Mud Run

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When Santi was 6 months old, I joined Stroller Strides. To be honest, I thought it would be an easy workout, with lame moms and obnoxious kids. Luckily for me, it's not like that at all!!

I've been going 2-3 times a week since last October and I absolutely love it. I always look forward to class. The routes and workouts are as challenging as you make them and the other moms and kids are awesome. Santi and I are so lucky to be part of this strong, supportive community.

A group of 15 of us signed up to do the "World Famous Camp Pendleton Mud Run!" We had a blast! It was a hilly 10k (6.2 miles) with muddy obstacles. We finished as a complete team in 1:27. Pretty good for a bunch of Mama's!

How cute are our shirt?! Abe printed them!

Race For A Cure

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Abe's family and their best friends have a wonderful tradition of walking the Race For A Cure 5k every year. Santi and I joined in for the first time this weekend.

We walked in memory of Abe's Aunt Yoly, who passed away in 2011, and in celebration of Abe's Grandmother Rosa who beat breast cancer a few years ago. We also walked in celebration of my sister, Aubrey Renee, who was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 27! She is stronger and healthier now more than ever and is going on 7+ years of being cancer free!!

I heart running

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This time last year I was getting ready to run the San Diego, Rock N Roll half marathon (13.1 miles). And two years ago I was preparing to run the full (26.2 miles!) SD Rock N Roll marathon. When I think about running those races, it blows my mind. Before I did the marathon I was not a runner. I became a runner when I spent 6 months training for the marathon. In the process of training, I fell in love with running.

Running a marathon was great preparation for labor and delivery. They both test your endurance, pain tolerance and focus. But, let. me. tell. you...mile 25 in the marathon was party time compared to that one hour of pitocin contractions I endured. In fact, I'd rather run a marathon, barefoot, over broken glass then have another pitocin contraction!

So anyway, It's been 9 weeks and 2 days since I gave birth and this morning when I woke up I thought...maybe I'll run today. I set the intention, but I was scared and I had totally irrational fears; What if I couldn't do it? What if my body forgot how to run? But then I thought, the only way I can ever get back to running is to start running again.

I fueled up with half a packet of Gu and I left the house. I started with a warm up hike to the Hollywood Reservoir (.8 miles from our house) thinking I'd aim for half a mile or so once I got up there. When I reached the top, I turned on my "running" playlist and hit the road. It felt good. Understandably, my body felt different. My knees, hips and ankles could feel the extra weight I'm currently carrying. But guess what? I didn't forget how to run! Running felt so good that I surpassed my half mile goal and ended up running 1.16 miles. Not a marathon, I know, but it's a start. And more importantly it's enough to build my confidence to keep running. Hey, maybe I'll even train for another marathon...

Sweaty and Happy!