Kristy Maute

Shedding Layers

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been shedding the layers of pregnancy and post-baby both emotionally and physically.

Emotionally, I feel like my hormones belong to me again (especially since I decided to not take the pill anymore). I feel like I’m more balanced. I feel like I’m more alive.

Physically, I am getting closer to my pregnancy weight. According to the scale, I have a few more pounds to lose. According to my clothes, I am just about back. About half of my pregnant pants are finally fitting. Some may never fit again, but I’m feeling good in my body again. I’ve ditched the “post-baby label” when it comes to running and staying fit. My running feels like running again. Good bye old man shuffle. My yoga feels like home again.

Today I shed my final pregnant layer. At some point during pregnancy, I decided it would be a good idea to let my bangs grow out. I knew I wouldn’t want to mess with them after Chet was born. I wanted a quick and easy pony tail. Today the bangs came back. As soon as my hairdresser (and wonderful friend! Happy Birthday Jessica!) cut my bangs, I felt a lightness enter my body. I’m back. I looked at myself in the mirror and it was like getting reaquainted with a girl I love. Now I know there are days I will want the go to ponytail, but that is why headbands and hair clips were made. For all the other days, I am back to looking and feeling like me.

While I’m busy shedding layers, that cute little baby above….he’s busy declaring his independence in this world. He’s thrown all his good sleeping behaviors out the window. Who needs sleep? It’s not just one or two wake-ups either. It is 3 or 4 with rejected bedtimes and early wake-ups. He doesn’t want to nap either. He is a baby with an agenda and he certainly knows what he wants in his life. The day he decided to ditch sleeping, he also returned to nursing. I haven’t given him a bottle since Sunday. If he wants to pick one or the other, I’m happy with his decision.

I have a feeling we are on the verge of a big developmental change. I can’t wait to see what surfaces in the next few weeks.

Wednesday is my New Favorite Day

Today was the perfect bookend day.

The morning started off with a trip the New Earth Farm to pick up our weekly CSA box. I want to bottle up the smell on the farm and bring it home with me. Earth smells amazing.

Fast forward to the end of my work day and you could find me behind the jogging stroller run a 5k with a sleeping baby in the BOB. After a quick clean up, the entire family headed to town center for YNot Wednesdays. More local produce. Live music. Dessert before dinner for Cole. How could we say no to gelato?

I wish you could smell how amazing these veggies smell.

Quick. Mom’s not looking. Give me a bite.

Yes! We got to hang out with Abe Lincoln!

It was a perfect day. I can’t wait to do it all over again next Wednesday.

Training Day #1

Today kicks off the start of the Virginia Beach Rock n Roll Half Marathon training. Twelve weeks until race day. Labor Day weekend I will be running 13.1 miles in the hot end of summer sun. While I have run this race twice before, I have never run this race fully trained or at my full potential. I ran in 2010 after running no more than 5 miles at a time throughout the whole summer. In 2011 I ran with a baby along for the ride: 26 weeks pregnant. This year I will PR (or push myself until I puke!).

I’m trying to be a little (or maybe a lot) more smart about training. I’m adding in strength training. I plan on doing speed work. I will be running hill (or bridge) repeats. If I’m going to train through summer heat and humidity, I am going to be smart about it. I’m also being flexible with myself. Life with my family is always my first priority so if I have to run a long run on Sunday instead of Saturday, who cares. If I swap out Mondays easy run for Thursdays speed work because my legs feel ready that day and my work schedule is easier, I plan on doing it. This year my training plan is about the big picture. I plan on doing the work so I can get the results I want.

Kristy’s Running Schedule
Virginia Beach Rock n Roll – September 2, 2012
	Week	Mon	Tues	Weds	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun
			Strength	Strength	Yoga			Yoga
1	11-Jun	2 mi	Rest	2 mi	2 mi	Rest	3 miles	Rest
2	18-Jun	2 mi	Rest	3 mi	2 mi	Rest	4 miles	Rest
3	25-Jun	3 mi	Rest	3 mi	3 mi	Rest	4 miles	Rest
4	2-Jul	3 mi	Rest	4 mi	3 mi	Rest	5 miles	Rest
5	9-Jul	3 mi	Rest	4 mi	3 mi	Rest	6 miles	Rest
6	16-Jul	3 mi	Rest	5 mi	3 mi	Rest	8 miles	Rest
7	23-Jul	3 mi	Rest	5 mi	3 mi	Rest	10 miles	Rest
8	30-Jul	4 mi	Rest	5 mi	3 mi	Rest	11 miles	Rest
9	6-Aug	4 mi	Rest	6 mi	4 mi	Rest	12 miles	Rest
10	13-Aug	3 mi	Rest	5 mi	4 mi	Rest	9 miles	Rest
11	20-Aug	3 mi	Rest	4 mi	3 mi	Rest	8 miles	Rest
12	27-Aug	3 mi	2-3 mi	Rest	20 mins	20 mins	Rest	13.1

Strength Training: RKS Kettle Bells (why yes! I did order from an infomercial. I’ll give you an opinion on it once I have done enough to have an opinion.)

Yoga: Blissology (of course!)

Has any one every used McMillians Running Calculator to guide their training? I’m definitely intrigued by all the information.

Tonight’s run was an easy two-mile run around our neighborhood. I took my VERY hyper dog with me. I settled in and ran the entire run feeling comfortable. I was pretty surprised when I got home and saw that my watch said my pace was 10:13. My brain hasn’t completed shifted from preggo and post-preggo running, but I think it is time to let those labels go. From here on out, it is just me. It is just running. I am no longer a 13 minute pregnant runner. I am no longer an 11 and 12 minute post-baby runner. I’m finding my comfort zone as a runner now. I’m discovering ways to get out of my comfort zone. I’m learning to pushing myself again.

Today starts my journey back to just running.

Celebrating Five Months

On June 5th, Chet turned 5 months old. How did we get here already? How did my sweet little newborn turn into a baby with a huge personality.

Our biggest challenge this month has been breast-feeding. Chet has been very opinionated about his eating. We’ve had days he has refused to nurse at all. We have had days he will only nurse in the morning. Fortunately he has always nursed in the middle of the night. I can’t imagine having to make a bottle for a 2am feeding. For the first time in a long time, today Chet choose to nurse for every single feeding. I’m hoping we are making a turn for the better. While I am committed to pumping, it is so much easier to breast feed not to mention all the other benefits and the bonding time between me and my little man. I also feel like I have my milk supply under control (this week). Our freezer no longer has a huge reserve, but I am making just enough to feed him each day.

Our biggest celebration this month….well I don’t think I can pick just one. Chet got his first tooth on his fifth month birthday. He gracefully rolls all over the house. He is finally pushing up on his arm when he is enjoying tummy time. He is pulling his knees underneath him to start training for a crawling marathon. He is now a belly sleeper. We also introduced food. Sweet potatoes are as far as we have ventured so far. It is hit or miss right now. Some nights he eagerly eats a few ~~spoon~~ finger fulls. Other nights he is done after a taste. This week we will introduce another veggie to his routine.

Chet’s personality is also starting to shine through. He is silly, goofy, and very talkative. He thinks his mama is funny. He loves to stare at his daddy. He is intrigued by his brother and his dog. He always puts on the sweetest smile when he sees his grandma in the morning. He adores his other grandma and both grandpas too. He belly laughs at every silly sound he hears. He has even started engage in conversations with us. He makes a noise. We mimic him. He repeats it. This goes back and forth all day long. He is also in love with the outdoors. He happily sits in his stroller on walks and runs. He hangs out with his grandma all day long. He is so content when he is outside.

Life with baby is becoming a whole lot of fun!

Want to see how he has grown? Check out…

Redeemed (and motivated)

Remember that race I ran two weekends ago when everything fell a part? It’s been bothering me. I know it happens to everyone. I also know I’m capable of more. Faster. Stronger. Better.

This morning I set out to redeem myself with a little additional motivation pushing me a long. My husband has just recently started running. Friday morning he ran 6.2 miles in the park…..a whole heck of a lot faster than my Elizabeth River Run. For someone who has NEVER run 6.2 miles, for someone who is new to running, I am so impressed by his determination to just keep going. But I also would like to be faster than him (for as long as I possibly can – he is already improving his times at rapid speed!)

I met Heidi and her super cute cutie Rowan for a 10k this morning. We were going to win. My goal for the run – run faster than Christian (1:07:55). I was out to beat my Elizabeth River Run time (1:16:51) and prove to myself that my race was just a bad day. Heidi had her own goal for the morning too – more than double her distance pushing the jogging stroller.

And we were off.

We started way too fast. It was hot and humid already at 8:30am (Hotter than my previous race day). Slowly but surely the miles started to tick away. We were running a loop. Each segment was checked off our list. By mile 4, I thought I might fall over. I was so hot. So dehydrated (I still can’t figure out how to feel hydrated on a run while breast-feeding. Tips anyone? I drink A LOT of water). We hit the boardwalk and headed straight for the showers. Cold water on my head has never felt so good. At mile 5 we hit the Rudee Inlet bridge (yes! The bridge from my run on thursday!). Up and over we went. The down hill has never felt so good. By the time my watch hit 6.0, I thought I was going to puke. Heat and dehydration are not a good combination.

Finally we hit 6.2. And I did it. (She did it too! I can not believe she pushed her 15 month old the entire way and dragged me to the finish line with her! Seriously Heidi! You are amazing!)

Mile 1: 10:16

Mile 2: 10:19

Mile 3: 10:23

Mile 4: 10:31

Mile 5: 11:02 (sigh – yes this one 11 gets on my nerves!)

Mile 6: 10:55

Final .21: 2:13

Total: 6.21 miles in 1:05:39 (pace: 10:34)

I can now file away my memories of the Elizabeth River Run (I took almost 11 and a half minutes off my time). Monday kicks of training for the Rock n Roll half marathon Labor Day weekend. This was just the boost I needed to start on a positive note. Full speed ahead into hot summer running.

Mental notes for future runs: Focus on running negative splits (which my husband executed perfectly!) Start slow!

And the cherry on top – We did beat Christian. Although I’m sure he will be back out there next Friday squashing my time. Maybe I will join him!