I had my one hour glucose screen today for gestational diabetes. I read a lot about it beforehand, which always seems to be a bad idea but I do it anyway ;-) Everyone was saying how nasty the liquid is that you have to drink but really, it tasted just like normal fruit punch and I kind of liked it. I'm no stranger to sugar tho so maybe my tolerance is high haha. A lot of people mentioned throwing up, getting dizzy, etc. from it which seems crazy to me after having just had it... but I guess everyone's body is different.
I am hoping I pass this screen test and don't have to go in for the 3 hour test. Obviously I also hope I don't have gestational diabetes, but the majority of people who fail the 1 hour screen and go in for the 3 hour test don't have it and pass just fine... so I'd rather avoid that part all together. I don't want to take a half day off work for another appointment, and I especially don't want to get blood drawn 4 times in a 3 hour period! Keep your fingers crossed that I don't hear anything on Monday from the Doctor's office because no news = good news!
Otherwise, things are progressing just fine on this little journey called pregnancy. I am in my 3rd trimester now and have only 13 more weeks to go! When I say "only", that is just relative to the 40 weeks total... it still feels like FOREVER!!
Henry is moving around a lot lately which is mostly fun, sometimes a little uncomfortable, and most definitely distracting at work. He is measuring normally during my appointments and his heart beat is nice and strong so nothing to worry about as far as we know. I'm not having any abnormal symptoms... just lots of cramping from ligament stretching which ranges from painful to uncomfortable and really puts a damper on my nights and weekends... but o well, what can you do.
I was a bit concerned that I've gained so much weight already and still have 3 months left to go but the doctors are not concerned at all since my weight was low for my height when I started and Henry isn't measuring too big or anything like that. I've been working out a lot more lately, getting in 9-12 miles of cardio a week during my lunch breaks, but even that doesn't slow down the weight gain so I give up. I figure after the holidays I'll go back to eating healthier, keep working out... and it is what it is in the end. I already have plans for a half marathon in the fall and a full in December if all goes well so at least I know I will be motivated to get off my butt and work out when I'm allowed to again after delivery. Even if it doesn't change the scale any, working out def. helps me feel better - physically and mentally - during this trimester so I'm glad I have that opportunity to go to the gym on my lunch breaks.
All in all, I'm definitely ready to be done with this pregnancy... it hasn't been awful but it sure hasn't been fun and not sure it is something I want to/will repeat in the future. On the other hand, I am soooooooooooo not ready to have an infant in the house, so maybe I will trying to enjoy the next 13 weeks of non-parent status a little more ;-)
My mom thoughtfully gave us some gift cards for a few more date nights before Henry gets here in March so we'll be taking advantage of those opportunities for sure. Tomorrow we are going to see Part 2 of The Hobbit. As much as I love going to see movies, I dread trying to sit still without lying down or taking a bazillion bathroom breaks during a 3 hour move... but hopefully it will be fun anyway :)
That is all for my second trimester update. If I feel chattier you may hear from me in the next few months and if not... get ready for a "Henry is here!!" post in March/April :)
Happy New Year everyone ... hope 2013 treated you well and 2014 starts off swell!!
Friday, December 27, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Absolutely torn... thoughts?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question, and no easy one for most people either. But it is the question that is on my mind constantly and so I figure I will throw it out to bloggyland and see what comes back ... or at least throw it out to no one and get it out of my head!
To become a SAHM or to be a working-mom ~ that is the question.
First of all, I recognize what an amazing privilege it is that I can even make this choice. At the beginning of this year Lukas and I couldn't even afford childcare and now being a SAHM with his new job is a slight possibility. I will probably have to go back to work for at least half a year but after that, I can choose to continue or stay home.
Having the choice however doesn't automatically make the decision for me, as I know it would for some people. Some women feel their destiny is to stay at home and raise their children and that is the right place for them and always has been. They may also have husbands who are doctors and lawyers (aka tons of my friends) and be more financially secure, which makes the decision a bit easier to swallow. On the other hand, some women have great careers and love what they are doing and know that with extra time and effort, they can do well at both work at home responsibilities. They find work to be rewarding and enjoyable and therefore worth the effort.
I'm somewhere in the middle...
I don't enjoy my job and it isn't a career, it is a paycheck. There is no room for growth, creativity, change. Half my pay would go to daycare each month, so basically I would be working for 50% less money than pre-baby which is sickening to think about. However, that is money we would be able to save for a house and pay towards a mortgage in a couple years when we are ready to buy one. It means safety and security in case anything happens to one of us, the baby, the dog, the car, etc. And sure, it means money for fun stuff too that wouldn't be possible if I was a SAHM since our budget will include "necessities and minor savings for emergencies - end of story".
However, I'm also not a baby/kid person. I refuse to accept callings at church that involve anyone younger than tween/teenagers. I don't look forward to long hours of screaming, diapers, feeding, cleaning and all the other "work" that comes with being a SAHM mom. Our income will also be drastically reduced and it will probably take us another 5 years to be able to afford a house on just Lukas' salary, as long as everything goes well. But the thought of mixing the two - work stress that is unrewarding and with 50% less pay and then going home to a screaming needy baby and a messy house ... just sounds like an awful concoction to me.
This sounds like a no-win situation to me and I am absolutely stuck and frustrated every time I go over it in my head.
Do I stay at work and deal with the stress and guilt?
Babies in daycare get sick more often, but otherwise they survive. I grew up going to daycares and while I didn't particularly like it, I wasn't scarred for life. And I don't know that staying at home all day with just my sisters for company would have benefited me much either on the flipside.
Do I stay home and deal with the stress and guilt?
Those are MY school loans eating away our paycheck each month. I have a decent paying job for someone who studied languages and is working outside of their field. I feel like I should contribute financially to our family budget. If I leave my job now, I will most likely end up with a lower paying job should I decide to go back to the working world in a few years. Working from home isn't a viable option, neither is working part-time. It is all or nothing, no option to "try it and see".
So while I do have a CHOICE ... I mostly feel like I just have GUILT no matter what I choose and it is disheartening. I'm trying to be excited about this baby, trying to look forward to it all... but mostly I'm just stressed out, worried about everything under the sun, and wishing ... I guess for a perfect life that no one has ;-)
Anyway... stay at home moms... any thoughts? Working moms... any thoughts?
To become a SAHM or to be a working-mom ~ that is the question.
First of all, I recognize what an amazing privilege it is that I can even make this choice. At the beginning of this year Lukas and I couldn't even afford childcare and now being a SAHM with his new job is a slight possibility. I will probably have to go back to work for at least half a year but after that, I can choose to continue or stay home.
Having the choice however doesn't automatically make the decision for me, as I know it would for some people. Some women feel their destiny is to stay at home and raise their children and that is the right place for them and always has been. They may also have husbands who are doctors and lawyers (aka tons of my friends) and be more financially secure, which makes the decision a bit easier to swallow. On the other hand, some women have great careers and love what they are doing and know that with extra time and effort, they can do well at both work at home responsibilities. They find work to be rewarding and enjoyable and therefore worth the effort.
I'm somewhere in the middle...
I don't enjoy my job and it isn't a career, it is a paycheck. There is no room for growth, creativity, change. Half my pay would go to daycare each month, so basically I would be working for 50% less money than pre-baby which is sickening to think about. However, that is money we would be able to save for a house and pay towards a mortgage in a couple years when we are ready to buy one. It means safety and security in case anything happens to one of us, the baby, the dog, the car, etc. And sure, it means money for fun stuff too that wouldn't be possible if I was a SAHM since our budget will include "necessities and minor savings for emergencies - end of story".
However, I'm also not a baby/kid person. I refuse to accept callings at church that involve anyone younger than tween/teenagers. I don't look forward to long hours of screaming, diapers, feeding, cleaning and all the other "work" that comes with being a SAHM mom. Our income will also be drastically reduced and it will probably take us another 5 years to be able to afford a house on just Lukas' salary, as long as everything goes well. But the thought of mixing the two - work stress that is unrewarding and with 50% less pay and then going home to a screaming needy baby and a messy house ... just sounds like an awful concoction to me.
This sounds like a no-win situation to me and I am absolutely stuck and frustrated every time I go over it in my head.
Do I stay at work and deal with the stress and guilt?
Babies in daycare get sick more often, but otherwise they survive. I grew up going to daycares and while I didn't particularly like it, I wasn't scarred for life. And I don't know that staying at home all day with just my sisters for company would have benefited me much either on the flipside.
Do I stay home and deal with the stress and guilt?
Those are MY school loans eating away our paycheck each month. I have a decent paying job for someone who studied languages and is working outside of their field. I feel like I should contribute financially to our family budget. If I leave my job now, I will most likely end up with a lower paying job should I decide to go back to the working world in a few years. Working from home isn't a viable option, neither is working part-time. It is all or nothing, no option to "try it and see".
So while I do have a CHOICE ... I mostly feel like I just have GUILT no matter what I choose and it is disheartening. I'm trying to be excited about this baby, trying to look forward to it all... but mostly I'm just stressed out, worried about everything under the sun, and wishing ... I guess for a perfect life that no one has ;-)
Anyway... stay at home moms... any thoughts? Working moms... any thoughts?
Announcing ~ the Fischer parasite epidemic! :)
Wow, it has been a long time since I've posted on here! Anyone still out there? :)
The main reason for me being MIA for a few months is this ~ a long-term parasite that has set up residence in my lower regions ... aka I'm 15 weeks pregnant haha.
Fortunately I haven't thrown up once, but I was pretty nauseated for a few months and the medicine I was taking made me dizzy and over tired so that was difficult to deal with as well, especially getting up and ready for work and making it through the day.
I still have no energy but fortunately the main bouts of nausea and the need for regular medication are gone, woo hoo! I'm trying to find a little extra energy to exercise now that I'm in the second trimester, which still seems impossible but necessary, as I'm steadily gaining weight and would prefer not to gain excessively... as well as I know it is good for me, the baby, and delivery to have been active during pregnancy. But sleeping or lazing about on the couch before/after work just sounds SO much better haha.
As you can guess, this news derailed all of my training plans for a race in October and December, espec. as I was feeling so cruddy I haven't been able to run for months now. Some people are stronger or less sick or maybe just more determined and running during the first trimester is definitely safe and possible... but I just couldn't do it so I didn't :-/ I was a bit frustrated with myself in the beginning but after I got sicker and sicker I finally just gave up and realized 1 year of my life off of running isn't going to kill me and I have more important things to worry about right now, whether I want to or not.
Lukas is over the moon thrilled because he's wanted kids for years. We are finally financially in a place where we can at least afford daycare, but as far as being otherwise "ready" ... I can't say that I am but at this point, that is a moot point haha. I'm sure when the baby gets here I'll figure it all out and eventually be ok with having our happy home of 3 (Lukas, me and Winston) disrupted ... but for now I'm switching between "yay" and "FREAKING OUT" haha.
We should find out the gender at the end of the month if the baby is cooperating so look forward to an update then. Otherwise there isn't much going on so not much else to report. I will NOT be taking nor posting weekly "bump" pictures, espec. as right now the only "showing" I'm doing is an extra layer of fat on my stomach that I'm not altogether excited about :-p
The main reason for me being MIA for a few months is this ~ a long-term parasite that has set up residence in my lower regions ... aka I'm 15 weeks pregnant haha.
Fortunately I haven't thrown up once, but I was pretty nauseated for a few months and the medicine I was taking made me dizzy and over tired so that was difficult to deal with as well, especially getting up and ready for work and making it through the day.
I still have no energy but fortunately the main bouts of nausea and the need for regular medication are gone, woo hoo! I'm trying to find a little extra energy to exercise now that I'm in the second trimester, which still seems impossible but necessary, as I'm steadily gaining weight and would prefer not to gain excessively... as well as I know it is good for me, the baby, and delivery to have been active during pregnancy. But sleeping or lazing about on the couch before/after work just sounds SO much better haha.
As you can guess, this news derailed all of my training plans for a race in October and December, espec. as I was feeling so cruddy I haven't been able to run for months now. Some people are stronger or less sick or maybe just more determined and running during the first trimester is definitely safe and possible... but I just couldn't do it so I didn't :-/ I was a bit frustrated with myself in the beginning but after I got sicker and sicker I finally just gave up and realized 1 year of my life off of running isn't going to kill me and I have more important things to worry about right now, whether I want to or not.
Lukas is over the moon thrilled because he's wanted kids for years. We are finally financially in a place where we can at least afford daycare, but as far as being otherwise "ready" ... I can't say that I am but at this point, that is a moot point haha. I'm sure when the baby gets here I'll figure it all out and eventually be ok with having our happy home of 3 (Lukas, me and Winston) disrupted ... but for now I'm switching between "yay" and "FREAKING OUT" haha.
We should find out the gender at the end of the month if the baby is cooperating so look forward to an update then. Otherwise there isn't much going on so not much else to report. I will NOT be taking nor posting weekly "bump" pictures, espec. as right now the only "showing" I'm doing is an extra layer of fat on my stomach that I'm not altogether excited about :-p
Friday, August 16, 2013
Alive in here somewhere.... :)
Wow ~ we've had a crazy summer and it just keeps getting crazier!
Quick recap ~ because I have no fun pictures yet but will post them once I do :)
June - Lukas started a new job at Siemens Healthcare in Pennsylvania. Other than the hour commute each way, he is loving his job! He just had a few days of training in North Carolina and is now headed off to Germany to see his family for the weekend and then for a week long work conference ~ very convenient!
July - We moved apartments! Better neighborhood/apartment complex, bigger, more storage, central air, dishwasher, washer/dryer in apartment... we are pretty happy. I'd say we are about 80% moved in at this point. I still have a few boxes to unpack with clothes, etc., my whole sewing room to assemble, as well as lots of pictures to hang on the wall. We couldn't have gotten everything moved and cleaned without the help of our friends from church ~ thank you guys!!
I also turned 30 in July ... scary! I was a bit of a cranky pants, as well as sick, so it wasn't such a great birthday overall. Considering the fact that Lukas has a new job, we have a new place to live, and I have an amazing new sewing machine from my dad and fitted table to match it from Lukas... I'll keep my grumblings to myself and look forward to an eventful 30th year in life :)
August - Other than Lukas traveling around (see June), this month hasn't been too crazy. I've been sick for a bit so that hasn't been too much fun, and my best friend is moving this weekend so I'll head over to help her into her new home. My mom is coming over on Sunday to see the new place and my new machine, so that will be fun to spend time with her and show her around the new pad.
Running has falling off the radar lately. I've been so exhausted from everything going on as well as not feeling well, so for the past 3 weeks I've basically given up. I do get Winston to the dog park near us almost every day, as long as it isn't raining or super muddy, so that is good. We also go walking off and on at a really nice jogging path park by us as a family so that is good. Hoping to get out more as the weather cools down and I start feeling better. No races on the radar and no running goals right now ~ just want to stay active and be healthy and focus on that for a bit without stressing myself out over the other stuff.
Hopefully some fun pictures of Germany and our new apartment to come!
Quick recap ~ because I have no fun pictures yet but will post them once I do :)
June - Lukas started a new job at Siemens Healthcare in Pennsylvania. Other than the hour commute each way, he is loving his job! He just had a few days of training in North Carolina and is now headed off to Germany to see his family for the weekend and then for a week long work conference ~ very convenient!
July - We moved apartments! Better neighborhood/apartment complex, bigger, more storage, central air, dishwasher, washer/dryer in apartment... we are pretty happy. I'd say we are about 80% moved in at this point. I still have a few boxes to unpack with clothes, etc., my whole sewing room to assemble, as well as lots of pictures to hang on the wall. We couldn't have gotten everything moved and cleaned without the help of our friends from church ~ thank you guys!!
I also turned 30 in July ... scary! I was a bit of a cranky pants, as well as sick, so it wasn't such a great birthday overall. Considering the fact that Lukas has a new job, we have a new place to live, and I have an amazing new sewing machine from my dad and fitted table to match it from Lukas... I'll keep my grumblings to myself and look forward to an eventful 30th year in life :)
August - Other than Lukas traveling around (see June), this month hasn't been too crazy. I've been sick for a bit so that hasn't been too much fun, and my best friend is moving this weekend so I'll head over to help her into her new home. My mom is coming over on Sunday to see the new place and my new machine, so that will be fun to spend time with her and show her around the new pad.
Running has falling off the radar lately. I've been so exhausted from everything going on as well as not feeling well, so for the past 3 weeks I've basically given up. I do get Winston to the dog park near us almost every day, as long as it isn't raining or super muddy, so that is good. We also go walking off and on at a really nice jogging path park by us as a family so that is good. Hoping to get out more as the weather cools down and I start feeling better. No races on the radar and no running goals right now ~ just want to stay active and be healthy and focus on that for a bit without stressing myself out over the other stuff.
Hopefully some fun pictures of Germany and our new apartment to come!
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Slimy Saturday Running
Whew ~ made it through a humid and slightly hilly 5 mile run today and boy are we 2 slimy people right now! This humidity and heat is nasty but I am so proud of myself for making it through the 5 miles and just walking when I need to and not getting ticked off about it ~ a big accomplishment for me physically and mentally. Lukas has seen way too many tantrums in the past during hot/humid runs, and I haven't been able to get through 5 miles in the past 7 months due to IT band issues, so I get an A for the day in both categories lol.
A coworker suggested I try my knee band again to see if that helps my IT Band not rub on my knee so much and he is a genius... it felt a little irritated at the end of our run, but I think that was mostly due to me being super tired and having bad form. Otherwise tho, no pain and I didn't feel like I was bothering it as much as before. I really think strength training is slowly helping, so I will keep at that and hope the band helps me in the meantime as well. I purchased this band in 2011 when I was having major pain and we had to cancel our half marathon plans the first time. I think if I'd known about the foam roller back then, it and this band could have gotten me through the rest of my training but o well... hindsight is 20/20 as they say. Anyway, since then I completely forgot I had this thing until my coworker mentioned using one for his issues and how much it helps if you are doing all the stretching/rolling/strengthening you can and just need something extra while running. Genius man... genius :)
I haven't been able to follow my half marathon schedule exactly in the past 3 weeks, but I've had a lot of good runs, made a lot of good effort, and am still pretty much on target. Hoping to have a successful week of 5ks in the morning and then another 5 miler next Saturday. It is nice to be back to training again, these past 3 weeks have been fun getting more runs in than usual but weird also because I'm exercising less than I was the few weeks before that. I need to get more strength training in and not focus so much on cardio as I have in the past and hopefully that will give my muscles the rest they need from cardio, as well as the strength they need to overcome muscle imbalances and keep me injury free!
I also think I'm going to try and get one run a week in on the treadmill, it helps so much for speed training without making me pass out due to the weather. I ran a new treadmill 5k PR on Friday - 9:16 average at 28:44~ woo hoo! That might be slow for most runners but I'm super happy about it ~ and I didn't have any pain and didn't walk at all which is great. The more I work on speed inside, the faster I will be outside once I get used to the weather and am able to push a bit more, espec. if my knee decides to cooperate.
Happy happy happy... but also tired tired tired haha. Time for a sewing break and then some homework before a nice relaxing nap at the pool. Life is good over at the Fischer's today ~ hope your Saturday is equally as enjoyable and relaxing!
A coworker suggested I try my knee band again to see if that helps my IT Band not rub on my knee so much and he is a genius... it felt a little irritated at the end of our run, but I think that was mostly due to me being super tired and having bad form. Otherwise tho, no pain and I didn't feel like I was bothering it as much as before. I really think strength training is slowly helping, so I will keep at that and hope the band helps me in the meantime as well. I purchased this band in 2011 when I was having major pain and we had to cancel our half marathon plans the first time. I think if I'd known about the foam roller back then, it and this band could have gotten me through the rest of my training but o well... hindsight is 20/20 as they say. Anyway, since then I completely forgot I had this thing until my coworker mentioned using one for his issues and how much it helps if you are doing all the stretching/rolling/strengthening you can and just need something extra while running. Genius man... genius :)
I haven't been able to follow my half marathon schedule exactly in the past 3 weeks, but I've had a lot of good runs, made a lot of good effort, and am still pretty much on target. Hoping to have a successful week of 5ks in the morning and then another 5 miler next Saturday. It is nice to be back to training again, these past 3 weeks have been fun getting more runs in than usual but weird also because I'm exercising less than I was the few weeks before that. I need to get more strength training in and not focus so much on cardio as I have in the past and hopefully that will give my muscles the rest they need from cardio, as well as the strength they need to overcome muscle imbalances and keep me injury free!
I also think I'm going to try and get one run a week in on the treadmill, it helps so much for speed training without making me pass out due to the weather. I ran a new treadmill 5k PR on Friday - 9:16 average at 28:44~ woo hoo! That might be slow for most runners but I'm super happy about it ~ and I didn't have any pain and didn't walk at all which is great. The more I work on speed inside, the faster I will be outside once I get used to the weather and am able to push a bit more, espec. if my knee decides to cooperate.
Happy happy happy... but also tired tired tired haha. Time for a sewing break and then some homework before a nice relaxing nap at the pool. Life is good over at the Fischer's today ~ hope your Saturday is equally as enjoyable and relaxing!
Monday, June 10, 2013
Inspiration all around us...
I have a major case of the Mondays today, including some ill fitting cranky pants ~ not a good start to the week!
I am feeling sorry for myself because I was so busy doing fun stuff this weekend that I didn't get to my long to do list of things around the house, crafty obligations, etc. It was pouring rain this morning so I didn't get my workout in and I also start a new round of homework today which is going to keep me super busy throughout the week after work.
Whine whine whine... sad face... and then I had a chat with a co-worker:
He is working full-time 6am - 3pm, then he is going to school full-time on top of that. He also has a new baby at home and a wife who is finishing up her residency as a doctor and is super busy herself. He spends all weekend doing homework - Friday - Sunday and doesn't really have time for his little family, much less anything else.
Work, 1 online class and "not enough time for working out/sewing" doesn't really sound so bad now :-/ While it doesn't take away the fact that I truly am busy, it does help me keep things in perspective and stop feeling sorry for myself. He also inspired me to re-evaluate how I'm spending my time (Candy Crush Saga ring a bell? lol) so that I am more efficient and can maybe work in more things I SHOULD and WANT to do around the rest without stressing out and wanting to bite people.
Sometimes God changes our situations, other times He changes us. Today was one of those days where it was me that needed changed ~ more specifically my bad attitude.
So now I'm going to stop wanting to kick everyone at work, am looking forward to my last work lunch with Lukas, and ready to hit the books after work ~ and who knows, maybe I'll even have a little time for a workout or sewing if I avoid time-wasters like Facebook and Candy Crush all evening ;-)
I am feeling sorry for myself because I was so busy doing fun stuff this weekend that I didn't get to my long to do list of things around the house, crafty obligations, etc. It was pouring rain this morning so I didn't get my workout in and I also start a new round of homework today which is going to keep me super busy throughout the week after work.
Whine whine whine... sad face... and then I had a chat with a co-worker:
He is working full-time 6am - 3pm, then he is going to school full-time on top of that. He also has a new baby at home and a wife who is finishing up her residency as a doctor and is super busy herself. He spends all weekend doing homework - Friday - Sunday and doesn't really have time for his little family, much less anything else.
Work, 1 online class and "not enough time for working out/sewing" doesn't really sound so bad now :-/ While it doesn't take away the fact that I truly am busy, it does help me keep things in perspective and stop feeling sorry for myself. He also inspired me to re-evaluate how I'm spending my time (Candy Crush Saga ring a bell? lol) so that I am more efficient and can maybe work in more things I SHOULD and WANT to do around the rest without stressing out and wanting to bite people.
Sometimes God changes our situations, other times He changes us. Today was one of those days where it was me that needed changed ~ more specifically my bad attitude.
So now I'm going to stop wanting to kick everyone at work, am looking forward to my last work lunch with Lukas, and ready to hit the books after work ~ and who knows, maybe I'll even have a little time for a workout or sewing if I avoid time-wasters like Facebook and Candy Crush all evening ;-)
Monday, June 3, 2013
Fischer Family Update ~ NEWS!!!
The beginning of the year was pretty crazy for us as far the job situation goes. Lukas had a few interview opportunities come his way that we just couldn't pass up and both turned into viable job opportunities. One was an international opportunity that would have moved really quickly if it hadn't been for a cancelled flight to Europe which pushed everything back a few months. In the end, this turned out to be perfect timing because it gave the other opportunity a chance to catch up and I'm happy to say: LUKAS HAS A NEW JOB! And not just any new job, an AWESOME new job :)
Starting the middle of June he will be working up in PA for Siemens He had an internship there before we met and he will be back in the same department. His time at CSC has been good experience and a great resume builder, but after 5 years and getting his MBA, it is time for him to move on and expand his career opportunities.
We are soooooooo grateful for this huge blessing, especially as it is a big enough move up that I may get to stay home should we have children in the near future. That is definitely something I did not expect would be possible (school loans, they're a killer!) so I am overjoyed at the prospect... and terrified at the same time, thank goodness I'm not pregnant yet! lol
Lukas is really excited for this new opportunity and I know he will learn a lot and grow at this new company and I'm so very happy for him. He has worked really hard and he definitely deserves this chance.
It will be hard to not have him at work with me every day tho - I will miss him on the commute, for lunch break workouts in the gym, for little walks in the sun to warm up, etc. Having him in the same office and same department definitely has made the past 3 years of my first "real after college job" a lot easier and more comfortable and I'm very grateful for that. I feel comfortable and confident at work tho and have friends and good colleagues here so I won't be nervous or lonely or anything silly like that... but I will definitely miss all the extra "husband time" that I've grown accustomed to. At the same time, perhaps it is good that we have a little distance from each other during the work day ... it will be that much more exciting to see each other after work and maybe we'll have more quality time during the week at home together since we haven't chatted periodically throughout the whole day :)
Aside from that super exciting change, we will also be moving in the middle of July. We will be getting a bigger 2 bedroom apartment that is much nicer ~ family housing instead of student housing, thank goodness... it is about time! lol It will put me only 10 minutes from work and push Lukas a little further north, even tho he will still have about an hour commute. The main attractions, aside from a little saved time, are the extra space, closet space, central air, washer/dryer, and dishwasher! After living in a hot, cramped, "student quality" apartment for the past 4 years, I am sooooooooooooo excited for this move! Sure, I wish we were moving to a townhouse or buying our own home... but I'm ok with baby steps!
God has really been with us along the way, helping the right job situation be possible at the right time, as well as enabling us to move when we didn't think there would be space. I know He always watches out for us but after months (really YEARS) of extra prayers and wondering what He has in store for us or why certain things happened the way they did, it has been amazing these past 2 weeks to see how He pulled it all together. We are certainly filled to the brim with gratitude and love for a loving Heavenly Father whose plan is ALWAYS much better than our own!
See.... I can write about something other than just running and whining about my knee, aren't you all proud? (I say that like someone other than my Dad reads this haha). Speaking of my #1 reader, stay tuned for a post on Dad's visit to Delaware over Memorial Day... and pictures!
Fitness update
Well last Tuesday was the end of my personal training sessions. I feel like although not much has changed physically, I certainly learned a lot and I am ready to build on that. Hoping to go to the gym tonight or tomorrow and sign up for a 1 month trial membership.
Realistic Fitness goals this month:
Cardio 3x/ week
Strength training 2x/ week
Fitness Challenge this month:
Cardio 5x/ week
Strength training 3x/ week
The cardio part is pretty easy since I can work out on my lunch breaks at work, just gotta force myself to get up in the morning and go to the gym 2 or 3 days a week ~ the getting out of bed part is the biggest challenge whether for cardio or strength workouts :-p
Last week was pretty good for as far as running. Tuesday I ran my fastest 5k on the treadmill in 29:08 and I didn't have any knee pain so that make me even happier! I got in 12 miles of running for the week, including a couple on the trails, and my knee pain seemed to be less bothersome... but I only ran outside twice so that isn't much of a test.
I really want to get outside more this week/month and build up resistance to harder surfaces for my knee (or whatever it is that is being bothered and causing that knee pain.) I hope between that and the strength training, I can get back into training shape and start working towards another half marathon in the fall if all goes well.
In other news, I've been doing really well with watching what I eat on top of exercising more and have been able to lose 6 or 7 lbs in the past couple of months. I am sooooooooooo happy about that because:
1. It is annoying to see the scale creeping up, espec. when my 30th birthday is just around the corner ~ old AND fat is not ok with me lol
2. Summer is here and I want my pants, not to mention my swim suit, to fit!
3. The lighter I am, the faster I can run!
For the past couple of years I've yo-yod between 140 and 160lbs, closer to 150 consistently. My goal for June is to get back to 145 and goal for July is to be down to 140 or lower for my 30th birthday. Although "numbers don't matter" and "muscle weighs more than fat", I know what a fit weight for me is and 135-140 is definitely an acceptable goal. That end of the spectrum is harder for me to maintain as I get older but this time around it should be a lot easier because:
1. I've developed some really good eating habits in the past 2+ months that I've been able to stick with
2. I plan on staying active and training for more races & continue strength training
So I'm feeling pretty optimistic going into June. Hopefully I can keep up the good work from the past few months and continue to build on it and get rid of this darn knee pain! Wish me luck!
Realistic Fitness goals this month:
Cardio 3x/ week
Strength training 2x/ week
Fitness Challenge this month:
Cardio 5x/ week
Strength training 3x/ week
The cardio part is pretty easy since I can work out on my lunch breaks at work, just gotta force myself to get up in the morning and go to the gym 2 or 3 days a week ~ the getting out of bed part is the biggest challenge whether for cardio or strength workouts :-p
Last week was pretty good for as far as running. Tuesday I ran my fastest 5k on the treadmill in 29:08 and I didn't have any knee pain so that make me even happier! I got in 12 miles of running for the week, including a couple on the trails, and my knee pain seemed to be less bothersome... but I only ran outside twice so that isn't much of a test.
I really want to get outside more this week/month and build up resistance to harder surfaces for my knee (or whatever it is that is being bothered and causing that knee pain.) I hope between that and the strength training, I can get back into training shape and start working towards another half marathon in the fall if all goes well.
In other news, I've been doing really well with watching what I eat on top of exercising more and have been able to lose 6 or 7 lbs in the past couple of months. I am sooooooooooo happy about that because:
1. It is annoying to see the scale creeping up, espec. when my 30th birthday is just around the corner ~ old AND fat is not ok with me lol
2. Summer is here and I want my pants, not to mention my swim suit, to fit!
3. The lighter I am, the faster I can run!
For the past couple of years I've yo-yod between 140 and 160lbs, closer to 150 consistently. My goal for June is to get back to 145 and goal for July is to be down to 140 or lower for my 30th birthday. Although "numbers don't matter" and "muscle weighs more than fat", I know what a fit weight for me is and 135-140 is definitely an acceptable goal. That end of the spectrum is harder for me to maintain as I get older but this time around it should be a lot easier because:
1. I've developed some really good eating habits in the past 2+ months that I've been able to stick with
2. I plan on staying active and training for more races & continue strength training
So I'm feeling pretty optimistic going into June. Hopefully I can keep up the good work from the past few months and continue to build on it and get rid of this darn knee pain! Wish me luck!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Recap & Revamp (Aka a bit long whiney blog post :))
My goodness, I feel like every time I get one step forward this
year, I then get knocked completely on my behind!
Case in point:
To combat the pain I've been having in my right knee, I started
seeing a personal trainer at the beginning of April. We are focusing on my
hips, glutes, and core, as those areas seem to cause most of my instability,
bad form, and other issues which lead to extra stress on my lower legs and
joints. I felt like we were making some progress by the end of April, but the
knee pain wasn't going away. They sent me to see the muscle activation
specialist on April 29th and that is when it all went down hill.
She apparently
tweaked something in my lower back which caused a muscle spasm which irritated
a nerve and made my right leg and arm go numb/tingly for a few days. Pretty
scary and ended up in a few visits to the doctor and taking anti-inflammatory
medication with steroids which made me sick for a week.
That was one really frustrating week and I was looking forward to
getting back into the groove the following week. Unfortunately over the weekend
I rolled my foot and got a minor sprain. I ran on it Monday/Tuesday and had
GREAT runs but lots of pain and definitely made it worse. I took 5 days off and
was hoping to again, get back into the groove this week.
Monday and Tuesday I had good indoor runs and a good session with
the personal trainer, even tho I’m still frustrated with that as most of the
things he asks me to do don’t seem to be helping. I have 2 sessions left with
him this month and then I’m going to just be done… enough money spent and
although I’ve learned a lot, I don’t feel like any of my issues have improved
or been fixed so I’ll try something new.
But I digress… so Monday/Tuesday were ok, then I had a horrible
run on Wednesday. Couldn’t figure out what was wrong and then realized, o joy,
female issues. I was miserably sick at work that day and took yesterday as a
rest day. Went for a jog with Lukas this
morning and after 1 good mile, my knee started hurting so I just walked another
1.2 to finish our lap around the reservoir.
On top of that unexplained knee pain, my left shin has really been bothering me lately. I haven't been using my VFFs to run, so I can't blame them this year. I stretch, foam roll, use my calf sleeves, tape my shins, tape my arches, take time off... nothing makes them happy. So yea... let's throw that onto the list lol.
I feel like I just can’t get a break and it frustrates me to no
end. But then I think of all those awesome athletes who have had accidents and
come back stronger and even learn to run again with artificial limbs… and I
know I need to shut up and get over it, my issues are pretty minor in comparison
for sure. But hey, this is my blog… so I’ll whine a little… but try not to let
it get me down in the long run.
The only good thing that has come from basically 5 cruddy months
of not much running is that I’ve spent a lot of time on the treadmill and have
gotten faster. 2 miles on pavement makes my knee hurt but the treadmill doesn’t,
so we have learned to tolerate each other.
This week I set a new treadmill PR at 8:30/mile on Monday. Then on
Tuesday I knocked that down to 8:26/mile. Felt pretty awesome! I can run 9 – 9.30
min miles outside without having to super push/sprint and I really feel, if I
could get over this knee pain, that I can get my half marathon time down quite
a bit from last year. There is just that minor issue of only being able to run
2 miles before the pain sets in… bah.
So there is the recap, whining, and a PR to lighten it up at the
end. Now comes the revamp… what am I going to do about it?
2 more sessions with the trainer, hoping to get some more
exercises to do at home so I can build on what I’ve learned from him. He has
been great, but just 1x a week isn’t going to make miracles happen so I need to keep
building on that.
I may join the gym by our
house because I definitely see now that strength training is something I should
have started 2 years when we started running, if I wanted running to be a
longterm activity for me. Although it doesn’t have any cool classes and I
definitely get enough cardio time in on my lunch break at work, the gym by us
does have good weight equipment and lots of free weights so hopefully I can
convince myself to do that 3x’s a week and really focus on building up my
core/hips/glutes and getting stronger.
I really don’t know what else I can do for my knee. I swear it isn’t
IT Band issues because it doesn’t act like ITBS has for me in the past… so I’m
really at a loss. Doctor has no clue, physical therapist has no clue, and
personal trainer has no clue. They all say the same: Stretch, roll, strength
train – so I guess I’ll keep focusing on that for the rest of the month and see
where I end up.
Anyway... if I can run 2-3 miles without pain, I'm going to stick to that on top of strength training. I really miss long runs of 5-10 miles but maybe with luck and lots of work I'll get there again this year and who knows... maybe my goal of a half or full marathon in Rehoboth again this year in December will be attainable!
Think positive right? :-p
Monday, March 25, 2013
Phunt 50k (25 k & 11k options) (belated post)
(oops... just realized I forgot to publish this post a couple months ago! :))
--------------
This past Saturday Lukas and I ran the Phunt trail race with friends of ours from work. The Trail Dawgs, a local trail running group in our area, put on this awesome FREE trail race every year - aided by volunteers and donations (food and water from the runners participating). There is also a food drive for the PA and DE food banks and any monetary donations go to charity too ~ very cool.
The main Phunt is a 50k ~ 2 loops in the Fair Hill State Natural Area in northeastern Maryland. There is a 25k option ~ one loop, and a 11k option - 5miles of the first loop and then a 2 mile cut over back to the finish/starting line.
Originally we signed up for the 25k but I had some IT Band issues during our half marathon in December so we dropped down to the 11k option. We were also super lazy for 3 weeks and didn’t start running again until last week - oops!
I've never run the trails in Fair Hill before and if I had, I probably would have given up my spot to someone else this time around. We were warned that they were hard and hilly but I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Combine my lack of preparation, knee pain from my IT Band around mile 2, and tons and tons of hills that just seemed to go up up up up and I was struggling… more than struggling, I was just WALKING lol.
In my defense… here is the elevation graph – it is a beast, espec. after not training hills at all since September! It isn't much of a defense, we were almost the last people done with the 11k lol but o well... we still made it!!
By "we" I refer to myself, my nice co-worker who was kind enough to stay with me, and her boyfriend - who waited for us a few times throughout the course to make sure we made it ok.
Where was Lukas you ask? ... Running the 25k!! Again... refer again to our lack of preparation and the elevation graph above... yep, he still successfully completed the 25k ~ longest he has ever run and espec. crazy long considering it was a hilly trail run! So proud of him!
I finished in 1:52... shameful, I know. Lukas finished in around 3:25 ... fantastic based on the circumstances and really for me, that would have been a fantastic pace I probably could not have hit with training even! (Slow me = super slow on trails = crawling up hill :))
--------------
This past Saturday Lukas and I ran the Phunt trail race with friends of ours from work. The Trail Dawgs, a local trail running group in our area, put on this awesome FREE trail race every year - aided by volunteers and donations (food and water from the runners participating). There is also a food drive for the PA and DE food banks and any monetary donations go to charity too ~ very cool.
The main Phunt is a 50k ~ 2 loops in the Fair Hill State Natural Area in northeastern Maryland. There is a 25k option ~ one loop, and a 11k option - 5miles of the first loop and then a 2 mile cut over back to the finish/starting line.
Originally we signed up for the 25k but I had some IT Band issues during our half marathon in December so we dropped down to the 11k option. We were also super lazy for 3 weeks and didn’t start running again until last week - oops!
I've never run the trails in Fair Hill before and if I had, I probably would have given up my spot to someone else this time around. We were warned that they were hard and hilly but I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Combine my lack of preparation, knee pain from my IT Band around mile 2, and tons and tons of hills that just seemed to go up up up up and I was struggling… more than struggling, I was just WALKING lol.
In my defense… here is the elevation graph – it is a beast, espec. after not training hills at all since September! It isn't much of a defense, we were almost the last people done with the 11k lol but o well... we still made it!!
By "we" I refer to myself, my nice co-worker who was kind enough to stay with me, and her boyfriend - who waited for us a few times throughout the course to make sure we made it ok.
Where was Lukas you ask? ... Running the 25k!! Again... refer again to our lack of preparation and the elevation graph above... yep, he still successfully completed the 25k ~ longest he has ever run and espec. crazy long considering it was a hilly trail run! So proud of him!
I finished in 1:52... shameful, I know. Lukas finished in around 3:25 ... fantastic based on the circumstances and really for me, that would have been a fantastic pace I probably could not have hit with training even! (Slow me = super slow on trails = crawling up hill :))
A wake-up call ~ aka goodbye 2013 goals!
Well... all of my 2013 goals have gone down in a blaze of glory... or shall we call it "IT Band induced pain" ~ ugh. The last 5k of our December half had me in quite a bit of IT band pain on the side of my knee, so much that I was limping afterward and was super grateful for the free massage just so I could handle the 2 hour car ride home. We were pretty lazy for the rest of December which was good to rest but I didn't take that time to strengthen and stretch at all, so I still had IT band pain issues when we did the trail run in January. We tried training up for a full marathon in May but after having major issues on a 6 miler in Feb, it is now to the point that I can only run about 2-3 miles outside before the pain starts.
I am being smart about it and not pushing it ~ I gave up my marathon goal and am coming to terms with the fact that the 1/2 marathon trail option isn't going to happen either. Honestly I just want to be able to run pain-free sometime again in the near future, I don't care about races right now, I just want to get better.
To help with that, I am going to start going to see a personal trainer once a week. I definitely have muscle imbalance problems which has caused most of the issues I've had in the past 2 years and I just need to focus on strengthening up and getting rid of those problems. My weak core, glutes, and hips are sabotaging all my hard work and I'm tired of getting knocked back down by some new pain/injury/etc.
I've been pretty good the past few weeks tho and instead of being a big whiny baby, I've been using the elliptical and running a few miles on the treadmill at work. I've been able to work on speed and endurance a bit which is nice, and am keeping myself from gaining lots of extra winter weight which is good too. Also is nice to have a break in my work day even if I only get to work out 25 minutes ... better than sitting at my desk that whole extra lunch hour!
So........ more to come on the PT situation in the future. Today is my first session after work, we'll see how it goes!
The good thing about goals is they can be changed or put on hold... no freaking out, just focusing on positive things like getting stronger and running longer in the near future!
I am being smart about it and not pushing it ~ I gave up my marathon goal and am coming to terms with the fact that the 1/2 marathon trail option isn't going to happen either. Honestly I just want to be able to run pain-free sometime again in the near future, I don't care about races right now, I just want to get better.
To help with that, I am going to start going to see a personal trainer once a week. I definitely have muscle imbalance problems which has caused most of the issues I've had in the past 2 years and I just need to focus on strengthening up and getting rid of those problems. My weak core, glutes, and hips are sabotaging all my hard work and I'm tired of getting knocked back down by some new pain/injury/etc.
I've been pretty good the past few weeks tho and instead of being a big whiny baby, I've been using the elliptical and running a few miles on the treadmill at work. I've been able to work on speed and endurance a bit which is nice, and am keeping myself from gaining lots of extra winter weight which is good too. Also is nice to have a break in my work day even if I only get to work out 25 minutes ... better than sitting at my desk that whole extra lunch hour!
So........ more to come on the PT situation in the future. Today is my first session after work, we'll see how it goes!
The good thing about goals is they can be changed or put on hold... no freaking out, just focusing on positive things like getting stronger and running longer in the near future!
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