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Onto autumnal running

Onto autumnal running

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Chicago had an unseasonably warm-ish (emphasis on the *ish*) day today, with our highs reaching low-to-mid 50s.  Most days lately have only seen 40s for the highs, so these extra few degrees are worth getting excited about.

This was also actually a perfect day to try out a birthday present I got, what I’m calling a cocoon for A to cuddle with (read: in) while we run together.  I’ve only been running with her since April, so we have yet to tackle the Chicago cold and wind together yet.  It’s no surprise that I adore cold-weather running, but I haven’t been certain about subjecting her to it… until now.

In other words, yes, I realize I’m a bit of a freak for enjoying winter running, but I don’t know if she’s picked up my freakish genes quite yet. 🙂

Anyway, the cocoon is basically this; think of it as a sleeping bag for kiddos that you can use in a stroller or in an infant carseat/carrier.  It fits perfectly in the BOB, and I’ve been looking forward to using it with A on a run.  (Of course, I didn’t think I’d be running with her right now, so soon after NYC, but whatev.  C’est la vie 😀 ).

Here are some pics C snapped today of A and me before we got out on our 6-mile run.  I eventually put her in her winter coat under the cocoon, but it was more because she sometimes likes to pull her legs out of the cocoon, and I wanted to make sure at least part of her was warm while we were out (sidenote: fortunately, aside from chucking her snack cup and lid while we were running, she kept it together).

Hooray for running! This is a good shot of the cocoon.

The other amazing birthday present was also for A and me while we run, and it’s basically a cover that is water- and wind-proof and that fits over the frame of the BOB.  You can zip it all the way up (so the kiddo can’t see a thing), or you can zip it down so the kiddo can see but has a plastic shield over her to block the wind.

I think the cover, combined with the cocoon, will ensure that A could go on pretty much any cold-weather run that I’d want her to accompany me.

We’re not messing around with this. It is super toasty in there

After our photo session with C, we finally got out for our run: a nice 6-mile run from home to Belmont Harbor along the lakefront.  My watch took a long time to detect the GPS before we got going, so here are a couple more pics I took as we were waiting to get movin.

The diddo and me, about to lay it down
Let’s get this party started, bitches

The verdict is in, and it’s in favor of the cocoon.  Well done.  We’ll see how the cover holds once it gets cold enough to warrant its use.  Until then, it’ll be all cocoon, all the time.

Catching up: CrossFit, YMe 5k, the BOB, Team NMA/RYBQ, and the (pending) move

Catching up: CrossFit, YMe 5k, the BOB, Team NMA/RYBQ, and the (pending) move

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It’s funny, in a way, because I’ve been staying at home with A now for almost a whole year (while sometimes working PT or being in grad school FT), and I think way back when, part of me thought that I’d find that I had tons and tons of time on my hands because that’s what stay-at-home moms have, right?  Lots of time. I could blog and blog and blog, and then blog and blog some more, among other things.

Good lord, how wrong I was.

Even though I completed my MA and my TESOL in March, and I ran my marathon in April, things have been non-stop ever since March between marathon training, finding a condo and then subsequently preparing for the move, running a marathon, starting Windy City CrossFit’s foundations class 3x/week for four weeks, joining the folks over at Team Run Your BQ/Team No Meat Athlete, and learning how to run with A’s newest urban assault vehicle ride, the BOB Revolution SE… among other things.

Honestly, I mean to blog nearly every night as I’m winding down for bed, but half the time I’m just ready to veg and not think anymore… especially after a full day of (insert many and varied activities here).

So, in an effort to shoot for brevity, I’ll do a quick catch-up, bullet-list style.

  1. CrossFit: I wrote about this in my last post, but it’s f-in awesome.  Tons of fun.  Like adult recess, basically.  I’m in week three of my four week program, and it might be in my head, but I swear I’m already stronger and harder/more toned (in parts) than I was on April 29th.  Here’s an interesting article I read about CrossFit and runners.
  2. YMe 5k: Perhaps closely related to #1, I ran YMe’s Race at My Pace 5k on Mother’s Day (my gift to myself) and knocked off 61 seconds from my time at the GNYER in Ohio on 12/31/11–making a PR in the process (20:31).  What’s interesting is that I’m only two weeks post-marathon.  Seriously, I think #1 had something to do with how I performed.  Naturally, I did some pre- and post-race vlogs over at my handy YouTube channel, so click here, here, and hereto watch 🙂

    Ran the YMe for my mommy... read my bib!
  3. Running with a BOB: I’ll have to write a separate post about this (and about running post-pregnancy… I’ve been meaning to write that one for a while now), but it has been quite the learning experience, for sure.  Below is a pic of A and me in her Mazzerati stroller (although we weren’t running at the time).  I’ll come back to this post in the future.

    A and me rockin' out in the BOB on LSD (always in the Boston jacket!)
  4.  Team NMA/RYBQ: which means No-Meat Athlete and Run Your BQ (Boston Qualifier).  I think it’s technically Team RYBQ, but since I learned about it through the No-Meat Athlete website, I’m giving credit to both entities.  This has been really interesting so far because it’s basically an online community of runners who are trying to run their BQs and/or PRs, and it’s coached by Matt Frazier and Jason Fitzgerald.  I’ve been reading their articles and forums (and contributing to the latter), and I’m excited to try their plans come NYC and Houston training time.  I’ve never done a training plan or really, have been part of a training community, like this, so I’m looking forward to it.  It should be fun.
  5. The move: ah, yes, the move… my new hobby that has seemingly taken over lots of my days and nights when I’m not with A (and sometimes, even during).  I can’t tell you how sick I am of reading MLS listings.  Crossing my fingers here that if all goes well, in about three weeks’ time, I’ll be blogging from our new condo 🙂

Super short and quick tonight–well, at least a bit shorter than usual–but I’ll try to be better about blogging.  My next race is the Ragnar Madison-Chicago 200 mile relay, so that’ll be a good time and I’m sure will lend itself to a great post.

More to come!  Until then, onward and upward…