Another change of pace…

Hello….anyone out there?

If so, I’m impressed and thank you for sticking around! You knew I’d cave and start to write again.

I’m now blogging at FIND US OUTDOORS. It’s my new blog with a twist: family – fun – fitness – adventure.

Hope to see you there!

Moving on

I finally decided to pull the plug on the good old blog.

A particularly gorgeous sunset over the Purcell mountains last week. #nofilter

I’ve loved to write about running, triathlon, travel and life here. Mostly I’ve loved to connect with other people writing about the same things! (And I’ve been so inspired by so many women accomplishing amazing feats, pushing their physical limits, and encouraging other women to do the same.)

My life has changed a ton in the last year, and the pace has definitely changed along with it!

Although I still love to train and will get back to racing one day, I love spending time with my baby and doing what’s right for us right now. And, this blog was never intended to be a mommy blog!

I’m walking that line between wanting to overshare Jasper’s life and not wanting to share anything online. (Of course not completely; I’ll still be on Instagram @abbykokolski!)

Maybe one day I’ll go back to blogging- with more of a training / mom / family adventures twist.

In the meantime, I’ll enjoy my bundle, disconnect a little more, be present and just embrace time.

Best wishes to every one of you- in running, triathlon, and life! Thank you for reading and making this little space of internet a fun one for me.

Two weeks and counting…

Our little son, Jasper Casey, was born over two weeks ago on Friday, February 20. He weighed 7 lbs 10 ounces and measured 20.5 inches. He is perfect!

Since that day I’ve learned a lot, but the only constant is that every single cliché about parenting and motherhood is true.

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts.” – Winnie the Pooh

Nothing anybody said could have prepared me for the love I’d feel for this little man. And watching Kelly as the proud papa? Brings tears to my eyes.

These two weeks have gone by in a blur of love, exhaustion, and recovery. They’ve been nothing short of amazing.

We’re trying to cherish every moment, from his little stretches and funny faces to the first time he peed all over Kelly, to Harold kissing his ears every time he has a chance, even to his middle of the night cries.

I’m going to keep this short since my brain isn’t functioning too well right now.

I plan to post my third trimester fitness post sometime soon. And I’d like to write a few about post-partum fitness once I try to cross that bridge. In the meantime, I’ve only gone on three walks in two weeks and am just trying to soak up as much newborn love as possible!

Thanks to my talented sister, Carla Marie Photography, for the amazing keepsake photos. 

Thanks to everyone on Instagram for the love, and for not unfollowing me with all my baby pictures!

Learning to listen to my body

As someone who has pushed my body pretty far at times, and learned so much about it in the process, this pregnancy journey has taught me even more.

For years I was a runner. I started running cross-country and track in grade 7 then joined a club and ran even more. I realized the longer the distance the better I did. So, I started running road races.

Then came the longer distances: my first half marathon when I was 18 and my first marathon at 20. I trained for my first 26.2, but not well, and body and heart carried me across that finish line.

RNR AZ 2004

Then I asked my body to do things that, many times, I never thought I could do.

I started to road bike and was talked into a half iron and full iron distance triathlon at 26-years-old.

Ironman Arizona 2010

I trained, I hurt, I prepared as best I knew how. I fueled my body. I nourished it. And I took care of it when it needed special care.

I also ignored it at times. (Ok, many times over the years I’ve ignored it and gone on that run or bike when it needed rest.)

I took these steps three more times at 28 and 29-years-old.

Ironman Canada 2012

Ironman Coeur d’Alene 2013

Ironman Canada – Whistler 2013

I asked it to bike in extreme heat, run in snow and windchills of -40, hold together for X more miles when it was tired, hungry, and hurting.

My body answered me each time.

It has climbed many mountains. It has strength trained. It has carried me very long distances – up to 140 miles at a time. It has gone fast and it has gone slow.

I’ve beaten it down and each time it rebuilt. It listened to me.

Just like any relationship should give and take, it sends signals to let me know when enough is enough.

It took nine months to conceive this baby, and over that nine months I had to listen really hard to what my body was asking. It wasn’t always easy to drop the miles lower and lower, and add some weight to my hard-earned muscles, without knowing how it would respond.

I hesitantly continued to listen to my body. It gave me so much when I pushed it to new limits for years.

Once I got pregnant, I realized I was good at listening to what my body needed. And most importantly, I knew I had to listen to it.

Run, but slower. Take a nap. Exercise to help ‘morning’ sickness, even though you’re tired. Keep up strength training. Drink more water. Do more yoga. Stop running. Stay active, whatever that means on any given day. Rest more.

My last run at 31 weeks.

I am now over nine months along, the same amount of time it took to get pregnant. I barely recognize myself physically, and I just don’t feel like….me. I crave a good sweat session but know that it will come in time.

I am tired. My back and my hips hurt, and this time it isn’t from going that extra mile, not refueling properly after a hard session, or being hunched over a bike for hours at a time.

This is my body preparing for something new, something it hasn’t done before, and something that scares me. (Sounds kind of like how I’ve felt before every new race distance and almost every race!)

It’s been refreshing to listen to my body, and truly listen to it. To let it tell me what it needs instead of my constant demands on it.

I have faith we’ll make it, just as we have done before. And next time I’m training for a race, I hope to take that time to stop and really listen to what my body needs. After all, it’s done some amazing things.

How good are you at listening to your body?

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

It’s the most wonderful time of the year
There’ll be much mistletoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When loved ones are near
It’s the most wonderful time of the year
– Edward Pola & George Wyle

Hope you have a fabulous holiday season!

Wishing you lots of love, wonderful memories with family and friends, and time to reflect on the year that passed.

Cheers to a happy, healthy 2015!

What are your holiday plans?

Three goals

Hello! It’s been a while…

When I wrote my last post, I had no idea how long of a break I would take. Turns out four months away from blogging flies by!

Three goals
I had three main goals for this year when we decided not to sign up for any big races. I am happy to say I achieved all of them, with a few smaller ones accomplished, too!

Goal #1: Visit the mountains often

This was a smashing success with 17 weekends spent out there, and 11 days for summer vacation!

We hiked a ton, and I trail ran and SUPed to my heart’s content.

I even paddled in my first SUP race in Canmore and hope to make it an annual event!

Goal #2: Heal my injuries/ailments
After taking a break from running, strengthening like crazy, and seeing numerous people, I found a chiropractor who I credit for getting me back to pain-free running!

One day in late July I realized not one thing hurt when I was running, or afterwards. My hamstring, glutes, piriformis, iliac crest, knee, and hip were all quiet.

I’m still working on my weaknesses so I can continue! However, new aches are constantly popping up, which I attribute to goal three.

Goal #3: Get pregnant
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen a couple photos. I am excited to say I am now past the halfway mark of my pregnancy and am due on March 6, 2015.

I’m still trying to stay active with trail running, biking on the trainer, and strength training. Hopefully I can continue throughout!

We ran a 12km trail race on our sixth anniversary. I was 17 weeks, and have definitely ‘popped’ since then.

Everything else
Other than that, my sister had a precious baby boy at the end of July so I now have an amazing niece and a nephew!

The first year of my garden box was a blooming success.

And it was our hottest summer I can remember.

What’s new in your world?