It has been almost a solid six months since my last blog post. I believe I once read (or wrote) that a blogger, especially one who blogs as a hobby, need not necessarily apologize for not blogging regularly. However, I am genuinely sorry and I feel terribly guilty for not writing often. I don’t expect that anyone has been waiting with bated breath for my next post but I want you to know that I think about this health and running blog nearly every day. My mind is constantly whirling with posts I want to write. I have 17 drafts of blogs to come.
In the last six months perhaps the biggest obstacle to blogging regularly has been the fact that I’m pregnant. It seems like that shouldn’t be an excuse because I don’t yet have the added responsibility of caring for a child but somehow it has taken up time. Or rather, time that I might spend blogging I spend sleeping. And if I’m not sleeping I am trying to still fit in 3-4, preferably 5 days of exercise be it my new run/walk combos, biking on the trainer, swimming or prenatal pilates. I have also been working my tail off at Benchworks, the marketing company I am with which can involve long days and some travel, but I love what I do. Nonetheless work too is an excuse for not blogging. Then there’s general writer’s block. I do have 17 drafts started, half of which are about half complete. But I like to give value and I seem to have hit some walls when it comes to the research end of things to make sure my posts are educational in some way, or at least a resource.
So what can you expect to read when I get back into the blogging routine?
- Recap of my Marine Corps Marathon experience from October 2011 which I ran just as I was starting my second trimester. It was slow and steady and involved lots of pit stops but is a race I’d love to do every year and one year use to qualify for Boston.
- Running Pregnant–this topic has potentially dozens of sub-topics to cover as I’m not thrilled with the other articles I’ve read on the subject. Things I’d like to cover include:
- Change of Pace
- Pit Stops
- Stride
- Review of the Boppy Maternity Belt (it should be here next week and I can’t wait to try it)
- Running with Relaxed Shoulders
- Biking Pregnant
- On the Road and on the Trainer
- Swimming Pregnant (thank goodness I rediscovered pregnancy, granted I’m now in the third trimester but I’m convinced swimming will get me through)
- Prenatal Pilates
- Building a Base
- Comments on Biking Cadence
- Constant Hunger (from training and now pregnancy)
- Why I Love Runners
- Recap of my 70.3 Rhode Island Half Ironman (which I completed in July 2010 and somehow never wrote about)
And that’s the short list. As I mention on the home page of this blog, it’s all about healthy lifestyle choices. And as I enter this entirely new and foreign chapter of my life called parenting I will be seeking to maintain as best I can the fulfilling healthy lifestyle that I love along with a balance of family, friends and work. And somewhere in between, I’d like to continue blogging.
Thank you for your patience.
Congrats on the pregnancy. Ironically I have not looked at your blog in months so I guess i didn’t miss much. I think I will be really interested to hear how you are able to balance motherhood with training. I have a 2 year old (27-mo) son and a 9 month old son. I’ve got my first half-ironman in July and haven’t been training too hard as of late, but it’s been diffifult in finding time for long workouts and parenting. My wife has been very supportive, but even with that, there comes a certain amount of guilt of being away while doing long runs/rides. As the days get longer, most of my runs and rides will be after they go to sleep (7:30pm), but I’m usually pertty tired as I get up so early at 5:45 to get to work by 6:30. I’m hoping to continue getting workouts in at work, but the days of getting long weekend runs/rides and after work stuff are long gone for me. Everyone’s situation is different, and I am really interested to hear how you find the balance. I hope your pregnancy goes well!
Greg, Thanks for ‘stopping by!’ Sounds like you have your hands plenty full as well. I imagine the 70.3 training is tricky but having the support of your family will definitely help make it happen, hard as it will be some days. I imagine you are going to bed around the same time as your little ones. 🙂 I signed up for the Baltimore Half Marathon which is this October so I am also very curious to figure out the training/motherhood balance. I will have just about 5 months to really train and that should be more than enough to get back into the swing of things. I hope! It’s all part of the unknown. 🙂
Good luck with your Half Ironman!!