Sunset runs and baby pains

Today's run turned into tonight's run. Well, it seemed like a night run, but during the winter that really means like, 5:30. Pre-dinner. My goal was to run early and get it out of the way, but my husband and son were both home today, so there was a lot of hanging out, cleaning, and general procrastination. 

Love those days. 

But on the plus side I got to run during the sunset, which is my FAVORITE time to run. I don't love running that late in the day, cause I'm usually busier, but man it's pretty outside when the sun is going down. So I'm always thankful for the opportunity to do so. 

And tonight was beautiful! I stopped during my first mile several times to snap some pics. I hate how camera phones do no justice to what you see with your eyes. This is about a 1/4 mile in, the sun just left below the horizon.

Below is my mile turn around. This is a huge empty parking lot. The sky is so big and open at this point, and it is right next to a horse track which is empty in the evening so there is not a sole around. It is so peaceful to be out here running in the dark. My husband is afraid I'll be mugged or something, but I find these moments of peace some of the greatest in that of being a runner. 

In the meantime while I was running, my husband was on our back porch snapping some photos. This is looking out over the side of the porch. The street on the right side is the street we live on, the street to the left is the other one :) We live on the corner. That building to the left is city hall. There is a huge christmas tree out front. 

Compare my photo of the sunset to my Amazing photographer husband's photo of the same sunset around the same time. I know... Pretty similar :)

It was such a nice night out. Chilly. Just under 40 with no wind and clear skies.

Stats of my run!!

• DISTANCE3.05 mi
• DURATION29m:05s
• AVG. SPEED9:31 min/mi
• MAX. SPEED6:30 min/mi
• CALORIES465 kcal
• HYDRATION0.11L
• MIN. ALTITUDE719 ft
• MAX. ALTITUDE761 ft
• TOTAL ASCENT33 ft
• TOTAL DESCENT33 ft
• WEATHERClear night

My splits were 10:08 (there was photo taking) 9:21 and 9:13

It's funny cause I had no hope for this run tonight. I have had this horrible pain in my belly for the past few days. I think it may be my bladder. I remember having this pain once I got larger with Corbin and it turned into a bladder infection. So I thought I would log maybe a mile, 2 if things went ok, and that I would keep things nice and slow. 

Yes, although I run, I do in fact listen to my body. 

However, as soon as I stepped out the door the pain disappeared and my legs felt swift. My water weight (read: vanilla wafer weight) from a few days ago has dissipated as well and my calves and ankles felt great as well. 

Swift was my run! 

But large was my belly. 30+ weeks for this pic. This is me right before heading out. This is an awesome cold weather outfit, and I throw a light weight, super bright and baggy volunteer crew shirt I got over it to cover the wobbly bits. 

Corbin drew this picture earlier today. Its me if you can't tell. 

The two pics look similar right?

The words say Love Corbin: Mom + A and Corbin. 

And I thought I would throw in a picture of dinner for good measure. 

Cause everyone loves to know what other people eat!! :)

I whipped this up right after getting home from my run. It consists of veggie sausage, carrots, mushrooms, whole wheat pasta (I rarely eat pasta, but I needed to use it up) sauteed in a sesame ginger sauce and herbage then topped with green onions. It was totally thrown together from what was sitting in the fridge and turned out delicious. 

Thank goodness...

Gobble gobble. I'm pretty sure I still have some of that peppermint bark calling my name in the fridge. 

Yum.

Are you participating in the RW holiday running streak? If so how is it going!

If not, what are YOUR running goals for the rest of the year?

Runner's World Holiday Running Streak - Running stories

Day 3 of the RW Holiday Running streak today!

I'm not going to lie. I skipped yesterday. The weather was so bad here (windy windy windy) and I was not having happy pregnant hips from the turkey trot the day prior that I had to. I'm ok with it, I'll take my hit on my pride, and keep going from here.

Day 1 of the streak- 5 miles
Turkey Trot!

I hate this race. It's very unorganized, always starts way too late, and the entire last mile is straight uphill. But it is a race my family does every year together and I have grown fond of it's tradition. The only race anyone else in my family does, and usually the only time they "train". My husbands training this year was running 4 miles a few weeks ago, and 5 miles on Tuesday. That's it. :/

The runners from the trot! From top left. Me (26 weeks preggo!) husband Abraham, brother Nathan, brother Frankie, his girlfriend Nathalia, sister Maria (bottom left) sister Angela, nephew Mason, sister Megan.

This year Frankie and Nathalia surprised us that morning by secretly showing up from Brazil! Me, Abraham, Angela and Nathan ran the 5 miler. Nathan got a pie. I didn't this year :( But my run was good. The weather was amazing. Chilly and sunny warming up as the day went on. I logged a 52 min race including one bathroom break and one stretching break. My Achilles in my left leg really cramped up around 2.5 which is weird cause I don't cramp often, and never there. I had to stop and stretch it, but I concentrated on my form the rest of the way and it subsided. The last mile hill was rough, but I was able to push myself and make it up faster then most! Go Go Preggo!

Day 2 - took yesterday off. I know. Defeats the purpose of a streak. It was WINDY here and I wasn't feeling the greatest. We are still unpacking from our move and I spent the day with the husband unpacking and organizing the boys room.

Day 3- 5.2 miles.
So our car died last night and was parked at a gas station down the road. 1.6 miles away actually. I called AAA to get it towed and thought I would just run there, get it towed, run home. Easy 3, no big deal. Man it was COLD today. Snowing. Wind chill in the upper 20s. But not too windy at least. So I called AAA and they said they would be there between NOW and 50 minutes from now. So I told them I wouldn't be there for 25 minutes, I still had to get ready, so they said they would call me 30 minutes out. We hung up and they called immediately, then called at 15 minutes out. I had to make a few more phone calls and wasn't ready till they made that 15 minute phone call. Ah! I threw on my winter gear, prayed and found my winter hat, and headed out the door and I sprinted as fast as my pregnant belly could take me to that gas station. This was the first time I had used AAA so I didn't know if they would wait or if they would show up and not see me there and just leave or what was going to happen. And with the luck I had been having lately I assumed I would never see them. Running fast when your preggo is hard. I was thankful I was in good shape. The tow guy called me as soon as I saw the gas station and made it just in time. Phew!

My mom ended up picking me up from the gas station before I could make it back home so I could watch the game at her house. So when I got there I ran from her house to the end of the bike path, and back which logged me another 3.6 miles. I told my mom I was going to go run my frustrations out before the game started and she said "Then you'll be running all day!" I replied "That's why I run marathons mom."

Hoping to log a 3 tomorrow. Legs are sore. I cannot stretch well because of the large belly which has been making my legs crampy. I need a HOT bath.