BUT.
There is a big but.
I haven't been able to do many "all at once" runs. Since I've had Faith, I've always broken up my weekday runs between outside stroller miles and indoor treadmill miles, but on the weekend I would do my long runs as consecutive miles. I've done a couple of 7 mile runs all at once, but other than that, I've just done two or more short runs in one day. So my 9.25 mile run was actually a 5 mile run, then a 2 hour break, then 4.25 more miles.
It's not my fault though. It's her fault.
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| Bitch please |
See this sweet little face?
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| She knows how to work it |
She won't take a bottle. She's like a little smug hipster baby who not only insists on free range and locally grown food, but now she only wants it fresh from the source with no middle men involved.
At first she took a bottle just fine, but then she decided that she wanted no part of that business. We've been working on it (meaning my only involvement is pumping and then I hand the bottle and baby to my husband and tell him "FIX IT").
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| FIX IT |
Since we've starting trying to reintroduce the bottle (and changed the bottle type), she has taken the bottle twice. She only takes the bottle sometimes, so that means I can't just leave her and go out for a long run because I can't get home quickly if I'm 4 miles away. Because of this, I'm sticking to the treadmill. That isn't ideal for training, even with the incline at 1 or 2%. Also, she seems to enjoy her milk shaken, not stirred because she always gets hungry when I'm about halfway through my run.
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| Mommy, milk jokes are gross. |
I'm seriously considering running at 4:30 in the morning after I get her back to sleep after her 3:30am feeding just so I can get the whole thing done (she usually sleeps until 8-9am after that feeding). I have a head lamp, so I guess I could just go outside too. That sounds like a delightful idea in the winter.
Connected to the bottle complication, I have some issues with discomfort when running. I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to make it for a 3 hour run without stopping to feed or pump. The lactation lady told me that after the baby is 3 months old that my supply would even out and I would be comfortable, so I'm hoping that means I can run without feeling like a stampeding Holstein.
Normally I do my long runs with other people, but since I'm on the baby's schedule, I'm going to have to train mostly on my own for this race. Well, mostly alone.
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| Running?? Did you say RUNNING? I LOVE running! |
This all seems like a lot of work for what will probably be a PW (personal worst) marathon time, but I still really want to do it. I'm OK if it doesn't work out because I'll just run half. There is no half option at this race, but it's not a closed course so I can just hop in at the half way mark and bring my own water (I did that last year at the 20 mile mark when I was newly pregnant and it was OK then, so I'm not being a huge asshole).
So bottom line is that I'm going to still try to get my training runs done, but I know with a 9 week old baby that I might not be able to train "perfectly". If she needs me to stick close by or run at 5am, then I'll do that. She's only this little for a short time and she's pretty cute, so I guess I'll cut her some slack.
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| Mommy, just sit there in case I get hungry, mmmkay? |
Once she's taking a bottle consistently, one of the first things I want to do is go for a long trail run. I really miss that! We have trails near my house, but it's hunting season so I don't feel brave enough to go into the woods now. There is a park near us with a great 7.5 mile loop, but I can't go out on a loop run until I'm sure Cordelia will be OK without me for a couple of (daylight) hours.
What's the biggest sacrifice you've had to make to train well for an event? Right now sleep is a hot commodity, so giving up any of that causes me mental anguish, but it may be the only way I'm going to get my long runs done all at once!
Obviously I've ignored the most logical solution to my problem:
Problem solved:
ReplyDeletehttps://devcentral.f5.com/weblogs/images/devcentral_f5_com/weblogs/macvittie/WindowsLiveWriter/164c06b060e5_8516/yoda-luke_2.jpg
The 4:30 run isn't so crazy. My running group would meet for long runs at that time. Plus it's the coolest outside then and that's important. Well, in Florida it's important.
ReplyDeleteWhen I trained for my first marathon, my husband hated it. He basically said it killed our social life and I didn't spend enough time with him (because Friday nights were now out of the question with early Sat. wake ups).
So, I'm thinking a grumpy husband is a similar roadblock to a non-bottle taking bay-bay.
I'm going to add this to my list of why I can never live in FL :)
DeleteHer little hat, it's fantastic!
ReplyDeleteIt brings me such joy.
DeleteRunning at 4:30 AM in the dark winter is not fun. There's this stuff called ice on the roads that I tend to forget about every time I try it. On the other hand, I have done long runs around a 2 mile loop. It is only mildly better than a treadmill!
ReplyDeleteshe just needs to put chains on her tires. I mean, feet.
DeleteToo bad long races don't let you bring a kid along. Although I think the B would only last through a 10K run. Good luck with the bottle situation! We introduced the B to the bottle for her 3am feeding. I would sit up and pump while the husband bottle fed her. It seemed to work because she was so sleepy she didn't care where the milk came from.
ReplyDeleteShockingly, my husband would not be a fan of a plan that involved him getting up at 3am. :)
Deleteoh peanut.
ReplyDeletesounds like you need a better sports bra. or maybe two at once. and a compression shirt.
I have good bra, so I am comfortable when I start but after an hour...not so much.
DeleteI missed the foaming Peanut pictures. And maybe your husband needs to get one of those shirts that has the fake boobs and milk coming from a bottle/pump that's attached.
ReplyDeleteI tried to google them since I couldn't remember what they were called, but all google had for me was "lactation pumpkin bread" - so maybe that's your solution.
I keep saying he needs one of those fake boob shirts! Why isn't that a real thing??
DeleteBungee is my new favorite training partner since I can't really convince anyone else to go out in the freezing cold with me. Too bad she can only do about 12 miles. She's a pretty good sherpa, though.
ReplyDeleteOnly 12 miles? What a lazy bitch.
Deletei just bought a headlamp for dark and early winter runs. so not looking forward to it. too bad you don't live closer. i would seriously get up at 4AM to got a solid 10 miles in before work :)
ReplyDeleteshe is too cute though...can't blame her too much.
It is too bad we don't live closer because I'd have to get faster in a hurry to keep up with you :)
DeleteSounds like you have a good plan to me! You are far more bad-ass than I am--I didn't even contemplate a race until my kids were eight months old (and then it was a 5K). I hated the heavy boob sensation while running.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a good feeling!
DeleteIf race comes and you feel under prepared, you could always do the run-walk thing (there's a specific name for it, I think) to conserve energy/enjoy the race/finish strong!
ReplyDeleteIt's called the Galloway method and even if you use that, you still need to have a training base for the distance. If I can't get my long runs done, I wouldn't want to risk injury by trying to run without that base!
DeleteObviously there are two things that you have to do. First you have to teach Cordelia to read and then you have to label your breast with a warning. Something along the line of Genetically Modified ingredients and May contain traces of Pesticides. That'll sort out those hippy tendencies.
ReplyDeleteI just have to ask - do you have a few different cup sized running bras to suit your state of fullness at the time of the run?
don't they have an adjustable one? Like with an air bladder?
DeleteMaybe I should patent that: The Boob Number Bra. "What's *your* number?"
that's one of the best ideas ever. i'd buy it.
DeleteI want a Boob Number Bra.
DeleteThis post was hilarious. Read most of it allowed to the hubby who LOL'd like nothing else. I am still trying to picture you as a stampeding holstein. Love it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should start going "Moooo" as a I run to make it even better :)
DeleteAs I was scrolling down and saw "there is a big but" I just prayed and hoped and wished that there would be a Baby Got Back reference and THERE WAS! Now I am filled with joy.
ReplyDeleteOh and sacrifice? I can't even tell you how many glasses of wine have gone un-drunk in the name of marathons. It has to be at least DOZENS.
ReplyDeleteWe should run a race in honor of those poor unpoured glasses of wine.
DeleteGaaaahhhh babies who don't take bottles is so incredibly frustrating! I agree, you find your way around it but yeah.
ReplyDeleteIt took Amber aaaaages to take a bottle and still was iffy until she was 4 months old and I decided to try yet another drinking vessle: a hybrid sippy-bottle thing. So a sippy cup with a sillicone teat. She still never really took to it, but did much better once we went to all sippy's and straw-cups. Have you tried things like cup feeding?
As for training, I know Angela from Oh She Glows ran a half based on almost only incline/hill walking on the treadmill and she did great, I think she felt the extra incline worked and built her muscles, giving similar stamina as long runs. So maybe you could incorporate that.
I haven't tried cup feeding. Right now she'll take the bottle...if she's not too hungry or tired. If she's really hungry or tired, no dice. Silly baby.
DeleteHaha smug little hipster baby...
ReplyDeleteAs for training, the thing that always gets sacrificed is sleep for me. Whenever I'm busy (albeit, a kids-free version of 'busy'), I just get up early to run. This summer, that meant a lot of 3am runs to beat the heat before work. Nope, not fun, but it can work.
I remember your insane early pre-work runs...I need to channel your awesomeness just once a week so I should be able to do that :)
DeleteFeeling like a holstein is the worst.
ReplyDeleteI also get pretty infuriated when I hear that a small baby has slept til 9am, because this luxury has never, and will never happen to this mom.
If it makes you feel better, the toddler doesn't sleep in until 9am so I'm not lolling about in bed like a woman of leisure. :)
DeleteSo mah baby stopped accepting bottles two weeks ago after happily taking a couple per week. But my husband basically went into battle with him...and now he will take the bottle again. Sometimes. There was no tricks, just persisting I guess. And baby battling.
ReplyDeleteBut now he won't nurse OR take a bottle. So please don't forget: it can always get worse. And probably will :)
Shaken not stirred. LOL. I just about died laughing.
ReplyDeleteSee, I was a big fat mess when I had my kids. Instead of running, I just thought about making sure I would never of had to run in my life. Problem is, when I started running I had to pee ALL THE TIME. Hell, I still kinda do. Broken runs are better than no runs or better than "the runs". HAHAHAHA!
ReplyDeleteLearn to run loops and cul-de-sacs, so you're never more than a mile or so from home. Seriously. It can be done :)
ReplyDeleteWorks for access to baby. And bathroom. And change of bras or any other clothes.
DeleteMeditate on the people who run marathons on indoor tracks, for inspiration.
DeleteI still can't believe I used to wake up at 6am for running. I swear I was more motivated with a newborn. My kid does sleep in till 9am!!! Don't hate!!!
ReplyDeletemy kid takes a bottle, but i haven't figured out the discomfort issues. last two run of any notable distance were accompanied by significant leakage through my shirt. it is pretty sweet. oh and i started back to work full time this week which is making marathon training quite difficult. the guilt i feel running while he is awake during the week makes my only options super early in the morning or late at night. needless to say i only got 1 run in during the 3 days i've been back to work :(
ReplyDeleteI understand how you feel. My daughter never did take a bottle and now my son is the sameway. It is so hard to go far away from them that is why I never get about three miles. I am hoping once he gets older that I will be able to do higher mileage since he will be eating solid food. Good luck in trying to get your high miles in.
ReplyDeleteThe baby, definitely the baby for roadblocks. During marathon training I was getting up at 5am 5x a week to get runs in.
ReplyDeleteI never could get into a good training routine while lactating, but you are way more stubborn! :)