Sooooo, you wanna be a runner...

A good friend of mine recently asked me for some advice about running.  I don't consider myself an expert, by any means, but I guess 15 years of running and countless races have given me a bit of experience and I definitely know what works for me!

The first thing to consider is gear.  I've never been much of a shopper, so I tend to wear out my clothes before I purchase more!  I've posted a photo of what I wear for 10km or less.  The only thing missing is socks, and my faves are double layer from the Running Room.
My go-to store for running attire is called One Tooth.  There is a store in West Edmonton and one in St Albert.  Their clothing is LuLu-ish, but not as price-y and lasts forever!  (Probably why I like it...less shopping!).  I also tend to wear shirts I've earned from the races I've run.  They're something of a badge of honor, and it's really bad luck to wear a shirt from a race you didn't run...or so they say...
I invest my money in two places.  My running bras and my running shoes.  Both can make or break your running experience.  I've worn the same shoes for years - Mizuno Wave Rider, but have had to switch to Saucony Kinvara as a less padded shoe.  I'll try to elaborate on minimalist running another time - but I'm very new to barefoot running and I should do a little research!
Shoes are very personal and the best way to find your shoes is to go to a store - Running Room, United Cycle and Track & Trail employ runners and can help you into a pair of shoes that you will race home to put on and run in.  At least, that's what I always do! ;)
If you're a gal, then a running bra is important too.  Especially if you are gifted in the chest department, as I am.  Don't be jealous, we all have special attributes!
Running bras have come a LONG way in the years that I've been a runner.  I used to be a double bra uni kinda girl, but no one needs to run with a boob-tube anymore!  One of my first experiences trying on running bras included me, in a changing room, with a bra that was so tight that my right arm was virtually glued to the side of my head and my body was twisted and tangled into a Cirque du Soleil contortionist pose.  I nearly yelled for help and a pair of scissors.  I know if you've been running for any amount of time, you've had the same experience.  Sweaty-too-tight-bra-trying-on is just one of the trials that binds runners together!
You might also notice in the picture a rather large watch.  Yes.  That's a friggin watch.  And as you might be asking yourself, my left arm is much larger and stronger than my right because of it.  It's a Garmin GPS watch and it's something of a relic, as there have been many newer, smaller models released.  If you're reading this, Garmin people, I could use a new one!
A GPS watch will log your run.  It will tell you how far you've run, how much incline you've gained/lost and how many calories you've burned.  I'm sure it does much more than that, but those are my favorite applications.  It will also track your run/walk times.  This is actually why I wear it.  I'm a 10:1 runner.  I run for 10 minutes and walk for 1.
I also listen to music. I know.  It's dangerous.  Whatever.  Ke$ha and Brit keep my pace up.

Pile of sweaty running gear - missing socks...whoops!

After you've got your gear figured out, you are ready to head out!
The hardest thing about being a runner is getting your butt out the door. Once you're out there, it's actually quite easy. One step in front of the other! That's all there is to it!
As for run/walking, I really do believe in the Running Room and Jeff Galloway running programs, which both employ run/walking.
When I am easing back into running, say, after having a baby or a serious injury, I tend to run/walk for equivalent times. 1 minute:1 minute. Then I add a minute of running every week until I'm up to 10 and 1.
If you're not familiar with run/walking, then you might think that during a race this technique will cause you to have a slower time.
Not true at all.
You do not saunter during your walk breaks! You hustle! But this break allows you to have a little bit more pep in your step when you are up and running again and also decreases injury. There are studies about this, but I don't have the energy to dig them up...sorry. Just trust me on this one.
Once you've become totally addicted to running and haven't quite grasped how you lived so long without doing it (wha? that's just me? oh...), you will want to register for a race.
There is NO better motivator than an investment in a race. Especially if this investment includes plane tickets and a hotel room for a night or four. If you register for a half marathon six months from now, be damned if you won't complete it because your name will appear on the registration list for all to see!
And finally, if you've registered and trained for a race, then just get yourself to the start line. You might as well consider yourself a racer at that point because you WILL finish the race. Standing in the herd of runners, often huddling in scanty clothing at 6 or 7 on a chilly morning, you will feel like part of an exclusive club. And you are. You are a bonified runner.
NOT a jogger. What an insult! We are not leisurely bounding around, we are RUNning, and with purpose. NOT. F-ING. JOGGING.
That is all.

I thought I should include a picture of my super cute babes while they took a nap today. I knew you'd wanna see 'em.

www.runningroom.com
www.onetoothyoga.com
www.garmin.com
www.jeffgalloway.com
www.unitedcycle.com
www.trackntrail.ca

Just givin' props...

Puttin' it Out There

The girls and I have been away for the past three weeks vacationing with my Mom and Dad.  We've travelled together in their motorhome and miraculously, we've managed to stay friends!
Even more than that, we've created memories for the girls and I that will last a lifetime.
We visited family in Saskatchewan and attempted to enjoy the sunshine, however, we were only able to take in a handful of sunny days as the torrential downpour and storm warnings rain seemed to follow us everywhere.
Fortunately, with all the help I had to take care of my munchkins, I was able to do ALOT of exercising.  I ran, biked and did makeshift bootcamp workouts.  I even had my Dad do a couple of bootcamp workouts with me.  He did.............ok. Love ya Dad!
One of my runs was an 8.4km trek across the great plain of Saskatchewan.  Although I know that it's flat, (I mean really flat.  I mean there were several times I could see far, far ahead of me into the distance.  Like, really, really flat.) I still get nervous to do a distance that is further than I have run recently.  I couldn't help but think that only 1.5 years ago I would have turned around and run 8.4km 4 more times!  That is a crazy thought.  And also my ultimate goal.
I aspire to run another marathon.  But this time I would like to be lighter.  And, hopefully faster.
I would like to be kinder to my body.  This body that has never let me down, although I have asked it to run, bike, swim, burpee, jack squat, lunge, pushup etc. deserves more from me.
My girls and husband deserve more from me.  I deserve more.
During our beach days, I couldn't help but notice body types.  And I've come to appreciate the truly fit bods, as I will be on my own journey for the next year to become an envied body on the beach.  I want to be the "Wow, I can't believe she has two kids!" gal.  ;)
To get fit is only one step.  To maintain fitness is forever.
I've exercised my whole life and although I've never been slim (which is NOT my goal), I've also never been at a healthy weight for any lengthy amount of time.

Here are my girls.
Having girls will force one to consider what kind of role model one wants to be.
They are so young and beautiful and are not yet tainted by the ridiculous expectations of the cruel, vain world.
I know it's naive to believe that they will never diet or try to change the way they look, but I want them to always know that their Mom & Dad love them always.  No matter how they look.
I think that for me, it will be important to demonstrate how to live a healthy, active lifestyle.  To show them that nothing in life worth having is easy.  That taking care of our bodies is far more important that how they look.

These girls deserve the best me that I can give them, and that means that I must take care of me.

Aren't they fantastic??

My Natural Water Birth

So, 10 days after my ESTIMATED due date, Miss Ellie Connor Adams entered peacefully into the world.  Here's my labour & birth story.

Friday evening.  Overdue day 9.  My hubby and I decided to go to a movie in the city and leave Miss A with her Nana and Papa, since they would be with us until Tuesday.  We thought we would take advantage of the help, and go on a date while there were still only three of us.
During the movie, I started having some mild contractions that were around 6 minutes apart, but not very intense.  Came home, went to bed, but only two contractions woke me in the night.  This  had been happening for weeks.  I was not getting too excited, even though by then I was 10 days overdue.
On the morning of day 10, a Monday, my husband went to work, my Dad went to teach a course in the city, and my contractions came back.  I hadn't been sharing my contractions with my Mom, because until then, I was sure they would amount to nothing.  This time I told her and said that we should pack up A and head to West Edmonton Mall to walk so that I could try and gain some momentum.

I had an appointment for a non-stress test at the Sturgeon hospital at 1pm that day, so we walked around the mall, shopped, had lunch and then headed to the hospital.  My contractions were actually getting stronger and had a pattern!  My body was actually doing what it was supposed to do - naturally!!
At 1pm, I was hooked up to the fetal monitor at the Sturgeon, while my Mom waited in the car with A, who was sleeping.  It was supposed to take 30 min, and then we were going back to the mall to walk.
Instead, I was there for 3 hours - which included several blood pressure checks that snowballed into bloodwork and the threat that I might have to stay to be medically induced.
This was my worst nightmare.
Both of mine and my Mom's cellphones were almost dead at this time (darn contraction timers!), and we corresponded with my midwives from the hospital on 1% and 3% batteries.  When they asked how I was, I told them I was fine and that I would come in the next morning for an attempt at natural induction.  This was at 4pm.
By 4:01pm, everything changed.
My contractions were suddenly very clearly getting stronger and longer.
As I laboured in the parking lot of the Sturgeon hospital, my Mom ran inside to call the birth centre to tell them we were, in fact, coming.
My Dad was on his way to the Sturgeon and Blake had no idea what was going on.  Save for a couple of text messages, he thought it was just another false labour day.
My Mom drove, in rush hour, on the freeway, while I gave directions in between contractions.
We arrived at the Lucina Centre at 4:55pm.  I called Blake, who was just leaving work to go home.  He arrived at 5:35pm and I was already in the bath tub.
Labour was intense.  Easily the most intense 2.5 hours of my entire life.  I don't want to say that it was painful, because I trusted my body and knew that this intensity was necessary for us to meet our baby.
Because I'd had an epidural previously, I didn't recognize the urge to push.  When I finally decided that yes, I think pushing is next, it felt so good!  It was a relief to be working with my contractions and not just through them.
I started pushing at 6:00pm.  Ellie arrived at 6:23pm after only two contractions.  The cord was wrapped around her neck and shoulder, but she was perfect.
My Mom got to be present just as she came out and was placed on my chest in the tub.  A dream she had, and I was happy to be a part of, as she was my support during the entire day!

Even as I write this post, it seems absolutely surreal that only 9 days ago I had such a powerful life experience.  Natural birth is in a different realm from medicated births.  It is calm and peaceful and just seems so 'right'.
If there is ever a baby Adams #3, I would, without a second thought, be delivering at the birth centre again.
What a profound journey it has been and we are crazy in love with our new daughter!

PICTURES TO BE ADDED LATER

Two Days

I am two days away from my due date.
I was induced 5 days before my due date with my last baby, and so at this point, last time, I was already a Mom.
This fact makes it exponentially more difficult to still be pregnant two days before my due date.
I am fully expecting to be pregnant at this time next week, and possibly for the rest of my life.

Well, I'm sure the baby and universe have other plans.  But right now, I feel as though I will simply continue to grow a baby into a toddler within my uterus.

Every woman who has ever been pregnant knows that the last few weeks of pregnancy can be very uncomfortable.  But the very last week, if you are cursed lucky enough to make it to 40 weeks can be not only the MOST uncomfortable days of your life, but also very emotionally draining as you literally wait, and wait, and wait. To go into labour.
Having never had this happen to me before.  I continue to wait to fall into this mythical period, called 'labour'.
Every cramp, braxton hick contraction, back ache, I PRAY will turn into the most painful experience of my life.
I am currently PRAYING to be in an immeasurable amount of pain. That's right.  If that is my golden ticket out of pregnancy, then I want it, as Smegol wanted that damn ring.

I am hoping that my next post includes the addition of another occupant on the planet.
Otherwise, I will continue growing this baby into a toddler...

May Day!

My due date is 18 days away.
I was reminded of the power (READ: pain!!) of labour earlier in the month when I had several days worth of contractions that lead up to prelabour and then fizzled into nothing.
It was ok, because I'm not ready and I'd rather this little peanut put on another lb or two before making its escape.
It was ok except for the terrifying hour and twenty minutes of hard contractions.  Contractions that felt and could be seen as abdomen wrenching, tightening that released for what felt like JUST enough time to catch a breath before launching into the next.
Goddamnit.  What am I IN for!?!?!?!?!
It was an unpleasant reminder of my last labour, over two years ago.
But my last labour was induced, and in so many ways, I feel like my last birth experience was somehow "robbed" from me because of the chemical intervention.
The day of my prelabour, I had flashbacks to my first hospital labour when I spent, what felt like hours, but was in reality not even one hour, crouched over an exercise ball.  Crouched over this plastic ball, kneeling on a hospital floor while a nurse held a monitor to my belly on one side and my husband and doula spoke encouraging words on the other.
Each contraction overtook me.
After reading several books about birthing naturally, I now believe that a hospital is not an ideal location for having a baby.
I wonder if the "emergent" atmosphere of the hospital that night, was in some way responsible for my own feelings of inadeqaucy?
While I am terrified and excited for my impending birth, this time around, I am also aware that my surroundings will be very different, and this time I know the strength of my body and understand that this time the hormones surging through my body will be all my own, and not dripping through a tube into my veins.
Hopefully my "May Day" comes sooner, rather than later...

For the Love of Running

In my years of running (16 to be exact), I have come across many types of people.  I have had some of the most incredible supporters, and I have also encountered some of the most negative people I have every met in my life.
I run to spite the negative guys.
One of my most favorite sayings of all time goes along the lines of, the greatest accomplishment in life is doing what others say you cannot do, but do not quote me on that!
I truly gain more when I complete a race that is further, or faster than my doubters, or even I thought I could accomplish.  And believe me, I can be one of the most negative people in my own life - and that doesn't apply only to running!  But that's a whole other can of worms...
As my belly expands in size and I count down the weeks left to meet this amazing little person, I find myself daydreaming about my return to running and it is easily, and without doubt the one thing that I look forward to most once I am done being pregnant.
I am planning races, both short and long, familiar and new so that I can strive towards new running goals.  Running is such an innate part of who I am that I truly don't think I will ever NOT be a runner.
I am not built like a runner.  In fact, I believe that my gene lineage comes from a group of ancient Japanese Sumo wrestlers.  Seriously.  If you didn't know me and I told you I was a runner, you would probably quietly think to yourself, 'yah, I bet you run to the fridge alot'.
And I can't blame you.
I.  Am.  Not.  Built.  Like.  A.  Runner.
But I do it anyways.  And I in turn find it eternally frustrating when someone who is 10, or 20 or 40 pounds lighter than me say that they can't run.
EVERYONE can run.  But not everyone WILL run.
This post was inspired by a video that a triathlete friend of mine shared with me.  It is about two women, well into their 60s and 70s who have both completed a 100 MILE race.  I just wrote MILE.  That's 160 km.  Nearly 4 marathons, ran at once.
I want to be a Grandmother of Endurance, and here is the link to their running story.

Grandmother's of Endurance

Gold Star Parenting?

The learning curve for parents is anything but a curve. I'm not even sure one should try and graph it because it seems that as soon as you can pat yourself on the back for mastering something, the very next day you will fail miserably at it.
But I think that this is a mentality that is hard to kick, but also very necessary to becoming a great parent.
Parenting is about learning, but it isn't about learning to be the best.  It is about learning how to create a family with the people who live under the roof.  Your children don't care if your house is spotless, or that you can change your own tire.  They also have no interest in your own self-hatred, so stop beating yourself up for every damn thing!
Children are extremely observant and one of my biggest challenges, given that we will have two daughters soon, is making sure not to be too hard on myself.
When you don't have children, your inner voice can tell you all sorts of nasty things and you are more than welcome to listen and agree, however, once you become a Mom or a Dad, you are now the direct role model and first influence on your kids and the LAST thing I want to teach my girls is that television and magazines, and God help me, even those catty bitches in her kindergarten class are right.
So, the point of this post is that I really do think that parents should be giving themselves more 'Gold Star's' if they expect their children to be able to do the same.  How can I expect lil A and her sister to be proud and make the right decisions because it will make them feel good, if we as parents won't give ourselves the same permission?
Stop comparing yourself to other parents, stop beating yourself up because you didn't provide 4 food groups at breakfast, stop worrying and fussing over every scheduled detail of your child's life because in the end, the only thing they WILL remember is the time you spent with them.  Memories are not created from clean homes, gymnastics or play dates...they are built from time spent as a family having FUN!!
Good advice, right?
It's hard to follow, and even if you don't, I am of a strong belief that everyone's kids, no matter how you decide to parent them, will turn out JUST FINE!