Oh that's right, I remember now...

Working out knocked up is no joke. I've reached the point where I'm remembering why I quit running the first time around. This sh*t is hard, the lbs are adding up and I'm so short of breath right out of the gate. Last night my run turned into a walk, mostly due to a full bladder and no outhouse on the Blvd. Today we laced up and headed to class and those first few steps were torture. It always gets better as I stick with it, but never feels like a non-pregnant run. A friend sent me that photo that's been all over the web this week, the top part has a beautiful runner and states this is what I think I look like when I run and below a sad sap looking terrible and states this is what I actually look like when I run. I'm the bottom shot at all times now, it's bad. I'm only 22 weeks, we got a while to go here so I need to get with the program. On a brighter note, push-ups are less of a struggle but the trade off is running with high knees means that my knees don't get that high at all before hitting the barrier. The plan? Yes, I always have a plan and have even begun to pine for post-partem and being able to get my pencil out for a real plan - how soon can I plan for a half marathon! But for now we stick with what we have, class 2x a week, swim 2x a week, run solo 2x a week. Any more than that requires too much recovery napping.

The social aspect of all of this

As my alarm went off at 5:30 this morning, I instantly regretted making plans for a 6am swim. As cozy as I was, I was meeting a new workout partner which meant no texting out at the last minute! Back to my old stomping grounds at the Y, it's funny how nothing changes. It's been months since my last 6am workout there and yet all the faces are the same. My new workout partner is a real pro in the water so she was prepared with a workout for us. Gulp, but it actually wasn't bad at all. 500 warm up, 200 kick with board and fins, 100 kick no fins, 400 pull and repeat x3. The nice part was that there was plenty of chatting between intervals making things move along. And this is why I workout. Yes, I'm competitive and like to earn new PR's and aim for longer distances and the benefit of low blood pressure and being able to keep excess weight at bay is all nice. It's really all about hanging out with friends. It would be nice to stop finding people who want to hang out at 6am or while we are sweating to death out for a run, but I'd miss it. After getting home and enjoying breakfast with the fam, the kid and I headed back out for our Fitness in the Park Class. Yep, you read it right, double sessions while preggo (PS - I'm totally wiped out now) I'm not breaking any speed barriers at this point (not that I've come close lifetime) but I got an additional 2 hours of social time out of it. We both did for that matter. It's also nice that when we are at home the kid has started to play around with what he watches us do in class. For now I can still do more push ups than him but I'm willing to bet that changes in the near future. Swam 2300 yards and completed Fitness in the Park

5 months and a 5k

We are getting there. At dinner with a friend recently she stated "you definitely have your preggo boobs again". Thanks. Thanks a lot. Regardless I'm still running, or more like bouncing but I'm still out there and it's more than a walk. My attitude has helped keep me on the roads longer this time than last. I'm well aware of how slow I'm getting and the walking breaks are a every run necessity but again it's the "something is more than nothing attitude". Joe signed up for a 10k this weekend and I was instantly pissed about it. I mean the man has done close to nothing outside of biking in months. Really? Now you want to run a 10k? No fear, I figured out quickly there was a 5k option and the kid and I could tackle that will little issue. Yes, I ran with the kid. Do you think he even volunteered to take him on the 10k? Not that I'd go for that, the jogger helps boost my bragging rights. The event itself was much more of a walk than a run, it's safe to estimate a 7:1 walker to runner ratio. Spent much of the race maneuvering around large groups of walkers. No matter the obstacles, we all started together and the kid and I smoked him. He caught up to us when I walked through the water stop but compare our overall paces and me and the kid beat him. And I ran up Francis St! You know that hill in front of the mall, the one that almost did me in during my 70.3? Yep, ran it. 5 months pregnant behind 54 lbs of kid and jogger. Take that. Ran 3.2 miles today

Not going to happen today.

After a great run on Sunday I was rather looking forward to today. There are several things that must happen for my runs to be successful at this point. The kid must be full of snacks, we aren't picky but there have to be a good amount of choices. An easy 3 miles demands a good 7-9 options, I'm quite skilled at setting up a mobile buffet. Again for those who judge, the goal is to run. Happy toddler = happy runner. My bladder must also be on E. Morning runs are better, I shouldn't but I typically won't drink much beyond my morning coffee if I know we are headed out. Any more than that I'm wishing for a catheter about 1/4 mile in. Those 2 simple demands combined with the strength of 2-3 sports bras and we are ready to rock and roll...most of the time. Today we had swimming lessons and I emptied the bladder before leaving Bryant. Somehow on the 15 min ride to the Blvd it filled back up with lord only knows b/c my coffee went down the hatch around 6:30am. I also had no snacks. Total fail. After every swim class we stop for jelly munckins, I thought that would be enough. He was licking the sugar off his chubby little fingers when I strapped him in and then the demands started. I want goldfish bunnies. I don't have any. I want cheerios. I don't have any. I want a sandwich. I don't have any. I want a banana. I don't have any. I want cheese. I don't have any. I want more donuts. Lord I want a new kid. Between that conversation and my overwhelming urge to empty an already empty but confused bladder we made it less than a half mile before I called it. There are some days where I don't have the fight in me. Tail between my legs we turned back and hit the playground. Funny how the sight of the slide suddenly makes him forget that dying hunger that was insatiable only steps prior. Still debating if it's worth a 2nd shot later today. Ran not really enough to matter today.

Sleepless nights

I ended my last post dreaming of a black hole filled with yoga pants and giant sweatshirts, I almost ended up there today. My kid was up all god damned night, beats me as to why. I'll blame teething b/c that's what parents do and no one questions it. You have a baby and everyone prepares you for sleepless nights, but then you find this good place where you do sleep again. It's a tease. Ordinarily my kid is a champion sleeper, 12 hours straight, then every so often we get a curve ball. An infant up at night is no biggie, bottle or boob them and they are back out. A toddler? I don't know what the F you do when they are up? You ask are you too hot? Yes. Do your teeth hurt? Yes. Are you cold? Yes. Are you just fing with us? Yes. I knew it was bad when somewhere around the 3am hour I heard Joe, "There is nothing wrong, I don't want to hear or see you until the sun comes up. Go to sleep". Don't judge unless you've been there and if you have we are accepting sympathy cards. PS - the statement didn't work, I was back in there around 4:30. So that said, this morning was rough. Coffee barely helped and as Joe got ready for work I contemplated spending the day in my sweats. What did the kid want to do? Run to the big playground of course. Ugh, at least if we go that route we don't have to speak for a while. The run there was no biggie, the normal huffing and puffing that doesn't seem to be getting better. Didn't someone say that all your problems disappear 2nd trimester? We arrived and after a few minutes of sliding and swinging the problems got worse. I had to pee. Bad. Likely only a teaspoon but my bladder doesn't know the difference. You know how sometimes on long runs over the summer when you get really hot and are out of water you start to become delirious about water and contemplate drinking out of the taps on the side of a strangers house...picture the same thing but with a toilet. The bigger issue is that once arriving at the big playground the kid has a routine that takes about 45 mins and messing with that leads to a rather large meltdown. F*ck. Finally I corral him back to the stroller and we face the 2 mile run to the car that will get us to a toilet. I'll be honest running back was a bit more like a run 2 blocks, walk a block while looking for a tree. We made it though, and of course when I did find a toilet there was barely a tsp to be released. It really might be time for depends. Ran 4 miles today.

4 out of 4 and I'm out

Fitness in the Park wrapped up our week. It's only been 2 weeks, but in the right light I'm starting to get some guns. If I'm going to totally blow my waist line a little definition someplace else will help soften the blow. Speaking of going soft, I'm now remembering why I gave up running last time around. 4 consecutive workouts this week and I'm wiped like it was a 40+ mile week rather than maybe 10 miles. I will say that I deserve some extra points, all miles run are run behind the jogger and all planks and pushups are with the kid on my back. Happy to report that I'm hanging up all workout gear for the rest of the weekend, we are off to a wedding sans kiddo and I couldn't be more excited. Next week will be more of the same with the addition of some weekend workouts, that's assuming I haven't fallen into a black-hole of maternity yoga pants, the husband's extra large sweatshirt and a bag of goldfish.

To the playground and back

If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now. I'm totally digging this new schedule, home with the kid 3 days a week. Nothing better. We started this morning with a run to the "Big Playground" (aka: Humboldt Tot Lot). There was some negotiating as he didn't want to sit in the jogger. Finally it came out of my mouth, "too bad this isn't a democracy, lets go". I'm turning into my father, but it worked. Fig bars in hand and off we went. The run down wasn't bad at all. 2 miles with a downhill, easy peasy. 45 min stop at the playground where we hit the swings, slides, play kitchen for some mac and cheese, some scary downhill car racing and a bit of digging in the sandbox. It must have been Dad's with Beards Day, it was me and all beareded Dad's. Odd. Regardless we packed it up and started to head back. Not as enjoyable, 2 miles with an uphill and a headwind. Luckily when I was totally pooped we were close enough to let the kid out for some running of his own. I'm really trying hard to stick with some fairly vigorous workouts this pregnancy, we've made it to 18 weeks and my weight gain is WAY lower than the first time around. I'm up 10lbs so far and last time at this point had started out 10lbs heavier and was already hitting the 20lb gain mark at this point. Total I gained 60 the first time around, way too much. My friends will tell me with a straight face that you couldn't tell, from looking back at photos it's clear that I have some very good liars for friends. So combined with sticking with the workouts, I'm being good with my diet. For the most part I'm eating veggies and grains, no meat and hardly any dairy. I'm a sucker for goldfish and have been known to knock back left over Annie's Mac and Cheese from time to time so far from perfect when it comes to eliminating dairy. Cravings? None that I've given into but I could totally go for peanut butter sandwiched btw 2 Oreo's. I'm hating the water though, my thirst is unquenchable and I'm so over the taste. It doesn't help either that my fridge is packed with Shipyard Pumpkin. Think I'll be able to find some in Feb? Ran 4 miles today