Do you believe in magic??

My first blog on the new site... Hi 365runners! Some of you I know, some of you I don't yet. But I have always found a running blog a source of inspiration and motivation, so I'm hoping this one will be more of the same!! For those of you who don't know my back story, I am a converted high school hurdler who started distance running in 2007 when I got the idea I should run a half marathon. That hooked me, and I find myself 5 years later with 6 halves, 2 fulls, and a multitude of shorter races under my belt. I was cruising right along until my husband and I decided to have a baby and I found out just how much the little munchkin would change my life. Not only did pregnancy sickness force me to stop exercising during the pregnancy, C-section recovery and then the life of a mom made finding time to run - and talk about it with my running friends - so much more difficult.

However, I know how happy running makes me. I know how great it is for me and how good it makes me feel. I love the stress relief and the time to myself (even if Abby is in the stroller in front of me ). So I keep trying. I have attempted a few blogs and have failed quickly, because it just seems to be the first thing to go when I get crazy. But I have officially signed up for a half marathon in November and I am going to try really really hard to keep this up because I know how much it helps me. And how much fun it is!! I apologize in advance because I know I won't be able to be as involved with all of your blogs as I have been in the past. But I am here to read, learn, and support as much as humanly possible!!

Here's to the next chapter in the crazy story I call my long distance running career...

The title of my blog. I just started reading Marathon Woman by Kathrine Switzer. In the first few chapters, she talks about how she thought of running as a magic power when she was young. How just running in her backyard gave her the confidence to do all kinds of wonderful things. I want to remember how running used to do that for me, and make it happen again!

I will be starting HH Novice Half Marathon plan in August in prep for the race (Thunder Road Half Marathon in Charlotte, NC November 12). For right now, I'm just doing some base building. 2 miles this morning with the stroller - 11:29 pace. UGGGH I am out of shape.

Glad to see you found us and are signed up for a race...you are going to rock it out this time. As Abby gets older it will continue to get easier. Good luck and remember to be flexible from day to day...the total at the end of the week (and training cycle) is what matters.

Hi Erin - nice to see you back at it again.

If it makes you feel any better, my last race before my daughter was born was the November prior to her Jun birth. My next race was also in November, 6 yrs later!!! I did run a lot over those 6 years, but with everything that goes on in life with a young child, I just never found the time to seriously train for a race. I even ran many 45- 50 mile weeks, but it was just running with friends to keep me sane and healthy. (I also travelled a lot with my job back then, so running was easy when on the road, but fitting in a race and taking up the weekend time with my family was too hard.) So in other words, I think we all get it around here.

Good luck with the training!!

You'll soon be back, better than ever!

So glad you are blogging again! I enjoy reading about your baby and all that, since my grandson is about her age! You will do great in November!

Fitness returns quickly with consistency. No matter how short the run, get your butt out the door and your paces will start dropping. Welcome back!

I admire anyone who will consistently run while pushing a stroller. Congrats on motherhood and your return to running. Good luck in your training.

How old is your daughter? And more importantly (from a stroller pushing perspective), how much does she weigh?

Good to see you here, Erin! Consistency does pay off and I know you can make this work. It is worth the investment of time even when you're busy because of what running gives back to you in feeling good.

Does your daughter like the jogging stroller yet? Mine didn't like it very much until she was over a year and now she requests jogging stroller runs...I still do most of them before she gets up though because it's easier for me than loading her up and then trying to remember to stretch with her and then showering while she is sticking her head in the shower and playing with the water....

Hi Erin, nice to see your new blog. I'm with you on the being out of shape, but it will come back, slowly but surely. I've heard good things about the Thunder Road half. Best of luck with the training!

Erin wrote: The title of my blog.

Sadly I have that Olivia Newton John song running through my feeble brain. Welcome back Erin -- keep at it!

Time to put on some real music . . .

Hi Erin,

I'm glad to see you blogging again. I hope that you continue to make huge gains in your fitness and feel better and better as you get faster and faster.

Matt W wrote:

Hi Erin,

I'm glad to see you blogging again. I hope that you continue to make huge gains in your fitness and feel better and better as you get faster and faster.

+1

Dave-O wrote:Fitness returns quickly with consistency. No matter how short the run, get your butt out the door and your paces will start dropping. Welcome back!

Yep no doubt I agree with Dave on this one Erin just stick with it and give it some time and it will all come back to you.

By the way yes "I believe in magic"!

Yeah! Welcome home!

You're going to do great in November and you know it! That fitness will come back! I promise!

I am overwhelmed with the support - thanks to all of you for stopping by!! So glad to see so many familiar faces

2.5 miles today with the stroller again - 11:16 pace. HOT. Hilly. But we got through it. I am SO excited for Whit (my husband) to be home next week (he travels a lot for work) so I can get some runs in without the heavy thing!!

In response to questions, Abby is 15 mo old. Unfortunately for me, she is in the 90th percentile for weight and is tipping the scales at almost 26 lbs. I know it means she is happy and healthy and growing well, but it doesn't make her easier to push! She is ok in the stroller for short periods of time and then seems to get bored. She is so mobile these days that I think she just wants to get out and run around. I caught her trying to get my running shoes on the other day - maybe she just wants to follow in mom's footsteps??

Another run in the books....awesome! Keep up the consistency and like Dave-O said, the pace will drop.

Sorta off topic, but on topic. This is a title of an AMAZING book that I read for Dr H.W.Brands at my doctoral course in history at A&M. I thought I knew all there was to know about the Peace Corps, but alas, I did not. The book is about the 1960's from the "survivors" of that decade.

Gottlieb talked to a diverse group of Sixties "survivors" and recorded their thoughts about the era and how it affected the course of their lives. She adds her own thoughts on where they were then as it relates to where they are nowas baby-boomers enter middle-ageand in so doing makes a successful attempt at putting that decade into historical perspective. In her words, her "book is . . . about . . . the ways we went too far . . . the friends we made and lost . . . remembrances of the Vietnam War and the anti-war movement . . . of drug and spiritual quests, of new forms of love and work. It's high time to tell our stories, and to say, if we can what their moral is."

Sorry to jump off topic.

Don't mind the sidenote Michael - that sounds like a great book!

Didn't run yesterday as I worked and gave blood. Giving blood is very important to me as my mom received 2 units when in labor with me, and neither of us would be alive today if it wasn't available. When I got down to the Carolinas, I got hooked up with a community organization and found out I was eligible to give blood that would go straight to the childrens' hospital. With a happy healthy daughter at home, I can only imagine what it must be like to have your child sick in the hospital. I'll do whatever I can to make those outcomes better.

Today I got out there for 4 miles without the stroller. Still struggling quite a bit. Hot. I eeked out a 10:58 ave pace but a lot of that was my last mile. I looked back at my old training journal from Chicago 08 and Grandmas 09 and a lot the "easy" runs in the 9:30 range?? I have a long way to go, but there is only one way to get there!!

Great for you to be able to give back in donating blood.

Wow, you have a big girl!! She is heavier than my almost 2 yr old!

Keep running, and you'll get the speed back....

Good job running in the heat Erin. Last Saturday on my long run I ran very easy/slow, but because of the heat my HR was closer to where it gets in a half marathon where I am really pushing the pace.

Yay for giving blood--that always makes me feel like a decent human being. They have signs in the hospital for blood drives that say that there's a 90% chance that you'll need a blood transfusion in your lifetime. During residency probably at least 2 or 3 times a week I'd end up transfusing blood to a few patients.

Wow, Abby is growing well! My nephew is 16 months and 25 lbs. I have never ran with a running stroller, but I was visiting this weekend, and my arms are sore just from carrying him all over! But better to be in the 90th percentile than underweight. In the end, it'll all even out, especially once they start running around and burning more calories.

It is great that you gave blood - you already know this, but be a little careful when running in that heat right after giving. You are doing great!

Thanks for stopping by guys! I know this isn't the world's most interesting blog, but it's already helping to motivate me in training

Went for a little run this morning. 3 miles. Don't have a pace - my baby has hidden my Garmin somewhere and I need to track it down. It was slow, we'll just say that. Legs felt really heavy.

Uggh - WHEN IS THIS GOING TO GET EASIER?? I remember that at one time running was definitely fun - I can't WAIT for those days to come back again!! Right now I'm just slogging through...

By the way, the emoticons on this site rock.

Give it time and before you know it you will forget how hard it is now, Erin.

Yeah it takes awhile...I don't know how long. It took me 9 mos but I was running pretty consistently pretty soon after Jocelyn's birth (I waited 12 days). Plus it's summer now and everyone is having a hard time. I bet this fall when things cool off you'll feel much speedier. In the meantime, just do your best and keep plugging away!