Faith Laces

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...