solar squirrel

Last week I did the Twilight Trail 8k.  I’ve done this race the past 4 years and I absolutely love it because it’s small, on trails, and they give you pizza and beer at the finish.  I usually run this with a team, the first 2 years with ESpeed, and then last year with Bridget.  This year I guess I was on a team, but my team-mate slowed me down and made me carry her the whole way!  (’Mini’ is the nickname I’ve given her).

In order to give myself as much of an advantage as possible, I donated an extra $5 to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (the org. the race benefits) in order to get to start a minute early.  The weather was cool and dry - perfect for running!  We got so lucky with the weather since it has been SO HOT lately.  I was so excited to be running outside on trails!  At the start I lined up with Brittany who had also donated.  I think there were ~10 different waves and our wave was pretty small.  Even still I wanted to make sure to get at the very back so that I didn’t get in anyone’s way.  I jokingly said that I was going to win so look out and this woman was like “oh, here go ahead” and moved out of the way to let me get in front of her.  I was like - “no, I’m just kidding” and touched my stomach.  She hadn’t even noticed that I was pregnant!  It made me feel so good!  It was funny.  Anyway - they gave us the queue to start and we were off.  I felt no pressure.  No nervousness or wave of anxiety when they tell you to go. (I usually don’t get very nervous in races, but I do get a slight twinge of excitement/anxiety at the start).  When you are pregnant you don’t have to worry about this!

Monica caught up to us within a few minutes (she didn’t get the 1 minute head start) and the 3 of us ran together.  We walked up the giant hill at the start and were chatting the whole time.  It was really fun and I felt awesome other than the fact that I had to pee like crazy after only a few hundred feet.  I like to wear this belly band on my stomach when I run.  It’s real thin - sort of looks like a tube top - but it adds just enough support so that I don’t feel like my stomach is bouncing all around.  I honestly can say that I felt comfortable and didn’t have any issues other than my bladder feeling like it was going to explode.

I didn’t wear a watch, so I wasn’t sure what my time was - but I just checked the results and WOW.  What a difference it makes running when you are pregnant!!!

2010 Time (non-preggo) 38:42; (pace per mile = 7:47)
2011 Time (26 weeks preggo) 51:32; (pace per mile = 10:22)

This is absolutely amazing to me on so many levels!  I just can’t believe the impact being pregnant has had on my running speed.  Granted, the effort was less than last year, but I’m guessing even if my life were being threatened I wouldn’t be able to go more than 30 sec faster per mile max.

I brought my camera but totally forgot to take pictures - but here is one that the organizer posted:

Towards the end of the race - felt great!

I’m just so thankful for my health and for the ability to be able to run (albeit incredibly slow).  Lately I seem to have forgotten just how lucky I am (and my family is) for our good health.  Things can get bad, but in the end if you aren’t healthy nothing else matters.