Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Running While Pregnant

My relationship with running started 1 year ago and in this year we learned to be inseparable. I did about 5 10km races i did 3 1/2 Marathons i did 3 10 mile race and 1 race of 27.5 km.
Every race was better than the previous one time wise. I was able to run a 10k in 41 min and the last race was my 1/2 marathon where i finished with a time of 1 h 30 and won the race. I was training for the Rotterdam marathon but that exact next day after the 1/2 i took a pregnancy test and was positive.


I was and still super excised but mentally i feel i am enable to run anymore. My family keep repeating "Don't Run" maybe because they don't know how it feels to take away that relationship. I have to wait another week before i see a doctor and be sure that everything is ok and i could just run on a lower pace.

if all goes well i will try to switch my full marathon race by 10 km, and that is in 10 days.  I miss just go out there and running my heart out and feel every step i take,
I hope i get the doctor blessing so i can keep running....

Saturday, March 27, 2010

My dream of running a first Marathon has to be postponed to another year

I figure out i am not as passionate about writing my daily life as much as running.
March 14 st just finished a great 1/2 marathon and my love for running keep increasing. The love of racing and pushing myself to the next level it is not something i can help. I already signed up for 10 km on April 5th and running the Rotterdam Marathon on April 11th.
I was looking forward so much to the Marathon, I really wanted to do it in Sub 3:30 even though i know i have  like 3:10 in my legs.

The News was shocking(combination of Happiness and sadness) when i just realized i am pregnant. YEAH I AM PREGNANT!! It is too early yet to tell everyone and a long way is ahead of me. I am so happy to be pregnant Mr R and I have been wanting kids for a while. I am extremely happy from one side but from the other side i was so looking to run my 1st Marathong which is 15 days away. MY hard workout for the marathon went in vain...Dont get me wrong no workout goes in vain but i was so dedicated to my running, focused and determined . Now i am scared to do anything. the 10 km Race which will take place  next week i am even scared to run it. I dont think I will...

I think i have to wait until i see the midwife and give me her blessings and reassure me that running while pregnant is not a problem. My body is already changing,  i lost my flat AbS and i can feel i am SO Pregnant.

I am so happy and I really hope i can keep running all through pregnancy. I read so many other blogs about women running and pregnant. They are all doing OK and no one had issues.

I have signed up to few races end of April and May , i would be so happy if i could still run those races and finish with a bump on my belly. Running for 2 should be an interesting journey!


My dream of running a first Marathon has to be postponed to another year. 







Sunday, March 21, 2010

Winning the 1/2 marathon In lebanon

This year I decided to race in my own land the 1/2 marathon. I never run in Beirut just because it is so busy and it is not the place whee to see runners running everywhere.
we stayed in a hotel downtown beirut. The scenery is so beautiful. Beirut is one of the most beautiful city i have ever been. The day of the race woke up at 5 am had really light breakfast, dry fruits and nuts.
The start of the race was at 7:30 here i am at 6:45 at the start. Warming up right and left. The temperature was perfect, a nice breez coming from the sea but warm enough to run in shorts and t shirts.

Around 7 am while i was talking with another friend, a guy was pushing his  Motorcycle between the crowd...and not sure why he had to go behind me and my left calve touches the exhaust pipe of that little thingy... and I scream so hard... i was in a lot of pain... i run to the red cross begging for help my race will start in 20 min.

they couldnt help much beside a cream anti_burning. I dry my tears and go to the start with a huge ugly thing on the back of my foot. The excitement of the race made me forget the pain and here i am cruising down the 21.1 km.
The total number of participants was about 300 people. The first 3 km i picked a good pace to just get me out of the crowd until i realized i had only one girl in front of me who was picking up speed. At the moment i set myself a goal to beat her and win the race. My time was not the main goal. I decided to stay behind her and keep her as close as possible until the 2nd half of the race. 3km to 10 km i was in a good pace and i felt i was getting closer and closer to the lady in front of me.... Between 10 and 12 i got a lot of energy and here i decided to over take her and lead race,..,.. Exactly as planned At 11 km i over take and i pick an awesome pace, i felt the power in my legs, the gorgeous view of the sea and the quiet morning of the city made me feel as if i was not present... just my legs running trying to finish.

The trouble started the last 3 km. they were down on a straight road, basically i could see the finish line 3 km away... and that was HARD!!! I kept running running and the finish line would not get any closer, i really think i lost a lot of the time in those last 3 km.... 200m away i hear my name Go GO and I heard the time of a person who just arrived it was 1h 29 min ...I know that i am going to finish in 1 h 30...i gave everything...absolutely everything...and I DID it i finished 1st with a time 1h 30 and that 3 min faster than my last 1/2 marathon.

A great award ceremony was afterward and now my goal to get my leg healed. I am looking forward to run my first marathon ever on April 11th. this week i took it easy because of my foot but Next week i am back in training...I know it is my first marathon but i have of 3h 15 min. Will I be able to do it? 21 days to go and i will let you know!!!