Hello!

I’m Sarah Mac. I’m a writer, mom, runner. This is my original running blog, Running Starfish, started in 2009 to chronicle my first (and supposed to be last) marathon, all the way through qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon.

week 15 and 16

The weeks are picking up speed. Things are busy at Oiselle and suddenly days are flying by. Week 15 my energy was tanking again and I had little to spare. It was work, eat, sleep and workouts fell by the wayside. I tried to maintain a level of momentum, but it was hard.

WEEK 15
One of the hardest days was getting dropped by my running buddies on a runch. I just couldn't keep up. I was straining to keep the pace, feeling awkward and like my belly and body just weren't in sync. Those weird little low belly pulling pains hit again and again. Finally I walked, and watched my buds drift ahead. I felt sorry for myself for a mini moment and then started my run over at my own pace and positive talked my way around the lake slowly.


Yes, I got dropped by a double stroller, but Jen B is super human.... 
WEEK 15 WORKOUTS
monday: x
tuesday: 2.9 run
wednesday: x
thursday: 4 run
friday: 3.3 run
saturday: x
sunday: x
TOTAL MILES: 10.2

WEEK 16
I had a day to sleep in after a long week, and then it was off to NYC for Oiselle to kick off week 16! This conveniently coincided with the return of my energy. I felt like I'd finally cleared that first trimester at last. Or maybe I was high on New York. I think it was the combination of both.

Sally, Katron and I had two days of meetings scheduled with our charity partners, Every Mother Counts. It was two days of invigorating conversation and I left the table each day inspired by their mission and our team.
Pre-Meeting Run! Balmy 16ºF.

At night we were free to play under the blinking lights of Manhattan and may I just say, we ate well. My little sister, Rebekah, is living in NYC and working on a creative team at Ralph Lauren home, so I also got to see her. Living on the opposite coast as my entire family can be really hard and I was craving sister time.
Dinner with the crew: KatieKate, Katron, Mac, Sally and Reb
My favorite moment was when Reb got to  listen to the baby's heartbeat for the first time using my little doppler. Sally secretly captured the moment when she heard the little whoosh, whoosh, whoosh and burst into tears. This picture makes me cry.


Baby check-in on the floor of the Courtyard Marriot. 
The last night we were in NYC, Rebekah and I had an evening of adventuring. I stopped by her office, ran an errand at the 888 Mansion, then we ate our way over to Chinatown to check out the market where you can buy frogs and turtles just as normally as bananas. Then we decided to walk over the Williamsburg Bridge to look back at the city. Hours walking in the 16º night was full of complaints, but I know we both just wanted to extend our time together.

My first Macaron. I blame the baby for my sweet tooth. 
Blending in at the Ralph Lauren 888 mansion.


Should have been wearing my amazing Statue of Liberty foam hat.

After we made it over the bridge we were so frozen we got a cab back to Manhattan. I let Reb out in her hood and continued on to my hotel. Watching my little sis chase the cab laughing and waving, so teeny in this big city, broke my heart. 

We flew back to Seattle late Thursday and I was glad to have a weekend to recover a bit. But the energy is coming back, though there are sleepless nights mixed in that throw me for a loop. 
Only bump pic I took I think, week 16.5

WEEK 16 WORKOUTS
monday: 3 treadmill run
tuesday: 6 mile run with EMC
wednesday: x
thursday: 6 mile run west side hwy
friday: 4 mile run
saturday: x
sunday: 6.7 mile run
TOTAL MILES: 25.6

second trimester observations

week 13 and 14