Kristy, Author at Run The Long Road Coaching

pregnancy confessions

September 8, 2013 by Kristy 18 Comments

I’m just shy of the 6 month mark and time is moving fast but not fast enough, if that makes sense. Once I hit 20 weeks, time seemed to sloooow down. I’m hoping for a very fast Fall.

I’m grateful to still be feeling fine – other than feeling large (I’ll get to that later). But I do have some confessions…

I’m not sad to see the summer go
So long to BBQs, shore trips, and (not) drinking on the deck. Do I sound a bit bitter? I am. I really missed drinking this summer. Before you peg me as a binge drinker, let me explain. There is nothing quite like an ice cold beer over the summer. On the deck and down the shore. After a long run. Especially after a long run. I had no idea how much I would miss it. I think a lot of it has to do with being pregnant over the summer. I probably would not have minded as much over the winter (uh, maybe). And thankfully I’m not into anything pumpkin so my bitterness will not extend into the Fall with the arrival of pumpkin-flavored beers.

I did not miss training for a marathon over the summer
This shocked me. I love long, sweaty 20-milers during the summer (see why the ice cold beer comes in handy?). Again, I thought it would be bitter city seeing everyone train for their Fall marathon. Not at all. Guess it shows how much of a mental break I needed from training. I’m so happy with where my running is right now; I’m perfectly happy with 10-13 mile long runs. And I know that, come 2014, I’ll be fresh and raring to go again.

The weight gain is tough
Obviously this is something you know is inevitable but it’s still mind blowing. When I walk by a store window, I don’t recognize myself. I’m up 14 lbs, which I assume is normal (reading about “normal” weight gain would drive me more insane…so I don’t). This is the most I have ever weighed and some days it’s hard. To grow so rapidly out of your pre-pregnancy clothes (seriously, one week they fit and the next they don’t) and to have T-shirts be snug?! T-shirts?!?! Thank god for maternity clothes (also thought I would never say that). I can’t believe I resisted them for so long.

23 weeks, 5 days…and feeling large.

I’ll be waddling my way through the Philly Rock n’ Roll Half next Sunday. I’m feeling pretty good about it. Excited too. This is always a balls-to-the-wall race for me so it’ll be nice to enjoy myself. I’m guaranteeing a PW (that would be anything over a 2:16 – my first HM finish time!). I plan on walking through the aid stations and running very slow. This may be my last distance race until after the baby is born. We’ll see 😉

Any of your own pregnancy confessions to share?
Running the Philly RnR Half?

(running) lessons learned at 21 weeks

August 25, 2013 by Kristy 8 Comments

Running is still going fairly well at almost 22 weeks. It’s not necessarily blog-worthy – lots of slow miles – but I feel like I’ve learned some lessons along the way.

You never know how you are going to feel day to day. I used to map out my mileage and workouts for the week every Sunday. During the 1st trimester I still did that but then discovered it’s rather pointless. Good days and bad days come and go like the wind. These days if I feel good, I add miles. If I feel bad, I cut the run short. 6 milers can turn into 8 milers or 4 milers…it all depends.

I hold myself accountable for weekly miles, not pace. This sound like a contradiction to what I just said above. During the 1st trimester I was running 35-40 miles per week. Now I’m holding steady at 30-35 miles per week. I really strive to hit that weekly mileage for 2 reasons: (1) it motivates me and (2) why the hell not? If I still feel good, go for it. Things could change drastically in the next month. But pace is the one thing I cut myself some slack on. I stopped wearing my Garmin a long time ago. I’m slow and I’m getting slower. But if I hit my weekly mileage goal, all is good!

Lungs are fine, legs are sore. Some days there is so much tension that builds up in my legs (mostly my shins) that I have to take a short walk break to shake them out. I attribute this to the increased weight (concentrated in one spot) and probably gait changes as my body figures out the best way to handle its changing shape. The plus side is that I’m rarely out of breath (but I also run like a turtle).

The more support the better. I’m talking shoes here. I usually rotate between my Brooks PureCadence and Brooks Ravenna. A few weeks ago I noticed the PureCadence were not cutting it anymore. I could feel everything and I felt like my feet were working overtime. Again this is probably due to increased weight in one specific area.

Sundays are rough. I generally do my long runs (these days that’s 10-13 miles) on Friday or Saturday and, come Sunday, I’m just not mentally up for a run. Rather than take a rest day or bog myself down with a “longer” run, I do 4 miles and allow myself to walk/run. It allows me to get in a shake out run but also not set myself up for failure.

Motivation. I always thought running without training for something specific would be hard. I am running the Philly Rock n’ Roll Half in a few weeks but don’t really consider myself training for it. Instead, the biggest motivator (besides hitting my weekly mileage), is knowing that I’m doing good for myself and the baby. Cheesy, right? While I’m at it, I love running “with” the baby. He/she is the best running partner and our runs together are our special bonding time. I’m becoming a softy with this pregnancy!

Any running/exercise pregnancy lessons you can share?

halfway done and other updates

August 16, 2013 by Kristy 10 Comments

I officially hit the 20 week mark this past Wednesday and I would like to think that it’s all downhill from here but I know that’s not the case. I have a feeling that I just went downhill and the next 20 weeks will all be uphill. Good thing I like hills.

19-and-a-half week bump shot. We were going to a wedding. A little different from my pre-run, no make-up bump shots.

It has been a busy 2 weeks since I last posted. Let’s see…we went on vacation. My parents celebrated their 50th (!) wedding anniversary earlier this year and we celebrated by taking them to the Outer Banks for a week.

I got a nice surprise while on vacation – I was selected to be part of the 2013-2014 Oiselle Team! To be honest, I was shocked to be selected since I fully disclosed that I was 9 weeks pregnant on my application and would be doing minimal racing this year. Thank you, Oiselle!

Demonstrating the stretching capabilities of Oiselle’s Winona tank

The biggest news happened this past Tuesday – I passed my personal trainer certification test! To say I’m relieved and running around a little lighter (as light as I can be at the moment) is an understatement. This was something I always wanted to do but always put off.

One of my new favorite quotes…

I felt like I had a gap in knowledge being a running coach. I know a lot about running and training but strength training? Not so much. I got my certification through NASM, which is huge on movement inefficiencies and muscle imbalances. This is why I went with them (versus NSCA and ASCM); realizing it would be the perfect “addition” to my running coach certification and knowledge.

In the short term I plan on using my PT certification immediately with my running clients. Long term? I haven’t decided yet…but I definitely plan on using it in a greater capacity. I plan on doing a full post devoted to how I studied, etc. since I found similar posts helpful when I was beginning the process.

Have a great weekend!

training update

July 23, 2013 by Kristy 11 Comments

Training for what exactly? For a comeback in 2014? For a healthy, active pregnancy? To justify my raging sweet tooth? It changes each day but it’s definitely motivating me to get my butt out of bed each morning.

I alluded to 2014 plans a few weeks ago and many of you asked for specifics. My due date (1/1/14) is the perfect time for “comeback” training. I figure January and February will be spent on the treadmill walking/running and trying to acclimate to life with a newborn. Then, as the weather gets nicer, I can get back to running outside. My goal is to focus on getting my endurance back first and foremost and, with that, my speed will creep back eventually. I would love to BQ again but I’m being realistic. So I have my eyes on a 50-miler (JFK?) and maybe a marathon as training run. I have no idea what my fitness level will be like postpartum so I’m just going to roll with it and see where it takes me.

Now back to the present. Running is still going fairly well, although the non-stop humidity has been frustrating. I’m averaging 30-35 miles per week with long runs of 8-10 miles. I can’t really go any further without significant help from the treadmill, which I despise in the summer time (even though it’s in my basement). I can’t wait for a break in the humidity to put some decent miles in…although by the time that happens I’ll be pretty rotund!

Speaking of rotund…

I noticed a big difference in my stomach over the past few weeks and now I can see why. I also think my butt is getting larger? Or does everything just feel tighter in that region because my stomach takes up so much space in the front? Either way it’s bizarre to see your body undergo such rapid changes that you cannot control. Note: these pictures are taken pre-run on Sunday mornings…hence the perpetual half-asleep look.

Advice for postpartum comebacks? Other than slow and steady wins the race?

Any 50-miler options? JFK is at the top of my list but I’m terribly afraid of heights and, after reading the course description, I’m terrified.

exercise, heart rate, and pregnancy

July 13, 2013 by Kristy 8 Comments

This topic makes my blood boil! I’ll try and keep my ranting to a minimum and focus on the facts.

The facts:
– In 1985 the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) indicated that maximum heart rate during pregnancy should not exceed 140 bpm.

– In 1994 ACOG removed the heart rate guideline…”there are
no data in humans to indicate that pregnant women should limit exercise intensity and lower target heart rate because of adverse effects.’’

– In 2002 (and reaffirmed again in 2009) ACOG stated “in the absence of either medical or obstetric complications, 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise a day on most, if not all, days of the week is recommended for pregnant women.”

Heart rate hasn’t been part of the recommendations for quite some time now and yet most doctors still throw out the old keep your HR under 140 bpm nonsense. And it makes me want to scream.

In a nutshell, ACOG states that because of the variability in a woman’s heart rate during exercise throughout pregnancy, target heart rates are an unreliable measure of intensity (source – this is a great book, by the way).

So why do doctors still give outdated advice? To cover their asses, in my opinion. Can’t say I blame them either (in a small way). Patients lie. How many times have you lied to your dentist about flossing every day? I’m sure newly pregnant women often inflate the truth about their current exercise level (or lack of) to their doctors.

I think pregnancy is a wake-up call for some women to start exercising. In this population, heart rate guidelines may be the way to go (as opposed to The Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion) and maybe that is why doctors are still using this guidance. It took me a few years after I started running to really understand what my body could handle in terms of pace and exertion.

But to tell a runner (or any other avid exerciser) to keep their heart rate under 140 bpm is ridiculous. The first time I encountered such nonsense was my reproductive endocrinologist. Although his guidelines were far more strict – 120 bpm. I told him that was a brisk walk and those guidelines were outdated. He told me those were “his guidelines”. I left the office frustrated and that prompted me to do my own research (note: I never followed any heart rate guideline, just the Borg scale).

Luckily I was released to my OB at 8 weeks and she supports my running as long as I listen to my body. I have no issues with that recommendation – I’ve been doing that for many years and it has served me well so far.

The experiment*
Matt repeatedly urged me to do a run with a HR monitor just to see. At the end of May I set out for an 8-miler, HR monitor strapped to my chest, and didn’t look at pace on my Garmin. The result? An average pace of 9:15 and my heart rate never went above 144 bpm.

I was astonished! I never train with a HR monitor and I thought for sure my heart rate would be sky high. After doing all that research the common theme was frustration at how slow your pace had to be in order to stay within 140 bpm.

Go figure.

*I have to add that this was a one-time experiment (on a cool day) and I need to do it again (ideally monthly) in order to accurately see what my range is. I would imagine my heart rate to be higher now at the same pace with (sadly) some loss of fitness.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

1st trimester running

July 7, 2013 by Kristy 21 Comments

Time is flying. I’m just shy of 15 weeks and haven’t even mentioned running yet with my new training partner! Let’s recap the 1^st trimester of running, shall we?

Since I felt pretty good throughout the 1^st trimester I was able to sustain decent mileage (in my opinion).

Miles per week: 35-40*
Long runs: 10-13 miles
Race: ODDyssey Half Marathon
*with occasional drop back weeks of 30 miles

Pace
My pace slowed almost immediately, like I was running through molasses. At first this drove me crazy. I was getting passed by everyone and I was not happy about it. It took me a few weeks to put aside my pride and just enjoy myself. Now I pretend I’m training for an ultra – the slower you go, the better off you are. Just cover the miles and don’t worry about pace. Now that my mindset has been changed, running is pretty damn fun!

Long run fatigue
I didn’t experience much general fatigue in my 1^st trimester but long runs got rough. 13 miles was definitely my limit. I would get so tired I began to walk up hills and incorporate short walk breaks whenever I felt like it…just to cover the distance. This helped immensely.

I also noticed that my standard bedtime on a long run day became 8PM. Party hardy.

Boobs
I didn’t see this one coming! My $15 Champion sports bras were no longer cutting it. I have never really felt my boobs bounce while running (and I prefer it that way!). I swear it happened overnight. I woke up and had boobs. I finally sucked it up and bought more supportive – and expensive – Nike sports bras. I have a new respect for you well-endowed ladies and what you have to endure!

Races
1) Broad Street Run – 5 weeks pregnant (DNS)
I call this “sidelined with a case of pride”. I debated back and forth about this one. Race it? Run it for fun? Racing it was risky. It was so early in my pregnancy and 10-mile race pace is pretty punishing. I had a hard time justifying it and Matt felt the same way. Running it for fun was doable but you know what they say about race results living on the internets forever? I thought my slow pace would raise eyebrows (or maybe no one cared?) so I played it safe and sat out of the whole race. Damn pride.

2) ODDyssey Half Marathon – 10 weeks pregnant (1:59:31)
My first race of 2013! This race was on my bucket list for awhile but I never seemed to fit it in. It’s a small (3000 runners), low-key race in Philly. Runners can dress up in costume and can jump off course to participate in obstacle courses and games (I did neither).

Two remarkable things happened during this race: I didn’t stop to pee AND I didn’t walk. I felt pretty incredible actually. Obviously I had no time goals but secretly I wanted to come in under 2:00. Mission accomplished.

Splits

Elevation profile – sadly this is considered “hilly” by Philly standards.

Around mile 11, I met a RTLR reader (hi Dave!). This was the first time anyone recognized me for the blog and I must admit it was pretty awesome and gave me a nice little boost.

I wonder what I was looking at? And why is that girl on her cell phone?!

A medal that’s also a bottle opener? Perfect…6 months from now.

It feels good to finally recap a race on the blog, even though I didn’t technically “race” it. I have 2 more half marathons scheduled for 2013 – the Philly RnR in September (should be doable) and the Philly Half Marathon in November. I will be about 8 months pregnant so we’ll just have to wait and see with that one. I may be delusional.

And 2014? Oh, I have big, big plans Smile