The first two times, he had no problem eating his rice cereal. But the next few days, he refused to even open his mouth for the grain. I suspected he didn't care for rice cereal (can you blame him?) so we decided to move to sweet potatoes. And what do you know? He cannot get enough of them!

I called his pediatrician before we stopped the rice cereal, though. I wasn't sure if there was a medical reason he needed to start with cereal or not. The nurse asked if he was exclusively breast-fed (EBF). Minus the formula he needed on his third day of life, reflux meds for 4 months, and an ounce of apple juice he needed after 10 days of constipation (yeah…), he has been EBF.

I told the nurse this and she said, "wow, I hope he appreciates the sacrifices you made for him one day!" (For the record, she asked if he was EBF because EBF babies need more iron after 6 months, hence why iron-fortified rice cereal is often recommended.)

The nurse's comment kind of shocked me. One, because she's a nurse. Two because, well, breast-feeding has luckily been really easy for Wyatt and I. The first two weeks he had trouble latching on and staying awake enough to eat, but since then it's been wonderful. I never had any pain, I have a good supply, pumping isn't that bad, he enjoys eating, and it comforts him. I actually think moms who use formula make way more sacrifices when compared to me. I don't have to buy, mix, heat up formula or clean bottles (unless we chose to give him a pumped bottle). I just stick my boob in his mouth and that's that.

But the real reason the nurse's comment irked me was because it's just another example of moms being pinned against one another. Everyone has (strong) opinions of what's the best way to parent.

I am so, so sick of hearing that "breast is best". That working moms are the only ones who have it tough. That those who let their babies cry it out are cruel. That moms who use Baby Led Weaning are "asking" for their child to choke. That parents who co-sleep love their babies more. I can go on and on, and I'm sure every mother out there has heard these comments and so many more.

Can we just stop with the arguing and black and white thinking? All moms make sacrifices and no one has it easy. We're each doing the best we can. There isn't one right way to parent; there are millions of right ways. It takes a village to raise a child, and it would probably benefit that child if the villagers were a little kinder to one another and more open-minded. <3

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Partly because I'm not really sure I've ever been successful in making myself like anything. I wish I enjoyed cooking, cleaning, or drying my hair. But I just don't. I'd rather rush through doing these necessities (that term is used loosely) so I can spend time doing things I find fun.

But I see where my friend was coming from. Running is a great workout, it's convenient and popular so it makes sense she'd want to learn the "secret" to getting into it. I get it. I've dabbled in triathlons and had a lot of fun during the actual races. I like swimming, biking, and running separately but training for all three events at the same time? That actually wasn't too much fun at all.

I was honest with my friend: I didn't have to make myself like running. Did I love it from the get-go? Heck no. I was a sprinter in high school but promptly hung up my running shoes at graduation, and I loathed land workout days in college when we had to run instead of row.

When I actually started running, I wasn't aware that I was beginning a habit. I was sick of the gym and headed to the park one day. I ran/ walked and enjoyed myself. So, I started trading gym sessions for run/ walks in the park. The walk intervals got shorter, the run intervals got longer, and eventually I canceled my gym membership. I didn't toe the line at the start of a race for two years, and it was another five years before I started caring about my time and doing speedwork.

I didn't make myself do anything: my running love affair happened naturally.

That's not to say it was easy. I was a collegiate level athlete when I started running, but running was still incredibly tough. I had zero endurance and it made my body hurt. This also doesn't mean that every run was roses and rainbows. I've had my fair share of crappy runs, painful runs, why-the-hell-am-I-out-here runs, I-hate-running runs, and I'm-never-doing-this-again runs.

Luckily, the good runs have far outnumbered the bad, and I can confidently say that over the past nine years, I've fallen head over heels in love with running. It's fun, it makes me happy, and I can't imagine my life without it.

But running isn't for everyone. You don't have to be a runner to be in shape (check out how ridiculously fit my non-runner friend Amanda is, for example).

There is a secret to being a lifelong fitness fanatic, though: do something you enjoy.

Try a bunch of different activities. You may find your running on a yoga mat, a spinning bike, a rock climbing wall, a golf course, or in a zumba class. Just don't force yourself to like it. Don't over-think it. Don't worry about looking like a fool. We all have to start somewhere. Get out there and work it, and continue doing whatever activity you enjoy most.

Happy sweating!

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I'm not the biggest fan of Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Valentine's Day. These days were invented so we can honor our loved ones and show them how much we appreciate them (and so the greeting card industry can be more profitable). But for too many people, these days are actually just a reminder of what they don't have.

I'm aware my view is cynical and not shared by many. On Sunday, my thoughts will be with my friends who long to be moms, my cousins who just lost their mom, and everyone else who is missing someone this Mother's Day.

I don't need day devoted to motherhood to remember that I'm a mom. Every day feels like Mother's Day. Granted, I have an infant so it's pretty hard to forget about my role.

But I'm pretty sure my mom doesn't ever forget how much she is needed either. Probably because my brother and I won't let her since we harass her with texts a few dozen times per day.

I also don't need to be given flowers or taken to brunch to feel honored. My child is the best gift I've ever gotten, and even on the hardest days (and there have been many), I feel honored to be his mom. Don't get me wrong, I believe moms deserve to be pampered and get breaks, but I personally need "me" time a lot more often.

Of course, when Wyatt is old enough to bring me breakfast in bed or make me a card using crayon, I'm sure I'll be eating my words and proclaim that Mother's Day is the best day ever. And when he's a teenager who doesn't want to hang out with me, I'll love that he'll (hopefully) pay me extra attention on the second Sunday in May.

But I really hope he doesn't wait for a holiday to roll around to make me- and the other people he loves- feel special. Even though I willingly entered into the position of mom (more like begged and pleaded), it's super hard work, and one day it'll be nice to hear how much I'm appreciated. Though I already feel like Wyatt shows me in his own way how thankful he is for me.

There are a lot of lessons I want to teach my son, and one is to never hesitate to show people how much you care about them. <3

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It's no secret that I'm a fan of goals. I love the idea of working towards something and seeing how hard I can push my body.

I enjoyed following my half marathon training plan earlier this year. After PRing in the half on back to back weekends, it was tempting to continue half marathon training. I want to shave 41 seconds off my PR and come in under 1:40 so badly. I was even offered a friend's registration for an upcoming half, but I know it's best to take a break from distance running right now. Doing long runs during the summer is dehydrating enough as it is, and now that I'm breastfeeding, it just doesn't sound like fun to me. And since I'm just coming off an injury, training for speed plus distance would be a bit foolish right now.

But I need to train for something. So, my newest goal is to do something I've never done before: race a 5k… all out.

The "all out" qualifier is key. I ran 5ks during pregnancy and as part of a triathlon, though in 40+ races I've never really raced a 5k. Why? Because running nearly as fast as I can for 3.1 miles scares me more than running 13.1 miles hard (I know, I'm weird). But I'm finally ready to take the plunge! I signed up for the Sheehan Classic 5k on June 16.

I don't have a time goal. Since my knee is healing, the goal is to train smartly and get to the the start line without injury. That means my training plan will focus on strengthening my body. I plan to lift, cross-train, do plyometrics, and keep my running mileage fairly low. I've never trained like this before, but I'm really excited for the challenge.

Here's the plan that SmartCoach and I put together. As always, I'll probably tweak workouts and switch around days throughout the course of training:

It turns out I'm not the only one who likes goals. My personal goal aligns quite nicely with Under Armour Women's new campaign, What's Beautiful.

According to the website, What's Beautiful is, "a movement to take back sport, starting with a competition to help redefine the female athlete."

This program is pretty awesome. Basically, you declare a fitness goal, track your progress on the What's Beautiful site, and post photos, videos, and cheer on others.

Then you can compete in Under Armour challenges over a 9 week period. At the end of the program, Under Armour will select 10 finalists, and three of them will become the faces of Under Armour for an entire year.

How cool is that?!

I love that they're choosing relatable, inspiring, hard-working women to speak for their brand over professional athletes or models.

It could be YOU! What's your current fitness goal and why is it important to you? Go sign up for the competition at whatsbeautiful.ua.com.

I've always been a huge fan of Under Armour. Case in point:

Once upon a time, I used to be able to run 20 miles.

Without their HeatGear, I'm not sure I'd be able to survive running in the humid Carolina summers or make it through a hot yoga class. Their new line of apparel is super cute, but more importantly, extremely functional for intense activity. Check it out here. I have my eyes on the Charge RC Storm Running Shoe. I've never tried a minimalist shoe, but the fact that this one is made with sweat-wicking HeatGear makes it really tempting to try!

Do you want to add some pieces of Under Armour to your wardrobe? Simply tell me what Under Armour product you'd like to try and you'll be entered to win a $500 Under Armour gift card!

SWEEPSTAKES/GIVEAWAY RULES

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion, including exactly the following unique terms in your tweet message: “#whatsbeautiful” “#sweepstakes”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post. To comply with FTC Guidelines (see http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm), entrants’ blog posts must disclose that they are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post.

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/10-5/21

Be sure to visit the Under Armour page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

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Yesterday, I went out for a test run to better gauge my injury status. It was the first time I ran hard since getting hurt, and I'm happy to say I had zero knee pain during the run or in the following 24 hours. Yay!

I did a 5mi tempo run at 7:43 pace with the 3 tempo miles at 7:27. This run was bittersweet, though. I'm thrilled it went so well, but it will likely be my last outdoor speedwork session for awhile.

 Soaking wet post-run.

The calendar says summer doesn't start for about 6 more weeks, but I beg to differ. I ran at 6:15 a.m. It was 68 degrees with 97% humidity. And it's only going to get much worse.

Running in the heat and humidity sucks. Really. This type of weather sucks your energy, speed, determination, and love for the sport out with each drop of sweat. I loathe summer running.

I also hate running slowly. Unfortunately, running fast outside during the summer just doesn't work for me. I've tried many times to hit target tempo or interval paces on summer mornings- you know, during the cool, "comfortable" part of the day- but I always fall short of my goal.

The only way I've been able to maintain my speed during the summer months is by doing all speed workouts on the treadmill. I know, I know. But it's the only way I can get in quality speedwork in the summer. It's also an opportunity for your body to learn goal paces. If you consistently do speed workouts at the same pace, chances are you're going to run pretty darn close to that pace once race day rolls around come fall.

I try to do the rest of my training runs outside (unless it's ridiculously hot). If I crave an intense, outdoor workout in the summer, I hop on the bike. The heat doesn't bother me nearly as much when I'm cycling due to the breeze created by the bike's speed. That or I'm just not working as hard as I think I am on the bike, which is possible.

Summer running doesn't have to be completely miserable if you play it safe and tweak your expectations. From May- September, my easy run pace is much slower*, I need to carry Gatorade + water with me no matter what distance I'm running, walk breaks become the norm, and sunscreen always gets in my eyes. Not exactly fun but it sure beats not running.

Besides, overcoming the hurdles of summer running and hitting your speedwork goals on the treadmill will make fall running feel that much better. I can't wait! Only 5ish more months to go…

*This is especially true in the beginning of the summer. It takes our bodies about 10 days to get used to exercising in a new climate (source).

Disclaimer: I am the furthest thing from a running expert. This is simply what works for me. If you're going to run in the heat, please be safe. Be mindful of the heat index and stay indoors when it's too hot, avoid running during midday, seek shade, stay hydrated, wear a hat, take breaks, and always wear sunscreen. Try taking a quick, cool shower right before you head out for a hot run, too. It really helps! (But don't forget the sunscreen.)

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But other comments were slightly more harsh. I got called out a couple of times for being selfish for concentrating on running when I should be fully focused on Wyatt. Though I really don't see the problem with spending a few hours running each week while my child is being watched by his father.

I'd actually argue that I running isn't completely about me. In fact, a lot of my motivation to run comes from Wyatt. And not just because I want to be a healthy role model for him.

I knew being a mom was going to be tough (obviously). But I had no idea it would be this hard. I love my son more than anything, but there is nothing easy about him. Even if I had a baby who slept well, kept his food down, and didn't scream for hours each day, I'm sure I'd still need running.

Running is my therapy. Plain and simple. I can't tell you how many runs started off with tears this year. I'd be exhausted and at the end of my rope, and I needed a way to combat stress. So I ran. Hard.

With every step I took, I felt lighter. Having a physical outlet for my frustration is such a gift. It feels amazing to run as fast as you can and literally leave your problems behind (you get the added bonus of speedwork, too). The best part, though, is when you head back and feel ready to face your problems with a clear head and fresh perspective. Cheaper- and more fun!- than therapy.

If I didn't run, I have no doubt that I would have had a complete emotional breakdown (emphasis on the word complete because there were several mini- breakdowns.) Instead, I left the tears out on the pavement and approached the day feeling a bit more confident and a hell of a lot more hopeful.

I don't run so I can I run spend time away from my son. I run so I can be a better mother for him. So far, I think it's working.

Moms, never ever feel guilty about taking time to do something that makes you feel good. A happy mom makes for a happy family. <3

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Still, even if my low mood is warranted, I'm just ready to snap out of it. So, I'm taking the following actions:

1. Unplugging. After being sick for a week, Wyatt is finally better. Since turning 5 months, he's been in a somewhat better mood. I cannot tell you how much joy this brings me. What doesn't make me happy is working all weekend and missing out on family time with Wyatt and Jeff (and Nati, too!). I'm making a huge effort to only do freelance work on the weekdays and completely unplug on the weekends.

2. Making travel plans. It's no secret that I hate living far away from my family and friends. I used to go up to NJ every month or so (thanks in part to a former job that was based up there), but since having Wyatt I've only been "home" once. After recent events, I feel it is even more urgent to spend as much time with my family as possible. This means I need to suck it up and take the cranky one on a plane a couple times this summer. Sorry fellow passengers.

3. Signing up for races. This may seem counterintuitive to do while you're injured. But since my knee issue isn't that bad, I figured signing up for a race that's so far off wouldn't be too foolish. Even if that race has me running 39.3 miles over the course of ~30 hours. No, not Goofy at all…

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50: Hours straight I spent away from my baby this week. This is a record by 46 hours.

856: Miles I was away from him. This is a record by about 846 miles.

32: Ounces I pumped the one full day I was away from him. Is this normal for a 5 month old? Does that mean that's how much he eats on average? I find this incredibly fascinating since I've never exclusively pumped for a whole day before.

0: Regrets I have. Leaving Wyatt was not easy, but I'm so glad I was able to be with my family during a tough time.

4: Miles I've run in the past week. My knee didn't hurt at all. Granted these miles were incredibly slow and on the treadmill without any incline.

3: Days I'm taking completely off between workouts this week. Even though my knee didn't bother me, I know it's best to continue to take it easy. During my trip there really was no time to exercise, so this self-mandated break has been easy to abide by.

3.5: Hours I just spent on a freelance article that I went on to accidentally delete. I still have tears in my eyes.

6: Hours I slept straight last night. Pure bliss even with the alarm going off at 4:00 am.

0: Times I plan to be away from this face again. Never, ever going to happen.

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Best Body Bootcamp is officially over.

I ended on a high note by completing all of the workouts week 8 called for. Of course, my injury is no fun, but I still had a good week considering that.

• M: OFF
• Tu: 6mi at 8:02
• W: 4mi at 8:34, BBB workout A
• Th: OFF
• F: 30 min bike trainer, BBB workout B
• S: BBB workout C, 20 min self-led yoga
• S: 12mi bike ride (outside!) at 18.5mph

I also met my walk the furball goal and one sweet per day goal this week. I've toyed with the idea of eliminating desserts all together again for awhile, but I haven't found the willpower yet. Sigh...

I really enjoyed bootcamp. Of course, I wish I was able to follow the plan more closely but it was a bit too much for me to handle with half marathon training. Though, I'd still consider it a success! In these past 8 weeks, I realized I actually like lifting, rediscovered how awesome plyometrics are, PR'd twice in the half marathon, and got a tiny bit more toned.

"Progress" pictures:

Yay, for strength training! I'll definitely be incorporating weights into my regular routine from now on.

Thank you so much to the lovely Tina for hosting Best Body Bootcamp. It was challenging but fun, and I can't think of a better way to describe a workout plan. I'll definitely register for BBB 2.0 when it's offered.

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I'll be wearing these shoes instead of my Brooks for awhile.

But there's one thing each of us has in common: we hate being injured. So much so that many of us will continue to run through pain. Unfortunately in the running community it's "normal" behavior to change your stride, wear a knee/ shin/ ankle brace, or only run on one side of the road so you don't feel pain while you run. We'll continue to train like this because we have to get to the start line of our next big race. Because, you know, this is the only race ever and our running career will end immediately after it.

Right? No, wrong (well, unless your next big race is the Olympic trials. But really, if you're of that athletic caliber, you're probably not reading my blog).There will always be more races and your running career can last many decades if you respect your body.

We each only get one body, so I'm not sure why we insist on making it run through pain. Worse, then we each get mad at said injured body when it doesn't yield us a PR or allow us to finish a race. Why do we do this?!

For many reasons, I hypothesize. When we're deep in the throes of training, taking time off seems like the worst idea in the world because then all of that prior training was for nothing. There's also the fear that if you take a break from running you'll never, ever get back into shape again. And while most of us wouldn't admit it, we're afraid if we don't run we'll get fat. Then there's the most basic reason: running makes us happy. Without it, we lose a part of ourselves even if we're aware that it's just temporary.

I realize that this post is coming off as preachy. But the only person I'm trying to convince is myself.

As I mentioned the other day, after finishing my last half marathon, the unevenness of the road left me with a sore left hamstring and an angry right knee. Last week, my hamstring hurt so I took it easy. Now, thankfully, it feels fine. But my knee is another story. I thought it was better, but then on Wednesday's run the annoying ache turned into a nasty pain. I think I'm injured.

I'm trying really hard to not run. It doesn't hurt that much, but I don't need a minor injury to turn into something major. So, I'm publicly proclaiming that I won't run. At all. Until I have zero knee pain. Right now, rest (+ ice + foam rolling + PT) is best.

If you don't want to end up like me, here are some ways to sidestep running injuries.

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