was the fifth masters’ finisher at the Twin Cities Marathon – the U.S. National Masters Championships – finishing 16^th overall.

USA Trail Championships Series Winners – Mario Mendoza, 24, Cambria, CA, and Gina Lucrezi, 27, Newton, MA. Mendoza and Lucrezi garnered the most points in the inaugural USA Trail Championships (sub-ultra) series. The events included the 10km, 15km, half marathon, and marathon event distances. In 2011, the USATF Mountain Ultra Trail Running Council hopes to further promote and enhance the championship trail series.

Contributor of the Year – Mount Washington Road Race Directors Bob and Anita Teschek. In 2010, the Tescheks recruited the deepest field in the 50-year history of the Mount Washington Road Race (June 19). This was done by actively recruiting top runners and offering inducements such as travel money, lodging, and doubling the prize purse. The race served as not only the USA Mountain Running Championships, but also as the lone qualifier for both the men’s and women’s mountain running teams. This was the first time a race had been granted this distinction, which can be traced to the efforts of the Tescheks to get the top runners to the starting line. They have served the mountain running community for many years, hosting the USA Mountain Running Championships and team selection races in the even-numbered years starting in 2004. They have also made contributions to the U.S. Mountain Running Team. Bob Teschek has been the race director at Mount Washington for over 25 years with this year’s race being his last as race director.

Mustard with Eggs

2010-11-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

Time flies except during the middle of a hard workout! The reason so much time between blog posts is that my days are filled with fun activities. Eon's naps are shorter too so I have less time to do my work on the computer. He can play by himself for 30 min stretches but more than that and I feel guilty not being with him.
Races- MT Cup -3rd and 1st masters. I felt stiff and sore leading up to that race so in retrospect I should have taken some time off. I am ok with 3rd but know in my heart that I did not perform up to my potential.
Took 6 days off and ran a 85 sec personal best at the Sentinel Hill Climb! I am very excited about that race since I beat some men that were 3+ minutes ahead of me at the 6k MT Cup 6 days prior.
Ran ~25 sec's faster at the Veterans Day 5 miler compared to last year.
So, since I ran decent in my last 2 races, I committed to racing Club Nationals in Charlotte on Dec 11th. This will be my first official all masters race and I am excited! Due to such a long season and needing a mental break from intense workouts, I am taking a low key approach, and only running a hard workout every 4-5 days. I am flying alone with Eon so taking my luggage a car seat and stroller will be interesting. I plan to stuff all our clothes and his diapers into my backpack.
Eon news
He loves-
Running around in circles dancing to the beat of music while dragging a toy attached to yarn
Helping me bake and cook dinner-today he helped me make pumpkin cornbread. He stood on a chair so he could crack the eggs and stir the batter.
Pushing the chariot out in front of himself so he can run fast and push it again
Thomas the Train
Pulling the sled (not riding)
Watching the birds from our bay window
Seeing tractors and any heavy equipment trucks.
Eating mustard with eggs :)
Happy running,
Nicole

Pumpkins, Witches, Ghosts, Spiders and Leaves

2010-10-23T14:48:00.001-07:00

Eon's newest favorite activity is running down the almost mile long sidewalk looking for Pumpkins, Witches, Ghosts, Spiders and Leaves while kicking a beach ball. Every time he spots a pumpkin he says "boo"!

We went to a pumpkin patch last weekend and he picked out a special pumpkin which he insisted he held on to. When we walked home Eon wanted the pumpkin to sleep by his bed at night.

Eon loves raking leaves. He is determined to learn how to rake leaves in piles all by himself and he insists on carrying the rake from the garage to the front yard.

Running this time of year is my favorite. Almost every weekend I meet a few of my friends to run up and down mountainous trails.

I won the Homestake trail race I referred to in my last blog post and the next important race is the Montana Cup.

I have been busy with my coaching business and helping my husband. On his way to work, he was in a serious cycling accident and broke his patella and nose. He was transported by ambulance to the local hospital. That day was extremely scary and stressful for all of us. I feel really fortunate that my husband was not hurt more seriously. He is doing better now but unfortunately he can not run until March 2011. We had plans to race the USATF Club Cross Country Masters National Championships but our plans might have to change.

My training this month has been low key. After 10 months of intense training, I feel like my body needs a break. However, I am excited to race next weekend since the fastest runners of the state will be there.

I am also excited about Halloween. Since Eon loves all kinds of trucks, he decided to be a fire truck.

Nicole

35th Mount Helena Classic

2010-09-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

I broke the course record by 27 sec's. I was fighting a cold all week so very happy I was able to compete and break the record. I ran up the hill in 29:50 and down in 13:45. My quads are super sore from braking down the steep sections. I have always been intrigued (and scared of the downhill) by this race and so glad I tried it.
This 5.6 mile course starts on historic Last Chance Gulch in downtown Helena. It quickly changes from urban running to mountain trail running in Mt. Helena City Park. The course takes runners to the top of Mt. Helena, 1,300 feet above the starting line, and offers outstanding views of the City of Helena, Prickly Pear Valley, and Elkhorn and Belt Mountains. The course then descends back to the finish area on Last Chance Gulch.

Next race is Homestake Trail in 2 weeks! Top 3 get prize money.

Nicole

2010 Mountain Running World Championships

2010-09-10T18:54:00.000-07:00

(Kristin Price, Brandy Erholz, Megan Lund and myself) (Eon loved the free icecream- a rare treat for him)

16 days, 6 countries and hundreds of memories and my goal race...where do I begin?

Aug 24-21 hr flight not including 6 hr layover in SLC airport. Eon loved playing in the airport playground. never noticed these before but found 3.
Arrived in Budapest. Luggage lost. Rented a car. Felt like I was on Amazing Race trying to navigate through a maze. Hint for future- do not drive European cities unless you are prepared to get lost every 5 min.
Aug 26-Ran from our hotel in Budapest up a mountain to meadows with wildflowers. Walked to a little grocery store where we discovered that food was much cheaper compared to the States. Loved exploring the store trying to figure out what everything was. Drove 5 hours through endless countryside speckled with little villages each with a unique church and tall steeple (this became a game for Eon...we would say "find the church!" and Eon would squeal in delight when he found the church) Check into a beautiful hotel in the forest next to a roaring creek in Korbielow Poland. My favorite memories there were staring at the moon at night through the 2 skylights and going for runs through town hearing the roosters crowing and picking blackberries and eating the yummy buffet breakfasts.

Aug 29-Drive 4 hrs and stay at Sopran Hungary. I had an awesome 90 min run in the rain under a canopy of trees. It sounded like I was under an umbrella. There were numerous trails right out our door. This place also had a superb all you can eat buffet breakfast. I really enjoy eating after a long run especially if I don't have to cook.

(Korbielow Poland where my husband ran the Masters World Champs - placed 9th overall)

(Garden Chess outside our hotel in Sopran Hungary)

Aug 30-Drove 3 hrs thru ~15 tunnels to Ferlach Austria. The photo was taken from our balcony. There were trails everywhere. We went to the zoo and maze. Eon loved the maze. He was so excited to be in the maze that he ran with his tongue out while sporting a happy smile. My favorite memory is running thru short grass meadows hearing the bells of the cows faintly ring.

(the View from our balcony)
Sept 1- Drove 90 min to Slovenia- The slogan for the country of Slovenia is feel the love in Slovenia. For such a small country they did an outstanding job organizing this event. Not only are they hard workers but these people are so friendly and helpful. I was impressed by this tiny country and would recommend vacationing in Slovenia.
We checked into our hotel in and then immediately we hiked the course. My husband pushed our stroller 2km up the steep trail and then I hiked up 5km up and down. Here are some photos of the course.

The course was extremely steep for about 5.5km in the forest and then at 3k left we ran in the meadow in an area called Velika Planina. Velika Planina is a high mountain plateau in the foothills of Kamnik-Savinja Alps. There are no words to describe the spectacular scenery and peaceful feeling you experience in Velika Planina.

Sept 2- I ran thru the village of Kamnik where there were at least 3 churches and 1 clock tower and every 15 min the bells would ring. We at a huge breakfast and then drove to the gondola and rode the gondola and the chairlift to the top of the race mountain. Eon loved the chairlift ride, pointing in excitement to the cows. I walked down 2km to see the course.

Sept 3- Another interesting run thru Kamnik then we rode the gondola again to the top. We returned for lunch and free icecream(every day we ate icecream except the

day before the race. Eon loved the icecream!!) We then drove to the Arboretum and looked at flowers, fed the fish and Eon played in the huge playground and maze.

Sept 4- Another trip to the Arboretum and walked in the opening ceremony.

Sept 5- Woke up at 5am in anticipation of the big day! Ate breakfast and got on the bus at 7:30am. We were shuttled up to the start. The starting area was about 10meters across and started on a downhill. 70 runners had to all fit in that tiny space so when the gun sounded I was pushed and shoved and tripped. I nearly fell sideways but luckily I was pushed into another runner which helped me regain my balance. The start was stressful and scary so this caused me to tense up. I immediately felt awful on the uphill rocky climb. I could see which seemed like 40 or more gals in front of me on this narrow trail. I started to panic a bit knowing that I would have to pass so many gals. The first 5 min I had to run slower than I would have preferred due to a wall of gals blocking my path. At about 2.5km into the race the trail turns into a single track, I knew I had to pass people before I entered the single track. I passed numerous runners until I was in about 22nd place. My legs were on fire but I was motivated to try to catch up to my team mates ahead of me. I worked my way up to ~16th place then we hit the technical downhill. I twisted my ankle and also got passed by 3 runners on that stretch of 200m downhill. As soon as we hit the steep uphill again my quads felt like bricks and I was wondering if I could even finish. Somehow about 5 min later my legs recovered and I felt strong. I pushed my way up the hill and ran with my team mate Brandy. At one point I was in 15th place and 2nd American. We helped each other up the hill by encouraging each other to push. Near the top the course was lined with spectators ringing their cowbells. Brandy passed me with about 600m to go. I gave it everything I had but I could not go with her. The last 50m is straight up a hill. My legs gave out on me and I nearly collapsed. I ended up 17th pace, 3rd American and our team placed 4th. I was happy about my race since I gave it my best and never gave up. My goal was top 10 finish but knowing that I had nothing in the tank left me with satisfaction. Video with ~200m to finish below and another video of finish here.

At the finish line, Eon smiled and ran to me to hug me. What a treat to be able to run a race and get a hug on the top from my husband and a 2yr old.
That evening we went to the closing ceremony and went to a outdoor pasta party with a traditional band playing. The athletes were dancing and having fun trading their jerseys and mingling. Eon was fascinated with the desserts and the music. On our walk back we visited a cemetery. The cemetery was completely dark except for hundreds of candles flickering orange light.

The next day I was not sore so I went for a 75 min long run in the woods up a mountain. We then drove back 5hrs to Budapest where we stayed near the airport. The next morning, our flight was delayed out of Budapest so we spent the night near Paris France. Again I enjoyed running on cobblestone streets and trails in the woods and eating the all you can eat buffets.

We finally made it home to Montana 16 days later. Eon adapted extremely well to the time change and had fun on the airplane. I feel so fortunate to have such a supportive family and this opportunity to represent my country.

Europe is a beautiful, charming country. I hope to try out for another world team again so we can create new memories.
My next race is in in 6 days-Mount Helena. It is up a mountain then back down.

Cheers,

Nicole

Helicopter ride

2010-08-22T20:49:00.000-07:00

We are leaving on Tuesday for the World Mountain Running Championships! I am trying to think of every little thing to pack (like the wipes for the airplane). My head is spinning trying to remember everything to pack for myself, my hubby and Eon!! I will update my adventure as soon as I return and have a free moment.

Eon visited the fair this weekend and was treated to a helicopter ride by his Grandpa Bill! Eon adores helicopters and knows how to sign the word. Every time he sees a helicopter flying in the sky..he jumps and points in delight. Here is a short video if interested.

More later,

Nicole

USATF 15k Trail Championships

2010-08-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

Another memorable adventurous weekend! The 3 of us camped without a tent under the stars. The roar of the river and the crickets chirping lulled me to sleep. We were awakened to a fierce wind at 5:30 am. My husband and I glanced at each other knowing that a big thunderstorm was approaching quickly. Lightening flashed and the sky rumbled. The overhead trees started swaying and pine needles were falling everywhere. My husband buttoned us up under a tarp to stay dry. Amazingly, Eon remained asleep through all this commotion.

The 15k trail race was staged in a beautiful area of Spokane. The race course was basically flat (1-2% grade) except for one monsterous 175 meter 27% grade hill speckled with softball sized river rock!

I was battling a plugged up ear for the last week but I was determined to not let that mentally effect my race.

I started out feeling good and maintained contact with the leader until about 6k left to go. I then started to feel very weak and I slowed down quite a bit. I tried my best but lost time while battling it out with the demon in my head telling me to run faster..run harder..you can do this. I ended up 4th pace which was the best I could do on that day so I am happy with my race. However it was puzzling me why I felt so weak (I was passed going up the only hill) and why my resting HR was elevated 15-20 beats for several days prior to the race. I went to the doctor yesterday and discovered I have a slight ear infection. He unplugged my ear and now I feel better and can hear again! Likely, I still would have placed 4th without the ear problem but now I know that my body was not feeling 100%.

I did my hard workout yesterday by first cycling 30 min hard then running hill repeats then cycling back down into the setting sun which was an intense orange and red color due to a distant wildfire.

Next race is a local road race with some prize money.

Happy running!

Nicole

A Few of my Favorite Things

2010-07-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

Eat,run, eat, mountain bike, picnic, hike, eat, relax and repeat. The last 5 weekends, we have followed this pattern of fun and adventure. The longest mountain bike ride we did was 70km. This was the most I biked in my life and it took 4 hrs but luckily we had my husband's parents meet us halfway to treat us to a picnic dinner in the forest.

Workouts have been going well. My next race is July 31 - the USATF 15k National Trail Championships. My goal is top 3. 15 min 5k runner Julia Lucas is the favorite to win. We are camping out right next to the race start. Eon loves to camp so it makes the trip extra special having him with us.

Eon's favorite word is "no" but it is not just an ordinary no it is a very sweet sounding gentle no. He also is mr helper and likes to assist me with everything like emptying the dishwasher, folding the laundry, sweeping the floors...he also likes to get my shoes for me when I say we are going outside and is thrilled to get the mail everyday.

I planned our trip to Europe. We are flying into Budapest, then driving to Poland for the Masters World Mountain Running Championships. After 3 nights in Poland we are off to Austria and staying in a mountain chalet for another 3 nights. We then head to Slovenia for the World Championships. My heart flutters when I think of the race. I am excited to run against the best moutain runners in the world. Here is a video of the race course.

Also. thank you all for the notes of congratulations on making the World Team! I appreciate all the support.

Running Happy,

Nicole

Mount Washington Race

2010-06-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

Almost 2 years!
What a thrill to train hard with a single focus for a year and have your goal come true! I am so excited that I qualified for Worlds. This was my goal since late July 09 where I finished near last in the qualifying race and my hamstrings were hurting me every step. I told my husband that my number 1 priority was to heal my hamstrings so I could train as hard as my mind wanted to. I faithfully traveled 180 miles to see my Osteopath every 2 months and my hamstrings slightly improved each session. It was only the last 3 months that I thought I might have an outside chance to make the team. My hamstrings were feeling much better and I had some encouraging workouts and a few races which told me I had a chance to run sub 1:14 at Mount Washington.
Mount Washington is a 7.6 mile hill climb that averages 12% grade. I ran my best time in 2006 in 1:12:30 and earned a trip to World Mtn Running Championships held in Turkey. I was in the best shape of my life in 2006 so I thought slightly under 1:14 would be the best I could ever run.
My primary goal going into this race was to try to make the mountain running team. I knew this would be extremely difficult since the competition was fierce. I counted 10 women who had a shot at top 4. I also knew that it would take running a fast time on this course to have a shot at top 4. My secondary goal was to try to break the master’s course record which was 1:13:33. As I stated above however, I truly did think I needed perfect conditions to break the course record.
The weather race morning was not perfect. It was sunny and very hot and humid for me. I was training in cool 45F in Montana so nearly 80F at the start with humidity was a shock to my body. I told myself that everyone had to deal with the heat so just relax and deal with the conditions and run your best.
I ran a short warm up and felt okay. I certainly did not feel springy like I did a few years ago before goal races. When the cannon fired I was immediately in 3rd place with several gals right on my heels. I ran the first mile in control and relaxed and I was amazed when my split was the same time as 2006! I was passed by Kristin Price in that mile so the rest of the race I was running scared knowing that I had to push hard to maintain my position. At the halfway mark I was exactly on my split to break the master’s course record. I then realized that every second would count from here to the finish so I pushed hard. The 6th mile I was behind my goal split by just a few seconds and 2009 Mountain Runner of the year, Brandy Erholtz was about 20 sec’s ahead of me and Megan Lund was about 100 meters behind me. I then told myself that I was only going to be 40 once in my life so it was now or never to break that record and make the team. I pushed as hard as I could thru the pain and slowly was inching my way toward Brandy. I read my 7th mile split wrong and thought I was behind my goal pace so I pushed and pushed until I was right behind Brandy. I could then smell the finish and went into the well of pain and gave it everything I had hoping to break that record. When I crossed the line, I collapsed but I was elated because not only did I break the course record by 34 seconds and qualified for the team but I ran within 29 seconds of my 2006 all time best!!!
This race reaffirmed to me that patience, hard work and believing in yourself through injury and setbacks brings success. I could have easily given up last year when I was beat up mentally but luckily I told myself that I needed to give myself another chance and do everything possible to make my dream happen. Keep believing in your dreams and good things will happen.
Eon will be 2 in 3 days. To celebrate, we are off tonight to go camping in a field of wildflowers on top of a mountain pass. Tomorrow a HM trail race starts where we are camping. I plan to run a tempo run inside the race. We then will soak in the hotsprings and go hiking. The next day our plan is to ride our mountain bikes. Eon loves the outdoors and enjoys walking with us too.
I better finish packing…lots of things to pack with a 2 year old!
Nicole

Mount Washington

2010-06-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled that I made the USA mountain running team. I am still a little bit in shock that I ran 1:12:59 and broke the masters course record by ~34 sec's and that I was 3rd American. The race exceeded my expectations of myself. More details to come soon. :)

40 but feeling 14

2010-05-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

22 months

I am now a masters runner! I can't believe that I am confessing this on this blog because it still has not sunk in yet that I turned 40 just a few days ago. I was 14 when my mom turned 40 and at that time 40 was "old" "mature" or light years away. Now that I hit that milestone year 40 does not seem ancient. I actually loved celebrating turning 40. On my birthday, I was lucky to be an invited elite runner to Spokane's Lilac Bloomsday 12k race where all elite athletes are treated exceptionally well. Elites are treated to 45 min massages every day, all you can eat healthy food and luxurious accommodations to the Double Tree Hilton where they give you hot yummy chocolate chip cookies. Top 3 masters get prize money so my goal was to finish in the money and run faster than last year. I accomplished both! I was the top master by about 90 sec's and finished 45 sec's faster than last year. The top American was Sally Mayerhoff in 41:57. She won over $5000 for her win. I have to admit that the hardest part of being a master is realizing that your PRs are behind you (unless you started running late in your 30's like some of the athletes I help who are setting lifetime PR's in their 40's and 50's and even 60s!). Four years ago I was running 41's on the Bloomsday course and how I would love to be able to do that again. There are more than age reasons why I run slower now compared to a few years ago. The biggest part is that my training is not as intense. I still have the desire but I am not able to train with a 24 hour focus. I would not sacrifice anything in my life now to return to my former self. My little boy brings me so much happiness. I feel most fortunate to be able to compete well as a master and have Eon and a fabulous. supportive husband. Life is good.

My 2nd race as a master was yesterday. I ran the Prickly Pear 12k in Helena Montana. My goal was to run faster than last year and try to win. I am very excited since I was top woman, broke Nikki Kimball's course record and ran 3 min faster than last year!

My next big goal race is MT Washington on June 19. Top 4 women qualify for the World Mountain Running Championships in Slovenia. There will be likely 10 very fast women competing for 4 spots. The next 5 weeks my training will be directed toward everything I can do to run my best on that day.

In other news:

We are remodeling our house - since we discovered Eon had tested positive for a tiny bit of lead we decided to repaint the entire interior and put up vinyl siding. We are adding a mudroom, redoing our kitchen, adding a new bathroom.

In Eon news - the biggest change has been his ability to entertain himself. I am now able to run on the treadmill for 30 min or do a hard workout outside while he watches me run back and forth up a hill. I am loving this new change since it frees me up to run a 3rd hard workout a week if I choose.

The other change is Eon's ability to run and run fast and usually run fast away from me!! When I say okay time for a diaper change, Eon bolts to the furthest corner of the house and hides whiles squealing with delight. Eon also enjoys long walks outside. He is thrilled when he sees airplanes, helicopters, trucks, trains, buses, crows, cranes and ducks. A few weeks ago I ran around a pond with over 100 ducks, geese and seagulls swarming around us. Eon was pointing and grunting with excitement seeing these birds fly and squawk around him. I would have never experienced this if I had not had Eon. Having Eon is like being a kid again. I might be 40 but I feel 14!!

Cheers,

Nicole

AOH St Patricks Day Race

2010-03-14T07:37:00.000-07:00

20.5 months

I ran my first race of 2010 yesterday at the Anaconda 29th Annual AOH St Patricks Day Race. This race is run point to point on a slight downhill course with the wind at your back. It is a fast course even considering that you are running at a fairly high altitude of 5200+ feet. My goal was to run sub 17 min and break the course record of 17:02. When I started my warm up my legs felt good and I no hamstring soreness. The race was delayed 35 min which made it a little bit challenging to time your warm up. The wind was blowing due west at about 8-10mph which was perfect for running fast. I felt my heart flutter as I jogged my way to the starting line wearing my new Saucony red race oufit. (Saucony is sponsoring me this year!).

The gun went off and I shot my way down the road. I could not believe how super my legs felt! I was running with power and felt relaxed. My first mile was a 5 flat (the fastest mile of the race) and when I saw that split I was in shock. How can I be running this fast and it feel so easy? My second mile was 5:27 and 3rd mile was about 5:19 with a finishing time of 15:47. I was (and still am) in shock and at the same time estatic. I chopped ~75 sec's off the course record and placed 5th overall among the men. The year long therapy to my hamtrings has helped me feel powerful and smooth again. I feel so grateful to be running strong. When something is taken away from you, it makes it even more special when it returns. As with my running, I lost my leg power for a few years but having it return to me yesterday was such a happy experience. A lesson learned is to keep believing in yourself through tough times and good things will happen.

Eon news: He started saying animal noises. His meow and moo are especially cute.

Eon loves to walk outside and explore. He trots down the sidewalk for a good hour with a huge smile on his face while he points to all objects of interest (esp airplanes and crows and big trucks).

He loves mustard on everything including brocolli and carrots. He will lick the mustard off if I am not looking.

After grocery shopping this week, I told Eon to go bring me the groceries which were in a different room. Much to my surprise Eon came back dragging two bags of groceries.

My dad comes to visit every other week and we all go to the library for story time together. Eon jumps for joy when his Grandpa Bill visits and can't wait to show off his new books from the library.

Nicole

Marching in Circles to the Beat of the Drum

2010-02-19T17:14:00.000-08:00

Almost 20 months

It has been nearly 4 weeks since I updated this blog. Since then a few things happened. The best news for me was that Eon's lead level came back a 2. I was fearing the worst and thought his level was going to be a 10 or higher. We reside in a 100 year old house and had some remodeling work done in October/November. There was dust everywhere. I did not even consider lead was an issue but after doing a lot of research I found that it is lead dust that is most dangerous since babies inhale it and also put their fingers with lead dust in their mouths. Eon's lead level is not perfect and my husband and I are committed to try to get his level to a zero. I bought a home lead testing kit on Amazon and eagerly awaiting for it too arrive.

On Valentines Day weekend, we traveled 2 hours and stayed in a hotel for a few days. My days consisted of running, cross country skiing under bright blue skies and eating yummy food.

One of my hard workouts over the Valentines Day vacation was memorable. I planned to run 10 x 90 sec hills but on my warm up to the hill I discovered there was a fierce biting wind in my face so I changed plans and ran to the local cemetary. The cemetary was a perfect choice! The tall trees sheltered me from the wind and the old asphalt roads were clear of ice and snow. I could choose a number of roads that snaked upwards so each rep I altered my route. This workout went by fast and was refreshing.

The other fun thing we did was visit the children's museum. I have to admit I was skeptical that a tiny house called a museum for children would be interesting. I was suprised when we walked through the door and the room was bursting with bright colors and various play stations. Eon's favorite was digging in the lentil box with chop sticks searching for plastic worms.

Eon continues to amaze me with his understanding of words and new activities. I was cleaning a few days ago and I asked Eon if he could get the broom and dust pan. A minute later he proudly handed me both. Eon now can blow into a recorder while I bang on the drums. We march around in circles to the beat of the drum. Eon loves this game. These are the kind of memories that I cherish.

I had my 8th prolotherapy visit 10 days ago and my hamstrings feel the best yet. I did the math yesterday and the number of shots I had was 64. Now I wish I had not done the math!

My next race is in 2 weeks. I am excited to see where my fitness is at. My goal if the weather is good is to try to run sub 17 min for the 3 mile race.

Running Happy

Nicole

An Inkling

2010-01-31T15:34:00.000-08:00

19 months
At Eon's last well baby check up I asked the doctor if we could check his iron stores and Vitamin D. Since he eats very little iron rich foods I had an inkling Eon might be iron deficient. I put off the blood draw for over a month because I was dreading the blood draw.
When we arrived at the clinic Eon was clinging on to me for dear life. It took 3 people to draw his blood and Eon was crying in fear. Luckily I was able to nurse Eon immediately after to comfort him.
The blood draw was stressful for me too but it was worth the stress to find out his iron stores were low and that I needed to try give him meat and an iron supplement. The doctor then ordered a CBC and Lead. We went back to the lab and went through the same stressful ordeal. 2 days later I found out that Eon's CBC was normal -thank goodness- he is not anemic and he is just iron deficient. The lead test result scares me since we live in a 100 year old house and after doing research I discovered that lead can be everywhere in an old house. Lead can remain in your body for 20 plus years and can cause behavioral disorders and lower IQ's. Yikes.
After finding out Eon was iron deficient I cooked some meat and tried to make it as tasty as possible. Eon rejected meat in the past so I was skeptical that he would eat it. I was dead wrong - he gobbled up about 1/3 cup of meat! I was thrilled! This feeling did not last long - Eon has rejected meat every meal since then. I even tried to hide it in his favorites foods. Well, he finds it and picks it out. Sooo, I went online and bought a safe natural iron supplement for kids. Floradix Luckily he loves the taste.
My training is going well. I am much more laid back about my training which is a good and bad thing. My next race is not until mid March which seems like a long time but it is only about 6 weeks away. My goal there is to try to break the course record if the weather is decent.
Running Happy
Nicole

Whooo, Whoooo Whoooo!!

2010-01-15T15:08:00.000-08:00

18.5 months
Eon is in a growth spurt. His pants are getting short on him and I am having trouble holding him for more than 2 minutes. He has always been small (25% of average for weight) except his head which is 90% average - (now you know why I needed that C-Sect..my husband says big heads run in his family..) Eon weighed in 27 lbs a month ago which is almost 1/3 of my weight - 100 lbs. I finally got down to my pre pregnancy weight. Phew! You would think with nursing and running 60 plus miles a week that the weight would melt off. Well it did not for me. I love eating food so that is probably the reason. My body also craves avocados, nuts and yogurt so every day I eat a whole avocado on bread and later in the day I will eat 2 cups plain yogurt with about 1 cup of nuts (I am not kidding!) Nursing Eon brings us happiness so I won't be stopping any time soon but it does make me be extra careful to eat healthy.
Breastfeeding Eon this year when I will be traveling to races will be interesting. I choose not to leave Eon for more than 12 hours so he is flying with me to all my races. He loves airplanes so I am sure he will be thrilled. (every time we hear an airplane he wants to go outside to see it). I never thought of these things while I was pregnant but now my life has changed (for the better) and Eon and I will be flying together.

I got my 7th prolo shot a few days ago. It was the least painful shot but the most painful recovery. I still can't run 3 days post injection.

.............................................
Eon news - I really enjoy this phase - Eon loves to make messes. Well all I need to say to him is, "please put the q-tips (or whatever) back now Eon" and surprisingly he puts it all back, not perfectly but good enough!
He also knows how to use the remote and turn on the VCR and play tapes. I have to hide both!
Eon loves to sled. During his first sledding adventure he kept signing more after he slid fast 50m down a hill.

And lastly Eon is fascinated by the singing birds and the owl that hoots outside our bedroom window every night! Whooo, Whoooo Whoooo
...........................

On to our next adventure.
Nicole

A warm fuzzy feeling!

2009-12-25T13:11:00.000-08:00

Almost 18 months!
Eon's 2nd Christmas. There is something magical about Christmas and having Eon in my life makes this holiday even more special. Eon does not know who Santa is yet but he was so excited about opening his gifts. He shows his excitement by waving his hands in the air and saying uh,uh uh.
It is so easy to buy presents for him. I am certain we spoil him but it is so delightful to see his face light up with joy and wonder when he receives a present. This year he got a lego truck (he loves trucks) colorful cylinders that he can hammer down in their holes (he is really good with his hands) a train DVD and train car (he also loves trains), and a cute little red sled!
I can't wait to take him out sledding. Life's experiences like sledding are all new to him and seeing his face glow with joy creates warm fuzzy feelings that I never would have experienced if I did not have Eon.
Latest developments- Eon can eat yogurt with blueberries and granola by himself

with a spoon. This is nice for me so I can eat my own food while he eats...just make sure he has a big bib on!
Eon is now capable of climbing up and down the stairs all by himself. We have super steep stairs but he is Mr Independent and wants to climb them all by himself. Yikes!
Teeth- Since Eon is a milkaholic, I wanted to ensure we were taking good care of his teeth. I did some research and decided to give him 1 drop of ACT bubble gum rinse 2x day, drink water with 1.5 tsp xylitol throughout the day and brush 2x day (Eon fights getting his teeth brushed). I also took him to the dentist at 17 months for a fluoride varnish. I am hoping this routine will keep his teeth healthy and strong.
My running- I have had some fantastic workouts but yesterday I strained my hamstring a bit in a different area where my chronic injury is so I will be xting for a few days until the pain subsides. I wish my body was indestructible so I could work as hard as my mind wants to train!
Merry Christmas!
Nicole

It is cold outside!

2009-12-04T15:38:00.000-08:00

17 months
Negative 15F sunny today but not counting the wind chill - yikes! I bundled myself up and put Eon in his sheepskin sleeping bag w/his down jacket and warm flax seed bean bag. He stayed toasty in his heated box but my fingers were cold having to hang on to the chariot. As soon as we were thru with our run, Eon gave the sign for milk (he does this after every single run) and ran to our "milk spot" and waited for me to follow him. It is so cute. I really enjoy this phase. Eon loves to cuddle and his mama's milk. These are precious memories for me.
We put up the Christmas tree a few days ago. I placed the unbreakable ornaments towards the bottom so Eon could play with them and not break them. He adores the tree and is fascinated by the twinkling lights and that he can find pictures of Christmas trees in his books.
Eon does not say alot of words yet but he can sign numerous words and continues to amaze me how much he understands my requests. My favorite still is "time for your diaper change" ..Eon grabs his diaper and lays down smiling.
His favorite foods are fried eggs w/cheese, bread w/cheese, apples, almonds, tomatoes, quinoa, raisins, avocado and yogurt. He is a picky eater and if something feels funny, he won't eat it.
My running is going well. I had my 6th prolo shot so I just ran easy for a week. My hams feel better now so I am excited to run hard again.
Cheers
Nicole

8 blocks

2009-11-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

16.5 months
Eon changes every week. Here are some of my favorites:
A few months ago diaper changes were a battle of wills. Eon would fuss and try to escape my grasp. The last week or so all I have to say is "time for your diaper change" and Eon will grab a diaper, lay down and smile. (I love this new phase).
Eon loves to play "boo". I chase him around the house hiding around corners trying to scare him by saying BOO! He laughs and laughs.
When I clean the house, Eon wants to assist me by using his own dust rag or mop and broom (see pictures)
Eon lives for the outdoors. When I say "time to go outside..find your shoes", Eon starts laughing and quickly finds his shoes. He also can walk/run fast now for 15 min down our street.
When Eon is uncertain about something he reaches up to hold my hand. Today he was scared of the little back dog behind a fence so he quickly scuttled next to me and put his hand up to be held.
I love the way he looks after accomplishing a task. Yesterday he stacked 8 blocks and he was so proud of his new skill.
*************************************************************
Eon had a well child check up this week. For the first time, he acted really scared. I think he remembered for the first time what happens at the doctors office. I am following Dr Sears alternative vaccine schedule. I highly recommend his vaccine book.
Running update:
I raced the Hill Climb and won the race but the course was changed from last year so unfortunately I can not compare my time .
When I roll on my Trigger Point ball, I can feel that I am still sore from the prolo shot in my hip flexor region given in Sept. My next appt is in 10 days. yikes!
I plan to become serious about my training soon. This year I did not have the same motivation as years past. I was lax about my eating habits and crosstraining and other details that molded me previously into a faster runner. In a few weeks I plan to devise a training schedule to help myself become faster. :)
Tomorrow I plan to run a 30 min tempo run with some strides.
Running Happy!
Nicole

The Red Racer

2009-11-03T19:02:00.000-08:00

16 months
As I was running a hard workout alone on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere today, a farmer stopped his truck and asked me "Are you okay"..I must have looked frazzled. My face was all red from overheating and my hair was blowing straight up in the air. I politely said, "I am fine, thank you!" This type of amusing interaction has happened many times. Runners are scarce where I live, especially runners with strollers. I am known throughout the little town where I live as the lady who runs with the red stroller.
A runner asked me when I started running with my little one in the red stroller (aka red racer). After my C-sect I walked every day beginning 7 days post surgery with Eon in the red racer. I purchased the infant sling and he was secure in it. 4 weeks post surgery I ran with Eon in the red racer and it lulled him to sleep every workout. I ran on trails and all over the earth with him and he seemed to enjoy every minute. He still enjoys it now. When I say "we are going running!" He jumps for joy and claps his hands and runs excitedly over to the red racer.
I raced the Montana Cup this weekend which is arguably the most competitive race in the state. I was thrilled to place 3rd. The course was all soft mud. I have never run well on a muddy course so placing 3rd was a complete surprise for me.
Eon continues to be full of wonder and adventure. Today we played with dried beans. He scooped the beans up in a spoon and dropped them in a bowl. He also placed the tiny beans down a straw. It is really exciting to see how quickly he masters a new skill.
In the last 4 weeks, we experienced all sorts of new and exciting things. We went on a hay ride, carved a pumpkin (Eon loved to play with the pumpkin guts), hiked in mountains with the falling leaves and went thru a straw maze. I also went on some sensational trail runs with my running friends. Somehow on one we ended up lost and it took us 3 hrs to navigate 11 miles.
My running season is winding down. I will be racing the Mt Sentinal Hill Climb this weekend but other than that race I do not have any other races planned until next year. I turn 40 next year so I am very excited to train hard and see how fast I can be.
Nicole

My run in the Blizzard

2009-10-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

Ran 11 miles in calf deep snow up a mountain trail during a blizzard. My run was supposed to take 90 min but it took us 2:25 min. I was extremely tired after this unplanned snow run adventure. After the run we met our friends for lunch who just adopted a 13 month old baby girl from China. Eon's first playdate! It was fun to watch them play alongside each other.
I might race tomorrow. An arctic blast is inching its way to Montana so that may deter my racing plans.
Had a great week of workouts. My hamstrings felt the best ever too.
A runner asked me if I would consider racing Pikes Peak and yes, definitely it is on my race list for the future.
In other news - one of my athletes that I help knocked 4 min off her PR at Twin Cities and missed qualifying for the Olympic 2012 Marathon trials by only 26 sec's! I was as nervous for her as I was before my marathon races.
Hope you enjoy the recipe below.
Nicole

Zucchini Patties

2009-10-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

Eon's new favorite food - Zucchini Patties

3 cups Zucchini grated (or any vegetable from the squash family like pumpkin)
3 eggs
1 cup flour
2 cups cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp or more garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Combine in food processor and then place patty size amount on non stick skillet over medium heat. Flip like a pancake.
Healthy and yummy!!

Smiling Faces

2009-10-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

15 months
I had another memorable weekend! Friday night we hiked at Warm Springs Nature Preserve/Ponds and witnessed a spectacular red/orange sunset and then finished our hike around a pond listening to ducks and geese talking to each other under the moonlight and stars. Eon was fascinated by the new noises and the bright light of the moon.
The next morning I awoke to another beautiful warm fall day in Montana. I headed up to the race early so I could run the course beforehand. My legs felt achy still from the prolo and the hard hill workout I did 2 days prior. Nonetheless I was excited to see how I would run against other women and my 2 master-aged training partners. With 1 min into the race I was in 3rd place and with 3 min into the race I was 2nd place. My 2 training partners were also ahead of me. As the race progressed I started falling behind. I was trying to push negative thoughts out of my brain and stay positive. With about 1 mile to go in the 5 mile trail race I slowly started catching everyone. At one point the leading woman was about 125m in front of me. With about 600m to go I caught the leading woman and also one of my training partners. I tried really hard to stay ahead and I was in pain! I won by 11 sec's. What a fun race to be pushed by others and be mentally tested in the middle of the race. My husband said he was proud of me that I never gave up.
Eon stayed at his grandma's house while I raced so I was missing his happy smiling face after I finished. I really enjoyed watching him run to me and give my leg a big hug when I returned to see him though!
The next day I ran for 90 min easy under blue skies and golden aspen trees. We then hiked 90 min and finished the day with homemade pizza!
Eon news - Eon now likes plain whole wheat penne noodles (he has rejected all noodles until now and will reject penne noodles too if they have anything on them), nuts, and loves zucchini cheese cakes. He also understands alot of words. For example, I will say "look out the window and see the dog" and he will scuttle to the window and points to the dog. Eon also knows the baby sign for milk :)
Running Happy!
Nicole

Run Hike Run

2009-09-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

14 months 3 weeks- Last weekend was memorable. On Sat I ran 8 miles up to Mount Powell's trail head, ate breakfast then hiked 10 miles to an 8000 foot mountain lake.(see photos above) The weather was perfect and the sky so blue. Eon loved looking at the duck at the lake.
On Sunday, I met my 2 master running training partners (its great b/c we all 3 run at the same speed) and ran a hard 1 hr 45 min run to Blizzard Peak. It was cool and crisp that morning - ideal for a hard workout.

I had my 5th prolo shot 6 days prior to my hard Sunday workout and surprisingly I was not very sore. Each prolo session becomes less painful and I can now say for certain that prolo is helping me. Yahoo!

I am racing this weekend - the same trail race I did 3 months post Eon last year. I was told the course will be different. I was hoping the course would be the same so I could compare my fitness to last year.

Since my hamstrings are getting better, I am able to run 3 hard workouts a week now. Just a couple months ago this was not possible due the lingering hamstring soreness.

Eon has said 3 words - mama. uh oh and duck! It is so exciting to see him learn new things.

Tonight my workout is 60 min moderate mountain bike ride. I love listening to the crickets sing as I pedal thru the grass fields. (My husband pulls Eon and I still have to work really hard to keep up with him!)

Happy Running,

Nicole

Our typical day:

2009-09-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

14 months 2 weeks
Our typical day:
I wake up at 7 am and I carefully get out of bed hoping Eon does not hear the creaking of our 100 year old house when I quietly sneak out of the room. (If he hears me he wakes up immediately and wants his milk! J)
7-7:45am – Eat light breakfast, lift weights or check my work email or sometimes make dinner
7:45am – Eon’s typical wake up time. I nurse him for 15 min (hungry boy) then I brush his teeth (a battle of wills) dress, change him into a fuzzy bunz then I read him a few books
8:15am Breakfast –lately he likes rye flakes, w/blueberries and yogurt.
8:30 – 9:30 – Eon plays while I answer my work emails. Every 5-10 min or so I play with him for a few minutes which makes him happy and me happy too!
9:30 to 11am – my daily workout. Eon gets excited when I say “are you ready to run”? He responds with a happy noise and a smile. Eon usually sleeps for half of my run.
11 – 1115am – 2nd nursing session
1115 to 1145am – Make lunch and dinner and play w/Eon and/or do work related stuff
1145 to 12:15 –Lunch -he likes bread w/avocado, corn on the cob, cheese, cucumbers, prunes, quinoa, yogurt, fruit.
12:15 to 1pm Eon plays while I do coaching related stuff
1-2pm – We play outside. Eon walks and I follow. He loves picking strawberries and looking for birds and other living creatures like ants.
2-5pm- Eon’s nap time. (Eon nurses to sleep)I do my work on the computer.
5-6pm – Eon plays while I finish dinner.
6-7pm – The 3 of us eat dinner
7-9pm – Play time for all 3 of us. Sometimes we go for a walk or watch a movie or I might do some chores around the house or Eon takes a bath
9pm to 10:30pm – Eon’s typical bedtime. (Eon nurses to sleep and falls asleep quickly)
I am so thankful I can work at home and be with my little boy. Every week he changes and I am there to see that and be there to comfort him. Eon’s biggest accomplishment is learning how to climb up and down our couch!!
I had a great run today – 2 hours total 1 hr easy and 1 hour @ HM effort all on super hilly trails!
Happy running
Nicole

4 days of summer fun

2009-08-31T16:22:00.000-07:00

14 months

Aug 26 - Ran 10 miles on trails including a 5 mile tempo run and 7 x 90 sec hill repeats. Hams felt good and I felt powerful running
Aug 27-17 mile hike up to the 10,000 ft peak we were married on

Aug 28- 2 hr 20 min trail run up very steep hills then picnic

Aug 29 Drive to West Yellowstone and run 65 min easy amongst the Grizzlies

Aug 30 Race the competitive Roots Run 4 miler and exceed my expectations by running 23:18 (my goal was 23:40). It was ~75F and lots of local fast competition. My hams must be feeling better since I felt no pain during the race and I think my leg power is returning!

Summer Fever

2009-08-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

13 months 3.5 weeks-Last Wed I noticed Eon’s head was warm but I did not think it was abnormal since he was outside in the sun for an hour. At bedtime Eon’s head was still warm which concerned me but he was happy and very active all day so again I did not listen to my intuition. In the middle of the night I woke up and felt Eon and now his head and torso were hot. I quickly took his temp and it read 100.7. I was now a nervous mama. I nursed him and we both fell back to sleep. The next morning Eon was miserable. He was all red in the face and cried when I put him down. His temp was now 102F. I quickly called the doctor and she wanted to see him. They check him out and found nothing unusual except his fever. I was told he needed cathed for a UA. I refused to have them catherize my little boy having been cathed myself for my C-Sect I knew it would be uncomfortable and being a nurse too, I knew that anytime you cath you risk infection. I decided to try their idea of a bag placed in his diaper. We waited 90 min and each time Eon peed the urine landed not in the bag but trickled out onto his diaper. Since Eon was miserable we drove the 35 min drive home and waited to see if the bag would work. Well, I had a better idea – as I nursed Eon I placed the UA cup under him and waited and sure enough I finally got the sample! I quickly drove the 3 min to the lab and dropped off the sample. Eon’s temp was now 103F. I gave him Tylenol which dropped his temp to 101F. I was now very worried. Eon was also extremely fussy- so fussy that I could not find the time to eat anything all day (except 2 Powerbars) until my husband came home at 7pm. At 5pm I got a call that his UA sample was fine with instructions to call if his fever got worse. ..
Well it did…
At 9pm his fever was 106F. I called the number of my doctor and there was no number to call except 911. I was now freaking out since I knew that convulsions could happen at 107F. Frantically I started reading Dr Sears baby book and learned exactly what to do for high fevers. I followed all his instructions exactly and within an hour his fever was 102F – thank goodness but I was still very worried. All night I woke up every hour to take his temp and give him his Tylenol every 4 hours.
The next few days his temp remained at 101-102 and he had no appetite for solid foods. Thankfully he was comforted by nursing. Today his temp is normal and I still have no idea why he got the fever.
Lesson’s learned:
1. Know your doc’s policy for calling after hours
2. Invest in a good baby book like Dr Sear’s Baby Book
3. Trust your intuition
He is back to normal today and I am so happy that he is feeling good again. I now understand why parent’s are worried so much when their kids are very ill. Eon’s summer fever burned at my heart and drove me crazy with worry. I hope this experience will make me into a wiser mama.
Running news – I had my 4th prolo shot 3 weeks ago. I was very sore for 2.5 weeks and so I have not raced. My hamstrings feel less sore now so I might race this weekend at a local prize money race. My hammies seem to feel a little better too.
Eon news – (besides the fever episode) Eon loves to explore outside and so we spend a good hour every day walking around the house. He also points to objects in books very well now. His favorites are cows, balls, pigs, dogs and kittens. He weighs 21 lbs and his favorite food is bread with avocado.
Happy running,
Nicole

Colorado Trip Adventure!

2009-08-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

13 months 1 week
July 25 - Eon flew on his first airplane. What a treat for him! He loved riding on my lap and looking out the window. I thought it would be more of a challenge but the ride over went smoothly but I definitely would pack some more toys to keep him busy. Packing for a baby is the most challenging part - diapers, wipes, carseat, stroller, hiking carrier all take so much room. We also packed our 8 man tent and king size air mattress so we had a mountain of luggage.

July 26 - The race - well the race went okay. I had hoped my hamstrings would be 100% for the race but unfortunately they were slightly sore and tight. Even if they were 100% I doubt I would have made the team. My fitness is still lacking. Since my hamstring pain resurfaced in Dec 08 my leg power has plateaued which has been limiting my potential for racing and training. After 3 sessions of prolotherapy my left hamstring is about 50% better and my right hamstring is about 30% better. Tomorrow is my 4th session so I am interested to see how the healing affects my running in a few weeks.
Back to the race - I placed 10th and needed top 2 to make the team. Disappointed in my performance since I know I have the potential cardiovascularly to run faster but my power is lacking. I am excited though that prolo seems to be working and I am going to give it my best shot to make the team next year. The gals that qualified this year are super fast. They definitely have a chance to medal again this year.

July 27 - The 3 of us hiked up to the top of Pikes Peak! Eon seemed to really enjoy the ride. My husband was his sherpa and carried Eon's 21 lbs up to the 14,200 foot peak. We then hitched a ride down and walked into town to order pizza and icecream. A great day!!

July 28 - The Zoo - Eon was thrilled to see giraffes. When he gets excited he points to things. Well the giraffes got 2 handed points and lots of noises of excitement bubbled out of Eon's lips. The Colorado Springs zoo is my favorite zoo - hands down. A must see if you are in the area.

July 29 - Off to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. We camped adjacent to the dunes. Eon's 3rd day of camping in his life. He loves looking at the moon.

July 30 - I ran 8 miles in the sand. Tough workout! We then headed north to the forest service cabin we rented for 2 nights. We planned the drives to coincide with Eon's naps and also never drove for more than 3 hrs without stopping. This pattern prevented Eon from crying in the car which made us all happy campers.

July 31 I ran 8 miles easy at 10,000 feet in fields of wildflowers. We spent the day hiking, eating and relaxing. Eon also walked about 400m all by himself on a bumpy, rocky dirt road!
We topped the day off with a campfire with smores. Eon ate his first marshmellow and graham cracker too! A little messy, I must say.

Aug 1 - Off to Eldora where my next race was. We stopped in 10000 feet high Leadville and bought some yummy dessert bread and shoes for Eon. Eon is very curious and walks all over the place exploring.

Aug 2 - Ran the Eldora 10k trail race which I believe starts near 9000 feet and tops well over 10000 feet. I certainly felt the altitude but my hamstrings felt really good and my legs had some power. I was excited to place 3rd since I was battling with 2 other female runners for 3rd place the entire race.
We then drove to Boulder and walked Pearl Street, ate ice cream and walked along the creek. We also bought Eon a small plastic giraffe which he was very excited about. We flew back to MT that evening and Eon was even more excited to ride on the plane.
A very memorable trip!
My next race might be this weekend but since I am getting prolo on Tuesday the race will be low key for me. There is prize money which will make it competitive.

Life is good!

Nicole

Camping Trip

2009-07-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

12 months 1 week - The 3 of us drove up into the boonies and camped on top of blizzard peak at ~7500 ft. There were no other humans in sight. All we could see were meadows of wildflowers. It was so relaxing. We set up our 8 man tent and pumped up our air mattress and brought a glow in the dark ball for Eon to play with. The tent was perfect because it allowed Eon to throw his ball all around the tent and crawl/wobble toward it.
The night sky was beautiful and the sound of the light breeze blowing in the trees was so peaceful.
Eon was fascinated with the moon and kept pointing at it.
We awoke to an elk bugling next to our tent and then watched the orange sunrise.
After my hour easy run, Eon's 4 grandparents arrived there for a picnic. It was a perfect day.
The next day I ran 2hrs on trails moderate including 50 min hard. I am feeling excited about my upcoming race in 2 weeks!
Nicole

Eon is One and Took his First Steps

2009-06-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

1 year - We celebrated Eon's birthday with a trip to Lolo Pass to run the Mountain to Meadows 14 mile race. Like the name of the race implies, the race is run in the mountains and finishes near a breathtaking meadow of camas flowers (see above photos). My goal was to do a 4 mile warm up then run the last 10 miles harder. There were 2 other women with me during my warm up and several men who were chasing me the entire run. After the race we soaked at the local hot springs and went out to lunch. I got in a great workout and I am excited that my hamstrings are about 50% better after 3 prolo sessions.

Eon's birthday was the next day. I can't believe that a year has passed by. A year ago I was in the hospital recovering after my unplanned C-sect and Eon was so tiny and cuddly. He is still cuddly and small but he is full of personality too. I love this phase. He wakes up smiling and goes to bed smiling. Eon is playful and happy all day except for most diaper changes, and brushing teeth.

After learning a new skill his rate of improvement is exponential. To our surprise he took 4 unassisted steps on his birthday. Yesterday he took about 10 steps and today about 15 steps all at once without falling. His face lit up in delight as he took each step.

My goal remains to try to qualify for the World Mtn Running Championships on July 26th at the Cheyenne Canon Mountain Race in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I need to get top 2 to qualify and it won't be easy!!

Tonight is another hard workout to prepare for my goal. I get butterflies thinking about both!

Nicole

A Howling Good Time

2009-06-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

11 months 3 weeks

My husband and I and 8 others have been planning the Wulfman's CDT 14k race for months. Its a time trial format on a single track point to point trail.
I did a time trial on the course over Memorial Day and my time was 68:38. My goal going into this race was to try to dip under 66 min so I could potentially win the $100 prize purse.
I was seeded 20th and with some juicy male targets ahead of me I sprang out of the starters gate. I felt really strong and knew within 5 min that I would soon pass the male runner who started 20 sec's ahead of me. At about 10 min into the race, I passed 3 males and then in another 10 min I passed 4 more. My legs felt powerful and springy up the steep climb. I hit the peak ~5.5k 30 sec's faster so I knew I had to work hard to run sub 66 min. Another male runner caught up to me on the downhill and together we worked to finish in 64:10!!! I was thrilled to feel fast and have no hamstring pain.

For full results and race story see http://www.buttespissandmoanrunners.com./Butte%20Races/CDT-14K/results.htm

Eon is now able to walk behind his push-lion and is very proud of himself. I can't believe that Eon will be 1 year old in 5 days. We are planning a birthday picnic.

Nicole

Sleet, Ice and Snow in June

2009-06-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

11 months 10 days - I ran the Governors Cup 5k last Saturday in winter-like conditions. The conditions were 37F w/pelting sleet, sloppy wet roads, windy and then later snow. I ran my fastest time there in warm spring conditions so I knew my time would be affected by the weather. I ran 19 flat which is nearly 2 min off my best I asked my husband how much time might the weather have impacted my race and he thought 45 to 60 sec's. Which of course made me happy.

After learning to stand last week Eon boldly started pushing the lion cart. He gets so giddy that he can walk while holding onto the lion.

Eon now has 9 teeth - 5 on top and 4 on bottom. He uses those teeth to eat almost everything. His favorites are avocado, bread, watermelon, apples and cheese.

My hamstrings are feeling good. I am excited that the prolo seems to be helping. I ran the 5k race above only 9 days after the prolo so I do think faster times are ahead. My next race is the Wulfman on June 20th!

Cheers,

Nicole

I can Stand up!

2009-06-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

11 months 5 days- For the first time last Sunday, Eon stood up in the middle of our kitchen without any assistance. He was wobbling but was still able to clap his hands in excitement of his new found skill!! Now he can't stop practicing his achievement. Last night in bed he spent at least 25 min standing up then sitting down and each time he had a proud look on his face.
My running is going well. I did a time trial on the race we are organizing (Wulfmans CDT 14k ) last week and I ran it 3 min faster compared to last fall. However I did run it in reverse direction but there is only 30 ft difference in elevation gain. There is prize money if I break 66 min. I ran 68:30 so I am excited to see if I can run 2.5 min faster on race day June 20th.
Hamstrings are feeling good. I had my 3rd prolotherapy shot 5 days ago so I am sore now but the improvement before that shot was about 30%.
With the summer months coming I will need to pay special attention to hydration. While nursing I get easily dehydrated and my mouth feels parched after 90 min of running. I now drink so much fluid but still never have to wake up at night to use the bathroom. Unlike being pregnant where in the last 6 weeks I was peeing every 2 hours at night.
My next race is the Governors Cup 5k on June 6th. My best time on that hilly course is 17:09. I would be thrilled to run low 18's. I then am planning a 30 min hill climb after the race.
Happy Running,
Nicole

My Hamstrings

2009-05-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

10 months 2 weeks
I ran a local trail race last weekend and felt good. My goal was to get in a solid workout without pushing myself too hard. The scenery was beautiful and the day had perfect weather - blue skies about 50F.
I had therapy on my hamstrings 3 days prior to this race which causes my hammies to be very sore. I first had hamstring issues in 2005 but I was still able to train hard. My fastest running year was 2006 when my hammies were injured so since I was racing the fastest times of my life I did not want to stop training. My running took me to Turkey for the World Mountain Trophy and Africa that year. Unfortunately in 2007 I ran a very steep downhill mountain race that caused my hamstrings to become too painful to run on. I then became pregnant!!
Pregnancy seemed to cure the hamstring attachment problem. I had no pain until Dec 2008 when I sat in a car for 5 hours after a hard run. My hammies have been hurting since Dec but the pain is manageable. However I do know that my time at Bloomsday was affected by my hamstrings since they were sore before the race.
I am receiving prolotherapy and it seems to be working. Prolotherapy causes your injury to inflame and then your body should re heal correctly and therefore tightening the ligaments supporting the muscle tissue. In all honesty, it would be an added bonus to be as fast as I was in 02 to 06 but if it never happens I am okay with that. Eon brings me so much happiness that running fast is secondary. Don't get me wrong -I still desire to be as fast as I possibly can be but I guess I have a different perspective on life and Eon gave that gift to me.
Eon news - As I was reading a book to him I said "point to the ball" and Eon pointed to the ball 6 out of 6 times!! (the balls were on separate pages of the book too)It is amazing to me how he is changing from week to week. Eon is becoming more and more expressive with his actions and personality. I just love being a running mom.
In other news NY Times came out to do a feature on running while pregnant and being a running mom. I will place a link to this site when it is published.
Cheers,
Nicole

Bloomsday

2009-05-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

10 months 1 week
Bloomsday is my favorite road race. The flowers are blooming and the sweet scent of lilacs permeate the air. I love the hilly course and the festive atmosphere.
I think I have run Bloomsday 13 x.

My highest place was 8th and my fastest time 41:32 set in 2006. I knew my fitness was about 15 sec’s slower per mile compared to 2006 so my goal was sub 44 min. I felt pretty confident that I could achieve that goal.
I awoke on Sunday feeling fairly rested and excited to race. Eon woke up maybe 3 x that night but luckily we both fell right back to sleep. I nursed Eon at 65 min before the start and told my husband to meet me at the mile marker so I could feed Eon again. About 25 min before the start I tried to feed Eon but he was too interested in watching the blowing trees and the runners scampering nearby. Oh well – I had to run with a bigger chest than I desired but I can deal with it I thought!
The gun went off at 8:45 am with about 60 elite women. This field was the most competitive Bloomsday ever! My first mile was a 5:40 (usually hit 5:25) so I thought this pace was right for me. I settled into a rhythm and the next mile was 5:40 (usually hit 5:10). Oh Oh I thought but I did not panic. I passed several women and found myself in about 30th place. My body felt fine but I was lacking the same power I had a few years ago. I finished in 44:27 31st place 7th American. I did not get my goal of sub 44 min but I tried my best so I walked away feeling happy but not satisfied. My next big goal is to try to qualify for the World Mtn Running Championships held in Italy. I know I am getting fitter every month so although my goal is extremely challenging, I feel excited to see how much faster my body can be in 3 months. An elite runner at Bloomsday said it took her about 17 months to return to former fitness. Hearing that was encouraging but I do really just feel grateful to be able to compete again. (Photo above was taken by my husband showing the last mile of race where I was battling it out with 3 other women. I am the runner in red)
Eon news- He is crawling all over the place. Eon learned to drink out of a straw and he loved swinging in the baby swings at Riverfront Park in Spokane. Playing ball continues to be his favorite activity.
Running Happy
Nicole

IceBreaker Road Race

2009-04-27T16:10:00.000-07:00

10months- My goal for this competitive prize money race was to have a fun time and try to place 3rd (top 3 get money). I read in the local newspaper that 2 Kenyan women would be competing and I also knew from competing before that this race draws fast runners from all over the United States. Hmm – I thought to myself- my goal would be challenging but I love challenges.
The weather was less than ideal. The mountain pass we drove over was blizzard-like conditions w/several cars in the ditch. At the race site it was 39F with 20 mph winds at the 1pm start. Not an ideal day for fast running. I told myself I love wind and thought the nasty weather would be my advantage since the Kenyans were not used to the frigid weather.
At 12 min before the start I was in my car nursing Eon. Normally I would be going crazy if I was in my car w/12 min to go but somehow I felt calm feeding my little one. I jumped out of our car at 10 min to go and hurryingly ran to the start. After doing some strides I checked out my competition. Not only were there several fast local women but also another fast out of state runner who I believe was 1 spot away from being a 2008 Olympian. Uh –oh I thought to myself then I thought anything can happen.
The gun goes off and immediately I find myself in 4th place. At the first mile I could see a Kenyan woman and I caught her about 800m later. I could see the other 2 women in front but I could tell they were running a faster cadence then me.
At 3 miles in someone yelled go Rachel. I knew she was tough and now she was right behind me. (Rachel beat me by a 1 min at the MT Cup 4 months post-Eon). Yikes I was running scared and still had to cut thru the 2 mile long head wind.
At mile 4 I was catching the other Kenyan! My husband had Eon and said that Rachel is 100m behind. I worked very hard the last mile to finish 3rd ($500.00). Rachel was 7 sec’s behind me and the Kenyan was 23 sec’s ahead. I was really happy with my race. When I finished Eon and my husband were smiling. I immediately fed Eon and then gingerly did a cooldown.
Next weekend is Bloomsday. Since I placed 3rd the elite athlete coordinator granted me free lodging in Spokane!! I am very excited.
Eon news - Eon started crawling 2 weeks ago. Since then he has been sleeping well too. It melts my heart when he crawls over to me saying mamamama. Life is good.
Happy Running
Nicole

Big Butte Challenge

2009-04-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

9.5 months-My best time at the Big Butte Challenge http://www.buttespissandmoanrunners.com./Butte%20Races/Big%20Butte/big_butte.htm was set in 2007 when I ran 47:23 so my goal for this hilly race was to break 48 min. I am happy and a bit surprised that I ran 46:55 and broke the record by 28 seconds.
My workouts tell me I am about 12-15 sec's slower per mile compared to my fastest 2006 self but surprises like Saturday are worth celebrating!
Eon news- he is about to crawl. Eon has been scooting backward now for over a month but just 2 days ago he started initiating the forward crawl. He can take 2-3 forward crawls then falls down. Eon also can walk while you hold his hands and kicks a ball while walking. His arms shake in delight of his newly learned skills!
Happy running,
Nicole

Spring Skiing

2009-04-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

9 months 1 week Woke up to a sunny day with temperatures around 30F. Perfect day to go spring skiing so we packed up the stuff (oh my there is alot of stuff when you have a baby!) Inside the jeep there were 3 woman skiers and 1 baby and the jeep was packed full to the top. We journeyed to the top of the 7000foot mountain where we found superb spring skiing conditions.

This was the first time I skied with Eon. I was a little nervous when I saw the trail and much to my surprise it was not groomed. This meant that not only did I need to break snow for myself butalso for the Chariot on skis and the snow was soft! I like challenges so I thought to myself this will be perfect training a few hours after my 13 mile hard workout earlier that morning.

I put on the harness and started pulling and bam I fell on my butt. I told myself you can do this...you have been skiing for 34 years so no excuses. I somehow scooted myself up and tentatively went down the hill with Eon in tow. It took about an hour but my body finally adapted to the new balance needed and the sled pushing me forward. It turned out to be a fantastic 2 hour workout! 2 days later I am still sore but can't wait until next year to ski again.

By the way, Eon loved the ride. He was singing and talking to himself in between naps.

Big Butte Run is Saturday. It snowed ~6 inches about a week ago so the course might be muddy. I am excited to race again no matter what the conditions are like.

Happy Trails,
Nicole

9 months

2009-03-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

8 months 3 1/2 weeks

Did 20 x 400m today @5k effort w/1 min jog rests. I love that workout because it is so easy compared to 8 x 1 mile or 3 x 5k etc. It went really well. I ran it on the treadmill and averaged about 5:27 pace. Of course this is the treadmill which is much easier then running outside but I am pleased with the results. A few years ago however I probably would have been very discouraged with that pace but this is the era of post birth of Eon workouts so anything that is faster than 6 min pace makes me feel happy and invigorated that my body can run somewhat fast again.

Eon will be 9 months on the 28th. Now this is a milestone since he was living inside of me for 9 months and now he has been living outside of me for the same amount of time. Time flies but even more noticeably so when you have a baby. Each week brings a new surprise. This week Eon learned how to throw a ball then retrieve the ball with yarn attached to it by pulling the yarn. He was so proud of himself to figure that out.

My next race is the Big Butte Challenge http://www.buttespissandmoanrunners.com./Butte%20Races/Big%20Butte/big_butte.htm I would love to run in the 47 min range. This course is fun b/c it climbs straight up a hill (probably 25% grade!) then rolls the rest of next 10k on dirt roads and trails.

Happy Running,

Nicole

The Green Pear

2009-03-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

(Eon loves Grandma's yummy pear)

8 months 2 weeks
i ran a local Saint Patricks Day Race on Saturday. I was very excited to race again. I have always utilzed this race as a workout (for example one year I did on/off miles) but this year I wanted to run a little faster. We arrived at the race site to allow plenty of time for me to feed Eon, drop my gear off at the start and run the 6 miles to the starting line. (Eon's grandma was watching Eon for my husband and I).
The day started out beautiful - sunny bright blue skies and a tail-wind. I ran to the start feeling good and relieved that the prevailing winds were blowing as they should. This race has some very fast times due to the usual race day wind at your back. However, when I arrived at the starting line the wind shifted directions and was blowing directly into my face. I could not help to feel a tad disappointed knowing that I would have to run the entire race into the wind.
To make a long story short I finished in 36:20 which I was happy with. In 2006 I ran 35:50 against a similar speed headwind while running a steady effort. I am not sure if this time will grant me elite athlete status at Bloomsday but I will try.
Eon news:
Eon pooped 4 x yesterday after not pooping for 8 days! Thank goodness those prunes worked.
Running Happy
Nicole

2009-03-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

8 months 1 week
Eon is not crawling yet but he can scoot himself backwards all around the room. This weekend he stood all by himself for about 5 seconds. He was pretty proud of himself. Eon can also clap his hands and just added the na na sounds. For several months now he can grasp small objects such as strands of my hair off the floor. He loves to play ball. I sit down across from him and toss a ball to him and he either kicks or pushes it forward. The final new thing is that 4 front top teeth are sprouting out all at once.
I had another good workout this weekend. I ran 3 sets of 3 miles hard and compared to the exact same workout I did 4.5 weeks ago I was 2 min total faster. I race in 6 days and hope to run 35 something for 6 miles.
Running Happy
Nicole

Frogger

2009-02-21T14:22:00.000-08:00

7 months 3 weeks - Eon received a green frogger hat from a good friend of mine. He squealed in delight when he saw it!!

I think I might be getting faster. It is so exciting to see the results of the hard workouts. I was 70 sec's faster on a same workout I did 4 weeks earlier and for 2 workouts in a row I have kept up with a master male training partner. A few weeks ago he was more than a minute in front of me in hard workouts and now we are running side by side.

My first race will be March 14. I am excited!

Eon continues to be the highlight of our days. He brings joy to all with his warm smile and friendly eyes.

Running Happy

Nicole

Fuzzi Bunz

2009-02-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

7 months 10 days- Eon loves his mama's milk but fruits and vegis are a close second. I have to be careful eating an apple or banana around Eon. He will quickly grab at it and put it in his mouth and munch it with his 2 little bottom teeth!

With solid foods comes solid poop. We are using cloth diapers during the day and so far they have worked out really well. I researched cloth diapers on the Internet and became more confused. I found out w/trial and error that I prefer Bum Genius and Fuzzi Bunz. They rarely leak and I like that we are saving money and the environment.

My next goal race will be Bloomsday 12k in Spokane WA on May 3rd. My best time was set in 2006 (41:32) I hope to run under 43 min this year which will be very tough for me. To earn lodging and/or travel reimbursement, I have to prove my fitness to the elite athlete coordinator in a March race. I am excited about the challenge in front of me.

A poster asked:

How did your injury held up with the added weight (and ligament changes) of your pregnancy? I'm apprehensive that an ankle injury will not tolerate more weight. Any advice/wisdom?

My hamstrings felt better as I progressed thru the pregnancy. The increased weight had no negative effect and I believe made a me a stronger runner post pregnancy. I am also less tight now after my 15 mile plus long runs. Based on my experience I think pregnancy helps injuries heal.

Running Happy

Nicole

Squash, Avocado, Banana, Sweet Potato and Teeth

2009-01-21T09:11:00.000-08:00

6 months 3 weeks - Eon has been busy sampling squishy foods. He grimaces at first but then eagerly awaits the next tiny spoonful. All together his meal might be 2 tablespoonfuls. He weighs over 16 lbs and most of his calories come from mommy's milk so I have been busy drinking and eating food too! I am 3 lbs over prepregnancy weight so I must be doing a good job of eating enough food.

Eon has a few teeth which I found out the hard way by sticking my finger with food on it in his mouth and him biting down it. Ouch!

He is also able to lift his torso onto a hand and knee position. Eon is pretty proud of himself when he accomplishes this!

My training has been going well. I have hit over 70 miles per week for about 6 weeks now with a few weeks of 80mpw including 2-3 hard workouts a week.

Running Happy,
Nicole

Reflections

2008-12-31T13:44:00.000-08:00

6 months- A year ago I was about 3 months pregnant, feeling exhausted and nauseous but so excited about the new life forming inside me. I was running about 60 miles a week. I remember going for a 13 mile run in a snowstorm and my father-in-law being amazed that a 3 month pregnant woman would run in such inclement weather. Needless to say he became accustomed to my wild antics. At 8 months pregnant I ran 10 miles up a mountain and he did not mutter a peep. I think I changed his perception of what a pregnant runner can do.

Now as I reflect on the year (as I do every year) I realize that my perception of having a child in my life has changed too. I used to wonder why do my friends send pictures of their children as Christmas cards? Now I can't stop taking photos of Eon and sending them to my friends. My former self did not understand why would running moms and dads miss fun races to attend their children's functions? Having Eon helped me understand that. He and my husband are my number 1s and running/racing although still very important are secondary.

Things I love about being a mama

I love the huge grin he gives me in the morning when I get him out of his bed!

I love the way he grabs me by my top and pulls me in for a nuzzle and kiss!

I love his smile and laugh when we play games.

I love that Eon helps me to be a better person in a way that nobody else in the world could. And that the world looks a little different to me because I have him and am a parent.

I love watching Eon learn new things...he has such wonder and curiosity...

I love nursing Eon...it creates such a bond

I love waking up in the middle of the night to comfort him.

I love being a teacher to Eon

I love the the huge smile he makes when I return after my run...

I love everything about being a mommy and often find myself wondering why I waited so long.

Cheers to another great year full of fun and adventure!
Nicole

Look I can stand!

2008-12-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

Morning Runs- 5.5 months

2008-12-15T14:08:00.000-08:00

If you live in Montana you are either a Grizzly or a Bobcat. This Friday the UM Grizzly Football team plays in the National Championships. Can you guess who we cheer for? Go Griz!

It has been frigid here in Montana. (negative 15 this morning). Because of the extreme cold, I have been running on the treadmill. This morning, I started my run at 8am and was able to run 10 miles while Eon slept to 9:15am. Eon goes to sleep about 10:15pm and usually wakes up anywhere from 8 to 9:15am. I never know how long he will sleep so anytime I can get my run in before he wakes up, it is an extra good day. When he does awaken, Eon coos and babbles to himself for about 15 min before he starts fussing. One of my favorite parts of my day is saying Good Morning. Eon greets me every morning with the biggest smile and laugh. That smile melts my heart and puts me in a great mood.

My training continues to go well. I hit a few 80 mile weeks and feeling good.

Eon's first taste of food will be in a couple of weeks. When we eat, Eon watches intently or grabs at our plates. I am excited to see how he reacts to the taste of something other than breast milk!

Running Happy

Nicole

Mount Sentinel Hill Climb

2008-11-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Mount Sentinel Hill Climb-.75 mile to "M;" 1.75 miles to top of Mount Sentinel
Elevation gain: 620 feet to "M" (from 3,200 feet to 3,820). 1,958 feet to top of Mount Sentinel (3,200 feet to 5,158)

4 months 3 weeks- I ran the Mount Sentinel Hill Climb last Sunday. This race is pure pain. The grade averages 19% and most runners end up walking. I love this race because of the challenging course. My goal was to run 27:00 min or faster. I ended up running 26:05, first woman and 5th overall. This was my fastest time but in all fairness I never really raced this course before. I have run up MT Sentinel about 10 x but all were done as workouts except for last year when I was 7 weeks pregnant.

My next race is a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving and then USATF Club National Championships Dec 13 in Spokane WA.

I was able to run a 80 mpw without problems. My longest run has been 14 miles which feels easy now.

Eon continues to be a smiley happy baby...which makes me a happy mom.

Nicole

1 min 58 sec's

2008-11-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

4.5 months
I raced the oldest race in Montana yesterday – Butte’s 71st Veteran’s Day Race. My goal going into this race was to run sub 34 min for the 5.3 mile uphill race and run controlled but fast so I could compare my fastest time which was set 3 years ago. The race temperature was a cool 43F and there was a slight breeze. I felt really strong and was able to run fairly even splits. I won the race in 32:52 which I was thrilled about. ( In 2005, I ran 30:54.)
So now I know exactly how much slower I am compared to where I want to be in a few months. 1 min and 58 sec’s faster ….I am excited to train hard to accomplish my goal.
Eon news-he reached out to touch his reflection in the mirror for the first time and bashfully smiled at himself. Eon’s head is growing bigger too-his head no longer fits in the infant sling. I will have to adjust it again.
Running Happy,
Nicole

Feeling lucky

2008-11-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

4 months -
I placed 2nd at the most competitive non collegiate race in MT! (montanacup.com)

My fitness is increasing every week. I am starting to feel smooth again when I run.

My abdominals separated so I am working on strengthening my transverse abdominus which seems to be helping me feel less off balance.

I hit a few 70 plus mileage weeks with no problems.

Eon had his 4 month check up and weighs 14 lbs and 4 oz! He likes mommy's milk so much that he now has a double chin.

Eon continues to be all smiles. I never knew babies could be so jolly. He laughs and coos all day which makes me one happy mama.

How did I get so lucky??

Happy Running
Nicole

My first race back

2008-10-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

13 weeks 4 days

I woke up Sunday morning feeling a bit tired since Eon had gas that night and I had to help him expel his gas. After feeding Eon my husband and I left for our race. Eon was staying at his grandmas and grandpas for the morning. The race had 3 deep prize money which made it quite competitive. My heart was fluttering a bit as we pulled into the parking area. I saw my competition but I was not sure how my body would handle the 5 mile distance all on trails at over 6500 feet elevation. I jogged 2 miles for my warm up including strides. My legs felt good and my body felt strong but the feeling of being a little off balance reminded me that I had a baby 3 months ago.

The gun went off and I shot down the hill knowing I had to make a break for it quickly if I had any chance to place in the top 3. My first mile was a 6:13 and I was in the lead. I thought to myself - keep working hard...don't give up an inch or the ladies behind you will pass you. The miles kept clicking by and I was still in the lead. The course wound through the forest with some steep ups and downs all on either bark, grass or dirt surface. With 400m to go I kicked hard thinking for sure I was going to be outkicked but to my surprise I won the race!!

This was a day I will never forget. My body was able to run fast again and the painful feeling of running hard felt sooo good. I am convinced that the discomfort I experienced in childbirth will help me race harder than ever.

Running Happy,

Nicole

Feeling Fitter

2008-09-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

12 weeks 1 day

Since week 10, my legs have started to feel good again! I continue to run 50 - 60 mpw with 2-3 hard workouts during the week. I would guess I am in about low 18 min 5k shape right now. Next weekend I am going to race a 5 mile trail race to test my fitness. It has 3 deep prize money so it should be competitive.

Life with Eon could not be better. He is such a happy baby. He smiles and coos throughout the day- even during his diaper changes. He is also a good sleeper. He falls asleep instantly and only wakes up to nurse.

A few posters asked what kind of running jogger I am using. I bought a Chariot. (see blog post Week 32). It is fantastic. We purchased the infant sling so at 4 weeks Eon was running with me on dirt trails.

Eon will be 3 months soon. I remember when I first became pregnant. I was worried that having a baby would change my life. Well, Eon has changed my life - my life is now better. Every day is a blessing with Eon.

This is what my day is like now:

Up around 7 am to eat and do some chores around the house while Eon naps to 8 to 9:30am

Nurse for 15 to 25 min
Run

Work on the internet (I have my own coaching business http://www.speedendurance.net/) while Eon plays under the animal play gym

Nurse for 15 to 25 min

Lunch and play with Eon

Do more work on the internet while Eon naps for 1 to 2 hours

Nurse for 15 to 25 min

Maybe do some weights or walk to town with Eon to do chores etc

Cook dinner and nurse

Play with Eon the rest of the night. Eon may take another nap before bedtime which is around 10 pm

I nurse him on demand. He eats about every 2 to 3 hours during the day and about every 3 hours during the night.

I feel extremely fortunate to be able to stay home with Eon and work from the house.

Life is good.

Running Happy

Nicole

Running Hard and Sweating Again!

2008-08-21T13:57:00.000-07:00

7 weeks and 5 days

Oh boy! How I missed running hard and sweating while I was pregnant. During the past 18 days I was able to complete 6 "hard" workouts. Yeah! I love that feeling after a hard workout or long run and missed it so much while I was pregnant

Here is my training for the last 18 days:
Aug 4th 8 miles easy w/Eon
Aug 5th AM 4 miles easy jog PM 9 miles w/8 x 80 sec’s @ 5k effort
Aug 6th Walk 5 miles w/Eon
Aug 7th 9 miles easy w/Eon
Aug 8th 8 miles easy w/Eon
Aug 9th 10 miles including 22 min tempo and 15 x 1 min hard/1 min easy
Aug 10th 9 miles easy
Total for week 57 miles

Aug 11th 8 miles easy w/Eon
Aug 12th AM 6 miles easy PM 6 miles including 25 min tempo intervals, 5 x 1 min hills
Aug 13th Walk 5 miles w/Eon
Aug 14th 7 miles w/8 x 90 sec hill repeats w/Eon
Aug 15th 8 miles easy w/Eon
Aug 16th 10 miles including 45 min tempo up a hill
Aug 17th 11 miles easy
Total for week 56 miles

Aug 18th 8 miles easy w/Eon
Aug 19th AM: 4 miles easy PM 5 miles including 12 x 600m @ 5k effort
Aug 20th Bike 90 min w/Eon
Aug 21st 8 miles including 27 min up- tempo effort pushing Eon

How do I feel? I feel great running with no aches or pains. I am much slower for me though but I am just happy to be able to run hard again and sweat. When I ran on the track on Tuesday for the 600’s, my normal pace is 16:40 5k pace for the track intervals but I could only run 20:30 5k pace. Normally I would be upset running so slow for me but now I am just excited to see how my body progresses in fitness during the next few months.

Eon has been on all kinds of adventurous hikes and workouts. He seems to really enjoy his bumpy rides in the stroller and does not fuss or cry. His next adventure will be a 16 mile hike to a 10,000 foot peak (our wedding site) this weekend.

He had his 3rd well baby check up on Tuesday and he gained over 2 lbs in less than 4 weeks! Eon now weighs 11lbs 3oz He is certainly eating well. Must be all that fresh air he is getting. He is also ahead of some of his milestones. For example he has been able to roll from his tummy to back since he was 5 weeks and that milestone normally occurs around 12 weeks or later.

On to the next adventure...

Happy Running!

Nicole

Smiling

2008-08-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

5 weeks 2 days
Eon smiled last week for the first time!! He had such a happy face. It happened right before my run with him in the stroller so I am guessing the smile was in anticipation of our run together. :)

Eon does enjoy his ride in the stroller. He is all wide-eyed and alert when I take him out into his new world- the outdoors.

My running has been going really well. This is what I was able to do without pain or problems:
Sunday - (4 weeks after C section) 15 min
Monday – 20 min
Tuesday – 4 miles
Wednesday- 5 miles w/4 strides
Thursday – 6 miles w/10 strides
Friday – 8 miles w/10 strides
Saturday – 10 miles
Sunday – 7 miles
Monday – 8 miles w/10 strides

I am very excited that my body feels fine running. My legs feel a bit heavy running but that sensation should dissipate in a few weeks. I might attempt my first hard workout tomorrow. All the runs above were run with Eon except for the 10 miler and on that run I felt so free again. It was fantastic to actually run a moderate effort without breathing like I was running a race or having to pee every 10 min.

Since I am running again, Eon and I are all smiles.

Running Happy.
Nicole

Eon the Hiker

2008-07-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

29 days- Eon is now over 4 weeks old. He continues to be an easy and adorable baby. In the 2 weeks since I posted, Eon went on six 2 hour hikes in the mountains, one 3 hour hike, one dinner picnic in the woods and two restaurant dates. On these excursions, I either take Eon in the Chariot stroller or one of my slings. On the stroller he stares wide eyed at the passing scenery as he moves his arms and legs in delight. I think he is so cute but I might be biased. :)

Eon continues to grow and change every day. Just this week he rolled from his tummy to his back. He is also able to track objects and reach upward toward his mobile. He has gained weight too. He now weighs 8 lbs 10 oz up nearly 2 lbs from his 2 day birth weight. He is a hungry little guy!!

I ran my first run today - 15 min of jogging on the treadmill. I had no pain so I anticipate running every other day for a few weeks slowly building up my mileage. I am excited to be running again but I can tell that my body has lost a lot of fitness. I normally take 4 weeks off every year anyway so not running for 4 weeks actually was a good mental break and a routine that I am familiar with. It felt so strange to run without needing a bladder break and being over 20 lbs lighter. My goal is to be in racing shape by October. I may race Tufts 10k for women in Boston if I feel ready by then. I will keep you posted!

Eon is a blessing in our lives and we feel so lucky.

Nicole

14 days of fun

2008-07-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

Life with little Eon has been going better than I could have imagined. Numerous people told me your life is going to change drastically when you have the baby. They told me I would not have time for anything so I better freeze meals, have all the yard and house work done beforehand and be ready to be sleep deprived. Well, I don’t know if I am just lucky or what the deal is but I have plenty of time for myself, I am sleeping better than I was when I was pregnant and in fact have hosted my parents, my husband’s parents and a friend to dinner. My husband and I have hiked on mountain trails with Eon in a sling almost every day for the last week and Eon even went out to dinner with us.

Here is what my day looked like yesterday:
Woke up at 6:30 am and nursed for 30 min
Breakfast and cuddled Eon while looking at the internet
Lifted Weights and did various chores for 2 hours while Eon was in a quiet alert state
Nursed 30 min
Lunch and did things around the house while Eon slept for 3 hours
Nursed 30-40 min
Hiked 6 miles with my husband and Eon in a sling. Stopped 20 min to nurse
30 min nurse after hike
Eon slept for 3 hours and we had pizza and rented a movie
20 min nurse before bed then Eon was in a quiet alert state
Take shower and played with Eon
10-15 min nurse before bed and then Eon zonked out in a deep sleep

As you can see, nursing takes up a good portion of my day but it is so rewarding. It is so neat to see Eon bobbing his head like a wood- pecker desperately looking for food on my chest and then after he nurses seeing how relaxed and content his body becomes. Nursing also allows me to eat more ice cream and chocolate sauce. I figure the more he nurses the bigger my appetite is!!

During the day, Eon rarely cries or fusses. In the sling he makes purring noises and out of the sling he either sleeps or looks around the room staring at objects with a curious look on his face.

Weight gain – 3 days after giving birth I weighed myself at the Birth Center. I was 2 lbs over my pregnancy weight!! I was filled with fluid from the surgery. My legs were so swollen the skin was shiny and I had pitting edema (meaning if I pressed down on my legs there would be an indentation). The fascinating thing was that I lost 18 lbs in 2 days. 5 days after birth I was within 3-4 lbs of my pre-pregnancy birth weight. I still have a belly due to my expanded uterus which my midwife says will shrink 1 cm per day so at that rate it will be about 6 weeks before my belly is back to normal. Yes, I do have slight jelly belly but as soon as I can run and do some ab exercises I anticipate that being gone in a few weeks.

Activity – I have been walking every day since my C Section. I have walked up to 2 hours but normally I hike about 60-90 min per day. I have lifted lower and upper body weights with no problems but unable to do any ab exercises since my incision still hurts a bit when I exclusively use my abdominal muscles. I hope to be running in 2 to 3 weeks.

My husband and I feel truly blessed. We are both so happy to have this new bundle of joy to share life with. Being a mom has exceeded my expectations.. I look forward to see Eon develop from day to day and I am equally excited to see how running will feel again (minus 20 plus lbs) in a few weeks!!

Thanks for your comments too.

Nicole

Eon (in sling) at Farmers Market

Eon 5 days old bath and nap on dad's legs

It's a boy!!

2008-07-03T12:51:00.001-07:00

Week 39

Little Eon Journey Hunt was born on June 28th 2008 at 7:14 am. He weighed 7 lbs and 4 oz and was 21 inches long and what a wonderful (and so far easy) baby he is.

Wow! What an experience! I never imagined my labor and delivery to be so tough and yet so rewarding. I read beforehand to expect the unexpected and I really tried hard to prepare my mind for all kinds of outcomes but never in a thousand years would I have prepared for what I went through to deliver tiny Eon.

All last week I was experiencing what I thought were false labor contractions. I was told that true labor contractions were regular and are at short intervals. The contractions I was experiencing were anywhere from 4 to 20 min apart and some were intense and others felt like braxton hicks contractions. In retrospect those contractions were the real thing. My body was preparing for intense labor which started at exactly 11:20pm Thursday June 26th with my water breaking in bed. When my water broke we were a 90 min drive away from the birth center and I still had to pack some food and pack our bags into our car but within minutes of my water breaking I was in extreme pain. It took about 15 min to leave our house and begin our trip to the Missoula. I called our Doula and only got in a few words before I could not talk due to very intense back labor. My lower back would seize up and I felt nauseous and sick. If I had to rate the pain it was a 10 out of a scale of 10 and no -where near the pain I felt running races. I was screaming in the car for Ray to drive faster because sitting intensified the pain. We arrived at the birth center at 1:15 am and my doula and midwife immediately had me squatting in the Jacuzzi, which helped lessen the pain. They also showed my husband ways to press on my back to make the contractions less painful. They were now every 3-4 min and I was only 3 cm dialated. After being in the tub for about 45 min they had me walk around or rest in the bed. This pattern continued for 12 hours and then one of my muscles in my back spasmed. The pain became even more intense and now there was no end to the discomfort. When I had the back labor contractions at least I had some break from the pain in between contractions but now the pain was constant and unrelenting. I could no longer stand or relax and therefore I was not able to dialate further than 6cm. I desperately wanted to try for a natural birth but after 14 hours of ultra intense pain and no further progress my team convinced me that I needed to go to the hospital where I could receive some pain meds and therefore let my body relax

I arrived at the hospital at 3:30 pm Friday June 27th and about 8 medical staff members surrounded my bedside asking me all kinds of questions, which I was not able to answer due to the pain. The anesthesiologist did a perfect job on the epidural. It brought relief within minutes and finally I could relax. I labored for 6 hours to 9:30pm when I was 9.5 cm dialated and finally ready to push. I pushed for 3 hours and told to relax for 3 hours when again I resumed pushing for another 3 hours. At 6:30am my midwife told me that it was determined that the baby must be in a cocked position and would not be able to deliver this baby vaginally. I was devastated. I certainly did not want a c- section and I was scared and felt helpless. The doctor told me that for the health of my baby and myself the baby must be delivered now by c- section.

The c- section went without complications and little Eon was born after 32 hours or labor with Apgar scores of 9 and 9 at 7:14 am on Saturday June 28th 2008.

I tried my very hardest to accomplish an all natural birth but after the C – Section my midwife told me that indeed Eon’s head was cocked and his arm was next to his head which would have make it impossible to deliver without a c-section.

5 days after the C Section, I am doing great! I was able to walk 4 miles today and walked 3 miles yesterday without any pain meds. The nurses were shocked to see me walking 10 hours after the surgery. They commented that they never have seen anybody walk so soon after major abdominal surgery. The doctor was also very surprised and discharged me early from the hospital. It must have been all that running before the birth which paid off!! I have no idea when I will be able to run again but will keep you posted on my progress.

Finally, little Eon is the best baby I could have ever imagined. He is extremely easy too. He eats and sleeps and poops and pees, cuddles and rarely cries. I have to wake him up once at night to feed him and therefore I am not losing any sleep. In fact I am sleeping better now compared to when I was pregnant. Eon loves the sling I wear walking and sleeps in between feedings. Not sure if Eon will remain an easy baby but my husband and I are certainly enjoying the experience.

Hope that my blog may help some other pregnant runners out there. My advice is to keep running or doing some form of exercise as much as possible. I am convinced it will help you with recovery after the birth.

Soon to be running happy again.

Nicole

Dad in nursery with Eon minutes after C Section

Grannie Brigitte and Grandpa Bill holding 8 hour old Eon at hospital

Changes are happening!

2008-06-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

Week 38

Changes are happening!
I was able to run 40 miles this week
Below is my week’s activity log:

Friday June 20th – Ran 6 miles in the morning then in the evening hiked 7 miles starting at 6000 feet up to the top to a 8120 foot mountain. Our running group met at the summit to celebrate the summer solstice with a bonfire and pizza, smores, fresh fruit and salads. The wildflowers blanketed the peak and the views were breathtaking. (see photos below)

Saturday June 21 – Ran 6 miles easy and felt fine except for the usual annoying calf burning. A runner asked me why I thought my calves were burning intermittently. I have no scientific evidence to back up my claim but I believe that the calf burning is from pressure the baby is placing on my leg veins causing swelling and insufficient venous return. Sometimes my calves feel they are burning with lactic acid and when that happens I need to stop for a few minutes. Not fun!!
That evening the changes begin! Around 8pm I begin to notice frequent (every 10 min or so) contractions that are somewhat intense and they go on for 8 hours and last through the night. I was thinking to myself that I must be very close to delivery!

Sunday, June 22 – The contractions disappeared around 4am. Sleeping was difficult due to those pesky contractions. I felt fine to go for a run. I ran 6 miles and climbed to 8000 feet on the Wulfman’s CDT race course. I felt okay but strange like something was different with my body.
Around 2pm the contractions resumed and some were quite painful. They were very regular at 10 min apart and lasted for about 1 min. My husband and I thought this must be labor. I exctingly called my doula and she said take a bath and if the contractions become longer, stronger and more frequent to call her right back and drive the 90 miles to Missoula where I am planning to deliver. After the bath, the contractions resumed but I noticed they became irregular - some were less than 10 min and others were more than 10 min. I was not convinced this was active labor. We decided to stay at home see what happens.

Monday, June 23 – My husband took the day off and we drove to Missoula to meet with our doula and the midwife. Strangely the contractions petered out to about 1-2 an hour and felt more like Braxton Hicks. My doula was convinced that labor would start in a few days. I did not run this day because there was intense pressure on my bladder, which made running impossible.

Tuesday, June 24 – I felt great! I went for an 8 mile run and ran it 7 min faster than 10 days prior. I can finally breath again! The baby dropped which must have allowed my lungs to expand. Yeah! I felt somewhat fancy free and foot loose running again.
I met with the chiropractor and she made some adjustments to help with labor and delivery and showed my husband a few techniques to help him assist with labor.
Next appointment was with my midwife. She determined the baby was engaged and ready for blast off. She told me that I could give birth any day or it may be a week or two away. Not the kind of news I wanted to hear but she did report that the baby is no longer posterior. The exercises and visits to the chiropractor may have done the trick. That evening from about 6 to 11 pm the contractions intensified and became more frequent (every 4 to 10 min apart) After 11 pm they again dwindled down to 1 every 20 min or so and stayed at that pattern throughout the night.

Wednesday, June 25 - I felt really good and energetic and went on a 7 mile run. Again running faster than I have in months. Contractions continue but are sporadic

Thursday, June 26 – Ran 7 miles again and felt fine. Contractions continue but again are sporadic but more frequent then yesterday. Definitely had to stop running when a contraction started.

I have no idea when true labor will start. This is all very confusing but exciting too!!

Happy Running

Nicole

Butterflies

2008-06-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

Week 37
Still feeling good. Running has become a bit more challenging however, due to the intermittent intense pressure on my bladder. When this happens, I immediately need to stop and find a bush so my running options are now limited to trails and/or the treadmill.

I ran every day of last week with my longest 3 runs being 8 miles. I run a snails pace so running 8 miles takes me forever. I so much look forward to the day when I can run 7 to 8 min mile pace feeling light and carefree again. When I run now about half of my run is spent agonizing about how much my calves burn or my bladder being bounced on or the arches of my feet aching. Running this week was a bit torturous but it was worth the effort when I finished. I felt complete for the day and happy.

I saw my midwife last week and she determined that the baby is lying in a posterior position, which can cause very intense and painful back labor. (Posterior position means the baby’s spine is against my spine). The baby was also lying on the right side and should be more to my left side. Oh oh!! I then had a visit with the doula. and she was terrific. With the nice weather Montana is now having we were able to set up a blanket and pillows outside. She spent 90 min with my husband and I teaching us various exercises on how to align the baby, how to naturally induce labor and various natural pain relieving techniques. She says the labor process takes about 4 weeks and doing the exercises and natural inducing techniques should help me avoid going further than 42 weeks (thus avoiding an artificial induction like Pitocin). My doula also suggested I visit with a chiropractor to help the baby move into the correct position for birth. I found a chiropractor who has specific training on pregnant women (watch video link for more info) I must admit I was skeptical that a chiropractor could help me but I gave it a try and sure enough the baby moved a little down and slightly to the left but it is still posterior. I visit with her again next week.

I am all ready and excited for the big day. I feel butterflies knowing that I get to meet the little one very soon. According to Dr Clapp’s study (he wrote the book Exercising through Pregnancy), pregnant women who exercised vigorously until they gave birth, 72% of those women delivered 5-7 days before their due date!! This is motivation alone for me to keep running. I hope I am in the 72% percentile!

Thank you to those of you who have left comments.

Running Happy,

Nicole

Photo of changing table w/butterflies on ceiling

Hiking around Missoula surrounded by arnica flowers

Tic Toc

2008-06-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

Week 36 – The clock is ticking. I will be full term (37 – 42 weeks is full term) in 2 days!! The little one is now ready to be born whenever he/she feels ready. Speaking of ready, physically my body is preparing for birth. I am getting stronger and more intense Braxton Hicks contractions every day and light menstrual type feeling cramping several times a day too. Mentally I have prepared myself the best I can possible but how can you prepare for the unknown? I have my bags packed and ready to go but not sure I am all set for this change!! It does not seem real that the little one will be part of our family in a few weeks.

I continue to feel really good. I have no new aches or pains and running is going well. I ran 48 miles last week, which included a 10k race and 5k race on the same day. I jogged the races very easy and visited almost all the port-a-potties and drank at every water station. I was truly inspired and amazed by all the back of pack runners who try their very best.

I also ran the Pipestone hill again and I was 5 min faster than the previous time (see post 20 caterpillars ) I was not trying to beat my time so I was surprised to see it was faster. I am guessing my legs are stronger due to carrying the 23 lbs every day for the last month. (I can’t wait to feel light again!)

I will be visiting with my Doula on Friday and also have my next midwife appointment on that day. The midwife appointments will now be weekly. Yikes!! Time is flying.

For my birthday, my husband gave me a gift certificate for a pregnancy massage. She had a special massage table so I could lay flat on my stomach. I have not been able to lie on my back or belly for months. The massage felt wonderful. I highly recommend this treat for all pregnant runners.

Per my husband's urging (he is a Registered Dietitian), I attended the Ellyn Satter conference on infant to preschool nutrition. I am so glad I listened to my husband advice and drove 60 miles to attend this conference. I learned so much on infant through childhood nutrition and feeding, This conference defintely helped build my confidence. I have to admit, I am a tiny bit nervous about being a MOM so I am researching everything I can to prepare myself.

On to the next exciting week…!!

Photo on right of my mom and I comparing bellies!!

Running Happy
Nicole

Keep Believing!

2008-06-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

Weeks 34 and 35
I am continuing to feel really good and have lots of energy. I am really surprised on how great my body feels. I have been reading several pregnancy books and they all say that fatigue and various other discomforts occur during the last trimester. Well, so far the last trimester has been the easiest for me!! Maybe this energy is from a combination of Montana’s spring weather and my feelings of excitement knowing that soon I get to meet the little one. Wherever this spunk is coming from, I consider myself really lucky.
Activity wise, I ran 11 days out of the last 14. I took 3 days off due to inclement weather. It was pouring rain those days and running outside or on the treadmill did not appeal to me. My favorite 2 runs were on the Continental Divide Trail. My husband and I and a group of other runners are organizing a 14km point- to- point trail race set to be run on June 28th. I ran the course last Monday with some running friends. It starts and finishes at 6500 feet and rises to a high of 8000 feet - all on a single track- rolling trail. I surprised myself that I was able to run this trail and continue to feel energetic the rest of the day. A few months ago when running up any hill was nearly impossible, I would have not believed that my body would be capable of running this trail or any steep hill. I have learned to be patient with pregnancy and remain positive. I definitely had my share of difficult running days (i.e. nausea, calf burning, baby's head in ribs, extreme fatigue) in the second trimester and if I would have given up on myself, I doubt I would be able to experience the adventurous longer runs I am able to do now.

Here are some pictures of the trail I ran:
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I visited with a doula a few days ago. She made me feel at ease and helped me understand the important role of a doula especially in an un-medicated birth. She has over 25 years of doula experience, has helped with over 500 births and is also trained as a midwife. Her goal is to make the experience really special for us. We will meet her again in 12 days when I will be 37 weeks. I can call her anytime when I start labor and she will be with me as much as we like providing comfort measures, massage, encouragement, labor suggestion techniques and natural pain reducing measures etc. On the day of delivery, she is also going to set up candles, music and get the jacuzzi ready at the birthing center room for me. Below is some information on doula’s if interested.

The word, "doula," comes from the Greek word for the most important female slave or servant in an ancient Greek household, the woman who probably helped the lady of the house through her childbearing. The word has come to refer to "a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth." (Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, Mothering the Mother)
A doula...
Recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life...
Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor...
Assists the woman and her partner in preparing for and carrying out their plans for the birth...
Stays by the side of the laboring woman throughout the entire labor...
Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint and assistance to the woman in getting the information she needs to make good decisions...
Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and clinical careproviders...
Perceives her role as one who nutures and protects the woman's memory of her birth experience.

Benefits of having a trained Doula

· 50% reduction in the cesarean rate
· 25% shorter labor
· 60% reduction in epidural requests
· 40% reduction in oxytocin use
· 30% reduction in analgesia use
· 40% reduction in forceps delivery
Information was obtained from Mothering the Mother: How a Doula Can HelpYou Have a Shorter Easier and Healthier Birth, Klaus, Kennell, and Klaus (1993).

I also watched an interesting documentary on birth called The Business of Being Born. (click on link to watch it free online) Watching this video reaffirmed my choice of giving birth in a birthing center verses a hospital. I highly recommend this video for all women so you are aware of your options. I understand that giving birth in a birthing center is not for everyone but few people I talk to are aware that they have other options.

Hope to run a 10k race this weekend!
Thanks for reading my blog.
Running Happy!!
Nicole

20 Caterpillars

2008-05-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

Week 33 –I ran 50 miles this week. I am feeling good except for the occasional calf burning. Below is a description of the runs I was able to do this week and how I felt:

6 miles – rolling dirt road no problems
6 miles – rolling dirt trail calves burning, had to stop intermittently to relieve pain
7 miles – flat dirt trail, felt good, ran about 8:45 pace
8 miles – surprised myself today. Ran 50 min straight up dirt trail in Pipestone (about 10% grade) No calf burning.(see photos below of trail I ran in Pipestone)

9 miles – Ran a 9 mile hilly trail loop with friends. Felt super!
6 miles – flat dirt road no problems ran about 9 min pace
8 miles – Ran on trails, saw 20 fuzzy brown caterpillars in a span of 100 meters!!

I saw my midwife again. The appointments are every 2 weeks until week 37 then I will see her every week. She checked the position of the baby and we talked about the upcoming weeks. She suggested I hire a doula to help out with the birth. Statistics show that having a doula present shortens the labor and the woman experiences less complications. I hope to interview a doula soon but unsure if I need one.

I have a raging appetite! I think the little one is really packing on the fat so consequently I am eating more. My weight seems to have stabilized but my belly continues to grow. I can feel the little one has grown too. His/her body is longer and is able to kick my bladder more forcefully.

I interviewed a pediatrician yesterday. I read Dr Sears Vaccine book (which I highly recommend) so finding a doctor for the baby that follows Dr Sears alternative vaccine schedule (same shots but timing is different) I thought might be difficult. The doctor I interviewed was very open to the alternative schedule and wanted to help me implement the vaccine plan for the baby. Yeah!

I will be 34 weeks tomorrow. Time is going so fast. I still have lots to do to prepare. I feel excited but nervous at the same time. The scariest aspect for me is how the little one will impact our lifestyle. My husband and I are determined to continue to travel to races, hike, camp and live for fun. I can’t wait to enjoy life with the new person in our future!

Running Happy,

Nicole

Time is Flying!

2008-05-13T20:07:00.000-07:00

Week 32

This week we bought a must needed child carrier. My husband and I decided we should purchase the top of the line child carrier - the Chariot Cougar. I did much research and found this model was the best for our needs. I run alot on trails, ride my mountain bike and cross country ski. The Chariot does all three and more -it connects to your bike and it converts into a sled for skiing. (see pictures below)

My mom and I also went baby shopping. I am feeling like time is flying fast and felt the need to buy baby necessities. We headed over to Target to find the supplies. I am planning to use cloth diapers so we went to the cloth diaper store to learn everything I needed to know about using cloth. I decided to use the All in Ones and Prefolds diapers which seem really simple.

Running wise, I still feel good. However, I did have a couple of challenging runs. My calves were burning with every step twice this week. I had to stop numerous times to alleviate the pain. I am not certain why some runs my calves burn and other runs they feel fine. It is possible the pain correlates with weight gain. It seems when I gain 1-2 lbs in a week my calves start to intermittently hurt.

These are my 2 ups and 2 downs
Downs - calves burning and pregnancy insomnia
Ups - running slow but steady and feeling energetic

Running Happy,

Nicole

Feeling Fantastic

2008-05-04T21:28:00.000-07:00

Week 31 – I am feeling fantastic. I have an abundance of energy, no aches or pains and I really enjoy being pregnant.

I hit 55 moderate miles this week running including a trifecta race (10k, 5k and mile), 3 hilly trail runs and the remaining runs were on flat surfaces.

The fatigue that I was feeling a few weeks/months ago has subsided. I am not certain how long this energy burst will last but I am relishing every day that I feel good.

I had a midwife appointment this week and found out that the little one turned!! He/she is now head down – thank goodness!! My silly little tricks may have worked.

I also found out that my iron stores were slightly low. I was taking liquid iron 3-4 times per week but since my iron stores dropped dramatically I decided to increase my liquid iron intake to every day.

My friends and family surprised me with a baby shower. My husband was in on the surprise and purposively drove slow home from the trifecta race. I feel really lucky to have such wonderful friends and family.

My husband and I took a childbirth class which was quite helpful. My present plan is to give birth unmedicated in water at a birthing center. Since I wanted to avoid giving birth in a hospital, I am excited that Montana has a birthing center. My ideal place would be in a cabin next to a creek in the woods but I will settle for the birthing center for now : 0)

Photos of Birthing Rooms

The last exciting thing this week was my birthday. I celebrated my 38th birthday with a 1 hour and 40 min trail run, a 7 mile hike and a huge delicious dinner and lots of homemade cake!

Our 7 mile hike at Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park

Birthday Dinner at Bigas Pizza

Thanks for reading my blog.

Running Happy!

Nicole

A Couple of Tricks

2008-04-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

Weeks 29 and 30

I am still running about 45 mpw and feeling good. I find that running on the treadmill is enjoyable due to having access to a bathroom every 15 min.

I now have gained 21 lbs but I still feel quite fit. I have been lifting weights throughout the pregnancy and my strength remains the same. I am running about 8:50 pace on the treadmill which feels very easy but anything faster creates too much belly jostling making me uncomfortable. I also am running 4 x 15 min intervals @ 11% grade which is a fantastic workout for me right now.

The baby is still in the breech position. At least once per day his/her head pokes out on my right upper side. I have been laying on our treadmill at 25% grade with an ice pack on the little one's head hoping to get him/her to move in the correct position. I was also told the baby may gravitate back to position when you play classical music on your lower abdomen. I have been trying that trick too. Other than that weirdness all is well.

Running Happy,

Nicole

Flip Flop

2008-04-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

Week 28 -This week I had the much-anticipated ultrasound. The best news is the baby is very healthy. The tech said it has a full head of hair!! The little one weighs about 3 lbs. I also learned that the baby is breech, Yikes. My midwife showed me how to locate the head. All along I thought I was experiencing a right side stitch when I was running but it actually was the baby’s head alongside my ribs. I read that I need to do some summersaults in the pool and/or hang upside down to help the baby flip.

I also had to drink the flat orange super sweet concoction to test for gestational diabetes. The drink made me feel light headed. I will find out the results soon.

I am feeling the best ever since I got pregnant. I have so much energy and running is going fantastic. I ran almost 50 miles last week up and over hills and hiked up a mountain.

Some Belly Pictures:

Happy Running!
Nicole

Running Happy Again

2008-04-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

Week 27
I bought a maternity belt this weekend and I felt so much better running. I ran 80 min today slow but I enjoyed every second of it. I also walked up to the M again (see March 22nd post) and it only took me 15 min, which was a 5 min improvement. My calves must be getting a little bit stronger since they were not burning with every step up the hill.
1 up - feeling really energetic
1 down - waking every 2 hours to use the bathroom at night

Running happy,
Nicole

Magic Bullet?

2008-03-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

Week 26

This week running became too uncomfortable so unfortunately I had to cut way back. I am planning to a buy a support belt soon and hoping that will be the magic bullet allowing me to run more miles again. I did run a few times last week but did not enjoy the experience.

I really had fun cross country skiing with my friend last week. I skied over 2 hours with her and the other non running days I Xted on the stairstepper and elipitical trainer. The weather has been cold and snowy so running outside is not something I really want to do anyway when it is supposed to be spring!

I have learned that pregnancy is unpredictable.
Run Happy
Nicole

Huff N Puff

2008-03-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

Week 24 and 25
I am over 6 months pregnant now and feel it. Running is becoming increasingly more difficult. I dropped my mileage from over 60 to mid 40’s in just 2 weeks time. Running longer than 60 min becomes exhausting so I really enjoy the 45 to 60 min runs at a leisurely pace. Running up steep hills is very difficult. I walked up to the M (see photo below) and was breathing like I was running a hard workout. When I was 7 weeks pregnant I ran up to the M in 9 min and to the top of Mt Sentinal in 27 min. Walking up it hard last week took me 20 min!! My calves were burning the entire time and when I got to the top I was beat. Good workout but feeling tortoise -like now.
My 2 downs – round ligament pain which a support belt helps to alleviate and insomnia
My 2 ups – Baby kicks with response to external stimuli (like my husband saying good morning to my belly) and back pain is lessening.

On to my next adventurous week!!
Happy Training,
Nicole

Couch Time!

2008-03-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

23 Weeks
This week was tougher than the others have been. Sleeping is difficult and consequently I am tired during the day. I am also experiencing some transitory middle back pain. My runs this week have gotten slower and I find that walking for a minute or two every 15 min relieves the pressure off my calves and feet for a bit. I ran 50 miles this week due to a much- needed day off and another really short distance day. I also ran my 3rd fun race as Braxton Hicks. Braxton averaged 7:40 miles for the 6 mile downhill race with a strong tail wind. She is getting slower!! I ran that race moderate (including a 6 mile run out to the start) but a couple hours after that race, the couch became my best friend. The next day I was tuckered out too.
My belly is growing and growing and you can finally tell by looking at me that I am definitely pregnant. According to the charts, the baby weighs a little over one pound and is about 12 inches long. Amazing!
I am gaining about one pound per week and I am not sure where all that weight is going! Right now it is in my belly and boobs.
Below is a picture of me at 23 weeks taking a break during our 2 hour cross country skiing workout with my mom.

Happy Running

Nicole

Powerful Punch

2008-03-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

22 Weeks Pregnant
I had another really good week. I ran a total of 64 miles this week through ice, snow, and wind. My pace continues to vary from run to run. Some days I feel energized and run 8 min pace but other days I feel so heavy and tired so the runs might average as slow as 10 min pace. My longest run this week was today at 12 miles with a friend of mine around Warm Springs Ponds (see picture). We averaged 8:30 pace on dirt trails. After the run I felt energized but fatigue hit me about 2 hours later. I had to rest on the couch or I would certainly fall asleep sitting up. I felt like I had just run a 22 mile long run hard.
I really don’t have any downs this week other than feeling heavy occasionally when I run. My calves are on fire running up hills and the insides of my arches of my feet are sore due to the 13lbs of extra weight I am now carrying!
The big up is feeling the little one move every day. The baby packs a powerful punch when I drink cold liquids or eat sweet foods.

Happy Running,

Nicole

Little Braxton Hicks Kicks

2008-02-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

21 weeks Pregnant – I have been feeling the baby move for about 2 weeks and my husband finally felt it move too. This was an exciting moment for both of us.

I am still feeling really good. I have good energy and completed another 60 plus mile training week. Yesterday I ran a local HM. I ran comfortable and finished with a time of 1:45 (8 min pace). The course wound around a lake and half of it was on icy roads so I am really pleased with that I was able to complete the run feeling so fresh. I am lugging around 13 extra lbs right now so running up the hills slowed me down quite a bit. On a funny note- I registered myself in the race as Braxton Hicks. The lady at the race registration desk really got a good kick reading that name. I decided that will be my new race pseudo-name until I give birth!!

I also am experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions while I run. It feels like my lower abdomen is being squeezed. It surprised me at first not knowing what these were but now I am familiar with the normal, occasional, short and painless contractions.
Happy Training,
Nicole

Big Belly ~Weeks 18-20

2008-02-18T15:23:00.000-08:00

I officially look pregnant and more than ever feel pregnant. My running pace has slowed way down and feel very heavy now when I run. I have a small torso so I am guessing that this baby is crowding out my other organs making me short of breath and bloated. My bladder is feeling the pinch too and now I have to find a bush about every 10 –15 min. If this does not happen, I have to stop running since it becomes too uncomfortable. (Thank goodness we live in an area with lots of bushes!! ) The good news is that I am still running about 60mpw. It just takes me much longer to finish my routes that I usually run. My easy pace was 7:30 pace and now I run 9:30 pace. I can run faster but I rather just run easy right now. I did run the Gasparilla Distance Classic 15k moderate effort in Tampa FL last weekend and finished with an average time of 7:30 pace. I was hoping for an average of 7 min pace but due to the heat I decided to slow down. I had to stop twice to relieve my bladder and carried a water bottle with me the entire way. I have not done either during a race before!!
Weight Gain – I thought I might be one who gains less than 20 lbs during pregnancy. I know a few other running friends who gained only 14 to 18 lbs. Well – I think I am destined to gain 20 plus lbs. I eat as before I was pregnant – lots of healthy foods with a dessert every day. I just weighed myself this morning and now I weigh 113 lbs which is 11 lbs over my pregnancy weight! I have never weighed more than 110 lbs in my entire life so this is new territory for me. I still have 20 more weeks to go so I will be surprised if I don’t gain more than 20 lbs. I am thinking to myself – if I feel heavy now what will I feel like running in 2 months??? I keep telling myself it is good resistance training for my legs. I do have to admit though that I had to walk up my first steep 600m uphill 2 days ago. I was breathing so hard and my calves were burning that walking a few minutes sounded inviting. I am amazed that steep uphill running is so difficult right now. By the way, if my body allows it, I hope to try to qualify for the USA Mountain Running Team again in late July. My body normally loves running uphill so this is a new experience for me.
Other Pregnancy Symptoms –
Stuffy nose continues which sleeping on 2 pillows alleviates.
Calf Cramps at night – these are painful!!
Food Aversions – gone- Yeah!! I can eat vegetables again!!
Food Cravings – chocolate and icecream and chips continue to sound yummy
Fatigue – starting to increase again toward the evenings and late afternoons

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Running Happy!!
Nicole

Weeks 1 to 17 - Spunky Fatigue

2008-02-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

My Pregnancy Adventures

June 07 - For the last 6 years I was averaging 70-80 mpw with weeks as high as 100mpw. I knew my body well and always tried to take a few days off to prevent injury. However, I was battling this strange hamstring problem over the last 2 years. It first appeared in May of 2005, 2 days after completing a hard workout, I hopped on a plane to run in a race. Immediately departing the plane, my hamstrings were so very sore. I had trouble walking. I somehow managed to run the race but after that experience, I battled sore hamstrings after every hard workout. I still was able to train very hard. I just rested more between hard workouts so the soreness would lessen. In June 07 I ran the USA Mountain Running Championships with my already sore hamstrings (more sore than usual since I just ran MT Washington the week prior). Unfortunately, that race with its severely steep downhills and uphills caused my hamstrings to become so painful that I could barely walk and running no longer was an option. In the fall after a few months of rehab, my husband and I decided to start a family. Here begins my pregnancy adventure.......

Oct 07 - Barely 2 weeks pregnant and my weight sores up 5 lbs. I did not know for sure I was pregnant then, but I was suspicious, since I never have gained that much weight practically overnight. I was so bloated that I had to wear my sweat pants low over my belly and eating food was uncomfortable. I resumed my running this month after taking 4 months off to heal my hamstrings.

Nov 07 (5 -8 weeks pregnant) - In years past, I have coached several pregnant runners and through their training, experiences and my research, I thought I knew some of what to expect about running while being pregnant - well, boy was I wrong!! The symptoms were more magnified than I had ever imagined! Almost immediately I was out of breath while running. I found myself gasping for air running sub 9 min pace when I usually run 7:30 at easy pace. Moderate felt like a tempo run. After averaging 9 min miles while being 4-11 weeks pregnant told me that this is going to be a much different adventure than I expected. Running in the mornings was a necessity. Right about 2pm, I felt like I was shot with a tranquilizer. I became so tired that I needed to rest immediately or I would fall asleep standing up. Also for me, nausea reared its ugly head mid day so I had to time my running accordingly. I could not find a lot of information regarding running for competitive athletes while pregnant on the internet but I did find an excellent book - Exercising Through Your Pregnancy by James Clapp MD. This book helped me feel at ease with running my 90 min plus runs moderately or 30 sec strides with adequate recoveries. I highly recommend this book to all runners. This month I progressed up to 50 mpw.

Dec 07 (9-12 weeks pregnant) - Food Cravings - I went on an anti-vegetable diet. Veggies once my staple became foods that caused me to gag. Chips, ice cream, chocolate, breads, cheese, pizza, oranges and peanut butter and honey became my best friends. This month I started to feel a little less nauseous and a little more energy toward week 12 so my pace actually quickened to about 8:30 min mile. My belly bump started to form but nobody else could notice it yet. My longest run this month was 1 hour and 50 min over rolling hills. I really paid attention to hydration and consuming adequate calories before, during and after my runs. My weight was now 4 lbs over my pregnancy weight (without the bloating I had 2 months prior- thank goodness!) I was able to run 40 x 30 sec fast (okay fast is relative here- maybe 6:45 pace is fast for me right now) with 30 sec's rest. I felt comfortable running short fast bursts due to a study that I had read. The study recruited over 40 elite athletes (all were national or international athletes and 3 were ranked top in the world in their sport) that ran 2 x week interval workouts similar to the one above and 1 LR a week and all runners had healthy babies and normal pregnancies. I felt great doing that workout and everything went well at my monthly nurse midwife meetings. Okay - one more thing I need to address here. It is sort of embarrassing- boob soreness. It does not matter what size you were pre-pregnancy - the first few months of pregnancy - watch out!! You will need a very good running bra or you will be sorry!

Jan 08 (13-1 7 weeks pregnant) Ahh..the second trimester starts...I feel tons better. I have so much more energy and my breasts (although much larger) feel fine and I can run a pretty good clip- about 8 min pace. The nausea has disappeared too. Of course I have new gripes now. Sleeping! I can't find a comfortable position to sleep and I need to get up to go the bathroom every night. I also need to find bushes to hide every 20 min during my runs or I will have to stop. It becomes too uncomfortable to run with my new small bladder if I don't empty it every 15-20 minutes. I now am running 50-60mpw and my weight is about 6lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight. I try to eat lots of good foods- high protein foods like fish and beans and chicken and eat colorful fruits. I am still on an anti-vegetable diet but at least I can eat cooked vegis now. My due date is early July. My goal is to run up to to the day I give birth. I will keep you informed of my progress. Hope you enjoyed my adventure so far!! My husband caught me eating chocolates here in the picture below.

~Run Free and Happy

Nicole