Thursday, March 28, 2024

Running

by Cristina

No new goings on at Lulu today so I thought I’d discus my running. This week the weather has cooled down significantly from last week. For the past few weeks the weather has been around 30* but feeling really humid so running was tough but I stuck with my schedule and made sure I got plenty of water and gatorade and coconut water occasionally to fuel my runs and also keep my milk supply up for nursing, I was satisfied if I was dripping sweat by the time I got home. If I wasn’t that meant I didn’t hydrate enough and would end up with a wicked headache and a cranky baby. This week the weather has been in the 20’s and my runs have been fantastic. I noticed things felt really easy and especially on the hills which I do a lot of but I wouldn’t normally describe the experience as easy. All three days so far my hills have felt completely effortless and like I’m just gliding up them. I did a long run on Sunday (7km) but then on Wednesday and Thursday my short runs felt like they were too short so I continued on to my long run distance and last night I surpassed it to just under 8km!!! And I haven’t even been waking up sore the next day either which is a great sign to push myself further. I think it’s funny how your mind gives you these beliefs about your limitations but really when you push yourself you can go well beyond what you thought you could. Of course it helps to have some weather transitions on your side. I wish Lululemon could make a hydration pack that doesn’t require velcro to close it which abrades your luon. I have one sacrificed CRB tank with pilling across where I have my Fuel belt sitting and if it’s hot enough that I need to wear my belt I wear that tank (Lagoon?)…but I really prefer to wear my nicer colored CRB’s and my I Just Wanna Run Tank (Pig Pink) because I like to at least look good when sweat is pouring out of me like a faucet and I’m wearing a grimace on my face as I power up the hills. I almost used an old toddler sock with the end cut off threaded through my belt to cover the velcro but I couldn’t find one single neutral colored sock to use. Sunday were going to have a low temp of 18 and guess what I wish I had to wear that day…this.

Me running up a hill. JJ, this isn’t me or the hills I run.

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14 comments

Anonymous August 20, 2010 - 5:10 pm

I think it's great your nursing and running! I wouldnt dare ( at least I dont think! ahha ) I waited 15 weeks before I picked it back up again. I was nervous of leaking or the bounce. I was so full when I nursed! ( 38 DD, E! ) So I wouldn't attempt it!
What running schedule are you on? I am currently following a 55min or less 10k . I did a 13km last weekend in Louisbourg ( NS ) and finished it in 1 hour 26 mins..which is actually a PB for me! when I do my long runs I always do 10's and 1's. The heat has been bad here this summer..we chose to go late at night 8:00pm on ..which is actually easier after I get the kids to bed. I always think the same about the hydro belt. I wish there was something else they could do that wouldn't tear/rub the luon. It's surprising actually that they don't have something already. Anyways what I hate is wearing a race bib and getting the holes in the shirts..I was told about something you can get at the running room for your bibs..must check it out next time I go to Halifax.
Still dying for the Inspire top..be nice for the fall or the winter runs!!!
Glad to read about your runs today.. nice for a change! 🙂 not that I dont like reading about lulu..but it's the same product lately! Keep up the good work !! 🙂 you are inspiring to many women who have babies and want to run 🙂 🙂
Thanks for the blog ( which I check about 6 times a day!! aahha)

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Anonymous August 20, 2010 - 5:42 pm

🙂
So you run in the flow Y's eh… I always thought it wouldnt be enough to run in. I had bought an 8 and found it too roomy..but the 8 in the power Y was perfect up top and too tight in the mid section. I've heard sizing down for the flow Y might end up being too tight! My nearest store is in Halifax which is 5 hours away from me here in Cape Breton..so I can't try it on. It's such a pain to return/sell anything that doesnt fit!
I agree with the 1 min giving you that little extra psuh you need. I always give up my last min if I'm close enough to the finish. How do you find treadmill running? I hate it.. it doesnt even come close to running outside. I did run off and on last winter..but I did end up falling on a patch of ice ( ripped my lulu gloves 🙁 ..so I gave it up.. Couln't risk getting hurt with a 1 yr old at home and a 5 yr old in school! I think this winter I'm going to join Kick boxing to keep up for next running season.
I think you could reach your 10k goal late fall for sure. You may want to change your goal to a steady 10km… I did 10s and 1s last fall for my 10k.. and they yr the goal switched from Half to steady 10 k in 55 mins or less ( currently doing 1 hour 5 mins ish…) So that may be something to think about too!

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Anonymous August 20, 2010 - 5:43 pm

*enough support

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Becky August 20, 2010 - 5:56 pm

@Lulumum…

You inspire me to want to try running. I have been power walking daily since February, but am scared to take that next step to running. I have the Couch to 5K program downloaded on my Ipod, but am scared to take the plunge and do it, scared I will fail 🙁

I am thinking if the humidity finally lets up over the weekend, I may be brave enough to listen to my first Couch to 5K podcast, and give running a try. However, I always seem to find reasons to chicken out and do another power walk instead.

@Anon..

I feel your pain living 5 hours away from Halifax Lululemon. I only live an hour away, yet have trouble finding people to go with me to the city and only end up getting there around once every 3 months or so at the most. I always have a list of things I want to try on when I finally get there, and make notes for online ordering 🙂

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Becky C August 20, 2010 - 7:28 pm

I want to take the chance to thank you,Lulumum, for your blog and for all of the ladies who comment! My lifestyle is such that I don't have a lot of interactions with others on a regular basis (I work from home or travel out of state) and keeping up online has become a regular part of my life.

Anyway, I also loved the running post. My only ideas for the hydration issue is maybe try one of the hand-held water bottles. The ones with the hand straps allow you to hold the bottle without having to actually grip it. It does take a bit of getting used to but I prefer it on runs where I need a bit of water but don't need to go all out with the hydration belt. Also, you must try a race number belt to avoid the pins in the lulu. Best $5 item I've got I think. I used to work in a running store part-time so I love talking gear 🙂

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Anonymous August 20, 2010 - 7:39 pm

@becky.. Living 5 hours away is seriously the same as 1 hour! I hear ya!! haha Everytime I get to the halifax store, it's always on a weekend, so the store is always jammed..which I can't stand shopping in a crammed store thats already tiny!!
@ Becky C.. I'm with you with keeping up online! I have 6 kids here in the day ( 2 of my own..) so adult convo is quite limited!! When school starts I'm back to on my own with my 2 yr old, so I love that other people love lulu as much as I do, as well as running , mothering.. and everything else! hahaha
I am going to take a look at the running room for sure about the belt for race bibs..I used to love getting them, now I dread pinning it on my shirt!

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Becky August 20, 2010 - 11:20 pm

@ Lulumum. That is what the couch to 5k program is too, 1 min walking, 1 min running, then the same up to 2 mins running, 1 min walking. The podcast plays music and tells you when to walk, when to run, so no need for a watch, etc. I'm just scared to try it, LOL. It says to do it 3 days a week, but I was thinking 4 days? I will get my courage up one of these days, thanks for your support! I may very well email you for encouragement, advice, etc. Love your blog!

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Becky C August 20, 2010 - 11:49 pm

@Becky

Keep us updated on your progress if you decide to start the program. I think one expectation you can have is that it won't be easy to begin with but it WILL get easier. And the only failure would be completely giving up before you really gave it the effort it deserved. Think of it as a journey…not an end destination (although having a destination like a race keeps a lot of us runner motivated). Good Luck!!

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Lulumum August 20, 2010 - 5:25 pm

Awe thanks so much for your comment. I appreciate it more than you know. It's funny because when I had my first daughter I was so afraid of upsetting my milk supply that I waited the whole year to run. But this time I just couldn't wait to run, I really needed the time out and the good endorphins to be able to endure the challenging early days of colic, night wakings, two year old (!!!) and all of the adjustments. It is an amazing thing for stress relief. My goal is to get to do the Vancouver Sun run 10k in April so I thought I needed that much time to prepare for it but I think I should get to 10k by sept/oct. Maybe I need to reset my goal to do a half marathon as well as a 10k. At this point I have no real speed expectations other than maybe have a 11 minute mile pace so I'm increasing each week by 10% in time and I do speed work on the treadmill. I live by the running room 10/1 method. That one minute really allows you to go so much farther.
ANyways, I really recommend running to moms because it gives you a boost in so many ways. I usually run when my husband gets home from work before the kids bedtime. That way he gets a chance to have some quality time with them too without me facilitating him.

As for the nursing, I sometimes do leak but I sweat so much that it just blends in. At first I wore a super supportive bra but found it sometimes gave me plugged ducts and so i got myself used to using the Flow Y bras with a medium support and I find that's enough to keep me from jiggling (36C).
Thanks so much for reading. I appreciate the encouragement.

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Lulumum August 20, 2010 - 5:46 pm

you could double up the Flow y or wear it under a tank with a built in bra. I really like the push your limits tank and find it more supportive than the Flow Y. also the 50 rep bra is supposed to be really good but I can't use it for nursing so I haven't gotten one.

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Vicki August 21, 2010 - 1:47 am

You should check out runners den too in Newport village. They carry Nathan water systems which seem to be more innovative than the fuel belt versions the running room sells. I got a garmin for my birthday this year and I can't believe I've gone so long without one! Actuallyi never got one before cuz they were really pricey but they've just released the 110 which is the one I got and it's $199 or somewhere around the $260 mark with the heart rate moniter. Way more affordable than the $400 ones and it actually looks like a watch not a computer on your arm. The only thing it's missing is the intervals, but I'm ok with that.

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Lulumum August 20, 2010 - 9:11 pm

@Becky. Just go for it and have zero expectations. start very conservatively with 1 minute walking and 1 minute running for 10 minutes each. next week is 2 min run 1 minute walk. I can email you the Learn To Run program I used. even if you feel like you can do more, stick with the plan all the way through. I found my runs were easier if I did at least 4 days per week (the first of the week was always the hardest) and if I did 3, for some reason all 3 felt tough and it was harder to move on to the next week. Give yourself lots and lots of time to progress. by week 3 or 4 your cardio adjusts and you actually really start to enjoy your runs and huff and puff less. Feel free to email me any questions along the way.
@Becky C. This blog feels like my water cooler conversation that I miss from the office. Plus it helps to know there are others as addicted to Lulu as I am. I would do the handheld water bottle except that I keep a stop watch (too poor for a garmin just yet) and I need to be able to access it with my hands free, I also sometimes have my iTouch in my front gel pocket and my blackberry so lots of stuff to juggle. but since I don't always run with all of those things the water bottle may just work. I think I'm stopping in to the running room tonight to check out gadgets and show my husband the garmin watch I want for Christmas (I start hinting early on).

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Lulumum August 21, 2010 - 3:40 am

Vicki, I've been meaning to check it out as I live just up Thermal Hill so really quick driver over. I guess I've just felt loyal to the Running ROom, but if they have some good hydration belts and cheaper Garmins then I'm checking it out.$199 sounds pretty reasonable and I'm glad it's more watch like because I hate the wrist computer look too. it would just take too long figuring it all out anyways.

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Lulumum August 22, 2010 - 4:37 am

Vicki, I went to Runners Den today and was really impressed with the hydration belts they had. I think I'll be going back soon to pick up one of the specially designed for women packs. Today I picked up some electrolite tabs in a flavour that sounded yummy (orange ginger) and cliff blocks. Thanks for the recommendation.

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