12 more months

I'm too tired to think of a creative blog title but next Sept. I hope to run my first post-children birth marathon (marathon # 16). I am thinking either Grand Island or Omaha since they're both an easy morning-of-race drive and no way am I traveling far with 1 yr olds or leaving them over night.

Today I had my first run, albeit slow and with lots of walking, since I had my boys 5 weeks ago. I ran a little 2 weeks ago trying to get out of the rain sooner on a walk but it was very painful. Now I've done more healing and just my legs felt quite heavy and my heart was just pounding. Granted it's also 90-some degrees, humid and sunny by the time I had them both fed and I was ready  (my mom is here this week so she stayed inside with them - they're too little to be running in the jogging stroller). 2.5 miles this morning around 14:00 pace, walked up all the hills and plenty of other places too. I still have a decent amount of wt to lose and am getting very little sleep but I do hope to be pretty consistent in my run-walking and hopefully before too long will be able to run a 10:00 pace for 6 miles and meet my running group for early  morning runs.

Whew! Hot and humid is a heck of a way to start a 12-month training cycle! Good job getting out there and starting to work the kinks out.

I'm looking forward to following your progress over the next year.

I hear you on the warm running temps.  They can definitely take a lot out of you.  Good luck getting back into the running swing.  Remember to take it slow and not try to do too much, too fast.  Hopefully this time off has helped your knee issues.

 Either a marathon or another twin in 12 months

Good to see you excited about getting back out there.  I'm so impressed with you gals (and guys) who can find the time and energy to run when you've got little ones.

Glad to hear you're getting out there to run again! I think at this point, have an attitude of 'anything is something' and maybe don't even calculate your pace, unless you want to specifically track improvement.  Just keep getting out there and running/walking as you need.  As the weather cools, the babies sleep and you sleep more, the weight comes off, and you keep at it, you'll be back to your old paces.  Congrats, and keep the adorable pictures coming!

Don't worry , my mom made them new blue burp cloths so they don't have to be on big sister's pink ones any more. But here they are a week ago. They've of course grown since then.

Thanks Mark, Nick, Jerry, Nancy and Kathy.

Today's run was canceled due to whatever illness I had to pick up. I think I have what my daughter had earlier this week but I have a fever, chills, and horrible body aches and with as tired as I am from being up about 1.5 hrs every 3 hrs during the night there was really no point in making myself more miserable by running a few miles.  Maybe tomorrow. But I don't want to push it since I am working really hard to make enough milk for J and N plus barely sleeping as it is so I will be more conservative than I would normally be.

Very cute, Julie.

I remember you have had some knee problems in the past. Since you're starting running again, I suggest you do something right from the start to strengthen that area. Do the short hill sprints, or lunges or squats or something from the beginning if possible to strengthen your legs as you build up. Just a thought.

thanks John. Yes I have had knee problems for forever. I need to get out my PT exercise sheet I was using last fall at the very least. It's just hard when I barely find the time to shower or get a glass of water, you know...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                


(my daughter learned how to left-click - thus her first post).

she's a character, for sure.

Didn't feel fevered or achy as of last night so I ran-walked 3 miles this a.m.. My quads are a little sore and generally feel stiff and out of shape but got it done.

Yeah! Take it one day at a time, but I'm so happy to see you at it again

Thanks Michele! It's been a long few yrs of on and off running.

(female warning)

with my aches and chills/fever I was pretty sure I got mastitis from milk stasis from sports bra. Not fun. But I didn't feel awful after Sunday's run so I ran another 3 mi this morning. I am hoping I don't have problems long-term or that that was the cause. I nursed my daughter for years with no problems with running. I nursed right before my 50K, right after, no problems...

Anyway, the 3 mile run-walk went fine. Feel a little creaky and stiff and need to stretch and get my PT exercises out (then find time to do them.).

Yipes. It just dawned on me that you have a bit of an extra challenge with TWO infants this time, so paying close attention to how your body holds up to the demands of breast feeding seems like a good idea. I suspect you may produce more milk with two, and are more likely to suffer from engorgement?

If you keep having problems, a consultation with a lactation consultant might not be a bad idea.

Just take the runs nice and easy at this point. Walk when you need to. It's all good. Just keep moving.

Thanks Mark. I am working very very closely with two lactation consultants. We're actually having quite a few problems so nursing them, pumping, feeding them bottled pumped milk is pretty much my life (and how I have so much time on the computer!) But they're healthy and growing well and hopefully things will smooth out in the next few weeks.

I went for a 2+ mile walk with my husband tonight each wearing a baby while my in-laws were at our house with our big girl so I think I might just not run in the a.m. Especially since it would have to be extra-early to be home and showered before Brian bikes to work.  Trying to stay somewhat sane in the midst of caring for the babies and getting back into shape and resuming home school preschool with J.

Wow, you have your hands full.

I can only imagine all of those demands on your time/energy!

Take it really easy, and don't worry about pace, etc. Whatever you get done will be good for you.

Those are some cute boys!

Thanks Michael! Definitely busy right now!

Yesterday I took the 3 kids for a 3 mile walk, I wore one of the babies and had big girl in the jogging stroller with one of her little bros in his rear facing car seat on the other side of the double. I'll try to remember to insert photo bc I had my husband take one.

This morning I figured I wouldn't have time for a run later since we have an appt this morning so at the last minute before Brian went to work I asked if I could go for a run. I just had to be back before he had to leave so I pushed myself pretty hard and ran 3 miles at 11:30 pace. That was really hard for me but I made it home in time for him and even showered before he left.

Man, it looks like you have your hands full!!...but it also looks like you got it all figured out, too

That's quite a pressure to feel when you know you need to get back for him to leave. I've gone for runs in the morning knowing I have to be at work at a certain time and without any slack time, I do pick up the pace as well. Good job with that run, I'm glad you are posting the pictures too.

I would say you pulled off the purple and green rather well, with not a hint of Barney!

Big sister looks happy, which is good, given your new distractions...

Looking great, Julie!  I'm so happy to see you working all this out - a happy Mom is always best!

Thanks all. I went to a twin mom group today and I am so glad I have walking/running because some of them agreed they needed something just for them. I said running and walking is my non-baby activity and whether or not I do it with kids it does help me feel better. Of course I'm exhausted anyway but I think getting outside 40 min to an hr is good for me in many ways. My heart is very out of condition, I can tell but what to do but keep at it, I guess.

Yeah that shirt is from Half Moon Bay marathon last Sept. I feel weird wearing a marathon shirt when I can barely run 3 mi but I don't feel as weird when I have the kids with me because it seems like it's pretty obvious why I am heavier and slower. The wt loss really picked up this week, though. I still have some extra fluid but mostly done with that and just have to keep at it. It's a balance between eating enough for milk production and not eating too much. Most of the time I'm too busy anyway. I got up early this morning after not sleeping much but I completely forgot about breakfast until 9 and then it was 930 before I had time to eat my then-cool and congealed oatmeal. Oh well! Just making up for yesterday when my in-laws bought us pizza, I guess.

Another 3 mile run today, Not as fast as yesterday but I think overall taking fewer walking breaks. I won't likely add more mileage until this feels pretty easy. I'm excited, though; I have a run planned with one of my friends Sunday morning. I'm such a social runner, it's good to be slowly getting back to running with my friends - at least the ones who are really fine with short slow runs.

Oh and I met with my lactation consultant today and she didn't think I had mastitis last weekend but probably just hormonal changes causing the chills. I'm not sure but she also said that exercise can actually help milk production so that was nice to hear since it's a constant effort to make sure I'm making enough for two hungry, fast growing boys!

Yay, hormones! (Never thought I'd ever type that...) Better than mastitis, that's for sure.

Enjoy the run with your friends! I like to think of myself as an antisocial runner, but I do enjoy it when my training partner and I get out there and talk on a long run.

Don't give wearing that marathon shirt a second thought. You earned it. And the miles and speed will come. Just be patient!

Great photo, too. You may want to think of hiring a team of clydesdales once those kids get bigger.