Rough Nights and Good Runs

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Our little family has been living it up this holiday season with fun time with our families, lots of running and good eating, time spent together just the three of us - it has been wonderful!  I've had some fantastic training runs and I am feeling good about the first two weeks of my half-marathon training.

I do not follow the plan I made for myself exactly, but I do have two things I aim to do each week.  I aim to meet the weekly mileage goal for that week and get in the longer runs.  If I don't make out a plan, I will run each longer run forever until I'm absolutely comfortable with the new mileage, and with the half-marathon being in March, I don't have forever.

Last week was my highest mileage week since Eloise was born and it felt GREAT!  The weather has been a tad brutal with cold and wind and rain and sleet, but thanks to Katie, Julia and Silva the pup, I have had some good company to help me get in the miles and take my mind off the elements.

It is a little surprising that the week went so well as far as running is concerned because on the sleeping front, things have not gone so well.  I think Eloise has started teething because she recently started sleeping only in tiny snippets.  This is hard on a mama who needs much more than tiny snippets.  Thursday night Eloise stayed up until 2 a.m. before she finally went to sleep, and last night was worse because she only slept an hour at a time before she awoke.  Most of the time I got up and patted her, returned her pacifier to her mouth and crawled back in bed.  That didn't always work, though, especially when it had been over 3 hours since she ate last.  This lack of sleep has only caught up with me twice that I could feel, but I'm hoping things improve... and fast!  It is hard to admit it, but this marathon running mama is being whipped by an infant!

But if I'm not sleeping, I might as well be running, right?  I started this week with a rest day following 8 straight days of running last week.  Then I ramped it up to 9 for the first time, but in a fun and easy way in order to ease my body into it.  Here is what the week looked like.

• Sunday - much needed rest day

• Monday - 9 miles - Ran 3 miles to my sister's house (8:30, 8:30, 8:12), ran 3 slower miles with her, ran 1 slower mile with Mom on the way home and ran 2 miles solo picking up the pace one final time.  I felt really good at the end and not at all like I'd just run my longest run since my daughter was born.

• Tuesday - Christmas Day!  I ran a 4 mile faster run on the treadmill.  It was a nasty rainy day and I was planning another long run the next day.

• Wednesday - 9 miles with Katie and the double stroller at 9:15 pace.  It was a FREEZING day but having Katie's company made it go much faster.  I ran 7.5 with her and then decided since I was out in that nastiness already, I needed to go ahead and finish out the 9 miles.  It felt really good, despite the cold and the sleet in my eyes.

• Thursday - 5.2 short and easy miles at 9:05 pace.  It was another chilly day, but I was glad to be out getting in the mileage.

•  Friday - Took a rest day since the weather was nasty again and Eloise had a crazy night Thursday night. I did however clean the entire kitchen and put up all the Christmas decor.

• Saturday - Another longer run with Katie.  She was doing 20+ miles so she couched me into the last 8.  I ran 7.5 with her and finished up the rest on my own, getting 8.2 by the time I reached home.

• Sunday (today) - I was beyond tired.  The weather finally cleared and although it was cold, it was beautiful.  I wanted to run on such a day but after another super rough night with Eloise, I had nothing.  I quite literally ached for sleep.  I ran a measly 2 miles, walked home, changed into my pjs, got my daughter and together we took a much needed 3 hour nap. I didn't want today to be a rest day since Friday was, but my body will only be the better for it.  I plan to ramp things back up tomorrow with a longer run again, so it probably will not make a difference in my overall training.  

Some days I can tell my body is that of a new-ish runner and there are little aches and pains along the way.  Other days, it is the old me running exactly like I did before and those days fill me with joy and gratefulness.  I love running.  And while this journey back to it from pregnancy is new and challenging, I love it too.  I am excited about my half-marathon training and looking forward to what the new year holds in 2013!