the Half Marathon

• two alarms set for 5:30 am
• zero alarms go off (one phone died...the other either didn't go off or wasn't heard/was turned off)
• luckily husband randomly checks the time at 6:17 am...three minutes before we had planned to leave the house
• ~6:45 am...actually leave the house, have a hard time getting a cab, cabbie claims he can't get us any closer than 2 miles from the start line
• so that's where we get dropped off

these race day early morning skies just get me...

• going back to my labor training post on July 1st...if you remember, I was supposed to be running a half marathon today
• well, as I've also mentioned...things don't always go as planned...a hard lesson for me to learn and accept
• long story short, I physically wasn't able to run this one
• shortly after July 1st, my training plan went out the window and got replaced with yoga, swimming, acupuncture  and light weights at home (all which kinda helped with the pain, but never fully relieved it)...while Jake continued to follow the plan (mostly) on his own
• for a while there, we weren't sure if I would miraculously feel better and make an attempt to race (surely slowing Jake down quite a bit), if Jake would race on his own,  or if neither of us would run
• I considered walk-jogging...but...even that didn't seem like a good idea, not just because of the pain but the amount of time it would take me seemed a little nuts...not sure I have the patience to walk a half marathon when deep down I want to be running
• in the end, I decided the smart decision would be for me to pull out, and I'm proud of Jake for still deciding to run today...a half marathon he was signed up for by his pregnant wife...to be there coaching her through the race...and ends up having to run for nearly two hours, covering 13.1 miles on his own
• what a trooper

• back to this morning...
• here we are, walking the 2 miles from the cab to the start, eyes closed, trying to get some rest on the way (maybe Jake's actually visualizing his gazelle-like stride)

• due to Saturday's heavy rain the race grounds were unpleasantly muddy...but we managed to locate port-a-pots, check our bag, and get in the start line by 7:32 am...a little later than we're comfortable with but we made it work
• game plan: Jake - run the whole thing, Becky - start and finish w/ Jake

EL PAPA ready to race!

LA MAMA +1 ready to cheer!  

• we were off...at a slightly-injured-pregnant-lady's pace
• after 2.5k, Jake turned right...

• ...and I cut out...as we had planned
• I had about an hour to kill before Jake finished his 15k loop and came back through toward the finish line
• luckily I was able to meet up with a friend who was cheering on some of her running friends
• we walked a bit, then made it back to the 18k mark...where Jake and I planned to reconnect
• and look who came running by shortly after...right on pace! (psst...don't tell Jake, but I think he's become a real, true long-distance runner...I mean he just goes out and rocks a half like no one's business...)

•  quick little family photo-op before finishing the last 3k together

•  Jake was sweet to let me start and finish with him...I wanted to somehow be a part of the day, even if I couldn't do the whole thing
• my pace was not ideal due to the pelvic pain...but it felt good to be out there for a bit, and we finished together
• because of the words on our shirts (EL PAPA y LA MAMA +1), we got some stares and a few comments on the last stretch...fellow runners asking if I was really pregnant, others giving us congratulations, etc. fun stuff
• it was turning out to be a beautiful day (and quite a warm race I might add), so we were anxious to get home for some food and R&R on the patio
• but then this happened:

• ya, that would be gear check
• we put our bags in one of these huts...they got "reorganized" and moved during the race, but the huts were not clearly labeled with which bib numbers were in which hut...so after Jake did this ^^^ for about 45 minutes while I sat on the side, I looked behind me to see more huts that weren't there before the race...so I wandered back, peaked into the window of one, and saw my blue bookbag...got Jake out of that chaotic mess, got the bag and we were finally on our way
• let's just say that this year's BA half wasn't quite as organized as last year's half
• a couple bump pix for ya...

29 week 5 day bump...making progress

my little one...hope you like your baby jogger when you come out of there!

• made Jake a little post-race brunch that he worked so hard for...french toast with blueberries and spinach omelets

• ...so although my "labor training" wasn't at all what I expected and hoped for it to be, I sure have learned a lot in these past 10 weeks
• a lot about pregnancy, and adjusting, and accepting...all of these changes aren't so easy
• yes I have easy days where I completely forget I'm even pregnant and I go about my busy day, shuffling from one thing to the next as if nothing is different
• then there are other days, or moments in a day, that are so uncomfortable, frustrating, tiring, a little scary, and even painful
• but you wanna know the best times?  when I remember there's a little person living inside of me...a little Jake/Becky combo. who we can't wait to meet...he/she keeps me company during the day...when I'm feeling alone, frustrated, tired...I often think of the baby and it makes me feel better
• so there you have it...the labor training half marathon complete
• now it's time to really get serious with these childbirth classes and get myself physically and mentally prepared for what's to come in just a short 10 weeks...AH!!!

and just for fun...a few photos from this past week:

• last weekend both our teams won!  GO IRISH! GO BADGERS! (wish we could say the same about this weekend's games)

• this was maybe my favorite day in a while...soaking up sun, on our patio, while watching the Irish...and at night we made smores over our little fire pit (we didn't leave the house, except to pick up sticks in the park for the fire)...heaven!

• brunch with a friend last Sunday...pop up/closed door type place - Brunch and Punch

 

• Jake found Miller Lite at the Disco last weekend...

what could go better with WI football?

• we went all out with a bulk order recently - kilos galore of almonds, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, adzuki beans, and rolled oats...all in the freezer for a few days to kill off any unwanted invaders...all those goodies shoved into an itty-bitty little freezer
• ...and Jake spotted Bazooka bubble gum at a party shop (gotta love those little cartoons that come inside...this one was in Spanish, of course)