Some Flip videos

Cairn's first kilt

I'm lovin' my new Flip Mino. It's so easy to use - I didn't need to read the instructions. It's so light, I actually thought the box was empty. And I can just plug it into my computer and email or post on the net, without having to save or faff around. In summary, it's brilliant. And much cheapness too. I got it on Amazon for £100.

Anyway, I'll post some videos soon. But in the meantime, here's some pics of my boy in his kilt for Rob and Kas' wedding party at the weekend.




(thanks for the pictures, Anita)

Back on track

Given how accident prone I am, you'd be forgiven in thinking I'd been hit by a bus. Fear not, I'm still here. And everything has been going well.

I've always said I'm a firm believer that everything happens for reason. Getting injured when I started out too quicker, was the best thing that could happen. I started running again two weeks ago - after two weeks off - and feel much better for it. My body feels stronger, fitter and totally ready to get back into training. I haven't started any speed work, as putting too much pressure on myself was what set me back.

I've been running 5-6 miles every other day. I haven't bothered about pace, but I've been averaging 9m/m and just enjoying it. Losing a few pounds has made a huge difference and I feel like my lungs have doubled in size. Maybe that's why having babies makes women better runners? :-)

My plan is to start introducing some long reps and tempos and gradually increasing my mileage. Seven weeks until the Glasgow Women's 10K and over four weeks until I have to take on the 43m Devils race. Yikes! Not much of a jump, eh.

I've got a new toy to play with - a Flip Mino video camera. It's a really nifty wee gadget. So light and easy to use. So you can expect lots of video posts soon.



I plan on catching up with everyone's blogs over the next couple of days. I've lost count of the amount of times I said "I just don't know where time goes".

Happy belated Mother's Day to all you Mommys out there.

I think someone's trying to tell me something...

Cairn had his first visit to the baby clinic on Thursday - for his six week check-up. All is very and the doc commented on how alert and happy chappy. He also said he has a "tall and lean" frame. That's definitely a Consani trait, as I come from a long line of midgets. I told him he's going to be a great runner, as he's a thoroughbred after all :-) The doc is a cyclist so tutted and informed me that cycling is best as "you can take in the world at the speed it should be enjoyed". I retorted by saying that cycling is what I do when I am a) injured b) commuting or c) enjoying a nice summer's day.

So, given that I am a)injured I had to dip in to my alternative exercise reserves and get back on the saddle. As it was quite chilly this morning I put on my long tights, jacket and gloves. After a collision with a wall a few years ago, which resulted in five clips in my head, I tend to wear a helmet when I'm on my bike. My sensible safety and clothing attire was a wise choice, as four miles along my route I ended up splattered on the middle of the road.

I was making my way up a hill on Bonhill Road, when I noticed a car approaching the junction on the left. I was slightly cautious as a car came out in front of me at the same spot last week, just missing me. I was sure the driver hadn't seen me, so I slowed down as I crossed. Unfortutunately he didn't slow down and to make matters worse, cut the corner...and smashed into my bike. I was thrown backwards and he took my bike with him.

So there I was flat on my back on the middle of a busy road. I could hear commotion round about me, but I think I was too stunned to move. Two women in a passing car rushed over to help me and the chap who hit me was standing over me practically crying and shaking. Possibly because he realised he'd hit a cyclist as a policecar was coming round the bend. Doh! I tried to get up but one of the policeman made me stay down and called an ambulance. The other stood in the road directing the gawking traffic. OMG I was mortified. I knew I'd have some cracking bruises, but I wasn't at death's door.

After I was checked over by the paramedics, I was safe to go. My legs had taken a bit of a bashing. Sod's law, my knees took the brunt of it. But my bike it totally mangled. Sonic came to pick me up, but the paramedics took my bike home in their ambulance. You can imagine the curtain-twitching on my street :-)

My knees are black and blue, but I was so thankful my skin was covered and I was wearing a helmet. Bet the driver is too - as he's been charged with careless driving. I told the policeman I didn't want him to be charged - accident's happen - but apparently I don't have a say in that.

So, running's out, my bike is in bits, the weather is too rubbish for walking and the local swimming pool closes at 6pm...do you think someone is trying to tell me something?

Next weekly round up.

Eh, nothing. Yep, nothing. So much for my great come back. Two weeks in and I'm out already. As briefly mentioned in my last post, my knees are goosed. To move, to touch and to bend. Yep, completely knackered. I knew running was out of question, so last Saturday I decided to cycle. It doesn't quite cut it, but it's better than nothing. I did a nice 13-mile route, which I really enjoyed. But since then, even walking has been a struggle. They feel better today, so hopefully I'll be able to do something over the weekend.

I was planning on going on a long walk today, but there's a bit of a snow blizzard going on so the great outdoors looks quite uninviting.

I suppose I'm slightly disheartened as I really wanted to get back into an exercise regime. I had big plans of shifting the extra 12lbs of post-baby weight that are hanging about my body. I don't feel particularly bad about it, but none of my pre-Cairn clothes fit me. And anyone who knows me, knows that's a lot of clothes! So for the last week I've been super healthy. I've been deciphering labels, counting calories, weighing portions and cooking lots of veg-packed dishes. I have to be quite sensible as I'm feeding Cairn, but I was really, really good. So after all that hard work, you can imagine how peeved I was to only loose 1lb. I thought breast feeding was supposed to burn loads of calories! Pah! That's enough to drive you to chocolate and red wine. I suppose it's step in the right direction, so it's back to the carrot sticks.

Weekly round up

I don't really have the time to post my daily drivel anymore...but I'm working on it. I've almost got my morning routine (getting myself, Cairn and the house ready) down to under three hours. Trust me, that's a huge improvement. It can take me 1.5 hours just to feed Cairn, by the time: he's fallen asleep numerous times; puked on me; burped; gets bored; and stares vacantly at the lights. Thankfully, I've have leant not to get dressed until I've bathed him, as the excitement of coming out of the water always makes him pee. And usually down my clean clothes. Which means more washing.

So, I'm slowly getting back into a exercise plan. The weather hasn't been too bad, so Cairn and I can go for long walks.

I'm still following the FIRST training program, so here are the updates.

Sunday, Feb 22: 7 mile run at long tempo pace.
This was a bit of a shabby attempt, as I was recovering from the wine/champagne/beer I drank at Sara's wedding. Oops. Plus, I'd left it so late in the evening, that my heart wasn't in it. But hey, I finished. But that's probably about all I achieved.
Splits: 10.36 (warm-up) 9.31, 9.19, 9.34, 9.37, 9.33. Average 9.34.

Tuesday, Feb 24: one mile warm up, 5 x 400m reps and one mile cool down.
There was no way I was driving out to a track, so I found a 400m route round two blocks of houses on my street. The times are probably a little wonky, as the route involved many ups and down off pavements and driveways and four 90 degree bends.
Rep times 3.58, 3.54, 3.53, 3.54, 3.48.

Thursday, Feb 26: 1 mile warm-up, 2 x short tempo pace, 1 x easy, 2 x short tempo pace and 1 x cool down.
I choose quite a hilly route to try and incorporate some hill training. Plus, I'd struggle to find a route round here that don't have killers hills :-)
Splits: 10.24, 9.06, 8.19, 9.42, 8.53, 8.44 and 9,59. Average 9.11.
There are quite a few points on this route that are dark and on uneven pavements, so you're forced to slow down. My plan was to try this again at the weekend in daylight, but my knees are shot. They seem to be easing off today, but they were really sore when I was up during the night. Hopefully it's more of an ache than an injury.

Thur

Who's getting married in the morning?

Dear Sara,
Thanks for the comment, but what are you doing reading blogs the night before your wedding day? Shouldn't you have curlers in your hair, practicing your vows...or climbing out of the bathroom window :-)
Can't wait to see you and Jerry tomorrow.
Debs xx

Also, good luck to Team Kynaston on their wedding day tomorrow. Laura is the first to fly the Bronte-esque coup. Looking forward to seeing the video of JK's Father-of-the-Bride speech. He did promise afterall ...

So tomorrow will be the first day I'll be parted from my boy. Yikes. He's off to stay at his Gran's for the night.

First day on the job

As previously mentioned I'm going to follow the 12 week 10K plan. It's called the FIRST training program and based on three quality training runs per week. The sessions are much more intense and focus on strength, speed and endurance. Every run is either reps or tempo runs at race pace. The tempo pace is broken down to short, mid and long pace (depending on distance) and based on the runners' 5K pace. I'm a bit in no-mans land with regards to race times, so I'm going with a medium between my 54min 10K at five months pregnant and my 57min 10K at six months pregnant. Now I know I'm not pregnant anyone, but up until last week I had only run three miles in seven weeks.

So the plan for tonight was 1 mile warm-up, 3 x miles at short tempo pace (8.59m/m) and 1 mile cool down.

The longer I upped the pace, the "easier" it got. I really think it's just reminding my body that I can run faster. Here are the scores: 10.11, 8.38, 8.42, 8.59 and 9.48 (average 9.17).

Plan needed

Yesterday, Cairn and I went for an eight mile walk. I really enjoyed moving briskly and getting some fresh air. He was so underwhelmed that he slept the whole way. I was weird to think that the last time I walked this route round Dumbarton I was trying to bring on labour.

Today I had a dentist appointment at 10am. I swear I had to start getting organised at 7am. Gone are the days when I'm showered, dressed and out the door in an hour. There always seems to be some drama - usually involving frequent changes and feeds. Cairn decided to throw up on my boobs %-) And when I whipped him out of the bath to answer the door to the postman - he peed all down the front of my top. Just when I was telling the postman he's as "good as gold".

Then the health visitor was round in the afternoon to check on Cairn's progress and my mental well-being. Gawd, they ask a lot of daft questions. Like am I "managing" to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner? Yeah, probably about two of each and snacks.

After Sonic finished work, I got to go for a run. Thankfully he's got a new lunchtime training group, so we don't need to divvy up weeknight running time. Unfortunately I don't really know anyone in the area, so any me-time exercise involves waiting on Sonic or a 55 mile round trip to where all my family live.

Tonight I was hoping to pick up the pace a little. Lord knows I couldn't go any slower than Sunday's run - without going backwards. Again, I felt better and fitter, but I was slightly overdressed. I hadn't really taken into account the sudden rise in temperature. Two running tops weren't needed. I did a one mile warm-up and then five-miles at a steady pace. I don't quite have the drive to push the pace. Which is probably just as well, as I would only end up injuring an already ruined body.

Total distance: Five miles. 48:39. Splits 10.01, 9.34, 9.37, 9.36, 9.45. Average 9.43. I really need some hill training, as I got to pot on even the slightest incline.

I've been thinking over the last couple of weeks, I need a plan. Although my aim is to start with the women's 10K in May and then build up to the Devils in August, I've got no idea how to get there.



I bought this book and it seems to give some solutions. It's based on three quality runs a week. There's a 12 week 10K plan, which I'm going to follow. I'll report back once I've read some more.

On board to on tow.

As Keith kindly pointed out, I had to update my blog name. It was kind of my list of things to do over the last couple weeks. But like everything else on the list I never quite got round to it. Anyway, it's updated now. The baby on board is now the baby on tow. I think I preferred being a pregnant running, as at least I had an excuse. I've felt slightly self-conscious on my new-mum runs. I really want to get a T-shirt printed that states: "I've just had a baby. This IS fast".

It's been a year since I put the hit counter on my blog. Over 16,000 isn't bad. And they're not all me either :-) Thanks for reading, folks.

Part deux

Today was the first day that Sonic and I has to juggle runs. So far he's had the free reign, but now it's a case of taking turns. He got to go first, as I've got to feed Cairn. So off he went at 8am to meet Lins, on the agreement that he'd be back at 9.30am. So I ran about like a blue-arsed fly to get everything sorted and waited...and waited. At 10.15am a broken Sonic returned spluttering apologies and dramatic stories about messed up routes, fatigue and Lins' hamstrings. Lins' wife was waiting for him to return so she could go out running, so he was in trouble too.

So off I went, with the aim of running five miles. My legs actually ached from Friday's run, so I felt quite jerky. I loosened up and started to get into it. I was pretty amazed how fitter I felt already. I remember when I started running seven years ago, that I was amazed how easy running became so quickly. So I'm hoping history will repeat itself.

The pace was pretty slow and steady, but my aim was to cover the mileage without stopping. Or at least dying.

I think my body's still suffering from the effects of childbirth. Although my stitches have healed, I still feel tender. My coxix still feels quite bruised. And my boobs are in tatters. Last week I had mastitis, but the antibiotics have cleared that up. Even if I wanted to take first dibs at running this morning, I don't think my boobs could take it. If Cairn doesn't feed during the night, then I wake up looking like Jordan :-) After a one hour attack by the milk monster, by boobs were rattling about in my sports bra like week-old water balloons :-) Sorry for the graphics, dear reader.

5.2 miles round Balloch. 51:56. Average 10.11 m/m

I'm back!

OK that may sound like a grand drama-hands statement. It should be more like I'm sneaking my way back. Last night I went out for my first run. I took my new trainers out of the box, put on my pre-pregnancy running gear and headed out into the dark streets. I took the first mile like I'd just been let out of a cage. It felt great to be lighter and have sole possession of my lungs. Unfortunately by mile two I was starting to pay for my over-sprightly start. I kind of ran/walked/jogged for another mile of so. Clocking up a total of 3.5 miles. Ho'd me back! But hey ho, it's a start. Every step is a step back to fitness...right?

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. Hope you're having a romantic day. Sonic and I managed to buy each other gifts from the new North Face store. Spooky. He went one step further with the red roses though. He even treated Cairn and I to a cross-country race and a trip to PC World to buy...(something I switched off to)... I know, I'm living the dream :-) We did go to Nanakusa for lunch for a sushi and noodle feast. Then I fell asleep 15 minutes into our evening's movie viewing.

Three weeks on...and I don't know where the time has gone.

I haven't quite got round to going for a run yet. I'm thinking about venturing out before the weekend. Does thinking about it count?

In the meantime, here are a few more pictures of Cairn. I promise I'll stop posting baby pictures when I've got something running-wise to chat about :-)

Cairn's race memorabila

The best baby gift EVER deserves a blog entry of its own. Here's the fabulous gift Cairn received from Tim and Muriel Downie.

I think a 10-week embryo will hold the record for the youngest WHW finisher for a while. Dario has threatened to introduce pregnancy tests at race registration.

Baby contest and some pix

Here are the final scores on the door. Well done to my Gran and George Reid. Prizes to follow..once I've thought of a suitable prize for each recipient.

Double-click on document below for full list of guesses.

And more importantly, here are some pictures of my boy(s)


Cairn - just minutes old


Sonic being super-helpful :-)

The arrival of little Sonic

You may prefer to be spared the gory details. But it's my blog, so here goes.

On Tuesday I decided that going for long walk might get things going. So after eight miles, my body felt suitably battered. By Wednesday morning I felt a bit achy and grumpy (nothing out of the ordinary) and sent Sonic off to work. Following his epic 1.5 hour journey to work - after numerous traffic dramas - I assured him that he was safe to go out for his lunchtime run. I may have even suggested that he feck-off-and-leave-me-in-peace. So in true karma-style, he must have stepped his foot on the pavement as I stood up and got my first contraction. Ouch. No problem, I thought. Loads of time between each in the first stage, right? Enough time to tidy up and finally sort out my hospital bag, right? Wrong. Bang! Three minutes later along came the next. And they were coming fast and furious. By the time I got hold off Sonic (who chosen that day to do a long run!) I was in the midst of deep breathing and gasped "Home! Now!" down the phone. When he came in they were two minutes apart and lasting at least one minute.

After a chat with the midwifes, I was told to go into the maternity unit as things were progressing quite rapidly. Too fast for my liking. There was no rest bite and I felt drained. It was like running your first marathon at 5K pace!! I had three contractions from the carpark to the maternity ward, as they were one minute apart by then. After a brief examination - just heart rate and pressure stuff - I was in the birthing pool.

As the endorphins set in I was completely within myself and practically unaware of what was going around about me. I had no idea how far along I was, as I declined an internal examination, but it wasn't long before I had an uncontrollable urge to push. Lesley the midwife gave me gas and air to try and stop me from pushing. Gawd, that stuff it magic :-) Sonic was keen to give it a go, but decided against it when he saw that I'd vomited down the tube %-) It gave relief, but didn't stop me wanting to push. My membranes hadn't ruptured, so that came first. It was like passing a balloon. Lesley pierced the sack and told me the head was on it's way. After what seemed like eternity of burning and stinging, out it popped. I distinctly remember making a noise that I'm convinced only labouring woman can make. It was like a long, throaty grunt. Then with the next contraction, my beautiful son was passed up to the water's surface.

It was a truly amazing experience. Not something I'd want to repeat anytime soon, but it's so not as bad as it's made out to be. I think having a positive and fearless frame of mind, made it for me. I really wanted a natural bith and will always cherish my proud moment of achieving this. Especially when I can say twos-up to the people who said I couldn't or shouldn't.

I keep relaying the experience over and over in my head, from the first contraction at 12.35 to Cairn's arrival at 7.17pm. I never thought it would be over in 6hrs 42. That could be a hard PB to beat.

Sonic was amazing throughout. Really calm and comforting. Although I do recall him mentioning the dog bite on his ass to everyone of the midwives on duty :-)

All niceties and songbirds aside, I did tear quite badly. Weighing it at 8lb 2.5 Cairn wasn't exactly tiny. It took two nurses 45 minutes to stitch me back together. I presume it was a bit of car crash, as the needle was working like they were whipping up a patchwork quilt. I suppose I can take comfort in the fact that they both stood back and admired their handy work by saying they'd done a "lovely job". I am too scared to look, as I harbour fears that it may resemble a hedgehog that unsuccessfully crossed the M8! :-)

More photos (of Cairn - not the aforementioned) and updates to follow.

Its a Boy!

Go to www.consani.co.uk for movies and photos

Health and safety gone mad

Here's a picture of my lovely new Baby Jogger



Here's the manufacturer's description

When we set out to design the most advanced, high performance jogging strollers on the market, we did it with the serious runner's training regimen in mind – the marathon runner, the tri-athlete, and even the weekend 5k warrior. We know how it is getting up at 6am for a training run with a child or children - you want to make sure you’ve got them buckled into one of the safest strollers on the market, and one that can take the miles and miles of wear & tear that you put on it.

Our Performance Series Jogging Strollers feature the only one-piece frame in the industry, which means there are no hinges or joints to weaken during frequent, high intensity use. Their 20" wheels make it one of the easiest joggers to push on the market today - allowing you to run further with less effort. The sleek aerodynamic design and shock absorption system make it easy to maneuver whether going over rocky terrain or for a jog on the beach.

So here's what it says on the side of the box: Built to withstand frequent use by the avid runner.



So it might come as a bit of shock with the cautionary advice on the other side of the box states: NOT SUITABLE FOR RUNNING. WTF? Talk about covering your a*s.

Jack Crawford 10K

Well done to everyone who completed the blustery course.







Sonic finished 16th in 36:12. He was quite dissappointed as he got his PB (34:48) in this race last year...but I slapped him round the heid and told him to get over himself.

Still here.

Wow! Check out the countdown clock for the on slot of mayhem. Two days! Holy sh*t. How did it come round so fast? It feels like only weeks ago that I nearly fainted when the blue cross appeared on the life-changing stick. I really expected to be in for the long haul. Everyone duly informed me (as part of the multitude of "advice") that the last few weeks really drag. Really I think the whole experience has flown in with limited drama.

I think I've still got a wee bit to go though. I've had a few twinges, a bit of backache and LOTS of Braxton Hicks, but nothing to write home about. Sonic was convinced he/she was coming yesterday, but I'm still sitting here like a beached whale.

I'm trying to keep as active as possible, although it's a bit of a struggle to stay motivated. I've been walking a few miles each day, even in the pouring rain. Anything to keep me away from daytime TV. I'm convinced it's a continuation of chat shows, house renovations programmes and repeats, broken-up with commercials for debt consolidation and fad diets. Riveting stuff.

I've got a confession to make. I parked in the Mother and baby space at Tesco - without a baby! I've got no excuse. It was pouring of rain and my ribs and back were aching. There were loads of spaces, so I just nipped in. My Sis (who works in said Tesco) said they're for expecting Mothers too, but I felt really guilty. I practically crawled from the car with shame. I know I'm nearly in the category, but nearly's not enough. Especially considering I make such of drama out of people parking in disabled spaces. It makes me soooo angry.

So please make the baby come soon. Although I'm still quite content being preggers, I'm getting a little bored. Plus, the longer it goes on the more stretched my skin is getting. JK - I've told Sonic that if I get stretch marks I'm blaming you :-) You and your spookily accurate predictions.

Mat leave and Slumdogs

Well I finished work on Friday, before I was officially escorted from the building. The jovial comments about me given birth at my desk were starting to evoke slight panic. The guys were joking about bringing in hot water and towels. I wondered if they were going to turn the clocks back to 1942 as well :-)

So yesterday was my first day on maternity leave. By 8am I was already climbing the walls. Nobody warned me how bad daytime TV was. And who thought it was a good idea to bring back Mr Motivator? By 9am I'd logged on to my remote access and had my Blackberry in hand.

I was hoping the "nesting instinct" would kick in, but I had to force myself out of boredom and necessity. I even made a big pot of soup and spend an hour cleaning out the oven - which was long overdue. Sonic is lovin' it though. I made him breakfast before work, sent him on his way with a packed-lunch and had dinner waiting for him when he got in. Actually I was so bored and deprived from human contact that I practically pounced on him when he came in the door. Now before you think I've gone all Stepford Wives, I was wearing a stain splattered hoodie and joggy bottoms %-)

The major plus point in maternity leave, is not having to go through the drama of finding something to wear to work. Clothes and shopping are my biggest passions, but you only can only be so creative when you're nine months pregnant. At the end of last week, even with numerous wardrobes full of clothes, I only had two pairs of work trousers that fitted. Needless to say, they're now at the bottom of the wash basket. Never to to be seen again.

Today, the sun was shining and the temperatures were kinder so I went for a 4/5 mile walk and then met Sonic after work to go to the cinema. We went to see Slumdog Millionnaire, which I would highly recommend. It's the best film I've seen in ages.

Thanks for the extra baby guesses. I'll post an updated version later this week. Davie - thanks for your comment about your son being three weeks late. Don't worry, my original estimated date was December 31 (according to nature's calculator) but the growth scan put it back to January 19.

The guessing game

Here are the guesses so far. Anyone else want to have a go?

A weighty issue

I really thought (or hoped) that I would be one of those gals who only put on a stone and sported a barely visible neat little bump. Unfortunately an evil combination of increased appetite, decreased activity and distinct lack of concern has meant I've topped the scales at 29lbs more than I did in April. Yes, Sharon, that's more the TWO WHOLE STONE. I started out at 8st 2 (114lbs) and I'm now weigh in at 10st 3 (143lbs). It's quite depressing to have reached double figures, but I'll worry about it at the end of the month. My only saving grace is that I've only put on a 1/4 to 1/2 pound every week over the last month. Something to do with minimum space for food and maximum chance of it it reappearing anyway.

After a bit of research (was there ever life before the internet?) I have discovered that the estimated pregnancy weight gain for my height (5'4") and pre-pregnancy weight is between 25lbs and 35lbs. Gaining the average of the weight range, here's where the weight has (or should have) gone.

Me
Uterus 2.4 lbs
Breasts 1 lbs
Blood 3.1 lbs
Water 4.2 lbs
Fat 8.3 lbs
Subtotal 18.9 lbs

Baby
Fetus 7.5 lbs
Placenta 1.6 lbs
Amniotic fluid 2.0 lbs
Subtotal 11.1 lbs

Total 30.0 lbs

Phew! This breakdown doesn't make the weight gain so scary after all. I still jump off the scales and switch them off before they start giving out the other stats. The last thing I want to know is my BMI or body fat percentage.

Reflections on 2008

Please forgive my lack of blogging. A mixture of nothing exciting to write about and trying to curtail my Internet addiction has kept me away from my PC and laptop over the holidays.

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and New Year. I'm usually a big fan of the end of year festivities, but this time around my heart wasn't it. My focus is more on the happenings of this month. I think I'm the only person in the world who's glad to be back at work today. Possibly because I finish up for maternity leave on Friday :-)

Here are the key highlights from 2008

1)I ran a total of 1360 miles. Not bad considering I was only not pregnant for 3.5 months of the year.
2) I got a PB in every race I ran (pre-June). Well apart from the women's 10K in May when thought I was fatigued from over-training, but was in fact blissfully unaware that I was four weeks pregnant. I did, however, manage to match my 10K PB to the second!
3) Taking five minutes of half-marathon PB to finish in 1:42 in the Balloch to Clydebank half-marathon.
4) Finishing my sixth marathon (London Marathon) in 3:31:00 - taking nearly 18 minutes off my previous best.
5) Completing the 95 miles of a West Highland Way Race in June. I was aiming for under 24 hours but for various (and obvious!) reasons, I had only managed 30:48. I'll be back in 2010 for another bash at it.
5) Running the Paisley 10K at five months pregnant (54 mins) and the Loch Ness 10K at six months pregnant (57mins). Actually my last 10K was the same time as my first 10K back in 2002. So I'm glad to say even as a novice and a chubber, I've always broken the one hour mark.
7) Holding off hanging up my running shoes until I was 36 weeks pregnant.

Goals for 2009

1) The small matter of, erm, having a baby over the next couple of weeks. And for this reason, I have tried to keep my goals simple and flexible.
2) I'm itching to get back out running, so I hope to back out by the end of February.
3) My first race (don't quote me on this) back will be the Glasgow Women's 10K in May. It was my first ever road race, so it's a bit of a tradition for me. 2009 will be race number eight.
4) For reasons which escape me, I have signed up for the 43 mile Devil o' The Highlands Race in August. My goals for this are - Bronze: actually make it to the start. Silver: complete in less that 8.5 hours and gold: finish in under eight hours. I ran the course as a training run in May this year in 8.5 hours, so hopefully I should achieve silver or gold.
5) Other races I would like to aim for are the Great Scottish Run (September) and the Loch Ness Marathon (October). I'm not going to set myself any time aims. See point one.
6) Support Sonic to a sub 18:30 hour finish in the WHWR. I firmly believe he can do it. I just need to make sure we get that angel child I ordered :-) Oh and to stop him racing off like a rat up a pipe.

Happy new year y'all. Hope 2009 brings lots of PBs and injury-free miles.

Bump pictures

With just a few weeks to go, here's the state of progress.



At my final hospital check-up on Monday, the midwife told me I was lucky as my stomach was all baby. I didn't quite realise it was until I saw the picture below. It looks like I swallowed a rugby ball.



My stomach looks like a bulging circus - I've stratched myself in my sleep, my tattoo is expanding and there's a horrible mark where my narvel piercing was. Still no stretch marks though...yet!

On another note: After chatting with my lovely midwife, Lesley, we discovered that her husband did The Fling this year and is doing it again next year. And he's hoping to go on the reserve list for a WHWR next year. Lesley is part of Jim Robertson's (12 times WHWR finisher) JogScotland group. It's a small world, eh?

Happy Christmas everyone. Hope Santa's good to you. And don't forget to have a wee glass of wine for me. Unless, of course, you're preggers too.

Mary takes the turkey...with a little help from Joseph

Sunday was the club's annual Christmas Handicap race. The idea is that everyone dresses-up as Santa and embarks on a 3.25 mile race round Bearsden. Last year I decided to buck the trend and go as an elf.



This year, I'd need more than magic dust to get into the elf suit, so Sonic and I decided to go as Mary and Joseph. Mind you, I don't think a pregnant elf is a good look.



New club handicapper, Paul (Brother of Sonic) was in charge of allocating the times. The idea is that everyone sets off a different times and should (theoretically) finish around the same time. So faster runners should catch slower runners towards the end. Given that I'm eight and a half months pregnant and haven't run for over three weeks, Sonic and I were set off first.




It wasn't the easiest three miles I've ever run. There were lots of steep inclines. The uphills had me gasping for breath and the downhills bashed my bladder. It was quite comical running along the switchback with the cars beeping at us. Papa Sonic even came out to video the occasion. I hope the passers-by were impressed with my bump prop. I bet they didn't think it was a real bump though.

During the last half mile, the first Santa appeared behind me. I was in danger of being piped at the post. Evil Santa was being boo-d by the supporting crowd as he closed the gap in the last 50 metres. Thankfully Joseph managed to fend him off with his crook...and we all crossed the finishing line together. But the bump was first over, so won the prize...of a giant frozen turkey %-) Mary and Joseph also won the prize as the best dressed, so it was a good day all round.

Mary and Joseph finished the 3.25 mile route in 36.01 with an average pace of 11.28 m/m. I can't believe I actually put that pace on my blog! :-) I have to admit, I did have to take a few walking breaks on the hills. And check out the profile.



Paul did a fabulous job as handicapper, as everyone else finished within minutes of us. He'll know next time to mess it up and not get landed with the job.

Guessing game...for a bit of pre-Christmas fun

I'm finding it quite comical that everyone wants to guess the gender of the baby. Even strangers like to get their bit in. The funny ones are the adamant ones. You know, the "I-never-get-it-wrong" pensioners. My 83-year-old gran is one of them. Except she changes her prediction everytime I see her.

So far I've heard:

"You're all to the front, it's definitely a boy"
"It's a high bump, so it's a girl"
"It's a girl - look at the weight you've put on round your hips"
"A small bump means it's a girl"
"No morning sickness? Ah it's a boy"

Old wives tales are fun, but that's it. There really is no truth in them...or is there? Here are a few of the classics:

Girls are carried high and boys are low. I certainly have a very high bump. So high in fact, that I don't need to wear maternity trousers. I've got two pairs that I can't wear, without holding them up. I'm still wearing the regular jeans I bought in August. I did have to go up a size to accommodate my growing hips though. Really the way women carry is the way you carry is determined by muscle and uterine tone and the position of your baby.

Carrying extra weight on the hips, means it's a girl. And all front, it's a boy. Sh*t I think I'm doing both.

The shape of the belly is also used. Watermelon for a girl and basketball for a boy. I look like I've swallowed a football, so I'd have to go with the latter.

If the hair on your legs is growing faster, then it's a boy. Really? I haven't noticed any change in hair growth.

If the Dad-to-be is gaining weight too, then it's a boy. Sonic, care to clarify? Bearing in mind that Sonic can demolish huge amounts and still look like a manorexic.

It's a girl if the the maternal grandmother doesn't have grey hair. Does this mean my Mum or Sonic's Mum? I'm not sure either will know what their natural hair colour is. Although I'm sure they'll both protest that they're natural blondes.

If your chest development has been quite dramatic, then it's a girl. I would say four inches and two cup sizes is quite dramatic, wouldn't you?

You're having a boy, if your feet are colder during pregnancy. Who thought this one up? My feet are always cold, so who knows.

If you're craving salt and meats, then it's a boy. Sweet things, it's a girl. I've never been much of meat eater. Actually I was a vegetarian for 14 years. I usually go for chicken and fish, but I've gone off that completely. Or at least I've gone off cooking it. And has there ever been a pregnant woman who hasn't hit the chocolate?


Morning sickness early in pregnancy, it's a girl. I didn't have morning sickness at the beginning, but I'm making up for it now.

The babies heart rate is sometimes used as a "predictor". Less than 140 it's a boy and more than, it's a girl. At the last check, my baby's was 140.

If you look better during pregnancy, it's boy. And it's a girl if you look a bit rough. Apparently the theory behind this is a baby girl steals her Mother's looks.

There are also lots of random theories...You crave orange juice for girls, like the heel of a loaf for boys, your nose spreads with a boy and your pee is dull yellow if it's a girl. Also if your asked to show your hands...if you show palm up it's a girl and palms down it's a boy. But my favourite is how you hold a mug. By the cup it's a girl and by the handle it's a boy. All very bizarre. You've got to love those old wives for their tales.

There's also quite a traditional test involving a piece of string and a wedding ring. If you dangle the wedding ring over the bump, it circles for a boy and goes side to side if it's a girl. I've still yet to do this one.

There's also the Chinese gender prediction chart: Legend states that the Chinese Gender Chart was buried in a royal tomb near Beijing over 700 years ago. The original is allegedly currently in the Institute of Science in Beijing.
Rumour has it that this chart is over 90% accurate. Basically, it's based on the age of a the Mother and the month of conception. I'm 33 and Baby C was conceived in late April or possibly very early month.



So there you go, folks. Make of it as you will. If you would like to have a guess, I'm willing to run a wee contest.

Just leave me your guesses for

sex
weight (please be kind!)
Date of birth. The present EDD is January 19

Happy guessing.

Sexy, eh?

Who said pregnancy is glamorous? And what thicko said pregnant women are beautiful? OK I have to admit I DID think pregnant women were beautiful and radiant, until I actually became one. It makes me what to cry when I read some super-thin celebrity saying "I've never felt sexier". Really? Liar! What's sexy about it? At my debut appointment with my GP last week, he started with a few questions about my general well-being. When I responded that everything was fine 'n' dandy, he continued: "So have you been bothered with insomnia, depression, thrush, haemorrhoid's, varicose veins, leaking nipples, itchy skin, swollen ankles...?" Jeez. Who signed me up for this? Thankfully I could shake my head until he mentioned "heartburn and ingestion". My pink bottle of Gaviscon goes everywhere I go. I even take it to bed for emergency midnight swigs. The worse thing about the heartburn is that it makes me feel sick. And when I'm sick, the heartburn is 100 times worse. It's a vicious circle really.

Just to reinforce how unglamorous I feel: Last week during one of my late-night recycling sessions, the vomit was so projectile it actually hit the wall BEHIND me. And as I was spewing and coughing, my full bladder was getting so squashed that I was wetting myself a bit. Sexy, eh?

Better still, it's going to get worse. My hospital bag is packed full of girlie delights like breast pads, nipple cream. maternity towels and HUGE pants. I swear the scouts could use them as tents. They should be buried under the floorboards and nailed down.

On a more positive note, it's the first time in years that I've had a full set of toe-nails. I just a shame I won't be able to see them for much longer :-)

Leg cramps

Thanks to Tim's worldly-wise advice, I have been knocking back the tonic water. It would be a whole lot better with a dash of Bombay Sapphire, some ice and a slice of lime, but I'll have to bank that until next month. So far, so good, as I haven't had anymore painful calf cramps.

Whilst polishing off another bottle last night (I don't even bother with a glass anymore) Sonic asked to try some. I knew he wouldn't like, but he took a small sip and his face said it all. It was like trying to feed a toddler brussel sprouts. Anyway during the night Sonic's calves cramped and he practically kicked me out of the bed before shrieking: "see that tonic water stuff doesn't work"...And that folks, is another snippet of my life...

Woohoo!

The midget is head down, so the breech drama is over. Phew! The world can start spinning again. Well, as long as the baby doesn't spin back :-) To say I have been obsessed would be an understatement. I've spent the last two weeks swimming, on my hands and knees or hugging a gym ball. I even went for acupuncture last week. It's a non-invasive treatment called moxibustion, which basically involved lighting cigar-like sticks under the small toes. Bizarre, I know. But at the first session the baby was doing somersaults. And the next day, my ribs became a kick-bag. The acupuncturist gave me a stick to take home, to repeat the treatment every evening. Let's just say the scent was less than pleasant. Sonic and I have been high for a week. I'm surprised our neighbours haven't phoned the drug squad. As Sonic falls into the left-brained-everything-must-have-a-scientific-explanation, he's unconvinced. But hey, this form of Chinese medicine for breech babies has a high success rate. And as our baby is head down and ready for action, I'm not even slightly concerned how it got there.

The midwife confirmed the good news yesterday. Really I don't know how they can tell the different body parts, just by prodding about. It all feels like a hard football to me. She did say the baby had a really hard butt though. So that's where my buns of steel went :-) She also said it's highly unlikely the baby will turn back, as first-timers have tight stomach muscles to hold it in place.

On another note, I have to mention my blogging buddies who are suffering from "man-flu". Pah! And this is why men don't have babies. The video makes me giggle everytime.

Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the fattest of them all?

Every morning when I get up, I go through to the spare room to check my growth status in a full-length mirror. This many seem extreme, but I swear my stomach grows overnight. So far my belly-button has stayed in tact and I don't have any stretch marks. I'm not sure whether is the crazily expensive Clarins cream that I'm using or the fact that they just haven't appeared yet. Apparently it's genetic and my Mum and Sis duly inform me "that you'll just wake up covered in them one day". In the meantime, I doing a stomach inspection every time I'm near a mirror.

With the growth, everyday tasks are becoming a bit of a chore. Who would have thought tying shoelaces would be so exhausting? I'm still enjoying my daily swim, as I feel totally weightless. It's the getting out of the pool that's quite comical. Have you every seen a performing seal flop it's fat body on the poolside? Well, your visual wouldn't be far wrong. I know I should use the steps, but that's too much like logic. Natalie - I had to bite the bullet and buy a maternity swimsuit. Oh the glamour.

I doubt I'll be able to run again, as my calves are a mess. I keep getting cramp in the middle of the night. The other night I shot up completely rigid, but couldn't quite reach my toes to pull back and ease the pain. Thankfully with all my moaning and rolling about like a beetle stuck on it's back (there's another glamorous visual for you), Sonic woke up and helped me out.

Tomorrow's my D-day appointment with the midwife to see if the midget has turned. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

West District x-country pictures

Another song dedication

This one is from Rachel


"This is a song for my friend Debs who is expecting her 1st baby in January. Song dedications and soundtracks for the birth have already been posted. This is just a wee song that was sent to me today. All I can really say to Debs is:- even though you think you will never say these things....you will!!!!;-)"

I'm not sure this woman actually takes a breath...


The Mom Song from Northland Video on Vimeo.

New recruit for WHWR 2009

I bought this postcard from Tiso, as it made me giggle.



I'm sure Karen D and Ellen would be fighting for leading lady if this was behind them :-)

All going swimmingly

Still swimming. Actually, I've know become addicted to swimming. During yesterday's 80-length parade, I even considered training for a triathlon. But I knew it was the lethal mix chlorine and hormones sending stupid signals to my brain. Although I do admire triathletes, I will always admire them from afar.

Due to time constraints this week, I'm planning on swimming at lunchtimes. In a vain attempt to keep my hair dry - it's a bit of a drama trying to dry long hair twice a day - I invested in a swimming cap. I picked up a snazzy pink one at the weekend, which I thought would co-ordinate lovely with my black and pink swimsuit. Little did I now that when I stretched the material and put it on, I would look like I had a condom on my head. It definitely wasn't the look I was going for. So there I was by the poolside with a large bump and a contraceptive-looking device on my head...probably gathering looks that suggested "well, we know how she got knocked-up" :-) The worse thing about it was my hair was still soaking wet.

Thanks to everyone who commented, emailed and texted regarding my "Breech Baby" post. I know there's still time to get the midget to turn, but it hasn't stopped me being a drama queen! I'll keep you posted on progress.

Interesting read

Breech baby :-(

At my midwife appointment on Wednesday, I discovered that the baby is breech. At nearly 33 weeks it should have turned by now. I know I've got seven weeks to go, but after a bit of researching I found that only 12% of babies are breech at 32 weeks. And only 4% remain in the position by term. As you can imagine, I was pretty gutted. I'm staying to stay positive though and blocking out the possibility of a c-section - which would be my worst nightmare. I've even chosen a Community Midwife Unit (CMU) that doesn't offer pain relief (other than gas and air and pethidine) or intervention to eliminate the possibility of a c-section. I've only got a couple of weeks to get the baby head down or I will need to change to a hospital (aka the butcher shop).



As you can imagine, I've spent the last couple of days trawling the internet looking for techniques and ideas, so I've got a whole list of things to work on. Lots of strange bum in the air postitions, hugging cushions and bouncing on gym balls (now, keep it clean). Acupuncture has a high success rate, so I've got an appointment for next week. Swimming and walking is also recommended. There are also lots of strange options that I may leave off the list, like doing handstands in the swimming pool (WTF? Can you imagine the looks?) and playing music through earphones in my pants! I would be torn about what to play. What if the baby has the same sh*t music taste as Sonic? It would stay put if it was my ipod.

Just in case, I've decided to hang up my trainers. I'll be swimming and walking from now on.

Anyway, I'm desperate, so if anyone's got any tips...?

Happy 30th birthday little Sis

Amanda is the baby in the middle and (obviously) that's me on the right. She was born at 32 weeks. Sonic and I were both 37 weeks. Hope history doesn't repeat itself. Yikes! As I don't plan on finishing work until January 9, my lovely colleagues are making jokes about plastic sheets in my office on hot towels at the ready.

Slowing down

OK, I confess, there hasn't been much running going on. I did a grand total of four miles last week. I was planning on going out for a "long" run on Sunday, but the weather was awful. I never thought I'd see the day that I'd put off a run due to wild conditions. But that day came and went. And so did the notion of running. To be fair, I have been going to the gym everyday. Mostly using the elliptical trainer (kinda like running), cycling and swimming. There was a news story in most of the papers last week about swimming during pregnancy eases labour pains, so I've spent every spare minute in the pool. Of course, next week's news will probably break research on swimming causing terminal illnesses and birth defects.

I really need to invest in a new swimsuit though. As my bump gets bigger, the top gets lower. I'm sure I'm giving the goggle-clad swimmers a bit of a eyeful :-)

Name that tune

The WHWR's resident DJ, Dave Waterman, has dedicated a song for my little endurance event in January. Very aptly titled: Keep on Pushing.



A life changing tune I will probably remember for a very long time.

On the note - and being a little more sentimental - here's my wedding song. It still gives me goosebumps. You can blame my hormones and emotions, but really I'm just using up space to disguise the fact I've done he-haw running the last few days.

Important lessons

John Kynaston posted an interesting list,which has sparked quite a bit of thought on the race forum: What are the top four lessons that you learned from completing the WHW race?

Here are mine:

1) Mental strength is more important than physical ability.

2) Whilst you can still put one foot in front of the other, never give up. Each step is a step closer to the end.

3) Set a few goals. Your ultimate dream, the achievable and the when things go wrong plan. Where ever you get to, as long as you gave it your best shot then you succeeded.

4) Train, train and train. But accept that no amount of training will prepare you for it.

And here are a few other lessons for good measure.

Be careful where you pee. There are alot of people on the route in June.
Girls - forget this season's Jimmy Choos. Your feet will take months to recover.
Pack for all eventualities, but carry light.
Never underestimate the power of the jelly baby.

The heart's willing, but the body aint

I don't know how, but I made it out for a five mile run today. After spending the night with my head down the toilet, I could have easily spent the morning in front of the TV. I wasn't unwell, I just feel quite full and sicky after eating. We were out for dinner last night and I just felt the food wouldn't go down. I didn't overeat (it was just bruschetta and pasta in tomato sauce) and didn't feel particular full but whenever I lay down, I felt the rise. Sorry for the graphics.

I felt way better after going out this morning and getting some fresh air, but I felt out of sorts all day. Even when I went to the cinema with my niece, I didn't indulge in sweets to ease the pain of High School Musical.

Anyway cutting back on my food intake won't do me any harm. The dolphin tattoo on my stomach is expanding at a rapid rate. It will look more like Free Willie by the end of the year :-)

For a giggle, check out the card Sonic's brother found. What are the chances of him finding a card like this? just for the record though, my body's not quite that bad...yet.

First day on the job

As I have resigned myself to being Sonic's support and coach for next year's WHW race, today was my first day on the job. The support role is a skoosh. I threw him out the car in the pouring rain at Beinglas Farm and stopped at various checkpoints along the way to Tyndrum. He did all the hard graft and I read a book and chucked a couple of gels out the window. I think I got a good deal.



(A slightly wet and shell-shocked runner)

As previously mentioned we were going away to celebrate Sonic's 34th birthday. We stayed at the Isle of Glencoe Hotel, which was really nice. The room had fabulous views over Loch Leven, which I'm sure would be lovely on a nice day. Unfortunately today was anything but nice. Although it was quite comforting swimming about in the hotel pool watching the trees bend outside. Shame I couldn't use the spa facilities though.

For dinner we went along to the Kinlochleven Seafood Cafe, which I would highly recommend. It was definitely worth battling through the torrential rain for. The food is delicious and fresh, portions are huge and price is really reasonable. Sonic even ordered lobster and managed not take the other diners out in the process of opening it. Although he nearly lost a finger using the crackers. I went for the safe beat of scallops and smoked salmon. I even ordered the starter portions with a view to saving a little space for dessert, but I was totally stuffed.

Quick catch up

Saturday: Had a long lie (which is 8am for me), cleaned the house, went to my antenatal yoga class, went along to the Uni 5-miler race to pick up Sonic, then to the movies to see James Bond (not my choice), dinner at the Ashoka, home to watch X-Factor (my choice) and in bed by 10.30pm. How's that for cramming it in?

Sunday: Only managed a five mile jog this morning, before undoing all my good-doing over lunch with the girls.

Monday: Just a steady 45 minute cycle at the gym at lunchtime.

Tuesday: Gym in morning. 30 mins on ellipital trainer and then 45 mins on the bike. Went for a hour swim after work. Got really annoyed in the pool as it was quite busy and there was a couple of young guys standing at the bottom getting in the way. Who stands about in a freezing cold indoor pool? I was close to screaming: "It's not f-ing Tenerife. Swim or get out." I think they sensed my annoyance and moved to the spa pool.

Wednesday: Antenatal class this morning. A lovely two hour chat on all the things that can go wrong. Nice. Went to the gym after work for 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer and a 30 minute swim.

If you're still awake...I promise I'm going for a run tonight.

Hitting the West Highland Way tomorrow. It's Sonic's birthday on Saturday, so we're heading up north for a couple of days. He doesn't know where yet. All he knows is that he's got to run 20 miles on the WHW tomorrow morning.

Up with the larks

Nice early start today, as Friday morning gym sessions are now a firm ritual on the exercise schedule. 30 minutes and the elliptical trainer and then 45 mins on the bike.

Sonic asked me last night when Paula Radcliffe gave up running when she was preggers. I failed to see where he made the connection :-) I didn't know the answer but I knew she was still doing quite high mileage. After a bit of search I came across this article in the New York. It's well worth a read. Click here. Basically she was still running the day before she went into labour. Now she really is my superwoman.

Congratulations to my ol' running pals Georgie and Luke, who are expecting their first baby in May. They joined our running club during their brief stunt in Scotland, before returning to Australia. Georgie is another bun-on-the-run, so she'll continue to pound the streets down under.

Another four-miler

Sonic dropped me off four miles from home (in Dumbarton) tonight, so I could run a point-to-point. I think he was slightly concerned about throwing his wife out the car on a dark winter's night, as I got a big lecture on safety on the way. I have promised to carry my phone on night runs in future, especially when some of the routes round are way have no street-lighting. Of course, I think I'm invincible. Well I did until I reached the dark wooded-area along the back road to Renton. I had forgotten how dark it can be along there. It's about half a mile of sh*tting myself whilst listening to the rustling in the trees. I promised I'd walk that section as the ground is quite uneven, but I had to move pretty briskly. Last winter it was always the fastest part of my tempo run to get back into this town. This year, I'll need to find an alternative. I ain't going that way again. Plus I can't be bothered to carry a phone. Lord knows, I've got enough extra weight to contend with. I suppose I should be more cautious, as anything could happen. It won't be long until I can't actually see where my feet are landing. And if I did go into labour...well, I've always said I want an active birth :-)

Remember, remember...

There's an expression that is reserved only for the elderly, terminally ill, mentally unstable and the expectant lady: "And how are you keeping?" Usually delivered in a gentile voice and often with a sympathetic held tilt. It cracks me up every time. When did modern society decide that pregnancy should a medical condition or an illness? Really I think it's easier just to get on with it. The more you milk it the harder it will be. I can still run, swim, cycle and walk without the obligatory waddle. It's sitting down that's becoming a bit of a nightmare. My ribs are in agony. On Monday I was seriously contemplating throwing my office chair out of the window. And when I was stuck in a traffic jam on the way home tonight, I was tempted to abandon my car. So the long and short of it is, running is way much easier than sitting.

This morning I started parenting classes (some super PC nut decided to change the name of antenatal classes) which was an experience. As expected, there was a real mixed-bag of bumps in the room. The common denominator was that no one could sit still on the seats. It must have looked worse than a room full of fidgeting toddlers.

I went for a run when I got home from work. Just my usual four mile route. Bonfire night is a fabulous night for the run. There were fireworks going off everywhere. There wasn't a rocket near me though, as all I can manage these days is 11 minute/miles.

Sonic was up early to catch the red-eye to London, which means I get up early too. Well better than wasting precious time, I headed off for an earlier morning gym session. Just 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer and 45 minutes on the bike. I wanted to go for a run after work, but was legs were knackered. So I had a nice quiet night in. Catching up with some work, dinner for one and soul possession of the remote control. Perfect.

Sunday sunshine

After yesterday's yoga class, Sonic and I went to the food and drink show at the SECC. Lots of freebie food, so it was the perfect day out for the incredible eating machine and the pregnant burd.

I really thought the incredible eating machine was going to burst at the seems. I tried to have a little more control as feeling too full is very uncomfortable now. But after an abundance of seafood, chocolate, cookies, bread, olives and much more, we left feeling suitably stuffed. Sonic was so full that he only managed a bowl of cereal later that evening. Anyone who's aware of Sonic's daily in take will be quite shocked by that. I always maintain that he's the fattest skinny man I know. All very well, but the fat/skinny man doesn't know his way to the supermarket!

Anyway, the point of the story was that I had plenty of extra calories to burn off today. I got up quite early (shock! horror!) and was really looking forward to getting out in the sunshine. Quite deceptive looking out the window, as although the sun was shining it was still sub-zero during the night.

I just went out for a nice five-mile jog round Balloch. I had to take a few walking breaks, but generally really enjoyed it. I'm starting to get a few strange looks when I'm out running now. Actually yesterday (at the show) was the first time that a stranger acknowledge that I was pregnant. Surely that's a milestone?

When I got back I decided to cycle the 10-miles round the Balloch Horseshoe with Sonic. Jeez someone's got their mojo back. I could barely keep up. Hill cycling has never been my forte, so when we hit the inclines I dropped way back. Unlike the man who's been cross-bred with a mountain goat.

Later we watched the New York Marathon. Not as gripping as last year's race, but I was glad to see Paula win again. She's amazing. Also a fabulous performance from local runner Haley Haining who finished 12th in 2:32:12.

Antenatal yoga

I know. How lame is that? I never thought I'd see the day that I would attend (let alone willingly pay an extortionate fee to attend) an antenatal yoga class.

I searched numerous venues, but the only suitable class was held in Balance in Glasgow's west-end on Saturdays at 1pm. It's such as rubbish time as it's smack-bang in the middle of the day, but I figured it's only a temporary inconvenience. The classes are booked in blocks of five and I was grouped with the 30+ week gals.

I didn't really know what to expect, but I guessed it wouldn't be as strenuous as my usual class. I really didn't expect such a grand turn out though. Mind you in the west-end yoga must be an essential part of antenatal care. Possibly even their weekly "exercise" in take.

Being in the same room with 25 other waddling bumps was quite a surreal experience. it was funny watching people eye each other up and down.

Today's class was more of a introduction to the course, but as suspected it was a bit on the tame side. It's mostly about breathing and relaxing, with lots of labour chat thrown in. I don't have the best concentration span, so I really had to focus to stay with it.

I'm sure it will be beneficial over the next couple of months.