No two are the same..........

So, "they" say no two pregnancies are the same.

"They" are right. I had a fairly uneventful pregnancy with Jackson until the end. The little guy decided he was ready to see the world and tried to come at 33.5 weeks. He was successfully stopped (for a moment) and made his debut at 36.5 weeks. Other than that and heartburn, things were pretty smooth.

I didn't even really worry when we saw the club foot at a mid-pregnancy ultrasound and knew that correcting it was going to be a long haul. After talking to his future pediatric orthopedic doc, I was calm about the whole thing.

I am not sure if I notice more stuff this time around but I am definitely more anxious. I've discussed it with several friends and I think it is probably because I know how great a beautiful, healthy child is and maybe I am more anxious because I am older this time. Either way, I am totally unsettled with this one.

I consider myself to be fairly tough. I don't mind running in the rain and cold (sometimes at the same time). I don't mind running on ice or in the snow. I worked from the hospital the day Jackson was born. I ran 7 days after he was born. When I was in college, I slept outside, in the cold, on concrete to get football tickets (yes, I am old and at one time, we had to do those things). I worked 23 hours straight on a football Saturday once. You get the picture...I try to do my thing, not whine, and get stuff done. I've always wondered about the women who have had terrible pregnancies and I felt bad for them....little did I know.....

Pregnancy number two has been hard for me so far. I have been terribly sick. The nausea has been almost debilitating on some days. I have done my best to hide it and in turn have done a lot of complaining and whining to Altman and my closest friends. (sorry bout that...love you guys!)

I was sick all night last night. I didn't sleep well and was nauseous from the time I laid down until this morning. I am still sick. I took a two hour nap already and still don't feel good. I will hit the grocery store and probably nap again. Likely there is no workout in my future for today. If I thought it would make me feel better then I would do it but I don't see that with how I feel today. That is okay. Baby come first in this instance.

Pregnancy is crazy. I thought I knew it. I knew I would be tired. I knew I would have heartburn. I knew my pace would slow down but anticipated that my mileage would still be decent. I knew that I would eat more. I knew that my belly would get big and round near the end.

Honestly, I don't know pregnancy #2 at all. I am 15 weeks in and every day is a new adventure and I just wait to feel/see whatever will happen next...some articles and professionals say the nausea should stop around 12 weeks (that obviously didn't happen) and lots of people that I know say that they didn't feel better til after 14, 16, 17, or 18 weeks. I will keep you posted. For now, I need to buy groceries and play with my toddler. Happy Sunday.

My new Favorite Workout

Even though I am preggers and my abs literally gave up at the first positive pregnancy test, it is still very important to me to stay fit and healthy til little Altman #2 makes his debut. From my previous experience, I felt better and I was able to get back to working out just days after Jackson was born. I am hopeful for the same this time around.

The glitch is that I lose my breath really easily when working out. Docs say it is very normal and due to hormones. So, I am not running like I did with Jackson and definitely not running like I did before I was pregnant. I had hoped to keep a long run of 8 to 10 miles for a while but tossed that notion out the window in December. The longest I have run in weeks is 6 miles. So, I have been doing a lot of yoga and a lot of elliptical and a lot of strength training and a lot of treadmill intervals. Luckily, we have a treadmill here so I can jump on whenever and catch a workout.

I found a new favorite. It is challenging but not so much that I would put myself or the baby in danger. And, I get an awesome workout. And, eventually it can be adjusted for when I am running and training again post baby. If you are pregnant or even recovering from injury, make sure to talk to your doctor first about your routine. That is super important. My doc and I talk every time about my workouts and I always adjust if he feels it necessary.

Here it is:


Minutes Speed Incline
0 to 3:30 4 0
3:30 to 5 6 0
5 to 6 4 2
6 to 7 4 4
7 to 8 6.5 4
8 to 9 4 4
9 to 10 6.3 4
10 to 11 4 5
11 to 12 6.1 5
12 to 13 4 6
13 to 14 6.1 6
14 to 15 3.7 7
15 to 16 5.9 7
16 to 17 3.7 8
17 to 18 5.8 8
18 to 19 3.7 9
19 to 20 5.7 9
20 to 21 3.5 10
21 to 22 5.5 10
22 to 23 3.5 11
23 to 24 5.3 11
24 to 25 3.5 12
25 to 26 5 12
26 to 27 3.5 0
27 to 28 4 0
28 to 29 3.5 4
29 to 30 5.8 4
30 to 31 3.5 6
31 to 32 5.7 6
32 to 33 3.5 8
33 to 34 5.6 8
34 to 35 3.5 9
35 to 36 5.4 9
36 to 37 3.5 10
37 to 38 5.2 10
38 to 39 3.5 11
39 to 40 5.1 11
40 to 41 3.5 12
41 to 42 5 12
42 to 45 0 0

If you are running then you could up the pace on the run segments as stick with the 4 as your recovery pace. This is based on our treadmill. I think gym treadmills can up to an incline of 15 so you can adjust using those as well. 

I follow it up with some yoga including planks, moving to side planks with breath, down dog to plank, low lunge, lunge, balance warrior, and then some poses for flexibility.

Enjoy and I will see you on the trails!

Special Addition

If you haven't heard, The Altman Family will welcome our 4th member this summer. We've tried to be more guarded this time around and keep it to ourselves. I understand that the information has innocently been leaked by a few folks before we could really make the announcement. That's okay. Life goes on.

Let's first address something that some of you may be thinking. No, I did not quit my job at KTC because I am pregnant. If you know me at all, you know that I like to work and that I certainly don't shy away from hard work while growing a child inside my body (think Fast 40 dash when I was 33 weeks pregnant and I worked most of the day for Fireball that year even though I was supposed to be resting). I am leaving KTC for many, many reasons but being pregnant is not one of them.

Second, my apologies for the lies about running. Nope. You won't see me lacing up my flats anytime soon. Heck, you may not see me lacing up my trainers anytime soon. I hope you understand the little white lies. You know me as a runner. However, I am more like a run/interval kind of gal these days. I am enjoying a lot of time on the elliptical and a lot of time doing yoga and lifting weights. 

We are thrilled about our newest addition. He is due on July 15 and yes, the ultrasound tech is pretty positive it is a boy. He gave us a great show at the 12 week ultrasound.

We have been wanting to add to the family for a good deal of time but life factors have prevented us from getting pregnant. In late 2011, we had gotten positive pregnancy tests and were thrilled only to have that pregnancy not work out. It was devastating. So, this time, we have been very cautious. I am still very anxious and although the ultrasounds and blood work look great, I won't be fully relieved until I hold him in my arms.

So, if you see me around, yes, I have gained weight. I don't really have a choice and am actually so happy to be able to fit into some maternity wear now because my regular clothes stopped fitting weeks ago.

I told you, 2013 is going to be a great year for me and meeting our new little guy is just one way to make that statement true. Stay tuned for some blogs on exercising while pregnant, starting a new job (I hope!) while pregnant, and juggling all of that life has to offer this year.

Peace.

Guest Blog! Altman's 2012 Chickamauga Marathon Recap

It is time for another guest blog from Mr. Altman. He recently won the 2012 Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon.

Redemption at Chickamauga
After winning the 2010 Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon, I felt a certain obligation to go back in 2011.  “Defend the title” if you will.  Plus the competitive side of me liked the thought of being called “Repeat Champion.”  I spent early summer of 2011 injured.  I developed Achilles Tendonitis in my right leg that kept me from running for six weeks from June to July.  When I finally got back to training, I had a small hitch in my giddy-up that caused some hamstring soreness in the late miles of all my long training runs.  Nonetheless, I was able to get through three 20 mile runs and several workouts that fall, so I decided to stick with it and try the marathon again.  The conceited side of me thought that if I had run 2:39:44 before, then I could at least match that while coming off injury and a little less trained.  I went out at the same pace I did in 2010; 6 minutes a mile.  At mile 18, my hamstring started to tighten up and I had to slow to 7 minutes a mile for the remainder of the marathon.  As a result, I led the race for 22 miles until I was passed by James Pearce (who won in 2:39:51).  I still managed to get second in 2:45:59, but finishing the race was the accomplishment that day.  I had to spend more than 30 minutes in the medical tent.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kristy so panicked or scared in my life.
I thought about that race for 364 days.  It is easy to remember the wins.  When everything goes as planned, you can celebrate and move on to the next goal.  When things fall apart, you spend countless hours rehashing what you could have done differently and what you would do should you be given that opportunity again.
I was healthy all of 2012.  I trained more that summer than I ever have before.  More miles.  Faster miles.  Determined miles.  Not a run went by that I didn’t think about getting passed after leading for 22 miles.  I set personal bests in the 8K (26:59 at Pigeon Forge Midnight 8K) and half marathon (1:12:47 at Columbus Half Marathon) in tune-ups prior to the 2012 Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon.  I went into race day confident.  I wanted to run my race.  I wanted to start off relaxed, and finish strong.  I wanted to hit that 18 mile mark and feel healthy.  I wanted to get to 22 miles and push the throttle.  I wanted to cross the line and immediately hug my wife and son.
When the cannon sounded, two men went out ahead of me; both of them were running the half marathon.  I keyed off them but kept my distance as they were running just slightly faster than I wanted to run.  My first 6 mile splits looked like this: 5:56, 6:01, 5:56, 5:55, 5:56, 6:01.  Right after the six mile mark, the half marathoners went one way, the full marathoners went another.  The bike lead who was picking me up said “I guess you’re my guy.”  “Yep,” I said.  “Just you and me.” 
As I followed him, my next two miles were 5:56 and 5:58.  At mile eight, the marathon course takes an out and back section.  It is approximately half of a mile in one direction, so the whole section is one mile once you have doubled back.  I was exiting that section as the second place runner was entering.  I knew at that point that I was exactly a mile ahead, and at least 6 minutes ahead.  Miles 9-14 were 5:57, 6:04, 6:00, 5:54, 6:01, 5:55.  Just after mile 14, I saw Kristy at the northernmost point of the Battlefield loop.  She told me I looked great.  I smiled, nodded my head, and kept on.  Miles 15-18 looked like this: 5:58, 5:59, 5:57, 6:06.  This is at the southernmost point of the loop which happens to be the hilliest section of the course.  The 6:06 split for 18 made me a bit nervous, but I took a deep breath, remembered how I had felt a year earlier, and focused on the job at hand.  I would see Kristy again just before mile 20; keep on pace until then, and then go from there.  Mile 19 was 6:02.  I saw Kristy at 19.5 and knew that the next time I would see her would be at the finish line.  Mile 20 was 6:01.
As anyone who has run a marathon before knows, the last 10K can be just as difficult as the first 20 miles.  The huge advantage to a double loop course, in my opinion, is that I am passing lots of half marathoners at this point in the race.  They were great.  All of them cheering me on and shouting words of encouragement.  Mile 21 was a 6:12.  At 21.5, I am again exiting that out and back section.  There is no sign of the second place runner.  I know that I am at least a mile (and at least 6 minutes) ahead of second place.  My guess was that I had doubled that gap since the first time going in and out of that section.  I wasn’t feeling great.  And I knew with the advantage that I had, that even pulling off the throttle some would enable me to coast in for a victory.  The worst thing to do at this point is overdo it and end up not being able to finish the race.  Mile 22 was another 6:12.  Even though I wasn’t feeling great (of course not…it was mile 22 of a marathon!), as I passed that exact spot that James Pearce had passed me the year before, I felt a sense of rejuvenation.  Finish strong.  Let’s do this.  Mile 23 was a 6:07.  Mile 24 was a 6:05.  During the last two miles, the course exits the Battlefield loop and goes through an off-road section that was rocky, muddy, and slippery.  Nonetheless, I was passing tons of half marathoners and felt the synergy between them, the spectators, and myself.  Mile 25 was a 6:16.  Mile 26 was a 6:28.  I rounded the corner onto Barnhardt Circle with a completely different feeling than I had had the year before.  As I turned to the finish line, I saw Kristy and Jackson about 50 yards short of the line.  She was cheering but screaming at me.  I recognized the scream and knew it meant one of only two things: There was a guy on my heels, or I was about to hit a significant time goal.  Either way, I had to hammer it home.  I ran the last 0.2 at a 5:41 pace; good enough to hit the line in 2:38:52.  As soon as I finished, I gave my wife a hug and a kiss.  I kneeled down and gave Jackson a hug and put the finisher medal around his neck.  I felt amazing.  I felt redeemed.  I felt fresh.  I even played with Jackson on the bounce houses less than an hour later.  Second place ended up being 2:56.  While I didn’t have anyone pushing me on that day, it was a day that I was not going to be denied.
As I write this, it has been six weeks since I won that race.  I don’t have any regrets about my training, my race plan, or my performance this time.  Some days I remember “I won a marathon recently.”  Some days I don’t.

Goodbye 2012!

Time for reflection. We've said good-bye to 2012 and hello to 2013. Time to look back at some of the fun.

In January, I had the privilege of watching the BEST distance runners in the US at the Olympic Trials for the Marathon in Houston. I met and talked to Meb Keflezighi and Deena Kastor. I ran a half marathon in Houston and got to meet tons of other Race and Event Directors from around the country.

In February, I raced a 5K which I hardly do and was beaten at the line. It was a tough race and the other gal and I ran shoulder to shoulder (literally) from the half way point to the end. It was a learning experience and a fun time.

As usual in the spring, I was honored to help with the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon. Each year at the start, I shed tears of excitement for the runners and as the proud wife of Jason Altman who works tirelessly all year to organize the event. To bring all those logistics together and get all those people to the start line is simply amazing.

I have watched Jackson grow from a babbling 2 year old to a well spoken 3+ year old with a lot of valid questions and a LOT to say (per his own words). He has made me laugh and cry. He has given me strength and confidence and a new sense of who I am and what I want.

I watched my sweet boy go from wearing diapers to "pee-peeing standing up." I watched him last week walk to the fridge, open it, and get out food he wanted to eat. He is growing so fast.

I have connected more with friends. I have made new friends. I have had experiences that caused me to step out of my comfort zone.

I talked a lot about change and life. I wondered if I had the strength to make change and found that I did.

I resigned my from job with KTC. I decided that the stress, time demands, and overall schedule were too much. I wasn't enjoying the job and while so many thought I would never leave, I have. And, I haven't regretted the decision for a single second.

I decided that I missed teaching yoga and called around looking for a class or two. I was delighted to receive positive responses and am looking forward to getting back to teaching.

I was fortunate to be part of Medals4Mettle this year and have given out dozens of earned medals to children who are working hard to live.

2012 wasn't so bad. I believe that 2013 will be awesome. I am grateful for the experiences of 2012 - good and bad. I am grateful for all of the things I have learned and I am so grateful for my husband and child and for their support.

In 2013, I have already worked my last road race and will start teaching yoga again next week.  2013 is going to be a good year and I look forward to January 2014 when I can reflect on all the fun I've had.