March wrap up

In just one week I will be running my first postpartum race. But that's another post.

My "training" kicked up a notch for March and it shows. I ran my highest mileage month since before I found out I was pregnant with Lightrunner. Unfortunately my cross training took a nose dive. We were wicked busy for various reasons and I was really focusing on the running and blah blah blah excuses. I'm happy with the running though--I've continued with my local running friends and it's made a difference with my solo runs. If I don't have to stop and walk with them why do I think I need to stop alone? I don't! The last couple of solo runs I've been able to keep going and to go faster because of running with friends.

Stats:

Mileage: 52.5
Runs: 14
Cross Training Days: 5!
Cross Training Sessions: 5

I haven't had a 50+ month in quite some time and considering that I had to deal with that UTI and traveling and doctor visits and all sorts of distractions, I'm pretty happy.

I meant to type so much more but I have little ones climbing on me and demanding things.

The importance of hydration

Be smart. Drink water.

I've never been good at drinking water in the winter. I am constantly cold and drinking water doesn't help that... unless it is hot and comes with a tea bag. Since I've had to stop drinking my 10 thousand glasses of milk a day I've been drinking water with lunch and dinner.

But it's not enough.

Runners need to drink water. Breastfeeding moms need to drink water. Running breastfeeding moms need to drink LOTS of water. Do not underestimate how much you will need. Don't make the same mistake I did.

I wasn't going to post about this but I figured hey, when do I ever hold back?

A few months ago I ran intervals and when I went to the bathroom immediately after there was blood in my urine. I instantly thought, crap, I'm getting my first postpartum period. But it didn't happen again and I didn't think of it again. The last couple of weeks it's happened a few times--always after a hard intervals run or a much longer run than I usually do--and I realized that it's not like menstruation, there's blood IN the urine. I come from a family of kidney stone sufferers so this wasn't exactly what I wanted to see. In the past it would happen and that would be it. But this last time I had lower back pain too. Uh-oh. Long story short I had a UTI. And running with a UTI is NO fun. I caught it before it got too bad so I never got a fever or really bad pain. The back pain was actually the worst problem. I've been on antibiotics for almost a week now and should be all cleared up. When I peed after running my intervals today there was no blood but it was a bit darker than usual. This can happen from an empty bladder slapping against um, other organs I guess, while running. "They" recommend not emptying your bladder before a run. Which is the exact opposite of what a mama of 4 does... I'm not sure if that's it or if it's just plain ol' dehydration. I did pretty good drinking tons of water when I first had pain last week but the past couple of days I've been pretty busy and haven't been that good.

I'm back to drinking at least 1 liter of SmartWater (it has electrolytes in it) a day in addition to my lunch, dinner, and snack water (from our filtered water). I usually buy a 6-pack of SmartWater from Target but I might have to buy a whole case... I think I like the electrolytes... I can drink a lot more SmartWater than I can regular water. I'm going to be running a lot more over the summer and next fall when I start training for my first half-marathon. I can't be worrying about UTIs and bloody pee.

So, please, breastfeeding running moms, don't make the mistake of forgetting about yourself. Drink your water!

*No, SmartWater did not pay me to write this. But I would love some free water if they felt like sending me some. :-)

Running update: check. Kids update: check.

It's been all running for a while around this here blog. Which is appropriate since that's what's on my mind now. I promise to talk about other things though. Sometimes. But first two running related things:

A couple of weeks ago I was running on the treadmill, as I often do during the week, and things were going along fine. I was listening to the Another Mother Runner podcast and had just taken my iPhone off the treadmill dashboard to switch to another cast when all of a sudden the treadmill stopped, started up again REALLY FAST, and threw up a big plastic silver ball. I had been pressing the stop button but it took a while to stop. I should have pulled the emergency cord, but didn't think of it. Which is funny because I had a MILLION thoughts at the same exact time. Seriously:

• I can't drop this iPhone.
• I'm going to die on this treadmill and I didn't shave my legs. 
• At least Lightrunner is safe in his crib when he starves to death.
• Will SkyWalker and the Princess get off the bus if I'm not out there?
• Chewie is the LAST person I want responsible for my body. 
• She's going to go upstairs, poke Haze in the eye, Haze will nip at her and everyone will blame Haze and I won't be able to defend her. 
• If we have to fix this treadmill there goes my damn TV money.
• Where the hell did that ball come from?

Once the treadmill stopped, I turned, looked at Chewie holding the silver ball and said, "Er, ah, eee, uh" and then she said "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you're okay." Hmmm. I asked if she threw the ball at me and she claims that she did not. It's possible it just rolled over and got sucked up. Possible. But she's not quick to apologize for things. The frame holding the belt was off, but I was able to stick it back on enough to finish my run. Vader glued it back together and we haven't had any problems. 

Second, last weekend I did my long run, 4.5 miles, yes, that's long to me right now. That's not unusual. What is, is that I did it with other people! The Princess has joined Girl Scouts and the troop leader is a runner and lives nearby. There's a whole group of them that go out weekend mornings. It was the best 4.5 miles I've had in a while. I like to run alone sometimes, but other people keep you motivated and keep you from listening to your weak inner voice telling you to stop. It was close to my house with nice, fun, ladies and I'm hoping to keep running with them as my long run gets longer (particularly once I start training for the half in October.) 

And that's the running.

******************

The kid updates I haven't done in a while:

SkyWalker gets older and bigger. He's one of the tallest kids in his class now. Who could predict that?? He is constantly bouncing a ball and wants to get a big hoop for outside. I was going to wait until the beginning of the summer to get it in lieu of a birthday gift, but I might get one sooner. If he wants to do physical activity, I've got to support it before he changes his mind! He has decided to be a Syracuse basketball fan and took the bus to his friend's house the other day so he could watch a game. They had soda there and he asked for juice instead knowing that we wouldn't want him to have soda. How many 8 year olds would do that? Not many. I told him I was so proud of him that he could make good choices without me there, even if he did moan and complain that he was the only one who couldn't have it (as it turns out it was special occasion and not a regular occurrence.). He's doing good in school and we have fewer homework battles than we did at the beginning of the year. He is SUPER obsessed with Greek Mythology right now and is currently typing up everything he has learned. 

The Princess is loving school. She just joined the Sneaker Tying Club for kids who can tie their own shoes. She has wonderful handwriting and is a hard worker and really coming into her own. She LOVES the Girl Scouts and I get to see a side of her I don't normally see when we go to meetings. She seems to really thrive in a group of girls... she gets so silly and happy. It's nice to see. I still think that she wants a true best friend, like big brother and little sister have, but she has no problem making friends and it's nice to see her in a group. 

Chewie has once again gone through the speech evaluation process but this time she qualifies.  Most people don't understand her and I am constantly translating, even for her father. She doesn't really let it stop her from talking, but it's better to get it cleared up now and not have to wait until kindergarten. She loves to dress herself and wear mismatching socks. Two different socks, not just socks that don't match her outfit. I have given up fighting. Her hair is a mess constantly. I go back and forth on whether or not I want to get it cut short. She might look really cute... but her crazy hair kind of goes with her spunky personality. And she is without a doubt spunky.

Lightrunner is eating green beans and avocado and peaches and pears and seems to like his greens more than his fruits (yay!). He's gaining weight and happy. He has his two bottom teeth now and I'm sure he'll have more soon. He can be up for hours and still smile. He truly lights up a room and everyone who sees him has no choice but to smile and talk to him. He brings happiness everywhere we go. I am so very lucky I get to go out on a high note... my last kid is just pure joy.

I have ignored the mess in the house for far too long. Dishes need to be done, laundry, cleaning. What else is new? I run, I exercise, I read, I care for children, and then frantically "catch up" on my "rest" day. I gotta start getting up earlier... I repeat, what else is new?

I am Persephone

How beautiful is this ? Click for link.

I am Persephone
Yearning for the warm light
Of the sun
Reaching
Stretching my fingertips
Grasping for something not there
Drowning
Suffocating in the cold dark
Of never ending winter.


Pardon me, I've had Greek Mythology on my mind. But seriously, is anyone else just DONE with winter? Summer can't come soon enough.

Balls

This is a non running post. Shocking, I know.

There probably won't be any paragraphs either because the washing machine just stopped so I need to get clothes out of the dryer and into the dryer.

So a list of all the balls I have dropped as of late:

1. I lost two checks for girl scout cookies. One was from my mom. The other from Vader's co-worker.
2. I forgot to call my brother on his birthday. I did send him a card--the one I forgot to send him last year.
3. I forgot to use the coupon code when registering for the half-marathon so I didn't get the $10 off I should have.
4. I still haven't done my taxes.
5. I forgot to ask for Lightrunner's second flu shot at his sick visit (although they may not have given it to him if he was sick) so I have to call yet again and go in yet again.
6. I keep forgetting to find a place to donate the girls' old clothes so I have boxes piled up in my bedroom.
7. I'm sure there's more and I can't even remember what I've forgotten.

Can it be summer now?

February Wrappin' Up & Catchin' Up

I am not sorry to see February go. Although it's the shortest month, it was quite full... full of coughing and snot and fevers and vomiting and general blech. Buh-bye February! Here's to a healthy March!

Lightrunner was the last to catch the February break virus. His fever broke a few days ago and his coughing is not nearly as bad as it was. He seems to be back to his routine instead of nursing and sleeping nonstop. When I took him for his sick visit on Monday he gained a whole pound since his last checkup. I didn't get to see our pediatrician, but I haven't heard from her so I'm assuming that was enough. As long as he's going up, it doesn't quite matter how much. He's eaten green beans (the first time was with green beans I had frozen from my garden!) and today he had peaches. I bought an avodaco, again to fatten up one of my kids, but he got sick and wasn't eating anything. I didn't want it to go bad so I mashed it up and froze it in ice cube trays. Hopefully it'll be okay when we try it! 

I'm trying to catch up now with all the crap I couldn't do the last couple of weeks. Lots of laundry, cleaning, blog reviews and assorted "to do's". I kind of always feel like I'm catching up though... so maybe this is just how it is. I will never get ahead. Like Sisyphus I keep rolling that rock of laundry up the damn hill and it keeps rolling back down on me. 

February sucked as far as exercise goes. If I wasn't helping a sick kid, I was helping a sick me. We literally started the month sick and ended it sick. But I did manage to run more miles than I have since I got back to it, which is not bad when you remember it's the shortest month!

Stats:
Mileage: 34.3
Runs: 11
Cross Training Days: 8
Cross Training Sessions: 14

I discovered that my first goal race is a month earlier than I had planned. Which obviously has pushed training earlier too. So I've "officially" started although this week has been less than stellar. But today is a new day, new month, and time to get down to brass tacks.