10 km of the Jaarbeurs Marathon

Here it has been 5 months since the birth of my son! I signed up to the city pier city 10 km in March but somehow my start number never came and i didnt push to get a new number so i let go i thought maybe i wasnt yet ready to run a race!

The first few months after the pregnancy i think were the hardest. I couldnt find a rithym in my life i was nursing every 3 hours so i felt it was a never ending. Now that my son goes to the creche 4 days a week and now that he started to sleep from 7pm till 7am with an 11 pm feeding life became much easier. i have more energy to do things even though i am still nursing him and this takes a lot of energy and time. Not until the last months that i started to run like 4 times a week...

Finally i made up my mind that i need to sign up to another race. This race is the 10 km on April 25 th. What is so special about this race is that the start is only 50 m from my house!!
The day of the race everything was hurting me, my knee, my stomach, i was tired...obviously these symptoms started because i was very nervous!

I knew i wont have a PR but i also deep in my heart i knew i can run fast!! Why i wouldnt be able to do a PR? The answer is Simple -->lack of training...

11 am the start, 10 min before the start i walk toward the start and find myself way behind the start line. Thanks to another twitter frien @MennoHollander we were able to move few meters closer to the start line. 11'03 was my start time 3 min behind the official start. The first 2 km were a combination of running and skiing. Skiing because i was running right and left to move away from the crowd. The biggest obstacle was the heat! My mouth was absolutely dry i was suffering from dihydration from the first few meters!!! After the first 2 km I picked a good pace around the 4'15 and cruised my way to the finish line.

Nothing is more wonderful to know that my hubby and little boy are waiting for me at the finish line!! Thank you boys for the support!!!
I finished with a time of 43'08. In the overall ladies i was placed 13th out of 1070!! BUT  I had a neutral feeling i wasn't too happy or sad.  I know i could do better but i also know that i should be patience to my body who had a C-Section 5 months ago.

I was happy to see @JudithWebber another twitter Friend.

Next race would be on may 15 th the half marathon of Leiden!!

Cheers

Welcome 2011

On a personal level 2010 was a great year with the birth of my beautiful son. I could have not wished for anything more precious.

One of my goals in 2010 was to run my 1st marathon. One month before Rotterdam marathon in April that is  when i knew i was pregnant so this goal got postponed to this year.
I managed to run throughout all my pregnancy which is something i am so proud of.
Rotterdam marathon might be on my list this year but it all depends on how fast i get back in shape and if i manage to increase my weekly mileage.
Few things need to be done:
1) - loose the baby weight ( 5 Kg to go but they are the hardest to loose)
2) - Find the balance between running, newborn baby who needs attention and a 4 days job.

I know this wont be easy but with my love for running i hope to get the motivation to run whenever it is possible.

Few goals for this year.
1) to do at least one PR in either 10k or 21k
2) to RUN and FINISH a marathon

I am looking forward to 2011. BRING IT ON!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas!

I love this time of the year. Normally i would be spending it in a condo on a ski hill with my family. When i say family its like brothers, sister, their kids cousins etc
This year with the new addition to my family it will be a quiet christmas, i wont be in a condo on a ski hill and i wont be skiing the next day but it will be a white christmas here in the Netherlands. I am looking forward to celebrate all that with little D.
Christmas day would mark the 5 weeks since the birth of baby D. I wonder if i should call him baby because i see a little boy and not a baby anymore!!

After having a c-section i really thought i would have to wait 6 weeks before i can do any activity. Sure enough being a little impatient and my eager to start running 6 weeks would not be an option. On week 4 post pregnancy i managed to run... That felt damn good! Somehow i felt strong as if i was never pregnant ... Or as if i was running with my pre pregnancy weight!
Well that is good news! Right? I hope it stays that way...

Baby D

Running while having a newborn at home is going to be challenging. Now it is somehow easy because we are both off from work but when hubby gets back to work eventually all depends on what time he comes home from work. All this has to be planned...but i have a feeling 2011 is going to be a good year!

Merry christmas!

Welcome to the world Baby Daniel

Friday november 19 will never be the same. On this day my little angel Daniel is born at 8 15.
He is so sweet and cute. I barely hear him beside when its time to eat ... I am enjoying every moment of it because in my heart i know that in no time he will grow up. I love being a mom!!

It was so strange to come the 3 of us home instead of just 2...really life is like a miracle...i think i can go on i am full of emotion and still amazed of the birth of Daniel.

The really nice part here in the Netherlands that i get a certified lady to come and help me for one week at home. She teaches me how to handle Daniel, how to give him a bath how to feed him and at the same time she cleans the house , do laundry and get me something to eat. I feel treated like a queen :)
it is the only country in the world they offer this kind of service after the birth of a child. Im lovin' it!

Below 2 photos of Daniel.

Time to meet My little baby

Normally i love being in contol of things but at this point i have absolutely no control i am waiting for my baby to see when he feels like celebrating his birthday!! No signs at all that it would be anytime soon...
While waiting for my little man i had plenty of time to think of all the things i want to do and change once i become a mother. I got a chance to plan a draft of all the races i would like to run and of course the first one would be Rotterdam Marathon in April but the question is would i be ready for that race? Would i be all in shape and at my highest performance?

Running is of course what i love to do but i am very competitive with myself. So far every race has been a PR so what if i set an unrealistic time for the marathon and end up being disappointed???
A part of me i want to do the marathon in april and this will help me be serious and get motivated about my training as soon as possible and the other part of me i want to wait and gain more confidence before running a new course.

I will let this thought sink in before making any decision but at the very moment all i want is to hold and squeeze my baby in my arms!!! Come on baby we are all waiting for you !!

38+ weeks pregnant still running...but this is it!

I am about 2 weeks away before i get to  meet my little baby. I am super excited to be a mom for the first time.

Today i managed to run a 3 Km but to be honest i think thats it, my running shoes are going to be retired for a while.
Running for me is  usually the moment where i feel free, light, peaceful, where i can forget everything and just focus on the things around me...like the POWER OF NOW.
Today running was not that much fun, i was scared. Being so close to have a baby i was worried what if my water break, what if the baby is so big now he is feeling uncomfortable... what if i fall now that i am 15kg heavier, all kind of worries were running in my brain, eventhough once i was done i felt so good. i felt powerful and proud!!
Ii am so ready to get rid of this belly and have my kido between my arms.

35 weeks still running

        Last year like now I was so fit so ready to compete in every race possible. I had in mind to run the chicago marathon 2010, of course all the plans changed when i knew i was going to become a mami!!  I am only 5 weeks away before I meet my little angel. Five weeks sound so close after everything i went through for 35 weeks but yet 5 weeks still a long time.

Today i managed to run for 45 min on a very easy pace. Running with all this extra weight is also very interesting but It felt great!! The reward of having a baby is much greater than finishing a race with a great time and having a medal on my neck.on the other hand reading about all those people who are going to run chicago marathon or other races makes me somehow wish to be among them.

I am so looking forward to have a baby and start running again. I set high goals for next year, I know it wont be easy at first especially that i have to get fit again!!  I might not accomplish them all but just knowing they are there and i could meet all my goals by pushing my body and mind.  Honestly it sounds crazy with the number of the races that i would like to run and yes Chicago 2011 is on my plate.
 
I run Half marathons but never a marathon, Rotterdam marathon 2010 was one of the races i was training for and one month before thats where the positive pregnancy test showed up :) So i couldn't run my first marathon.
I am so excited for next year, when you are deprived from something you end up craving it. Thats how i feel craving long run all the time... I am waiting for the day where i could just go out there, me myself and I feeling the pounding heel-soles embarking me on a new journey.

At the moment my excitement to meet my little baby in five weeks is only growing by the minute.

Have a nice weekend!!