Running while Pregnant: 5 by the 5th Virtual Series

I've had a struggle with loving to run for, well, for my whole life. ha! But I do enjoy races and I love the calories that it burns when I do run, so I power through it. After the Army Ten Miler in October, I took at least a month off from running and only jumped back in to earn points for the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge starting in November (yes, I can be bribed to exercise when needed). When I got sick over Christmas, I cut down on the running, but had previously signed up for this great virtual race series, http://www.mommyrunfast.com/5-by-5th-virtual-run-series/, hosted by Laura @ Mommy Run Fast. The challenge is to commit to running either 5K or 5 Miles by the 5th of each month, from January to June.

So, now that I'm feeling better...and January has arrived, I had to get in my run! I ended up doing my Resolution Run for Amanda @ RunToTheFinish and my 5K all in one on 2 Jan (yes, better late than never), but I had a killer hangover from staying up so late on New Year's Eve! (apparently baby likes consistent bedtimes). Knight and I ventured out in my bright new Christmas running shoes, Saucony Progrid Mirage 2.

We ran 3.12 miles, just over 5K, in 37:16. Nice and slow, but I did push it on the last mile, which is something that I haven't been able to do in awhile, so that was good. It required a nice long cool down walk afterwards.

The shoes feel really good and provide more support than my Saucony Kinvara's that I can't really run in anymore as they aggravate my plantar fasciitis. What I can't blame on the shoes is something I've felt over the last month since I picked running back up; it's what I call ice skating feet. It's the sore pain I've felt in the sides of my feet whenever I ice skate, since I was a little kid. I don't know if anyone else feels this pain, but since I do enjoy skating, I always powered through it and took breaks as needed. It might have something to do with my wide feet, but I say the new shoes aren't the cause, because I've even felt it while wearing my trusty New Balance 763's, the model in which I've been running for at least 10 years as my 'safe' shoe. I do think this new sore feet feeling is somehow related to pregnancy. Maybe my feet are swelling or maybe it's something else. Not sure.

But, I got my mileage in and hopefully will get some more in before February arrives. ;)