Monday, March 25, 2013

back again

After walking 3 miles on Wednesday and Friday, I'm back where the doctor said I could try running again.  Nothing fancy today--started out at 12:00/mile and worked my way up to 10:00 at the very end of the run.  I didn't have a lengthy continuous stretch (the longest was 1.5 miles at the beginning) just because the kids needed things and I had to start some stuff for dinner (the last mile I had to stop every 4 minutes to do things to the bread I was starting), but hey, I got in 4 miles of running!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

35ish weeks--last run? Hopefully not!

So on Monday after I'd run half a mile, I felt a weird pop in my calf and then a lot of pain.  I stopped running and stretched and tried to walk it out, and it got bearable enough to keep going, so I thought I might as well run through it.  I finished out the four miles and it was still pretty achy and my veins were all outlined in bluish-purple bruising.  I ended up calling my midwife because I've had so many vascular issues with that leg and I was worried that maybe I was headed for a blood clot or something like that.  She told me to go into the ER; by the time I got there I was having noticeable contractions every 8-10 minutes, so I ended up having to go to labor & delivery and THEN the ER.  It was a completely awful night.  The verdict was a tear in one of my calf muscles, and the doctor told me to take it easy for a week or so.

I didn't exercise at all on Tuesday; today my leg was feeling quite a bit better so I walked at a gentle pace (18:40 mile) for 3 miles.  My leg felt fine the whole time (I was being really careful not to push off in a way that extended my calf, like I would if I was running) and I'm sure I would have been fine to walk longer, but I didn't want to push it.  So...we'll see what happens.  My hope is that I'll substitute another run or two with walking and then be back to running soon, but I'm not pushing it right now because I do NOT want to go see the orthopedic surgeon (like I'm supposed to be doing today).

Friday, March 15, 2013

34 weeks

And...we're one week closer.  Hard running this week; I've been sick (lots of coughing) and pretty low-energy, but I still sort of ran.  Today's run was definitely the worst of the lot; I ran a mile then stopped for water, and continued that pattern throughout most of the run.  The deviations were 2 walking breaks when my stomach was cramping so much that I couldn't run and had to walk for 2 minutes each time.

No faster than a 12-minute mile today; just couldn't crank it up AT ALL because I was so weak and in so much pain.

Friday, March 8, 2013

33 weeks

Another week down!  Still running slower this week; pace seems to totally depend on the day.  I was hoping to go a little faster today, but I ended up going to bed early last night with stomach cramps/contractions, so today was not a day to push it with running...I was still feeling some of the cramping even at a 12-minute mile.  I did manage to get it up to about an 11:20 mile for the majority of the run, and then was able to go up to 10:30 by the end, but nothing very fabulous.  Frustrating because my legs ache so much at the slower pace, and while my legs are thrilled when I run faster, the cramping starts at the higher pace and then I can't even walk.  Moderation in all things, right?

Anyway, usual 3 4-milers this week plus 1 session of yoga, plus I'm spending all day in Chicago tomorrow, so there's some good caloric burn there!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

32 weeks

I've been trying to pick up the pace a little this week--it's going a tiny bit faster, but I just don't have the lung capacity right now that I used to.  Too many weeks of scaling back to avoid the cramping and contractions!  The last two runs I've started out faster, dropped down after 2 minutes, and then gradually climbed up to a faster pace.

Today I ran 3 miles, then stopped to help Jules (she had broken a bead necklace and was in tears).  When I started up again I started out at 8:49, which was faster than I was comfortable, so I gradually took the speed down over the next half-mile.  Then Isaac needed something, and I was glad of the excuse to stop and help him!  Started back up at 9:30 and that was much better.  Average pace for the run today was 10:27/mile, including all the stopping/starting.  Other runs this week were around the same pace; yoga only happened once (I have been doing tons of grading & projects the other days trying to get ready for the baby).  Walking .5-1 mile every time to cool down, depending on how much time I have.