Monday, December 26, 2011

Why I should probably only be seen from the front now



You were warned  :)

Would someone like to calculate the drag coefficient here?  
Definitely feel my best in the water though.  The weightlessness, cool water, 2 piece (which was  a necessary and lovely switch, function and comfort wise, I try to warn the lifeguards before I get in though  :)  Amazing how I don't care at all once I'm in the water even though you can clearly see the same me through the water) all feel so good.
I can definitely feel some drag with the belly, but I'm still swimming 1:30/100yard pace for a workout and 1:35 pace when I time 800's.  Flip turns started feeling difficult today, but I hope to keep this up for the next 45 or so days!



Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Want barefoot goodness for Christmas?

Zero Drop, truly foot shaped, uber flexible, perfect ground feel super minimalist goodness
while keeping your feet warm and dry in any sock (think wool for the winter, lovely). 

The Altra Eves (and men's Adams) are 25% off right now at this link when you add them to your cart.  Not sure how long the promotion will be going on.  Enjoy!

*UPDATE - Prices have dropped permanently on this great shoe, so if you needed more incentive, you just got it!*

Friday, December 2, 2011

My 28th birthday, you know what that means right?

A 28 mile run!  Oh yeah, not a chance right now  :)  2.8 miles maybe?  Well yeah I could probably drag myself painfully through that, but that doesn't sound super epic or enjoyable or anything. 
Ok, how about a 28 mile ride?  Again, not super epic and I don't fit well on a bike right now except my mtn bike and man those things are no fun on the road!  A trail yes, but I'm in no condition to go on a 28 mile mtn bike ride (I've never ridden more than 8 trail miles on a mtn bike, who am I kidding?).
Well, I guess it'll be a swim then.  So for my 28th birthday this week I swam 2800 yards with 2 timed 800yard swims.  Ok, so it's not epic either, that's a meager workout during a normal season, but today I was pleased with it.  Swam it alone, didn't go crazy wanting to get out and my back and pelvis didn't flare up too bad, and hey, I swam the second 800 faster than the first so that's good right?!

At 30 weeks tomorrow I am feeling a little large.  Yes I'm fortunate to not look pregnant much outside of my belly (although believe you me pants are getting restrictive in the hips, not used to so much padding there...and the cleavage?!  Oh my word!) but that alone can make even me double take when I pass by a mirror or glass wall or something.  Especially when I teach and wear my super cute and form fitting Fit2BMom tanks I treated myself to.  This belly is just so out in front and can look a little strange.  I'll take it though.  While I have a feeling I'm past the cute stage now, I'm not too uncomfortable regularly yet (besides during running which I just don't do anymore, oh well), and my kids are having so much fun talking about the baby, feeling him/her move, and making hilarious comments about my belly only a mother could love. 
I'm excited for this baby, it's been a long time since we've had a baby around here, it was a hard journey to get here, and I know we all will love this little one to pieces. 
I'm nervous too though.  Nervous for the birth as I am delivering in a birth center which means no pain meds unless I transfer to a hospital.  Now don't get me wrong, that is our choice, one my husband and I both very much want for the ability to labor and deliver in the big birth tub, eat/drink/walk/do whatever we want during the labor, not be pressured by hospital policy, and hold our baby immediately after birth for as long as we wish before cleaning, weighing, or measuring is ever done, and no infant round up in the nursery.  We really loved it all when we delivered our 3rd child in a birth center, but lets face it, labor still hurts! I ordered a Hypnobabies home study course that I'll be starting here in 2 weeks though and I'm looking forward to giving that a good go, I've heard very good reviews of it and hey, anything that can help make the experience more comfortable and enjoyable without risk to baby or I I'll take. 
I'm nervous for the training again too, mostly just 'can I pick myself up off the couch or out of bed to go get it done'.  I don't really worry about my body recovering, but man I haven't been able to put sleep second for workouts during the last year it seems.  I've done it before, I just hope I'll be able to do it again.  4 kids sounds daunting to me sometimes. Any kids sounds daunting sometimes.  I read blogs of pros or other great athletes who accomplish such great things athletically and I get jealous, I think how great it would be to have all that time to train, to only have to worry about a job if that.  I know it will even out when I'm in the 30's and my kids are older while some are getting started, but having 4 kids in the 25-29 age group can feel like an extra hurdle I have to jump when competing in big or out of state events.  But I adore my kids and would and do put them above sport in a heartbeat, and there are some moms out there who do it well with kids, I try to be one of them.  I try to tell myself I have 2 in school, the 3rd who is older, not a toddler and I'm sure will be a big help.  I'll just have to be super disciplined and scheduled, I'll just have to use the trainer a lot which is ok, and I'll have 2 seats again in the Chariot since our boy in in school now.  And yes, I'll have to get up early.  Maybe the baby will be good to me and get into a routine of sleeping well at night (which my babies have so far), and finish a morning feeding at a 'reasonable' hour like 5am so I can be up and go afterward.
I am really excited for everything though, a sweet new baby, the 'adventure' of bringing him/her into the world, exciting race goals for next year, getting my body back (meaning being able to push it as hard as I want without worrying about trying to conceive or growing a little human).  What an adventure!