The Final Trimester

At 29 weeks pregnant, I finished the Spokane Bloomsday 12K. Even though, this was my slowest Bloomsday time (01:02:44 at an average 8:25 pace per mile) I am so excited that I was able to accomplish this personal running goal during my last trimester of pregnancy. About an hour prior to the Bloomsday start, Baby decided to find a new position that was causing some major sciatic nerve pain. So, I ran this race knowing that I must RUN slower than expected to finish. I wasn't going to try and push my body to its pregnancy limit.

I’m currently 35 weeks pregnant and still running some miles, staying consistent with my Strength-HIIT workouts and continue to eat a balanced, nutritional diet. I’m officially on summer school break! During my last month of work, I was feeling so exhausted by the end of the day. Trying to get up 4:45 a.m. to workout, get through a full day of teaching elementary PE at school then coming home to my three kids with a positive attitude was beginning to get rough... Now, that I’m on summer break, I’m focusing on taking more time to rest, enjoy my family time at home with kids and Seamus and get those last minute things done around the house before Baby arrives. Summer time is my favorite time of the year because I love having a relaxed schedule that allows us to help dad on the farm, sleep in, work on the yard, play outside, bbq and take trips to town to pick up groceries and visit friends or family. Soon, my family of five will be a family of six. During these last weeks of pregnancy, I get to appreciate the life as a full-time MOM.

Pregnant with Baby #4

These past months have gone by so fast. Pregnancy number four definitely has taken full control over ME. I’m feeling all the pregnancy symptoms that I felt with all previous three pregnancies and more. My body doesn't handle pregnancy well. It can be tough to power through the constant tiredness, body aches and pains that I'm currently feeling but it will all be so worth it in the LONG RUN.

I'm 25 weeks pregnant and loving all the strong kicks and punches that Baby is so good at doing. Everyday is different and some days I feel like I could RUN a marathon and other days I feel like I could take a nap at anytime of the day. I will soon be entering the third trimester and am looking forward to that DAY that WE get to meet our little, precious Baby Boy. My kids continue to ask, "When is he coming, mom?" They are too young to understand that it takes 9 months to grow a Baby but it is exciting to hear that they are so anxious, too!

I will be running the Spokane Bloomsday 12K in 5 weeks. I have continued to run some miles every week and maintain much fitness through Strength and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). I will admit that I enjoy changing up my workouts and also taking a break from HARD training. However, growing another human as a full time working mommy of three, isn’t any easier. By the end of the day, my body is ready to shut down. Taking time to rest, put my feet up and getting at least seven hours of SLEEP is a priority these days. "Thank goodness for my supportive, loving, helpful husband, Seamus!" I wouldn't be able to do this without him. He does an awesome job keeping kids entertained and making some delicious home cooked meals for the family after a long day at work. I am truly BLESSED and setting a BIG GOAL to enjoy these last months of the pregnancy life.

Happy New Year!

Sometimes it just takes a simple picture to brighten up your day! I’ll soon be 14 weeks pregnant and entering the 2nd trimester. The first trimester was brutal for me and my family. I spent most days feeling sick to my stomach and constantly struggled finding motivation to do anything. However...regardless of how sick or tired I’ve felt this pregnancy, I’m still beyond excited for Baby’s arrival in July 2019! Seamus and kids are too. Although, kids still are confused that Mom has a Baby in her belly. A few weeks ago, I got to see Baby and felt some tears of Joy. Baby likes to move and kick.

These days I’m feeling very blessed that Baby is looking healthy and growing fast. I’m slowly starting to feel more like myself once again, too. In the next few months ahead, my focus is to stay strong, active and healthy for Baby. Improving my nutrition is a big goal to work toward this year as well as training for the Spokane 12k Bloomsday race in May. I’m looking forward to blogging about this fourth pregnancy journey and someday sharing it with all of my Babies in the future.

My TEAM

Having that positive mindset can be difficult at times if you find yourself surrounded by negative people, in a negative situation or environment. It takes a strong mindset to be able to face negativity and push through it. My faith relies within the goodness around me and what I have been blessed with. I have really taken sometime to appreciate and think of those positive people that I can call a TEAM.

My #1 support group is my amazing three children and husband. I live everyday to support, love and make them happy. I can have the absolute worst day turn into the best day because I am reminded that my family depends and look up to me. My husband is the most positive person that I know. He finds good in everyone and everything that he does, enjoys making others laugh and likes to have a good time. He will tell you the right thing even if it isn't what you want to hear. I love that I can talk to him about anything and that I can rely on him to cheer me up when feeling down. 

My morning workout group of ladies are reliable, dependable and strong. I look forward to seeing them twice a week at 5:30 a.m. We motivate each other during our workouts with encouragement. One gal that I call a great friend outside of our workout time, shows up ten minutes prior to class to help set up the equipment. During my maternity leave a few summers ago, she took over the class as the group instructor as well. My kids and I enjoy stopping by her work to visit with her because she lets us play with her office tools and destroy her workplace. 

In the past three years, I’ve developed some strong friendships with a few ladies in my small town community. They are honest, genuine and hard working. My parent community group of friends are amazing ladies that are willing to step out of their comfort zone to make good changes in our community. They follow through with what they say and are willing to do what’s best for our students and community regardless of the time and effort it will take to make a change. 

Growing up, my mom would continue to tell me that if there is a will then there is a way. She is amazing at lifting you up with motivating, spiritual and encouraging words. I am so grateful I had her support and love as a child. I have a relationship with her that is very comfortable. She was that person I relied on when I needed someone to talk to. I look up to this lady because she continues to work toward being the BEST person that she can be. Like my mother, my father also continues to work toward bettering himself as a person everyday. He's the most hard-working man that I know. He will easily put in an 80 hour week at work plus get all the big chores done around the house. He's the handy man and the dad that helps out with kids during my grocery shopping time. I have developed a very strong father-daughter relationship with my dad as an adult because I have learned that I am like him in so many ways.

Last week, my good friend, Jodi, called me up to visit and catch up on life. She asked the big question, “How’s life?” I told her, “Great! My family is healthy, I’m healthy, I’ve got a job and can support my family and I’m not hooked on drugs. You know... Life is good!” 

I feel like I’ve been surrounded with negativity and have found myself caught up in it at times, too. 
So, I was so thankful for this conversation with Jodi. I needed to be reminded that life is good. My family and myself are healthy and I've got some great people around that I can call a TEAM. From experience, I've learned that its easier to dedicate yourself to eating a balanced healthy diet and exercise regularly than making a change to your mindset. Don't take life for granted as you only have one life to live. Training and striving for that positive mindset will make a difference in your life, as an individual, a wife, mother, colleague and athlete. With the help, love and support from my faith and TEAM, simple positive, mindset changes is what I am currently working toward. 

"Love you, Jodi!"

I’ve known Jodi for almost 10 years. She's a friend that I call a sister. I first met her when she started attending my morning fitness classes years ago. She was about 3 months postpartum from giving birth to twins! Yes, twins! That’s how you know she’s tough. Since then, I have never seen this woman give up on anything. She's a wife, mother of five children, PA-C at a local community clinic, triathlete and all the above. When times get tough, she works harder and gets stronger. She’s inspiring and the strongest woman I know, mentally and physically. I remember in 2012, running my first half marathon as she lapped me thinking, “Geez, I want to be like her!” Yes, she was fast, but ran with pride, strength, grit and most importantly with a smile on her face. She continues to set goals and then is ready for the next. She loves what she does and encourages others to set and reach their goals, too.

A few months after my first son was born, Jodi, myself and other running sister (Marcy) slowly began meeting up for some social running. We were quite the crazy running gals. Running with headlamps and hopping over train tracks was normal for us. At the time, Jodi was training for her first Boston marathon and I tagged along. I had no idea I would be running 17 mile long runs with these gals. But, I absolutely loved it! They mentally talked me through my first long run and it was rather hilarious! It’s been over 6 years now and I cannot count how many hours of running we’ve ALL done together. What I love about running with Jodi and Marcy the most is the FREE “therapy" sessions that we give to one another. We talk about everything in LIFE. We laugh, cry and some more.

Jodi is that person that has truly been there for me at the best and worst times in my life. She's always willing to listen with open arms, support and advice. She randomly calls to visit and catch up on life. I’m so honored and thankful to have her in my life and look forward to many more great years with her. "Love you, Jodi!"

What’s your “GO TO?”

When life gets tough, I go for a RUN. This is how I cope with life. Everyone stresses at one time or another. The key to stress is learning how to recognize when it hits and finding a healthy way to cope with it. Everyone needs a “go to” when they are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or just need a break from life. But, it’s finding what works for you. It could be going for a walk, jog or run? Or something like reading a book, playing a sport, game, or working out? Whatever it is, when you find it I highly encourage you to stick with it. It’s so important to take care of yourself to be the a BEST person that you can be for others that rely, depend and look up to you. I’m so thankful that Seamus supports my running habit as it helps me deal with stress. So, it is also important that I support his hunting and playing his Clash of Clans game habit as well. He loves to hunt and enjoys playing Clash of Clans when he feels like he needs to ZONE out. "That's what he calls it." Whatever it is, I completely agree that he needs it.

I appreciate that Seamus and I work together very well as a team. We have similar values and expectations for our children, family, friends and students. However, I would be lying if I said that being married and raising children is an easy job. We both agree that its mentally healthy to be able to take a short break from one another, kids and family at times. Now, that doesn't mean completely "leave or neglect" our family. We just understand that it’s important to take a "short" time to think, debrief and rest our brain from what's currently going on in our life at that very moment. So, when and if the time is needed, I go for a run and he hunts or does some raiding on his Clash of Clans game. We don't usually ask to do it, either, we just tell each other we are doing it. We've grown to develop that type of communication over the years and I absolutely love it. 

The Running Blues

The Running Blues: Yes, it exists and I've experienced it. After running the Boston Marathon in 2016, I dealt with post-race depression. This awful experience has led me to work on speed and strength training the past two years. 

About five months before Boston, I injured myself from over training. I struggled with patella femoral syndrome and had to take time off from running to heal. During this time of rest, I began physical therapy to improve bio-mechanics and to strengthen my lower body and core. I also had to adjust to wearing foot orthotics because I had discovered that I was flat footed.

I had 12 weeks before Boston when I was ready to start training. At that time, I had set the goal to make it to the start line but with the help from my physical therapist and doctor, I was able to bounce back to my running fitness. So, I trained to break a 3 hour marathon. 

"Maybe I was overly confident?"

I didn't stick to my diet rituals the days before Boston. I was anxious, nervous but also trying to enjoy my first time, getaway trip to Boston with Seamus. The night before, I made the mistake of chowing down a full bag of Rold Gold pretzels. The morning of the race, I was feeling those pretzels. I felt dehydrated and dizzy from all the extra sodium. I only had a few hours before running 26.2 miles and I was feeling discouraged as I chugged bottles of water and made many trips to the bathroom.

I was running in 68ish degree weather from the start. I wasn't feeling that speed that I trained at. By mile 7, I had taken my first of the three porter potty breaks. Another after the half mark and the last just before the 20th mile. I spent minutes and more on the pot just looking at my Garmin watch. According to my Garmin, I spent over 12 minutes of resting, sitting time. My gut was hating me and I was challenged to push through the stomach aches and pains as well as not reaching my goal for the race. If it wasn't for my family, cheer squad back at home and the Boston community, supporters, I don't think I could have finished that race. It took lots of mental, self, positive talk to make it through this. I finished the Boston Marathon in 3 hours and 23 minutes. As soon as I ran through the finish line, I immediately sat on the sidewalk curb. From there, I don't remember much other than an older gal wheeling me to the medical tent and waking up with an IV and a few nurses beside me. 

This unforgettable experience is quite memorable. It definitely is a story to tell. It has taken time to let go of the "what if's?" during my training plan or the last days leading up to it. However, I truly believe there was a reason for this race. I have learned how to become a faster, stronger, smarter and healthier runner since then. I will continue to stick to the shorter distance for some time but plan to tackle that marathon distance in the future. That is, when I am mentally ready for it.