so much work to do...

I know while some of you are reading this post you will be screaming at me through your computer, especially if you are are a mom and know what I've just been through. I know if I was reading this, I would scream at me too! Week 1 of training for the MDI Marathon Relay is over. It sucked. It sucked because I am out of shape and slow. I've never been a fast runner, I openly admit that. I'll never win a race and I'm never going to BQ (but seriously, how awesome would that be!?) Before I got pregnant I was running 9:30-10:00 minute miles. At that time I was not ok with that pace, but as a new runner I felt it was respectable. Today, I would give anything to be running a 10:00 minute mile. I have 7 weeks left before the race and I'm 5 weeks postpartum. I know that I need to start out slow and listen to my body, which is what I have been doing. Trust me. Both my midwife and the nurse that helped her to deliver my beautiful baby boy are runners and they both warned me not to start back to early to too hard. The last thing I want to do is get an injury and be sidelined from running for another year.

I picked, what I thought was a very easy and doable training plan from Runners World. It had me running 3 days this week for a total of 6 miles and some cross training mixed in. Shouldn't be too difficult, right? My pace for my runs this week has been around 11:30. Seriously??? Come on, I know I can do better than that but my legs just wouldn't go. At the end of 2 miles I was tired and glad my run was over. I guess I just didn't expect a 6 mile week to be difficult.

I'm not used to this and frustrated that I'm not what I used to be. I know it will take time, but I want to snap my fingers and be back in half marathon shape like I was the day before I found out I was pregnant. Does anyone have suggestions/ideas/tips/inspiration or motivational thoughts for me!?? What's the best thing to do to get back in shape? Hit the gym on my off days and build up my strength?? HELP!?

Next week I have two 2 mile runs, a 3 mile run and cross training. Last year at this time I would have laughed at how easy this week was going to be. This year, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some good runs.

End of me feeling sorry for myself. Week 1 done. Bring on Week 2...

Here are a few pictures from my half marathon last November, the day before I found out I was pregnant.

At mile 10...my husband met me there and ran the last 3 miles with me:-)

Crossing the finish line. I can't wait to have that smile when I run again!

Post race picture with Ruddley!:-)

i'm baaaaacck!

I'm back!!! I have returned to the blogging world:-) Since I last blogged I had my little man which you can read all about here. The short story is that Tyler Jackson Emerson was born July 25, 2010 at 9lb and 20in! He has been keeping me quite busy! I'm hoping now that he is getting a little older I'll have a little more time to write!

My first race since NOVEMBER (yikes!) is in 8 weeks! I am soooooo excited! I am running the MDI Marathon relay with my 2 friends (fun fact: runner's world voted it the most scenic marathon)! I've got A LOT of work to do between now and then. It's been 4 weeks since I delivered and a loooooong time since I have run. I am starting back slowly.

Once I stopped running during my pregnancy I would see people out running on the streets or go to races and watch and be so jealous of everyone running. I wished I was them and wished I could be out there too. I was frustrated that I didn't have energy to do much exercise and was rapidly getting out of shape. Yea, yea, I know I was pregnant and that's what happens when you are pregnant. In my mind it didn't have to happen. I know plenty of people that worked out straight through their pregnancy with no problem. I often thought "why can't that be me?" As I got toward the end of my pregnancy I saw people running and went to races and for once I wasn't jealous, I didn't care that I was standing there watching and not running...I knew this was not a good sign. Had I lost my excitement for running? Had my passion for something that had been so important to me when I was going through a difficult time suddenly gone away? Ugh! I just ignored it and focused on my pregnancy and delivery a healthy baby boy.

About 3 weeks after I gave birth, I was at my parents house rocking Ty and I had the urge to run! I was soo excited. I hadn't wanted to run in a long time. It felt good. I knew that 3 weeks was too soon to start running again so I had to make myself wait. All week though I felt like I wanted to go for a run. I saw people running on the streets and I started to care again. So this past Saturday I laced up my orange NB 1063 and headed out for a mile run. Granted I was slow and probably looked like someone who had never run in their life before, I was pretty stiff.

I have a pretty good training plan for my race and fingers crossed things go well. I am just so happy to have running back in my life again. I am so grateful that this break I took from running was only temporary and that I knew once I had my little guy that I could run again. I didn't have a disability that prevented me from running or a medical reason why I couldn't run again. I am thankful for my good health and that I can run.