Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A Mixed Bag

Mama got new shoes!

Specifically the Mizuno Wave Rider. Ooooh, aren't they pretty! Wave Riders have always been good to me, and they're not too clunky at 8.6 ounces. For a while, I went to the Mizuno Nirvana, a much heavier shoe weighing in at 10.5 ounces. The reason I went to the Nirvana for a bit was because my Wave Riders seem to wear out fast, but after reading Born to Run and trying some barefoot running on my treadmill I really wanted to go back to a lighter shoe. I seriously considered the Nike Frees, but one I was too chicken to try to them and two they weigh 8.2 ounces (not far off from my beloved Wave Riders). In the end, I opted for my favorite shoe. My hesitation to try the Frees stems from the fact that any pair of Nike running shoes I've ever owned have torn up my feet. I can't explain it, but my feet and Nike's just don't play well together. Anyway, new shoes were a must. I've been running in a pair that have approximately 1200 miles on them! Yikes! Not only are they pretty worn out, but they're ripe too. I don't usually wait so long between shoes, but I was having a lot of trouble deciding what shoes I wanted to buy. I was also trying to figure out what size I really am. Since pregnancy I've been having all kinds of toe nail issues. I've lost about half my toenails, including my two big ones. Sigh. I think I might have needed a bit more space in my shoes for swollen pregnant feet, but I didn't want to buy a bigger size and then have them be too big. I did opt for a bigger size this time a round.

Reunited with the concept row machine!

For our one year anniversary, my hubby bought me a concept2 rower. I'm a little odd. I much prefer exercise equipment to jewelry. In fact, I don't generally want anything...except exercise related equipment. Nick says this makes it difficult for him to buy me presents, but I digress. I love the row machine! It's such a great workout. Last fall when I wanted to run a 5K turkey trot yet I was still injured from marathon training, I did almost all my hard interval training on the rower. And I did manage to run a 20:15 5K even though my injury wasn't completely healed, so I believe strongly in the rower. The downside though...it is hard! I love that it works the whole core, arms, and legs, but it's so hard! Your entire body is engaged. As a result, I find it difficult to get into a zone. Therefore, since I've gotten my glorious treadmill, the rower has been sitting all by its lonesome self. Until about two weeks ago, when I decided I needed to cut back on running a bit. I tentatively got back on the rower, expecting it to be too hard, but it wasn't! I actually found it to be much easier than running. Weird. I'd like to get my running miles back up there, but my preferred method of cross-training is definitely the rower.

Where I stand with this running while pregnant thing.

I'm over 19 weeks pregnant! And just in case there are any other pregnant ladies wondering, I've gained about 7 pounds so far. As far as running goes, last week was better. My calves feel better. The weird shin splint thing went away. So all I was left with was a sore left hip/butt from a fall that took place with slippery socks on a wood floor. The hip was sore all week. Towards the end of the week I opted to take two days off from running. This was hard for me. Any other exercise I do now seems too easy. I can't even get my heart rate up on the stationary bike with the resistance turned all the way up, unless I do intervals, and I don't want to be doing intervals while pregnant. Even the row machine seems easy, much easier than it's ever seemed to me. As a result, I just want to run, but my hip was complaining. Anyway, I got in 40 miles and close to another 3 hours of cross-training on the row machine and bike. All in all, not a bad week.

Training Journal 3/30 - 4/4
Total Miles Run: 40.35
Total Time Running: 5:46
Average Pace: 8:34
Total Row Machine Miles: 12.1
Total Row Time: 1:35
Average Row Pace: 7:51
Total Stationary Bike Time: 1:25
Total Cardio Time: 8:45

8 comments:

Running and living said...

That is a lot of training, congrats! My Nike free's weigh only 6 ounces (I have the 5.0 v4). However, I think starting to run in them when pregnant might not have been a great idea. Ligaments get loosen up toward the end of pregnancy, and I do think that the more cushion/support, the better. Enjoy the Mizuno! I bet this week you'll be running more than me, since I am tapering:)

Dr. J said...

Wow!! You are dong great! I got a pair of those waves but they didn't work as well for me so I went back to Brooks Radius 7, but now I'm down to my last pair of those :-(

Thank you for your comment on my sister's story, I cried when I wrote it!

kristen said...

1200 miles-wow! My shins start complaining when I hit about 300 miles on a pair of shoes...

Unknown said...

Wow, good for you Katie. You are staying strong and fit, lucky baby! The Nike Frees are the "it" shoe around here right now, everyone has them at track. I'm sticking with mine right now but I have tried the Mizuno's you have and I like them!

Julie said...

Hi Katie,
Oh, I love the ultrasound picture:) I am glad that you are doing so well and that the pregnancy is going great! Nineteen weeks...you are almost halfway there!!

I think that I need to start experimenting with different shoes. I have heard that the Nike free's are awesome! I have never put on a pair of Mizuno's but would like to see how they feel.

I hope that you enjoy the rest of your week!

Jill said...

You're so amazing to keep up with this while almost half way through pregnancy - you rock!!! Love the shoes and glad they're working out for you! I love exercise equipment, too, best...but hey, if someone handed me a big old diamond necklace, I wouldn't complain :). Enjoy your day!!!

Lindsay said...

good lord that's a lot of miles on those shoes! i'm trying to tell myself it's mental and haven't been keeping track of the miles on my current shoes so that i truly retire them when my legs start feeling "off"/achy.

you must've been doing some intense erg'ing to not-run and still pull a 20:15! i am impressed.

Colette said...

I love and totally agree with your statement about wanting exercise equipment over jewelry...last summer we got my spinning bike...today, I just alleviated hubby from needing to get me any sort of gift for quite some time with the purchase of my tri bike! you are doing awesome! 9 hours of cardio while pregnant- nice job! I can't keep up! great ultrasound shot!