Still Going!

35ish weeks and I am trying to slow down.  I keep thinking about all of the things I need to get done.  I keep thinking about all of the sleep I need to get.  (right now I am back at the insomnia stage, so at least 2 x night I am hanging out with the dogs on the couch and then falling asleep at work later in the day.  I need you all to update your blogs so I have sometime to read at 3am!).  I am definitely "more pregnant" now.  I am slower, bigger, and more tired.  I am ready to rest!

But instead, in typical fashion, life is just getting busier!!!  Work just keeps coming, the get-togethers are still happening, and friends are here to hang out!  So, this week I have a great girls' night on tap since Deb is in town, Italian fest with my family, my mother-in-law is coming in town, and I have a great friend from Chicago coming to visit.  Yippee!!!!

(and be prepared for a meltdown Monday night when I am so tired and swollen I can't function).  

This past weekend we went to the Shell and saw Drivin' N Cryin'.  Remember them?  I bet you don't.  Apparently no one listened to them but me.  I was the only one of my friends that knew their music.

Life is good right now.  The sun is shining and it is warm outside.  After battling the winter doldrums which seriously depressed me, I am happy to be swimming it the sunshine.  I am enjoying swimming so much I swim almost every lunch break I can get away.  My shoulder continues to heal, and I can't tell you how stoked I am about this.  From 9 months of no swimming to be able to swim almost daily....winning. 

I was worried that I will be in a deep hole when I start back with exercise postpartum, especially with running and cycling.  But when I swim, all of those fears go away and I realize that it will be right there waiting for me.  It will be a fun (maybe draining and frustrating, but fun) journey back to fitness and racing.  

Daddy Dave with his current baby, Cayenne.  She is such a little monster, but we love her so much.  Can't wait to add some more crazy to our world.

:)

Getting Closer

34 weeks!

The good:  I was able to swim 5 x last week.  Yippee!!  The shoulder is definitely starting to heal, and although I don't have full nerve regeneration yet, I can lift 10 pounds over my head again.  So exciting!  I just have to be careful and smart while it still heals and I regain full ROM and strength, but everything is looking up!

Also, that sacroiliac pain is completely gone.  So after 3 weeks of not being able to walk and hardly being able to hobble around work, I am all of a sudden fine.  ? ? ? Chalk it up to another mysterious pregnancy injury.  

The best:  My family together for a nice dinner.  I am so lucky to have good family support. 

The awesome:  My sister threw a little friend/family party for me to celebrate Baby Roberts coming. 
And, she helped to complete my supply of cloth diapers.  Yes, the ever controversial "why would you want to do that?" topic.  I never thought I could be so excited for a diaper sprayer and a bunch of cute, fluffy cloth diapers. 

Thank you to everyone that came.  Friendship is up there for me with chocolate cake....really important and irreplaceable.  I am thankful for all of my amazing friends. 

The sweet:  My friend Gina has been ever by my side helping with the party and just being a good friend.  I can't wait till we can go on a run again together...maybe with kids, maybe just the two of us. 

Congrats to ADC for her beautiful baby boy!!!  So excited for her.  I was talking with her on the computer when she was going into labor, and it has been so fun to follow her journey.  Lots of new tri-babies coming out!

Oh, and super congrats to Emily Kratz, fellow Wattie and OVERALL AMATEUR FEMALE at IMTX this weekend.  Super awesome.  Sky is the limit!

Oh yes.  Well, time for me to finish work for the day.  I am eagerly awaiting Baby Roberts, and I am not going to lie, but a spin on my bike would be really great too.  It is right around the corner!

Training (or Not) Through Pregnancy

Another pregnancy post....just 6+ more weeks of this, people.  Hang in there!  I have had several friends request that I share more about my experience with pregnancy exercise/training.  I have even seen several friends close to tears lately as they figure out their relationship with exercise and pregnancy.  I have been there!  This post is for my other pregnant mommas out there that are struggling to exercise and losing a little piece of their former athletic self.  (It is temporary!  No worries!)

Now that I have 8 months under my belt, I can honestly say I love pregnancy in many ways.  It is special time that I may only get to do once, or very few times at most.  It is so very cool and there is nothing I would trade for it.  If you are pregnant now and struggling through the beginning, I think and hope you will feel the same way in just a little bit.  Hang in there!

Back to training and exercise.  I am going to leave weight gain out of this and make that a separate post.  Let's just talk about moving through pregnancy.  Some people seem to move more than others.  I was on one end of the scale, and it was not the end I had planned to be! So there is absolutely nothing brag worthy about my pregnancy fitness.  Nothing.  Not a single little thing.  (and as you will see, that is okay!)  I struggled the whole time during pregnancy to exercise, and I took many, many days off.  I didn't like it, but at the end of the day, I just had to listen to my body and do the best I could do.  What you have to realize is that every single pregnancy is different.  You are not lazy or undisciplined if you need to slow down, even if you slow down a lot.  You don't have to be doing what your friends are doing.  Your life and your pregnancy are different!

None of the following apply to me:
"Whoop Whoop!  I won a race pregnant!"
"I ran up until the day I delivered!"
"I trained every day for at least 2 hours."
"I maintained good muscle mass during my pregnancy."
"Yippee!!! I completed that triathlon/marathon/whatever pregnant!"
"I exercised every day/most days."

(hope that makes you feel better.  Nothing athletically cool about my pregnancy!)

I have many friends that can say the above statements.  I am so proud of them and their journeys.  There are so many pregnancy accomplishments to celebrate.  And, if you are able to do these things on your journey, then embrace it and cherish the cool achievements.  I know I am proud of you! 

But, what I wish I had known before I had gotten pregnant is that maybe I wouldn't be a part of the fit momma club.  (I swear there is a club, at least there feels like there is!).  I, too, thought I would be that girl that was running the whole time, entering some races for fun, and staying strong while growing a baby.  I would be glowing as I ran that half marathon.  I would be so cute in my little swimsuit with just my belly poking out.  Little pregnant running chick...that would be me!!!

Heh heh heh.....

And I SWEAR I heard the following statements numerous times, and my suggestion is that you don't say this to a pregnant woman:
- "Well, so and so raced all through pregnancy and was winning and beating guys."  (my response:  good for them.  Glad they felt good enough to race.  That is not everyone's reality, nor should it be.  Now, male who thinks you know everything about being pregnant, why don't you go put a uterus and baby inside of you and see if you feel like racing?). 
- "So and so ran through her whole pregnancy.  So you should be able to do it to." or "so and so is still running."   (my response:  I am so happy for her.  Glad her body cooperated.  Mine did not.  Thanks for the not-so-encouraging encouragement.)

Okay, actually I said really mean things that aren't blog appropriate.  You can just imagine what I really said.  

My inner sleeping athlete screamed...stopped comparing me to everyone else!!!!

So, during most of my pregnancy I was mainly sick, extremely tired, suffered a lot of pelvic pain, and now have some bad low back/sacroiliac pain.  My bladder was in constant spasm and I had a suspected kidney stone (now that HURT!).  I don't think I have felt a single endorphin in 10 months.  No fun!  Where is fit preggo running chick? 

She never came around.  Neither did preggo bike chick.  Swim chick has just finally resurfaced 3rd trimester, and she kind of floats down the lane like a manatee, but loves it.  :)

What would my 3rd trimester self tell my 1st and 2nd trimester self about training?  What things could I share with you that might help your journey?

• Find some good mentors with different experiences.   I loved learning from Liz Lyles, a 2:50 marathoner and Ironman champion that did not run during her pregnancies. (Thank you for the support, Liz!)  I needed to hear from women that were not heavy exercisers during pregnancy to help me feel normal.  Find some mentors that fit you, whether you feel great or are having some trouble.  Check out this podcast and listen to the difference between Elizabeth who was swimming 4000 m the day before she delivered vs.  Jen who was on bedrest for 2 months.  Clearly they both turned out just fine :)
• Walk sooner.  Walk?  No way.  I just didn't feel like walking in 30 degree weather.  I do not like going to the gym and getting on the treadmill.   But, once I finally accepted that I was going to be a walker in 3rd trimester, all of a sudden I was fine with it.  I wish I hadn't been so down on walking. 
• Take your dogs with you.  Share your exercise time.  
• Find a friend that might want to do some low-key exercise with you.  I did not find a walking or hiking companion, and that sure would have been more fun than solo walking! (and it is not too late...anyone want to be my buddy?)
• Try a maternity support belt.  It is no help to me now, but it might have been a good thing for me to try in the 2nd trimester.  
• Take prenatal yoga.  Everything does not have to be intense in life.  Try this and just relax.  I loved it!
• If you don't like it, don't enjoy it, and it doesn't feel good...find something that does. 
• And most importantly, stop comparing yourself to others.  (And if someone else is constantly comparing you to others, make some future plans to plant a poopy diaper in their transition bag for revenge).  It does not matter that someone else was able to train during their whole pregnancy.  At the end of the day, we will all hopefully be mommies and can be back on track to working on whatever goals we want to accomplish. 

I have yet to meet a tri-mom that was not able to enjoy and perform well at triathlon post-pregnancy, regardless of the miles they logged or didn't log.  There is absolutely no amount of pregnancy miles that correlates to future success.  Just do what you can do, no matter how much or how little that might be.  So, be yourself.  Be kind to your body.  Listen to your body!  It will all come back when the time is right.  Enjoy!!!!!!

(and call me if you need to vent or just have a hormonal moment :)

32 and Rolling On

I am trying not to count the weeks, but people, I am counting!!!  I kind of cringe when I think this has turned into a pregnancy blog, but dang if I don't have anything else to report!  No S,B,R of interest to report.  Give me a few more months, and hopefully I can share some more entertaining training tales. 

My work week ended on a pretty awesome note, when my patient gave me the above "fruit bag" as a thank you on our last day of physical therapy.  His words in the card stated, "Mrs Roberts you are a real professional I enjoyed working with you."  As he had "fired" some other people working with him, I was never sure how we would pan out, and some days were really hard on me as I tried to be the best PT I could be.  But, it just goes to show that professionalism, hard work, and good listening skills really go a long way with our jobs. 

So, what is going on at 32 weeks?  Nada.  After my crazy weekend (in heels) in New Orleans, I now have some sort of sacroiliac dysfunction, and I have been in a ton of pain in my left posterior/pelvis area.  My ligaments must be starting to loosen up a bit, and things are moving around on me.  It has hurt so much I have not even been able to go walking this week.  I kept thinking I would be immune from so many little pregnancy issues because "I am an athlete."  But nope, I am obviously just a regular person.  It looks like I will be going to my own physical therapist this week, because no way am I going to be able to go 8 weeks with hardly being able to walk. 

(and just a little moment to whine, please....all I want to do is run and bike, and now I can't even walk!  Aghhhh!!!!!  It will be here soon enough. :)

And to cap off a good week, my local team Los Locos threw a party with a little baby shower on the side :)  It was so funny to see the guys walk up with their presents, and to think of them wandering around Target trying to pick out baby gifts and wrapping paper.

April (above) has been my super pregnancy mentor.  I am not a girl that likes showers or registries or shopping.  I have had NO idea what sort of things I need for a kid, and she has taken me shopping, helped me register, and forced me to participate in a baby shower (which was actually really fun.)  So, a huge thanks to her, and to many friends like her, that have made this fun for me. 

A huge thank you to my teammates for helping me feel included and loved during this time of not being able to train or participate in my sport. 

Still Swimming

Kind of.  :)

Some days I feel like I am barely making it to the other end of the pool.  I never really know what I am going to get when I show up, but I do know I am definitely slowing down.  About 3-4 weeks ago I was still able to do a couple of stronger 100s.  They were not even close to what I used to swim, but they were faster rather than slower. 

But, I think I am for sure on the other side of the curve now.  We did some 200s today with best average, and I kid you not, 20 seconds slower per 200.  Why are we timing me anymore, I ask?  Let the madness stop and just let me float!  So, I now have pretty much one slower speed, and I just accept what I am given for the day. 

The real victory is the fact that I show up at all.  :)  Everyone is so excited and proud just that I keep coming, that it encourages me to just keep showing up even if I probably would fit in better with the water aerobics class, rather than master's swim. 

Picture from class this morning.  I am trying to take as many pregnant pictures as I can, even though I sometimes hate looking at them- I don't even recognize myself.  But, one day I might look back on them and be happy I captured this time on film.  So, I am trying to lose the ego and take pictures!

 

Many days I wonder, is this making any sort of difference?  At this point I am so out of shape, why am I bothering doing anything?  But, it feels good just to keep the body moving a little bit.  So, even though I am swimming 1/3 or less of the yards I used to swim, at least I am doing a little bit.  And my master's class is just awesome in keeping me positive.  When my coach sent me the picture above, she put in the subject line:  "Masters is fun and good for me!"  So, so funny.  I love my friends, and I love that I have such a fun group to keep me going.  Masters is fun and good!