Runiversary

So I'm starting this post on May 3, 2015, the 1 year anniversary of my first run. Knowing myself, I'll probably finish this post sometime in the next few weeks so if there is discrepancy in my dates and tenses, that's why. :)

So I don't want to rehash everything I already wrote in my blog post about preparing for my first 5K, so I'm going to focus on my stats for each month with comments for the following months. For each month I'll also pick my best and/or favorite run.

(Seriously, who am I??? Never in my life did I ever think I would be a runner)

(Also, all my stats are from my Runkeeper app. I did have some runs on a treadmill and on my fitbit app that I'm not going to worry about and I'll explain those later)

So in the month of May 2014, I completed 13 runs which also included my first 5K. These runs weren't highly planned out and looking back on some of my routes, I have vague memories of having to cut several of my runs short because I couldn't make it. :) I also was trying to get my routes down. So I completed a total of 35.39 miles. My first run was a 10:51 pace and I remember being frustrated because my next 3 runs were at the same pace. I think finally broke through and my fastest pace for the month was my 5K (9:57).

First run!

June 2014

Stats:

14 runs
34.88 miles
9:31 best 5K pace
3.12 mi longest run

This month I really started running around my parents neighborhood. It sounds crazy but I would run before Zumba. I know. It was the best way for me to run in the mornings when it was cooler and not have to worry about Claire. They watch her when I Zumba anyway so I would get there a little early and run then go to Zumba. I started out just running for 15sh minutes. By the time I caught my breath and got water and then drove to Zumba, I had about 30 minutes in between. I actually found that it wasn't too bad and made Zumba better because I already was warmed up.

This month was weird though because I had a mission trip during the day for a week and I was exhausted when I got home. By Thursday night though I just had to get out and run. We also went on a trip to Gulf Shores and I brought my running gear! It was fun running in a different location and by the beach but a little scary because I was running along a major street and not in my suburban neighborhoods! I'm glad I got out there even though I was on vacation and it made me feel better the rest of the day! (It's not always easy to make yourself get out there but you won't regret it!)

Because most of my runs were shorter, I did actually get some faster paces (9:09!!!) but I've decided to find my best 5K pace. At this point too I was still working on running the whole way through without stopping to walk.

Best run in Gulf Shores!

July 2014

Stats:

17 runs
40.89 miles
9:22 best 5K pace
3.14 mi longest run

So in July I became more consistent with my runs and slowly began to increase my mileage on my runs before Zumba. I also got a jogging stroller. I only did 3 runs with it this month because it's hard!! I call them my conditioning runs. I easily add 2 minutes to my pace pushing Claire (who is 1 at this point and probably weighs more than 24 pounds). But it is nice to have the option when I want to go for a run. I also had to start getting creative with the times of some of my runs because of the heat. I ran one Sunday super early before work at church (the only time I did this) and and the end of the month did a Sunday night run. Oooo! And also this month I finally got running shoes! They were expensive but they made a HUGE difference and I love them!

Fastest pace!!

Love my running shoes.

August 2014

Stats:

28 runs
85.16 miles
8:53 best 5K pace
4.78 mi longest run

So in August I honestly ran too much. At the end of July, Blake and I got on the app My Fitness Pal and had a weight loss competition going. The more I ran, the more calories I got to eat. I finally realized that running everyday without a rest day was actually doing more harm than good. I also started using the jogging stroller more to help me get in runs. I also had my first long run. I started trying to work those in on Saturday mornings.

I got into my pattern of running around 3 miles MWF before Zumba. Running with Claire and the jogging stroller on Tuesdays. Resting Thursdays. Long run Saturday morning. 3 miles Sunday night.

First long run! Brutal but I felt so accomplished when I finished.

September 2014

Stats:

19 runs
57.17 miles
8:33 best 5K pace
4.26 mi longest run

So I believe this month was when I really was able to run the whole way without stopping and it shows in my pace. I also ran my 2nd 5K which went well but not great. I got anxious and had trouble breathing. I still finished at a 8:45 pace. Before the 5K my knees started bothering me and after I had to take a week break from running to rest it so I went on walks. Took me about 3 weeks to get back to my pre injury pace.

Bearkat Bash!! Got 2nd in my age group... out of 5 people :)

My dad and me. Our first 5K together!

October 2014

Stats:

28 runs
92.91 miles
8:42 best 5K time
5.75 mi longest run

Pretty consistent with my runs. The cooler weather was nice and meant I could go with Claire in the jogging stroller in the afternoons. I had my first long run where I ran the whole time! It was a Sunday night and I felt good so I just kept running. I also got a FitBit October 13th which gave me lots of motivation to get out there. I went on longer runs/walks with Claire and walked on my rest days.

Amazing run. Dark which was kinda scary but felt great so I just kept running!

November 2014

Stats:

19 runs
75.69 miles
8:32 best 5K time
6.48 mi longest run

This was an interesting month. My pace isn't dropping dramatically like it did earlier but I was slowly working on getting it faster and focusing on my long runs. Had my 3rd 5K which was AMAZING! The weather was perfect and it wasn't very crowded so I ran by myself for a good distance which I loved. There is also a week which I have no runs recorded and it's probably because of bad weather. So I probably ran on the treadmill but I don't record my treadmill runs. Also, now that I'm running without stopping, I slowly worked on increasing my longest runs.

Bridging for Tomorrow 5K!

December 2014

Stats:

20 runs
80.54 miles
8:31 best 5K time
7.1 mi longest run

I am surprised that I was actually able to get in this many outside runs in December. I did a lot in the afternoons and had a cotton long sleeve. Actually, running in a short sleeve shirt was best because after the first 1/2 mile, my body temp got warm enough. My run on New Years Eve I actually ran in a short sleeve shirt and added gloves and it felt great. I also did a couple runs in Wichita Falls and I could definitely feel the altitude. That's actually where I had my longest run/walk. Claire was napping so I just kept going. :)

Fastest long run! I was stressed before this run and felt so much better after!

January 2015

Stats:

16 runs
56.75 miles
8:36 best 5K time
6.62 mi longest run

January is when the cold/rainy weather really hit so I did a lot more treadmill runs. Blech! This month I also did a couple of mile sprints to see how I could do. 7:45 pace!! I also got a thermal which really helped on the colder days. Before Zumba, instead of running 3 miles, I began to run for 30 minutes and see how far I could go. I would make sure and end close to the house and walk the rest of the way. This month I was going about 3.5 miles in 30 min.

Just...keep...going...

February 2015

12 runs
43.89 miles
7:59 best 5K time
8 mi longest run

More icky weather so more treadmill runs but I began to see how these actually helped! After months of my fastest pace staying around the same and my runs becoming more consistent, my pace dropped dramatically! I even checked the GPS to see if it had messed up because I couldn't believe it. I also noticed that I got some of my faster times when I was wearing my thermal because it was colder so that actually might have helped too. I also made it to 8 miles!! That run was hard but I kept going and was pretty proud of myself.

Fastest pace!!

March 2015

6 runs
22.27 miles
10:17 best 5K time
6.29 mi longest run

So in March I found out I was pregnant. We knew from the beginning that things were not normal so I didn't want to over do myself but I wanted to try and stay active. I'm hoping to do a separate blog post so I won't go into too much detail here but most of my runs included a lot of walk and many times I didn't feel up to running.

April 2015

11 runs
22.99 miles
9:00 best 5K time

So April was another weird month of course. Some of my runs got better but once I miscarried I of course had to take a week off. My runs after that were hard. I would lose my breath and have to stop and walk.

So that's it!! My first year of running! I'm happy to report that I'm able to run without stopping again and my pace is slowly getting back to where it was!

P.S. I love that I'm finishing this post almost 2 months after I started it! :)

First Week of Potty Training! and then it went downhill :(

So we started our potty training boot camp this week (last week) (I got lazy and didn't finish this post until today)! We decided to do it now because my parents were going out of town and they watch her several mornings a week so I can go to Zumba. :) Since our schedule was going to be off and no one else was going to be taking care of her, we thought it was a good time to try.

I honestly got lazy and really didn't do extensive research. I read some blogs and pins and talked to friends and just decided to go for it. I decided to have Claire in panties instead of completely bare from the waist down. I was hoping that it would be enough for her to notice. Based on some advice from a friend, I also picked up some puppy training pads to have her sit on around the house and for the car seat. :)

Day 1

So Monday morning, after breakfast, I put her on the potty. Sat for awhile and nothing. No big deal. I let Claire pick out what panties she wanted to wear and set a timer for 20 minutes.

(To note, some people set timers for 15 and some for 30, I decided on 20 because it just felt like a good amount of time)

Of course, 10 minutes later I watch her have an accident. We go running to the potty and I explain that she is supposed to pee on the potty. Change and set the timer again.

And for the next 2 hours, the same pattern follows. Sometimes she asks to sit and nothing. Sometimes I sit her and nothing, then 10 minutes later, an accident. Ugh. I didn't think I was going to make it. 4 accidents total in that time. Then finally, YAY!! pee pee on the potty!!!!

From 10:30 to her nap there was no more accidents!! (She only peed twice)

(Also want to note that some people recommend feeding your child salty foods so they are thirsty and drink a lot so they have to pee a lot. I am lazy so I didn't do this. :) I just tried to note when she was drinking and take her to the potty 20-30 minutes after)

I put her in a diaper for her nap. After she woke up and we cuddled, back in the panties. At this point Blake had come home because I was actually going through a miscarriage at this time (I know I was crazy to still try and do all this) and I was in a lot of pain. They were playing and he noticed she was pooping. Oh no!! Ran to the potty and she sat there for awhile as we cleaned up. Went to check and she had finished pooping on the potty!! Yay!!!

At this point we put her in a pull up. I was in too much pain and Blake was trying to take care of both of us. I actually ended up at the ER that night so obviously, potty training was on the back burner.

Day 2

Blake stayed home from work so I could rest and he could take care of Claire. Even with everything else going on, I was determined to keep trying.

Claire had swim lessons that morning so we didn't start until after lunch. We put her on the potty, nothing, put in panties. She had an accident 5 minutes later (of course) BUT this time she looked down and said "pee pee". Blake ran her to the potty and she finished in the potty!!! Yay!!! Progress!!

Same thing happened 20 or so minutes later. Said "pee pee", had a slight accident, and finished in the potty.

Day 2 continued with the same pattern. We would put her on every 20 minutes or so and most of the time she wouldn't go. But she would tell us when she was having an accident.

Day 3

Blake was back at work so it was just Claire and me. Same routine as before. Accident while watching TV and was so into her show she didn't tell me. We went to the library and I tried to put her on the potty when we first got there. I didn't think she would go but I wanted her to have the experience of a potty in public. I had her in a pull up for the library trip because I didn't want to mess with an accident. When we got home, I put her on the potty right away and she went! And she had a dry pull up!! Was she able to hold it? Awesome!

Still really didn't click this day. Still having accidents and acknowledging them but not going when we put her on. Oh well, persevere on...

Day 4

After Claire woke up, she said "pee pee" so I sat her on the potty. She peed and pooped!! This was our breakthrough day. She started saying pee pee and going on the potty! She even started saying pee pee when she was in a pull up at the park! (I told her to just go because there weren't any restrooms)

I stopped taking notes after this day and even though it was just a week ago. I do remember that last Monday (a week after we started) she was essentially accident free! We made a Sams trip in a pull up and she said "pee pee" in the middle of it. I ran with her to the family restroom because I remembered there was a small toilet in there. Of course some guy was in there NOT with a family (grrrrr). Luckily I was able to run in there with Claire. She was NOT happy to be on a different potty where she didn't feel as stable. I gave her some preemptive treats to calm her down and she went!! And her pull up was dry!!!!

YES!!!

She continued to do well Tuesday and Wednesday!!

Then Thursday some of the terrible twos started showing themselves early. She was saying pee pee and refusing to go sit on the potty.  She had several accidents that day. Ugh.

Then Friday my parents were home and watched her for the first time. Of course she had several accidents which I was expecting. Different house, different potty, different people. BUt then she continued at home. All the sudden she was the girl who cried pee pee.

Claire: "Pee pee
Me: "Need to go to the potty?"
Claire: "no"

3 minutes later... an accident

After a couple times of that repeating, I started putting her on even though she fussed. I think she was successful maybe once.

Today (Saturday) she hasn't gone at all on the potty. Our schedule has been off but still, she is being difficult. I'm really hoping this is a phase. I'm telling myself that she has shown that she KNOWS what to do, she is just choosing to be defiant.  

I'll leave you with a cute picture of my girl in one of her still moments.

Pre Potty Training.

I by no means think I'm a potty training expert but so far Claire is doing really well. I want to document it for myself and in case this helps anyone else. :) I also am under no illusion that Claire doing well is solely because of me and what I've done. I'll still try this method with my next kid but I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't work as well. But never hurts to try!!

So last December I got some more hand me downs from my amazing sister-in-law which included a potty. We went ahead and put it in the downstairs bathroom. When Claire would inevitably follow me in there when I was doing my business, I would explain to her what I was doing and show her her potty.

One day toward the beginning of January we didn't have anything to do so I decided to try having Claire sit on it and see what happens. (18 months at the time) She sat there for 25sh minutes watching Baby Einsteins and of course nothing happened. Eh. No big deal. A couple days later I decided to try again. She sat there and watched her cartoon and after 20 minutes, I checked and she had peed!! So we jumped up and down and made a big deal out of it. I then began to show her the routine. She wiped, we dumped it in the big toilet, she flushes, then wash hands. 

Since she was still young, we would only go to the potty every now and then. If she seemed interested in it, and we had time, then she would sit and go around 75% of the time. I do think part of it was that she realized she got to play on my iPad when she was on the potty. :) Most of the time when Claire says "pee pee" she follows it up with "iPad?"

I don't remember when she first pooped but my best guess would be toward the end of February. She told me she wanted to go and when I checked the potty, I was in for a surprise! At the beginning of March, we started added a treat (fruit snacks). So now "pee pee" is followed by "treat?". 

She is getting better at telling me when she wants to go. It is by no means consistent but recently we had a day where 3 times, she told me she needed to go, had a dry diaper, and went within 5 minutes. She has also started telling us when she needs to poop and we run her to the potty and she will go! Again, none of this is consistent. She still goes in her diaper most of the time. Sometimes she will sit there and do nothing. But I think its pretty darn good for no formal training. So far it has mainly been about exposing her to the potty and helping her understand what she is supposed to do on it. 

I'm hoping that this pre-training will help the real training to go smoothly. I plan on trying the boot camp method with her towards the end of this month (April). She will be around 22 months. I will try and take better notes so my blog can be a bit more specific for you guys. Wish me luck!!

I Did It!!

So if you know me at all you know that I have a horrible soda addiction. For the longest time it was Dr. Pepper. I've actually given it up twice in my life and all it takes is one sip and I back. I think it was my junior year in college and I made the switch to diet. On my honeymoon I developed a taste for diet coke bc it was my only option.

To give you an idea of how bad it was, there was a time when I drank 5-6 cans a day. I know. Bad. The last few years I got down to 2sh cans a day and stayed there. I've debabted giving it up before but here's the thing. I don't like coffee or tea. Just can't do it. So giving up soda means giving up caffeine. I also get migraines. They've been pretty under control for the last few years but I live in fear of getting one because they are awful.

So I've done a lot to be as healthy as I can (I know, I still need to post about that), but I was still clinging onto my beloved sodas. I kept reading about how bad they are for you but I would stick my fingers in my ears "la la la". One day last week, I read it for the millionth time and randomly decided, let's do this. Claire is sleeping through the night and we don't have anything major going on. I also know that I've done it before and I got to the point where I didn't crave them anymore. I also realized that sometimes I was drinking them out of habit and a fear of a headache.

I decided to try going slow in an effort to try and avoid the headache. I have bottles so I would try and sip instead of drinking a whole can. I would also treat myself with a yummy snack whenever I would want to drink. I ended up having a couple of bad headaches 2 days in a row but it's been pretty good since then. I've been totally soda free since Friday. I'm still craving it and it's hard because we still have cans in the house (Blake is working his way through them). I would love to get to a point where I could have some every now and then but knowing myself, it's not worth the risk.

Moral of the story. You can intellectually know what you should do to be healthy, but it won't happen until you decide to do it and are ready to do it. We all have different things going on in our lives that might make it harder. I'm not sure I could have done this while working full time, or when Claire was a baby, or when Blake was studying for his PE test, etc. Once you find the right time and decide you're ready, then DO IT! Research, read other stories, make a plan, and do it. I know giving up soda might seem like an insignificant, easy thing, but it's daunting giving up something you enjoy and knowing you will have to go through pain. And I've gotta say that I'm pretty proud of myself :)