Here I am, days away from my third trimester with Small Ferrell. Aaron took this picture of me at the Alliance Run in the Dark 5K race this past Saturday. We moved his sister, Caron, out of her home in The Colony most of the day and got home just in time to get ready for the run. It was such a beautiful day!
Josh, our neighbor across the street, went with us. He has ran a few times with Aaron but has never been able to finish a 5K run without walking. This was his first race. He paced himself better and was able to finish without walking! I was so proud of him for trying. Aaron did well. It wasn't his personal best by any means but given that he's been training around an ankle injury and not ran more than 6 times in the past 6 weeks, I thought he did great. He even beat our other neighbor, Alana, and her boyfriend. Both of whom are in their early 20's and run marathons. I was so proud of Aaron as well. Mostly I was proud that he actually gave his ankle time to heal. The old Aaron would not have been patient enough to wait it out. Instead he has packed in his cardio on the elliptical. The race was a success for me, too. I finished without walking and, even though I am SO MUCH SLOWER than normal, I wasn't turtle slow. I can deal with it for now. For the first time in a long time I got passed by more people than I did pass. That was irritating but I am keeping my eye on the prize and my heart rate in check! Paula Radcliffe I am not but I won't give up. Everything I read reflects years of research showing that women who continue to safely work out during pregnancy have much easier labors, healthier and more content infants and a shorter period of recovery. I am all for all of that!
So here's where the small world comes in. We show up at the race, register, put our shirts in the truck and then find a place on the lawn to plop down and stretch. Aaron and I spotted the cutest puppy either of us has ever seen. I went over to talk to its owner; this really nice, dark haired lady. She told me the dog's name was Walter and he was an 8 week old French Bulldog. Aaron said if they stayed that size he'd have about 15 of them. Anyway, she asked about my pregnancy and said she was impressed I was still running. She said she ran during her pregnancy until the last few months when it just got to be too hard on her and then she switched to stairs instead. I have been doing a lot of stairs on days that my lower back is killing me. She said she experienced an easier labor as well and encouraged me to keep it up.
Later, I looked over and saw our neighbor, Alana, talking to that same lady. I hollered at her and she came over to chat. She said the girl with the dog, who is friends with the lady I was talking to, is Alana's boyfriend's sister. Imagine that!
Then, during the run, I got passed by this barefoot runner. He wore a shirt that read, "I run naked on sharp, pointy objects." He was only naked on his feet but that made me laugh. Shortly after mile 2 I passed him back. He seemed to be in a little bit of pain, feet-wise, so I joked, "do you need some shoes?" He replied, "More like a piggy-back ride." I showed him I was already carrying one in the front. We both laughed, I ran on, and then I'll be danged if that shoeless runner didn't pass me back with about a 1/2 mile to go. I could never catch up and I was bummed! :)
I told Aaron about him and his funny shirt. He was amazed that someone could run that far and fast with no shoes. The next day I got a message from my friend, Amanda, asking if I had talked to a shoeless runner at the race. It turns out he lives down the street from her and while lunching together, she told him that I had ran that race and I was pregnant. He figured out it was me who had talked to him along the way. Super small world!
I am getting anxious for Small Ferrell. She moves so much now which makes me feel relieved and connected to her. Today I bought her a pelican water pitcher for rinsing her hair in the tub. It's cute and reminds me of my Gramma Gale's rhyme...Oh what a bird is a pelican. It's beak can hold more than its bellycan. He puts enough in its beak to last a weak and I don't know how the hellican. She never cursed so we would gasp when she would recite it. It always makes me smile to remember her saying it.
Guess I'll take my vitamins now. Arrivederci!
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