33 weeks, 3 days to 35 weeks, 1 day

Well, I'm the most pregnant I've ever been :-) We made it past Zoey's birthdate (34 weeks, 3 days) and are into unknown territory. Thankfully, it's more of the same. I'm still exercising, although my intensity has dropped and I'm more consistently doing closer to 30-45 minutes than 45-60 minutes. But, some of that has to do with the semester starting and life getting busier. I've run a few times, mainly on days when I need to be done before 6 am so Brad can leave for work. Other times, I've been on the elliptical. I don't really feel any clunkier than usual. I get tired quickly, but that's about it.

32 weeks, 1 day to 33 weeks, 2 days

More of the same :-) I've been hitting the elliptical for about 40-60 minutes a day. The only difference is that I've dropped the intensity so my HR is closer to 120 than 140. It feels like I'm doing nothing, but I think the routine is invaluable for me. I throw on an episode of Friday Night Lights and chill out with a bit of movement. Super easy.

31 weeks, 1 day to 32 weeks

Blogging about exercising while pregnant is so boring right now... largely because I think about how readers will experience my posts. Essentially, there is just more of the same... 45 minutes to an hour on the elliptical, followed by weights sometimes. Running is uncomfortable, so that's out the window for the foreseeable future. Perhaps, once the temperature drops a bit, I'll get back outside for some early morning runs, but I'm just sweaty and uncomfortable trying to run during the summer these days. So, there's not much to write. Every once in awhile, I think, "I'll post a belly pic," and then something happens in the day to interfere and I go to bed and the next day begins. So, perhaps I'll just do weekly updates unless there is something noteworthy. In the spirit of the blog's origin (to tell one preggo athlete's story on exercising), the take away message is: This athlete continues to work out. Running is uncomfortable in the heat with an additional 30lbs. I love my gym. Let's get this baby outta here so I can go back to training. 

31 weeks

We have a sick baby. It's a bummer given that she rarely gets sick so she doesn't really know how to handle it. So, I squeezed in a 45 minute gig on the elliptical between viewings of Springtime with Roo and The Blustery Day. Until early this morning, I had an appreciation for Winnie the Pooh. Now, I hate everything about it.

Elliptical: 45 minutes

*Packed our hospital bag and Zoey's overnight bag today... just in case :-)

30 weeks, 6 days

We had an active day today - lots of walking around at the farm and around our neighborhood. I brought Zoey to the gym with me today so Brad could do some home improvement projects.  I'm still having regular contractions, but they're painless and don't interfere with life, so I'm just moving onward.

Elliptical: 1 hour, 20 minutes

30 weeks, 5 days

I just love the gym. Today, I did another 60 minutes on the elliptical with my fantastic support system over at our local gym. Really, the women there are strong, fit, and accepting, while the men haven't said one word about my working out at 31 weeks pregnant. No judgment. No weird looks. Nothing. It's great. I had one thumbs up from a woman once, but she didn't interrupt my workout, didn't ask any details, and just kept walking. It was wonderful.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

30 weeks, 4 days

An easy hour on the elliptical today while watching FNL - my all time favorite FAVORITE favorite show! We're back in the swing of Concord life after our Michigan vacation, with some friend time yesterday and lots of family time as a little unit of 3. I'm having pretty regular contractions, but they don't exceed 4/hr so I'm free to go about my business still.

Elliptical: 1 hour

Massive Update

Well, I enjoyed some vacation time in Michigan, which means I also enjoyed some much needed screen vacation time from my computer, hence, the blogging void. At this point, my exercising goes one of two ways each day:

1. One great hour on the elliptical, followed by a lifting session
2. One hilarious and sad attempt to run for 3 miles

In Michigan, I ran. Zoey could be with family. Running takes less time. The dirt roads are nice. Etc. But, we arrived back in town 2 nights ago and I'm thrilled to be back to the elliptical. I can work out harder, smarter, and with more enjoyment, actually.

I've had a few Dr. appointments since I last blogged. All is well. Baby measured yesterday at 4 lbs, 1 oz, which is the 81st percentile at this stage. So, we're looking good. The Dr. said he'd be pleased for me to keep this baby in for another 2 weeks, so that's what we're aiming for at a minimum. I'm not sure exactly HOW to do this, but I send her nice little messages every day to stay put for awhile. Perhaps that'll do it.

27 weeks, 4 days

Yesterday's day off served me well. I feel great today! After a bit of cardio, I did some upper body lifting. I've become a superhuman version of myself in the weight room. It must be from lifting Zoey all the time. It is awesome - I'm lifting more than I've ever lifted before and it doesn't feel like I'm taxing myself at all. I'm interested to see what happens when baby #2 emerges and I have more time to focus on fitness. I'm slowly becoming awful at cardio as I become more pregnant, but my lifting is really taking off! It's exciting. I got the results of some blood work taken yesterday. Unlike the last pregnancy, I'm not anemic, which is great. But, I have low sugar levels this time. Also, I was strongly advised to eat more protein. YAY! Steak for dinner tonight! Brad's grilling :-)

Elliptical: 30 minutes
Bike: 10 minutes
Lift: Upper

27 weeks, 3 days

Day off.

We had a Dr appointment and then plans with brother Luke in the city. All went well at the Dr's office. Baby is measuring large, just like Zoey did. The amount of contractions I'm having is totally normal for a second pregnancy. At this point, I'm having 1-2 per hour. I have nothing to worry about until we get to above 4 per hour. So, all is fine.

27 weeks, 2 days

I cut today's gym session short because I was having a couple of contractions during my workout and they were getting annoying. So, 45 minutes on the elliptical, followed by a day of rest. Stretched my legs in the afternoon when we went veggie picking, but that's about it. Was planning to lift today but will try to get it in on Thursday instead. Tomorrow, we have an early start to the day, so I won't have time to get in much of anything!

Elliptical: 45 minutes

27 weeks, 1 day

A hard 1 hour on the elliptical. Felt great exercising, but having lots of BH contractions these days, so am going to see if there is any correlation between exercising and contractions, which I doubt.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

26 weeks, 6 days and 27 weeks

26 weeks, 6 days
Easy 50 minutes at the gym on the elliptical while daycare Wendy taught Zoey how to string toys on a shoelace.

Elliptical: 50 minutes


27 weeks

Well, today was a bit of a bust. To say this pregnancy changes day-by-day is totally an understatement. Some days, I'm so eager to exercise and my body responds. Other days, I want to exercise and my body isn't having it. Today was the latter. So, after 15 minutes of uninspired cycling, I called it a day. Exercise bust. On the flip side, however, we're making ground in every other aspect of life today. Brad is almost done with the plaster repair in one of the girl's rooms. I scheduled our housekeeper for the next few months. We lined up some babysitting gigs so we can plan on a few date nights. I finished a report for work. Brad finished his grad school readings for the week. Blah blah blah. Still, it's nice to feel productive in some parts of life. We're having a visit with some friends later this afternoon, so I'm going to maybe go for a little walk before they come over. Besides that, we'll enjoy a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Day off

26 weeks, 5 days

Weirdly, I feel most normal each day when I'm exercising. Perhaps that's why I love doing it so much. Or, perhaps it's because it is my 1-2 hrs each day when I can be alone (sort of). I had to cut my exercising short today, as Zoey had a little incident in the gym's daycare so I had to go pick her up :-) Regardless, it was still nice to sweat, feel physical, and zone out for a bit.

Elliptical: 40 minutes
Lift: Upper (hard)

26 weeks, 4 days

We had an u/s yesterday that showed us that the baby is measuring a little over 2 lbs, is totally healthy, and is doing everything she's supposed to be doing. That was great feedback, given that our doctors have been worried about me delivering pre-term again. We're taking measures to hopefully prevent another preemie, but we just don't know enough to be able to ensure that I'll carry to full term. Having said that, no doctors have told me to stop exercising or pushing myself - they all just advise me to listen to my body, stay hydrated, try not to overheat, etc. So far, so good.

Elliptical: 60 minutes hard
Lift: Legs

26 weeks, 3 days

I had a great session today. After a bout of cardio, I lifted hard. And it felt goooooooood. I'd been steering clear of lifting too much, given everything I've read about only lifting moderate amounts when pregnant, but I think I can do more than what I was doing without compromising the pregnancy, so I'm giving it a whirl. It felt great to burn.

Elliptical: 30 minutes
Bike: 15 minutes
Lift: Upper

26 weeks, 2 days

My upper abdomen is still bothering me, so I'm not running at all, but I seem to be okay at the gym. That's pretty good news, actually, as that's where I'd prefer to be right now.

Elliptical: 30 minutes
Bike: 15 minutes
Lift: Upper

26 weeks, 1 day

I planned to do an hour of elliptical-ing and lift, but Zoey pooped in daycare and that interrupted my workout. As soon as I go into the gym's daycare, there's no leaving without Zoey in tow. So, just a short workout today.

Elliptical: 45 minutes

26 weeks

My upper abdomen is annoying me again, so I took it easy at the gym. I've talked to the doctor, and it's a pretty typical occurrence in pregnancy, but it doesn't make it any less annoying to deal with.

Elliptical: 45 minutes

25 weeks, 6 days

Easy 60 minute elliptical at the gym. We hosted a graduation party today so I didn't really focus too much on exercising.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

Vacation

25 weeks, 2 days

Elliptical: 60 minutes
Lift: Upper

25 weeks, 3 days
Wog (walk/jog): 2ish miles with massive hills in Newport, RI

25 weeks, 4 days
Wog: 3 miles with massive hills

25 weeks, 5 days
Run: 2 miles
Plyos

I chose to not prioritize exercising over other stuff that was happening each day, so I grabbed a couple of miles early in the morning each day and didn't give it a second thought!

25 weeks, 1 day

While I'm missing running consistently, I'm not missing how I feel during and even after running. During running, I'm feeling pretty hot and uncomfortable, which is much different from how I felt during the last pregnancy. I have to think that it's largely because I'm trying to run in the middle of July now, whereas before, I was able to run in beautifully cool temperatures. I've noticed that, after running, I'm experiencing increased pressure on my abdomen, especially in the top right corner. I've talked to the doctor about this - its apparently a pretty common nerve thing that affects women and is aggravated by exercise, but it isn't anything to really worry about. It's just uncomfortable. When I elliptical or bike or do something less weight bearing, I don't feel the pressure as much. I felt this pressure during the last pregnancy, but the difference is that I could rest after exercising during the last one, while I am on-the-go with Zoey all the time during this one. As much as I love running, I don't love it more than time with Brad and Zoey, and I'm definitely not willing to let it interfere with the rest of my life right now. To that end, I hit the elliptical again today. After 45 minutes hard, I lifted legs. It's feeling great to re-introduce lifting back into the equation after a couple of months of not really doing it. I'm lifting low weight/high reps, so I'm really behaving myself. It's more for the feel of it than for any real training benefit. We're going on vacation this week, so I won't have access to a gym, meaning that I'll likely do a few days of light running in a row. We'll see how that goes.

Elliptical: 45 minutes
Lift: Lower body

Bunch of days

There really hasn't been anything noteworthy to report these days about exercising while pregnant. Everything is slightly uncomfortable, but I still love working out. I haven't been using my belly band, as it's been pretty hot out. A few things have happened in the world of running, however, that deserve attention.

First, we lost a member of our running community a couple of weeks ago in a very tragic way. The full story is here.

Second, we had another member of the running community show the world just how amazing women can be. Story here.

Third, a good pal is in the running for best name in running - Gretchen Speed. She's a finalist, alongside Tripp Hurt. Obviously, vote here for Speed.

Now, onto completely unimportant stuff - my daily exercising, plus whatever notes I thought important each day.

23 weeks, 3 days
Elliptical: 60 minutes

23 weeks, 4 days
Run: 5 miles
Lincoln trail run. Nice and cool.

23 weeks, 5 days
Elliptical: 60 minutes

23 weeks, 6 days
Elliptical: 60 minutes
Zoey in gym daycare

24 weeks
Elliptical: 60 minutes

24 weeks, 1 day
Elliptical: 60 minutes

24 weeks, 2 days
Run: 5 miles
Lincoln trail run. Started with Brad and then he dusted me.

24 weeks, 3 days
Run: 2 miles
Aquarium and splash park day with the family

24 weeks, 4 days
Run: 2 miles
Lift: Upper
Date morning with Brad

24 weeks, 5 days
Run: 2 miles
4th of July play date x 2

24 weeks, 6 days
Elliptical: 30 minutes
Bike: 30 minutes

25 weeks
Elliptical: 40 minutes
Crazy step machine: 10 minutes
Lift: Upper

23 weeks, 2 days

I love my gym. I just love it. I love seeing the usual folks there. I love that I never have to wait for a machine. I love that both men and women are lifting, cycling, yoga-ing, etc together. I love that the shower always has really hot water. It's the best. Running outside is obviously it's own magical thing, and I'll continue to do it, but I can get a better workout in at the gym right now because I can push harder with lower impact.

Elliptical: 45 minutes hard
Bike: 15 minutes easy

23 weeks, 1 day

An easy few miles around Lincoln trails today. The shade is a wonderful thing. I have this silly little burning feeling right above my rib cage - it is the same feeling I had when I was pregnant with Zoey, popping up at the exact same time. I remember it starting the day I arrived in China during the last pregnancy, which was right at 23 weeks. It's interesting to have the same feelings resurface. Anyway, it doesn't really impede my running - it's just annoying. Run was great!

Run: 4 miles

23 weeks

Brad and Zoey had a play date with some good friends while I hit the gym for an hour on the elliptical. Felt great.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

22 weeks, 6 days

We had a goofy run today. Brad, Zoey and I headed out for a routine run to the middle school soccer fields so Brad and I could stretch while Zoey ran around the fields. Turns out, Zoey had another plan and threw a normal toddler fit about a mile into the run, so we adjusted the plans, ran to the closest playground, Brad went out for some miles, and I played with Zoey. Jogged home for a total run of 2.3 miles - ha! I lifted upper afterwards.

Run: 2.3 miles
Lifted: Upper

22 weeks, 5 days

Today, Zoey and I hit the gym for a quick elliptical stint before our morning play date. I'm trying to ease back into running, rather than my usual dive right back in. So, tomorrow, I'll run again. For today, the elliptical got the job done. My ankle is fine. Belly is fine.

Elliptical: 45 minutes

22 weeks, 4 days

After dropping off Zoey, I headed to the Lincoln trails for a peaceful run. It was glorious! Soft, hilly, and shaded...perfect. I'm not wearing my belly band these days, as I'm prioritizing feeling cooler over feeling supported. Overall, great day.

Run: 5 miles

22 weeks, 3 days

I tried running today and all went well! I only did a short 2.3 mile trail loop, so it's hard for anything to go too wrong during such a short run. I followed the run with a 5.5 mile walk on Battle Rd trail with a dear friend. All is fine when I exercise, but immediately following, my uterus decides to tighten a bit. Nothing noteworthy though.

Run: 2.3 miles
Walk: 5.5 miles

22 weeks, 2 days

One more day at the gym, and I'll try running again tomorrow. I did a hard 45 minutes on the elliptical while Zoey was in the gym's day care. It was quick, short, and efficient. More time for us to hit the playground :-) My belly is continuing to tighten, but I'm not inconvenienced by it when exercising, so all is good here.

Elliptical: 45 minutes

22 weeks, 1 day

I like Mondays. I always have. Something about the start of a new week awaiting me... I feel organized, prepared, and eager to make the week count. It's similar to the feelings I have when I think about September 1st. The start of a new academic year. I suppose that's likely due to the fact that my husband and I have both worked in education ever since we stopped being students ourselves. So, today, in a cheerful mood, I walked to the gym, elliptical'ed for 45 minutes, and yoga'ed my tightness away. My body feels tight. It's partially due to having to sleep in funny positions each night, maneuvering around my growing belly, and partially due to doing different types of exercising with weird pressure on various muscles as I grow and grow. Stretching helped. Now, time to buckle down with a manuscript!

Elliptical: 45 minutes
Yoga: Lower

22 weeks

We're at the Cape, so no gym! I hit the bike path for a little wog (walk/jog). I ran the first couple of miles with K, which felt great - I can't remember the last time I ran with a friend! I stopped to stretch for a while. My ankle wasn't great, but running on the bike path was much better than my usual trails, so I could definitely run. I'm noticing my hamstrings are pretty tight, and I'm not sure if it is because of the added belly weight or the new exercising I've been doing on the elliptical. Regardless, it's time to bring back some yoga, so that will be the goal of the week. Also, I think I'll try running on the roads a bit this week, as that felt much easier than trail running.

Run: 4.5 miles

21 weeks, 6 days

As we were heading for the Cape today and had a packed morning before take off, I thought I'd save some time by trying a run rather than going to the gym. I got about 5 minutes out and my ankle was throbbing, so back home I jogged. I definitely achieved my time saving goal, as my exercising for the day took 10 minutes!

Run: 1 mile

21 weeks, 5 days

I was hoping to do a little run today, but my ankle was still acting up, so I hit the elliptical for a nice power hour. Felt good. Zoey behaved. Shower water was warm. Perfect little exercise session.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

21 weeks, 4 days

I thought about trying to run today, but I failed the downstairs test yet again this morning, so I hopped back on the elliptical. I'm a little short on time tomorrow, so I think I'll try a short jog in the morning before Brad goes to work. That'll give me a chance to test out my ankle.

I'm feeling bigger ... belly-wise. Over the past few days, I've been basking in round ligament enjoyment (written sarcastically), so I can tell we're going through a little spurt here. I was a little extra tired on the elliptical today, so I took it easier than usual. Still, did my usual hour, just with less intensity.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

21 weeks, 3 days

I'm happily enjoying a day of writing today. I have a revise and resubmit to attend to and another manuscript that is mid-draft. Writing days are so wonderful - they're peaceful, relaxing, stimulating, and private. Sweet little Zoey slept until 7:30, so my day started a little later than usual. She is usually in daycare by 8 am so I can be done working out by 9:15 and in my office by 10 am, but we're about an hour behind today. I thought I might cut my workout short, but it felt so good to sweat that I did my typical 60 minutes and followed it with a light stretch. No round ligament pain. No ankle pain. I might even try running tomorrow.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

21 weeks, 2 days

With Zoey in the gym's daycare, I did my usual 60 minutes. My ankle is feeling much better, but not perfect yet and I'm trying this new, play-it-safe plan with injuries. So, after I exercised and showered, Zoey and I went from the gym to the playground before lunch. I felt fine at the gym, fine at the playground, fine during Zoey's nap, fine on the car ride into Dedham for a BBQ, fine at a friend's house, fine in the car on the way home, and then, as soon as I got home, holy crazy round ligament pain! But, it's not really pain. It's more like this weird discomfort that is totally localized. During my first pregnancy, I remember not knowing if I was having round ligament pain, because I was never really in pain. Same now - except I've been through this already so I know what is actually happening. Basically, it feels like my uterus is trying to expand but my skin is holding it in. It's a goofy feeling. So, after Brad and I put Zoey to bed, we just chilled out for the rest of the night. We watched our little Jack Bauer guilty pleasure show and went to bed. I was asleep by 10 pm. It was great!

Elliptical: 60 minutes

21 weeks, 1 day

I pushed hard today. Zoey was in daycare and I was feeling guilty about using precious daycare time to exercise when I had 2 manuscripts I needed to get out by the end of the day. So, I pushed. Until about 55 minutes, when I just hit a wall. I cooled down for the last 5 minutes, did a nice long stretch, and spent the rest of the day in my office.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

21 weeks

Today was a great day - it started with the same ol' workout - an hour on the elliptical, followed by Brookline High School's graduation, and ending with a BBQ and play date with some good friends who will be moving soon. They have a young daughter the same age as Zoey, and the two of them are so mischievous and silly together that it is a joy to watch. I was on my feet a lot today, carrying Zoey in the heat for large portions of the day, so I was a little more worn out than usual by the time we got back out to Concord at night.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

20 weeks, 6 days

Family time trumps exercise time today. I did a quick 45 minute stint on the elliptical while Brad and Zoey were at the playground, but I was eager to get back to them.

Elliptical: 45 minutes

20 weeks, 5 days

There are so many reasons why I exercise. The love of sweat. An hour or two to self-indulge. Time to process and make decisions in other parts of life. Time to cycle through recurring weird running fantasies. Time to breathe fresh air. For the last week or so, I've been exercising in the gym, so I haven't been enjoying the 70 degree weather we've been experiencing. I've been spending a lot of time outside during the rest of my day, but nothing beats working up a good sweat outside while sucking in fresh country air. I'm looking forward to getting back to outdoor running. My litmus test is the downstairs walk. If I can walk down the stairs in my home without pain, I'll run. Not there yet.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

20 weeks, 4 days

To celebrate my birthday, I decided to give myself a little extra workout time! So, I did the typical 60 minutes on the elliptical, followed by 40 minutes on the bike. The bike was a little challenging, as my belly kept getting in the way, but it was a nice switch from the elliptical. I think I irritated my ankle a bit on the rotation, so I'll lay off the bike and probably stay with the elliptical for a few more days. I'll try a run this weekend. I'm not really feeling very tired when I'm working out, but I am noticing that I feel more tired throughout the day than I am used to feeling.... when I look back at my last pregnancy's log, I notice the same thing happening back then too.

Elliptical: 60 minutes
Bike: 40 minutes

20 weeks, 3 days

Day 6 of the elliptical, and while I feel my ankle slowly mending, I don't feel a crazy need to get back on the roads. I'm still feeling ankle pain when I go up and down stairs (especially down) but it's pretty mild. Another elliptical session today, followed by yoga.

Elliptical: 60 minutes
Yoga: Lower

20 weeks, 2 days

Fun day with Zoey today. I did a solid hard hour on the elliptical while Zoey played in the gym's daycare. Nothing noteworthy - great to elliptical - I can get in such a good workout without any impact.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

20 weeks, 1 day

Same gig as yesterday. A nice hard 60 minutes on the elliptical. I'll include weights tomorrow.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

20 weeks

Great workout again. I felt a little tired around 55 minutes, and I think it might be because I kept my HR a little closer to 140 this time, which I try not to do too much while pregnant. It just felt so good to sweat.

Elliptical: 60 minutes

19 weeks, 6 days

Great workout, yet again. The elliptical is so easy on my body. I still have limited range of motion in my ankle, but I can slowly stretch it out while on the elliptical. Besides, it feels so great to be able to push hard without having a crazy sack of potatoes weighing down my belly, which is how I feel when I'm running these days.

Elliptical: 60 minutes (it is SO much easier to elliptical than to run these days - I might be getting a better workout with a 60 minute elliptical than a 60 minute run)

19 weeks, 5 days

So, I'll tell you what, it is pretty convenient bagging running for a few days and just hitting the gym. I have a bathroom nearby, my water bottle is always full, I can chill out to an episode of Scandal or work hard to some great tunes... all in a lovely air conditioned room. Given that my ankle is a little busted up, I'm planning to hit the gym for one week. No running for 1 week. That will give me more than enough time to rest my ankle and I'm actually looking forward to the consistency and ease of the gym. I'm a self-identified gym rat by nature - I love to lift, enjoy working out with other people, get pumped up by seeing others working hard, etc. Combine all that with having more time on my hands now that the semester is over, and I'm a happy rat.

Elliptical: 30 minutes hard (I had to leave for graduation by 6 am, and couldn't bring myself to get up before 5... honoring my prioritizing sleep initiative)

19 weeks, 4 days

About 2 weeks ago, I rekindled a relationship with an old ankle injury when I was out running on some trails. Today, I aggravated the injury again - in a slightly more substantial way. So, I think I'll hit the gym for the rest of the week to give my ankle some time to recover. I know this drill - it takes a few days to get back to normal and then I'm all set again. So, gym time for a bit. My run was cut a little short given that it was pretty useless to try to cover any actual distance. I'll probably get in a better workout at the gym anyway, given that I'm not running super far right now.

Run: 2.3 miles

19 weeks, 3 days

Limited time on my hands today between dropping off Zoey at daycare and heading into the city, so I just did a quick 2 miler. Nothing interesting, just maintenance.

Run: 2 miles

19 weeks, 2 days

After I dropped off Zoey at daycare, I headed to the Lincoln trails for a nice leisurely trail run. It was beautiful weather, the trails were pretty bare, and I had time on my hands. So, I ran an easy 5 miler and did a bit of walking. My body felt great - still no belly band right now, as I'm feeling pretty comfortable these days.

Run: 5 miles

19 weeks, 1 day

Easy 4 miler with Brad on the Acton trails while my mom watched Zoey. We did a few hill repeats in there, which felt awesome. My legs are starting to feel a little tight, so I think I'll get a massage next week and incorporate some more stretching/yoga.

One of the best weeks of an academic's life is the last week in May, as it is the week leading up to summer vacation and we can feel the freedom in the air. So, one more week of squeezing in a couple of miles here and there before I can actually give my physical self time and attention!

Run: 4 miles

19 weeks

Zoey's birthday party! I did a quick 4 miler and called it a day. Happy celebration day!

Run: 4 miles

18 weeks, 6 days

We have family in town this weekend for Zoey's 2nd birthday celebration, so my running is on the back-burner. Day off.

18 weeks, 5 days

To fit my run in today, I needed to be done by 6 am. So, I'm up at 5, ready to get out the door, and I hear Zoey singing in her crib. She was awake! So, my estimated 5 miler became a 1 miler as I hurried to get in a bit of movement while Brad watched Zoey and got ready. Sort of a wash of a day, but she was really cute in the morning, so I don't really care!

Run: 1 mile

18 weeks, 4 days

Well, the good thing about going to bed at 10:30 last night was that Zoey woke up early today, so I at least got my usual amount of sleep, rather than an hour less than usual. After I dropped off Zoey at daycare, I hit the Lincoln trails for a few miles while I did a conference call. Nothing ruins a good trail run like a conference call, but it was either that or no trails. Clearly, I chose the better option. My GPS was all over the place, having me anywhere from 7:20 pace to 11:10 pace, yet I don't think my pace changed much at all, except for on the hills. So, I ran for 40 minutes, probably around 4-5 miles. No belly band these days, and I'm feeling totally fine.

Run: 4-5 miles

18 weeks, 3 days

No time for running today, unfortunately. We had a program retreat for work in the morning and I had to dedicate my afternoon to course planning. I had fantasies of running after Zoey went to bed while Brad watched hockey, but student scheduling got in the way! Finally, at 10 pm, I thought I could get out the door for a few miles, and then I remembered that stupid goal I set a couple of weeks ago to prioritize sleep, so I went to bed.

Lifted: Light upper

18 weeks, 2 days

I managed to squeeze in a 4 mile run midday - half on trails, half on roads. Nothing noteworthy - it was more for maintenance than anything else.

Run: 4 miles

18 weeks, 1 day

Okay, this week is the first of a two week craziness period for work. It's the culmination of everything - grant deadlines, manuscript submission deadlines, graduation and associated paperwork, award season for students, registration and scheduling for newly matriculated students, preparing for the 2 summer courses I'm teaching, etc. The list goes on and on. So, we have Zoey in daycare much more this week, but unfortunately, that's not so I can spend more time running, it's so I can work more! Today, I had 2 site visits, one in Rhode Island, so I didn't have much time to exercise between dropping off Zoey and picking her up from daycare. I also had a deadline to grade a PhD qualifying paper, so immediately following the second site visit, I took the qualifying paper to the gym, hopped on the elliptical, and graded while I exercised. It wasn't ideal, but it gave me a chance to move my body a bit.

Elliptical: 55 minutes

18 weeks

During the last pregnancy, I read a lot of articles about running while pregnant. There isn't much research out there on the topic, and the empirically based stuff (you know, the REAL research), while sparse, suggests that running while pregnant has all these cognitive, affective, and physical benefits for the mother and the fetus. I haven't really turned to the literature this time around, but I think I'll do a little scan to see if anything new has hit journals over the past 2 years. I love that Zoey has grown up with running as part of her life so far. She knows when we're going running. She asks to do it. While she definitely loses interest after about 30 minutes in her stroller, she is always excited to start the run. At the soccer fields yesterday, I taught her how to do a track start. I'm going to see if there are any blocks at the local track so I can teach her how to do a block start. She totally loves doing this and pretending to race. There was a kid's road race this morning that I was planning to do with her. We even dressed her in her little running shorts and shoes, but the kid's race was held at noon. Obviously, the race was not planned by a parent of toddlers - all of whom know that the noon to 3 pm block of time is precious lunch-nap time. So, rather than run the kid's race, we pulled out her kiddie pool and water table and played in the backyard for the morning. Brad and Zoey has daddy/daughter time while I ran the road race course a few hours before the race was held. Again, today, no belly belt and felt great.

Run: 4 miles
Stretch

17 weeks, 6 days

Given the heat, I decided to run without my belly band today, and it felt great. Brad, Zoey and I ran to the middle school soccer grounds so Zoey could run around while we did our plyos. It's pretty perfect, actually. Brad pushes Zoey. I get both of them as company. We get in our plyos and stretching mid-run. Zoey gets to run around with a soccer ball. It's great. On the way back, we ran into a few friends at one of the local playgrounds, so we stopped to chat. So, we covered 4 miles, but we probably took about 2 hours to do it!! Super fun. Super easy. Belly baby felt fine. Zoey behaved. I love Saturday family runs.

Run: 4 miles
Plyos

17 weeks, 5 days

Running felt fantastic today, after taking a really light running week. It was raining too much for me to want to drag Zoey around in the stroller on my run, so I headed to the gym, set the treadmill to cover 5 miles at a leisurely 8:30 pace, and enjoyed an easy and uninterrupted run. Zoey behaved herself in the gym's daycare, which is a huge success!

Run: 5 miles

17 weeks, 4 days

Day off! I knew it had to happen, as I needed to finish running by 6 am if I was planning to run, and that would interfere with my new goal of trying to get close to 8 hours of sleep per night. So, no running today.

17 weeks, 3 days

Limited time today, and I'm feeling weird about not lifting much, so I sacrificed running time for lifting time.

Lifted: Upper

17 weeks, 2 days

Just a quick 3 miler today right after I dropped Zoey off at daycare. Brad treated me to a morning of relaxation, so I headed to the spa after my run.

Run: 3 miles

17 weeks, 1 day

It's time to bring back the wogging (walking/jogging). I didn't hit the wogging stage until well into my third trimester, I think. But, given that I started using my belly belt about a month ago for this pregnancy, and not until week 28 for the first pregnancy, I think comparing the two pregnancies is going to be a bit silly. I wogged somewhere between 5-6 miles on the Acton trails. About halfway through the run, I aggravated an old soccer injury (yes, the same ankle injury all my GBTC teammates know about), so wogged home. I'd like to say it was just in response to my aggravated ankle, but I was also just tired. So, it felt nice to be outside, nice to stretch my legs, but not the most aerobically taxing day.

Wog: 5-6 miles

17 weeks

Happy Mother's Day to me! After a delicious husband-made breakfast of eggs benedict, I headed out for a chirping, sunny trail run. I just did a quick 4 mile loop around the Rifle Range trails and pond, as we're meeting another family for brunch and a trip to a festival. I chatted with my mom the whole run, which was awesome. Felt fine - Achilles was fine. Heel was fine. Nothing interesting.

Run: 4 miles

16 weeks, 6 days

I totally did not prioritize running today. I prioritized gymnastics. I prioritized meeting a submission deadline for work. I prioritized playing with Zoey. I prioritized a one-on-one conversation with my husband. I knew I'd have to run during Zoey's nap, once I finished my article, as we had afternoon plans with friends. So, to that end, I had time for a 2.6 mile farm/trail loop. That's fine with me, though, as I'm feeling tired and clunky. I've gained 16 lbs so far this pregnancy, which is the same as what I gained by this time during my first pregnancy (even though I exercised A LOT more during the first pregnancy). I tend to gain my pregnancy weight early and then maintain/very slowly gain throughout the rest of the pregnancy. Last time, I gained 16 lbs by 16 weeks, and then 28 lbs total by 34.5 weeks when I delivered. So, I'm not too worried about the gain. The only thing that is frustrating about it is that it puts extra weight on my legs, which aggravates my right heel and right Achilles. So, I'll spend some time tending to that this evening when Zoey goes to sleep and Brad gets in his run.

Run: 2.6 miles

16 weeks, 5 days

I added an extra half day of daycare today, as I have a deadline tomorrow for a magazine article. I managed to finish the article with 1 hour to spare before having to pick up Zoey. Anticipating that this might happen, I set up camp for the morning at a coffee shop right by the Lincoln trails. So, once I finished my draft, I headed to the trails for a short run. It's a rainy day today - great for running - and the trails were deserted. I had to build in time to drive from the trails to Zoey's daycare, so I only got in around 4-5 miles (my Garmin wasn't catching a great signal). I didn't wear my belly band today, but interestingly enough, it was the easiest run I've done in awhile. Likely because there weren't really many hills. I stuck to the fields and ponds, making it a pretty flat run.

Run: 4 miles
Lift: Upper

16 weeks, 4 days

After a morning of driving around the north shore doing site visits for students, I was very happy to head out for a post-lunch run. I had to work throughout the run, but that's the benefit of having an armband and headphones, I suppose. So, essentially, I ran with my colleague and friend, A, around the Concord/Acton trails. My legs were feeling the extra belly weight today, likely because those trails are hilly. So, I took it easy, tried to focus on my research meeting, and soaked up the sunshine. I topped off the run with a homemade smoothie and am now ready for part two of the day!

Goal: I need to figure out how to prioritize sleep. I have figured out how to balance family, work, and running. Now, I need to strategize how to reorganize my time to get in more rest, especially as I'm noticing I'm tired throughout the day. Running mommy friends, if you have any ideas about how to do this, PLEASE let me know. The whole nap-when-your-kid-naps doesn't work for me, as my kid naps during working hours!

Run: 6 miles

16 weeks, 3 days

I forgot how tight my muscles get during pregnancy. I'm going to need to steal yoga time from running time. So, given that I just can't justify giving more than 1 hour/day to my favorite hobby, I did a short warm up jog and then yoga'd the rest of the hour away.

Run: 1.2 miles
Yoga

16 weeks, 2 days

Brad leaves for work at 6 am, right when Zoey wakes up. Today, however, she was up so early that they got some play time in before he had to head out. So, by mid-morning, Zoey was t.i.r.e.d. The weather was gorgeous, and I was hoping to run outside with her, but I was afraid she'd fall asleep in the stroller in the morning, miss her afternoon nap, and screw up any plans I had to work during nap time. So, we headed to the gym, which was great because 3 of Zoey's favorite gym buddies were there for her to play with. I did a half hour on the bike (originally planning for an hour but my knees kept hitting my bump) and a half hour on the elliptical. I was feeling a little tired today (we were up late doing some very boring insurance paperwork), so I'm glad the workout went okay. HR stayed around 135-140 the whole time. We jogged to and from the gym, stopping for neighbor chats along the way. Since it is so gorgeous out today (65 and sunny), all the moms in the area were out with their kids. Zoey saw so many friends on the jog home! I'm starting to look pregnant, not just chubby, as all the moms noticed I'm expecting. So, I'm finally passed that awkward stage. Yay.

Elliptical: 30 minutes
Bike: 30 minutes

16 weeks, 1 day

I told myself I'd run whatever distance I had time to get in before 3 pm. I had a bunch of things on my to do list today that had to happen before running, otherwise, I was worried I wouldn't be able to get them in before picking up Zoey from daycare. So, the electrician came and went, I painted a few touch up spots in the nursery for baby #2, I revised 2 manuscripts, edited my book draft, reviewed an undergraduate program proposal, submitted a grant, wrote a few thank you notes, rescheduled an ultrasound, made a dentist appointment, did 2 loads of laundry, and graded some biopsych exams. All that happened before 2 pm, so I got a full hour of running in. It was wonderful! The sun is shining, the trails are open and free, and the manure smell over at the farm I run through was slightly less potent than usual. That all makes for a great afternoon. Now, I have time to shower, grab a late lunch, and run to the grocery store before picking up Zoey. I teach tonight starting at 7 pm, so my absolutely favorite time of the day is from 5-7 pm when I get to be with Brad and Zoey without thinking about work!

I don't know how far I ran, as I ran on all trails and sandy paths. Just to be conservative, I'll log it as 6 miles. All real runners know we like to underestimate rather than overestimate our mileage!

Run: 6 miles

16 weeks

I enjoyed a great run with Brad and Zoey on Battle Rd Trail. We met up with some old GBTC teammates for a quick chat about halfway through the run. I think Zoey's max time in her stroller is about 45 minutes nowadays, so we did a quick 5 miler and let her out to roam herself. She loves running! As soon as we let her out of the stroller, she wants to run "like mommy", as she says. So, that's all the motivation I need to register her for her first road race on May 18th - a local 5k/kid's fun run. Can't wait! Belly baby behaved his/herself today, which made running much more fun for me.

Run: 5 miles

15 weeks, 6 days

Well, today was exhausting. And I hate using that word. So dramatic. But, that's absolutely the most accurate way to describe the run. Brad, Zoey and I did a really easy 4 mile run, with a few hills. I had to walk up the hills (5 or 6 of them) because I couldn't catch my breath! So odd!! We stopped halfway at the middle school soccer fields so Brad and I could do plyos and Zoey could run from net to net (her new favorite thing to do). We forgot to bring a diaper and wipes, and she had a little situation, so we ended up cleaning her up with her favorite pink hoodie and running the last 2 miles home without a diaper. In trying to brainstorm just why this run was so hard, I'm wondering if it was because I lifted hard yesterday. Or, we did the run in the middle of the day and it was a little warmer than usual out. Or, maybe it was just an off day. We heard the heartbeat yesterday and the doctor again said that we have a little squirmy babe, so I'm wondering if I'm just starting to feel the creature a bit more. Regardless, I'm happy to be done with this run and onto the next part of the day - a birthday party for one of Zoey's friends! Looking forward to seeing her with her little friends. This morning, at gymnastics, she and A walked around holding hands the whole time.

Run: 4 miles

Plyos

15 weeks, 5 days

Yet again, I multi-tasked by exercising and reviewing edits for my upcoming book simultaneously. I did a relatively easy hour on the elliptical, followed by lifting legs. Zoey allowed me to exercise for an uninterrupted hour by not pooping at the gym's daycare (without fail, she poops there).

Elliptical: 1 hr
Lift: lower body

15 weeks, 4 days

15 weeks, 4 day belly in second pregnancy = 20 week belly in first pregnancy. Oh well.

Despite the workload facing me this week, I couldn't let today pass by without going for a run. It's mid-60s, which is the warmest it's been all week. I went for a lunch time run, meaning that the trails were free of people. My run was too short, but still soooooo nice. I'm looking forward to next week, when I'll be able to get in a bit more mileage. Now that I'm feeling so much better than I felt during the first 14 weeks, I'm ready to hit the roads. I left my belly band at home, but I still felt fine - I just had the urge to pee more than usual :-)

Run: 5 miles

15 weeks, 3 days

I don't love these types of weeks - the ones when I have to multitask a little more than usual. This week, exercising and working need to overlap to fit in everything, so I spent an hour on the elliptical editing a manuscript. It's a cool manuscript - it looks at the relationship between life skills learned through sport participation and those required for success in the business world - so I'm excited to be editing it. But, I'm not exciting to be borrowing time from running to do it. Oh well - the semester slows down soon!

Elliptical: 1 hr

15 weeks, 2 days

I had Zoey with me today, and it was pouring outside, so we opted for the gym. Zoey loves the gym's daycare, which is such a relief because that gym has saved my sanity countless times this past winter. I needed to work while exercising (heavy work week), so I elliptical-ed while editing a manuscript.

Elliptical: 1 hr

15 weeks, 1 day

We drove back from D.C. through the night last night so Zoey could sleep in the car. It was sort of a success, with Zoey sleeping from 8 pm to 1 am. From 1 am to 4 am, she was wide awake and chatty. So, the whole car was wide awake and chatty. When we got home, we had a couple of hours of sleep, dropped off Zoey at daycare, slept a bit more, and hit the trails for a short shake out jog. I had to work throughout the day and teach at night, so exercising took a backseat. The trails feel a little more shaky on my belly than the roads, of course, so I'm running a little slower on the trails than I usually do.

Run: 2.5 miles

15 weeks

Today was a bit of a hurried day, as we had a baptism in the morning and family events all afternoon. I managed to squeeze in a 2.5 mile run early in the morning, but that was the extent of my day's exercising.

Run: 2.5 miles

14 weeks, 6 days

We had a lovely run around our cousin's neighborhood in Alexandria, VA. It was a family run - Brad pushed Zoey, Eric pushed Violet, and I carried all 2 oz of the new baby. The run was super slow and easy with a couple of good hills. No baby symptoms on my run today.

Run: 4.5 miles

14 weeks, 5 days

Today was a travel day to Washington D.C., so no running for me.

14 weeks, 4 days

Sometimes I miss living in the city. We lived in a fabulous area about 2 miles west of Fenway Park. We could walk into the heart of the city, had my favorite restaurants within a quarter mile, lived about 15 minutes by foot away from my brother, and had amazing city and river running loops out our front door. Moving out to the country really is a trade off. We lose the amazing restaurants (saving us tons of money) and the city access and gain a wicked commute to work. But, on the other hand, we have space to breathe and grow, a backyard that abuts conservation land, and we live on a pond. It's breathtaking. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of living out here is our close proximity to trails. Miles and miles of trails all around... Today, I did a 6 mile loop out my front door with about 2 minutes on a road. The rest of the loop was through a farm, along a stream, over trails, on sand, and on an abandoned railroad track. I saw 1 other person (wearing a Boston Marathon jacket) on my whole run. At one point, I stopped to take a picture of what was in front of me and behind me. It doesn't do the view justice, but it gives a bit of insight into my stomping grounds.

The belly band was awesome. I forgot how much of a difference I feel when I wear it. My legs felt great, belly felt supported, and posture was a little more upright than when I don't wear the band. 

Run: 6 miles

14 weeks, 3 days

When I'm not pregnant, I lift three times a week. Since being pregnant, I've dialed down the lifting. But, I miss it. It is one of my favorite parts of training. So, today, I just lifted - no running. I only had about an hour to dedicate to exercising, so I lifted upper and light core. It felt great.

Lifted weights: Upper/core

14 weeks, 2 days

Yesterday was Brad and my 8 year wedding anniversary, but we postponed celebrating so we could "marathon" all day. So, today is our celebration. We started the day with an easy 5 miler on the Lincoln trails, stopping to stretch at Walden Pond. Gorgeous day out. Time for me to pull out the belly band, though. Last pregnancy, I don't think I wore it until after I got back from China, so not until at least 6 months in. This pregnancy, though, everything is different. I popped earlier, running has been more uncomfortable, I've been slower, etc. So, tomorrow, it's belly band time again!

Run: 5 miles

14 weeks, 1 day

Happy Boston Marathon Day!

Today is one of the best days of the year in the Hayden-Kozel household. I thought I might feel a little bummed to be missing the race (I qualified for it earlier this year but chose not to register, banking on being pregnant when the race happened), but I was actually not all that sad about it. It was a bit warm, reminding me of the few times I've run Boston in 80+ degree heat. Still, our teammates and friends had a great showing. Top 3 women under 3 hours for GBTC. Lots of pals on the course. We watched from mile 19 with some friend. Zoey was particularly impressed with the motorcycles on the course.

It helped to run with K earlier that day. We did an easy 7 miles on the course, soaking in the pre-race excitement. I felt fine - a little tired on the uphills but we didn't push the pace too hard (probably 8:30s), so it was allllll good.

Run: 7.5 miles

14 weeks

It's the Boston Marathon weekend, meaning that almost all of our free time is swallowed up by running and running related events! I managed to squeeze a 2.5 mile run in the morning on the Acton trails with KT. It was great to have our dear friends stay with us for the weekend!

Run: 2.5 miles

13 weeks, 6 days

It's a gorgeous 65 degree sunny day here in Concord. The trails were clear, there were no cars in sight, and my favorite Pandora station was on top of its game. Perfect run. I'm looking forward to next week, when I let myself pile on a few more miles. For now, shorter runs will have to do! I'm feeling a little tired, but I can't tell if that's from the pregnancy or... an impending grant deadline, chasing after a toddler, a long work week, Spring gardening, gymnastics this morning...

Run: 4.7 miles

13 weeks, 5 days

Husband is home today! Yes! This means I can exercise when I want, how I want! Oh, how I love school holidays! I worked from home in the morning and did a mid-afternoon run to clear my head. The simplicity of running is so appreciated after a morning of manuscript revisions.

I found another Concord happy surprise today - more trails! When I was training for the Santa Rosa Marathon last summer, I did most of my running on a series of trails that span Concord and Acton. I hit those trails today - and found a new trail head! I can't wait to bump up my mileage so I can explore it more. For this week, I'm trying not to run far, as I'm just getting back into it after a couple of gym-only months. I ran most of today's run while on the phone with a friend, K, so it was almost like she and I were running together (thanks for the entertainment, K). I walked a couple of the big hills, but opened up my stride in the last mile or so and felt great.

Run: 4.5 miles

13 weeks, 4 days

Thursdays are a tough day for me to exercise, as my day starts at 6 am and ends at 9:45 pm (well, I walk out of my office at 9:45 pm, so it actually ends more like 11 pm). If I am going to exercise, I need to be done before 6 am when Brad leaves for work. That doesn't always happen :-) My default activity is yoga, as I can muster up the energy to do that anytime!

Yoga: Upper and core

13 weeks, 3 days

Since I am working from home today, I have the luxury of running whenever and wherever I want. I can't stress enough how much more I enjoy running at 12:30 pm with the sun shining compared to running in 5 am darkness. It snowed a bit last night, but not enough to really cover the trails, so I ran my favorite short trail loop around Concord. My body felt great and I'm starting to shake the 1st trimester rust off - I can feel the difference.

Run: 4.5 miles
Yoga: Lower and core

At it again... 13 weeks, 1 day + 13 weeks, 2 days

Since news got out that I'm expecting, I've had more than a few requests to revive the training-while-preggo blog. After the last pregnancy, I received a stream of feedback from people who also trained while pregnant, or who were conflicted about it, who enjoyed following my story. Now, after trudging through the first trimester of the second pregnancy, I am really excited to be able to dial up my running a little bit and even happier to share that journey with other women. To that end, welcome back for a few more months of real, honest, not-so-pretty pregnant running updates!

13 weeks, 1 day
Run: 3 miles easy (similar to the last pregnancy, I started the second trimester with minimal running and am building up the mileage slowly)

13 weeks, 2 days
Elliptical: 60 minutes (on days when I have Zoey and it's raining out, I head to the gym)