7/2/11
I am a cow...no seriously I am hooked up to a pump like 8 hours a day and now know what those milking cows feel like! Ok so it's been about 4 weeks since my last post, and I have no idea where the weeks went. Someone once told me that the days and nights are long, but the weeks go by quickly during those first months with a newborn. And they are absolutely correct!
Lets see if I can recall any information from the blur of the past few weeks, especially since I am diagnosing myself with officially having the very common disorder called "mommy brain". I have come to this self diagnosis from the 5x this week I have failed to close the fridge all the way in the middle of the night causing most things to become semi-frozen to compensate for the temperature change, and the fact that I can't remember a thing a did an hour ago, let alone yesterday!
So I waited too long to sign up for the America's finest City Half marathon in August and it sold out. I am extremely sad about this...I love that race. I am kind of hoping I can do it last minute by buying someone's bib that can't do it. And I definitely think the sprint triathlon in July is out for me too. I'm still healing from the breast feeding issues and have already gotten one infected milk duct, and don't want to risk another one since it completely messes up your milk supply. I have already had way too many challenges with that. I have been able to swim a couple of times, bike once, and run a couple miles with the dogs. Today I went for my first longer run, probably about 50min. I feel pretty good, but still have some weird feelings in my hips as if they are a little loose. Even though it seems like I take one step forward and two steps back, overall things physically and emotionally have improved both with my body and with being a mom. My goal is to try to do something active EVERY day...even if it is just a run/walk with the dogs. I had to take two different medications from the milk duct infection that caused me to be extremely tired...on top of the sleep deprivation is not much fun, and retain water...again not much fun when I already feel squishy and bloated. Those cycles both finished the beginning of the week and I am already feeling my body start to go in the right direction...slowly, but it's going thank goodness. I definitely feel like my pre-pregnancy body is hiding under a nice squishy layer that I cannot wait to get ride of. My mom's yummy desserts aren't really helping my cause though.
My running partner and I have yet to meet up for some exercise, but are hoping to give it a go tomorrow. It is challenging planning anything with Hailey, so I can't even imagine what it is like for her and the twins. She does seem to have them a pretty good schedule though. I on the other hand am still working on that. Hailey is actually taking a nice nap in her crib as we speak...I mean as I write, and the last couple of evenings we've gotten about 3 hours of sleep at one time...and last weekend we even got 5 hours between feeding and 4 hours of sleep at one time! I am trying to read as much as I can to ensure we give her good sleep habits. I am looking forward to her 2mo checkup to see how much weight she as gained so we can possibly attempt the daunting task of getting her to sleep through the night.
I am thinking it may be time to start a new blog as a fit mommy.... what do you think?
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Hailey Rochelle is DONE!DONE!
June 5, 2011 Hailey is 11 days old
Well its been an interesting 11 days with little Hailey, but before I talk about the abrupt stop to the life of having more than 2 hours of sleep at one time I want to at least finish up the last two weeks of my pregnancy.
During the last 2 weeks of pregnancy I tried to get in as much exercise as possible, knowing that when she got here it might be a little challenging both physically and time wise to get in a workout for a while. I did cardio just bout every day, I got in one more session on my trainer, weight training (I could still do a few pull-ups!!), swimming when the weather was nice so I could get some sun, and the elliptical was my new best friend. I almost felt like I was running when I was on the elliptical. I gradually started cutting back my hours at work, the early morning and late evenings were starting to take a toll on me and it was getting harder to get a decent night's sleep.
At my 38 week dr appt my doctor was concerned that my measurement they take on the outside of my belly hadn't changed much the past two weeks so she scheduled an ultrasound that day. Right before I was going to go in for the ultrasound the main machine broke and they had to scan me with an older piece of equipment. The Doctor told me it looked as if my amniotic fluid was low and the baby's size was a little small, so she sent me over to triage to do a Non Stress Test to check on baby and scheduled me for a more advanced ultrasound later that day at a high risk center. I wasn't panicked because I just had a gut feeling everything was fine. I felt her kick and move often, and I just felt that if something was wrong I might have some other signs from my body. The NST was long, but she had a strong healthy heartbeat and they could even see I was having regular contractions. They discharged me and the nurse said I should refrain from any strenuous physical activity until I got cleared by my doctor. Later that day I went the high risk ultrasound and the ultrasound tech said everything looked great! For whatever reason my amniotic fluid was well within normal now and while her head circumference was a little small, but all her other measurements put her right in the middle of the chart for growth. They estimated her weight at 7lbs, and the tech said her head was really low too. It was good to get some peace of mind that everything was good. I still had to go to NST appointments 2xweek until I got cleared by my doctor, my regular weekly OB appointment, and I was still going to the chiropractor at least 1x week too to ensure I was pain free for labor. I felt like I was going to doctor appointments nearly everyday. Also I have to admit I kind of ignored the nurse's discharge orders to refrain from physical activity and just tried to make sure I stayed hydrated. I had 3 ultrasounds/NST tests in a row that all showed good heartbeat and amniotic fluid levels, so the doctor said I didn't have to keep going to the NST appointments.
I went to my 39 week appointment the next week and I was dilated about 2, which was the same as the week before. I had convinced myself that she was coming May 21st...but the date came and went. The due date that my doctor had calculated was May 24. My doctor had mentioned that we could do a procedure called "stripping the membranes". She said it can encourage labor, but usually only works if my body and baby are ready. The chiropractor also mentioned she could do pressure points that could cause uterine contractions to start. On May 23 my chiropractor did some of those pressure points, and on Tuesday May 24th I did some cardio, then went to my Dr appt and she did the membrane stripping. I trained a couple of clients and finished at 12pm. At 12:30pm my water broke! I had planned on trying to stay home as long as possible when I went into labor, but I knew that when your water breaks they want you to go to the hospital sooner than later so there isn't a risk for infection. I showered and got my things together. Then we went to the hospital around 2pm. They checked my fluids to confirm that my water had actually broke, then admitted me to labor and delivery. They wanted to see if my body would go into labor on it's own before intervening with pitocin...they gave me till midnight, then had to start enduce labor with pitocin because it had been close to 12 hours with no real movement...I was only dilated to about 3.5cm. I made it till about 5am, then I wanted to drugs! They first gave me something to take the edge off, then after a little while longer I got the epidural. My legs felt so heavy and I had little control over them, but with the epidural the nurses were able to crank of the pitocin and get labor going will little pain. My labor was progressing, but I got stuck at about 8cm for 4hours. The doctor came in and noticed that part of the amniotic sac had not broke all the way, so they broke that with the hopes that I would progress quickly. The doctor told me that she had to go into surgery for a c-section, but that if by the time she came back I wasn't fully dilated I would have to have a c-section because it had been over 24 hours since my water broke and it starts to put the baby and myself at risk for infection. They were doing monitoring of the baby and me constantly, there were a few times the big contractions caused her heart rate to dip low, but she would recover each time luckily. When the doctor threatened the c-section it was the first time I got nervous and upset...that was the one thing I was hoping to avoid. The nurses saw how upset I was and I begged them to help me do whatever it would take to avoid a c-section. That last hour, they cranked up the pitocin 4 and 5x the amount I was already getting to get the contractions coming faster and stronger. It got so intense I could feel them through the epidural. I had the option to give myself a little more pain relief with the epidural, but I was nervous it would make me too numb that I wouldn't be able to push effectively. Finally the nurses convinced me to go ahead and give myself some pain relief. 20min later the doctor came back and checked to see if I had fully progressed. Luckily I had...and I was given the green light to push! I was so relieved. I told the nurses that I had worked really hard to stay fit and strong during my pregnancy and I really wanted a chance to PUSH! The doctor did warn me that sometimes pushing can take a while, and that she had been in an awkward position. She said there was still a chance I may have to have a c-section after everything if I wasn't effective with pushing her through the birth canal. Then the doctor left and they got everything set up...I guess the doctor is literally just there at the last minute to catch the baby as it comes out! The nurses gave me a few pointers on how to make the pushing effective and I finally got my chance to see if all my working out was going to payoff. I told myself there was no way I was getting a c-section...and I used every once of strength I could during the contractions! After the first two pushes the nurses said they could see hair! After the next contraction and set of pushes they had to tell me to hold off, that they needed to get the doctor asap because baby was coming! There were two nurses helping me...one was very experienced and the other was a newer. The more experienced nurse left to go find the doctor, and the other one looked at me and said, "Please don't have this baby while I'm the only one here!" One more contraction and push, and she was out! Everything after that went just fine...I felt like I as a car being serviced in NASCAR...there were about 5 people in there quickly cleaning the baby and taking care of me...everything happened so fast.
Hailey Rochelle Manatt was born 5/25/11 at 3:43pm. She was 20.5 inches and weighed 6pounds, 13oz. She cried right away, but as soon as they put her on my chest she was quiet and just looked at me. She was beautiful...and had quite the cone head! Now I know why the put those little hats on newborns...to disguise the cone head. haha.
The next couple of days were surreal in the hospital. She ate well and slept well. On Friday the doctor discharged us both and we took her home. The next few days at home went from good to challenging very quickly. Breastfeeding started to get extremely painful. I was told that this is normal, but it got to the point that I was in tears at the thought of feeding her. She would want to nurse of over an hour, then 15min later want to nurse again. I was in extreme pain, but tried to push through it thinking it was normal. Wednesday we went to our first pediatricians appt. She weighed 7lbs 5oz, so they assumed she was getting enough food. I was also trying to pump in between sessions because breastfeeding her was getting unbearable. But even pumping caused pain. Finally on Thursday I couldn't take it any more and went to a lactation educator at the hospital..I was in tears because I felt like I couldn't feed her. She would cry because she was hungry, and I didn't want to have to use formula and have her miss out on all the health benefits of breast milk. The lactation educator was beyond helpful. She helped me get her in a good position, so the pain was a little more tolerable. She weighed Hailey before and after 20min sessions and found that she wasn't actually able to extract milk. She also suggested that I talk to my pediatrician about the possibility that Hailey had a posterior tongue tie...this can inhibit her ability to get a good latch and extract the milk. It can also be what was causing the extremed damage and pain to my body. Because Hailey wasn't able to get much milk, it was starting to decrease my milk supply already...my body thought I didn't need to make as much because she wasn't taking as much...simple supply and demand. Our bodies are pretty ingenious that way. She also discovered that I was using the wrong size attachments on the pump. As soon as she put the correct size on, I had a significant decrease in the pain. She had me pump while I was there....and as I was pumping she was literally pouring the contents from the storage bottles directly into Hailey's bottle...we did that for about 40min. I was SOOO relieved that I at least had a way to get her the food she needed. I called the doctor later that day and scheduled an appointment to see about correcting the "tongue-tie". While pumping was better now, I felt like I still couldn't keep up with her demand. It also would take 45min to an hour, or more to get the amount of milk she needed. The lactation educator told me to pump every 2-3 hours to get my milk supply back up. The next couple of days I was trapped in the bedroom attached to the machine for hours and hours and hours....finally after day 3 I started to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. I came to the realization that I just need to pump longer, but that I was starting to produce the amount she needed. By Saturday I was actually able to leave the house for a few hours! Not being able to be outside or have visitors was starting to take a toll one me...not to mention I haven't been able to workout! I continued to pump every 2 hours...and actually feel asleep pumping last night. I think my milk supply is starting to catch up, and we go to the doctor tomorrow to hopefully fix her tongue tie, and the other GREAT NEWS... I was able to go for a short 2mile slow jog today and workout in my gym!! I have to say that made me feel like a normal person again!! I am still tired, but I needed to be outside in the nice warm sun, getting my heart rate up, and getting a little sweat on!!
By the way I had gained a total of 23lbs from my 8 week appt to delivery, probably more like 25 or 26lbs from when I found out I was pregnant. 11 days post partum I have lost 14 of those pounds. Its nice to feel smaller, not have the aches and pains of pregnancy, but it is VERY true that your body is not quite the same. There's a lot of squisiness going on in the midsection. I am doing my basic core exercises of just drawing in...trying to get those muscles to remember that they used to be firm and tight! :)
Today was the San Diego Rock N Roll marathon...I ran down to see some of the racers, and was pretty excited I didn't have much discomfort. It actually felt so good! I just kept saying that to myself...that it felt so good to run again. I am going to sign up for the America's Finest City Half marathon in August!! And I am still debating on doing a sprint triathlon the end July. I might give myself a little longer to see how the bike feels before I commit to that race!
Also...my running partner had her twins 3 days after Hailey was born!! :)
Well its been an interesting 11 days with little Hailey, but before I talk about the abrupt stop to the life of having more than 2 hours of sleep at one time I want to at least finish up the last two weeks of my pregnancy.
During the last 2 weeks of pregnancy I tried to get in as much exercise as possible, knowing that when she got here it might be a little challenging both physically and time wise to get in a workout for a while. I did cardio just bout every day, I got in one more session on my trainer, weight training (I could still do a few pull-ups!!), swimming when the weather was nice so I could get some sun, and the elliptical was my new best friend. I almost felt like I was running when I was on the elliptical. I gradually started cutting back my hours at work, the early morning and late evenings were starting to take a toll on me and it was getting harder to get a decent night's sleep.
At my 38 week dr appt my doctor was concerned that my measurement they take on the outside of my belly hadn't changed much the past two weeks so she scheduled an ultrasound that day. Right before I was going to go in for the ultrasound the main machine broke and they had to scan me with an older piece of equipment. The Doctor told me it looked as if my amniotic fluid was low and the baby's size was a little small, so she sent me over to triage to do a Non Stress Test to check on baby and scheduled me for a more advanced ultrasound later that day at a high risk center. I wasn't panicked because I just had a gut feeling everything was fine. I felt her kick and move often, and I just felt that if something was wrong I might have some other signs from my body. The NST was long, but she had a strong healthy heartbeat and they could even see I was having regular contractions. They discharged me and the nurse said I should refrain from any strenuous physical activity until I got cleared by my doctor. Later that day I went the high risk ultrasound and the ultrasound tech said everything looked great! For whatever reason my amniotic fluid was well within normal now and while her head circumference was a little small, but all her other measurements put her right in the middle of the chart for growth. They estimated her weight at 7lbs, and the tech said her head was really low too. It was good to get some peace of mind that everything was good. I still had to go to NST appointments 2xweek until I got cleared by my doctor, my regular weekly OB appointment, and I was still going to the chiropractor at least 1x week too to ensure I was pain free for labor. I felt like I was going to doctor appointments nearly everyday. Also I have to admit I kind of ignored the nurse's discharge orders to refrain from physical activity and just tried to make sure I stayed hydrated. I had 3 ultrasounds/NST tests in a row that all showed good heartbeat and amniotic fluid levels, so the doctor said I didn't have to keep going to the NST appointments.
I went to my 39 week appointment the next week and I was dilated about 2, which was the same as the week before. I had convinced myself that she was coming May 21st...but the date came and went. The due date that my doctor had calculated was May 24. My doctor had mentioned that we could do a procedure called "stripping the membranes". She said it can encourage labor, but usually only works if my body and baby are ready. The chiropractor also mentioned she could do pressure points that could cause uterine contractions to start. On May 23 my chiropractor did some of those pressure points, and on Tuesday May 24th I did some cardio, then went to my Dr appt and she did the membrane stripping. I trained a couple of clients and finished at 12pm. At 12:30pm my water broke! I had planned on trying to stay home as long as possible when I went into labor, but I knew that when your water breaks they want you to go to the hospital sooner than later so there isn't a risk for infection. I showered and got my things together. Then we went to the hospital around 2pm. They checked my fluids to confirm that my water had actually broke, then admitted me to labor and delivery. They wanted to see if my body would go into labor on it's own before intervening with pitocin...they gave me till midnight, then had to start enduce labor with pitocin because it had been close to 12 hours with no real movement...I was only dilated to about 3.5cm. I made it till about 5am, then I wanted to drugs! They first gave me something to take the edge off, then after a little while longer I got the epidural. My legs felt so heavy and I had little control over them, but with the epidural the nurses were able to crank of the pitocin and get labor going will little pain. My labor was progressing, but I got stuck at about 8cm for 4hours. The doctor came in and noticed that part of the amniotic sac had not broke all the way, so they broke that with the hopes that I would progress quickly. The doctor told me that she had to go into surgery for a c-section, but that if by the time she came back I wasn't fully dilated I would have to have a c-section because it had been over 24 hours since my water broke and it starts to put the baby and myself at risk for infection. They were doing monitoring of the baby and me constantly, there were a few times the big contractions caused her heart rate to dip low, but she would recover each time luckily. When the doctor threatened the c-section it was the first time I got nervous and upset...that was the one thing I was hoping to avoid. The nurses saw how upset I was and I begged them to help me do whatever it would take to avoid a c-section. That last hour, they cranked up the pitocin 4 and 5x the amount I was already getting to get the contractions coming faster and stronger. It got so intense I could feel them through the epidural. I had the option to give myself a little more pain relief with the epidural, but I was nervous it would make me too numb that I wouldn't be able to push effectively. Finally the nurses convinced me to go ahead and give myself some pain relief. 20min later the doctor came back and checked to see if I had fully progressed. Luckily I had...and I was given the green light to push! I was so relieved. I told the nurses that I had worked really hard to stay fit and strong during my pregnancy and I really wanted a chance to PUSH! The doctor did warn me that sometimes pushing can take a while, and that she had been in an awkward position. She said there was still a chance I may have to have a c-section after everything if I wasn't effective with pushing her through the birth canal. Then the doctor left and they got everything set up...I guess the doctor is literally just there at the last minute to catch the baby as it comes out! The nurses gave me a few pointers on how to make the pushing effective and I finally got my chance to see if all my working out was going to payoff. I told myself there was no way I was getting a c-section...and I used every once of strength I could during the contractions! After the first two pushes the nurses said they could see hair! After the next contraction and set of pushes they had to tell me to hold off, that they needed to get the doctor asap because baby was coming! There were two nurses helping me...one was very experienced and the other was a newer. The more experienced nurse left to go find the doctor, and the other one looked at me and said, "Please don't have this baby while I'm the only one here!" One more contraction and push, and she was out! Everything after that went just fine...I felt like I as a car being serviced in NASCAR...there were about 5 people in there quickly cleaning the baby and taking care of me...everything happened so fast.
Hailey Rochelle Manatt was born 5/25/11 at 3:43pm. She was 20.5 inches and weighed 6pounds, 13oz. She cried right away, but as soon as they put her on my chest she was quiet and just looked at me. She was beautiful...and had quite the cone head! Now I know why the put those little hats on newborns...to disguise the cone head. haha.
The next couple of days were surreal in the hospital. She ate well and slept well. On Friday the doctor discharged us both and we took her home. The next few days at home went from good to challenging very quickly. Breastfeeding started to get extremely painful. I was told that this is normal, but it got to the point that I was in tears at the thought of feeding her. She would want to nurse of over an hour, then 15min later want to nurse again. I was in extreme pain, but tried to push through it thinking it was normal. Wednesday we went to our first pediatricians appt. She weighed 7lbs 5oz, so they assumed she was getting enough food. I was also trying to pump in between sessions because breastfeeding her was getting unbearable. But even pumping caused pain. Finally on Thursday I couldn't take it any more and went to a lactation educator at the hospital..I was in tears because I felt like I couldn't feed her. She would cry because she was hungry, and I didn't want to have to use formula and have her miss out on all the health benefits of breast milk. The lactation educator was beyond helpful. She helped me get her in a good position, so the pain was a little more tolerable. She weighed Hailey before and after 20min sessions and found that she wasn't actually able to extract milk. She also suggested that I talk to my pediatrician about the possibility that Hailey had a posterior tongue tie...this can inhibit her ability to get a good latch and extract the milk. It can also be what was causing the extremed damage and pain to my body. Because Hailey wasn't able to get much milk, it was starting to decrease my milk supply already...my body thought I didn't need to make as much because she wasn't taking as much...simple supply and demand. Our bodies are pretty ingenious that way. She also discovered that I was using the wrong size attachments on the pump. As soon as she put the correct size on, I had a significant decrease in the pain. She had me pump while I was there....and as I was pumping she was literally pouring the contents from the storage bottles directly into Hailey's bottle...we did that for about 40min. I was SOOO relieved that I at least had a way to get her the food she needed. I called the doctor later that day and scheduled an appointment to see about correcting the "tongue-tie". While pumping was better now, I felt like I still couldn't keep up with her demand. It also would take 45min to an hour, or more to get the amount of milk she needed. The lactation educator told me to pump every 2-3 hours to get my milk supply back up. The next couple of days I was trapped in the bedroom attached to the machine for hours and hours and hours....finally after day 3 I started to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. I came to the realization that I just need to pump longer, but that I was starting to produce the amount she needed. By Saturday I was actually able to leave the house for a few hours! Not being able to be outside or have visitors was starting to take a toll one me...not to mention I haven't been able to workout! I continued to pump every 2 hours...and actually feel asleep pumping last night. I think my milk supply is starting to catch up, and we go to the doctor tomorrow to hopefully fix her tongue tie, and the other GREAT NEWS... I was able to go for a short 2mile slow jog today and workout in my gym!! I have to say that made me feel like a normal person again!! I am still tired, but I needed to be outside in the nice warm sun, getting my heart rate up, and getting a little sweat on!!
By the way I had gained a total of 23lbs from my 8 week appt to delivery, probably more like 25 or 26lbs from when I found out I was pregnant. 11 days post partum I have lost 14 of those pounds. Its nice to feel smaller, not have the aches and pains of pregnancy, but it is VERY true that your body is not quite the same. There's a lot of squisiness going on in the midsection. I am doing my basic core exercises of just drawing in...trying to get those muscles to remember that they used to be firm and tight! :)
Today was the San Diego Rock N Roll marathon...I ran down to see some of the racers, and was pretty excited I didn't have much discomfort. It actually felt so good! I just kept saying that to myself...that it felt so good to run again. I am going to sign up for the America's Finest City Half marathon in August!! And I am still debating on doing a sprint triathlon the end July. I might give myself a little longer to see how the bike feels before I commit to that race!
Also...my running partner had her twins 3 days after Hailey was born!! :)
Monday, May 9, 2011
Last Race in the books...kind of bitter sweet.
May 9 2011 38 weeks
April 16th was my last race and as of now most likely my last run :(. I was almost 35 weeks at the 5k race and finished in about 31minutes (I also biked 11 miles before the run too). Unfortunately I think earlier that week I had tweaked my hip running with the dogs due to those darn pregnancy hormones trying to loosen up my joints and prepare my body for having this baby! The little annoying ache turned into a sharp pinch every time I walked, so running was completely out of the question. I am going on three weeks now without running and I miss it already. Thankfully I have an amazing chiropractor that has me almost pain free again! While I couldn't walk, run, go up stairs, or stand on one leg to put my pants on...surprisingly I could still very comfortably swim, ride my bike, and lift upper body. I tried to do nothing and rest method...that didn't seem to make the pain any more tolerable.
So I joined the Tri Club of San Diego. I figured if I can't run, maybe this will keep me motivated and have something to look forward when I can start training again. I was able to do a 20mile bike ride with the beginner group April 17th, then did that same ride again the following weekend. I was surprised and happy I could still ride my bike since I couldn't run anymore. I also joined a swim workout with the club in the pool...I do get a few funny looks, but I'm kind of used to that now. :) My doctor has advised against any open water swims as of now...which I am actually ok with and am happy to stay in the warm 80 degree pool water versus the freezing ocean or bay! I also went to a spin workout with a friend I met through the tri club. It was an outdoor class where you bring your bike and ride on a trainer for about an hour and a half! I was slightly nervous because my bike trainer kicks my butt after 30min! And when the instructor came over to help us out he said that this class was a pretty intense, and that beginners sometimes can hardly make it though the warm-up! He told us to do our best, but no slacking! I unzipped my jacket and pointed at my huge belly and asked him if this was an excuse to slack...I was totally joking, but I think I caught him a little off guard...he said he had no idea I was pregnant. When I told him I was over 36 weeks pregnant he just asked me to please not go into labor during class. The class was definitely challenging, but it was good to learn how to properly train on my bike instead of just ride the easy gear while watching something on netflix! The next week I did get in 4 swim workouts, did the elliptical, and 2 weight training workouts. I was pretty proud of myself that I could still do 3 sets of 3-4 pull-ups at the end of my workout with the extra baby weight! My workouts have been a little unstructured, mostly depending on my energy level, my schedule, and my SI joint pain. I just try to get some type of exercise most days, but still listen to my body. If I feel like I need to just rest, I do.
Since I feel like I am FINALLY getting some relief in the pain department, I am hoping to get in some great workouts this week. Most likely the pool, bike trainer, and the gym...oh and the never ending job of cleaning and trying to get ready for this baby!
April 16th was my last race and as of now most likely my last run :(. I was almost 35 weeks at the 5k race and finished in about 31minutes (I also biked 11 miles before the run too). Unfortunately I think earlier that week I had tweaked my hip running with the dogs due to those darn pregnancy hormones trying to loosen up my joints and prepare my body for having this baby! The little annoying ache turned into a sharp pinch every time I walked, so running was completely out of the question. I am going on three weeks now without running and I miss it already. Thankfully I have an amazing chiropractor that has me almost pain free again! While I couldn't walk, run, go up stairs, or stand on one leg to put my pants on...surprisingly I could still very comfortably swim, ride my bike, and lift upper body. I tried to do nothing and rest method...that didn't seem to make the pain any more tolerable.
So I joined the Tri Club of San Diego. I figured if I can't run, maybe this will keep me motivated and have something to look forward when I can start training again. I was able to do a 20mile bike ride with the beginner group April 17th, then did that same ride again the following weekend. I was surprised and happy I could still ride my bike since I couldn't run anymore. I also joined a swim workout with the club in the pool...I do get a few funny looks, but I'm kind of used to that now. :) My doctor has advised against any open water swims as of now...which I am actually ok with and am happy to stay in the warm 80 degree pool water versus the freezing ocean or bay! I also went to a spin workout with a friend I met through the tri club. It was an outdoor class where you bring your bike and ride on a trainer for about an hour and a half! I was slightly nervous because my bike trainer kicks my butt after 30min! And when the instructor came over to help us out he said that this class was a pretty intense, and that beginners sometimes can hardly make it though the warm-up! He told us to do our best, but no slacking! I unzipped my jacket and pointed at my huge belly and asked him if this was an excuse to slack...I was totally joking, but I think I caught him a little off guard...he said he had no idea I was pregnant. When I told him I was over 36 weeks pregnant he just asked me to please not go into labor during class. The class was definitely challenging, but it was good to learn how to properly train on my bike instead of just ride the easy gear while watching something on netflix! The next week I did get in 4 swim workouts, did the elliptical, and 2 weight training workouts. I was pretty proud of myself that I could still do 3 sets of 3-4 pull-ups at the end of my workout with the extra baby weight! My workouts have been a little unstructured, mostly depending on my energy level, my schedule, and my SI joint pain. I just try to get some type of exercise most days, but still listen to my body. If I feel like I need to just rest, I do.
Since I feel like I am FINALLY getting some relief in the pain department, I am hoping to get in some great workouts this week. Most likely the pool, bike trainer, and the gym...oh and the never ending job of cleaning and trying to get ready for this baby!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
I think I have time to fit in one more small race...
April 8, 2011 33 weeks 5 days
The last few weeks have flown in a blur by since my last race...it's been a whirlwind of baby registry, baby shower, birthing class, attempting to create a nursery, and training. I don't think I really did a great job of tackling the baby registry stuff, but thankfully I have amazing friends and family that have guided me along the way and helped to explain what the heck I actually do with some of the things that I received as gifts at the baby shower. The birthing class was eye opening and interesting to say the least. Big take away...Say yes to pain killers..those that can do natural birth are nothing short of AMAZING! OK, I did actually learn some other things and got some clarity on some myths as well. Every woman's body and labor experiences will be different, but the fact is that we were actually designed to perform this crazy physiological act called giving birth and some how go back to normal physically and mentally forget all about the pain and torture because A LOT of people do it more than once! Watching some of the women in the videos go through natural labor instantly made me think of how I should change my workouts to better prepare and how important staying fit is during pregnancy.
Working out and running has been a little more challenging both because I am physically bigger and just more tired in general. Finding good sleeping positions has been very challenging. My running partner and I did one more longer run of about 6 or 7 miles, then she was told by her doctors it was time to keep it 3miles max. Which actually I am totally fine with. Running for over an hour with a 20lb bowling bowl strapped to you is starting to get a little uncomfortable. I run about 3miles 5 days a week, with some walks thrown in there for the dogs, swim and bike about 1 day a week when it's nice and sunny out, and lift weights about 2-3x a week. My last swim I started my warm-up and felt pretty good, so I wanted to see how long I could go without stopping...I did about 1500m in 30minutes without stopping. I was pretty proud of myself...so of course it made it think that maybe I could actually do a triathlon over 8mo pregnant. Then I attempted to ride my bike 20miles...that didn't go as well. I couldn't bend over my handle bars very well and the little one in my belly was kicking her feet right in my ribs the whole time. I only made it about 11 miles that day. Oh well, guess I'll be stuck on the trainer sooner than I hoped. At least I can't get passed by people in flip-flops on their beach cruisers when I am on my trainer in the privacy of my own home. Although I have good days and bad days I am surprised and happy to find that I can still run. Everyone keeps telling me stop or slow down with my workouts...except my Doctor! She loves how much I workout! And I know I NEED it to feel sane and somewhat physically normal as my body continues to do weird things. Things like tieing my shoe laces and shaving my legs has definitely become much more of a chore than before. I found myself slightly depressed after the class when I was hit with the reality the recovery process post baby...I also think it had to do with the fact that I didn't have any other events planned in the near future. I really need that to keep to focused and motivated with my workouts...so I think I have one more race left in me...maybe just a 5k though :)
Update 4/14/2011 34 weeks 4 days
Geez things change EVERYDAY.... one day I feel like I can't do anything...the next I feel like a champ. It might have something to do with the lack of sleep I guess. Up until this week I was able to run almost everyday...but have started to walk more because my body aches a little bit, which I guess is normal since I feel kind of like I am running with a 20lb bowling ball strapped to my chest. I haven't signed up for the 5k yet...that will be a last minute decision, and the bike riding hasn't gotten any better either. On a good note...I was able to do 3 sets of 5 pull-ups still! I better be super strong after all this working out with 20plus extra pounds on my body! And yes complete panic attack have started realizing that I have less than 6 weeks to go! It's a combination of the unknown of labor, recovery, taking care of an infant...and not being able to exercise for awhile! I am hoping that my "PLAN A" of a super EASY labor and having a baby that loves to sleep and hardly cries works out...Oh and winning the lottery would be nice too...haha.
The last few weeks have flown in a blur by since my last race...it's been a whirlwind of baby registry, baby shower, birthing class, attempting to create a nursery, and training. I don't think I really did a great job of tackling the baby registry stuff, but thankfully I have amazing friends and family that have guided me along the way and helped to explain what the heck I actually do with some of the things that I received as gifts at the baby shower. The birthing class was eye opening and interesting to say the least. Big take away...Say yes to pain killers..those that can do natural birth are nothing short of AMAZING! OK, I did actually learn some other things and got some clarity on some myths as well. Every woman's body and labor experiences will be different, but the fact is that we were actually designed to perform this crazy physiological act called giving birth and some how go back to normal physically and mentally forget all about the pain and torture because A LOT of people do it more than once! Watching some of the women in the videos go through natural labor instantly made me think of how I should change my workouts to better prepare and how important staying fit is during pregnancy.
Working out and running has been a little more challenging both because I am physically bigger and just more tired in general. Finding good sleeping positions has been very challenging. My running partner and I did one more longer run of about 6 or 7 miles, then she was told by her doctors it was time to keep it 3miles max. Which actually I am totally fine with. Running for over an hour with a 20lb bowling bowl strapped to you is starting to get a little uncomfortable. I run about 3miles 5 days a week, with some walks thrown in there for the dogs, swim and bike about 1 day a week when it's nice and sunny out, and lift weights about 2-3x a week. My last swim I started my warm-up and felt pretty good, so I wanted to see how long I could go without stopping...I did about 1500m in 30minutes without stopping. I was pretty proud of myself...so of course it made it think that maybe I could actually do a triathlon over 8mo pregnant. Then I attempted to ride my bike 20miles...that didn't go as well. I couldn't bend over my handle bars very well and the little one in my belly was kicking her feet right in my ribs the whole time. I only made it about 11 miles that day. Oh well, guess I'll be stuck on the trainer sooner than I hoped. At least I can't get passed by people in flip-flops on their beach cruisers when I am on my trainer in the privacy of my own home. Although I have good days and bad days I am surprised and happy to find that I can still run. Everyone keeps telling me stop or slow down with my workouts...except my Doctor! She loves how much I workout! And I know I NEED it to feel sane and somewhat physically normal as my body continues to do weird things. Things like tieing my shoe laces and shaving my legs has definitely become much more of a chore than before. I found myself slightly depressed after the class when I was hit with the reality the recovery process post baby...I also think it had to do with the fact that I didn't have any other events planned in the near future. I really need that to keep to focused and motivated with my workouts...so I think I have one more race left in me...maybe just a 5k though :)
Update 4/14/2011 34 weeks 4 days
Geez things change EVERYDAY.... one day I feel like I can't do anything...the next I feel like a champ. It might have something to do with the lack of sleep I guess. Up until this week I was able to run almost everyday...but have started to walk more because my body aches a little bit, which I guess is normal since I feel kind of like I am running with a 20lb bowling ball strapped to my chest. I haven't signed up for the 5k yet...that will be a last minute decision, and the bike riding hasn't gotten any better either. On a good note...I was able to do 3 sets of 5 pull-ups still! I better be super strong after all this working out with 20plus extra pounds on my body! And yes complete panic attack have started realizing that I have less than 6 weeks to go! It's a combination of the unknown of labor, recovery, taking care of an infant...and not being able to exercise for awhile! I am hoping that my "PLAN A" of a super EASY labor and having a baby that loves to sleep and hardly cries works out...Oh and winning the lottery would be nice too...haha.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Thank goodness there are actually 40 weeks of pregnancy! Because I'M NOT READY!
March 23, 2011 About 31 weeks
It's been awhile since my last blog...I'd like to say it was because I've been busy with my "pregnancy bucket list" but mostly it just that I've been just plain busy and a little more tired lately. I am having the worst time sleeping at night. I'm trying not to be a complete wimp about not getting much sleep because I know it's NOTHING compared to what it'll be like when the little one is actually here! At this point I am kind of thankful there are actually 40 weeks of pregnancy, I know I may not be saying that after the next 4 weeks but for now I definitely need a little more time to prepare for this whole baby thing.
Since my last blog I have still been able to workout, although it is MUCH slower and my body seems to require a little more recovery the next day after a big workout. The past two weeks I have tapered my runs from 5 or 6 miles during the week to 3miles most day, and my long run Saturday is usually a 6 or 7 mile run and some walking after instead of 8 to 10miles. I have to say that I am COMPLETELY fine with that too! My awesome running partner and I are starting to get a lot more high fives and positive comments when we're on our runs together...that definitely gives us a little boost. I think I may have completed my last race while pregnant at the St Patty's Day 10k on March 12... I finished with a time of 1:01...not too bad for being about 29 weeks pregnant. And yes I told my Dr I ran a half marathon and did the 10k, she said it is completely fine as long as I feel good and I am not heading to the beer garden after the races :) The St Patty's Day 10k makes 6 races (2 triathlons and 4 running races) while pregnant...and I think I might be done. There was a sprint tri this weekend, but it was sold out so I took that as a sign it might not have been the best idea to do a sprint tri almost 8mo pregnant.
So my current workout plan has changed slightly. I now try to do 3miles 4 to 5 times a week with my dogs and one longer run on Saturdays with my pregnant running partner. I think we'll aim for 7 running and 1 or 2 walking after, but are both ok if we have to do less running and more walking as time goes on. Biking happens only if it's REALLY nice out, because I am a complete wimp with the cold...I have gotten in a couple 30mile outdoor bike rides and can still make it up some of the hills around my house, but I have also been riding my bike trainer inside a little more often instead. It completely kicks my butt! I sure hope it pays off and can actually get faster! I try to swim at least 1 x week still, but hoping to get in the water more as the running tapers off more and the weather gets nicer. I can only seem to fit in two total body weight training workouts in a week, and try to participate in my 30min Ab blast class weekly as well. Overall I still feel pretty good and I definitely think it has been due to working out!
Friday March 18th I went in for a follow-up ultrasound to check the growth of the baby. She is definitely growing, and thank goodness because so am I! I have gained 21 lbs since my 1st appointment at 8 weeks. The little one (still nameless) was measuring nearly 4lbs already, and in the 70th percentile for weight. We got to see little hairs already growing on her head, her open her mouth and stick out her tongue, and I got confirmation that those jabs I've been feeling way up in my ribs and sternum are in fact feet because her head is down already! I wonder if I am the only mom to be to say this...but the print outs of the ultrasound were NOT cute! I am hoping that they were slightly distorted and she's not going to come out looking like this freaky monster...seriously is that horrible to say? As of now I am just thankful she seems healthy, is moving a lot in there, and I still feel pretty good...and I'm not going to worry about her lack of cuteness and not being so photogenic. :)
It's been awhile since my last blog...I'd like to say it was because I've been busy with my "pregnancy bucket list" but mostly it just that I've been just plain busy and a little more tired lately. I am having the worst time sleeping at night. I'm trying not to be a complete wimp about not getting much sleep because I know it's NOTHING compared to what it'll be like when the little one is actually here! At this point I am kind of thankful there are actually 40 weeks of pregnancy, I know I may not be saying that after the next 4 weeks but for now I definitely need a little more time to prepare for this whole baby thing.
Since my last blog I have still been able to workout, although it is MUCH slower and my body seems to require a little more recovery the next day after a big workout. The past two weeks I have tapered my runs from 5 or 6 miles during the week to 3miles most day, and my long run Saturday is usually a 6 or 7 mile run and some walking after instead of 8 to 10miles. I have to say that I am COMPLETELY fine with that too! My awesome running partner and I are starting to get a lot more high fives and positive comments when we're on our runs together...that definitely gives us a little boost. I think I may have completed my last race while pregnant at the St Patty's Day 10k on March 12... I finished with a time of 1:01...not too bad for being about 29 weeks pregnant. And yes I told my Dr I ran a half marathon and did the 10k, she said it is completely fine as long as I feel good and I am not heading to the beer garden after the races :) The St Patty's Day 10k makes 6 races (2 triathlons and 4 running races) while pregnant...and I think I might be done. There was a sprint tri this weekend, but it was sold out so I took that as a sign it might not have been the best idea to do a sprint tri almost 8mo pregnant.
So my current workout plan has changed slightly. I now try to do 3miles 4 to 5 times a week with my dogs and one longer run on Saturdays with my pregnant running partner. I think we'll aim for 7 running and 1 or 2 walking after, but are both ok if we have to do less running and more walking as time goes on. Biking happens only if it's REALLY nice out, because I am a complete wimp with the cold...I have gotten in a couple 30mile outdoor bike rides and can still make it up some of the hills around my house, but I have also been riding my bike trainer inside a little more often instead. It completely kicks my butt! I sure hope it pays off and can actually get faster! I try to swim at least 1 x week still, but hoping to get in the water more as the running tapers off more and the weather gets nicer. I can only seem to fit in two total body weight training workouts in a week, and try to participate in my 30min Ab blast class weekly as well. Overall I still feel pretty good and I definitely think it has been due to working out!
Friday March 18th I went in for a follow-up ultrasound to check the growth of the baby. She is definitely growing, and thank goodness because so am I! I have gained 21 lbs since my 1st appointment at 8 weeks. The little one (still nameless) was measuring nearly 4lbs already, and in the 70th percentile for weight. We got to see little hairs already growing on her head, her open her mouth and stick out her tongue, and I got confirmation that those jabs I've been feeling way up in my ribs and sternum are in fact feet because her head is down already! I wonder if I am the only mom to be to say this...but the print outs of the ultrasound were NOT cute! I am hoping that they were slightly distorted and she's not going to come out looking like this freaky monster...seriously is that horrible to say? As of now I am just thankful she seems healthy, is moving a lot in there, and I still feel pretty good...and I'm not going to worry about her lack of cuteness and not being so photogenic. :)
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Is there such thing as a pre-baby "bucket list"?
Sunday 2/27/11
Is there such thing as a pre-baby "bucket list"? Well if there's not I think there should be! Not that I think having a baby is the END of your life, but it's hard to deny that life changes...for the better I'm told. :) So I have unintentionally put both my husband on two different "bucket-list" plans. Mine consists of lots of training, participating in races, taking the time to read books and magazines just for fun, and taking naps WHENEVER I want. The path I have decided my husband needs consists of going to concerts, having more nights out with the guys than usual, and basically not letting him say "no" to any of his friends invites for any reason other than he really doesn't want to go. I didn't realize I was actually doing this until recently, but I think it makes sense because in a short 12 weeks or less life as we know it will change drastically...at least while we try to figure out this baby thing. Maybe there should be an event like a bachelor/bachelorette party before a wedding when you are about to have a baby (besides a baby shower...that's like a bridal shower...I'm talking one more last hooray for the dad and mom to be). Something to think about all you party planners out there...this could be the next new thing!
Any way...So you may have noticed my blogs have started to have more and more time pass between entries. Time just seems to go by faster and faster these days. Since the half marathon I have tried to keep up with my training (running, biking, swimming, lifting) but have definitely noticed some changes in the past couple of weeks and had a few instances that I wondered if I was nearing the end of my running while pregnant days. My legs felt heavy, my muscles burned even on easy runs, and I think I had my first experience of Braxton-Hicks contractions. I skipped my long run this week and only did 6miles instead of 8-9. I kind of felt like a wimp for missing my run with my running partner (who let's not forget is 5.5mo pregnant with TWINS!) because it was raining and cold out. Of course she, being the stud that she is, powered through the weather to complete her 8mile run! It was the first time EVER I wimped out and did a treadmill run inside instead, but in the end I think it was the right thing for my body, which was just feeling a little beat up physically this week. This past week it it has become a little more uncomfortable to bend down and tie my shoes and anything around 10min/mile while running feels like I am SPRINTING...not necessarily that I am out of breath, but that my legs feel so heavy and I just can't seem to get my feet to move any faster! It's also taking my body a little longer to recover between workouts and I hit a major sleepiness wall at 8pm sharp. By the way my just to give you an update, my Doctor has given me the green light to continue with all my exercise as long as I don't have any intense cramping or bleeding, and I stay hydrated. I told her I almost feel guilty with how easy the pregnancy has been so far...she said don't feel guilty and that the more "boring" my pregnancy was the more she like me as a patient.
I still have had some good workouts the past couple weeks. I met my friend to swim and did a 3000m swim in a little over an hour, I've had a couple of brutally hard workouts on my new bike trainer (which luckily I found out that the trainer IS actually harder than biking outside because at first it was a little demotivating for it to feel so hard on my legs), and I had a great long outdoor bike ride today totalling 2hrs and made it up the big hills home by my house...guess the bike trainer does actually help! The other cool thing that has been happening the past couple of weeks is feeling her move and kick, and they are getting stronger by the day! I think feeling the movement has been both the weirdest and best feeling so far during the pregnancy.
....Well off to go check some more stuff off my pre-baby bucket list :)
Is there such thing as a pre-baby "bucket list"? Well if there's not I think there should be! Not that I think having a baby is the END of your life, but it's hard to deny that life changes...for the better I'm told. :) So I have unintentionally put both my husband on two different "bucket-list" plans. Mine consists of lots of training, participating in races, taking the time to read books and magazines just for fun, and taking naps WHENEVER I want. The path I have decided my husband needs consists of going to concerts, having more nights out with the guys than usual, and basically not letting him say "no" to any of his friends invites for any reason other than he really doesn't want to go. I didn't realize I was actually doing this until recently, but I think it makes sense because in a short 12 weeks or less life as we know it will change drastically...at least while we try to figure out this baby thing. Maybe there should be an event like a bachelor/bachelorette party before a wedding when you are about to have a baby (besides a baby shower...that's like a bridal shower...I'm talking one more last hooray for the dad and mom to be). Something to think about all you party planners out there...this could be the next new thing!
Any way...So you may have noticed my blogs have started to have more and more time pass between entries. Time just seems to go by faster and faster these days. Since the half marathon I have tried to keep up with my training (running, biking, swimming, lifting) but have definitely noticed some changes in the past couple of weeks and had a few instances that I wondered if I was nearing the end of my running while pregnant days. My legs felt heavy, my muscles burned even on easy runs, and I think I had my first experience of Braxton-Hicks contractions. I skipped my long run this week and only did 6miles instead of 8-9. I kind of felt like a wimp for missing my run with my running partner (who let's not forget is 5.5mo pregnant with TWINS!) because it was raining and cold out. Of course she, being the stud that she is, powered through the weather to complete her 8mile run! It was the first time EVER I wimped out and did a treadmill run inside instead, but in the end I think it was the right thing for my body, which was just feeling a little beat up physically this week. This past week it it has become a little more uncomfortable to bend down and tie my shoes and anything around 10min/mile while running feels like I am SPRINTING...not necessarily that I am out of breath, but that my legs feel so heavy and I just can't seem to get my feet to move any faster! It's also taking my body a little longer to recover between workouts and I hit a major sleepiness wall at 8pm sharp. By the way my just to give you an update, my Doctor has given me the green light to continue with all my exercise as long as I don't have any intense cramping or bleeding, and I stay hydrated. I told her I almost feel guilty with how easy the pregnancy has been so far...she said don't feel guilty and that the more "boring" my pregnancy was the more she like me as a patient.
I still have had some good workouts the past couple weeks. I met my friend to swim and did a 3000m swim in a little over an hour, I've had a couple of brutally hard workouts on my new bike trainer (which luckily I found out that the trainer IS actually harder than biking outside because at first it was a little demotivating for it to feel so hard on my legs), and I had a great long outdoor bike ride today totalling 2hrs and made it up the big hills home by my house...guess the bike trainer does actually help! The other cool thing that has been happening the past couple of weeks is feeling her move and kick, and they are getting stronger by the day! I think feeling the movement has been both the weirdest and best feeling so far during the pregnancy.
....Well off to go check some more stuff off my pre-baby bucket list :)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Half Marathon 26 weeks pregnant!
2/15/2011 26 weeks pregnant
Sunday 2/13 I ran the San Dieguito Half Marathon (13.1 miles). For those who know the course it is pretty hilly, but a beautiful run. I debated back and forth until the very last second if I should do it or not, and it always comes down to asking myself the same question...would I have regretted it if I DIDN'T do it? The answer is always YES, so I sent in my registration on the last day and hoped for the best both with the weather and for me physically. I figured as a last resort I could walk it and still be happy I finished. The morning of the race the weather was pretty darn perfect. Cold, but not bitterly cold, and it warmed up without a cloud in the sky and luckily there was lots of shade on the roads too. I think this was my first half marathon since last February when I did this race. Going into it I knew it was hilly, but as I approached the first major hill I was reminded just HOW hilly it was...I am pretty sure we ran up hill for at least a mile. I instantly felt pretty horrible for having one of my clients run this race as her first half marathon...that was just cruel. Well, at least she has bragging rights for finishing one of the most challenging half marathons around. ;)
As I was warming up and stretching I did get a few people asking me if I was doing the half....pregnant (it is fairly obvious now that I am prego and not just a heavy beer drinker with a gut). Most were supportive and impressed and one or two were concerned and let me know it! I have to admit that I was a little nervous myself, but not because I was worried if I could do it fitness wise, but with the pregnancy thing you just never know what the day will bring you physically....will I get dehydrated? overheated? will she be sitting in an awkward spot making the run too uncomfortable? will I have an EMERGENCY bathroom break?! I just told myself I would start slow and walk whenever I felt that I needed to and fight the urge to push through the discomforts.
I started near the back of the pack, which is fairly usual for me. But I did notice something different about this race...either I was in the exact right section for my pace or EVERYONE was starting off slower because they knew that had some big hills to conquer and 13.1 miles to complete. In the past few races I have done both the triathlons and the 15ks it seemed like everyone started out SO fast! I was instantly reminded of how much I like the longer endurance events for this reason...slow and steady is the way to go! I did have to go the the bathroom about mile 6, but there were only porta-pottys, which is not horrible...but there were always at least 3 or more people waiting. I didn't want to have to stop and wait so I kept going hoping I didn't have any issues along the way. When I made it to mile 8 and 9 I started to really hit a good stride...I felt pretty great. I had actually kept a fairly steady pace of about 11min/miles or less even with some walking up the steepest parts of the runs. I finally saw a bathroom opportunity with NO LINE and jumped at the chance to go quickly. After that it was all down hill...literally...the GIANT hill we went up for over a mile was a nice steady decline near the end of the race. Although, the last 1/2 mile or so was a cruel joke of an uphill climb to the finish, but with all the energy conserving I did throughout the race I actually felt pretty good and was able to keep a good pace through the finish! I looked up my time last year (2:07:45)...this year I think I did about 2:15 or so...I should get my official chip time soon. My goal was just to make it under 3 hours and hopefully more like 2:30 to 2:45, so I was pretty stoked and surprised to get fairly close to my time last year!
Yesterday I was a little sore and walked the dogs (no running), did a little circuit training workout, and went to bed at 8pm! Today I am realizing how important it is to me to have another event on the horizon...because I NEED that to keep me motivated and on track with my workouts. Someone told me that I wouldn't know what do to with myself if I was told to just sit still and do NOTHING....that's not entirely true. I actually ENJOY doing nothing, but I think I am more intrigued to see what ELSE I can actually do. I think too many women look at pregnancy as a pass to DO NOTHING, when it is probably one of the most important times in your life to focus on being fit and healthy. I'm pretty sure labor is NO JOKE and if you're more fit you can at least give yourself a fighting chance at making it slightly easier, and I am ALL about that!
On a side note...yesterday I attempted to start registering for baby stuff thinking that with all the great tips and advice I have been getting from Moms that would have a little less anxiety about actually going down the baby section at Target. I think I still broke out into a sweat and got completely overwhelmed....I gave up after about 30min and decided I needed to come back with a better plan of attack, and one of these days get the courage to actually go into a BABYSRUS...but that's a whole other ball game that I need to work up to.
Besides my semi-panic attack in the baby section of Target...here's what else I learned this weekend:
Two things that are AWESOME and make you feel SOOOO good, but you really don't want anyone to catch you doing are:
1) Using a NediPot to clear your sinuses and 2) Taking off your prego pants with the big stretchy band that pulls up way over your belly! Both are not what you might consider very attractive...oh well.
Sunday 2/13 I ran the San Dieguito Half Marathon (13.1 miles). For those who know the course it is pretty hilly, but a beautiful run. I debated back and forth until the very last second if I should do it or not, and it always comes down to asking myself the same question...would I have regretted it if I DIDN'T do it? The answer is always YES, so I sent in my registration on the last day and hoped for the best both with the weather and for me physically. I figured as a last resort I could walk it and still be happy I finished. The morning of the race the weather was pretty darn perfect. Cold, but not bitterly cold, and it warmed up without a cloud in the sky and luckily there was lots of shade on the roads too. I think this was my first half marathon since last February when I did this race. Going into it I knew it was hilly, but as I approached the first major hill I was reminded just HOW hilly it was...I am pretty sure we ran up hill for at least a mile. I instantly felt pretty horrible for having one of my clients run this race as her first half marathon...that was just cruel. Well, at least she has bragging rights for finishing one of the most challenging half marathons around. ;)
As I was warming up and stretching I did get a few people asking me if I was doing the half....pregnant (it is fairly obvious now that I am prego and not just a heavy beer drinker with a gut). Most were supportive and impressed and one or two were concerned and let me know it! I have to admit that I was a little nervous myself, but not because I was worried if I could do it fitness wise, but with the pregnancy thing you just never know what the day will bring you physically....will I get dehydrated? overheated? will she be sitting in an awkward spot making the run too uncomfortable? will I have an EMERGENCY bathroom break?! I just told myself I would start slow and walk whenever I felt that I needed to and fight the urge to push through the discomforts.
I started near the back of the pack, which is fairly usual for me. But I did notice something different about this race...either I was in the exact right section for my pace or EVERYONE was starting off slower because they knew that had some big hills to conquer and 13.1 miles to complete. In the past few races I have done both the triathlons and the 15ks it seemed like everyone started out SO fast! I was instantly reminded of how much I like the longer endurance events for this reason...slow and steady is the way to go! I did have to go the the bathroom about mile 6, but there were only porta-pottys, which is not horrible...but there were always at least 3 or more people waiting. I didn't want to have to stop and wait so I kept going hoping I didn't have any issues along the way. When I made it to mile 8 and 9 I started to really hit a good stride...I felt pretty great. I had actually kept a fairly steady pace of about 11min/miles or less even with some walking up the steepest parts of the runs. I finally saw a bathroom opportunity with NO LINE and jumped at the chance to go quickly. After that it was all down hill...literally...the GIANT hill we went up for over a mile was a nice steady decline near the end of the race. Although, the last 1/2 mile or so was a cruel joke of an uphill climb to the finish, but with all the energy conserving I did throughout the race I actually felt pretty good and was able to keep a good pace through the finish! I looked up my time last year (2:07:45)...this year I think I did about 2:15 or so...I should get my official chip time soon. My goal was just to make it under 3 hours and hopefully more like 2:30 to 2:45, so I was pretty stoked and surprised to get fairly close to my time last year!
Yesterday I was a little sore and walked the dogs (no running), did a little circuit training workout, and went to bed at 8pm! Today I am realizing how important it is to me to have another event on the horizon...because I NEED that to keep me motivated and on track with my workouts. Someone told me that I wouldn't know what do to with myself if I was told to just sit still and do NOTHING....that's not entirely true. I actually ENJOY doing nothing, but I think I am more intrigued to see what ELSE I can actually do. I think too many women look at pregnancy as a pass to DO NOTHING, when it is probably one of the most important times in your life to focus on being fit and healthy. I'm pretty sure labor is NO JOKE and if you're more fit you can at least give yourself a fighting chance at making it slightly easier, and I am ALL about that!
On a side note...yesterday I attempted to start registering for baby stuff thinking that with all the great tips and advice I have been getting from Moms that would have a little less anxiety about actually going down the baby section at Target. I think I still broke out into a sweat and got completely overwhelmed....I gave up after about 30min and decided I needed to come back with a better plan of attack, and one of these days get the courage to actually go into a BABYSRUS...but that's a whole other ball game that I need to work up to.
Besides my semi-panic attack in the baby section of Target...here's what else I learned this weekend:
Two things that are AWESOME and make you feel SOOOO good, but you really don't want anyone to catch you doing are:
1) Using a NediPot to clear your sinuses and 2) Taking off your prego pants with the big stretchy band that pulls up way over your belly! Both are not what you might consider very attractive...oh well.
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