Posts Tagged With: pregnant running

Running after baby!

Well its been 6 weeks since little man made his exit and I am DYING to have a race schedule, but nothing is planned yet. Some days I get to run, some I just get to hike, totally depends on when I can corner my Mom and get her to wear Tag while I get my run on. So how is running going these days for me?

As if running while pregnant isn’t enough of an adventure you then roll into the world of everyone telling you to “take it easy” so your uterus doesn’t fall out. For the record my uterus is still inside my body.

Week 1-  7.5 miles

Lets start with the day he was born, I hiked 4 miles (I’m sure you all ready this so you already know that). 3 days later my car needed work and I had 6 children to get to the store with, so we walked… 3.5 painfully uncomfortable and slow miles.

Week 2- 4.1 miles

I was dying. LITERALLY DYING! I needed to get out! So I hiked 1.1 miles on the mountain (totally breaking the rules) and walked 3 with some awesome lady friends (still breaking the rules).

Week 3- 20.9 miles

On day 17 I went into my midwives wearing running clothes. They gave me the OK to start “slowly” running and off I run! Literally. 9 of the miles this week were running and I felt like I was flying. I did everything I could to take it easy, but with the belly gone and the ability to breathe running just felt way too awesome. Tag made his first summit of Squaw Peak this week, he slept through it.

Week 4- 24.2

My goal has been to keep my running at a “easy” pace and hiking with Tag as “up” as I can. This week I ran 14.1 miles and Climbed 2,200 feet while wearing him. Hiking was feeling easier and easier and running was fun again!

Week 5- 27.2 Miles

DUUUDE! 6,400 feet of climbing while wearing this guy! We did 3,000 feet on one day, man it feels nice to spend 3 1/2 hours on a mountain. I only ran 10.6 miles, some days it’s harder to get someone to watch a baby.. Life…

Week 6- 25.1

This week has been a little sad… I was really hoping to be over 30 miles and much more climbing but shit just didn’t work. I don’t have extra hands around and my Mom can only watch him so much, so some days I have to suck it up and not run… Not matter how much it kills me. Plus, I was lazy. I could have totally gotten more climbing in but I just didn’t. Only 4,750 feet. Sigh…

I had an easy pregnancy, easy birth, and have had an easy running “come-back”. Luck? Maybe. But maybe a little of having a clear plan and strategy about coming back and continuing to run my entire pregnancy. I’m really hoping to pick some races and see what my body can do at this point. Planning to stop and nurse a baby that doesn’t have a schedule (and no I will not put him on a schedule) makes things even more tricky… But believe you me, I’ll be out at a race soon. Watch me now!

 

 

Categories: Parenting | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Belly after Birth!

Numbers on the scale mean nothing. How your body feels and what it is capable of mean everything. Skinny is nothing without muscle. I never want my girls to believe being “skinny” is what makes them beautiful, strength is beauty.

But alas, I can not explain this without using numbers… so deal with it for a moment.

4 years ago I weighed 115lbs. I was lifting and running and felt amazing. I was tiny but strong. The world was good.

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Pre pregnancy I was bouncing from 130-135. I wasn’t running well, wasn’t very happy, and wasn’t feeling healthy. I had many excuses and the more times I told myself those excuses were OK, the more I came up with. Kids has always been a big one, I’m a Mom of 5 after all…. running was just “selfish” despite that I am a better Mom when I’m feeling healthy. Definitely a “down” moment in my health and fitness.

This pregnancy got me outside. It started with a hike up Humphrey’s at 5 weeks pregnant with all my little people, and ended with my running 24 miles in my 38th week and hiking 4 miles an hour before I delivered. I ran or hiked 469.9miles during my pregnancy. January was my largest month in over a year with 94.6 miles and over 13,000 feet of climbing. I felt amazing.

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At my last visit to the midwife before birth I weighed 147lbs.

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6 days after giving birth I weigh 128lbs.

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yes, I am very sleepy!

 

That is insane to me. There is still fluid, my uterus isn’t totally shrunk, but I’m still below my pre pregnancy weight.

Why does that matter? Because it is proof I GAINED fitness during my pregnancy which is CRAZY. I get that I wasn’t in my ideal shape before, but gaining fitness? Just crazy. I felt great, ran well, and am proud of every step I took.

While the scale doesn’t matter I am beyond excited to see what my body is capable of now (well when I get the OK to work out again). After all the care I gave it during pregnancy I look forward to seeing how it will treat me not pregnant.

Categories: pregnancy | Tags: , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Hey Asshole Dog Owners!

I get it, your dog is friendly, I don’t care! If your dog is off leash it better be under control  which means NOT leaving your side or coming anywhere near my dog or kids. If your dog begins following us we are not stopping to help you get your dog back. Yup, I’m an asshole. My dog is ON leash (except maybe in the backcountry where you see no one) and I’m not responsible for your poor decisions.

Now, if your dog is on a leash and you can not control it we have even more issues. If your dog is going to pull toward the giant pregnant lady and her dog running on the trail, maybe you should not be on the trail! How about being a little more particular on where you walk your dog? Not only is it dangerous to my dog (I really don’t need my dog bitten because your dog is stronger then you) but if I end up falling because your dog trips me I promise you that won’t go well for you.

Just move! Step off the trail when people are passing. Move your dog away and keep everyone safe. If your dog sucks (which really just means you suck) it is your responsibility to move, no matter what trail etiquette says at that point.

I was crushing (ha!) a downhill the other day and had to stop dead in my tracks as a woman and her daughter grabbed there dog to put it on leash (frantically I may add). Ok, fine, you made a poor choice having your poorly behaved dog off leash. Now why OH WHY did you need to stand in the middle of the trail to get your dog on the leash? Why could you not scoot off the trail and handle your business. Why did my dog and I have to wait while you handled your stupidity? Even better was you then decided to continue walking (not just letting me pass politely) and allowed your dog to pull toward mine repeating “oh you just want to say hi don’t you”. NO! I am RUNNING.  See, RUNNING HERE! My dog is doing work and does not stop to “say hi” while we are running. My dog will bite your dog though if she feels I am threaten, good plan there.

Look, I get mistakes, but there are way too many terrible dog owners. It’s not cute or funny that your dog doesn’t listen, it’s being a terrible owner. I refuse to be polite to these people, I mostly just ignore and go about my run. When my children are involved there is a chance I will be downright rude if your dog comes running toward us. Deal with it. My children are taught to lie to people when they are walking/running with Piper and I’m not around (I let them lie to adults!?!?). No our dog is not friendly, don’t come near me she will bite you, and ALWAYS over react when Piper becomes interested in someone like she really wants to kill them. Will she bite someone? Maybe. Early in my pregnancy she began growling at men she didn’t like on the trail. She is a wonderful dog, but part of her job is protecting. She doesn’t need random people petting her as she works and the kids need to feel like she is there to care for them, not make other people happy.

In conclusion, just stay out of the pregnant angry lady’s way with your crappy dog, but maybe you should just stop sucking as an owner.

And now my adorable well behaved Piper! (well mostly well behaved…)

 

 

Categories: Running | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

34 weeks?

Where has the time gone?! I feel moments of “damn am I done yet?!” And moments of extreme terror “can this baby stay in forever?!?!” All my Littles are more then ready to meet their new brother or sister, and we do have 2 outfits… soooo… what else do we need?

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Boy or girl? What’s your guess??

Running?

Yup, I’m still at it. Sloooooow goes it with moments of abrupt stops, hands on knees, and very loud “FUUUUUCK”‘s. It happens. There is very clearly a head down low which causes some interesting pains at times, but it’s very well worth it. My golden miles are usually 4-6, I feel great and can really run! But well… then things get interesting…

Strava’s Monday-Sunday just seems silly at this point. I decided to count my weekly miles in my pregnant weeks. Thursday, the first day at 34 weeks, I ran 7 miles and yesterday I did 3.9. By next Wednesday I will have my 30 miles for the week, no matter how slow those miles may be.

What’s funny about “slow” is I love encouraging new runners. My mantra of “it doesn’t matter how fast you are, lets enjoy the view” I really do believe. But I suppose its always harder to look at  yourself and be patient. Everyone I have ever run with and walked happily with up each hill, I loved it. I really do believe being a “runner” is a mindset and no matter how fast (or slow) you move you are still a runner, I promise to try and be more patient with myself as I have done with so many other.

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I feel like there is a huge misunderstanding with the outward and public strength I show. My “it’s ok” “just a moment in life” and “i’ve got this” stand is true, but that does NOT mean I am OK with the situation. I do not have a choice but to continue to move forward and handle my life. I do not have the luxury (or misfortune) of being able to avoid responsibilities. I can’t run around (ha, run) and pretend I’m not about to have a new little human. I am a Mom. When I tell you “I’m good, I’ve got this” I really do, but that does not justify or gloss over the behavior of others.

But really, I’ve got this 🙂

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These legs get extra love… or freezing pools..

Categories: Running | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

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