Before we catch up with Ashely, a quick head’s up: the Stride into the School Year program starts on Monday. It is five weeks of unique, fun workouts that blend running and strength training. (Read: You rarely repeat a workout.) The plan has you sweating five days a week, with an option for a sixth day if your schedule and energy allow. The goal is forward movement, which we could all use now that the kids are back in school!

Slow. I feel like slow should be my new catch phrase. I roll out of bed slowly. I put my shoes on slowly. And I am running slowly. It seems silly now to admit but when I first found out I was pregnant I was worried I would loose all my “speed.” I was never really fast, which made it almost worse because the little bit of speed I had i was certain I would lose. I worked hard for that brisk turtle pace. I didn’t want my hard work to just go down the drain because I was growing a human.

My first few runs with baby on board were all about keeping the beat and not running any slower than I had been. I realized quickly that I was not in charge anymore.  BOB #2 had a different plan. Those early runs left me exhausted, winded, and down right bumming hard that I was struggling. I felt like my groove was slipping through my fingertips.

Ashley at a recent family wedding.

Now that I’m 30 weeks pregnant, I can look back and see that I did lose speed but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. As my times got slower, I felt the absolute opposite as what I anticipated. Don’t get me wrong, it still stung a little bit each mile when my Garmin vibrated at me, but I embraced my inner BAMR. I am proud that I am even still running with this little human on board. I am not hunkered down on the couch watching trashy TV and demolishing cartons of ice cream. I have even started to contemplate leaving my Garmin at home but I just can’t part with it yet. I feel naked without it and let’s get real, if it wasn’t tracked, did it really happened?

As this pregnancy progresses, I can feel my body beginning to reach its capacity. Being 5’ 2,” I am physically running out of space to house this kid. Between feet in my ribs and and and elbow pinching my sciatic nerve, I’m getting uncomfortable. The runs still feel good; however, the hours following do not.

Ashley’s new running partners.

I was worried I would have to make the decision to slow down on my own but BOB #2 has shown me he/she is the one in charge, not me. My runs are getting to the point where I am fairly certain I could walk faster than I am running but I am still moving. Instead of mourning the loss of my speed, I am embracing the slower pace and all the glorious little things that accompany it. Reese and our dogs can join me more often. I am more focused on my surroundings and, most importantly, I am reminded of why I run in the first place, which definitely isn’t to win any time trials.