Keeping It Fun

I started to wonder this week what happened to Damie, and who took over my body and brain?  Oh yes, some cute little girl has moved in.  :)  (I am guessing she is cute, red headed, and freckly like Dave :)  But really, this week I had several nights when I couldn't fall asleep after the habitual, first bathroom call.  I would pee, toss and turn, and then go read or play on the computer with the dogs.  I started to become a stressball, as evidenced by my one late night decision to erase blog posts because I was just tired of reading about training, and triathlon, and blah blah...... and then there was another morning phone call to Joy to cry and worry about labor and delivery.  My mind is everywhere!


22 weeks....how am I doing?  I love being pregnant.  I love this time that I get to spend with Dave, and I wouldn't trade it for any training or racing in the world.  I am not full of energy, but not sick and fatigued, either.  I like to sleep in, and I don't feel guilty when I decide to not wake up at 4:45am to swim.  I love all of the advice my sweet 80+ year old patients give me, and I really do try to listen and learn.  I am eating some healthy things, and I am eating cookies too.  I don't stress about it, and I just roll with it.  I do miss coffee, wine, and margaritas.  And no, it doesn't get easier like some friend told me.  It sucks at almost 6 months like it did at 1 month.  Someone please buy me a drink when this part is over.  :)

I still like to swim, but my pace is just kind of stuck at a 1:40.  It is not taxing, I just can't go any faster.  Everyone says to keep your HR low, but I can't even get mine up enough to feel like I am working out!  I am not cycling, but I still look at my bike with longing.  Running is an enigma to me.  I can do a few 400s/800s on the track, but I can't run 20 minutes easy without stopping 4+ times to pee and walk.  I don't know my current weight, but I know that I am at least 20-25 pounds heavier than my race weight as of my last doctor's appointment a few weeks ago.  I think...errrr...pretty much know I am going to be a big gainer, but like Dave told me today, I need to "embrace being pregnant."  His daily words of encouragement really help me step away from the triathlon life and current culture that tell me that my focus should be on "fitness, training as much as possible, mommyrexia, and being uber-pregnant triathlete," and place my energy in loving my body for all of the hard work it is doing, even if I don't understand or choose the physical and aesthetic changes.

My philosophy has changed completely from getting it done to doing only what feels good.  The only discipline I have now is being fastidious about having a lot of fun and snuggle time.  

And, today I wore my first maternity shirt.  I can still fit in my "big" jeans, but shirts are starting to become too short for me.  I refused to buy maternity clothes....(and more on this topic in another post on how I am the cheapest thriftiest person I know).... but my friend Deb came to my rescue with a HUGE box of amazing clothes for me to borrow.  I was so thankful for her graciousness and sharing.  It felt so good to put on her shirt and know that I was wearing a shirt that was sent to me with love.  It doesn't always take a lot to show your friends you care, just a little thing here or there that is sent with love really makes a hug difference.

xoxo happy training to all!  Excited to join you all soon!

Things I Love

Happy Valentine's Day!

I have already loved so much about today, and the day is just starting!

1.  The maintenance guy at the gym said, "Good morning Damie!" as I walked into the gym.  Nothing nicer than someone knowing your name and acknowledging you at 5:20 am.

2.  The lifeguard had my pulling and kicking equipment set out for me at my lane before I got there.... just for me.  What??????  How thoughtful!!!

3.  I swam over 3000 yards.  Go me!  First time since last summer!

4.  And I was the fastest that I have been since June of 2012.  Now, I am not saying I was fast, just that I was faster and could move my body with a cooperative shoulder.

5.  The sun is shining outside.  Thank goodness!  I really needed that.

6.  My recycle bin is full.  For some reason this brings me pleasure when I set an example for the rest of my street (full of non-recyclers) to decrease garbage and increase recycling!

7. Plane tickets to New York are booked! The trip is on!!!

8. And I have great patients to see today.  I am happy to have my job.

9.  My dogs.  The way they are just sitting with me and "helping me" get ready this morning.  

 And the way they love each other.  Their love is amazing. 

10.  And of course, I love my husband Dave.  For starting off every morning in a positive mood and setting my days off in the right direction.


Lots to love about life.  Everyone have a great day!

Sharing

Two free airplane tickets on Airtran in the US....where to go?

The sweet wife in me planned a trip to New York City with the hubby for March.  It will be our 8th anniversary and maybe our last big trip together for a while.  I have never been to New York (and Dave has only been there briefly), so this will be a great adventure for the two of us.  We love to travel together, and we always say that making memories and traveling together is something we place at the top of our "important in life" list.  We would be able to do it on a small budget with paid-for-flights.

The evil triathlete in me realized that Airtran will let me book later this year for 2014, meaning I could take two racing trips solo.  I could go to 2014 Tucson camp and maybe some awesome race like Wildflower, St George, or a northern Rev3.  With flights covered, that is the bulk of the expense!  My inner triathlete was getting so pumped up!!!!

Yea, so Dave vetoed my second option.  I had a hard time selling that one.  But man, the lure of being able to train in Tucson again and pick an awesome race was hard to turn down.  My inner triathlete will just have to simmer down a while longer and let the inner sweet wife have her turn.

;)

Keeping On

I am back to having writers' block.  Nothing exciting going on here!  I don't want to be a pregnant blogger, but I have the same ol' routine now of fatigue, work, barely exercise, big tummy! 

Thanks to Hillary for sending me some swim workouts, I am finally back to 3 x week swimming and wanting to bump back to 4.  The shoulder is doing well and tolerating about 2500 yards at at time pain free.  I am still at about 2+/5 for my PT geeks out there for external rotation, but I seem to be gaining some stability. 

The main goal for me with swimming for the next half of a year is to just increase my endurance in the water and shoulder stability to where I can start training post-baby without a lot of problems.  I have said buh-bye to speed and strength, but I am welcoming the other forms of rehab that will come if I just try to stay in the water. 

post walk/jog with Roo...suddenly my shirts are getting shorter and shorter...

My running life looks much like my swimming life.  I am extremely slow- 11 min pace or so when I can actually string together a whole mile.  It is all dependent on my pelvis and bladder.  Interestingly, I am able to do track workouts at about 7:50-8:00 pace without too much stress.  I think I can handle short bouts of running, but the minute I go out for an easy, longer run, I can't seem to handle the bouncing and the walk breaks get longer...and longer..... :)

So, why even run/walk?  My goal now is not to build or even maintain fitness.  It is just to keep some impact on my joints and muscles to that when I am able to run in the fall, I don't end up with an injury because my body is not use to weight-bearing activity.  I wish I could run more just because I love to run, but I am pretty confident that just doing what I can do right now is "enough."

So, the number 1 thing I have heard while being pregnant is that "so and so ran a marathon 6 months pregnant,  raced 10k at 9 months, still ran fast the whole time, etc...."  Not a week goes by where someone doesn't inform me that so-and-so did x,y,z while pregnant.  (you almost come to the conclusion that if you aren't doing x,y,z as well, you are a lazy pregnant chick!).  Just the other day someone was reminding me that Paula Radcliffe was running fast 10ks with a pregnant belly.  Ummm  HELLO!!  Paula Radcliffe runs as her JOB!  I have a job too, and it doesn't support my running, it wears me out!

I have many girlfriends that are as pregnant as I am and still running fast, far, good mileage, etc.  But, I also know 2:50 marathoners that couldn't run after 20 weeks due to discomfort.  So, there is no right or wrong way to go about this, and like most things in life, the ability to run pregnant really shouldn't be a competition.  

So for me, a typical week looks like this (last weeks "workouts"):

Mon: 20 min jog/walk and weights

Tues:  master's swim/ and 3 x 400-800 at track with a lot of rest

Wed:  huge nap after work

Thurs:  master's swim/run/walk 3 miles 

Fri:  40 min jog/walk

Sat:  50 min jog/walk

Sun:  easy swim/ short strength

To be honest, while other girls may be training through their pregnancy to enhance their fitness, I think I am just trying to avoid having to size up in my underwear again.  Nothing like buying big, granny panties while you are shopping with your husband because you are stretching out your cute, little ones!!!  (and that is a true story.  I thought just my boobs and tummy would expand.  I didn't know my butt would want to join in the party!)

:))))))))

Alton Update :)

I wanted to share a little Alton update for everyone that has been asking about him and sending him some love. 

Alton two weeks ago...still wasn't looking great.  He was gaining some weight and getting treatment.  But he still looked so pitiful and was just sad when I came to see him.

 

But yesterday I went to visit him and take him for a walk, and hello!!!  We have a doggie under there!!!  He eyes are clearing up,he is growing hair, and gaining weight! 

 

Alton is a big, big sweetie.  Rescues are the most stressful and most rewarding thing ever.  I don't always want the stress in my life and I try to avoid it as much as possible, but in this case, I bet Alton is glad I didn't try to ignore him.  ;) 

Some Rules of Life

This has been copied from the Blue Plate Cafe in Memphis.  I thought it was a great list of rules, so I am sharing it.  It is credited to Drew Brown, a regular customer of the restaurant.

1.  Wake up.  Show up.  Pay attention.
2.  Be happy and have fun!
(life is a trip- enjoy the journey.)
3.  Learn, master, and play by the rules.
4.  Get an education.
(Knowledge and Wisdom are the key.)
5.  Work hard.  Work smart.  Never quit.
(Nothing good comes easy.)
6.  The "Circle Theory" is in effect.
(Integrity.  Never lie, cheat, or steal, especially from yourself).
7.  Know your weaknesses and overcome them.
(Power is when you ask for help and use it.)
8.  Learn a  skill, trade, or profession you love and master it.
9.  Deadly Sins.
(Pride, Envy, Anger, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Alcohol/drugs.  Doing wrong when you KNOW right.)
10.  Don't judge and learn how to forgive.
(Surrender to win.)
11.  Never sweat the small stuff.
(Most of it is small stuff.)
12.  Treat all with dignity and respect.
(Especially yourself.)
13.  Acquire patience and serenity.
(Learn to be still, be quite, be at peace and meditate.)
14.  Make a negative a positive and learn from the past.
15.  To thine own self be true.  Develop self discipline.   
(Do what you are supposed to do, not what you want to do, until what you are supposed to do is what you want to do.)
16.  You gotta believe!

Hope everyone has had a positive and productive day! :) xo

From Stress to Productivity

This week was a tough one.  Work was extremely stressful, which left me unhappy and tired.  I was melting down at the end of the week.  Before pregnancy, I was very diligent in making sure I balanced my life so that work was just a part of life, not the big enchilada.  I need money to live, but I need health, family, and experiences to be happy.  With a baby on the way, though, I have started to get a little out of balance.  Work has been replacing workouts.  My worry about money has me trading in lunchtime for an extra patient.

Yikes.  It may work for some, but it leaves me out of harmony.

I realized what has happened in the past few months is that I have not prioritized exercise.  Generally, I have my training plan and it gets done no matter what else is going one save an emergency or uncontrollable event.  I don't let anything come between me and my daily dose of healthy training.  

I relaxed my standards and it was a FAIL.  I realized that I am not happy or healthy when work takes over my life, at the expense of other healthy endeavors such as exercise, healthy eating time, and rest.  Today I made sure that the hour I had planned to walk/run happened.  No excuses.  There was nothing short of an emergency that would keep me from my priority.  Tomorrow, same thing.  I have my workout time all planned out.  It will happen. 

I also turned that weekday stress into some weekend productivity!!!  Time to make this house inhabitable for the 6 of us.

Dave and I have so much work to do!  Today we worked on turning the extra bedroom/office/junk/bike room into our bedroom.  We scraped all of the popcorn ceiling off and refinished the ceiling.  Tomorrow we have to paint the windows and baseboards, touch up the walls, and change out the electrical outlets.  Oh yes, and put some furniture back in.

19 weeks in pictures

Sometimes household improvement can leave Dave and I put-out with each other.  This morning I really thought we were going to end up in couples counseling when Dave was less-than-prepared to work and I was ready to go!  (that is the nice way of saying I was so frustrated with him and thought things that I can't write in a blog).  But, we somehow made it through the day and he still wanted me around.  So, soccer game/date night was still fun, even after a day of working together. 

Even after 17 years of watching Dave play soccer, I still love it.  That is him in the middle with the ball.  ;)  Proud wife.

xo