Run, run, Mum!

Welcome to Run, run, Mum! 

Although I'm not new to the blogging 'world' (I've had a family blog for about a year), this is my newest venture, hopefully it will be an inspiration as I train for some races in 2012!

I haven't always been a runner. In fact, I used to hate it. Yes, hate is a strong word, but I used to hate it. As a high school and collegiate tennis player, I viewed running as a way to cross-train for tennis. And that's it.   After I graduated from college in 2005, I was a gym rat, rarely missing a day, but found myself getting bored of the elliptical (there are only so many episodes of Law&Order one can watch a week). My then boyfriend (and now husband) used to go to a spinning class on Sunday mornings. I began running the 6.5 or so miles from our apartment to the gym, and working out until his techno-filled strobe light class was finished.  I ran in the rain, I even ran in the snow, and slowly but surely, I grew to love it.  I began to love the way it made me feel (after the first two miles!), and the way it allowed me the freedom to eat more of what I wanted.  Then, one day B asked me "what are you running for?"  And, yes, I still blame him for this whole thing, and for our first marathon. It was his idea, and as we signed up for the 2007 MCM marathon sitting in a Panera Bread, I don't think he knew what a monster he was creating....

But, then in February of this year, I became a mum. It was truly the happiest day of my life, and I look at little O each day with wonder and amazement. Since then, I've had many ups and downs with running, as I am sure I will continue to experience. I ran while pregnant until about 27 weeks (there will be an entire entry about this sometime, promise!), and it was absolute torture to remain completely inactive for the 7 1/2 weeks while I recovered from my C-section. Since April 1st (yes, I remember the day I was 'cleared' to run again), I have found that running brings me a whole new sense of confidence, accomplishment, and patience.  I gained 35 pounds while pregnant, and have lost 41 since, but although running is the best exercise (except swimming, which I can not do well), it's more than a number on the scale. I've found how difficult it is to find stroller-friendly races, because let's be honest, sometimes B has better things to do than watch a bunch of runners in the cold weather. But I've also become faster, thanks to O's attention span!

Here I've collected the times of races I've run, and my PRs (*) - because you aren't a REAL runner until you have offical PRs, right? (you'll notice the distances have gotten shorter, ha!)

2007 Niantic Bay Half Marathon - 1:59:34* (with B)

2007 Marine Corps Marathon -  5:06:02 (with B)

2009 Marine Corps Marathon - 4:23:00*

since becoming a Mum...

9/2011 Danbury 10K - 52:35* with stroller

10/2011 Hartford Marathon Relay (leg #1 - 6.2 miles) - 48:28*

11/2001 Ridgefield 5K - 24:21* with stroller

11/2001 Rye 5K - 24:40 with stroller

Run, run, mum!