Sitting in the snow... thinking about Disney Running...

On this snowy Central Pennsylvania morning, I'm thankful for time to relax and get some things done around the house today... but after a quick look on Twitter I'm just a little bit jealous of all my internet running "buddies" running this weekend at Disney. Just wanted to wish luck to VeganG26_2 & agyorke & gomer1. Have a blast, can't wait to hear how things go. Hoping one of these years my friend Kris and I will be able to join you all.

An announcement & An update

So you are probably wondering... "Heidi, where have I been??" Well, I have one of the best excuses in the world for my absence... my dear husband Nate and I are having a BABY!! I'm now in my 22nd week and things are going well. We're expecting the baby sometime around February 1, 2011. We are so thankful and can't wait to meet our little treasure. You can catch a glimpse of our cute little peanut below.

What does this little one mean for my running? Well, that's another great question. Unfortunately though, needless to say, I'm not accomplishing any running goals these days, not distance, not time, pregnancy has really thrown a wrench into the works. Not that I'm complaining. I feel very blessed.

The first few weeks of my pregnancy I ran. I can remember a certain early morning run with my friend Audrey, we did about 4.2 miles. It would've been late May. I remember wondering if I was pregnant during this run. I would have been. However, it wasn't until a good month later that I would find out.

And the week I found out, let me tell you, I couldn't manage any exercise. I felt very gross and was very tired for several weeks. I was napping after work and falling asleep on the couch before 9 pm every night. I was exhausted.

Thankfully those days are behind me, I have a lot more energy and I can't remember the last time I took a nap. However, I am well aware that I lost a good amount of fitness during those first weeks. I find myself out of breath at different times throughout the day and running up the steps isn't as fun as it used to be. My ever expanding size is something I'm noticing too.

I'm doing my best to keep walking and moving as much as possible. I've even gotten to the gym to lift weights a few times. Bottom line is I want to be strong for the marathon that delivering this baby will be. But knowing what I should be doing and getting it done is two different things.

This is definitely challenging but I am so thankful I managed the two 1/2 marathons in 2009. I feel like my body will be more resilient for what's ahead. I know it remembers how to get there again, I know it longs for the open road. I will get there again.

But in the mean time I'm going to enjoy this special season. My friend Kris always tells me there will be more runs, more races, we have many years left. And no matter how much time I have left, I am thankful. God is good, I'm am extremely blessed and I'll be back out there in no time.

But while I have this time, (I know all too soon, I won't have nearly the spare time I have now), I'm going to try to share some of these many thoughts and ramblings I have on running and life and loving every minute of it. I hope you'll join me as I continue this adventure we call life.

A Good Sunday Morning Ride

I had a great early morning ride today with my friend Jen. It started out a bit cool and cloudy but we had a great time riding through Lancaster County farmland, even passing by a covered bridge. We didn't experience much traffic and had no trouble with our bikes.

Jen is a great mom who I admire a great deal. She has 3 kids and her oldest is an amazing kid with special needs. I know all 3 kids keep her busy. In the last couple of years I've had the joy of seeing her finish her first sprint triathlon and her first half marathon.

She's become quite the athlete and she inspires me. She totes her kiddos in her bike trailer and get up early to train and I'm sure all the exercise does wonders for her health and her spirit and her outlook.

If I look back, I've been looking up to her and her twin sister since I was in junior high. I'm sure they both will continue to have many lessons to teach me.

Friends are such a blessing and so is being outside, getting some exercise and reflecting on a Sunday morning. I hope you all had a great one too.

A Lesson Learned...

On Tuesday after work I had a lousy run. Last week I ran several times. All of those runs were in the 5-6 mile range so when this Tuesday's 3 1/2 mile run went so poorly of course I wondered what was wrong.

So I wracked my my brain for what might have gone wrong. I came up with some good ideas...

1. I didn't eat anything before my run?

2. I didn't eat enough for lunch?

3. I didn't drink much water that day?

Yes, all good reasons for a lousy run.

So I went out yesterday after work to test my theories. I ate before I went out, a half a sandwich and something to drink. I had a better lunch and I drank more water throughout the day.

As it turns out I went 6 1/2 miles yesterday without any trouble.

Hmm. Reminds me I need to be more careful about drinking water and my diet. How about you??

I miss the open road...

It's been a long, snowy winter in South Central PA. The first week in February brought 2 big storms. And even though March came in light a lamb and went out like a lamb, tax season has taken a toll on this busy accountant. Between helping my family with their taxes and an intense season at my full time job, I haven't been out on the open road nearly as much as I'd like. There were even nights I had to blow off exercising altogether. And I learned something this winter. I do not like running on the treadmill at the gym. Now I know why people call it the "dreadmill". So here's to a much improved spring and lots of time out there on the open road. I'm hoping too to let you know about my workouts and my running adventures this spring. I hope you'll join me and I'd love your comments and feedback.