A Recap: My first run post pregnancy. And the raw honest truth about running after having a baby.

January 22, 2016

I’ve written a little about my postpartum fitness journey. But I have yet to tell you about my experience with starting to run again after pregnancy.

Well I am back at it, running that is. As I said in previous posts the minute I got the okay to workout again I hit the gym, NOT the running trail. I chose to weight lift and try to build my strength back as much as I could before I went to pound the pavement.

It is true what they say, if you don’t use it you loose it. I stepped in the gym and belly flopped attempting to complete a single push up – just trying to put in perspective how much strength I lost during my pregnancy. Anyway, it was important for me to put on some muscle gains. I have heard to many times before, woman running hard after pregnancy, ending up injured and in PT. I wanted to avoid this, by getting strong again first.

Anyway after exclusively lifting for 6 weeks at 14 weeks postpartum, I decided I was strong enough to run.

The 2015 holidays approached and I debated on signing up for a family friendly easy 5 mile turkey trot. After much thought I finally decided NO. I didn’t want to be rushing out the door to run a race (even though it was only 5 miles) Thanksgiving morning- the holidays are busy enough. Instead, I would find the time on thanksgiving, on my own schedule to take a short casual run while my baby napped.

This run would be my first postpartum run. This run would be my first real run since the 2014 Turkey Trot. Yep, I hadn’t really ran in a full year. After the 2014 Turkry Trot I found out I was pregnant with Zoe, and from then on and through out my whole pregnancy my fitness goals changed. It was no longer about me pushing hard, taking it physically to my ultimate limit, but rather about us, and making sure I brought a baby girl safely into this world.

So on thanksgiving, I ran my first run post pregnancy. I grabbed my Garmin and laced up my Newton Gravity running shoes. I started my run a little slow, but picked up the pace. I ran my regular 5k loop around the neighborhood – mainly flat- one uphill, one down hill. To my surprise it was pretty easy. I ran the whole way. I felt great. I was running a 9:30 min/mile. Not as fast as I use to be, but not bad I thought.

And then…

I woke up the next morning with the worst knee and ankle pain.

They say the main reason for knee and ankle pain in female runners is usually because of a problem with the hips. During pregnancy everything expands to make room for baby, this is especially true for your hips and rib cage. Hips can even get tilted forward during a vaginal birth because of excess pushing.

Although I had a c section, I knew my body was different. Could this mean my form changed? Could this mean I needed a different running shoe?

When I woke up with knee/ankle pain I went to my local running store. They put me in a new pair of Newtons and got me on the treadmill to evaluate my form. Turns out (they said) my form is perfect… Which also means, there was no magical shoe to quick fix my problem. I was slow and just needed to keep practicing. It had been a full year since I moved my body like that and I just needed to get those fast twitch muscles moving again and strengthen my weak ankles.

Now at 5 months postpartum I am finally running more like I use to. The knee pain and ankle pain is gone – a fresh new pair of shoes helped. Also because of weight lifting, my lungs and heart are strong – the endurance is there. The endurance is there but the speed is not (and I was not a super fast runner before – I was average, not slow though.) I can keep going long and far on the trail, but my legs just can’t go any faster. So now it is time to strengthen my core and focus on speed work.

But here is the truth:

Any mama that seems to have jumped right back into it after they had a baby, is full of shit.

The raw honest truth- it may hurt. It is going to take time to feel comfortable finding my stride. It is going to take time to rebuild, speed and endurance again.

But once I do, I’m going to be stronger, faster, better runner than I have ever been before.

And since we are being honest, I am already feeling stronger and faster.

Happy Running!

Are you a RUNNER?

April 17, 2015

I found this very inspiring quote from, Tales from Another Mother Runner – the running book I am currently reading.

It doesn’t matter if you run 1 mile or 26.2 miles, you are a runner when you decide to define yourself as one.

The choice is your’s…. It’s that simple!

Happy Running!

Best Christmas Gifts for Runners – Part 2

December 22, 2014

Hey there!

I hope all of you are almost done with your holiday shopping.

But if you are not…

Don’t feel bad.

Did you know… according to statistics, Yesterday was the second most busy shopping day, of the year, (black friday being the busiest).

Anyway I have already posted last year’s awesome list which was Part 1.

Now I am going to reveal to you Part 2- this years list – The Best Running Gifts for Runners.

1) Newton Running Shoes

I wasn’t going to put shoes on the top of my list, because shoes are tricky. They are tricky because running shoes make or break your runner. The wrong shoe can cause major problems, even injury. However, if you know your runner, runs in a neutral or stability shoe then go head and purchase.

Newton running shoes are my favorite. They are a light weight, natural barefoot running shoe. I have convinced most of my running buddies to give them a try, and they fell in love. There is no turning back now. Above is a picture of Raiza wearing (yellow) Newton Distance – universal, Me wearing (orange) Newton Gravity – neutral, Lina wearing (purple) Newton Motion – stability.

The bright colors are awesome, and because 2015 shoes will be coming out soon, most 2014 running shoes, including Newtons, will be on sale.

2) Garmin Forerunner 620

I got this running watch in early fall, after I ran the summer w/o a watch because my old Garmin died. I still need to write a proper review. But this running watch is the Mac Daddy of all running watches! It is AMAZING!! Trust me it does everything, recording pace, mileage, cadence, heart rate, and much more. It is like having a running coach, because it actually evaluates your stride and running form. It is $400 w/o heart rate monitor, but find a bundle for $450 that comes with the heart rate monitor. It is way worth the money. This watch will bring a smile to every runner, because it becomes your running buddy and your running coach!

3) Pay for a Race Entry

Christmas doesn’t have to be all about material things. Races can be expensive and they start to add up. Paying for a future race entry is an awesome gift for any runner who is planning their 2015 race schedule.

4) Running Jar

This was my favorite Christmas gift I got last year. My sister made it for me. It is a really fun gift because the jar is filled with pink paper, blue paper, and green paper. The pink paper has a song title on it. The blue paper has a motivational quote on it. The green paper has a yoga pose or stretch on it. The idea is when ever you are in need for a new song on your running playlist, you grab a pink paper. When you need motivation to get out there and run your grab a blue paper. When you are feeling sore and need a good stretch you grab a green paper. The jar also was stuffed with running accessories such as socks and headbands. I love this idea.

I hope that helps.

It’s crunch time! So go a head and get that one last gift for your favorite runner.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Best Christmas Gifts for Runners – Part 1!

December 10, 2014

I hope you all had fun shopping on Black Friday, Small Shop Saturday, and Cyber Monday. I hope you found tons of great deals. However, if you have a runner on your list to shop for, I know your pain. Buying Christmas Presents for a runner can be difficult because we are so particular in what gear we like and need, and it all depends on what kind of running we are doing.

Well I got your back.

Last year I made a list of the best Christmas gifts for runners. The list was so good I decided to share it with you again. I am going to break this post into two parts. Part 1 is my last years list and Part 2 will be my top picks for this year.

So here it is Part 1.

click on the link below to see last years wish list.

It’s Crunch Time – Christmas Wish List for Runners!

Happy Running. Happy Shopping. Happy Holidays!

Above is a picture of a fun homemade gift my sister made me last year. It was awesome! I will tell you about it in Part 2!

Attention Runners: I want to hear from you. If you have a favorite running item that is on your Christmas Wish List let me know by commenting below.

Kara Goucher struggles at the NYC Marathon

November 10, 2014

Last Sunday was the New York City Marathon.

Kara Goucher one of my favorite female elite runners ran it. She went to New York, not in it to win, but hoping for a solid 2:28 race.

I remember my run last Sunday. It was windy. So windy my lips got chapped. While I was running, I was thinking… I hope it’s not this windy in NYC. If it is, there aren’t going to be any PRs, marathon times are going to be slow.

I constantly talk about the weather on this blog, as a runner the weather really does make or break us. In Kara Goucher’s case, it broke her.

She suffered…

Hit the wall…

and struggled to finish.

I recently read her blog post, A Bitter Sweet Return, and it almost brought me to tears. As I read her post, I felt like I was running the marathon with her, right by her side. There are so many emotional moments. Ones that include…

Deciding to run the first ten miles with the lead pack.

At mile 9, realizes the others aren’t intimidated and slowed down by the wind. Her game plan back fires. She went out too fast, causing her to burn out.

Slowing down running the next 10 miles solo.

Goucher spots Edna Kiplagat at mile 18, and uses her as a target. Unfortunately, she barely passes her, and never regains energy.

Continues running to mile 24, knowing her coach would be there. But being too delirious that she runs right by him, never seeing nor hearing his support.

Finally, Goucher makes it to finish line.

There is a quote that goes something like, “The only run you regret is the one you don’t do…” Goucher says she has no regrets… As a runner, we run races. Some end up good, while others bad.

“I have at times been criticized for showing so much emotion. I wear my heart on my sleeve and have never been good at “keeping it together.”

Goucher poured her heart out on her blog. And the reason why I found it so important to recap her race and blog post is because of that reason. She is so passionate. And I have always put elite runners in a whole different light. On a different level. Physically they are on a different level, but after reading her blog post I realized elite runners are really not much different then you and I. They have the same mental strategies, and the same mental break downs.

The wind effects them.
They go out too fast.
They don’t want to run alone.
They use other runners as a focus target… to run faster in hopes to regain energy.
They look for familiar support at mile markers.
They get delirious…
They make it to the finish line.
They never regret running.
They have determination that the next run will be better.

As a runner, I read Kara Goucher’s emotional blog post and totally got it. I’ve been there, and done that, but of course 2 hours slower.

Goodbye October, Hello November!

November 3, 2014

Halloween has come and went.

And, you probably feel like this right now…

But thats okay, because day light savings time gave us an extra hour of sleep… So now we are well rested and ready to take on November!

November is here, and I am excited. It is probably my favorite months.

These are my top 3 reasons why I heart November and my November goals…

1. I love November because it is so damn colorful!

On the first day of November, my husband and I left the city to spend some time in the country. The fun thing about living in the DC area is that you only have to drive 90 minutes out and you hit beautiful country roads. Virginia is also very historical! Lots of history are among these country roads.

2. Another reason, I love November is because it is so damn tasty.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. And this November I will be doing lots of cooking. I want to come up with some fabulous new additions to our traditional Thanksgiving. So be prepared for lots of food posts.

3. And the final reason, I love November is because it is the perfect month to run.

I wake up every morning with a strong desire to hit the trail. There is only a short time that the leaves are this colorful and I don’t want to miss it. Plus, soon it will be really cold and I’ll have to pull out my winter running gear. So these are the last weeks where the weather will be perfect for running. Also, I must run, to counter act all of the cooking, food testing, eating, tasting I will be doing in order to find the prefect Thanksgiving addition. So I will be participating in Pile on the Miles. (More on that later.)

Also CONGRATS to everyone who ran the NYC Marathon! You guys rocked it out!

What is your favorite thing about November? What dishes are you eating this Thanksgiving? Are you going to pile on the miles?

The story of why I stopped drinking Milk & a Cashew Cream Recipe!

November 1, 2014

When I was little, I refused to drink milk. I still remember the day my older sister scarred me for life. We were sitting at the kitchen table, and we were both about to down a glass of white rich creamy milk, when she said, “You know, thats from a cow’s boob.” She ran off smirking, when I on the other hand, immediately put the cup down with a look of disgust. I vowed, from that day forward, I would never drink a glass of milk again.

Now a days, if you don’t want to drink milk, or heavy cream you don’t have to. There are tons of dairy alternatives right on your local grocery store shelves. They are available and the variety is endless. However, there are sneaky additives to some of the most popular brands, and it is just as easy and quick to make your own, fresh at home.

When I started to cook more vegan and plant based meals, I noticed that most of the dishes that required heavy cream such as Clam Chowders, used Cashew Cream.

I first came across Cashew Cream in the, Isa Does It, cookbook. But today, I found another variation on the blog I have been reading, My New Roots.

Can you believe I made that creamy goodness from the raw organic cashew nuts sitting in the bowl behind.

So here it is, the Cashew Cream recipe…

INGREDIENTS

1 cup raw organic cashews
1.25 cups water
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Place cashews in a large bowl and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt and let soak for a minimum of 4 hours at room temperature or overnight refrigerated.
Once cashews have soaked, drain water.
Place soaked cashews in Vitamix, and add water, garlic, lemon juice, and sea salt.
Blend until completely smooth.

That’s all you do.

That’s it!

Enjoy as a replacement to (dairy) heavy cream in all of your recipes!

Have you made Cashew Milk before? What is your favorite dairy replacement?

Butternut Bisque with Coconut Swirl

October 29, 2014

Besides running and cheering on the marathoners. I have been cooking and eating. It is my all time favorite season. The leaves are changing. The air is comfortably breezy and crisp. Lucky us! We have been having some absolutely beautiful FALL days here in Washington, DC. And although it hasn’t been too cold yet, I am still craving everything fall.

One thing that defines fall is butternut squash. When I was growing up it was a special treat that my mom made only at Thanksgiving, but now it is a staple in my house. I love everything about it. I eat it all different ways, but my favorite way is in soup form. That is why when I came across the Butternut Bisque recipe in the cookbook Isa Does It, I knew I had to make it asap, plus its Vegan!

INGREDIENTS

1 large butternut squash
oil (olive oil or coconut oil)
1 medium onion
1/2 sea salt
3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more if you desire)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup coconut milk (extra for garnish)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS

ROAST SQUASH

TIP: (you can do cook the squash in advanced, and the soup will come together in 20 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the squash in half.
Remove seeds.
Brush the parchment paper with olive oil or coconut oil and place the squash pieces cut side down.
Roast for 45 mins. until squash is tender.
After squash is cooked let cool and continue with the soup recipe. If you are making squash in advanced, refrigerate the squash until ready to use.

LETS MAKE THE SOUP

Preheat a 4 quart pot over medium heat, add coconut oil.
Cut up onion, and add to the pot, saute until caramelized.
Add ginger.
Add garlic.
Mix in red pepper flakes
Add white wine and deglaze bottom of the pan, by scraping with a wooden spoon.
Peel and scoop squash.
Add squash to the pot.
Add vegetable broth (if you don’t have vegetable broth on hand you can use water.)
Add coconut milk.
Add maple syrup.
Add lime juice.
After everything is heated all the way through, add soup to you Vitamix. I actually use the soup setting, which continues to heat everything. Blend until smooth. If you are using a Vitamix it shouldn’t take long.
Pour bisque into a bowl, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and swirl coconut milk on top.
Enjoy!

What is you favorite way to eat butternut squash. I would love to hear from you. Let me know what you think about this recipe.

Hello Fall…

October 6, 2014

Fall has arrived. It is my absolute favorite season.

The air is crisp and it’s time to get cozy.

The things I am most excited about are…

I love the touch of soft warm colorful hand-dyed yarns that are later handmade into chunky knits. (I’m a knitter.)

I love the feeling of a hot and steamy Bikram yoga classes.

I love running, running, and more running. I love seeing the trees which are colorful along the running trail, then hearing the leaves crunching under my running shoes at each stride.

I love tasting… Spicy soups, smoky chili, butternut squash, pumpkin everything.

First pumpkin beer… 2 years ago at October Fest!

I love the smell of… Gingerbread, cinnamon, pumpkin spice…

I love hot tea, chai tea, hot cocoa with coconut milk.

Those are a few of my favorite things… What are yours?

Will the Apple Watch replace your Garmin?

September 11, 2014

The newest addition to the Apple family will be the Apple Watch, which will be released early 2015.

They have a couple different models, including a Sports model!

When Apple first announced they were releasing a watch, I thought the idea was stupid. But now that there is a sports addition I am very curious.

It looks really cool, but will it function as good as some of the leading brands?

Some of the Features…

Band is durable and strong. Yet surprisingly light and soft.
Sport models are as light as possible.
Made with strong scratch resistant alumina-silicate glass.
There are a variety of apps that will do things such as monitor your activity through out the day.
Heart rate sensor.
There are reminder features to tell you when your next workout is.
Data sharing.
It is unclear whether the GPS feature to track runs will be used from the iPhone. In this case runners will need to run with your iPhone.

The watch will retail $349.

Being a serious runner, my watch has become my running buddy. I am
pretty loyal to Garmin.

Above are the facts, but it will be interesting to hear reviews once the watch comes out.

Will the Apple Watch replace your Garmin? Which running watch is your favorite?

References:

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