Finally Got Brave

On Saturday, I finally got brave and went to a group run.

I've been a part of the local running club on Facebook for about a year, but hadn't done anything with them. My excuses included: I'm pregnant, I just had a baby, I can't run more than a half mile without having to stop and walk, I don't know anyone, I will probably feel like a loser, what if I'm not fast enough?

I headed to Starbucks to meet up with the group. We went 3.6 miles at about 11:50 mm. The miles flew by, I loved meeting new runners, I didn't need to stop for a break. In fact, I would have liked to pick up the pace a bit, but no man or woman left behind!

This really gave me a lot of confidence with running. That distance and that pace were actually EASY for me. I got over myself and ran with completely new people. I had fun.

I will be running with the group again---hopefully soon!

Some Tips for the New Swimmer

Starting to swim or returning to swimming for exercise can be intimidating. It seems easy, but it isn't! Here are a few tips I would like to share with you, as someone who started swimming regularly in the last year.

--just jump in! Feeling like you might like lap swimming, but feel uncomfortable in your swimsuit? Just get in the pool! The other swimmers don't care what you look like in your swimsuit, trust me, they aren't checking you out or judging. That being said, ladies, no string bikinis; and everyone, don't wear an old, practically see-through suit. Wear something that will stay on while you swim.

--bring goggles and a swim cap. Swimming with correct alignment (body and hips at the top of the water) will be so much easier if you can stick your face in the water. Don't forget to breath out your nose! With goggles, you won't get chlorine in your eyes, and with a cap, you won't have annoying hairs in your face.

--determine how many breaths you will rest between lengths. This gives you time to rest before you continue, but also makes a challenge. Start with resting 15 breaths, then 10, then 5, then continuous lengths.

--watch videos online of excellent swimmers. Speedo, Swim Smooth, and Go Swim are some of my favorite YouTube channels for this.

--learn proper pool etiquette. Here's a great article: http://www.active.com/swimming/articles/busy-pool-lap-swim-etiquette-for-sharing-lanes.

--take lessons or hire a coach if you need to learn to swim or if you've hit a plateau.

What else would you add?

Sunny Runny

Today I loaded up the kids and hit my favorite running path with them in front of me. It was sunny and nice at about 45°F. I think everyone enjoyed the fresh air through the forest. I ran two miles, only walking up the tough hills (about .25 mile total). Then we went to the park to play. Both kids had fun playing. Unfortunately I didn't get to stretch because I was holding J and making sure El didn't fall. Maybe some very after-the-fact stretching after my shower.

It was nice to start the week off on a positive note. Last week I swam once, a cut-short strength session, and one 2-mile run. This week I'll do better!

I'm feeling good about weight loss from pregnancy. I've lost 20 lbs and have 20 lbs more to go. Wahoo! Way to grow a baby for 9 months, push it out, and care for and feed it for six months, Body!

6 months postpartum

Wow, has it really been 6 months? I am not where I hoped to be physically, but that's OK. I've said it before, but two kids are really a lot of work. I am finally feeling back to my old self with regards to energy and desire to be productive. Yay!

In this month since my last check in, I've made a lot of progress. I've signed up for a race (4.5 mile trail run called the Mud and Chocolate Run). On Saturday, we went on a painfully slow and very challenging 4.5 mile run (I was just planning on 3, Drew wanted 4 but miscalculated). I've run at least twice a week. I've been happier and enjoyed my runs more often.

My goals for the next month or so are to be consistent with core work, run twice a week, swim once a week, try to get 5-a-day. And to be a pleasant but firm mommy.

My Workout Schedule

I'm hoping to get into a better workout schedule. Hopefully having a specific workout per day will help me have better workouts (instead of floundering for one).

Monday---easy run, weight lifting
Tuesday---Pilates, swim
Wednesday---HIIT run (alternate weeks between hills and sprints), HIIT bodyweight
Thursday---easy 1 mile run, weight lifting
Friday---Pilates, swim
Saturday---long run, family activity
Sunday---rest

If I miss a day, no worries. I won't try to make up workouts that I miss. I've felt really discouraged with trying to get back into working out after J was born. Having two kids is exhausting. But having a plan of what to do that day should give me better motivation. I'm doing better at exercising consistently. And I can, of course, go on a walk any day I feel like it.

Do you have a workout schedule? What's it like?

Cellos at the Gym

Today during my run at the gym on the treadmill, I saw something that made me smile on the Today Show---Two Cellos!

They were playing a song from their new album Celloverse. I haven't listened to the album and I could not hear what they played (the captions just had music notes), but it was fun to see some cello rocking during my really hard run!

Be A Better Musician Mom

El is definitely musical. It's early with J, but he does like when I sing to him.

What I should do to encourage musicality is sing, clap rhythms, play with instruments, sit down at the piano with them, dance, listen to many kinds of music, practice my own instruments. And I should do them often.

Well, we sing daily and listen to music during playtime. Those other things happen, just not every day.

I don't expect my kids to be Mozart or Josh Groban. I do hope they will love and appreciate music.

How do I make sure they love it? By showing that I love music and making it fun.

We sing songs, and El fills in the blanks when I pause.

We sing LDS primary songs before bed.

We listen to classical music during playtime and work time.

They see me playing the organ and get to "help" after church if they were good.

We have impromptu "ballets" that are mostly running in circles and giggling.

We clap our hands.

We pound on the piano. And we cuddle while we do it!

Not each thing each day. But a bit every day. That makes music part of your daily life. It becomes the norm. And everyone is lifted and drawn closer by music together.

Swim the mile: check check

Yesterday, I wrote about my awesome 2-mile run. It was a good week for me. On Thursday, I got in a great swim.

I got a kickboard and pull buoy for Christmas and had yet to use them. After I got the kids to bed, I headed to the pool.

Here's my workout:
Warmup 100 yards
Ladder--- 100, 200, 300, 400 free
100 each kick, pull, swim free
100 each kick, pull, swim back
Cool down 100

Pretty simple, ending at 36 laps.

I was pumped. I worked hard and killed my goal (1 hour, I swam it in 50 minutes). I haven't swam a mile in a long time, and doing it in 50 minutes was awesome because I wasn't pushing my speed. I know I'll get faster, and it's a great place to start.

Now to get a regular swim schedule in place.

5 months postpartum

It seems like all the mommy running bloggers get up 6 weeks postpartum and run and dive right in. Good for them.

But let me just say

Running is hard after having a baby.

It's hard to find time, it's hard to get people out the door to the gym or the trail,  it's hard to push that stroller. It's impossible to go early after a rough night or a good night but you're too full of milk. It's hard to build your mileage up, it's hard to not compare, and it is hard on your lady parts and core.

I'm pleased to say that on Saturday, I ran two miles continuously. No stopping to walk. No stopping at all. It was hard. I was ready to stop at the end. Later on, my core was sore.

But i felt amazing. I did it. It was the first time in 5 months that I felt happy while running. And that was a pretty good feeling.

Dive Right In and Go!

I actually can't dive, so, ha ha.

I am trying to swim once a week. Yesterday I went swimming. Getting two kids out the door and to the gym is an ordeal, especially early in the morning. I wanted to swim before the 9 a.m. Water aerobics class so I could run other errands later, and we were rushing. I got into the pool at 8:35, yikes. Should I have just done a different workout? Oh well. I decided to swim as long as I could until the old people kicked me out. I pushed myself, I didn't stop to rest.

And I swam a half mile in 25 minutes.

That is not super fast, and I want to get faster, but for me,

It was fast.

I'm getting faster! I know I will continue to improve as I swim consistently, focus on technique, and get stronger.

It comes back

I'm definitely not where I was musically when I graduated high school, but it's nice to know that your fingers wake up and remember when the old cello comes out.

Last Sunday, I played on my cello an arrangement of "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful." Next Sunday, I'm playing "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." I'm also singing alto in our choir for the Christmas program.

I can tell I'm rusty and have lost skill, but my fingers still know how to play. I wish I could practice more (and regularly), but I am just grateful that I can still play fairly well.

A Post for December

So not only have I been lousy as blogging, I have been lousy at running. Having two kids is hard. Getting out the door with two kids is hard. Motivating myself to run when I either have to push two kids or get them to the gym is hard. But I have been running at least once a week, so that is good.

To help get me moving, I'm joining Mommy Run Fast's challenge to Run 5 by the 5th. You are supposed to run a 5k or a 5-miler by the 5th of each month through May. I'll be starting with 5ks and hopefully move up to the 5-milers by the end. This is pretty much the only running goal I have made for the new year. I will be looking for some races and other goals in the next few weeks.

I'm doing another healthy eating challenge for twelve weeks with some friends. Overall it is going well. The last few days have not gone well in the sugar category. I can definitely say that I'm making better choices during the holiday season because of the challenge than I would have done otherwise.

I am making it to the gym about two or three times a week. I usually swim once and run once. Yesterday, I ran a mile and headed to the weight machines. A personal trainer approached me, offered to workout with me, gave me a great workout, and tried to sell personal training to me. I wish I could afford it. I pushed myself hard and felt good during it. I'm sore now and still feel good about it. Oh well, money doesn't grow on trees.

What are your goals for the holidays?
I'm going to try to limit my sweet intake! And do something active each day.

Back At It

Well my little baby Jay is five weeks old. I was in labor for only 4 hours and had a natural birth without tearing. He is doing well and has survived extreme love from El, who is not very happy with me.

Since I'm just 5 weeks post-partum, I haven't been exercising a ton. However, I have felt really good after this baby. After El, I was very tender down there, as I'd been in labor for 18 hours and pushed for 2 hours and tore and felt lethargic from the epidural. My recovery and return to exercise was very slow.

This time, I feel great, and have been going on walks pretty much since we got home. I have also been doing a lot of kegels and pelvic tilts. Our walks range from 2 to 3.5 miles at about 20 minutes per mile most recently. I've been lifting light weights at home for two weeks. Last night I went to Zumba at the gym. I think I'll be lacing up my running shoes this weekend.

It is so important to listen to your body. Yes, I am eager to get back into running, but I don't want to do so at the expense of my long term health. I feel like I've done a good job of taking things at a pace that my body needs to heal from birth. I'm excited to see what the future holds!

My Prenatal Fitness Resources

It's easy enough to find workouts online, and it is also easy to find workouts for a specific need you have, like arms, butt, legs, or prenatal. I would like to share some of the things that have helped me the most, as well as a short review.

Moms into Fitness, Pregnancy 3-Pack with Lindsay Brin

This DVD set includes one DVD per trimester, and each trimester has the same format. There are moderate and advanced options, both which have toning, cardio, and core. There is also yoga stretching and yoga toning. In the advanced section, there are "stackers" to incorporate variety into your strength routine. You can also download a calendar to follow if you wish.

I did the advanced options in each trimester. I thought the strength routines were much better than the cardio (and it wasn't bad, just not what I like to do). I can tell that I even toned my legs more during the second trimester when I was very diligent with it. I feel stronger and that makes me happy. The stackers were also excellent. If you know much about yoga, then the yoga sections will be a joke for you. I didn't follow the calendar, but did try to stick to a routine. I would recommend this to pregnant moms because I feel that it has been a good program for me.

BlondePonytail Prenatal Workouts

This blogger provides some great workouts in general and some awesome prenatal ones. I really like that she believes in high intensity interval training to get your workout in because really don't have a lot of time!

Knocked Up Fitness Workouts with Erica Ziel

I would like to purchase her DVD sets, maybe for Christmas. That being said, she has several awesome and free pilates workouts, exercise demos, and great blog posts. I used the workouts to strengthen my hips.

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I have used all of these throughout my pregnancy, sometimes doing more with one than the others. As you know, I also walk and swim regularly. Staying active has been fun. I feel like I am looking good and huge. Supposedly, exercising throughout your pregnancy can help your body bounce back quicker and smoothly. I shall have to see if that is true!

I hope this is helpful to expectant moms!

Quiet On the Blog

I don't have much to say about music or running or anything. So instead of giving you fluff to read, I'm giving you nothing to read.

Unfortunately, I came down with a cold and haven't swam in two weeks. I'm feeling a lot better one and I hope to get back into the pool next week, also known as week 39 in this pregnancy. I also hope to have a baby next week, so maybe I won't get into the pool.

As I've felt better but still congested, I've spent time walking, which is still painful, and yoga and pilates. I have felt like doing strength training so I haven't...it's important to listen to your body, especially when you're pregnant.

Musically, I haven't done anything except a lot of singing with El. She loves to play fill-in-the-blank for "In Summer" and "Let It Go" from Frozen. I need to get it on camera because it is so adorable. She knows phrases from other songs and that is how she asks for them. I am glad she likes to sing.

My friend is thinking of putting together a music class for toddlers. We would totally go. I took El to story time at the library a few times. She would not pay attention to the stories but loved the songs (and picking out her own books). I think a toddler music class would be great for her.

And that's pretty much it for now!

Weeks of Workouts, July 21 - August 3

Monday
45 minute swim, 28 laps
30 minute wrestling a toddler in a pool (Aqua Tots swimming lessons)

Tuesday
30 minutes strength training
30 minute swim lesson
60 minutes yoga

Wednesday
30 minutes of a campy, horrible swim, 10 laps
30 minute swim lesson
2 mile walk

Thursday
60 minutes yoga
30 minute swim lesson

Friday
30 minute swim lesson

Saturday
40 minute swim, 24 laps

Sunday
Rest

Monday - Wednesday
No workouts because I slept horribly!
30 minutes swim lessons

Thursday
30 minute stationary bike
Worst day of my summer cold
30 minute swim lesson

Friday
30 minute swim lesson
20 minute pilates

Saturday
2 mile walk

Sunday
Rest


The past week has been rough. I'm nearing the end of this pregnancy and I am tired, sore, and huge. I also came down with a cold---no good!

Making a Mom's Heart Proud

I'm pretty not cool. I listen to classical music in the car. My heart sings and wells with pride when a cello concerto, string quartet, or sweeping symphony airs on the radio and El yells from her car seat, "Cello!" So proud. In a nerdy way.

She is a little musician. She loves playing the "pan-o" (piano) with me, sat nicely and changed stops and pressed keys this morning while I practiced the organ, and loves singing with me. These are things she does with me, and though she does love me and playing with me, I think she genuinely loves music.

Unfortunately for her, she doesn't get to play the cello with me.

Organ Concerto---Jazz Style

Check out this very fun piece!

Richard Elliott performs "Hot Pipes," the fourth movement of Victor Davies's Jazz Concerto for Organ and Orchestra with the Orchestra at Temple Square.

Of course, I knew there were organ concertos. I never even thought of a jazz concerto, especially for an organ! I need to get my head, fingers, and feet out of the hymn book and branch out a bit in organ repertoire.

Workouts, July 7 - July 20

Monday
30 minute swim
2.85 mile walk

Tuesday
30 minutes strength

Wednesday
40 minute swim, 24 laps
2 mile walk

Thursday
Yoga, 1 hour
2 mile walk

Friday
4 mile walk which wiped me out for the weekend

Saturday
Rest

Sunday
Rest

Monday
30 minutes strength

Tuesday
45 minute swim, 28 laps
30 minutes yoga

Wednesday
Water aerobics

Thursday
60 minutes yoga

Friday
2.5 mile hike to the Big Four Ice Caves

Saturday
3.5 mile walk

Sunday
Rest

You Go Girl Ninja Warrior

You've probably seen it all over your Facebook newsfeed. You've probably watched it, too. If not, you can watch Katie Catanzaro complete the American Ninja Warrior finals course here.

This is not a show I usually tune in to, I'll watch it if there isn't anything on. Watching Catanzaro and her amazing athleticism is truly inspiring. She is the first woman to complete the course.

The thing people are talking about is her size. She's 5 feet tall and less than 100 lbs, which I guess is a bit of a disadvantage because of her wingspan. I think her lightweight is an advantage, because she has less to haul, toss, and carry. As a gymnast, she's already an incredible athlete and knows her body and how to maneuver it well.

I loved this article, a conversation with Catanzaro. I loved her attitude going into it, that is was not 'no woman has done it, so I can't,' but 'no woman has done it, so I'm going to be the woman who does.'

I think this attitude can carry to everyone, each person, each woman, each athlete, each musician, each student, each whatever---however you define yourself. I've never done that before, but that doesn't mean it is impossible. Each person has potential. We each can accomplish more than we think, we just have to try.

I had never been a runner, but I went for a half marathon and I ran the dang thing (need to try again)!
I had never been a swimmer, but lap swimming made me feel like an athlete, an identity I has never given myself.
I am not a musical prodigy or a special talent, but I'm an accomplished and amateur cellist, pianist, singer, and organist.

Who are you? Who are you going to be?