I'm attempting a post-partum race!

Way, way back in the day, I used to use this blog to document athletic endeavors. I ran marathon after marathon, and even did things like 50 mile races and half ironman triathlons (well, just one of those). Obviously, things have changed just a bit in my life, and I no longer have any inclination to spend hours upon hours devoted to training each week.

However, I am still interested in staying in shape, losing the baby weight, and, to be really cliche, to have "me" time. That love of running - it's still there. Now, I consider a 2 mile run to be a sufficient workout for the day. The old me would have thought that was a waste of time, not worth dirtying running clothes. That version of me doesn't exist anymore, and any exercise I can get in for the day, a ten minute video, a walk with the stroller, it all counts.

Even parachute time at Gymboree.

Around the time Royce was born, something amazing happened. While the main reason I dropped off the running train over the past few years was that I was busy being pregnant and having babies, that wasn't the only thing. My running buddies, Lily and Jackie, both moved out of state for work. These girls got me through a half ironman, ultra marathons, and even the completely, utterly insane mistake I made called the GORUCK challenge.

We once swam, biked, and ran 70.3 miles. HOW. 

When they left, so did a lot of my motivation. THEY ARE BOTH BACK!!!

Makeovers and facials - once in awhile we hang out and do non sweaty activities.

Here's how it went down. The very first weekend I ran with Jackie after she returned to Baltimore, she was training for a marathon. I intended to run 3-4 miles with her. Four miles would have been the most I had ran since having Royce. The first leg of her run was 3.5 miles out and back (for a total of 7, for those of you fellow non-mathematicians like me). I figured I'd just hold on as long as I could. Somehow, I made it the whole 7 miles, and what's more, I didn't feel like I wanted to keel over at the end. This was a HILLY route too, Loch Raven reservoir, known  throughout Baltimore for being frighteningly steep.

I was really surprised I was able to hang on for 7 miles, so I began toying with the idea of running the Baltimore Half Marathon, on October 15. It was about two months away at the time. I decided if I could do 8 the following weekend, I could probably "train" in time and make it through the race. The next weekend, Lily was kind enough to join me for 8 miles, I survived, and signed up for the race that night. Training was officially "on".

Side note - I also signed up for the Baltimore Half Marathon last year, but then downgraded to the 5k since I was 8 weeks pregnant and had annoying nonstop nausea when the race rolled around. This year - it's ON. I hope.

Much like my intense running days, my days of following a training plan are over as well, or at least on hiatus. I decided I would keep adding one mile to my long run each week until I hit ten, which I did. Now I'm "tapering", or whatever, so I ran 7 this past weekend. As for the rest of the week, my goal has been at least 3 other runs, of at least two miles each, and I've been successful with that. I'm also getting in one non running workout each week. My current favorite is a Barre 3 video. It destroys me. SO. TOUGH.

I've had a few people ask if I'll be pumping and running since a picture of a woman doing that during a half marathon went viral this week. Um, no. I'll just pump or nurse before and after the race, and during the race, I'll just focus on, I don't know, maybe running?

While I'm excited for the race, I'm also really doubting my sanity, since training comes at the expense of sleep, and I'm no longer a spring chicken. I'm TIRED.

This guy...sleeps like a baby.

On Sunday, after a fun morning of attending a Wegmans grand opening and then big truck day at the zoo, I had great intentions of grocery shopping and catching up on housework during naptime.

The funny part about this picture is that I caught it while Dalton was yelling "NO".

Which would have worked out great, since the boys took an extra long nap, AT THE SAME TIME. This never happens. I accomplished one thing during that nap, and that was also taking a nap. It was absolutely glorious. Until I woke up Monday morning, it was pouring rain, and I had a sink full of dishes, no clean clothes, no clean bottles, and no food. So...I guess it's safe to say I'm still attempting to figure out the whole work/motherhood/half marathon training balance. I'll work on that. If I can stay awake.