I'm three-fourths of the way through my first month back to athlete status and (as of tomorrow) eight weeks post-partum. I think I'm doing remarkably well getting out for my runs. I've run three times a week for three weeks, not missing a single run. As my former triathlon coach or my husband would tell you, that is pretty great for me. I'm usually really quick to find an excuse (see sidebar for starters) and skip a run for later or next time. With all my imagined "coaches" out there cheering me on, it feels much less attractive to skip. It is also much easier to get out the door when I'm "only" running a mile or two. What is ten or twenty minutes?
Another major incentive is just getting a shower! If my husband is home, I get his blessing for running and a shower afterwards while he entertains & juggles the two kids. If he isn't home, I take Mara to the YMCA and get a run and a shower while the very capable Y child care staff watch my daughter. She's at a really great age for this. She still doesn't have an established schedule to mess up, she has basically no opinion on where she spends her time or (for the most part) who she spends it with (especially if whoever that is doesn't put her down), and she's still little enough that the ladies at the Y basically fight over her, making my departure to run almost entirely guilt free! Because I use so little of my alloted two hours of child care, I can then take as long as I'd like in the shower!
So, reviewing the goals, I have been running three times a week (check), am well on my way to 5k distance by the end of the month (check), and am so far enjoying it (check) am injury free (check), and have been going to the Y with Mara regularly (check). I still have only attempted Yoga with Mara once (boo) and I tried doing my stretch/strengthening workout with Oren for the first time on Saturday (more!). These are very, very tricky as they depend on me coordinating with the totally unpredictable moods of my kiddos. I'll work more on it though! Oren trying to do leg lifts and balance exercises was hilarious! Photos next time, I promise.
And the big news... I've registered for a 5k road race! The Run Wild for the Zoo race that starts and ends outside the Detroit Zoo, one of our favorite places to go with the family. I like the thought of supporting such a great organization and love the thought of hanging out with my cheerleaders afterwards. Logistically, it was a good pick in that I already know how to get there so there will be no race morning stress with directions or parking. As I've mentioned, it will also be easy to incorporate my family into the race morning if they choose to do so. As the time gets nearer, I will just have to coordinate with Mara on whether she'll be eating before/after at the zoo or be having a bottle and I'll have to pump somewhere. Training and racing is a bit more tricky when nursing.
Next up? As I finish the next week of my first month back and the following couple of runs up to my race, I will be considering other races. We've gotten leaflets for two different Halloween runs on different weekends. We also want to do the downtown Detroit Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. The big question in my mind is my future marathon. Which race? I look forward to presenting my thoughts on that one soon.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Why I Run
My husband is in the UK and I'm on my own* with two little kids. (*with a LOT of help from family & my moms club friends). He left Saturday so Friday morning was rough. I have discovered that usually the last day before he hits the road is the worst for me with Oren (and now Mara). I think emotionally I want to prove that I "can't" do it in a last ditch effort to get my husband not to leave. It is irrational, but my guess as to why this pattern seems to hold for us. That and Friday was the last day in a long, rough week. Oren has been acting out and my husband has been working a lot, leaving me very little time to recharge. For some reason I was also trying to get away without taking naps... bad move. Friday morning I lost it.
Thankfully, I was assertive enough to ask for an afternoon off. After all three of us napped and hubby finished up a bunch of work, I handed over the baby and a bottle, suited up and headed out for a run on a real trail. It was a long, rush hour traffic filled drive there but I was so happy to be out of the house. For a moment I felt guilty for leaving my husband with both kids during their toughest part of the day but then... I snapped out of it. I was so ecstatic to be out and headed for a run that it didn't even phase me when there was a huge car accident snarling traffic between my car and the trail... I just channeled Marge (our Garmin navigator) and recalculated myself there.
Ahh..... and within seconds I was in the shade of green leaves, crunching along on the trail with no one in sight and no sounds other than the ones I was making as I ran. It was PERFECT. I was so thrilled to be out in the woods that I relaxed instantly. I wasn't watching myself, but if I'd been able to I imagine I would've seen my posture straighten and my shoulders relax. I probably would have also seen myself start to smile.
I didn't recall where the mile markers were, but ran to where I thought might be a mile before turning around to run back. Towards the end I started to wonder whether I would need to start walking a bit. I was starting to tire and also getting warm. Still trying to be careful with myself I thought maybe I'd pushed too far. And then... I saw her. A graceful doe nibbling on the greens just off the side of the trail. She lifted her head and stared at me. I stopped to walk and watched her. I walked to within ten feet of her and was able to offer a "Hi there, beautiful!" before she launched back off into the cover of the foliage.
Can I just point out that I was less than a half mile from a four lane, major thoroughfare? This folks, is not only why I run but also one of the ways I experience Grace. And oh, did I need the Grace. It was the end of a unremarkable (otherwise) two mile jog but there it was... God looked me in the face and told me "Jaclyn, I love you and you are going to be ok".
At least, that was my translation, and I'm sticking with it.
I followed this wonderful run (and I did run it back in) with a stop at Starbucks (the other diety in my life) for some iced chai and a treat and connected with a dear friend on the drive back home.
Really... just perfect.
Thankfully, I was assertive enough to ask for an afternoon off. After all three of us napped and hubby finished up a bunch of work, I handed over the baby and a bottle, suited up and headed out for a run on a real trail. It was a long, rush hour traffic filled drive there but I was so happy to be out of the house. For a moment I felt guilty for leaving my husband with both kids during their toughest part of the day but then... I snapped out of it. I was so ecstatic to be out and headed for a run that it didn't even phase me when there was a huge car accident snarling traffic between my car and the trail... I just channeled Marge (our Garmin navigator) and recalculated myself there.
Ahh..... and within seconds I was in the shade of green leaves, crunching along on the trail with no one in sight and no sounds other than the ones I was making as I ran. It was PERFECT. I was so thrilled to be out in the woods that I relaxed instantly. I wasn't watching myself, but if I'd been able to I imagine I would've seen my posture straighten and my shoulders relax. I probably would have also seen myself start to smile.
I didn't recall where the mile markers were, but ran to where I thought might be a mile before turning around to run back. Towards the end I started to wonder whether I would need to start walking a bit. I was starting to tire and also getting warm. Still trying to be careful with myself I thought maybe I'd pushed too far. And then... I saw her. A graceful doe nibbling on the greens just off the side of the trail. She lifted her head and stared at me. I stopped to walk and watched her. I walked to within ten feet of her and was able to offer a "Hi there, beautiful!" before she launched back off into the cover of the foliage.
Can I just point out that I was less than a half mile from a four lane, major thoroughfare? This folks, is not only why I run but also one of the ways I experience Grace. And oh, did I need the Grace. It was the end of a unremarkable (otherwise) two mile jog but there it was... God looked me in the face and told me "Jaclyn, I love you and you are going to be ok".
At least, that was my translation, and I'm sticking with it.
I followed this wonderful run (and I did run it back in) with a stop at Starbucks (the other diety in my life) for some iced chai and a treat and connected with a dear friend on the drive back home.
Really... just perfect.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Working Out With Kids - The Dream
To keep you all updated, I have run four times and each time my body has felt incrementally more comfortable back on the road. This morning I ran a mile and a quarter and hope to find time to do a mile and a half on Friday. I am still working towards a 5k in the next couple of weeks. And living vicariously through my friends and former teammates as they finish up their summer race seasons. Last year at this time... (no, we don't need to go there today).
So far the biggest challenge with running is just getting dressed and out the door. Mara is very fussy in the evenings so for my last two runs my husband helped me get the run done in the mid-morning between his conference calls and his departure for work downtown. This helped enormously since I wasn't nearly as beat down before starting the run. By evenings I'm ready to call it a night but still have hours of rocking and bouncing ahead of me so running wasn't nearly as attractive. Getting a shower earlier in the day has been a nice side bonus to running early. I've only attempted this on days when Oren is away at school, my so called "easy" days. I'm not sure I'll be so lucky this weekend.
Even more challenging, my husband will be out of the country for work next week. Everything will feel a lot more difficult but getting out for a run will be nearly impossible... if not for the fabulous Farmington Hills YMCA. I love our YMCA and one of the bonuses we discovered post-Oren is that they have free child care for up to two hours (FREE! Who does child care for FREE?!). Children have to be over six weeks old. I haven't taken Oren much because he doesn't really like to be left there. I'm going to start taking him anyway though and hopefully he'll warm up to it. Before attempting to re-introduce Oren though, I will take Mara for the first time next week. I can do my run and (bonus!) get a shower! Looking forward to those short little "survival" breaks. I hope Mara treats the Y staff well.
I attempted Baby Om yoga this week but we only got through the first one and a half poses before Mara was wailing. She is just NOT a fan of being put down- any time, any where. I'm working with her on this. Hopefully we can get further the next time we try. I think I need to run through the sequence of poses a few times on my own though. When we tried it the first time I had to spend a lot of time going back and forth between her position, my position and the book's guidelines. It was tricky and not very practical, much less relaxing. Still, a worthwhile goal for quality time with her awake.
I still need to work my strength & stretching exercises in to rebuild my hips and knees. This morning I decided I should find time to do them with Oren. I'm sure he'd have a very fun reaction and take on working out with me. I might try to see what kind of fun strengthening activities I can find on the dusty Wii Fit too. He loves that balance board and we have barely used it. I will have to find a time when Mara is either sleeping soundly or hanging out calmly but Oren is still awake and happy. This will be a challenge!
Finally, in my grand scheme of athlete mommy ideas- I would really like to run the Detroit Turkey Trot this year with all four of us. My husband and I ran it and had a blast but have never run it with the kiddos. We have a single BOB jogging stroller and Tom would go and run with Oren this year if he can. I think it would be a lot more fun to borrow a double or another single jogging stroller and run with all four of us. We'll see if we can make it work. We're not currently planning to buy a double as it is enough work just running with Oren. But for races, it would be great to have the option for both of us to get to run together as it is really something we both enjoy (and hope our kids will in the future)!
All these plans, now it is a matter of finding the determination and creativity to fit them in!
So far the biggest challenge with running is just getting dressed and out the door. Mara is very fussy in the evenings so for my last two runs my husband helped me get the run done in the mid-morning between his conference calls and his departure for work downtown. This helped enormously since I wasn't nearly as beat down before starting the run. By evenings I'm ready to call it a night but still have hours of rocking and bouncing ahead of me so running wasn't nearly as attractive. Getting a shower earlier in the day has been a nice side bonus to running early. I've only attempted this on days when Oren is away at school, my so called "easy" days. I'm not sure I'll be so lucky this weekend.
Even more challenging, my husband will be out of the country for work next week. Everything will feel a lot more difficult but getting out for a run will be nearly impossible... if not for the fabulous Farmington Hills YMCA. I love our YMCA and one of the bonuses we discovered post-Oren is that they have free child care for up to two hours (FREE! Who does child care for FREE?!). Children have to be over six weeks old. I haven't taken Oren much because he doesn't really like to be left there. I'm going to start taking him anyway though and hopefully he'll warm up to it. Before attempting to re-introduce Oren though, I will take Mara for the first time next week. I can do my run and (bonus!) get a shower! Looking forward to those short little "survival" breaks. I hope Mara treats the Y staff well.
I attempted Baby Om yoga this week but we only got through the first one and a half poses before Mara was wailing. She is just NOT a fan of being put down- any time, any where. I'm working with her on this. Hopefully we can get further the next time we try. I think I need to run through the sequence of poses a few times on my own though. When we tried it the first time I had to spend a lot of time going back and forth between her position, my position and the book's guidelines. It was tricky and not very practical, much less relaxing. Still, a worthwhile goal for quality time with her awake.
I still need to work my strength & stretching exercises in to rebuild my hips and knees. This morning I decided I should find time to do them with Oren. I'm sure he'd have a very fun reaction and take on working out with me. I might try to see what kind of fun strengthening activities I can find on the dusty Wii Fit too. He loves that balance board and we have barely used it. I will have to find a time when Mara is either sleeping soundly or hanging out calmly but Oren is still awake and happy. This will be a challenge!
Finally, in my grand scheme of athlete mommy ideas- I would really like to run the Detroit Turkey Trot this year with all four of us. My husband and I ran it and had a blast but have never run it with the kiddos. We have a single BOB jogging stroller and Tom would go and run with Oren this year if he can. I think it would be a lot more fun to borrow a double or another single jogging stroller and run with all four of us. We'll see if we can make it work. We're not currently planning to buy a double as it is enough work just running with Oren. But for races, it would be great to have the option for both of us to get to run together as it is really something we both enjoy (and hope our kids will in the future)!
All these plans, now it is a matter of finding the determination and creativity to fit them in!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Keeping it Up
So far, I've run two MILES folks. That's a whole lot more than I ran last month, or the month before (when I was still PREGNANT), or in any of the previous eight months. In fact, I haven't run a mile (or even a block) since last Halloween, which happens to also be the day we officially found out I was pregnant. We were already signed up to race the Run Thru Hell on Halloween race and it just happened to also be the day I decided to wake up, take a pregnancy test, and announce the results to Tom. I like to mess with him a little every once in awhile... I'm not sure he was awake for more than five minutes before he was trying to decide if it was Halloween or April Fool's Day.
Anyway, we ran the race dressed up with Oren in the BOB jogging stroller thinking about how in a year we might need a double BOB. And then I didn't run again until this week. It wasn't that I didn't believe I could run while pregnant (I ran until I was over five months pregnant with Oren). Nope, it was just that finding out for real that I was pregnant shredded the last ounce of my motivation after my September half ironman triathlon. I mean really, I was about to get gigantic again... what's the point?
Truthfully, the point is that I should have kept moving to keep myself and babe #2 healthier, less stressed out, and on the way to a quicker, more smooth labor and recovery. That's what I did the first time (back when I tried to follow all the pregnancy advice I could find). I had devoured internet research and the book Exercising Through Your Pregnancy to learn all the benefits of maintaining a high level of fitness during a normal, healthy pregnancy. This time around though, I was a) burnt out from my race and b) DEAD TIRED. I mean, Mara just killed me. I could. not. move. This was the first time I suspected I might be having a girl instead of a boy, by the way... but then chalked it up to the differences in each pregnancy. Anyway, I could barely keep up with Oren and Mika (our hyper active dog) so exercise did not happen. Once I got some energy back I was totally uninterested, so I just stopped thinking about it.
The result? I was definitely more uncomfortable in the third trimester but have no idea if that was because I didn't work out or because it was my second pregnancy or because I was two years older or because I was having a girl (in retrospect... we didn't actually find out the baby's gender) or... or... or... I also failed both the one hour and three hour glucose tolerance tests and was asked to maintain a low carb/low sugar diet and check my blood sugar four times a day. I worked through a lot of guilt over that one... thinking I'd brought in on myself by slacking. Honestly though, I have a family tree full of diabetics and it is likely that between my predisposition and the normal wacky pregnancy hormones, working out might not have changed the results. Thankfully I still had a small baby (Mara was seven pounds ten ounces, Oren was seven pounds thirteen- everyone in my family was over eight pounds), an early delivery (Mara was ten days early, Oren was seven), and had an easier delivery than with Oren (labored for over twenty hours with two hours of pushing for Oren and only seven hours with 30 minutes of pushing for Mara... we barely made it to the birth center on time!)... I've also already shed most of my pregnancy weight- only five pounds to go (which was quicker than the first time around, thanks to running around after a 32 pound toddler and nursing a growing infant). All of these were benefits of working out while pregnant that are promised by the above research. So I don't feel like I've shot myself in the foot too painfully. It does mean that I do need to get back to my normal healthy lifestyle now.
And I'm plugging away. The second run was pretty much like the first. My favorite sports bra, made by Moving Comfort, is keeping the goods very secure which was a relief. The brand new shoes are like running on pillows after a summer in flip flops (and I love the new color scheme!). I did wear my watch again last night but haven't yet charged the Garmin. Mostly, I'm glad to leave the kids behind for a few minutes and stretch out my knotted up muscles. That part of training I have missed a lot and my legs were so happy when I finally fell asleep last night.
For those of you who have kids- did you train through pregnancy? How long into your pregnancy did you train? What did you do? How do you feel it effected you, your baby, and the delivery? Guys- did you manage to keep up your training before and after your babies were born? (Tom didn't do quite as well this time around but that has a lot to do with his job). Please share!
Anyway, we ran the race dressed up with Oren in the BOB jogging stroller thinking about how in a year we might need a double BOB. And then I didn't run again until this week. It wasn't that I didn't believe I could run while pregnant (I ran until I was over five months pregnant with Oren). Nope, it was just that finding out for real that I was pregnant shredded the last ounce of my motivation after my September half ironman triathlon. I mean really, I was about to get gigantic again... what's the point?
Truthfully, the point is that I should have kept moving to keep myself and babe #2 healthier, less stressed out, and on the way to a quicker, more smooth labor and recovery. That's what I did the first time (back when I tried to follow all the pregnancy advice I could find). I had devoured internet research and the book Exercising Through Your Pregnancy to learn all the benefits of maintaining a high level of fitness during a normal, healthy pregnancy. This time around though, I was a) burnt out from my race and b) DEAD TIRED. I mean, Mara just killed me. I could. not. move. This was the first time I suspected I might be having a girl instead of a boy, by the way... but then chalked it up to the differences in each pregnancy. Anyway, I could barely keep up with Oren and Mika (our hyper active dog) so exercise did not happen. Once I got some energy back I was totally uninterested, so I just stopped thinking about it.
The result? I was definitely more uncomfortable in the third trimester but have no idea if that was because I didn't work out or because it was my second pregnancy or because I was two years older or because I was having a girl (in retrospect... we didn't actually find out the baby's gender) or... or... or... I also failed both the one hour and three hour glucose tolerance tests and was asked to maintain a low carb/low sugar diet and check my blood sugar four times a day. I worked through a lot of guilt over that one... thinking I'd brought in on myself by slacking. Honestly though, I have a family tree full of diabetics and it is likely that between my predisposition and the normal wacky pregnancy hormones, working out might not have changed the results. Thankfully I still had a small baby (Mara was seven pounds ten ounces, Oren was seven pounds thirteen- everyone in my family was over eight pounds), an early delivery (Mara was ten days early, Oren was seven), and had an easier delivery than with Oren (labored for over twenty hours with two hours of pushing for Oren and only seven hours with 30 minutes of pushing for Mara... we barely made it to the birth center on time!)... I've also already shed most of my pregnancy weight- only five pounds to go (which was quicker than the first time around, thanks to running around after a 32 pound toddler and nursing a growing infant). All of these were benefits of working out while pregnant that are promised by the above research. So I don't feel like I've shot myself in the foot too painfully. It does mean that I do need to get back to my normal healthy lifestyle now.
And I'm plugging away. The second run was pretty much like the first. My favorite sports bra, made by Moving Comfort, is keeping the goods very secure which was a relief. The brand new shoes are like running on pillows after a summer in flip flops (and I love the new color scheme!). I did wear my watch again last night but haven't yet charged the Garmin. Mostly, I'm glad to leave the kids behind for a few minutes and stretch out my knotted up muscles. That part of training I have missed a lot and my legs were so happy when I finally fell asleep last night.
For those of you who have kids- did you train through pregnancy? How long into your pregnancy did you train? What did you do? How do you feel it effected you, your baby, and the delivery? Guys- did you manage to keep up your training before and after your babies were born? (Tom didn't do quite as well this time around but that has a lot to do with his job). Please share!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Go!
 |
| "Before" Project Iron Mommy 8/10/11 |
And a little hard. Well, maybe not "hard" as much as really stiff. I left my watch and GPS at home and did not worry about pace or distance but I was ok with just sticking to the neighborhood. It felt good to be moving but it also felt good to be done. I hate to admit how sore my quads are today- they are so out of shape if one mile has left such an imprint a day later!
Mara is just six weeks old today and I ran a mile yesterday. For that, I'm quite proud. As I keep telling myself when I'm up to my ears in two screaming little people, "It will only get easier". That applies here, too. I fit the run in and kept my legs moving. I returned to the chaotic evening and screaming baby, wolfed down my dinner and didn't get a shower. But, I ran. Every project needs a solid start and I've officially taken those first steps. Cheers!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Get Set...!
This is the week I start working out again. I haven't addressed how specifically that is going to happen (what with the nursing every two hours and the two kids and the traveling hubby...) but I am starting to get my tool kit ready.
Running Shoes - Ordered my new Asics GT 2160s in bright orange and blue from Zappos.com today.
Nursing - Dusted off my Medela Pump in Style and filled my first bottle last night. Necessary evil.
Incentive of the week - Bought a brand new dark teal Champion tank top at Target today.
There's nothing worse than your running clothes being too small so I took the precaution of buying a large and I will avoid even trying on my old stuff until I feel better about my body shape. I had been feeling fairly okay to good about quickly I've returned to "normal" this summer. That feeling lasted until this Saturday when I was trying to find some clothing to wear for our family photo. Ugh. Nothing I have been wearing since giving birth gets above "sweat pants" level on the dressy scale. I tried on a pile of clothing hoping I could make something work but it was all too tight. I learned two lessons during this process:
1. When you've lost all your baby weight the first time around but are still considering getting pregnant again- do not let that body confidence move you to get rid of all your larger clothing! Keep it around in a box or something. That way, when you get pregnant again and return to post-partum marshmallow shape, you'll have something left to wear without having to go shopping.
2. Do not wait until the last minute to buy new clothing for a special occasion. The result- massive stress, disheartening lack of possibilities, and a return home from shopping with nothing but chocolate- is not pretty.
My shopping frustration on Saturday was definitely compounded by the fact that all the stores have just switched to fall wardrobes and there was approximately NADA left for summer outfits. It was just an awful experience and I came home completely miserable and then took it out on my dear husband. Whoops. Needless to say when I woke up I magically found something that would work (a non-maternity shirt that I'd worn through most of my pregnancy so managed to stretch out a bit and a denim skirt that has always been a bit loose... though not anymore). The positive of this lesson is that I now have even more incentive to get out there and move this week.
Month 1 Goals:
a) Take it easy- This may seem ironic considering I am starting to work out from a level of total slothy-ness (for my standards, anyway). In fact, taking it easy will be critical to avoid great disappointment. Reality is that I did just give birth six weeks ago and am still recovering. Another reality is that my breasts are very much full and tender (read: not super comfy when bouncing). Finally- I haven't run or swum in well over eight months! I know I'm going to feel like going right out and running five miles but this first month my goal will be to slowly work back up to a 5k (3.1 miles).
b) Make it fun- It is hard for me to believe that I completed a half ironman distance triathlon less than a year ago, but it is true! After the race, I had absolutely NO desire to run or swim at all. I think at this point I'm ready to go again, but I'm still going to aim to make my work outs seem more like play and relaxation than training. My first run I'm hoping to drive up to one of my favorite trails even though I'll only be shooting to run a mile. Normally this would be too far to go for such a short run, but it will be nice to be back out in the trees and my legs will appreciate not starting back on concrete right away. Hopefully this will help me maintain my interest.
c) Re-build- I'm totally out of shape. I don't want to get injured. In order to complement my running and swimming at this point I'm going to supplement with some yoga & stretching. I got a cute book from a friend called Baby Om that lays out three levels of yoga I can do with Mara. Should be interesting! I'm also going to dig out my stretches and strengthening moves I got from a Physical Therapist when I was having ITB issues last spring. One reason I had issues is from changes in my hip/pelvic structure from childbirth. I expect to have the same issues this time around, better to prevent!
I think I'm ready to tackle this beast! I'm hoping to get out for my run Wednesday evening, watch for an update!
Running Shoes - Ordered my new Asics GT 2160s in bright orange and blue from Zappos.com today.
Nursing - Dusted off my Medela Pump in Style and filled my first bottle last night. Necessary evil.
Incentive of the week - Bought a brand new dark teal Champion tank top at Target today.
There's nothing worse than your running clothes being too small so I took the precaution of buying a large and I will avoid even trying on my old stuff until I feel better about my body shape. I had been feeling fairly okay to good about quickly I've returned to "normal" this summer. That feeling lasted until this Saturday when I was trying to find some clothing to wear for our family photo. Ugh. Nothing I have been wearing since giving birth gets above "sweat pants" level on the dressy scale. I tried on a pile of clothing hoping I could make something work but it was all too tight. I learned two lessons during this process:
1. When you've lost all your baby weight the first time around but are still considering getting pregnant again- do not let that body confidence move you to get rid of all your larger clothing! Keep it around in a box or something. That way, when you get pregnant again and return to post-partum marshmallow shape, you'll have something left to wear without having to go shopping.
2. Do not wait until the last minute to buy new clothing for a special occasion. The result- massive stress, disheartening lack of possibilities, and a return home from shopping with nothing but chocolate- is not pretty.
My shopping frustration on Saturday was definitely compounded by the fact that all the stores have just switched to fall wardrobes and there was approximately NADA left for summer outfits. It was just an awful experience and I came home completely miserable and then took it out on my dear husband. Whoops. Needless to say when I woke up I magically found something that would work (a non-maternity shirt that I'd worn through most of my pregnancy so managed to stretch out a bit and a denim skirt that has always been a bit loose... though not anymore). The positive of this lesson is that I now have even more incentive to get out there and move this week.
Month 1 Goals:
a) Take it easy- This may seem ironic considering I am starting to work out from a level of total slothy-ness (for my standards, anyway). In fact, taking it easy will be critical to avoid great disappointment. Reality is that I did just give birth six weeks ago and am still recovering. Another reality is that my breasts are very much full and tender (read: not super comfy when bouncing). Finally- I haven't run or swum in well over eight months! I know I'm going to feel like going right out and running five miles but this first month my goal will be to slowly work back up to a 5k (3.1 miles).
b) Make it fun- It is hard for me to believe that I completed a half ironman distance triathlon less than a year ago, but it is true! After the race, I had absolutely NO desire to run or swim at all. I think at this point I'm ready to go again, but I'm still going to aim to make my work outs seem more like play and relaxation than training. My first run I'm hoping to drive up to one of my favorite trails even though I'll only be shooting to run a mile. Normally this would be too far to go for such a short run, but it will be nice to be back out in the trees and my legs will appreciate not starting back on concrete right away. Hopefully this will help me maintain my interest.
c) Re-build- I'm totally out of shape. I don't want to get injured. In order to complement my running and swimming at this point I'm going to supplement with some yoga & stretching. I got a cute book from a friend called Baby Om that lays out three levels of yoga I can do with Mara. Should be interesting! I'm also going to dig out my stretches and strengthening moves I got from a Physical Therapist when I was having ITB issues last spring. One reason I had issues is from changes in my hip/pelvic structure from childbirth. I expect to have the same issues this time around, better to prevent!
I think I'm ready to tackle this beast! I'm hoping to get out for my run Wednesday evening, watch for an update!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
On Your Marks!
All right fans, here's what I've been waiting for... a new challenge and something exciting to work on. In 2009, I gave birth to my dear son Oren in mid-June after a very healthy, easy pregnancy and a natural childbirth that was a bit rough on the nether regions (we'll leave it at that). I was a complete wreck for two weeks of intense recovery and a little bit less of a wreck for another month. At my six week check up, my midwife asked me if I'd gone running yet and I looked at her like she was suddenly speaking Chinese. It hadn't even crossed my mind. To my credit, I took myself to the pool that very week and was back running a couple of weeks later. The last weekend of August I joined some of my former racing teammates to complete the swim leg of a triathlon relay (I rocked it, too). Though under trained, I completed the Detroit Half Marathon that October, exactly four months after giving birth. After training all winter, spring, and through a hard summer I raced my first half ironman distance triathlon in September 2010: a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a half marathon (13.1 miles). I finished in just over six hours with a huge stupid grin on my face. A month later- I was pregnant with baby #2!
Somewhere in there, my dear husband looked at me across the top of the baby jogger as we ran and pointed out that not every mom is at her lowest weight and training for half ironman races within the first year after having a baby. I pointed out that I had a lot of support (part time job, day care, etc) and he pointed out that, "Still...". He encouraged me to write a book. A book! What kind of time did he think I had at my disposal... what with the training and the kids... ;)
So here I am. Another (a bit less) easy pregnancy come and gone and a (much easier) recovery almost complete I am ragged, antsy, and stressed out of my mind as a newly two child-ed mommy. Someone throw me some running shoes and push me out the door, puh-leeze! Time to set some new goals. I don't have the faintest idea how I'm going to get them done, but somehow I got there once before and I have faith that I can do it again. Gotta set that bar high though: 1 marathon, 1 century ride, 1 5k swim. I figure June will be marathon month (don't want to train into summer for those long runs), July for century ride, and August for a long swimmy. Why no triathlon goal? Well... frankly that might be too hard! Does that sound wimpy? The truth is that training for a triathlon takes up a ton of time due to all the disciplines- I figure if I stagger the events through the summer I can start my biking later in the spring and a swim event late summer means I don't have to worry about open water swimming until the water warms a bit. I will definitely put some shorter tris on my calendar but the thought of attempting another 70.3 (or longer... do you think I'm NUTS??!!) right now sounds insane... even to me.
So there it is folks! The gauntlet is thrown. Please feel free to be my cheerleaders and my nags. I need to start collecting my strategies and registering for races. This is going to be a challenge but I can (and will) figure it out! Cheers!
Somewhere in there, my dear husband looked at me across the top of the baby jogger as we ran and pointed out that not every mom is at her lowest weight and training for half ironman races within the first year after having a baby. I pointed out that I had a lot of support (part time job, day care, etc) and he pointed out that, "Still...". He encouraged me to write a book. A book! What kind of time did he think I had at my disposal... what with the training and the kids... ;)
So here I am. Another (a bit less) easy pregnancy come and gone and a (much easier) recovery almost complete I am ragged, antsy, and stressed out of my mind as a newly two child-ed mommy. Someone throw me some running shoes and push me out the door, puh-leeze! Time to set some new goals. I don't have the faintest idea how I'm going to get them done, but somehow I got there once before and I have faith that I can do it again. Gotta set that bar high though: 1 marathon, 1 century ride, 1 5k swim. I figure June will be marathon month (don't want to train into summer for those long runs), July for century ride, and August for a long swimmy. Why no triathlon goal? Well... frankly that might be too hard! Does that sound wimpy? The truth is that training for a triathlon takes up a ton of time due to all the disciplines- I figure if I stagger the events through the summer I can start my biking later in the spring and a swim event late summer means I don't have to worry about open water swimming until the water warms a bit. I will definitely put some shorter tris on my calendar but the thought of attempting another 70.3 (or longer... do you think I'm NUTS??!!) right now sounds insane... even to me.
So there it is folks! The gauntlet is thrown. Please feel free to be my cheerleaders and my nags. I need to start collecting my strategies and registering for races. This is going to be a challenge but I can (and will) figure it out! Cheers!
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