IRONDIVA

Ten Tidbit Thursday

2013-05-30T17:42:00.001-04:00

1. I'm 39 weeks and 2 days pregnant. I can barely form a rational thought, let alone an entire blog post so forgive the top ten list style post. It's the easiest way to keep my thoughts in one place. And yes, this explanation actually counts as one of the ten things so I really only have to do 9. :)

2. I have a feeling it's going to be a hot summer here in Georgia. We lucked out last year with a relatively mild summer - aka, we didn't need the ac on all the time. It's gotten to the point where I'm pushing my limit of heat tolerance within my own home. As a very wise George Darden explained this past weekend "the South wouldn't exist if there wasn't air conditioning". Amen brother!

3. I sat in bed this morning watching my sleepy husband come to a living state (one of my favorite things to do). It's usually fairly cute to watch as he sleeps so soundly once he falls asleep. As he was coming out of the comatose state that he had been in, he rolls over and says something to the effect of "we are all dying. Every day we die a little more". I said "but Abigail will be born soon, not dying" to which he responded "the day she's born, she'll slowly start dying too". Well good morning my love and thanks for the positive start to the day. I still don't totally know where that came from, but we got a little bit of sugar in him as his blood glucose level might have been a wee bit low and moved on with our day.We'll just leave it at that!

4. This past weekend we had probably one of the best Memorial Day holidays we've had ever. Saturday night we went to a place called Masterpiece Mixers where we painted canvases. I have been eying the place for some time now and have always wanted to go which is ironic considering I have zero artistic ability in me. Maybe that is what fascinated me. So I ~~dragged Tom~~ set up date night with Tom (they do serve beer and wine so it wasn't a hard sell) and we went for a two hour canvas painting adventure. It was awesome. And I must say, for us having absolutely no artistic ability, the pictures came our really really well.

I want to go back ~~when I can drink~~ and maybe bring some open minded friends who would be interested in going. Then, on Monday, we went to Stone Mountain with Matt and Jen Smith, had a picnic, I showed off a little of my bilingual abilities, we walked through the woods, etc and then had a cook out that night complete with Kacie and George. The 6.5 of us (Caffrey was there and although he's a person, he didn't participate much in the conversation) had such a great time. Many many laughs which is just what I needed! It was in fact a perfect weekend!

5. It was like Christmas in our house this morning. Around 9am, FedEx delivered a big brown box and then around 11, UPS followed suit. Although UPS was just bringing me a breast pump (I'll spare you the pictures and details... trust me, it freaks me out too people), the FedEx guy was the one I wanted to hug. You see, I'm part of the Brooks ID program. And since getting accepted, my running has gone down hill (you know... baby + smuggling a basketball + hills = walking) so last week, after having a woe-is-me kind of day, I went shopping at the Brooks site. It was glorious. I had so much fun. And really, it was all about motivation. I ended up getting a bunch of swag - new shoes, a visor, three shirts and a pair of shorts.

I of course can't try any of it on (except for the shoes and visor), but it's sitting there, staring at me and ultimately motivating me. One of the things I miss most is lacing up my running shoes and just going. I can't wait for that! Thanks Brooks... you rock!

6. Speaking of running and itching to get back, I am. Triathlon though, eh, not so much. It's weird. I get twinges of wanting to do a tri soon and then I think about the training and the logistics (which I've done a bajillion times) and I just get discouraged about it all. I don't know, it's weird. It'll come back I'm sure. We were walking the other day and Tom says "so what are your thoughts on IMFL 2014?". My response - "I would love to cheer for you there". I have zero desire to do an Ironman. None. Zip. Zilch. But then the conversation went on to talking about what halves would be fun - maybe Gulf Coast next year. Maybe hitting up a good ole' Deer Creek in Ohio (I love me some small flat racing). We'll see. Tom and I are sharing a bike right now (don't ask... it's not worth it) so that could determine some things. Oh... and being a new parent. That too.

7. (I'm stretching to make this Ten Tidbit Thursday... bear with me). This.

This is a very important staple in my pantry right now (Heather, you will appreciate this, trust me). I have two boxes waiting for me. It's always been my "reward" meal after the Ironman. I Love me some blue box mac and cheese (and all it's buttery goodness) but we know that there is zero nutritional value to it. When the time comes, Tom's going to get word that he has to make this. That will be the sign that I'm going into labor. I was told to eat something carby (this after them telling me that childbirth would be like a marathon - hopefully more like a stand alone and not the one that is part of an Ironman and that I needed to have calories in me). I know that when I get to the hospital, I'm allowed a luxurious meal of ice chips (don't be jealous). Our hospital went on to brag about their ice machine which "makes ice chips just like Sonic". Really? That's a selling point? Now if you told me they had a tater tot machine just like Sonic, then that's something to write home about. Ugh... What am I getting myself into?

8. I love this guy:

In the 10+ years that I've known him, I've never seen him with a hat on. The other night I walked outside and found him like this. Doesn't seem like much, but it was memorial day weekend and this was his PaPa's hat. I asked him why he was wearing it (it usually hangs in our garage with a pair of his PaPa's work shoes) and he said, "My PaPa was a vet and died 15 years ago". :) Made me smile. He wore the hat most of the weekend before hanging it back up.

9. In the next two months, I get to see my mom and dad, my sister twice, my brother in law and my in laws. That makes me smile. (shut up, they are totally coming to visit Tom and I and not to see the baby)

10. Don't forget that I'm fundraising to support Kacie, Dani and Camp Twin Lakes as they prepare for RAAM. If you would like to make a donation, no matter how big or small, we would all REALLY appreciate it. You can donate here. I talked to Kacie a bunch this weekend and although I'm sure she's a tad nervous, these girls of Power, Pedals and Ponytails are going to rock it. I'm so excited for them!!!

That's all I got folks. Life is a lot of hurry up and waiting right now for TK and I. We're waiting on some job news (good thoughts please!). We're waiting on a baby (prayers welcomed). We're waiting on a Noodles and Company to come to Suwanee (oh wait, maybe that's just what I'm waiting on...)

What's new with y'all?

Two girls, their bikes and a lot of miles...

2013-05-21T14:09:00.000-04:00

As many of you know, Tom has completed Race Across America twice. It was a life changing experience for him, traveling across the country on a two wheeled machined powered by his legs and his heart. Although we often laugh that it's a funny way to see the USA - head down, often times following a yellow line on the road, feeling like you are sucking air through a coffee stirrer, it has had such an impact on his life. Three years since the last time he raced it, we still talk about it nonstop. He created lifelong memories that I can only live with him through pictures and stories.

For those of you that need a refresher, Race Across America (RAAM) is a 3000 mile transcontinental bicycle race that starts in Oceanside, CA and finishes in Annapolis, MD. It is known as one of the hardest endurance races in the world and cyclists can compete as an eight man team, a four man team, a two man team and a solo. Tom raced both times as part of an eight man team. And while even that seems unthinkable to most, the two man teams and solo teams are the ones that truly blow my mind.

Enter Kacie Darden and Dani Grabol.

I love these girls. I met them when I moved here to Georgia and they are some kick ass ladies. These girls are ~~pretty~~ very badass. Both are experienced ultra endurance athletes. They have completed Ironman races, won 50k running races, set world records biking across Florida, and recently outright won the Heart of the South bike race, a continuous 517 mile race as a twosome. Both have done a DOUBLE Ironman (um... for those of you keeping track, that's 4.8 miles of swimming, 224 miles of biking and 52.4 miles of running. In a day. Continuously). In fact, they finished that race fourth and fifth overall and that's where they really got to know each other. Last year, Kacie jumped into RAAM on an eight man team (because you know, when a team loses a cyclist prior to the race and you go to Kacie, she can totally just "fit it into her schedule") and after finishing, knew she wanted to do it again. It didn't take much to convince Dani that the two of them needed to do something epic.

So epic to them is to race RAAM as a TWO WOMAN TEAM. Did you get that? Just the two of them (and their amazing crew of course), tackling the 3000 miles on their bikes. Only two other two (wo)man teams have every finished the race. Ever. And Kacie and Dani don't just plan to finish - they want the world record which means they have to cover the miles in less than 8 days, 18 hours and 57 minutes. I know these girls. That will be no problem.

And then to add the icing to their enormous cupcakes, these ladies have chosen to make the race about more than just two women riding across the country - they are raising funds through their racing and training for Race Across America for an organization that again is close to the Kingery’s heart – Camp Twin Lakes. Camp Twin Lakes is a network of camps providing life-changing camp experiences to thousands of Georgia's children with serious illnesses, disabilities and other challenges each year. They collaborate with over 50 different organizations, each serving a different population, to create customized programs that teach campers to overcome obstacles and grow in their confidence and capabilities. Camp Twin Lakes is thrilled to provide programs at various state-of-the-art locations throughout the state of Georgia, including camps in Rutledge, Winder, Warm Springs, children's hospitals, and more.

Tom and I have set up a fundraising page to help Kacie, Dani and Camp Twin Lakes. I hope that you will consider supporting them. Please, even the littlest amount will help make a huge difference to so many kids!!! And it's all tax deductible - can you help? Click HERE to donate.

Really, what's not to love about these ladies???

I'm super excited for them. I wish I could crew for them (although the whole "I'm going to have a newborn, I probably shouldn't leave" thing makes being gone with them on their journey a little difficult). I really wish I could be there at that finish line because it's going to be amazing.

Kacie and Dani... if you are reading this, I just want you to know that my hat goes off to you. It's been a tough journey and I know that. If anyone gets it, I kind of do - I know the hours that you have both put in, the sacrifices that you have both made. I know the ups and downs that come with training and the feelings you have now as the race approaches. You are incredible women, not only on your bikes but as friends and I wish you nothing but continued success as you go out and CRUSH this race. Have fun. Keep smiling. Take it all in. Because in the end, the hard work will seem like nothing when you are left with a lifetime of memories that you created together! So very proud of you and love you both!

If you want to follow their journey, they have a blog and you can find it HERE.

Guest review (from the hubs)

2013-05-14T19:51:00.001-04:00

Tom's not really into blogging (like at all) so it's a treat when he gets to stop by and write a blog about something that he got to test out (which kind of makes me jealous too, but that's alright... I can let him have his test shoe glory every once in a while too). So here it goes!

Hey all! Colleen is involved with FitFluential and was given an opportunity to get me in on the action by trying out the Saucony Virrata. I'm always up to trying new things to help with my running so I was excited when these arrived (and yes, Colleen was a little jealous).

Right away I could tell that they were super light weight (only 6.5 ounces for a men's size 9) and I liked the colors, although they were a bit brighter than I usually go with. Flashy is good, especially for a fast shoe! They come in 6 different color combinations so I would probably go a different route next time, but then again, maybe not. They grow on you fast! The box says "Flex the Laws of Nature" and these shoes do just that - you can practically fold them in half.

I didn't run long in them just because I'm used to maybe a less minimalist shoe, and this one has a zero drop, I didn't want to jump into anything without making sure it would work for me. I did find the shoe comfortable - more cushioned than I had imagined with it being so light weight. I liked that it seemed very breathable which is nice as the weather starts to heat up here in Georgia. And I felt like it was a responsive shoe - definitely a trainer which is good as I'm focusing more on speed. Oh... and it ran true to size - maybe a little narrower than I'm used to but I attribute that to the trainer nature of it.

A little about the Virrata from the Saucony website:

Stripped down to strong. The Virrata is our lightest and most flexible training shoe and allows your foot to move naturally. We removed everything that isn’t helping your run improve. What remains is a feather-light, ultra flexible shoe with advanced cushioning that promotes a powerful stride and allows your foot to move the way it was meant to. Built on a 0mm offset, this shoe lets your feet do the work while providing plenty of protection from the road. The breathable mesh upper makes the shoe incredible lightweight and quick-drying to run in wet weather conditions. Weight: 6.5oz. / 184 gm (size 9)

Simply put - this is a light weight, cushioned, flexible shoe that looks great and performs great! I'm a fan...

Thank you Saucony and Fitfluential for the opportunity to let me try these out. (*these shoes were sent to me free of charge and the opinions expressed in this post are my own)

A camera and a bump

2013-05-10T12:56:00.000-04:00

We've been loving our new camera, although it's still a tad overwhelming. I've definitely played with it much more than Tom, but I thought that it was important for him to get to know some of the settings on it besides the "auto" mode that he had been using. And since my bump is growing and I don't have a ton of pictures of it, I thought that would be a great way for us to get used to the camera (on a side note - I am fairly opinionated about professional maternity pictures. I won't share my opinions either way - to each is own, but I knew that at this time, we didn't really have the extra cash sitting around to have them taken anyway so this was a perfect "kill a bunch of birds with one stone" situation.)

I'll be honest...I've been hesitant to share a ton of my belly pictures as it doesn't matter how big I am compared to someone else, or how I'm carrying (if I was paid $1 for every time someone said "you must be having a boy because you are all belly", then Abigail's college fund would be set), but I'm happy with how these turned out so enjoy. Plus, I only have the belly for a few more weeks so I'm embracing the enormity of it. :)

Pregnancy Fitness Must Haves

2013-05-02T13:21:00.002-04:00

I’ve been blessed with a fairly easy pregnancy. I didn’t have much morning sickness (actually I had none. Zero. Zilch. I only three up once and that was about 4 weeks ago when I choked on some corn. ) I had a few nights during my first trimester where dinner was less than appealing, but I always ended up eating something. I’ve had no food aversions and really no cravings. I hadn’t been ungodly uncomfortable, with swelling and peeing and all that stuff. My blood pressure stays around 100/62 every time I go to the doctor. My weight gain is at the lower end of the range that the doctors want to see (I actually haven’t gained more than maybe 2 pounds since mid-March although baby and belly are growing). I go into the doctor’s office for my weekly/biweekly and monthly check ups and the nurses and doctors always say “You are our easy patient today”. I like that. It took me 7 years of marriage to decide that I did in fact want to have a child so at least it hasn’t been a horrible experience.

One of the most important factors in me having such a great pregnancy is my activity. From day one, I’ve said that I’ll do everything in my power to stay active because I know that it’s good for me (mentally and physically), but more importantly it’s good for my baby girl. I’m not going to lie… working out hasn’t always been a breeze as my belly grows, but I’ve adapted. I try to get 45 minutes to an hour of some kind of movement each day. I ran regularly until about 33 weeks, and now it’s more of a once a week kind of thing. I biked on the bike trainer religiously through 29 weeks and still plop myself on the bike as much as possible. And I walk. A lot. Walking in our neighborhood or town is a little different than just a leisurely walk. It’s a workout. I’m talking, heart pumping, sweat dripping workout. If you question that walking can be hard, I invite you to come walk with Tom and I anytime!

People ask “how do you do it comfortably”. Here are some things that have helped me:

Gear:

Make sure that you are in comfortable clothes. As my belly grew, I needed to change my workout clothes a little. I switched from regular bike shorts to men’s bike bibs as they fit over my belly better. Yep, I rocked them with a sport bra and they were dead sexy. Just remember, I biked indoors in the privacy of my basement so I didn’t have to scar anyone by seeing that. It’s a sight, trust me.

I bought loose coolmax shirts that were a size or two bigger than I usually wear. I didn’t invest in maternity specific bottoms, but again, went with shorts and capri’s that are a size or two bigger, with a big waist band (TJMaxx was great for both the pants and tops and they didn’t break the bank). I made sure that the waist band could be worn over my belly or under it. Roll down yoga pants became a lifesaver. Runingskirts.com had a maternity line and I was lucky enough to get one of their maternity skirts to try out. I love it – it has a high belly panel which I can wear up or fold down. They also sent me a cute sleeveless maternity shirt that is flattering and functional.

I made sure that I had a great sports bra. The first thing that grew were the girls (TMI? It’s a fact people…) I really love these from Zensah (– it’s seamless and supportive). I needed at least once size bigger.

Unlike many women I haven’t been constantly hot during my pregnancy. Actually, I’m usually layered and Tom and I joke that we live in different climates because I have more clothing on than he does. I found that when it was cooler, I needed a coat that I would stretch around my belly and that I could shed easily when I got warm. I got the Zensah Seamless Power running jacket in a size Medium and it's perfect. It stretches about my belly because of the material, but I know that I will be able to wear it when I'm not pregnant and it'll fit fine. The sleeves are long, there are great thumb holes, and there's a pocket in the back that fits my phone and keys.

Around 20 weeks, I invested in a maternity running belt. I did some research because I found that my growing belly needed some support and that the Gabrialla Maternity Belt MS 96(i) was well liked with other runners. I could only find it on amazon.com and it was probably the most clutch item that I purchased to stay active. I was feeling more round ligament pain during running and also started getting Braxton hicks contractions when I ran (which just feels like my whole belly was tight). I wear the belt religiously when I run and have actually put it on a few times in the last week or so when I walk. It’s a weird sensation to have your big belly just hanging out, so the belt helps.

Compression is my friend. I’ve always loved my Norma Tech boots which I use a lot (after getting the okay from my doctor). I often times feel like I have a tad bit of swelling (many times on only one side, depending on how baby girl is laying which is weird but totally normal) so I have been wearing compression socks or sleeves a lot. Zensah has an ultra compression sleeve which is super tight and I have really liked using those. I also like a good full compression sock because they cover my ankles and don’t really have a favorite brand.

Comfortable shoes – I am part of the Brooks ID program. I love their shoes and gear. I wish they had a maternity line because I only have a few shirts and shorts from them that fit right now. But their shoes are awesome. So maybe I’m a bit biased on their brand, but a comfortable, well supported shoe is key. You are carrying extra weight and need to be supported.

Accessories

I always carry my phone with me if Tom isn’t around (although very rarely do we work out alone). If something happens or I don’t feel right, I can call to have someone come get me (that hasn’t happened, but I want to be prepared)
I wear my RoadID Slim every day. It has Tom’s phone number and my mom’s. Again, better to be safe than sorry.

I carry water. I drink a lot of water anyway, but when working out, I make sure that I have extra water to make sure that I don’t get dehydrated. Dehydration can cause a lot of problems during pregnancy and I have found causes more contractions. I also come home and immediately drink about 20 ounces of liquid… even after a nice slow stroll around the neighborhood with the dog.

I always eat something before I workout and usually find that I eat during my workout (maybe a granola bar or something small). I haven’t had any nausea during workouts, but I find that I feel really hungry sometimes and I’d rather not have my blood sugar drop or anything when I’m out.

Expectations (and this is a big one)

I let go of all reliance on pace and distance. As an endurance athlete, I always find that I get fixated on how far I’ve gone or how fast I’m going. My pre-pregnancy pace has gone from 8:30’s to, well, I don’t know. Maybe 12:30’s, although I don’t know that for a fact. I run until I feel like I want to be done. Or I’ll say “I would like to run 7 laps around the pond”. Sometimes I make it 9. Sometimes I stop at 3. I run for time (only because I’m always going to be type A). I bike for time and actually took my magnet off my back wheel. I don’t care what my pace is.
If I’m feeling off, I’m totally okay with saying that I’m off and switching things up – cutting a bike short, walking the rest of my run, etc. It’s happened a lot. I learned to listen to my body. I don’t push through being uncomfortable. I used to do that and I will again. It’s part of being an athlete and I know that. There are times when things are hard, and things ache and that’s all part of getting better. Not during pregnancy. If something hurts or feels off, it’s not right. You can’t push yourself with a baby growing inside of you. :)
Although many people suggest keeping your heart rate under 140 when pregnant, it wasn’t realistic for me as an athlete prior to getting pregnant. Yes, I talked to my doctor about it. Instead I use the talk test. If I can talk, I’m going a good pace. If I become winded or short of breath, I slow down or take a break. If I can’t breathe, my baby can’t breathe. Simple as that.
I don’t care what people think when they see me (and this is easier said than done). When my belly was just starting to grow, I was super self conscious about it because I looked pudgy. Now I’m rocking a basketball belly and I’m proud of it. I don’t care if I’m waddling when I walk. My “running” has become wogging (waddle+jogging) and I’m proud of it. Luckily I’ve not had anyone tell me that I’m doing something wrong by staying active (quite the opposite actually). Most days I get a “you go girl” when someone sees me working up a hill or shuffling along a trail. I’m proud of my body for what it’s capable of in terms of carrying a baby AND being fit.

Check with your doctor

This is the most important thing you can do to stay active. If there are any complications, let the professionals tell you what you can and can’t do. I was very active prior to getting pregnant (hello, I was training for Ironman Florida) so I knew that it wasn’t realistic to go from swimming, biking and running every day to leisurely walking or nothing. But for some people, that’s all they can do. I know my body better than a lot of people and my doctor gave me a lot of freedom to create a plan that works for me based on how I feel. My number one priority right now is Abigail. I would never do anything that would harm her or put her at risk of being harmed. And with less than 5 weeks until she’s here, I feel like I’ve helped her by staying active. I know that it’ll help me with delivery and recovery. I’m hoping I bounce back fast from everything. But we’ll just take one day at a time.

Do you have any questions about working out while pregnant or what worked for me?

If you are pregnant, what are you doing to keep active?

If you see a pregnant woman with a full on basketball belly working out, would you be proud of her and yell “You go girl”? (you should!!!)

TevaSphere Review

2013-04-30T15:51:00.001-04:00

This post is long overdue. Welcome to my pregnancy brain world, right?

About a month and a half ago, a representative from Onlineshoes.com contacted me and asked if I would be interested in trying out a new Teva shoe, the Women's TevaSphere. I'm a fan of Onlineshoes.com (what's not to love about a shoe store that has a million different options, free shipping, and free returns for up to 365 days - that's customer service!). And I'm already a fan of Teva - see this tan line beauty?

I live in my Teva Mush sandals from the time it gets warm enough until my piggies are freezing. So this seemed to be a perfect fit.

I was told that I could chose between the TevaSphere Trail or the TevaSphere Speeds, and then pick the color. The options were pretty awesome. I went with the Speeds, simply because they were a little lighter (and I'm a girl and liked the look just a little better). From the Onlinshoes.com website, this is what I learned about the gems before receiving them:

"Be prepared for any terrain in the Teva TevaSphere Speed athletic shoe. Streamlined for high performance and a sleek look, this women's trail shoe boasts a synthetic and mesh upper for lightweight, breathable comfort from start to finish. The TevaSphere outsole, featuring Spider Original rubber for grip, has a spherical heel with a support pod for stability that doesn't add too much weight. Next time you hit the trail for a run, tackle an obstacle course or just head out for an afternoon stroll, bring along your new favorite workout partner, the Teva TevaSphere Speed hiking shoe.

Cushioned footbed
Lightly padded tongue and collar
Nylon shank
Six-eye lace closure
Spider Original Rubber Outsole

Synthetic and mesh upper
TevaSphere
Textile lining
Weight: 7.7 oz

I ended up going with the Lunar Rock color. Good choice! The shoes came about a week later (they didn't have my size at first, but that was quickly resolved), only to find out that these shoes run a little big. I ended up needing a half size smaller than I usually go with. Got my exchange and was off.

This is pretty cool. If you can't read it, it says, " Congratulations... you just helped Teva clean a river or beach somewhere in the world. Confused? Don't be. For every pair of footwear we sell, we work with non-profits to clean a foot of shoreline. We call it A PAIR FOR A FOOT."

Now I'm not really running much these days, but we've been walking trails like it's my business so I've gotten a lot of use out of the shoes. Let me tell you, they are comfy. They seem to be a little more narrow than I'm used to, but it's nothing uncomfortable and actually just feel good and snug. The half size down is a perfect fit for me. I love the color of the lunar rock - it's kind of a grayish color with accents in yellow and green. They are cute kick around shoes, as well as trail shoes. I feel like they offer good support throughout my foot and the gripping on the bottom definitely makes it a trail shoe. Once this baby comes, I'm hoping to get some good trail runs in them as they seem very light weight and breathable.

I couldn't be happier with the shoe. Teva has done things right with the Women's TevaSphere line and as always, OnlineShoes.com came through for me!

(Please note that these shoes were sent to me free of charge and that the opinions expressed in this post are solely my opinion.)

Baby shower (and crazy amounts of photos and pink)

2013-04-24T17:51:00.000-04:00

So this past weekend, my mom and sister came to Georgia to throw us a baby shower. Amazing, right? They knew that at 34 weeks I wouldn't be able to travel to Ohio, but I never expected the support that we had. We had family and friends come in from SEVEN states! Holy love, right? I was so overwhelmed with every one's support and generosity. Baby girl is so set for when she enters the world (if her daddy and I are, is another question!)

Mom, dad and Kristen came in on Thursday night. Friday we did some running around and just hung out until my cousins came in from Pennsylvania. My mom's best friend's (and neighbors in Ohio) drove in as well and they stopped by to see the house on Friday too.

Then Saturday, Tom and I got up, enjoyed a nice long walk with Charlie, knowing that at 1:00, our house was going to be taken over with shower stuff. It was awesome!

I will say, as apprehensive as I've been about having a little girl and all the pink that goes along with it, I couldn't help but smile at everything. How can you not? Okay, so ready for picture overload??? :)

My adorable mom and dad with some of the balloons

My sister and my mom made these chocolate lollipops

Tom surprised me with my favorite craving - iced sugar cookies and Chick-Fil-A lemonade

The awesome Costco cake. Anyone else in love with these?

Nana-to-be and I

The bassinet and nursing pillow that one of my sister's friends gave us to borrow!

My sister and brother in law bought us a pack-n-play!

This should keep her occupied during floor time!

A portable swing

The homemade gifts from my family - my Aunt Jean made the blanket, my cousin Carolyn made her a stocking, my cousin Laurie made her the "A" and my mom actually cross stitched that picture for my cousin Anna when she was born, who gifted it to me now that she's grown.

Bath Stuff

Girl's clothes - too cute

Personalized gifts. And I'll quote "every Southern girl needs a personalized diaper cover". :)

This is the baby of a triathlete for sure


My mom and sister asked that people give us a book instead of a card which we loved... she has a good collection started on her bookcase!


I sobbed when I got this. My grandma bought this for Abigail 5 days before she passed away. I will give it to her when she is older. :)

My friends Jenn and Matt made us a diaper bike. Seriously. It's awesome.

Okay, and then something awesome happened. I haven't' talked much about the bombings in Boston and everything that went down with that. It was horrifying and still makes me sick to think about. I can't tell you how many times I've been at the finish line, waiting for my friends and loved ones. It hit really close to home. We had a lot of friends and family running that day and thankfully all were safe. Tom's mom had finished about 10 minutes before everything went down and was close enough to the finish to see and hear it all. To say it shook us up is an understatement. Tom and I were very emotional that day, questioning society and wondering what kind of world we are bringing a little girl into. I know that we can't shield her from all the bad in the world and that there is way more good than bad, but it's still hard. So right around 3:30 as the news was breaking, UPS came with a big box addressed to Tom. I had been putting packages aside knowing that they were probably shower gifts for the weekend, but since this was to Tom, I had him open it. I couldn't see what it was when he opened it, but he looked at me with tears in his eyes. It turns out that his old teammates got together and bought us a BOB Revolution jogging stroller, the handlebar console and a hippo toy from our registry as a congrats gift. We were so incredibly touched by this for so many reasons - Tom is no longer with TNN, but his former athletes were so generous that that didn't phase them. They are all crazy runners and triathletes so this couldn't be a better reminder of all of them. These are lifelong friends, and we know that. So Tom now has a way to run with Abigail up the hills of Suwanee (because I will be totally making him do the hard work while we run together!) It's way awesome!

I'm still, three days later, trying to wrap my hear around people's generosity. If I every questioned whether or not Tom and I had a lot of love in our lives, Saturday confirmed that. And what's even more amazing is that this little unborn child has so much love as well. That's a very very amazing feeling.

April goals

2013-04-04T18:27:00.000-04:00

As I posted back in January (or was it February?) I'm not good at making resolutions and sticking with them. I decided to take one month at a time, especially with the pregnancy, and just make a goal for myself. I'd do everything in my power to hit that goal. In January and February it was to do something physical every day and I did a darn good job at that. In February and March it was to not eat out as much. Just little things that I can try to do to help my life. :)

So we're on to April. Working out is becoming a little more of a struggle. I could blame the ever growing belly, but that's just an excuse really. Come to find out that this whole third trimester thing is no joke. Momma is T.I.R.E.D. And I'm finding that my will to workout is sometimes overshadowed by my will to get a project done around the house. Or to nap. But I've been working on it as much as possible. I kind of had a falling out with my bike trainer so I haven't been on that in a while. Shhh... I still haven't gotten myself to the pool. Running is difficult... I did it 3 times TOTAL in March. That leaves me with walking, which I've been doing a ton of. With the recent events in our life, Tom and I have had plenty to talk about and the walks tend to clear my mind (and totally suck the life out of me most days). As the weather gets nicer, I foresee longer walks and more frequent walks - sure beats sitting on a bike trainer in the basement reading US Weekly.

Where was I going with this? Oh yes... my goal for April. My goal is to run each week the number of miles that corresponds with how many weeks I have until my baby girl comes. I will hopefully do this up to my due date. So this week I'm at 31 weeks which means that I have 9 weeks until baby Girl makes her grand appearance. That means, my goal for this week is to run 9 miles. 9 miles. That's it. Sounds easy enough and most everyone who reads my blog will be like "really Colleen?", but let me explain.

Running is hard. I had these grandiose intentions of running until the day I delivered. Being that lady. But I waddle when I walk so you can only imagine the image of me "wogging" as I like to call it (waddling + jogging = wogging). My bump isn't all cute and little. It's out there. Like "wham, I swallowed a basketball" out there. And people, it ain't getting any smaller! :) I have to take some walk breaks when I get to the hills or else the contractions start. I feel like I'm breathing through a straw as Abigail has found a nice cozy place to reside between my lungs and my diaphragm. Inevitably I have to pee like 7 times during a run. For me to get a good 30 minutes of "wogging" in is actually more of a 45 minutes process. 9 miles will not take me 81 glorious minutes like it used to. 9 miles will take me a long time.

So that's my goal. This week it's 9 miles. Next week only 8. If I can go longer, awesome. If I struggle with just hitting my goal, so be it. I've gotten some pretty great items lately (from the likes of Zensah, Runningskirts.com, Brooks) that will keep me going and I'll write about those in the coming days.

So that's my goal. Laugh at me if you must. Just don't do it to my face because I'm an emotional wreck and will probably just start sobbing. Then you'll feel bad because you made the pregnant girl cry and the only way to make me feel better is to buy me Peanut M&M's. :)

True story.

Spring is here

2013-04-02T16:49:00.001-04:00

I've been having fun playing with the new camera. Yesterday was a gorgeous day in Atlanta and I took full advantage of getting to know some of the settings. Amazing what this thing can do (knowing full well that I'm not a photographer at all!)

Can't wait to keep playing!

One year

2013-03-27T15:54:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe that it's been one year since we became Southerns. This time last year I was making the 500 mile drive with my two dogs in the back of the car, knowing that my final destination would be at a hotel near the new house were Tom was staying with our moving truck. We'd only stay there one night (which thank God because it definitely wasn't the Ritz) and would get the keys in the morning, but the way the moving process had gone, I was super nervous that something was going to happen that would prevent us from getting into our new home.

But alas, everything went smoothly (besides the new neighbor "introducing herself" and all of the neighborhood rules about an hour before closing, which resulted in my sobbing the entire way to closing, asking "what did we get ourselves into").

We love our house. We love the South. We love Suwanee. We love our neighbors (well, most of them). We love our new friends, and the weather (although I did see snow flurries yesterday and that's not cool), and the parks. We love being close to Atlanta, but far enough away. In other words, we made the right choice!!!

And looking back in the last year, so much has happened. Lots of ups and downs. Lots of being tested and being rewarded. And in the end, Tom and I are closer than ever, a true team and that is all that matters.

This next year is going to be amazing - challenging as always, but amazing! We have a baby on the way (you didn't know that, did you??? haha). Tom recently was forced into a career change and although the unknown is a little unsettling (especially with me being 8 months pregnant), we're navigating through some options and ultimately will be working together again which is ideal. We have some racing ahead of us, - new destinations, new courses, new goals. Our sponsorships keep growing which is always fun. I know that I'll see my family more and more this year (even if they are only coming to see Abigail, I will take it). And those friends that I mentioned loving... I know that our relationships will continue to develop and that they will be a huge part of our lives.

Thanks for sticking with me through the transition this year!

New Camera

2013-03-21T12:06:00.000-04:00

With the baby coming, we decided to get a new camera. We didn't want a DSLR (even though everyone insisted on us getting one - and for those of you that did, thank you. I would be more than happy to send you my address so you can purchase said camera that I "have to have" and have it shipped directly to our house). Maybe you missed the fact that we have a baby on the way. That translates to "we don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on a camera". :) We just wanted something a little better than our Sony Cybershot - maybe something that records video, has a faster shutter speed and a little more clarity in the photos.

Of course camera shopping is the worst (I would probably rank it higher in terms of suckiness than jeans shopping or bathing suit shopping). It's bad. There are just so many options and I always feel that I over research and the camera ends up under delivering. I buy one, get all giddy about it and then a friend takes amazing pictures on a more simple camera that cost her much less and I get frustrated. Plus I feel like the reviews are always for rocket scientists. Why can't someone just write a review that says "yep, this camera takes good pictures. It's easy to use. You will be happy, even if you know nothing about photography." Seriously, that would help me so much.

I did get a recommendation from Betsy on facebook for a bridge camera. Hum... I had never heard of that. It's slightly better than a point and shoot, but not as crazy as a DSLR. She gave me the model of the one she bought and was really happy with. She told me what I wanted to hear - it took great pictures, it was reasonable and it had all the bells and whistles we wanted. (Thanks for the review that I could understand Betsy... you saved me). I started researching it and BAM! It's exactly what we wanted. And... it was in our budget.

So we bough this baby -a Fujifilm FinePix HS30EXR

Sounds and looks fancy, doesn't it? Yeah, it is, compared to anything we've had in the past. We have a lot to learn about it, but it does everything we want and WAY more! So far, besides getting used to the size, we are having fun playing with it. Here are some of the photos I've been taking as I get to learn things.

So with all that being said, and knowing that I have a lot to learn with this camera, anyone have any pointers on taking decent pictures of people, particularly moving babies? For some reason, the owners manual doesn't have a chapter on that.

Lesson of the day

2013-03-19T13:00:00.002-04:00

Here's my lesson of the day - think before you speak.

It's not hard in theory, really, but I just don't get some people. And here it is, 17 hours after someone spoke before thinking and I'm still fired up. Maybe it's because of the person that said it and their inability to care or maybe it's the words, but in any event, I'm all fired up and this post will probably show that (that's my warning to you... hehehe)

I've smiled many times at stupid things that people have said to me over the years. I've gotten fired up a time or two as well, I'll admit that. Like the time we were ordering "Running On Insulin" rubber bracelets for a 4 mile race Tom and I were organizing to raise money for a local Diabetes Organization and the lady from the company that makes the bracelets suggested that we only order extra large ones since we were talking about diabetes. The "you must be overweight to have diabetes" conversation does indeed fire me up. A lot. And I would say that 100% of the time, it's because people don't know about the disease and don't think before they speak.

Or how about the number of times that a person says "oh I've run a marathon too - it was five miles and so hard". That's cute. I don't get too fired up about that one because again, it's probably more from lack of knowledge than anything. I usually smile and try to correct them on what a marathon is, but sometimes I figure it's easier to not offend them by telling them they are wrong. And I get that people don't understand that an Ironman is a triathlon. So is a half Ironman, an Olympic distance, a sprint distance, etc. Heck, any time you swim and then bike and then run, you are doing a triathlon. I've done that one a Tuesday in mid January at the gym. It doesn't matter the distance.

I guess it only really bothers me when someone speaks out of line.

Remember the lady that asked me how many babies I was carrying when I was about 16 weeks along? Or that she started that conversation by looking at my husband and saying "you did her good". Yeah, that's not really appropriate and I'm assuming that she didn't think before speaking. (Of course, being me, I laughed about that for a while).

So lately, as my belly grows and grows, people speak up. What is it about talking to pregnant women and just saying whatever comes to mind - WITHOUT THINKING? It's like your eyes see the bump and your mind says "I must make a comment, preferably inappropriate or something that will totally offend this poor woman who is overly emotional as it is". I've read so many blogs of friends who have written about what people have said to them as they are pregnant. It's an epidemic if you ask me. Most of it I can brush off, but sometimes my jaw drops, and I remain in awe.

Last night, Tom and I were talking to said person who fired me up. I should preface it with the fact that I can easily get fired up about things this person says, but last night was classic. They asked to see a picture of my growing belly and I sent them this one:

It's from Sunday. I'm 29 weeks pregnant. My belly is measuring two weeks ahead. I've gained 18 pounds and I think besides my belly and chest, I have not gained a single pound elsewhere. I'm damn proud of myself for this, for the fact that I still work out every day and that I feel like I'm having a healthy pregnancy. I posted this picture on Facebook (which I'm hesitant to do because I'm so self conscious already) and people have been so incredibly nice, saying I look great and flattering me with compliments (which let me tell you, any pregnant woman at 29 weeks will gladly take a compliment about how they look great). But not the person we were talking to last night. Nope. Their comment was "wow, you are huge. And even in black clothes which usually make someone look so slim".

Seriously.

My blood is still boiling. Now I didn't send it to her in hopes that she would compliment me (I don't think she knows how to do such a thing), but seriously? THINK.BEFORE.YOU.SPEAK! I wanted to cry.

So here's my lesson for the day. If you see a pregnant woman, any pregnant women, don't tell her how big she is. Think before saying what comes to mind first. Remember that she's probably a little self conscious about the fact that she has a belly for the first time in her life, that she can't see her feet, that she can't tie her shoes, that maybe, just maybe she has finally accepted that this is part of the process and that she looks in the mirror and sees a healthy mom to be who is going to love her little girl more than anything in the world. Definitely more than she will love you for making your stupid comment.

Drinking the kool-aid

2013-03-13T13:02:00.002-04:00

Or something like that. I had my 28 week appointment this morning and with that, came the test for gestational diabetes. If you don't know what that entails, it's drinking 50 grams of pure sugar in the form of an orange drink and then exactly one hour later having your blood glucose (BG) level tested via a blood draw. I know a lot about this stuff because I'm married to a type 1 diabetic. I also know that I don't want gestational diabetes. I wasn't looking forward to this.

I had to fast starting at midnight. Of course I woke up at 4:30 with the biggest rumbles in my stomach. At 8:30 I drank the juice. I swear it's the Hi-C orange drink that I used to love from McDonald's as a kid. It's a shame that it's what our kids drink. I had no problems getting it down... it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought.

At 8:50 I checked my BG (because again, I'm married to a Type 1... I have the tools to check readily available). I was 108 - which is perfect. Good. Maybe this will go well. I got to the doctor at 9:20 and checked again - 138. WHAT? Ugh... They drew my blood exactly an hour after I finished the drink and I asked my doctor what BG number would cause me to "fail" and have to repeat - 130 or higher. Oye ve... when I got to the car, I tested again and was at 88 so I'm hoping it dropped enough between getting out of the car and getting my blood drawn. I know that I don't have gestational diabetes based on those number and the fact that I fell to a very normal range by 9:45, but we'll see. I sure hope I don't have to repeat this - drinking that stuff again and sitting at the doctors for 3 hours does not sound like my version of a fun day!

The doctor gave me a great report - blood pressure is 100/60 (nice and low) and at 28 weeks, I'm up 17 pounds. He said that he couldn't be happier with that. Then they measured the bump. Now I've been saying all along that it's big (Tom lovingly reaffirms that about 16 times a day) - I know people that are at the same place as me and are MUCH smaller. And I am right... my belly is measuring 2 weeks ahead! Hahaha... at least the weight gain isn't too much. I'm fine with it. It's not like he was telling me something I didn't know. Right now that doesn't mean much. I think Tom's hoping that it doesn't mean I deliver early because that would be right around the time of Ironman Texas! :)

I'm still running and biking and walking. I'm winded a lot more. I waddle ~~some~~ a lot. It's all part of it. :) I'm loving this whole experience though. It's truly amazing!!! And I feel like the next 12 weeks are going to be the slowest 12 weeks of my life until I get to meet this sweet little girl!

Update and photos galore...

2013-03-01T17:35:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that I'm already 26 weeks along and that my third trimester is creeping closer and closer. I can feel it too - I'm getting bigger, I'm more tired, I'm winded, I'm cranky. It could be a long 13.5 weeks for poor Tom (although he's amazing... not that anyone needed a reminder of that though). Just a few updates for you -

Yes, I'm getting bigger. I'm okay with it... really I am. I'm actually way better with it than I thought that I would be. You know, it's hard when you are an athlete that already struggles with self image issues to watch yourself grow by the day, but feeling Abigail kicking and knowing that in less than 100 days I'll get to hold my sweet girl, eh, getting big is a small price to pay. I am looking forward to warmer weather where I can get away with flip flops, cottons skirts and tanks though! I'm kind of over the maternity jeans and barely fitting coats. This is my view most days - I can still see my feet! YAY...

My child has an obscene amount of clothes already. Of course I love it and there are many days that I head to her room, look at her closet and just smile. Although I'm slightly petrified to have a teen age girl in 13 years, right now I'm loving all of the summer/fall dresses, onesies and outfits that are going to make her the cutest little bean. :) This is just the start of her closet!!!

The nesting has begun (isn't that supposed to happen in the last few weeks?) Tom and I have been finishing projects left and right (that might have something to do with him having an Ironman in 2.5 months and knowing his weekend are O.V.E.R) but it makes me happy knowing that our house will be in tiptop shape when I have family and friends here this April. :) We've been watching a ton of DIY and HGTV channel stuff (check out Renovation Realities if you haven't already. H.Y.S.T.E.R.I.C.A.L - a bunch of people trying to renovate things and inevitably screwing up. Makes me happy that my hubby is handy). One of our biggest projects - redoing our bedroom. It just needed to be freshened up a little. New paint on the walls and furniture, new curtains, new pictures, new flowers/candles and new pieces! Love how it turned out! (the bottom piece is a new one that Tom made in the last week - just a little more storage for our room)

Tom also redid the garage - organized it, built a new workbench, hung pegboard, painted, etc. It looks really great. Papa Smurf is still hanging patiently from the ceiling. I'm a little sad that he hasn't been ridden in a while (now now, no dirty jokes) and I don't foresee a lot of riding in the future. :( I'm strictly prohibited from riding outside now because of my balance being off (among other reasons that I wouldn't do that anyway) and I know that once Abby comes, the chance of me getting out on my own is going to be nonexistent - I hate riding alone. So eventually I'll hop back on Papa Smurf. For now, he's a good decoration in the pristine garage!

I've had some sad days lately - lots of emotions with the baby on the way. Some frustration with workouts. Some uneasiness with the new changes (why hello Braxton Hicks Contractions). Blah blah blah. There have been tears. It's not been pretty. But... on days when I just can't seem to force a smile, I remember how blessed I am with the people in my life. For instance, dinner with these ladies this week. What a group of badass chicks to start with (all crazy fast Ironman triathletes, Kristin's doing a 50 miler next week, Kacie's training for 2 (wo)man RAAM in June, Jill's an amazing mother two adorably awesome boys who still finds time to be an endurance athlete, and Karen is considering a 25k swim - oh wait... we decided against that when we heard that you don't even get a tee shirt, right Karen?) We laughed so hard at the restaurant, talking about leg pressing 100 babies, biking or doing Tae Bo in bib shorts (sans a sports bra), practicing biathlon in my backyard, etc. I could have sat there all night with these ladies. And to top it off, Karen brought me a gem of a dessert, which I ate guilt free because we all know that cupcakes as gifts don't have any calories. Thanks ladies!

So there's my photo dump update. :) Here's a little baby update (and stay tuned for some exciting announcements - like new ambassador opportunities that I've been given through Zensah and Sweat Pink as well as some of my favorite pregnancy workout must haves!)

Weight gained: As of Tuesday I was up 16 pounds.
Workouts: I'm struggling with this a little bit - not that I'm not doing them... I am, but it's getting harder! I'm still on the bike trainer 2-4 times a week for at least 45 minutes and up to 1:45! I am not going crazy fast, but I'm working up a sweat. Running is getting harder. I find that the track at the local high school is my friend for continuous 3-4 mile runs - nice and flat. Outside running around here is hilly and I find that I get braxton hicks contractions when I run on the hilly surfaces. Still, I've managed multiple 4 mile runs in the last month outside on a loop around a pond by our house (which usually happens in the form of 7 minutes of running, 2.5 minutes of walking up the hill). I've yet to get to the pool (blame Tom) but this month starts that. And I've been walking a ton. The hills again trigger some BH contractions and I usually am totally out of breath at some point or another so it's fairly slow going, but I love it at the same time. But I'm moving nearly every day. My goal is to keep going through the end of May!!!
Symptoms: I mentioned Braxton Hicks contractions. When I went to the doctor at the 24th week, they asked if I had any. I said no because I didn't know what they would even feel like. Last week I started feeling my stomach getting really tight and chalked it up to the baby just moving. But then I googled it (what did people do before google?). Anyway, I'm fairly certain they are BH's and that's fine. They don't hurt. Just weird. Otherwise, I feel fine.
Movement: Some days more than others and then of course I cry (I told you I'm emotional), worried that something is wrong. The other day Tom could see her kick - my whole belly moved. It's so surreal to me still that the baby is LIVING inside of me. :)
Food Aversions: If it's food, I like it. Nothing has really been hard to stomach. I am finding that no matter how hard I try, I can't eat as much because maybe there just isn't enough room for it all. Hahaha
Food Cravings: I could still eat Mexican daily, but I'm not. :) I've been loving apples with peanut butter as my go to snack still.
Sleep: I'm a sleeper. I fear the sleep deprivation when Abigail is born. It terrifies me actually. For now, I'm sleeping about 8 hours a night which usually consist of two bathroom breaks, weird dreams and rolling over a lot.
Maternity clothes?: Um... yep! I still get away with my old yoga pants (which I live in) and a few tees, but when I need to look presentable, I wear maternity clothes. I can't wait for spring though. Bring on the comfy skirts and tanks!
Stretch marks? Nope
Miss Anything? Not really - maybe being able to hop on my Kestrel or go for a 10 mile head clearing run, but that's about it.

That's all I've got for now! :)

Ahhh

2013-02-27T12:05:00.000-05:00

I'm having one of those days. Sometimes I just need to remind myself to just breath. I feel like I want to climb the tallest mountain (which would inevitably kill me at this stage in my life, but that's not the point here) and scream "ahhhhhhh". I keep trying to remind myself that in this crazy journey called life, we must not forget that it's more important to live your life the way you want and not let others force you into a life you aren't happy with. That's risky, but with risk comes reward. There will always be pointless drama, things that make you shake your head and wonder "who did I piss off to deserve this", but in the end, there are people who care deeply about you, your passions, your beliefs, and they will make the biggest impact on your life. They will stand behind you, encourage you and lead you on a forward path that will forever change your life. You have to believe in yourself!

There are days when I feel like lately we're getting swept up in the journey that is our life, sometimes forgetting to blink along the way. Sometimes we get so caught up in the pointless crap that we for get that we get one life to live and that this too shall pass, making us better, stronger and happier. And we don't want to look back and miss something, but at the same time, we know we have no control over how fast time flies. In the end, no matter what struggles and challenges we face, we will come out stronger, more loved, and ultimately happier people.

After all, we have each other. And really, that's the greatest gift that we have been given.

Life is precious

2013-02-15T09:22:00.001-05:00

I got the call this morning that I was waiting for - a weird call to say "waiting for". It was the call that my grandma (we called her "Amma") had passed away. We knew that it was coming - all the signs were there, but we all waited patiently by the phones for the call when the nurses said that she had indeed left to go meet my grandpa.

She had Alzheimer's, in fact, they both did. What a horrible disease to witness, especially when two people who love each other so deeply both suffer from it. When my grandfather passed away in August, my grandmother was so incredibly confused. How do you explain that her husband, who many days she didn't know, was no long alive? She constantly asked when he was coming home, saying that she needed to get dinner going for him (she hadn't cooked in years). Shortly after his death, she told us that she was going to be late and that she needed to go meet him, my aunt Cathy (who passed away in 1994) and her parents. They were having her over for dinner. Wow...

For the last 6 months, Amma has struggled with sadness and not being able to express what made her sad. She cried a lot. She had a series of mini strokes. She stopped eating. She stopped drinking. In all honesty, she stopped living. I firmly believe that she died somewhat of a broken heart. She and my grandfather were married 66 years.

I wish my Abigail had been able to meet one of her great grandparents. That's something that's weighing heavy on my heart today. When she found out I was pregnant, Amma told everyone that "we are having a baby". I think she would have loved Abby so many - she always said that Tom and I would make amazingly adorable babies (she had a love for how handsome Tom was!!!) I'm fairly positive she didn't know who I was at the time, or the relationship that my child would have to her, but she had such a sparkle for those few minutes when it registered that there would be a new life coming into the world.

I'm at peace knowing that Amma's with Ampa again. She's been reunited with her daughter and her parents. And they all will wait around patiently until we too can meet again. Love you Amma - I'll always be your Doogloofer #2.

One lucky girl...

2013-02-05T16:07:00.000-05:00

First, today's my birthday. I don't usually make a big deal about my birthday, but it's funny that I've thought a lot about what a "birthday" really means, especially knowing that my little girl will have her birthday in June. It makes me smile... I think it means a little more to me this year (maybe because my hormones are all wacky and I think about things too much, but whatever). My hubby spoiled me rotten, especially when I opened this gem up.

I've been eying it for a while now and he totally surprised me with it. :) He also bought the baby some stuff which totally made me smile! And he took me to lunch for Chipotle, because I've totally been craving guacamole which I NEVER ate before I was pregnant. I'm full and happy... what more can a pregnant lady want for her birthday???

So this past weekend I went to Ohio to visit the family. Tom hasn't been back since he left in March and I haven't been back since my short trip in September. I knew that the three days were going to fly by, as we had a lot planned, but I was excited.

We landed late Thursday night to a ground filled with white stuff. Ugh... Ohio winters. I'm not a huge fan. It was pretty though, especially knowing that we could enjoy it for a few days and then be back to 60 degree temps. ;) but holy crap my blood has thinned. The frigid temps did me in - Friday I think the high was like 14 with a wind chill warning most of the day. I think the warmest that it got the whole time we were there was in the mid 30's.

Friday, my sister came over (who looks freaking amazing by the way... she's a different person!) and we all trekked up to Noodles and Company. A trip to Ohio wouldn't be complete without this bowl of amazingness.

Yum! From there we went to the new casino for a little penny slot action. The casino God's must have been mad at me as I couldn't win anything. That got frustrating quickly. Tom made out the best, putting $20 in the machines and walking out with over $70! At least one of the 5 of us won. That night we went to my sister's for pizza and for a little love with this guy... I would have puppy-napped him but I'm sure they would have missed him.

(Don't mind the duffus face... that's normal for me.)

Saturday I knew that my mom was hosting a little open house for Tom and I. There are so many friends that I always want to see when I hit up Ohio and there just isn't enough time so she said that she would invite some people over from 2-5 and we could just say hi, they could check out the growing bump, etc. People could come and go as they please. It was a great plan. She had sent out an invite a few weeks ago and sent me a copy. It was cute and I was excited that most everyone could make it. :) Saturday morning we were super lazy and I was downstairs talking to Tom as he was on the treadmill. My dad yelled down that my sister was here. I thought "okay, that's good". I knew she was coming by for the day so I didn't think anything of it. About a minute later, my dad came rushing down and said "I told you your sister was here". Um... yeah, I get it. I guess I didn't think it was a big deal. I looked at Tom like I was confused and said that I better head upstairs and start getting ready for the get together. I walked to the kitchen and my sister was standing there, with my mom, and a full out shower arrangement! They had planned a surprise baby shower for me and all of my friends. I totally lost it... like sobbing uncontrollably. I'm not one for surprises usually (it might have something to do with me not being able to keep a secret), but I had no clue. I guess my mom had actually sent out a different invite than what she showed me. It was still going to be an open house, but they were all coming for our sweet little girl. I literally cried for the next hour, getting ready. I was shocked.

My friends started coming at 2 and I wish I had been better about getting pictures. I know my sister did so hopefully I will get them from her soon. We ended up having around 30 people there (hubbies and kids were invited too). It was funny to see people's reaction to my bump as I haven't been posting pictures of it and all of these people knew that I was kind of anti-having-kids for much of my marriage thus far (getting pregnant was planned though... we had a change of heart this past summer about wanting a family). I had people there that I grew up with, friends that I've made through volunteering, blogging friends, triathlon friends, old neighbors, family. It was awesome. And everyone was so stinking generous... my little girl will never need to worry about not having clothes, that's for sure. Everyone says it's too fun to buy baby girl clothes and I'll have to agree. We got a few things from our registry which was awesome too... we're on our way to getting more prepared for this little one. I literally had a permanent smile on my face the rest of the weekend.

One funny side story... I haven't told a ton of people our daughter's name. We've had it chosen for a while and I was going to keep it a secret, but yeah, that didn't happen. It wasn't that I wasn't telling people, I just hadn't really told a lot of people. I knew that no one coming to the party had been told. My mom put the cake on the table for the party and it was this:

I loved that this was kind of the way that my friends would find out her name. So yes, our little girl's name will be Abigail and yes, we'll call her Abby. :) Here are a few other pictures from the day before everyone got there.

Sunday we visited with Tom's mom and step dad, then left and caught up with his dad and step mom. It was a busy day. Sunday night came too fast, as it was the last night with my family, but we just hung out watching the Superbowl, still in awe of every one's generosity from the weekend.

I can't thank my mom and sister enough for doing this for me. They have both been so amazingly excited to meet Abigail and they pulled off a surprise that I never thought was possible. I'm sure it's a little surreal to see their daughter/sister sporting a baby bump and I hope that they both know how incredibly blown away I was by what they did for us. And my friends... it was great to see all of them and their little kiddos and I can't thank them enough for the thoughtful gifts that they bought for Abby. She might have 4 more months to go before she blesses this world with her presence, but she's incredibly loved already! That's a pretty cool feeling.

Finally, just because I haven't posted any bump pictures, I'll post one. I've heard everything from "how many are in there" to "you are way bigger than I thought you would be" to "your doctors must be so happy with your weight gain because you look amazing". I'm big. I feel it. But I'm happy. This little girl is moving a shaking like crazy and I know that she's growing big and strong so that's all that matters. This picture was taken today... 23 weeks. I'm up 14 pounds total.

My January Goal

2013-01-31T08:55:00.002-05:00

I'm not a big resolution maker. I know myself enough and won't stick with them. It's just kind of how it is. And really, I try to live every day with a healthy life in mind so resolutions dealing with health and fitness are kind of dumb. Yes, I could be nicer to people, or more patient, etc, but I think that I should always be working on it, not just starting January 1st each year!

So when the end of the year rolled around and everyone was making their resolutions for 2013, I thought about my year ahead. What a year it'll be! I decided to just take it one month at a time and make a goal. Just one goal that I could stick with. So for January, I set out with the goal of doing something active every day. Sounds easy enough, right? But, keep in mind that I'm now 22 weeks pregnant and let's face it, there are days when sitting my big butt on the couch and watching the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (don't judge) just sounds better. I'm happy with my results... I had probably one of the most active months that I've had in a long time.

This past month, my bike trainer and I became friends again. We're not BFF's or anything yet, but we're getting there. Relationships take time. I did have to move from my bike shorts to ~~my hubby's~~ a larger pair (and I found that I LOVE LOVE LOVE bib shorts when I'm pregnant... not waist band digging into my big bump as I ride). I'm still on my tri bike, but I'm not riding aero. The belly is too big. And I don't have my magnet on my back wheel - I figure why frustrate myself with my pace. I take breaks to stretch, give my whooha a rest and to stay hydrated. This month I hit the bike trainer 12 days for an average of just over 1 hour each time. My longest ride was only 1:20, but I'm good with that.

Running has become more of a struggle. I'm getting bigger. My belly is growing and things are just uncomfortable when I run. Last week I had a huge breakdown. Tom and I had gone for a 5 mile run and about 15 minutes into it I had to pee (super common). Luckily we were on the greenway and right at the 1.5 mile point there is a sports complex with potties. I stopped, did my business and thanked the front desk person who replied with "enjoy your walk". Ugh... really? The first 15 minutes had been a struggle for me as it was, but I was running and I didn't want to turn to walking. I left the building, walked towards Tom and proceeded to sob. I wasn't a walker. I was a runner. I wanted to run. But that day, running was H.A.R.D. As I calmed myself and said that I would try again, I got a searing pain in my left butt cheek that left me in tears again. Was this the end of my running? I proceeded to walk for an hour and call it a day. I was defeated. But, three days later I gave it another go and although it was slower than ever, I made it through a 45 minute run. At this point, I haven't resorted for a run/walk program yet (except for maybe up a hill or two when I feel my heart rate spike), but I think it's coming soon. I'm happy to just be trucking along! I did buy a pregnancy belt to hold up the baby and it's helped my round ligament pain a lot. I'm going to give it a lot of work this weekend hopefully when I'm in Ohio and on the treadmill (it's supposed to be a high of like 22 and this momma doesn't have enough warm weather running clothes that fit so the treadmill it is). I digress... I ended up running 9 times this month (with a possible 10th today) and my longest run was 7.2 miles.

And the rest of the time I've been walking, which honestly wears me out more than anything around here. It's hilly. I've talked about that before. When we run, we tend to hit the greenway so that it's somewhat flatter, but when I walk, I embrace the hills. I'm usually huffing and puffing by the time I'm done. It's a great workout and if need be, I'm going to incorporate it more as the pregnancy progresses. It definitely isn't a little stroll in the park. I walked 12 days this month and my longest was for over 1:20! Tom usually comes with me (as does Charlie) and he and I have the absolute best conversations - be it about our little girl, our past, our present, our future, work, racing, training, etc. I love those times with him so much.

So overall, I did a darn good job in January. You can see I even doubled up some days if you could up how many workouts I did. :) Now if only my weight wouldn't keep piling on... oye ve... that's for another post in itself. I'm healthy. I'm pregnant. I get it. No need to remind me of that!!!

So for February - I'm going to keep up this goal (because you know, after doing something for 21 days, it becomes a habit and I like this habit), but I'm going to set a new goal. Tom and I are going to go out to eat once a week. We tend to grab a lot of convenience food when we are out and about and I'm limiting that for the next 28 days. This should help our budget, and help me get the food I need.

How was your January? Did you hit your goals or resolutions?

An ambassador, a marathon and an award

2013-01-22T11:58:00.000-05:00

I recently received an email that I had been nominated for eCollegeFinder's Top Health & Fitness Blogs Award. That's pretty cool. Anyway, I accepted my nomination and found out yesterday that I was chosen for the award. I'm honored to be listed with the others... it's an amazing group of bloggers, that's for sure. For a complete list of the winners, you can visit https://www.ecollegefinder.org/health-and-fitness-award.aspx.

So as you know, I decided to "retire" from the Rev3 racing team. Tri's are kind of of back burner and with the babster coming, I didn't feel like I could give them what they deserved. But, that didn't mean that I wasn't seeing out other opportunities that would fit me during AND after the pregnancy. I was happy to be chosen as a BrooksID Ambassador for 2013. I've always loved Brooks gear... I think everything I've touched from shoes to shirts, bottoms and accessories have been second to none so this was super exciting. I placed my first order the other day and got this great RUN long sleeve shirt and a pair of the Brooks Pure Connect 2's.

I've had to order large shirts to accommodate my growing belly and this one fits great and I think I'll be able to get a lot of use out of it even after the belly is gone. And the shoes... well I haven't taken them off my feet. They are amazing. :) I can't wait to outfit myself post baby as I get back into fighting shape. I think it'll help with the motivation as well.

Speaking of motivation, Brooks is partnering with the Rock'n'Roll Marathon Series and I'm excited that I was selected to run the RnR Savannah race in November.

I'll be honest in that I've not put much on my training/racing schedule for 2013. There's just too much that's up in the air. And while I'd ultimately love to just bounce back from the pregnancy in no time flat, that's not a total given. RnR Savannah is in mid-November and I'm really going to use it as a goal. For now, I'm planning on doing the full marathon. That will be a huge accomplishment to be able to run a full marathon five months after delivering, but I think it's doable if I'm smart. If I find that I'm struggling with things, I can readjust my goals a little. For me, it won't be a PR race. It'll be about me getting out there and showing that momma's can do it! Plus I'll have extra motivation with Tom cheering for me (this will be my first alone marathon), holding our baby girl the entire way. Savannah is an amazing city and is a special place for Tom and I.

So, do you think a marathon is doable five months after delivering? Have you ever done one of the RnR races?

My sister...

2013-01-17T10:38:00.002-05:00

**Look at me, two posts in one week. This is a really important post for me. I hope you enjoy it and are as inspired as I am**

As most of you know, I have an older sister, Kristen. She is one of my best friends. She's an amazing woman, inside and out and I've always known that. But it wasn't until this last year that I think SHE started to know that.

You see, my sister and I are complete opposites in so many ways (they say opposites attract, right? Maybe that's why we get along so well!). She's an English teacher and I'm a math/science person. She loves ~~her cats~~ one of her cats and I'm not a cat person. She drinks coffee, I can't stand it. She reads, listens to all kinds of music, goes to book clubs, gets her hair cut often. Me, eh, I read trashy magazines while I bike, listen mainly to country music, don't have any clubs that I belong to (unless you count USAT) and well, I can't tell you the last time my hair was styled (ponytails are totally a style). Physically, we couldn't be more different either... I have dark hair, hers is reddish blond. I'm nearly 5'8". She's a little shorter (teehee). She's fair skinned and burns easily and I love my deep tan in the summer. People see us and many times can't believe we are related.

One thing my sister has struggled with for a long time is her weight. She's a beautiful woman (I said that already) but she's been on the heavier side for a while (now, hear me out. That's not me being mean. Our family struggles with weight. It's a given fact. My mom has lost 50+ pounds on Weight Watchers and works hard to maintain her size now. I have lost 30+ pounds on Weight Watcher. I work out daily because I love food. And if I look at a plate of something yummy, a pound or two goes to my thighs. It's part of the Degnen genes).

We all knew she had to make a change. We wanted her live a healthy life without complication. I have a husband who lives each day with Type 1 Diabetes - a disease that he didn't bring on. He can't change that but my sister had a choice to change and instead, was going down a path of Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure and so many other things. They were going to cut her life short if she didn't make a change. I wanted that for her. My parents wanted that for her. Her husband, her friends, her coworkers wanted that for her. But she needed to want that for herself. That's the key to any one's success, right? She's given one opportunity to live her life, one body to live it in and it was up to her how to do that.

I have tried to never judge my sister on any of her choices in life. But I always quietly wondered, "why isn't she willing to change?". It's not always easy, but I've seen people do it time and time again. We would talk to her about it, I would try to get her to sign up for races (um... that's my love, not hers), but inevitably, it ended with someone in tears and all of us feeling horrible. My sister has tried so many things to lose the weight, but it seems that for years, her weight would win. She wasn't ready for whatever reason. And it made us sad. All of us. She just didn't seem like a happy person... I mean, she wasn't happy with herself. She had an amazing life on the outside, but her inner sassy, healthy, self was being hidden by excess weight, aching knees, and frumpy clothes. And all too often a very sad face.

Something happened last year that flipped the switch. Although she says that it was one instance (it's kinda of personal so I won't go into that, but isn't every one's reason personal?), I think it was more that that. A year ago, she decided to join Weight Watchers. Now, my sister had done weight watchers a millions times and swore it didn't work. "But this time is different", she said. I wanted to believer her so bad. And I knew that I would support her in hopes that she realized this journey, even if she'd started it many times before, wouldn't be one that she was on alone. She was determined not to be the person that she hated anymore.

And let me just tell you - she took control. Slowly the weight started to come off. She reformed the way she saw food. This lead to a difference in the way that she saw herself. The little things made her smile again, something that we hadn't seen in many many years. I would get calls (and still do) once a week on Tuesdays with her checking in, telling me how her weigh in went, how her meeting went, what new recipe she was trying. When we were together, she had a glow about her. She was on a path of happiness. I could see it. This time was THE time.

And what a year it's been. This week marks the 1 year anniversary of my sister changing her life forever. There have been so many milestones along the way. I remember her calling and telling me that her husband could touch his hands together when he hugged her for the first time. I remember when he picked her up and swung her around for the first time. I remember seeing her in July, when she was down 30 pounds and not recognizing her. I remember the call of her sobbing as she bought size 18 pants, then 16's, then 14's and now her 12's are big. She was shopping in what she calls "normal people stores". I remember encouraging her to leave Kohl's and try a place like Ann Taylor Loft... a store she had never stepped foot into. I would get photos of her in the dressing room in like red pants (something she would never buy), but tried on just to see if they fit (and they did!) I remember the day she called to tell me she bought a super expensive bra at Victoria Secret just because she had never been able to shop there before. Of the time when she was beaming because she weighed less than Tom! Every time I talk to her, it's a new "thing" in her life that brings her joy.

I haven't seen my sister since September. I'm going to visit her in 16 days and I can't wait. I'm going to sob like a baby when I see the new her. The sister that I don't even recognize. I was sent a picture on Christmas day and this just explains it all.

Look at that sass. I FREAKING LOVE IT. The picture of her in a green shirt was taken back in 2009 I think. That's how I remember my sister. Look at her now... I told you, she's a beautiful person inside and out, and now she just exudes happiness, something that's been trapped inside of her for so long.

When you ask my sister how far she's come, there aren't words to describe the conversation. On the physical/health side, she has lost 71 pounds. Her knees don't creek and lock when she goes up the stairs. Her blood pressure is normal. She's seen differences in her menstrual cycles (for the good!). But on the emotional side... I don't even know if she knows how far she's come. She loves life. That's all there is to it. She's happy, and fun, and sassy. She smiles and jokes and has a confidence about her that is unlike anything I've ever seen from her. She's living the life that she deserves.

And her journey isn't done. And my hopes her her aren't either. I'm hoping that now that spring's around the corner, she'll start incorporating more exercise into her plan. I'm hoping that she continues to learn about healthy eating and sticks to what she knows. I hope she continues to lose until she's at a place where SHE can look at herself and say "damn, I'm hot". I hope that she gets the call that the baby she's patiently waiting to adopt is waiting for her, knowing that she now has the energy to keep up with a little one.

But most importantly I hope she knows how incredibly proud of her I am, and that she realizes that she's given herself the greatest gift of all... saving her own life.

*** Kristen reads this blog and I told her to keep checking back because I have the most amazing followers. If you would, leave a comment with some words of wisdom, your thoughts or something that will help keep her moving forward. I'd love her to know how amazing she's doing from someone other than me***

Finally a running skirt I love!

2013-01-16T13:35:00.001-05:00

Many of you have heard my rants about running skirts - seems everyone makes them but so many companies haven't grasped that I want to wear a running skirt because I a) like to channel my inner girlie girl some days and b) can't wear regular shorts because I get thigh rubbage (sorry if that's TMI, but it's true... momma's got some legs). I've converted to only wearing compression shorts when I run. But even those need to be long... think 5" inseam and not booty shorts. I have strong legs. Soccer legs. Biking legs. And that means that when I run in normal running shorts and running skirts with tiny little compression shorts that ride up, especially when it's warm, it's not comfortable. So, I've struggled with the perfect running skirt - one that's cute and fashionable, but also functional. Aka long underneath short that doesn't ride up. Is that too much to ask for?

Back in December, Running Skirts sent me one of their newest skirts from their collection, along with a sports bra and compression socks. I had been putting off reviewing it until I could get a good warm day to wear it and get the full effect. It fit me back when I got it and I'll be a little honest when I say that I was worried it wouldn't fit this past weekend with my growing belly. But alas... it did!!!

So I took the skirt out of the package and immediately noticed the long under short. Score one for Running Skirts! I noted that this was from the "athletic line". Their Athletic Skirts are made from a really light fabric which is quick drying and are a little roomier than the Running Skirt line. They all come with compression shorts starting at 5" inseam and two side pockets that velcro close. The waist band is wide and comfortable. So far so good. I put it on and even 19 weeks pregnant, the skirt fit great. Off for a run I went.

At first the legs rode up a bit and I was worried, but that lasted about a minute and a half and after I adjusted them to where I wanted them to sit, they stayed in place for the remainder of my five mile run.

I'm in love. With a skirt. That a I can run in. Finally!

I'm super pleased. I've washed the skirt and it came out great. I've worn it around just as a kick around and it's super comfy. I'm worried that as I get bigger, this one is going to seem smaller, but Running Skirts used to have a maternity line and I anxious to see what those skirts are all about if they still have them. Hello, maternity running skirts? I'm all over that. I will hopefully be able to get my hands on one to review for you because we know how hard good maternity clothes, let alone good maternity running clothes are!

Yesterday I wore the compression socks around all day and then on my bike. I love me some compression socks! These were awesome... soft, long enough to cover my entire bottom leg, tight enough to feel the compression, and super cute with the pink heart on the side.

The sports bra is a little small. Okay, a lot small, but that's mainly because I'm pregnant. It would have fit me 20 weeks ago. I'm going to hold onto it and wear it when I'm back down to a normal human size chest.

Overall, I'm loving the Running Skirt line. I finally found a skirt that I love. They have a ton of cute colors and styles. And their customer service is awesome (if you get a skirt and aren't 100% satisfied, they will refund you or exchange it for 30 days!) Oh... and they are offering my readers 15% off at their website by using the code "sharethelove13". Trust me, you will be happy in this skirt and these socks. Really, really happy. :) Thank you Running Skirts - you have a lifelong fan!

Oh... and because I'm pregnant - here's a little teeny tiny baby update.

How far along? 20 weeks, 1 day
Total weight gain: Just about 10 pounds total (I think I'm up exactly 10 pounds according to the doctor's scale)! :)
Maternity clothes? Yes. They are glorious. :) I'm still wearing some of my own stuff though. And luckily I work from home and the office attire is yoga pants and tee shirts. Again, I'm hoping to try out one of those glorious maternity Running Skirts!
Stretch marks? Nope. I slather myself in cocoa-butter every chance I get. I know that hasn't been proven to stop stretch marks, but it can't hurt.
Sleep: Sleep is getting a little difficult. Part of it has to do with Charlie who, God love her, is a cuddler. And by cuddler I mean she's a "I-have-to-be-touching-you-at-all-times-and-preferable-in-the-smallest-crevice-I-can-find" kind of way. And she doesn't do it with Tom. So he's sprawled and I'm in the shape of a pretzel. Also, I have heard that around this time I shouldn't be sleeping on my back and I'm naturally a back sleeper. So I go to sleep on my side, wake up freaked out that I'm on my back and go to my side. This cycle repeats often throughout the night.
Best moment this week: At my 20 week appointment this week, seeing our little girl moving like crazy. I haven't felt her move yet so this was pretty awesome.
Miss Anything? Someone asked me that this weekend and really, I don't. I wasn't much of a drinker so I don't miss the alcohol. And really, that's all that I absolutely gave up.
Movement: No. Which is bothersome to me some days and I'm totally fine with it others. I have felt some bubbling feelings a time or two and I'm *thinking* that might be her moving, but I don't know.
Food cravings: I'm not really craving anything, but I can't get enough of a snack consisting of an apple, 2% cheddar cheese and some pretzels. Seriously a great combo.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope... am I jinxing myself or what?
Gender: Girl... thankfully they confirmed that today or else we would have been returning a lot of girl stuff and repainting some walls!
Labor Signs: Nope
Symptoms: Um, I feel like a hippo. I have a giant belly. I have gone up two bra sizes. I eat anything that's not nailed to the table. Are those symptoms enough?
Belly Button in or out? It's in, but I can tell it's changing and that makes me laugh.
Wedding rings on or off? On... no swelling yet.
Happy or Moody most of the time: I feel like I'm happy, but I guess the person to answer this would be Tom. If I get snappy with him, I usually cry and apologize because he's been so amazing to me that I feel bad.
Looking forward to: Hanging her name on the wall above her crib now that we know for sure that she is a she.

Running for two

2013-01-07T20:39:00.001-05:00

I've always found running to be a stress reliever, even on the days when I don't want to get out there. And there are a lot of those, but I always tell myself to put on my big girl panties and take that first step. If it's miserable, I'll turn around and go home. I never do. Running is a way of clearing my mind. I take in the sights (like the 5 deer we saw today). I take in the sounds (there are many babbling brooks that we pass on our daily runs). I think about how blessed my life is (I live in an amazing home, with my best friend. I have a supportive family and the best friends a girl could ask for. We have jobs, we have love.)

These days I'm not fluid when I run. Tom often smiles at the top of the hills (he's always there about a minute before me) and tells me that I look like a steam engine, just chugging away. I used to get mad about things like that. But not these days. I do look like a steam engine. Or a hippo. I'm slow, and methodical. I'm not a smooth runner. I am working. At a slow pace. And I love every step of it.

I saw this picture on line today (Run The Edge posted it on facebook) and it totally made me smile for so many reason.

These days I'm running for so much more than just myself. Yes, it still keeps me sane and there is no better feeling than that of finishing a run. But now I am running for my baby girl AND me. (Yes, you caught that right... it's a girl!) There are two of us chugging up those hills. Two hearts getting stronger. And what better gift can I give us both than the gift of good health - for me through the pregnancy and for her as she starts her life.

There are so many benefits to running for two:

Various problems related to pregnancy such as nausea, fatigue and constipation can be reduced by running while pregnant.
The expectant mothers who have a habit of running during pregnancy may not experience the problem of excessive weight gain. They also have a better posture.
Running also helps in reducing and preventing gestational diabetes and in lowering back pain.
Expecting mothers who follow fitness regime during pregnancy have less swelling of extremities.
Delivery complications and labor pain as well as how long delivery takes can be reduced to a great extent by running during pregnancy. It also reduces the chances of c-section.
Pregnancy running not only makes the expecting mothers feel good, but it also leads to increased flow of energy. It's also been shown to reduce postpartum depression.
Pregnancy running helps in reducing baby fat of the unborn child without affecting the normal body weight.
Pregnancy fitness also leads to better blood circulation and placental efficiency.
Running is one of the best cardio exercises that increases blood circulation and thus supplies oxygen and necessary nutrients to the fetus. Better blood flow = better skin!
Continued exercise during pregnancy helps mom's get back into pre-pregnancy shape quicker.

I'll keep running for two as long as I can. And when she's here, we'll run together. It's just how life goes.

A little momma K update

2012-12-27T23:30:00.001-05:00

I'm trying not to let this blog become a "baby blog" because really, who wants that? But, I also haven't blogged since the 17th and well, I have major baby brain. It seems most every thought revolves around our little one these days. So I will give an update on that.

First, I had an AMAZING Christmas. What about you? My mom and dad came in and bless them, after a 13+ hour drive which should have taken them 9.5, stayed through this morning. They were supposed to leave yesterday morning but with Snowmageddon in Ohio happening, they stayed another day which was perfectly fine with me! We did a whole lot of nothing while they were here (I'm sure they were super bored), but I was just so happy to have them around. They totally spoiled us rotten on Christmas with gifts and love the entire time they were here. I miss them so much and am excited to know that I'm heading to Ohio in a month so I don't have to wait that long to see them!!

Saturday morning, we went to go see Matt preach which was so great. The people of his church are by far the nicest people ever and if you ever see someone in their professional setting and sit there saying to yourself "wow, this person is doing EXACTLY what they should be doing", then that was me on Saturday. He's incredible. His message was phenomenal (not to mention it included many pictures of Baby C which I always love seeing), but he was funny, and well... just Matt. It was really a great experience and Tom and I can't wait to go back! (On a totally side note, check out his blog here for a chance to enter and win a medal hanger from runningmedalhangers.com. You only have through tomorrow night but I saw one when I was at his house last week and it's really cool!)

Okay, now on to some baby news. Saturday afternoon, we took my mom and dad to see an ultrasound of Baby K since they had never seen an ultrasound before. I'm so glad that we did that. Plus, we got to find out Baby K's gender, (but I'll get to that in a minute). Here's one of the pictures from Saturday.

As you can see, the little stinker had it's legs crossed for the ultrasound and the umbilical chord was between the legs. I was convinced that I wouldn't find out it it was a he or she, but alas, Baby K cooperated and we were able to see what we needed to see! I'm going to hold off letting everyone know what it is until we have it confirmed in three weeks at the doctor. :) I'm no fun like that. Feel free to guess.

We immediately went shopping (because, you know, that's what you do with grandma and grandpa when they are in town). We were able to get the crib ordered and the bedding which should be coming in the next week or so. We have decided to make a different room the nursery and are going to do a little swap-a-roo this weekend to get started. And Tom and I spent like 2 hours in Babies R Us today just looking around at everything, trying to decide what we want to register in a few weeks. Where do I even start???

I went to the doctor yesterday for some blood work and he seemed really happy with things. I'm 17 and a half weeks. At this point, the doctor told me that I had gained 3.5 pounds and he was super happy with that. Me too. I think it's actually a little higher as that was based on my 8.5 week appointment, but I still think that I'm around 5 pounds. I feel like I've gained 50. And I look like it too. :) I'm definitely struggling with my regular clothes. And by struggling I mean, if they have a button and zipper, it ain't happening. Hahaha. No, I won't post a picture of me with a "little" bump on here. Again, I'm such a downer aren't I? :) I just think it's weird... personal preference I guess. Maybe when I'm big and feel more pregnant and not like a walrus then I'll humor y'all. Let's just say, it's definitely obvious that I'm pregnant.

I am still working out about 6 days a week and that will be my saving grace as long as I can. I am really happy with how December is going. I ran a little more than 4.5 miles today at a sub-10 minute pace on a fairly hilly course so that makes me happy. I have been able to maintain that sub-10 pace throughout so far and although that doesn't seem like anything really great, I was only running 9:20-9:30's prior to getting knocked up (it's damn hilly here people... I'm not kidding). I haven't really run more than about 4-6 miles at a time (except for the 10k a week and a half ago), but that's a good distance for me at this point. I've also started biking on the trainer more. I took my magnet off the back wheel so I'm not obsessed with my pace, but I'm making sure that I'm working ~~as I read my magazines and watch Teen Mom~~ the whole time. I'm finding that my bike shorts are less than flattering (because you know, spandex always makes everyone look great anyway) and might have to raid the hubbies stash soon enough. :) And then there's the good ole' hour and fifteen minute walks that I take on the other days with Charlie. They seriously about kill me more than the biking and running! My goal in January is to do something, swim, bike, run or walk every day. All 31 days. Through my 22nd week. And then we'll see how I want to handle February. I'm aiming for activity through the day I deliver. No reason to think that won't happen.

So that's kind of where I'm at with things. All is good. Mentally and physically I'm feeling great. That's all I can ask for at this point! I hope you all had a fabulous holiday and I'm making a vow that after the holidays pass, I'm going to get back to blogging more. I have some reviews and give-aways coming up which is fun. And so exciting sponsorship news. YAY!

Christmas 10k race report

2012-12-17T11:24:00.000-05:00

I love finding small town races that I've never done before. Even better is ~~suckering~~ inviting a friend to join you who jumps at the chance (Karen is pretty awesome like that). So when Tom left to go out of town, I figured, "why not find a small race, and get my Saturday workout done". The Peachtree Corner Christmas 5k and 10k was right up my alley - close to home, "rolling", 9am start, costume contest, and prizes. Sounds pretty amazing. Karen was in - yay!

I haven't been running nearly what I wish I could, but the hills around here wind me pretty easily, especially now that I am with child. But I'm trying. And I get points for that, right? I have learned to just keep my watch off and go with how I feel which is exactly what my plan was for Saturday. Except I wanted to have a 10k time to just see where I'm at. You know, baseline, pregnancy PR, whatever.

I arrived early on Saturday and snagged one of the 14 spots right in front of the church where registration was. Karen and I were meeting there, but I went in and registered since there wasn't a line. And used the potties (bravo race director for making the men's bathroom a women's bathroom the morning of the race). People were mulling around in Christmas socks, green and red tutu's, Santa costumes, Poodle outfits (yeah, I didn't get that either, but that's alright) and I felt a little bah-humbug because I was in the only thing that fits these days... a pair of capri's and a new running shirt that's purple. Oh well. Karen arrived, got her stuff and we started talking about how we definitely missed our opportunity to run in costume. Next year Karen, next year.

Around 9, we lined up in a parking lot with a big blow up race arch within view. I guess we were at the right place (I come to find out that this race is really laid back and I'm totally cool with that. Some people aren't. They are a little uptight, especially at a race that encourages running in costume). Around 9:15 they counted us down and we were off. I told Karen to run without me because, again, I'm with child and MUCH slower than usual. Especially on a rolling course.

Okay, so I would love someone to define "rolling" for me in the South. In Ohio, rolling was rolling. You kind of went up. You kind of went down. No need to really change gear or pace. Georgia "rolling" is a tad different. This course was Ohio hilly. Like climbing climbing climbing where the heck is the down part of this hill kind of hilly. As in you can't find a course like this in Columbus hilly. Alas, I'm learning that the north and the south have different definitions of things. That's cool. I'm getting used to that.

I started off comfortable. All of the 5k and 10k started together and it was a tad crowded, but thinned out. Karen got ahead and I let her go. I hit the first mile, looked at my watch at doh, I had forgotten to start it. Lovely. I probably didn't want to know anyway, as I was working. I didn't wear headphones in hopes to really listen to my breathing and make sure I wasn't working too hard. I felt good, but I'm not going to lie, it was hard. I didn't pass a ton of people, but a ton of people didn't pass me either so that was good. I just stayed steady. Both laps were very similar in terms of effort. I was happy. I came to the finish line and the race clock was not on. Awesome. So I had hoped to know how I finished, but would have to wait until results were posted. I figured it was about 1:02 which I was thrilled with.

We sat around the gym for a while to see if we won something at the raffle, but we didn't. We watched them award stuff to the costume contest (the poodles won something...) and then they posted results, but disclaimed it by saying that the official results would be different because there was a timing issue but we could at least see our places in our age groups. Karen and I both ended up 5th in our AG according the unofficial results. YAY!

I saw that the "official" results were posted. I ended up finishing the 10k in 1:00:56 for a 9:50/mile pace. I was 5th out of 17th in my age group. At nearly 16 weeks pregnant, I'll take that!

It's humbling to run while pregnant. I know that it's good for me and my baby. The benefits are endless. But it's difficult... mentally and physically. There were many times on that course where I was breathing hard and had to slow down. I work a lot harder to run a 9:50 pace than I did to run a 8:50 pace before. There were many times that there weren't many people in front of me. My boobs get in the way of my arm swing (sorry, but it's a fact people). I have to pee the whole time. I feel like I'm running for the first time in my life after being on the couch for years, when in fact, I have been doing this for 10 years. But you know what... I wouldn't change it for the world!

My cousin told me that every time I run to remind myself that my baby's brain is getting bigger. You'd' be amazed how powerful that can be during a workout.

Changes

2012-12-13T17:08:00.001-05:00

Changes seem to be the theme of my life these days. As you probably noticed, I've made some layout changes with my blog. From that, all of my REV3 stuff is gone. Here's why...

When I joined Team Rev3 back in 2011 (it was Trakkers then), I couldn't have been more excited. I was on a national tri team and I did it while not having to be the most amazing athlete in the world (I always envisioned that this is how you got on a team). I was excited to see what a "team" was all about. And it was awesome. Yes, we got free race entries and great goodies from our sponsors, but it was so much more than that.

I met some of my best friends in the entire world from this team. Literally these are people that I would probably never have met in life and now I talk to them daily, I hang out with them, I plan trips with them. They know every detail of my life. I can laugh with them, cry with them, joke with them and I know that no matter what, they will always be part of my life. My husband has gotten to know them. And their spouses. They have become like family.

And there are some teammates that I never even met in person but they too have become friends. They support me in athletics, they support me in life. Our paths may never cross in real life, but they are part of my life.

And of everything that I've gotten from the amazing people at REV (which is a lot), the friendships and support mean the absolute most.

Going forward in 2013, I don't know what life will hold. I won't be racing until after the baby is born. Most likely, it's going to be a balancing act that will take some practice. I have a few running races that I'm eying in the fall, but I'll have to see about tri's. I can run (hopefully) through June when I deliver, but I'm a bit leery of doing tri's. I'm using this time to kind of regroup. And when I thought about my sponsorship with REV, I just didn't feel like it was fair. By me being on the team and not being able to race or support the sponsors, I was taking away from someone else out there in tri-land that would be an amazing spokesperson. So with I made the decision to leave the team. Not because they did anything wrong.

Just because my life is changing. Simple as that.

I have a few potential partnerships in the works which I'm excited about. I'm hoping that they work out for the 2013 season and if they don't, I'll be alright. And maybe when 2014 rolls around, I'll be ready to seek out a team and sponsorship again. We'll see. I'm taking one change at a time.