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Monday, December 21, 2015

2016 Milwaukee Running Festival Ambassador & Discount Code

I was supposed to run an event at the inaugural Milwaukee Running Festival last fall, but the end of my pregnancy had different plans for me.  I knew early on last summer that I wouldn't be able to run the marathon in the fall.  But, I heard from friends, clients and social media posts that the event was great, well-organized and overall a must-participate-in event.  Every participant I interacted with raved about the inaugural event.

I'm looking forward to serving as an ambassador again in 2016, and I can't wait to share my experience with you.  I am still waiting to see what my post-partum body allows me to do before I commit to the half or full marathon.

The Milwaukee Marathon course is a beautiful combination of city streets and parkways, and includes several of Milwaukee’s known landmarks as well as a diverse mix of neighborhoods. The entire 26.2-mile course stays in the City of Milwaukee. The race finishes at Veteran's Park in downtown Milwaukee.

November 5-6, 2016
 
Right now, registration is really affordable, and if you are on the fence, I would suggest committing to a distance before the new year.  The marathon is only $65 ($120 on race day) through December 31 and the half marathon is $55 ($110 on race day). 

Combine the above savings with the Running Diva Mom discount code:  RUNDIVA2016 for $10 off and you will have a really affordable event on your calendar for next fall.

There are also 5K and one mile events that you can register for that weekend.

Milwaukee Running Festival
November 5-6, 2016
Milwaukee, WI

http://www.milwaukeerunningfestival.com/

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Birthing Playlist

Recently, I read this funny article from Women's Running Magazine, which listed twenty ways running a marathon is like giving birth.  It was funny, it was familiar, it was true.  Even though I am being induced again, it makes me realize that I really can have a third "medication-free" birthing experience.  No epidural needed, because I have done it before and I can do it again.  Just like every 26.2 mile journey I run - and all of the training miles leading up to that point.  My body has prepared me for this.  I have great breathing techniques.  I know where to put my mindset and get in my zone.  I can do this.

I also recently have been watching The Business of Being Born and More Business of Being Born on Netflix.   Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein's documentaries have been pretty eye-opening.  They document the journey of women as they attempt medication-free births, home births, work without "medical professionals" to achieve their desired birthing experience.  The documentaries also show how things don't always go as planned, and sometimes mothers just need to adjust their expectations to get the same positive end-result.  It has been a very interesting series to watch.


The documentary touched on marathon runners several times and compared giving birth to that finish line.  Further, I saw that some women in the documentary were using ipods and calming music to get them through the experience without medication.  I thought - I make playlists all of the time for my long runs.  I run for hours (and hours!) at times to my favorite tunes that motivate me.  Sometimes my playlists are filled with pop music, sometimes rap and hip hop, other times singer/songwriters and rock fill my ears with the most moving and beautiful music that keeps me moving.  It's the emotion of the music that gets me through some of the toughest points of my runs.  Since Mumford and Sons always moves me to tears at miles 20-25 of a marathon, I opted to make a birth playlist that features them frequently.  "Lover's Eyes" and "Below my Feet" are two of my favorite songs that move me.  My emotional playlist includes many songs that strike my emotions and push me beyond my limits.  This includes many from Mumford & Sons, Ron Pope (songs from our wedding), Avett brothers, Adele, Hozier and more singer/songwriter types.  I look forward to seeing what these tunes can do for me and if I can go to "that place", as I do during a marathon.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Fleet Feet Sports Madison/Sun Prairie - The Power of Running: To Inspire Contest

Earlier this fall, one of my closest clients,  Nicky, asked me if she could nominate me for Fleet Feet and Mizuno's The Power of Running:  To Inspire contest.  This award recognizes individuals in the running community who have overcome their own obstacles through running, have inspired communities of runners or who have raised funds for charities through the sport.   I was truly honored to be nominated by my client and friend who has grown tremendously this past year through running - even completing her first half marathon.  She submitted my nomination to Fleet Feet Sports Madison/Sun Prairie this September.  Around Thanksgiving, I learned that I didn't win the grand prize, but that the Sun Prairie store would be sending me a pretty new pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire 12's.  I am so excited to try this pretty new pair of kicks after the new year.
 
I am so blessed to have so many wonderful clients who I am now fortunate to call friends.  I love running into people just like Nicky at Target or the grocery store or at a local park (or even better yet ...!) out running on a local trail.  I love catching up with them.  Hearing about their accomplishments since we last ran together, their struggles with schedules and family and time for themselves and just getting an update on what exciting things are going on their busy lives. 
 
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to nominate me, Nicky!
 

And ... my water didn't break on the bus ...

After a busy couple of weeks at the office, yesterday was my final day wrapping things up for a three month leave.  Very happy to report that my big fear of my water breaking on the city bus did NOT happen.  It was such a relief getting to the marathon mommy minivan after yesterday's bus ride.  After all of this counting down and waiting, the time has finally arrived.  I can't believe it.  I still don't think it has sunk in that I'm going to be off for twelve weeks with this sweet, little girl in my arms.  I am really going to cherish every single moment with this one.  I don't want one moment to pass by unappreciated.  I'm going to continue to try to slow down life a little bit and just enjoy all of the little blessings that come with having a newborn.  I'm also looking forward to having more time with the older two children and picking them up from school and having a lot of quality time at home this winter.
 
 
Yesterday was my final day of work.  Today was my final doctor's appointment.  We are all set to meet her next Wednesday.  Wow.  My doctor said that she will be making rounds on Christmas Day and will come visit our baby girl and I on Christmas morning before we depart. 
 
The other kids' birthdays are this week as well.  In a few days, I will have a twelve year old, an eight year old and a newborn.  Wow.  (again)  Throw in coming home from the hospital on Christmas Day (hopefully) and it's going to be a pretty exciting way to wrap up 2015. 

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Runner's Word Search

I have been busy making word searches for upcoming family and holiday time.  So, I decided to make one for runners, too.  (Of course!?)  The next time you have some (rare) downtime, sit down with a hot cup of coffee and complete this runner's word search.

Directions:  Right Click | Save Image As | Print Image

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Gestational Diabetes Update

Well, I am a little over two months into my third round of gestational diabetes.  It hasn't been that bad.  I admit, it was much easier until I stopped running at 34 weeks.  I was able to consumer more carbs at lunch and in the evenings, because I was much (much!) more active.  Even a two or three mile run at night lowered my blood sugars tremendously.  I was walking with the dog a couple of times a day and taking walks after I ate lunch at my desk.  That little bit of movement really helped me keep my numbers in check.   I am still taking my blood sugars four times daily.  A fasting a number in the morning and then two hours after each meal.  This requires me to time everything during the day - so I set a timer at work and at home.  My kids are the "blood sugar patrol".  Whenever the kitchen timer goes off, they come find in the house to let me know that it's time to take my blood sugar count.  They care about me and their little sister. 
 
A couple of weeks ago, after the time change and the cooler weather arrived, I became a bit of a couch potato.  We started watching a lot of tv (something I never ever EVER do) and I got a lot of projects done around the house.  My numbers around Thanksgiving were significantly higher, because I didn't adjust my carbohydrates accordingly.  With a little push from my doctor, I was encouraged to walk a little more after meals and keep moving.  The push helped and I was able to keep my numbers lower than the weeks prior. 
 
 
I get sick of eating meat, cheese and vegetables with a few carbs scattered here and there.  I love fruit and yogurt and everything I enjoy is filled with carbohydrates.  Some of my go-to staples have included cottage cheese, sharp cheddar cheese or swiss cheese with a some crackers, turkey sausage links for breakfast, maple turkey bacon, eggs, peanut butter sandwiches with low-carb bread, olives, pickles, sugar-free jello, light vanilla almond milk.
I haven't gained much weight at all the past month or so.  I keep going up and down with the same pound and a half on the scale.  Baby is growing, but my weight isn't showing it.  So, I'm doing something right I guess with my portion control.  I am still around 23-24 pounds gained during this pregnancy.  Almost half of what I gained each previous pregnancy.
This upcoming Tuesday marks 38 weeks and we will be induced at the hospital on December 23.  We look forward to meeting our little girl NEXT WEEK and hopefully bringing her home on Christmas Day.  What a wonderful gift we are receiving this year!!
 
I'm hoping that my blood sugars return back to normal at the hospital, that our little one has normal counts and that my post-partum check up reflects nothing by normalcy.

Spring 2016 Running Diva Mom Couch to 5K Classes Announced

The next round of couch to 5K classes will resume March 2016.  Check out page 20 of your Winter/Spring 2016 Sun Prairie Rec Connection Guide.

Registration opens December 15 through the Sun Prairie Recreation & Aquatics Department.  Registration opens at 9:00 am.

Register:
http://www.cityofsunprairie.com/226/Online-Registration

Couch to 5K in 9 Weeks:  Ladies Only
$39 resident / $59 non-resident
Includes technical shirt and pasta party donated by Market Street Diner
Class locations vary.  First and last class will be held at the West Side Community Building



Wednesday evenings at 6:30-7:15 pm for nine weeks
March 30 - May 25


or
Friday mornings at 6:00-6:45 am for nine weeks
April 1 - May 27


Are you interested in running your first 5K or getting back into running?  Join Jamie Adcock, Madison's Running Diva Mom, for this gentle introduction to running with other women.  Jamie's program slowly and painlessly prepares your  mind and body to run a 5K race in a supportive community environment.  We'll start off alternating between walking and running small distances and slowly build up endurance over the course of nine weeks, so that you're ready to run 5 kilometers - or 30-45 minutes non-stop for the Maureen Mengelt Memorial 5K on May 30.  Program participants will also receive a team shirt to wear on race day and we will have a post-program celebration after the last class. Race registration is not included in the cost of the program.


2016 Races / Coaching Schedule :: Running Diva Mom

April 16 - Parkinson's Half Marathon, Cottage Grove, WI
May 29 - Madison Half Marathon, Madison, WI
May 30 - Maureen Mengelt Memorial 5K, Sun Prairie, WI (coaching)
June 26 - Her Madison Half Marathon, Madison, WI (ambassador)
July 17 - Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, Chicago, IL (Got Chocolate Milk ambassador)
July 30 - Waunafest 10 Miler, Waunakee, WI
August 6 - Book'n It Run 5K, Sun Prairie, Wi  (coaching)
October 22 - Haunted Hustle 5K, Middleton, WI (coaching)
November 5 - Tyranena Half Marathon, Lake Mills, WI
November 6 - Milwaukee Running Festival Half or Full Marathon, Milwaukee, WI (ambassador)


2016 Her Madison Half Marathon Ambassador - June 24-26, 2016

I'm looking forward to serving as a 2016 ambassador for the Her Madison Half Marathon in June! Whether you are interested in the 5K event or the half marathon .... ladies, you aren't going to want to miss out on this unique victory lap on foot around Madison with other like-minded women!! What a fun, non-competitive and encouraging atmosphere!!!
 
 
2nd Annual DreamBank Her Madison Half Marathon & 5K! Madison's FIRST half marathon & 5K walk/run dedicated to women! Register for the Weekend Experience and enjoy a Friday night cocktail party, Saturday morning yoga & shake out run! Bib Registration includes Race Expo & Packet Pick-up, beautiful finishers medal, gender specific tech t-shirt, and amazing post-race party! Official charity partner: Girls On The Run of Dane County!
 
 

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Books 18-19 of 2015

I've been really busy with my reading this past month.  I've really enjoyed going to bed early and cuddling up with my flannel sheets and a good book.  I flew through the 400-odd pages in Nicholas Sparks', The Longest Ride last month.  I watched the movie with hubby earlier this fall and we both (yes both!) really enjoyed the storylines in the movie.  I quickly added this book to my Christmas wish list.  However, I found the book at Goodwill for $2 and gladly picked it up.  The book and the movie were slightly different, but I enjoyed them both equally.  They both followed the love story of a young couple on a ranch, experiencing early love and struggles during their relationship.  They both also follow an older couple that experience a lifetime of happiness and challenges during their marriage.  The book drew my right in ad I read chapter after chapter by the light on my beside table.
 
 
The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks
 
When I was browsing the aisles of Barnes and Noble for Christmas gifts, I came across Maternity Leave by Julie Halpern.  I also wanted to add this one to my Christmas wish list, but found that this new novel was available at my local public library.  And, it didn't have a long wait list.  A week later, the book arrived.  After I finished The Longest Ride, I started flipping through the pages of Maternity Leave and laughed hysterically with each page.  It was so funny and I related to her experiences so much, regarding child-bearing, childbirth and post-partum experiences while on maternity leave.  The book reminded me of some experiences from my time with Little Diva and Little Dude as infants, that I forgot I will experiencing all over again in a couple of weeks.  I had to recite several of the paragraphs aloud to hubby, because I found them so hilarious.  I loved that instead of chapters, this book divided each section into day-by-date occurrences with each day of the infant's new life with his mother.  I also loved her random, hysterical Facebook statuses scattered throughout the book.  I would highly recommend this book to any mother, expecting mother, or new mother.  You will relate to the experience and feelings so much and I loved how she said things that I may have thought, but wouldn't dare vocalize or share with anyone.
 
 
Maternity Leave by Julie Halpern
 

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Finishing 2015 with 935.85 miles

Well, well, well .... I feel like I'm in confession!!  I decided about a week ago that I am DONE RUNNING for the duration of this pregnancy.  I am now at 36 weeks pregnant and haven't ran for a little over two weeks.  The pressure, the need for potty breaks and how my body (mostly hips) felt after my last five mile run just made me throw in the towel.  It feels kind of strange.  Pretty outside of my element actually.  Like I'm missing something off of my daily to do list.  I miss it.  Running is a part of me. 
 
Despite that, I'm currently enjoying short walks with my husband and the dog.  I'm enjoying family holiday movie time on the couch.  I'm also enjoying working on projects around the house, organizing, writing and planning in my journals, and flipping pages of a book.  And yes, I'm planning my race schedule for 2016 after my post-partum body is ready to log miles again.
 
2015 was a pretty amazing year.  I typically log 1,000-1,200 per year and this year I came awfully close.  I am always pretty happy if I log around 100 miles per month.  Fortunately, this year I frontloaded a lot on the year!!  Finding out we were finally pregnant in April, while I was training for a marathon, didn't slow me down too much immediately.  But by fall, my mileage was starting to dwindle.
 
January - 109.9 miles
(Icebreaker Indoor Marathon)
February - 72.5 miles
March - 119.05 miles
April - 163.35 miles
(Parkinson's Half Marathon - didn't know we were pregnant yet!)
May - 120.5
(Door County Half Marathon)
June - 102.25
(Grandma's Marathon)
July - 81.9 miles
August - 60.1 miles
September - 53.05 miles
October - 29.25 miles
November - 24 miles
December - 0 miles

Total for 2015 - 935.85 miles
 
Door County Half Marathon around 6 weeks
 
Shortly after I got the positive pregnancy test, we were set to run the Door County Half Marathon.  Something that was on my bucket list.  We had friends running the events and/or in the area and it was difficult not to tell them our news.  I played a lot of mind games with myself that day, not knowing how much to push myself through the expected hills and the unexpected sun and heat.  But, I finished.
 

After 20 miles around 7 weeks

I also completed a couple 18-20 milers in the spring.  I wasn't feeling any different than normal and the doctor encouraged me to keep moving, to avoid a third pregnancy with gestational diabetes.

I started my second trimester with Grandma's Marathon
In June, Hubby and I crossed another race off our bucket list.  Despite criticism from some and encouragement from my doctor, we ran a full marathon together, Grandma's Marathon.  It was my slowest marathon ever, but definitely my proudest.  I ended up with several potty breaks (something that I never do during a race), but I never stopped to walk.  And we still finished well under five hours - together.

Around 26 weeks
I continued running and coaching throughout the summer.  A few miles here, a lot of miles there.  But most of my runs were 3-5 miles.  I didn't put many long runs under my belt for the remainder of the year.  Still, I remained pretty consistent with lacing up my running shoes and staying fit.  My belly wasn't a problem.  However, I often struggled with tight, painful calves while I ran in the heat.  Maybe a side effect from those charlie horses I encountered in my sleep.
 
Running for Two
In October, I found out that I unfortunately was diagnosed with gestational diabetes again.  I was further encouraged to keep moving and keep running.  But, I was slowing down.  At the end of October, I coached my last race of the year.  And my momentum started to get lost.   The pressure from my bladder and my four-five pound baby were starting take a toll.


Halloween Running
I ran a few times in November, but after an awesome, outdoor five miler that left me feeling rejuvenated and high in spirit, I could barely walk for two days.  I also walked/hiked 10 miles with hubby and the dog that day.  We really took advantage of the beautiful 60 degree weather we were having.  But,  I just overdid it.  That was a sign to me that I needed to slow things down and that I had to listen to my body.  Which I did.
 
Done running at 34 weeks
Today was my 36 week appointment.  My evening blood sugars have been high because I am no longer moving like I use to.  I'm also finding it difficult to get the dog out for walks in the evening because of the lack of daylight and cold temperatures.  But, Hubby and I have been trying to take advantage of bundling-up on the weekends while the sun is out and taking the pup for long walks.  My doctor encouraged me today to keep walking a lot - and keep my blood sugars under control for the next few weeks.  I really want to avoid medicine.

I lost another pound+ this week, which has me back to a 22 pound weight gain.  I am absolutely ecstatic about this, because I more than doubled my weight gain with the other two pregnancies.  For this, I am proud.

Our due date is December 29.  But, it sounds like I will be induced sometime later this month (before the holidays) and am looking forward to having a date on the calendar to meet our little girl.