Kristy Maute

End of another goal cycle

Today is the last day of my 4th 40 day goal challenge! 4 already? I can’t believe I’ve gone through 4 cycles. Right now I am still loving the process! It’s a nice reminder that I have things I want to accomplish, that I’m moving in a positive direction, and that I’m reaching out of my comfort zone.

Let’s review…….

Set #4 (July 14 – TODAY!)

1. Start Composting – Again, No! eek! Christian and I have both decided that our big plans for our yard are going to wait until fall and next spring.

2. Take Cole to Kid’s Yoga – Done! Cole did a week long camp at Bamboo Studios. Check out his adorable picture here.

3. Keep up with Training Plan – Done! Checked off my last long run before the Half on Saturday.

4. Incorporate more yoga into my weekly routine – Done! I’m now attending weekly prenatal yoga classes and loving it!

5. Meet up with Mom running group for group run (just to meet everyone!) – Done! Meet them all on Saturday for my long run. Great group of moms that I really looking forward to running with in the future. I think they will be exactly what I need post-baby to drop some time and set new PRs.

6. Paint Kitchen & replace wainscoting – Nope! Baby room has moved to the top of the priority list. I’d like to get it done before the baby comes, but it is not a priority. (More on this tomorrow when I post new goals.)

7. Clean out Maute Moo’s closet – Nope! But the rest of the bedroom is cleaned out! and the crib was assembled last night! We are ready for paint!

8. Post Vision Board – WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME! I think I’m going to host a vision board party to get me motivated. Anyone want to attend?

9. Meditate for 10 minutes every day – Not every day but my frequency has definitely increased. I also more aware of my response to situations. I”m focusing more on keeping positive, breathing, and let the little things roll on by.

10. Plan fall camping trip with Cole – In Progress. Location is picked out. We just have to pick a weekend that doesn’t conflict with the baby shower or other fun runs I have this fall.

11. Read 2 books – Do baby name books count? I’m pages away from finishing Born to Run also. Have you read it yet? Such a great read. The Leadville 100 race was actually held this weekend. It was fun tracking runners while I was reading the book. The two lifeguards are from Virginia Beach too. Small world. I can’t even imagine running 100 miles. AMAZING! There is no other word for it. I’ve also started reading one of the female runner’s blog – Run Long Katie. She completed all 100 miles in an amazing time – 29 hours 41 minutes. Truly inspiring! The human body is an amazing thing we all take for granted. I also need a new book to read. Any suggestions?

12. Give blog a facelift – maybe? I changed the background slightly and updated the side bar slightly. I want a new header!

13. Tackle Family Room Curtain Project – Nope. Again, I’ve got baby on the brain, but this one is going to happen soon!

I’m happy with my progress so far. Things are getting done, and I’m continuing to take care of me. That is my definition of success, so I’m calling this goal cycle successful.

I’ll post my new set of goals tomorrow! Any one want to join me in the challenge?

crib — Sneak Peak of our Crib - I'll be posting this week about the project! So much fun it deserves a post all to itself!

Scarecrow Moment

I think this might become a weekly blog topic for me now that I’m pregnant. If I only had a brain….

I could wile away the hours
Conferrin’ with the flowers
Consultin’ with the rain

I swear. I promise. I cross my heart. I pinky promise. I had a brain before I got pregnant. Something happened after we heard the baby’s heart beat. Since then I have moments daily where I embarrass myself, laugh at myself, and apologize over and over again for my lack of a brain.

This weeks scarecrow moment……….

My endomondo was working yesterday! For 12 miles I kept questioning the mileage of my run. I over analyzed my pace. I second guessed myself. My endomondo was tracking kilometers instead of miles. (It’s okay to laugh! I couldn’t stop laughing and shaking my head when I discovered it before bedtime).

The good news – I know my body and my running. My run continues to get stronger.

My running total – 11.92 (let’s just call it 12. If I would NEVER end a run with only .08 left, but what the heck! Not too bad for guessing!)

Things to work on – goofing off! My mile times were great yesterday EXCEPT when I stopped to use the bathroom (twice), talked to another couple, and spent at least 3 minutes searching my camelbak for GU and reassuring the guy on the trail that me and Mister Maute Moo are fine. Don’t worry! I’ll be more focused on race day. Did I mention it is 2 weeks away?

1 – 12:02

2 – 16:42 (1st bathroom break)

3 – 13:18

4 – 12:15

5 – 12:56

6 – 12:42

7 – 13:32

8 – 15:41 (searching for GU)

9 – 13:13

10 – 17:59 (2nd bathroom break, too much talking)

11 – 12:37

12 – 12:30

50% of my miles are in the 12s! Definitely an improvement!!!! I promise I’ll work on my bathroom breaks (I didn’t need the 2nd one. I just used it since it was there), my talking, and keeping my GU in a spot that is easily accessible.

And my brain should return by 2013 – post pregnancy, post breast-feeding.

Thumbs Up and Way to Go!

This morning I woke up at 5:15am to meet Moms Run the Town for our Virtual 5k race this morning EXCEPT I was running 12 miles. I had planned on keeping track of my 5k time and then adding on another 9 miles. We meet in the Final Kick parking lot and headed into First Landing State Park to run the trails.

I got about 100 feet from my car. Guess what I heard? Beep. Beep. Beep. My Garmin quit working again. I’m officially back to having a broken watch. I quickly pulled out my phone to turn on Endomondo. I tucked it back into my Camelbak, and I was off. I ran into the park to the main entrance. As always, I had to use the bathroom. I made a quick bathroom break and check my phone to see if I was close to a 5k yet. Guess what else wasn’t working today? The satellite on my endomondo. Because I was running trails, it couldn’t keep satellite connection. No satellite connection = No accurate mileage.

Plan A – Garmin. Broken

Plan B – Endomondo. Broken

On to Plan C. Before we left the parking lot, a few of the other runners mentioned that they were running 12 miles today also (Last long run before the Rock n Roll Half!). One of the ladies knows the park really well. She said it was just about 6 miles to the 64th Street Parking Lot.

Plan C – Turn around at parking lot. Fingers crossed I run close to 12 miles.

The first 2 – 3 miles were brutal. My right leg kept cramping up. This seems to be a new trend for me. With or without the leg cramps, I knew I was keeping a good pace. I had only walked once. My running almost felt like running prior to pregnancy. I actually surprised myself with how quickly and easily I arrived at the 64th Street Parking lot. 1 hour 11 minutes. I barely walked. At the time, I thought there was no way I had just run 6 miles. Now sitting on my comfy couch, I think it might have been close to 6 miles. 1 hour 11 minutes is about a 12 minute mile. As good as I felt and as strong as my running felt, I think I might have.

After I turned around, I continued to feel great. I was taking very short walk breaks. My legs felt good. My body wasn’t tired. Even though everything was going better than it has on any prior run, I started to doubt my actual distance. I don’t like not knowing. I like numbers. I wanted to know how far I had run.

I kept on running right back to the main entrance. I used the bathroom again. I asked a couple I had seen running the trail if they knew the mileage to the 64th Street parking lot. They told me 4 miles. From running this path before, I felt pretty confident that it was 2 miles from my car to the main entrance. If it was 4 miles from the main entrance to the parking lot that adds up to 6. Double that (there and back) and I’ve run 12 miles.

Did I believe the numbers? Nope! On to Plan D.

Plan D – Run a timed run. Even though endomondo wasn’t working for distance, it was keeping track of my time. At this point. I was at 2:05. Worst case scenario, I knew it would take me 2:45 minutes to run 12 miles. I would run 2 hours and 45 minutes.

(Before I continue to bore you more with non stop number workings of my brain, let me tell you – Today was not a worst case scenario for running. It was, hands down, my best run of any distance since getting pregnant.)

Since I felt confident that it was about 2 miles back to my car at this point, I decided to run another half-mile to mile back into the park. I then turned around again and headed back to my car. I got back to my car at 2:45:32. How’s that for timing?

So long story not so short, I think I ran 12 miles today. I’ve googled the trail. According to the Sierra Club, my path was a 12 mile loop. If that’s the case, I actually ran closer to 13 miles today. Did I mention I really don’t like not knowing my numbers.

Minus my uncertainty (and insecurity) about not knowing distance, I had an amazing run today. What made it even better is that I think I finally looked pregnant while out running. I got so many thumbs up and Way to Gos from everyone who ran by me. It was so encouraging. At one point, I stopped to eat a GU and a guy run up to check on me to make sure the baby and I were okay.

I absolutely love running while pregnant. I know it makes me enjoy my pregnancy more. I know it makes me appreciate my ability to run. I am so thankful that I am still able to put on my running shoes and tackle a long run on my weekends.

Muddy Shoes! Muddy Ankles! I love running trails!

2 more weeks until the Rock n Roll Half-Marathon!

Post run, I meet my family at the beach! I could really get used to these types of weekends.

Embraced

I feel like the universe gave me one big gigantic bear hug today. Not a bad feeling to carry around with me all day long.

A few weeks ago, one of my new coworkers approached me about the necklace I was wearing – my mala beads. My new coworker moved here from Indian, and he quickly recognized the rudraksha beads. He asked to see it. After careful examination, he told me my necklace was wonderful. It was beautifully balanced with the rudraksha beads, pearls, crystals, and gemstone. He told me it would bring great things to my life. We talked some more about where I got it (Tiny Devotions), what it means to me, and why I love it. He then showed me two of his own necklaces that he made for himself while he lived in India. I can’t even begin to tell you about their beauty. I mentioned to him that I loved how masculine they felt and that my husband would love them.

Today, as I was reading my morning emails, the same coworker came to my desk. He had a present for me. He made Christian his own set of mala beads. Thankful. Touched. Appreciative. Amazed. I couldn’t believe that he took time out of his day to do this for me. The necklace that he made is amazing. Besides the simple beauty of the necklace, knowing that someone I barely know took time to create this necklace for my husband is a beautiful thing. Thank you isn’t enough. I cried – thank you pregnant hormones. I quickly gave him a huge hug. I’m still in awe of the fact that someone who is practically a stranger to me made me such a special gift based on a brief conversation.

I floated on this cloud of gratitude for the rest of my day. During my blog break at work, I read Another Mother Runner. Today they featured a mom who is running the Leadville 100 tomorrow and Saturday and Sunday. 100 miles. Running. Simply amazing. What amazed me even more about this runner is that she doesn’t describe herself as special. She says she is just a mom who runs who happens to be running 100 miles this weekend.

Not only am I reading about this amazing mom who is running the Leadville 100 tomorrow, I’ve also picked back up my copy of Born to Run. The book incorporates a lot of the Leadville 100 into its plot. I had started reading the book right before my stress fracture. I had to take a break from it while I was taking a break from running. If you haven’t read it yet, go get it. It’s an incredible read. The people are amazing. I am again amazed by the fact they these ultra runners are just normal people.

Floating on my cloud of gratitude and now reenergized by amazing runners, I headed to Cole’s yoga camp. Today was his last day of camp. They were hosting a parent reception at the end of the day. The instructors created a wonderful slide show to capture the moments throughout the week. The kids then showed off their sun salutations and did yoga poses while the instructor read a story. Once again pregnancy hormones got me. I cried. (And I am not a crier!) The yoga instructors stressed the point that they spent time teaching the students that yoga isn’t just a series of poses practiced for an hour each day. Yoga is a way of life. They did community service every day. The encouraged each other. They celebrated themselves as individuals. I wish more adults would take this lesson away from their yoga practice. As we were leaving, Cole kept singing “I love yoga camp” over and over again. Before we got home, he told me he missed it already.

I think we all could live a little more, give a little more, push ourselves a little more. We are no different than my coworker, the runners of the Leadville 100, or Cole’s amazing yoga instructors. We all have the ability to go further. We can dig deeper. We can move outside of our comfort zone. I am in awe of the runners at the Leadville 100 in the same way that I’m in awe of everyone who completes a run for the first time. I know I could personally give more. I know I can push beyond my own expectations. I know I can encourage others more. I know I can celebrate who I am more.

We are so much more than we think we are.

We all have those things we think we will never do. For some it might be running. For others it might be venturing out on an adventure solo. It might be going to your first yoga class. It might be as simple as changing an unhealthy habit in our daily routine. How many times a day does the thought “that is just not something I could do” creep into your head? I’m here to tell myself and you that we can! There isn’t anything I can’t do. There isn’t anything you can’t do. It’s not going to be easy, but the end result will have you floating with pride.

What “can’t” is holding you back in your life? Identify it and make a plan to change it. Don’t know where to start, let me help you! (I have a Master’s degree collecting dust that has taught me how to create programs for individuals that promotes health and wellness! I’d love to use it!)

I’m so thankful for the big gigantic bear hug I received from the world today. I hope I can pay it forward. I hope I can create an environment for someone else to feel embraced by the love of the world around them.

Eat. Drink Water. Yoga.

Don’t forget you are Pregnant.

The past two days, I think my body needed a chance to remind me that I’m pregnant. I started my work day yesterday at 5am. Yes! 5am! Yuck! I had a meeting at a Rec Center, and I needed to be there before it opened to the public. I continued with my work day up until 4pm when I picked Cole up from Yoga camp. By this point, I was exhausted. I had turned into a pumpkin long before my normal pumpkin-hour. Cole and I picked up dinner on the way home, because there was no way I was cooking. Christian was taking advantage of the beautiful weather. He was biking at the oceanfront. He wasn’t cooking dinner. Chick-fil-a cooked dinner for us. (Yes! I love Chick-fil-a! Yes! I probably eat there once a week! Maybe I feel a little bit guilty about it, but then I remember all the other healthy foods I eat.)

Cole and I had an earlier bird special dinner at 5pm. Shortly after I fell asleep on the couch. (What am I going to do when napping isn’t okay when there is a little one running around the house? I plan on enjoying the independence a 7 year offers for the next 19 weeks!). After an hour and a half snooze, I woke up. I designed my favorite dog with Cole. He colored. I picked out my top 5 Moshi monsters. We watched silly game shows on Cartoon Network. He went to bed. I stayed in zombie mode on the couch until 9:30. I went to bed too.

This morning I slept through my alarm clock. I threw up. I dragged my butt into work.

How is it that I can run 11 miles on Sunday and feel great, but if I miss an hour of sleep or miss an important snack throughout the day, I take days to recover. I know I didn’t eat enough or drink enough water yesterday. I know if I don’t eat enough or drink enough I get sick. Today is all about eating and drinking.

Thank you body for reminding me that I am in fact pregnant. The constant movement in my belly is enough of a reminder. I’d prefer to not throw up any more this pregnancy. If I promise to plan better for busy days and if I promise to drink more water, will you please let me enjoy my normal morning routine?

On a very happy pregnant note – tonight is my prenatal yoga class! It was cancelled last week. 2 weeks without a yoga class is just too long. My body is definitely in need of a good yoga class.