21 weeks
people people people. i have got to put something out there. i need advice. i need some direction. i need a plan.

for those of you who know me...you know i'm slightly over the top when it comes to fitness, weight management, and talking about it.

it's no secret that i gained a few L-B's in college (like...20) and after graduation i worked super-de-duper hard to get it off. i never EVER wanted to go there again.

***enter my obsession with running***

so for the past seven years i would consider myself a runner. to call yourself a "runner" you certainly don't have to be good, you just have to do it. and i do it.

i can rock a 10 minute mile like it's my job. (actually...i started out running 13 minute miles, which closely resembles a quick walk. slowly but surely i worked it down to a low 8 minute/mile pace. i was really proud of myself!!!)

my best running gals showing me bebe support. they are obviously all too skinny to be preg.
***enter a bebe growing in my gut***

slowly but surely as the weeks have ticked on my 8 minute/mile pace has disappeared. i kissed it goodbye. slower and slower as my gut has grown. i'm now back to a 10 minute/mile pace. some people are shocked i'm still running. some people are proud. this person? i'm mostly just in pain.

i've had several issues with the running game:

issue #1

at week 16, about 20 minutes into my workout, both of my legs would fall asleep below the knee to the tip of my toes. we're talking dead. gone. couldn't feel them. obviously i couldn't stop my workout...i couldn't risk dipping below my 10 minute/mile pace. so i would just run on my dead stumps.

finally, using my better judgement, i decided to implement a plan. every 10 minutes i would walk for one minute. this would help the blood "catch up" before my legs actually fell asleep. AND it totally works! no more dead stumps.

issue #2

apparently there are these round ligaments below the belly button that need a good stretching as they prep for the growing gut. well...running really irritates the heck out of them. we're talkin' some serious agony.

i'll be running running running along and feel great. four miles go by. i cool down. 10 minutes later i can barely walk. imagine how it would feel if you had been kicked in the groin area like seventeen times. i think that's what i feel after i run...for about two days. the weird part? if i go running again, the pain goes away, but comes right back about 10 minutes after finishing the run.




or...

if i just take about three days off, i fully recover and there is no more "you've been kicked in the groin" pain.

i've discussed my issues with the doctor and he's given me the go-ahead to keep running. obviously the answer would be easy if he told me to stop...but he said i'm fine. alas...i want to keep running.

so what to do? stop running? it feels so so good! i am genuinely one of those people that just feels like a total rock star after running and no other workout makes me feel the same.

i've tried: yoga, road biking, briskly walking...i would say swimming, but there aren't a lot of swimming options out here on le farm.

my ultimate goal is to be a fit bell with a rockin' gut. so let's figure this out.

i'm open to suggestions, advice, insults. send them my way. help a bell out.