Faith Laces

Today I'm happy to welcome Pamela D. Williams author of A to Z Devotions for Writers. Her book is a must have for any writer. Not only is it full of inspiration, it's full of great tips and writing exercises. Pamela D. Williams, Author  of A to Z Devotions for Writers Welcome to my blog, Pamela! I'm happy to have you here.  To start off, who is your favorite author and is your writing style similar to theirs? My two favorite authors are Gladys Taber and Jan Karon. My writing style is similar to Taber’s and my life is similar to the one Karon writes about. What's your favorite part of a book? The ending is always bittersweet for me—I love the resolution to conflict and the time to reflect but I miss the characters. Who are your target readers? For A to Z Devotions for Writers, my target audience is writers, of course. My other writing is mainly aimed at the average adult who is a Christian. What are the major themes of your work? God’s grace and His po...

July 8 - July 14, 2013 6 Weeks Postpartum Nathan's been great about giving me time to run; he just hasn't been as cooperative about giving me time to write about it! Still keeping to the same schedule and including speed work. I'm back to running my old route on my long run days. Each week I add a bit more distance, but I'm not doing the entire 14 miles yet. Here are some photos I took along the way. Passing one of three dairy farms... Over a flowing stream... Past one of five corn fields... Storm clouds in the distance... Beside an apple orchard... And over railway tracks.

July 1 - 7, 2013 5 Weeks Postpartum Keeping up with the same schedule. I've also started doing speed intervals - running all out for a short period of time and then slowing back to my normal pace. I'm faster than I was when pregnant, but still not where I was before I was pregnant. Photo Credit - Faith Laces For my long runs I bought a new water bottle. It's from Runner's World. Pros - it's lightweight and easier to carry than a regular water bottle. Cons - the water still tastes like the plastic bottle. We had a great 4th of July holiday. At first Nathan's eyes got really wide when he heard the booming of the fireworks, but eventually, he was over it and ready to eat. Makayla was so excited for the fireworks, but as soon as they started she kept asking when they'd be over! Go figure! Photo Credit - Faith Laces

June 24 - 30, 2013 4 Weeks Postpartum Sunrise Photo Credit - Faith Laces I've fallen into a somewhat regular schedule of running 4 miles Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings and doing a long run (around 8-9 miles) on Saturdays. I noticed this week that the tight feeling I've had in my lower abdomen has gone away. It wasn't a painful feeling, but whenever I'd start running I'd feel a tightness in my stomach that would slowly fade as I ran, but this week it's disappeared completely. Another slight pain has developed, though - in my left knee. I notice it the most when I stand up after sitting for a while. It hasn't affected my running - yet. One thing I've noticed about running in the morning besides the beautiful sunrises, is cobwebs! I'm constantly running through cobwebs. I understand running through them when I run through a wooded area, but some cobwebs are seemingly just hanging in mid-air. I can't figure out what they ar...

June 17 - June 23, 2013 3 Weeks Postpartum Photo Credit - Faith Laces This week all my runs were in the early morning partly because of the heat, but mostly because I was helping with my church's Vacation Bible School in the evenings. I'm glad that Nathan cooperated with me because after VBS I was way too tired to go for a run. I love helping with VBS. I enjoy watching my daughter grow in her faith. I also find that VBS is a week-long boot-camp to strengthen my own faith. Sometimes simple reminders go a long way. Monday - 4 miles God's love helps us to stand strong. Tuesday - 4 miles Family and Friends help us to stand strong. Thursday - 4 miles Prayer helps us to stand strong. Friday - Yoga The Bible helps us to stand strong. Saturday - 8 miles Sunday - 4.5 miles

June 10 - 16, 2013 2 Weeks Postpartum Since Nathan is getting into a more regular eating schedule, this week I was able to increase the amount of time running and started tracking my mileage again. My plan is to gradually increase my mileage as I (hopefully get faster). On Monday I ran 4 miles in the evening. On my way home, it started raining, like heavy, buckets of rain pouring from the sky. I was soaked in seconds. At one point, a neighbor driving by in his car stopped and asked if I wanted a ride, but I was already wet so there was no point. I appreciated the offer. Getting rained on in the summer isn't that bad. The worst part was my cell phone getting wet - two weeks later it died. On Tuesday I ran 4 miles in the evening and again it rained, but this time it was light and refreshing. Thursday I again ran 4 miles in the evening. On Friday I did Jilian Michael's Yoga video which was a great workout. I was surprised to find that I was able to do the workout ...

June 3- 9, 2013 1 Week Postpartum   Since I'm trying to take it easy, I haven't really been tracking my mileage. My goal right now is to fit running into Nathan's nursing schedule. Monday I ran for 38 minutes early in the morning. Tuesday I waited until 7pm to run for 56 minutes. Thursday I was finally able to run for a full hour from 8pm to 9pm. Saturday I ran for an hour and a half. Sunday I ran for an hour. I'm definitely not back to my pre-pregnancy pace, but I'm faster than I was just two weeks ago. I miss running with my little guy. I think he misses running with me too. The only reason I'm not able to run in the early morning like I used to is because Nathan won't go back to sleep after he nurses. It's like he knows it's running time and he's ready to go! It's hard not to track my mileage and pace, but I don't want to push myself too hard too soon and end up getting injured. Nathaniel Lee 1 week old

May 27- June 2, 2013 39 Weeks Pregnant Monday I ran close to 6 miles. The holiday allowed me to run in the morning, but gave me a bit of extra sleeping in time since hubby was off work. Tuesday I ran 4.5 miles in the afternoon. Wednesday morning around 4am my water broke. At 5am my contractions started, and 2 hours, 44 minutes and no drugs later, my son was born. Nathaniel Lee 8lbs 2.6 oz May 29, 2013 Photo Credit - Faith Laces I'm happy to say that labor went according to my plan. Although I did say quite a few times that I couldn't do it, I managed to breathe through the pain of the contractions thanks to an awesome nurse. I do believe that running gave me the strength and endurance I needed; however, there was no way I could conjure up the relaxation I practiced in yoga. I took Thursday and Friday off from running. Saturday I ran for a half hour and Sunday I ran for an hour. I know, that sounds crazy, but my doctor said it was okay as long as I didn't...

May 20 - 26, 2013 38 Weeks Pregnant Since I'm writing this post so late, I think it's fair to offer a bit of a spoiler - this is my last full week of running before the baby arrived! Monday I ran around 3 miles early in the morning. Tuesday I ran between 3.5 and 4 miles early in the morning. Wednesday was the highlight of the week. I dusted off the jogging stroller and Makayla hopped in for a ride to the park. Once we got there, Makayla played for a bit on the jungle gym but then she was ready to run. Why was she suddenly so excited to run? We bought her a new running skirt. Nothing like a new outfit to inspire a girl! I'd say we ran about a mile. Sadly, Makayla was much faster than me! Makayla stretching before our run. Thursday was my long run, around 7 miles. Saturday I ran around 6 miles. Sunday I ran around 3 miles. My little 'Monkey' on the monkey bars. Such a big girl! 

May 13 - 19, 2013 37 Weeks Pregnant Photo Credit - Faith Laces This was a week of transition. Makayla 'graduated' from preschool on Monday, which means my dependable schedule of running 5.5 miles on Mondays and Fridays and 8 miles on Wednesdays is no more. This week I struggled to define a new schedule. M onday I woke up early and ran 3.5 miles because, although this was Makayla's last day of school, they didn't have regular class; instead they had a celebratory picnic. T uesday I ran as usual, getting in 4.5 miles. I took W ednesday off as a 'rest' day, but worked for three hours in the yard digging up the brick edging around two of my flower beds. T hursday I woke up early and ran 3.5 miles again, only this time it was in the rain. Thankfully, it was a much warmer morning and the rain didn't bother me. F riday was another 'rest' day with three more hours of digging up brick edging around more flower beds. Thankfully, my back handle...

May 5 - May 12, 2013 36 Weeks Pregnant Photo Credit - Faith Laces This week's highlights include spotting a tiny baby turtle and a live snake, both of which I stopped to photograph. As I paused, pulled out my phone and snapped the picture of the snake, it hit me how drastically different my runs are now than they were nine months ago. Photo Credit - Faith Laces Back then I never would have stopped to take a picture of a tiny snake or even noticed the tiny turtle because I was moving too fast and was too focused on my time to really take in my surroundings. Now that 'fast' is just a fond memory, I see a lot more when I run. Just a few months ago, this would have bothered me, but now with the 'finish line' of my pregnancy in sight, I can appreciate the differences in my running. While I'm looking forward to running at a faster pace, I'm also going to miss running at a pregnant snail's pace. I'll miss my little running buddy kicking a...

April 29 - May 4, 2013 35 Weeks Pregnant Photo Credit - Faith Laces Path at Wilson College M onday I ran in a steady, soaking rain. I had to borrow my husband's waterproof pullover. It did a pretty good job keeping me somewhat warm and mostly dry, but it made me look fat - not pregnant, just fat. T uesday I ran in the same pullover because it looked like it might rain again and it was sort of chilly out. Well, it didn't rain and I got overly warm so I took the pullover off and tied it around my waist - or rather, I tried to tie it around my waist, until I remembered - I don't have a waist anymore! The darn thing kept slipping off and I had to tie it around my neck, which sucked because a.) it looked ridiculous and b.) it kept sliding back and choking me. W ednesday I had to run early in the morning again because my daughter had another field trip. Thankfully, it's getting light out earlier and the sky was already a light grey when I set off. F riday I trie...

April 22- April 28, 2013 34 Weeks Pregnant Photo Credit - Faith Laces Not too much to report - but I can say it was a pretty great week! The weather wasn't too hot or too cold. I'm still able to run. I even managed to do my long run on Wednesday according to schedule. Although Friday's run didn't go according to schedule. Because I was going to be chaperoning my daughter's field trip during my usual running time, I had to run early in the morning before my husband went to work, which didn't leave me as much time. It also meant I had to run in the dark. I don't mind running in the dark, but I don't prefer it. I did however, get to run under a beautiful full moon. Photo Credit - Faith Laces If I had one complaint (and what would pregnancy be without some complaining?), it would be the need for very frequent potty breaks. It's annoying! It seems like I can't go a mile before needing to stop, which is very inconvenient. I have to ad...

Photo Credit - mconnors I hate to have come all the way to the end of the alphabet and fizzle out. It's like running 25.2 miles and walking the final mile! But this is all I've got for an essential beginning with the letter ' Z ': A z ip-up jacket is essential for pregnant runners (plop, fizz - oh how lame that is!). Non-pregnant runners also benefit from a zip-up jacket, preferably waterproof. It's essential to have protection against snow, rain and wind. For me, it was much easier to zip up my jacket in the fall than it is now. I had to wear my husband's jacket today as I ran through a steady spring rain. So that's it! The end of another A-Z Challenge. For all of those who dropped by and for those who stuck with me through the end, thanks for reading!

Yoga is an essential for runners and for pregnant women, so it's no surprise, I'm listing it is an essential for pregnant runners. Photo Credit - Microsoft Clip Art First of all, let me just say that yoga is so much more than sitting, breathing and meditating. I know that some people (my sister for one) have the misconception that yoga is a waste of time, which couldn't be further from the truth. Before I got pregnant, yoga was a regular part of my cross-training program. I liked doing yoga that moved quickly from one pose to the next and got my heart rate up. My preferred video was Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown . My goal for doing yoga was to strengthen my muscles and increase my stamina. During my first trimester, it was all I could do to run on a regular basis. I didn't do any other forms of exercise because I was too sick and too tired. Early in my second trimester, I realized that it had been a mistake to neglect my cross-training after an alarming ...

X-training (Cross-training) is essential to all runners, including pregnant runners. X-training is doing another form of exercise besides running. What? There's more to life than running? I know. But it's true. Doing other forms of exercise like swimming, cycling, Zumba, Pilates or strength training use muscles that running doesn't. Supplementing running with different forms of working-out makes us stronger, more flexible and most importantly, better runners. It also helps to prevent injury from over-training, which is crucial. My plan for x-training during pregnancy was to join a gym and take water aerobics classes. That never happened. I find that going to the gym is too much of an inconvenience. I like working out at home because I can more easily fit it into my schedule. I supplement my running with yoga and workout videos. The two videos I've used during this pregnancy are Pregnancy Fitness by Lindsay Brin and What To Expect When You're Expecting: The ...

A w atch is essential for all runners, pregnant women are no exception. W atches range from simple to elaborate. My current watch is the Timex Ironman . It's not very fashionable, but I never take it off - even, sadly to say, when I dress up. It's pretty comfortable. It has some useful features like a  100 hr. chronograph with lap or split option; 30-lap memory recall; 24-hr. countdown timer with stop and repeat capabilities and  i ncludes 99-lap counter, forward/backward setting and built-in setting reminders (taken from the website description). Of course, since I've been pregnant I've only ever used my watch to track how long I've run. All the 'features' have been neglected. Okay, honestly, I never really used the features before I was pregnant either, but I liked that they were there and always intended to use them. The two options lacking on my watch are a heart-rate monitor and GPS. After my daughter was born, five years ago, I had a watch ...

Photo Credit - Jeltovski Whether you are pregnant, running, doing both at the same time or doing nothing at all, v itamins and minerals are essential to our health. It's ideal that we get our vitamins and minerals from the food we eat, but in some cases, like pregnancy, a supplement is recommended (at least by my doctor). Essential vitamins and minerals for pregnant runners include: Vitamin B6 - Found in baked potatoes, banannas, chicken, tuna and fortified cereals. Vitamin D - Our bodies make it when we are exposed to sunlight, so running outdoors is a great way to get vitamin D. This is one vitamin that is difficult to get from food alone. Vitamin C - Found in oranges, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, green beans, and bell peppers. Vitamin B12 - Found in meat, dairy and eggs.  Calcium - Found in milk, yogurt, cheese, dark leafy vegetables and fortified cereals. Iron - Is found and absorbed most easily from red meat and dark poultry; however, as a vegetarian, I ge...

Okay, first off, this post is sort of a repeat of an earlier post. Partly because I feel it's an absolute essential worth repeating and partly because the letter 'U' was a bit difficult - okay, more so because I had a hard time thinking of a 'U' essential. A true expression of 'unwavering resolve'. Photo Credit - Microsoft Clip Art To run throughout pregnancy takes u nwavering resolve. Well, isn't that just another way of saying determination? Yes, and I warned you this was a a bit of a repeat. But that was 16 letters and 19 days ago! Surely a reminder is in order:) I resolved to run during pregnancy before it happened. When it finally did happen, my resolve was seriously tested by first, nausea and then later, lower back pain. To keep running, I had to unwaveringly focus on my goal. So far so good, but I still have one month and roughly 12 days to go. Knowing I've made it this far makes it easier to stay determined, but during pregnan...

Photo Credit - Faith Laces T ime is perhaps one of the toughest essentials of running during pregnancy to come by, especially if you already have children and a job. The keys to making time are determination, organization, routine and flexibility. The bottom line is that if something is important to us, we will make time to do it. During pregnancy a multitude of other things will seem more important than running, but remember that running is important for mommy and for baby. For mommy, running reduces nausea, fatigue, constipation and lower back pain. It also elevates her mood and energy level. For baby, running (or any regular cardio fitness regimen) increases blood circulation and placental efficiency, as well as helps to reduce baby fat without negatively affecting normal body weight. During pregnancy, there are plenty of important reasons to make t ime to run. For more benefits to running during pregnancy check out these posts from Onlymyhealth.com and Completerun...

April 15 - 21, 2013 33 Weeks Pregnant Photo Credit - Faith Laces This week in running can be summed up in one word - beautiful. I spent most of my runs capturing signs of spring! I'm happy to report that so far, my body is holding up! My prayer is that I can continue to run throughout the next month and 13 or so days (estimated due date is June 5th) and as soon as possible after baby is born. Although, I have to admit, it's going to be lonely running without him! Right now, I'm so much slower than I used to be, but I've accepted that and it's a price I'm happy to pay to have such wonderful quality time together. Lately I've even been reaching down and rubbing my belly and speaking softly to it while running. My 8 mile long run didn't happen on Wednesday because Lowes decided to deliver our new freezer without letting us know and messed my entire schedule up! I tried to make it up on Friday, but the forecast was calling for severe storms...

Saucony Cohesion 6 The great thing about running is that it doesn't require a lot of equipment. All you need are a pair of shoes, and some runners don't even bother with those! Although for me, s hoes are a running essential! Since I started running in junior high school, I've worn many different brands including, Nike, Addidas, and Brooks. I ran my first marathon in Brooks and loved them, but my preferred brand of shoe is Saucony. While the proper shoe for your foot type is always important, it's even more important during pregnancy when ligaments and joints are looser and more prone to injury. To determine what type of running shoe is right for your foot, take this test to determine whether you have medium, flat, or high arches. Medium Arches = normal pronation - can wear any shoe Flat Arches = over pronation - should wear motion- control or stability shoes High Arches = under pronation - should wear neutral-cushioned shoes without added stability or su...

A regular running R outine is essential to continuing to run during pregnancy. Photo Credit - kconnors Before I got pregnant the first time with my daughter, I was running sporadically. When morning sickness struck, I wasn't prepared for the severity and since I hadn't been running regularly, I didn't give it a second thought when I stopped running all together. Before this pregnancy, I was following a regular running routine- 5-6 days a week - so when morning sickness struck, I was too used to running to give it up and kept at it despite the nausea. I admit I'm a bit OCD and when I get into a routine, I tend to stick with it no matter what. Sometimes that can be a bad thing - like when the family wants to go hiking during my scheduled 'cleaning' time. But at other times, I can use it to my advantage - like with running during pregnancy.

Brooks Arch Tab Running Socks @ Dicks Sporting Goods I admit I've struggled with essentials beginning with the letter ' Q '. This one came to me a few weeks ago in the middle of my third trimester when I realized that all socks are not created equal. Q uality socks are essential to running during pregnancy. I splurge and spend a bit more money on socks specifically designed for running like Thor-Lo, Brooks, or Under Armour because I like the way they feel - thin but cushioned in the ball and heel, lightweight, but thick enough to prevent chafing and breathable to keep my feet dry. Experia Powered by Thor-Lo Running Socks @ Dicks Sporting Goods However, sometime around the beginning of my trimester, blame it on pregnancy brain, or just plain absentmindedness, I found myself running in plain old Hanes socks, which is why I believe I developed major blisters on the balls of both my feet during an 8 mile run. I might not have put two and two together if not for ...

I have a p lethora of ' P 's in today's post! Photo Credit - Walgreens.com It's essential to be p repared while running during pregnancy! P repare to fight morning sickness with P reggie P ops or p eppermints! Photo Credit - Google Images P repare for frequent p otty stops! P ublic restrooms and p orta p otties are essential along your running route. P repare to modify your normal running p rogram as p regnancy p rogresses.

Photo Credit - Microsoft Clip Art For me, o rganization is essential to running during pregnancy. Actually, for me, being organized is always essential to running. Planning runs into my daily schedule helps keep me on track . As I've written in other posts, pregnancy provides many excuses (some good and some bad) not to run. By planning to run and organizing your schedule around running, it's harder to put it off. Tips To 'Organize' Your Run Plan ahead - look at your weekly schedule and pick the most likely days and times when running is possible. Mark it on your calendar, 'to-do' list or in your daily planner. Track your completed runs - times, distance, feelings, ect. - on a calendar or running journal. Share your runs online through a blog or on dailymile . Track your runs through Apps, like  these listed on dailymile . Lay out your running clothes the night before. Keep your running shoes by the door. Be flexible - if you planned a 5 mile...

I interrupt my regularly scheduled A-Z post to bring you this special message. Today N is for No words. I have no words to describe the horrible tragedy that occurred at the Boston Marathon . My prayers are with the victims and their families. **** Good N utrition is always essential for everyone all the time. During pregnancy, it becomes doubly important because we are nurturing our bodies and another life inside us. And if we are running during pregnancy, nutrition becomes even more vital to not only nurture our baby, but to keep up our energy and health so that we have the strength to run. Photo Credit - Microsoft Clip Art Nutritional guidelines abound. A simple 'Google' search yields a ton of helpful articles with tips and meal plans. In the interest of keeping it short and simple, here are the tips I've tried to follow during my pregnancy: Eat foods that provide natural energy . Eat whole grains/high fiber. Drink plenty of water. Eat fresh fruit a...

April 8 - April 14, 2013 32 Weeks Pregnant  Photo Credit - Faith Laces It was a beautiful week, but at the risk of being labeled a malcontent, I have to say - it got a little too hot a little too fast. I was gearing up for warmer temperatures, but wasn't prepared for summer weather! On Monday I was finally able to shed my heavy winter fleece jacket, which put my 'bump' prominently on display. I felt a bit self-conscious in a t-shirt and running tights. But I'd been anticipating this change in wardrobe and only gave it a second (or third) thought before the rhythm of running soothed away any worries of curious stares. On Tuesday it was over 80 degrees and I had to shed even more layers and run in just a tank top and running skirt. I felt really exposed. When I asked Makayla if people would stare at my belly, she said, "Yes!" (For more of that conversation check out this post .) Despite worrying about being stared at, I went for my run through our ...