Tag Archives: pregnancy

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New baby, new [blog] direction!

“glowing”

This blog has thus far chronicled my adventures through pregnancy, and the ways I kept physically fit while “with child.” John and I were happy to welcome our daughter, MariaElena, into our lives in early August, and have spent the last four weeks in a whirlwind of emotions, excitement, learning, loving and exhaustion.

First, a few brief words on the birthing process: (1) WOW. It’s hard work. (2) The human body has incredible capacities for stretching and recovering.  (3) Major props to my incredible husband for supporting me through the whole process. (4) How humans have evolved so that birth through the pelvis is most efficient is a mystery to me, and, (5) UNM Hospital was a great place to have a baby: the view from the labor/delivery room was fantastic, highlighting the Sandia Mountain skyline, a lightning storm moving in from the west, and the full moon. The doctors were great, too!

During the week or so prior to giving birth, my motivation for exercise,

Nursery curtains!

academic work and even speaking in complete sentences shriveled in the shimmering Albuquerque late-summer heat.  I hibernated; I nested, washing tiny outfits and sewing nursery curtains; I watched the Olympics non-stop; and I forced myself to drag my very pregnant body out of bed in the early mornings for walks.  As my due date loomed closer, I ever-more determinedly pulled on my super-stretchy spandex shorts, size L tank top and fumbled awkwardly around my giant baby bump to blindly tie my shoelaces (this is not an exaggeration), and I walked. And walked. And walked. I am not a huge believer of old-wives tales, but I figured the recommended walking couldn’t do any harm, and I desperately hoped that the more I walked, the more likely I was going to shake Baby Bun down into arriving on time.  Which she did, arriving exactly on her due date!

Post-birth, I was sore, achy, and physically exhausted, but riding an incredible adrenaline high.  The new baby I had just delivered absorbed my every thought: I was learning how to feed her, my ears were becoming hyper-alert to the slightest squeak or whimper she made, and John and I were learning how to adjust our thinking from ‘family of 2’ to ‘family of 3.’

John hikes with MariaElena in the frontpack.

For the weeks when the very act of getting out of bed was painful, thoughts of exercise were nonexistent.  However, as my body has recovered and I’ve somehow adjusted (kind of!) to the sleeplessness, I’ve found my thoughts wandering more and more frequently to thoughts of exercise, running, and even (gasp!) racing.  My morning walks have progressed from walking to the end of the block – a stretch of a few houses – at a snail’s pace to 4-5 brisk miles with baby strapped on my front. I have found these bouts of exercise are once again not only enjoyable, but also energizing, provide moments for quiet thought and remind me of my running self-identity.

As my life has taken the turn from pregnancy to motherhood, I will likewise be steering this blog in tandem with my life’s experiences. I will be chronicling my return to running, fitness and racing – with MariaElena in tow.

This is the longest layoff (10-11 months) that I have every had from running since I started running high school cross country way back in the ‘90’s.  My only semi-equivalent layoff was due to a femoral stress fracture, which did require several months of walking with crutches. Thus, as I set off into the uncharted territory of postnatal recovery, I hope you’ll enjoy my tales of trials and travails as I return to my “semi-pro” runner status.

I look forward to your advice, thoughts, encouragement, suggestions and critiques along the way, and I hope to keep you motivated and excited in your own activities and entertained with what will undoubtedly be a hilly, exhilarating and enjoyable road back to racing!

Full moon over the Sandias.

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Baby goes camping

As Albuquerque sizzles in the summer heat, the cool, blue, pine-forested mountains of northern New Mexico look increasingly delightful.  Normally, my summer is filled with backpacking and geology trips throughout the southern Rocky Mountains.  This summer, my backpack and hiking boots have remained in the closet.

Contemplating the wilderness, sporting oversized plaid flannel while dad lights the Coleman stove.

Not to be discouraged from enjoying the wilderness entirely by my very pregnant status, my husband and I recently joined my family on a car camping trip in northern New Mexico.  At first leery of camping so late in pregnancy, I calmed myself down with the knowledge that should I indeed go into labor a week and a half early, I was not stranded in the middle of nowhere: we were camping a few miles of bumpy dirt road and about 30 highway miles from the nearest hospital, and I was going to be in the company of one “for real” physician (my dad) and two docs-in-training (my sister and sister-in-law are both med students).  Apart from being an opportunity to hang out, enjoy summer and be silly with my ridiculous family, this trip also provided an opportunity to assuage the mounting stir-craziness I’ve been experiencing as I watch the summer go by without any of my usual outdoor excursions.  So, almost giddy, my husband and I packed up for what seemed to us as a very luxurious car camping expedition.

After spending a fun, laughter-filled and refreshing weekend “in the woods,” I have a few suggestions for any other pregnant car campers that I’d like to share.

Tips for car camping while 8.5 months pregnant:

  1. Camp chairs: Getting up and down from sitting on the ground

    My partner in crime and I – happily sipping cocoa in a camp chair!

    with pregnancy-compromised agility (thanks, baby belly!) takes helpers, stamina and determination.  Chairs halve the distance and definitely make the transition more palpable (and more graceful).

  2. An air mattress (or two or three):  While my tender and achy hips and back made my ultra-light, high-tech Thermarest key (especially since I’m sleeping on my side these days), I would have slept much more soundly on an actual air mattress or feather pillow-top bed.
  3. A pillow (or two):  Bury your pride and all thoughts of toughing it out in the woods. If you arrived in a car, there’s space to stash some squashy comfort.  Don’t be afraid to try to prop yourself up as you would at home in bed.
  4. Comfort food/gourmet camping food:  Craving salt? Go for fried potatoes, eggs and salsa in a tortilla (you brought a dutch oven, right?).  Something sweet? S’mores. Embrace the culinary adventure that cooking over an open flame offers.  With the car, there is no need to worry about how much weight you can carry!
  5. Hot chocolate: While your camping companions might be drinking stronger spirits, you can keep yours up by downing ridiculous amounts of Swiss Miss with mini marshmallows.
  6. Bug spray: Bring it, but go easy on application, as too much DEET is not cool for you or your baby.  However, sleeping late in pregnancy can be challenging enough without the added fun of trying to contort your pillow-propped, sleeping-bag swathed body to scratch itchy mosquito bites, so I spiced my camp-chair seated self with a few fragrant spritzes of bug spray!
  7. Flip-flops or shoes that you can slip on/off while in a state of semi-sleep: Since the inevitable every-hour need-to-pee will surely strike throughout the night, you may need something to wear when stumbling away from the tent .
  8. Beverages for your supporting spouse or partner: He or she will have to do the literal and metaphorical “heavy lifting” both in terms of camp gear and for when you need to get up/down from the ground, should you have forgotten item #1, or when you’re attempting to extract yourself from the tent and sleeping bags to answer nature’s call.
  9. Build a campfire:

    Roasting marshmallows over a campfire – yumm!

    As you may recall from earlier notes,I do not have any trouble staying warm – even when camping.  Thus, a campfire might seem excessive.  However, I say, silly though it may seem, things like campfires and s’mores are just what a pregnant lady needs to get in the “camping mood” and boost her morale when she has to lug herself up off the ground (again) or her back starts to ache.  Camping is fun, so relish in camping traditions such as this!

  10. Sense of humor: Do not leave home without it.  Sure, the road may be bumpy, the camp chairs might not have low-back support, the s’mores may drip onto your stretchy pants, but hey, stand back, enjoy the fresh air and have a giggle at yourself as you trundle around the wilderness toting a giant baby belly.  When you get up to go pee for the nth time, take a moment to turn off your headlamp and enjoy the brilliance of the stars above you.

…and the safety bonus:

11. Make sure you bring your common sense.  First and foremost, know where you are going! Also, have a reliable vehicle, don’t go too far off the beaten track, make sure you can be in cell phone coverage relatively quickly in case of emergency, stay hydrated, keep an eye out for inclement or dangerous weather, and go with a group of good, understanding friends/family.

I’m sure there’s more to camping than just this list.  Any suggestions from other pregnant campers? I’d love to hear your thoughts!  Until then, enjoy the summer and enjoy your outdoor excursions!

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Anticipation

Wow – it’s been a while since I last posted an entry.  I’ve been flying across the country, have had in-laws visiting, and am frantically trying to finish writing  a geology journal article on my current PhD research before Baby Donahue arrives.  Thus, my thoughts have largely stayed in the realms of “When does our plane leave? Do I have matching shoes?” and, in another realm, geo-nerding-geo-geeking questions related to geologic and geomorphic history of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  However, finally, I am taking a moment to collect and share my thoughts.

Goofing around at the T&F Trials in Eugene, OR

Flying across the country to watch track and field so far along in pregnancy, you might ask?  Oh yeah.  My family has planned to attend the 2012 US Track and Field Olympic Trials for quite a while, and although original thoughts included my potential competition in the Trials, for obvious reasons, we attended as spectators.  I admit to being a bit heartsick at not being able to compete, but I was also very happy to be a spectator (just think about squeezing an 8-month pregnant body into buns and a crop-top racing uniform…).  And, while many people thought the cool weather and drizzles were annoying, the chance to flee from the record-breaking, 100+ degree heat  wave in Albuquerque was pure heaven to this overheated pregnant woman! The cool temps, world-class athletics, and a tour down memory lane for my husband and me all made the trip worth the long, foot-swelling flights worthwhile.

I am now “full term” with my pregnancy: 37 weeks along, or, 3 weeks to go.  Definitely in the home stretch.  As the past few weeks have progressed, I’ve noticed a change in my emotions.  While I previously viewed the thought of giving birth with a eye-rolling, open-mouth, nervous sidewise glance, the tide has turned, and I find myself having more of a feeling of pent-up excitement and eagerness. Somehow, the baby inside of me has suddenly become more human, more real, and I really, really want to hold the baby girl who has been kicking the heck out of my ribcage for the past few months!

Seeing as how I was just at the T&F Trials, I find the major race build up a good analogy for how my anticipation for birth has grown.  Athletes who work for months training their minds and bodies reach the point where they taper for their big event; I feel that while I’ve been working hard and building up my body and mind (not to mention nursery) for the coming of my baby, I’m now entering into my own personal “birthing taper,” where my body, mind and emotions are primed for a top-notch experience!  How the labor itself will progress is unknown, much like any race, but I am getting the pre-labor nervous excitement to take on this challenge.

Following in the footsteps of many parents, my husband and I signed up to take birthing classes at the hospital we’re planning on having the baby.  The very enthusiastic labor nurse who teaches the birthing class we attend refers to the day(s) we preggos labor and give birth as “Labor Day,” and her analogy for Labor Day is a mountain we climb.

The metaphorical mountain climb. (c) Geomorphoto

In order to tackle the physical and mental aspects of Labor Day, she expounds on the toolbox each pregnant woman (and partner) have to help us stay calm, in control and fully aware throughout the birth experience: breathing and relaxation techniques, comfort and confidence measures, and focus and visualization methods.  

Cooling off at 37 weeks with a giant bowl of frozen yogurt!

After a few weeks of classes, I had the light-bulb moment that these are exactly the same techniques I use for hard workouts and races.  While the focus of these Labor Day techniques is a different cry from the visualization techniques I use in race preparation, and the arena and unknown of labor is – to me – far greater than any race, the realization that I have practiced focusing through and beyond pain, visualizing certain scenes, and using mantras to help guide mental and physical exertion in racing has boosted my confidence immensely.  Perhaps it was simply finding the link between something I was familiar with (road/track racing) and the upcoming unfamiliar (my personal Labor Day) that has made me feel more at ease, or the fact that I’ve had several friends who recently gave birth to very healthy babies with positive birth experiences, but I feel I am ready and excited to dive into whatever the birth process may bring me.  Plus, as delicious as the post-workout lemonade is, a post-labor baby has got to be even more exciting, right?

…and, if you enjoyed the Bill Cosby link in the paragraph above, here’s part 2 of the Bill Cosby childbirth experience!

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Hot Mama: The pregnant “glow” is a wildfire hazard

As summer starts to settle in, the temperature is rising.  I knew this was coming; in fact, all winter long, I was secretly looking forward to the days when all I would have to do was throw on a sundress and sandals and head out into the sunshine.  Now, instead of loving the sun warming my skin and the carefree feeling of breezy dresses and lace-free footwear, I cringe at the thought of the two-mile walk to school, start to sweat when faced with bringing in the recycling bins from the curbside or watering the garden, and throw in the towel if I try to postpone my morning wog/walk to after 8am.  Summer is hot.

Risa helping me water the Awesome Garden.

I am now 33 weeks pregnant (translation: 7 weeks to go). While my round and “womanly” protrusions continue to awe and impress me, they are also incredibly in the way: my thighs rub together (Solution: spandex! Result: a stylish look strongly resembling a spandex-clad cake-pop). My chest is eternally sporting some amount of “swoob” (sweat + boob). I think I’m only a degree or so away from being able to cook pancakes on my belly.  The slightest hint of “exercise” – a term which has expanded in the past few months to include everything from hanging laundry on our clothesline to weeding from our garden, to swimming, lifting weights or walking – prompts an immediate spike in body temperature, or, perhaps, perceived body temperature, which results in my immediate adornment in a sweat-bead tiara and body “mist.”

People say pregnant women get a “glow,” and let me tell you this: the glow is more like a furnace, trapped inside our round bellies.  Ever eaten really, really hot chiles?  That is nothing compared with the 24-hour flame that I’m carrying around inside me.  While welders and glassblowers keep themselves safe by wearing protective gear, what can a pregnant woman do?  A few suggestions:

  1. Hydrate!  Fill your reusable water bottle up and keep sipping at it.  Just as you remember from pre-baby habits, pregnant women are recommended to drink 64 fl. oz/day, or 8 cups of water.  Juices, milk, coffee and tea also count.  It’s a good idea to try to mix up your fluids, as you want to avoid hypernatremia, brought on by too much water diluting your electrolyte stores.
  2. Be a turtle: hide from the sun (indoors, hat, sunscreen).  If possible, try to avoid sun exposure during the middle of the day (10am-4pm), as  sunburn risk is highest during these hours, plus we pregnant women are very susceptible to sunspots and melasma (“mask of pregnancy”). Always apply a sunscreen (30spf +), and wear a broad brimmed hat when you are outdoors.
  3. Keep exercising – wisely.  Not surprisingly, swimming has vaulted into my favorite exercise activity slot: the water is cool, I float, I have an awesome maternity suit, and I can forget for a moment that on land I resemble a lumbering elephant.  For my “on-land” exercising, I try to walk in the early mornings or late evenings to avoid the heat and sun. Also, I keep up my weight lifting in the nice, air-conditioned gym, and yoga is soothing and feels wonderful.  Some movement is critical to keep your circulation up and help prevent blood pooling, swelling, and (vanity comment) those awesome spidery varicose veins. Even though you might want to, don’t ensconce yourself in the squishy chair 12 hours a day!!
  4. Dress smartly – whether for exercise or regular life.  My summer favorites are sun dresses: stretchy, swingy, and yet still presentable, these dresses keep the ventilation going while not constricting movement or blood flow.  My favorite.
  5. Rest! (with your feet up). Probably the best advice for an overheated pregnant woman: take a break!  Some days I’ll be working away, happy as can be until I’m struck with a bold of Exhaustion Lightning and drop to the floor.  In an effort to prevent these “strikes,” I’m giving myself permission to take a break – sit down, prop my semi-swollen feet and ankles up, close my eyes and take a few deep breaths.  It’s not always possible for me to take an hour-long nap, but even 5-10 minutes of letting myself “chill out” pays dividends the rest of the day.
  6. Remember to eat.  I love to eat. Love to cook. Love to think about meals and menus.  But, this summer, the heat and the exhaustion have robbed me of these pleasures.  I’m rarely hungry (very thirsty!), and the only thing that I seem to be able to eat in quantity is fruit, and although fruit is delicious, it’s not the only part of a nutritious diet.  So, I have to eat in many, many tiny portions: a piece of toast with peanut butter here, a tiny mini-bowl of cereal with milk. A string cheese. A tomato (yes, just a plain tomato). A half-cup serving of bean salad. An entire pint of mint chip ice cream…. The only way I am able to come near my caloric needs in any kind of balanced manner is to eat often, in small quantities, and to have my husband remove the half watermelon/giant colander of cherries/entire cantaloupe from my grasp and replace it with a half barbequed chicken breast and some veggies (or something else delicious that he’s cooked)!
  7. Be nice.  Being hot and uncomfortable makes me cranky and not nice to be around.  I’m blessed with an extremely tolerant husband, who will let me steam and boil and will still give me a hug when I then burst into tears minutes later, or laugh with me when I’m distracted (easily) by a random youtube video or clip from the web that makes light of being pregnant.  I find when I’m stewing in a rage over something (anything!), I get hot; so, after long enough, when I realize I’m being irrational, I can calm myself down and “chill out” Simple ways that help me “chill”: watching a funny youtube video, bubbly lemonade, bouncing on an exercise ball, throwing the ball for my dog, laying down for 15 minutes to play Tetris!
  8. Call your doctor or midwife if you experience dizziness, nausea or undue fatigue, just to be safe.

Any of you all have stay-cool suggestions for a hot mama (to be)?  I’d love to hear them!

Just in case you missed the link above, being pregnant does amazing things to your body, and for the first time in my life, I can identify with this clip!

Happy Summer!

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Preparedness: Weeks to go move into single digits

Preparation.  The word conjures up lists, planning, expectation, excitement, goals, and work.  I think of this word in a few realms: athletics, academics, and, recently, to the imminent arrival of the baby I’ve been toting around inside of me for the last 31 weeks.  Yep, that is correct: I am statistically 75% of the way through my pregnancy, and am looking now at the last two months (plus or minus) until our baby is ready to make her grand entrance.

Belly leads the way on our walk at 31 weeks!

I recently was sent an article  that comically discussed how no expectant parent is ever truly prepared for a new baby.  As I ask myself, “Am I prepared for this baby’s arrival?” I appreciate the humor of the ‘you’ll never be ready’ statement (baby holding is equated to fish wrestling), but I also got to thinking about my own methods of preparation for major events, be they in the realm of baby or running.

In the realm of running, many of my friends and fellow runners are currently in the process of preparing for the summer US Track & Field Olympic Trials.  I myself had hoped and planned on qualifying for these Trials and was keen to toe the starting line at Hayward Field — as we know, life intervened, and I am taking this opportunity to enjoy the races as a spectator. How do I assess my preparation for “big” races such as the Olympic Trials? Tune-up races and workout splits are helpful, but I truly recognize preparedness in my ability to ‘float’ through tough workouts, as my legs, feet, and eyes navigate tricky trails with greater synchrony, and as the circuit of mind and body completes to create a swell of happy confidence.  As the race approaches, I turn to habits grown out of years of running: sleep schedules, ‘sharpening’ workouts, visualizations and favorite meals, familiar waves of nervousness are all anticipated.  These habits, routines and resulting confidence help me to calm these nerves, making sure I get to the start line with my body and mind primed for the challenge ahead.

I just expounded how my ‘big event’ preparation is hinged on routine.  Having never experienced giving birth before, this leaves me asking, how do I prepare for the birth of our child? As what first seemed to me like an eternity (9 months of pregnancy! almost a whole freakin’ year!) has accelerated into single-digit weeks, I catch myself wide-eyed wondering this question. Most recently, this question has poked its head into my consciousness as I sit blindly in traffic (startled into awareness by the guy honking behind me as the light has turned to green), or catching a glance of a girl trailing behind a huge round belly as I windowshop on Nob Hill and think “huh, she must be really, really pregnant, maybe I’ll look like that — wait that IS me!” Other times it occurs to me as I try to get up off the couch and it takes several tries before I gain enough momentum to rock myself out of my seat. I have been telling myself, this being pregnant is completely natural, these changes are no big deal, millions of women do this, yada yada yada…. but as the baby in my belly seems to be growing increasingly alive and human (a close observer can see and feel feet, head and body parts moving within my convulsing belly), the message she’s sending me is clear: I’m kind of a big deal!

Kind of a big deal.  Am I prepared for the “Big Deal” to be born and come home in approximately two months?  Thus far, I’ve employed my tried and true preparation tricks: I obsessively scour the internet for 3rd trimester must-do lists, make my own checklists and as we try to convert our office into a nursery, find myself staring helplessly from the doorway into what appears to be fallout from a nuclear blast of outdoor gear, desks, printers, text books and a growing contingent of baby gear that is our ‘baby room’.  While my to-do lists have ballooned from sticky-note size to multiple paper pieces taped together, baby room progress has stalled as I tread mental water: semi-paralyzed and overwhelmed with the magnitude of things that need to get done in order to be ‘prepared’ for the baby, I am scared by my own lists.  I catch myself looking at the calendar for weekends that John and I can go camping, hiking, climbing only to realize that perhaps planning a camping trip in Colorado the weekend before my due date is maybe not the most prudent of ‘let’s celebrate summer!’ ideas.

The logistical side of baby-arrival aside, I believe the true reason I’m having trouble making progress on nursery assembly is I deeply question my body and it’s ability to have this baby.  Much as I dread approaching a start line when I know I’m in sub-par fitness, or am babying an injury and face the gaping question of “will I be able to make it?” as the starting line of labor approaches, the idea of giving birth to a being of my own DNA is daunting simply because I have never done it before.  A small sampling of questions that haunt my increasingly frequent periods of early-morning insomnia: What will I think of contractions? How will my narrow pelvis handle having a small pumpkin-sized baby squashed through it? How long will it all last? Will labor pain be on par with the pain of tearing my hamstring racing at nationals? Is the mental strength needed for birth comparable to the single-minded, dogged focus I rely on during races? What kind of encouragement will I find helpful (or abhorrent)?  And… what if my baby is injured or sick?  Through racing I’ve learned how to deal with self-inflicted pain, but how will I react to my babies discomfort? Or how will my husband react to being up-close and personal to my pain or our child’s pain? Will we be able to take our baby home without dropping her, will we be able to feed her, will we be able to remain human post-baby?!

Within the mystery lies the adventure!

There are no lists I can make for these fundamental questions and fears. As with running, I realize that while the book-reading, internet-fact-scouring, and list-making soothes my logical side, deep down in the pit of my stomach and dark corners of my brain, the best preparation I can do is to fall back on my health, excitement, enthusiasm, positive visualizations, confidence in my body’s physical capabilities, and the support of my husband to calm my nerves when I am on baby-making starting line.

More on our preparation progress in the near future as I try to tackle some of the Big Questions specifically.  And, don’t worry: I’ve still got 9 weeks to complete my lists!

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Public perception – and reactions – to activity during pregnancy

Walking from the backpack cubbies into the climbing gym has become an avenue of double takes, elbows and the ever-subtle chin-point.  If the slightly rumpled, chalk-dusted, lithely muscular patrons of our climbing gym managed to take in my strange-looking body harness without pause, my now 25-week pregnant belly is impossible to ignore.  I admit – what I see as a deliciously round belly poking out is a striking contrast to the (also delicious!) rippling abs that I see all around me at the gym.  When my husband, sister and I walk up to the ropes dangling from the ceiling, I garner skeptical

Sporting my awesome gear!

looks, and when I tie in and start up the wall, people literally nudge each other and point. This last week, my sister informed me that a fellow had even pulled out his camera and shot photos of several of my climbs while she remained resolutely cool and focused on belay (certainly, she wasn’t giggling about it!). My husband grins at the gapers, openly supportive of my climbing.  Some people are frightened, glowering disapprovingly as I stretch out and start a climb; some have muttered comments about my (or my husband’s) irresponsibility, that I am endangering my baby’s health, and have even commented obliquely that they wished the gym would cater only to ‘serious’ climbers.  Others have grinned, inquired about my pregnancy, and offered cross-training advice or tricks to compensate for the rapid change in my center of gravity I’ve experienced.  Most climbers, after the initial eye-widening, maintain their too-cool demeanor and ignore our little group after we show general competency, the safety and functionality of the body harness, and the caution I take on climbs.
Running has had a similar range of reactions.  I’ve had everything from blatant “Hey Lady! You shouldn’t be running, you’re going to tear out your uterus!” shouted at me from across the road to small smiles and thumbs up sent my way.  Women pushing jogging strollers nod sagely at my belly and me and then pass on with their own wriggling, waving cargo, leaving me wide eyed and thinking “Oh My Goodness…I’m going to have one of those in a few months!?!”  At the gym, the trainers offer sporadic advice to me as I have modified my usual lifting routine, and the cadre of old men who are usually there when I lift have become accustomed to me, and ask how “the little one” is doing.

I have never felt more self-conscious about exercising or my exercising physique in my life.  I know part of this is a mental hyper-awareness of my own changing body, but I also feel that the obvious pregnancy offers something “different” for the other exercisers to marvel at.  We athletes and active folks recognize each other: ranging from skinny to chubby, fast or slow, high-tech or low-tech, we fit a general appearance; now that I am obviously pregnant, my body now offers something radically different, so while runners/exercisers glaze over their “normal” fellows, their gaze hesitates on me, the anomaly.  I “get” the looking at strange people (as awkward-looking as he is, how can you not admire the “flightless bird” for getting out and exercising?), but the sudden freedom people seem to feel to comment on my pregnant status has caught me off guard.

On one hand, the advice from moms and dads welcomes me into what has so far been a “other world” of parenting. I love hearing stories my mom, family and friends have about their pregnancies: pregnancy a very deeply personal journey for each woman, and I find myself wanting to share it with people.  While I appreciate and enjoy the encouraging words and wacky advice (this guy stopped John and me in Costco this weekend and we were assailed with what seemed like a half hour of finger wagging and  “and then ya gotta do this ____, ya jus’ gotta….” before we could escape). I even giggle when I catch the startled look people get as they correct their initial assumption of “fat-belly” to “baby belly;” I don’t understand the need to verbally express hostility, anger or to vocalize cutting judgments, whether it’s by berating me face-to-face or making snide, sideways comments to their exercise partner.  Similarly abrasive comments about non-pregnant people is not socially permissible, so what is it that makes it acceptable to comment on a woman’s pregnancy – be it her weight change, size or shape of belly, activity she’s pursuing, or what she’s eating for lunch? Is it an insuppressible urge to pass on historical or cultural knowledge? Is it some evolutionary compulsion to keep pregnant women safe, thus being vocal about their activities? Is it seeing a pregnant woman doing something different from what is more familiar or that he or she were warned against during their own pregnancy? a need to impart advice from one’s own experiences? flat-out fear-mongering (if you jump off the curb your baby and brain will fall out!)?  I have no clue.

As an active pregnant woman, I greatly appreciate the supportive, helpful or cheerful comments, and yes, even the wacky advice. Negative comments are not helpful at any time, and now that I find myself to be especially self-conscious about my changing body, I have to wonder about the social mannerisms that prompt people to vocally criticize my person and activities.  I would offer the thought that each woman and each pregnancy is unique, each being able to make activity level decisions (with her doctor!) on an individually informed basis.  I would encourage women who are choosing to exercise mindfully and happily to let the critical comments roll off of them with the knowledge that the commenter is uninformed, out of line and socially ignorant.

Just as with pre-pregnancy running, exercising is a time for me to connect and converse with my physical body and its capabilities; while the tone of this brain-body running “conversation” may have changed (less of the hard workout mentality),  I still enjoy talking to and assessing my changing body, and am glad to find the mental peace I gain from these exercise sessions keeps me calm, confident and functioning in the rest of my life!

 

Thanks again to Brooks ID and Powerbar for their continued support!

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Support Systems – No woman is an island

Through five years of NCAA Division I competition and seven years of post-collegiate competition, I have learned that my racing success depends on much more than just me:  my competitive self relies on a broad and varied support system. Each node of this system is critical to some aspect of my well-being, training details, mental strength and motivation or emotional health.

To map some of these out, the two most important people for my training are: First and foremost, my husband, who supports me in my athletic ambitions, tolerating my less-than-social early bedtimes and even earlier wake-up times, picks me up at the ends of point-to-point long runs, rubs my aching legs, alleviates my emotional swings through training, feeds me copiously, and is a constant source of encouragement, hopefulness and excitement for my endeavors – both athletic and otherwise.

Secondly, my coach, Kay.  From working with her, I have learned that I can relax and trust in someone elses’ direction and knowledge, and that together we can work out long and short term goals.  I tend to be headstrong, obsessive, dogmatic and very exacting; working with Kay I’ve learned that truly long-term goals grow out of day-to-day small efforts (not all of which are awesome) that build upon each other to result in increased fitness, comfort and confidence with that fitness, and mental excitement to expect great things. I’ve also learned that I have to be flexible, forgiving, demanding and happy with myself to accomplish these goals.

Mom, Dad, Belly and Me!

Many other people are in my running support structure, including my parents and family (my dad, 1980 marathon trials winner, Anthony Sandoval has been a long, constant source of inspiration for me, and without my mom, there is no way I’d have made it through the emotional rollercoaster that NCAA running can be!); Liz, my massage therapist who helps keep my over-sensitive hamstrings in working order; my former teammates, coach Tom Heinonen and friends from when I was competing at the University of Oregon (go Ducks!); my PhD advisor at the University of New Mexico who, although he may be mystified by my obsession with running, nonetheless gives me the freedom to pursue my life outside of academia; the Brooks – ID project and Powerbar, my two sponsors; the New Mexico running community, and many more.  Each of these gives or has given different but important supporting contributions to making my running possible throughout my running career, and as I now try to combine running and parenthood, I know I will rely on this entire running structure even more deeply.

As I am finding out, being pregnant and a soon-to-be first-time mother also requires a support system.  I am embarking on an entirely new endeavor, and no matter how much time I spend researching my questions and worries online and in books, it is a relief when I can find a “real, live” human who has been through pregnancy to talk with.  Some components of this burgeoning pregnancy support structure are the same as for my running: my husband, of course (!) is probably the biggest player as we begin our lives as parents; our families (we’re bravely introducing the first grandbaby for either of our families!); my coach, who, as a mother of three and a competitive runner I have leaned on and questioned about parenthood and pregnancy over the years since John and I decided we wanted to have a family and then helped me see through the fog of initial “I’m pregnant and training for the Olympic Trials!” shock; and my advisor, who I can never thank enough for putting up with my mental and physical struggles of a very rough first trimester.

My handsome husband and tireless 'wogging' partner.

What has amazed me is the new people I have met, renewed friendship with, or have “seen” for the first time (my academic world is generally devoid of the parents/young children demographic).  I’ve been amazed at work by the warmth of the faculty at the UNM EPS department, especially the women who are scientists and mothers; they have reassured me through example that you can be both a mother and a scientist!  The physicians and nurses I’ve met; perhaps because I’ve been a very healthy person, I’ve luckily never had to deal much with doctors, but being pregnant, you can’t escape them and I fully admit that the fears that I’m doing something/anything wrong have been expertly assuaged and my questions answered (except for one: what is the fluid pressure of amniotic fluid – anyone??), and all the other pregnant women and parents! I have renewed friendship with old classmates who are also pregnant, met young mothers, and been advised by random parents at REI while John and I were testing out running strollers (ok, we were pushing each other around in them laughing hysterically, under the approving -laughing- eyes of several fathers).  It is gratifying to realize that although it feels sometimes that John and I are the first parents around and we’re totally lost, there are entire networks of people out there from whom we can draw information and support.
Much of the time I tend to feel that much of my training is done on my own: in fact, probably 98% of my time running, strength training and cross training is done solo; thus, I often find that I feel very isolated in my running endeavor.  It only takes a little thinking, though, for me to realize that the truth is that a multitude of people have helped me on my way and that in a decade-plus of running I’ve cultivated a very strong, reliable network of positive people and routines I can rely upon to help me do and be my best possible athlete.  With pregnancy, I am finding that while at first I often felt alone on this adventure, there actually are many people who offer comfort, support, excitement, knowledge, hilarity and advice on pregnancy and parenthood.  As John and I progress through these stages, I hope that we are able to continue to find and cultivate a support network that is as robust as that I have found through running.

Bottom line here: thanks to everyone for the support – both in terms of running, and baby!

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Alternative Exercise – I’ve rediscovered some energy

I'm moving so fast my dog is standing still!

I’m now 21 weeks pregnant – just over half-way through my 40week pregnancy adventure! Fun facts: I have gained 12 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, and I now register at 132 pounds – a number combination I’ve never before seen on the scale! As my waist has vanished, replaced by the novel curves of my belly,  my stretchy-top jeans are a must.

John and I found out the baby “appears to be female,” so we’re looking forward to a daughter! I can now feel the baby moving day and night; the movements started by feeling like pre-race nervous jitters in my low abdomen, but now they’re stronger, more like I’ve swallowed a fish that is thrashing around in my stomach, and if I put my hand on my stomach, I can actually feel her moving. The movements are strong enough to keep me awake at night; I’m sure her exercise will only continue to help me get my beauty rest as she grows bigger and stronger.

I had a bout of pneumonia which was frightening both in the fact that it was pneumonia (!) and that it landed me in the maternity emergency room (thankfully, all recovered now), combined with the phenomenally low humidity (2% or less) and winds (60mph!) we’ve been experiencing here in Albuquerque, has kept me mostly inside and inactive for the past few weeks.  However, with coughs and congestion behind me and since I’ve been feeling much more energetic, I’ve venturing back into exercise, both inside and outside.

Exercise (not “running”).  As my belly has gotten bigger, my bladder more and more squashed, and my fatigue threshold increasingly humbling, I’m now serious about alternatives to running: some way to get my body moving, get out some energy and pick my mood up, in ways that are comfortable for my pregnant self.  Some of my favorites so far include, but aren’t limited to, “wogging,” hiking and walking, rock climbing, weight/strength training, swimming and yoga. (Remember, always, always discuss your physical condition and planned activity routine with your physician or midwife before launching into any activity! What works for one woman doesn’t necessarily fit for the next.)

Running! or, the "fast" part of wogging.

Wogging Whoa – what? “Wogging” is my glam term for walk-jogging, which is about all I’m comfortable doing on the jog-running spectrum. Running presents some serious obstacles for me: growing belly, lack of balance, squished bladder being bounced upon, newly giant breasts.  So far, I’ve managed these awesome physical side effects of being pregnant by choosing wogging routes with ample bathrooms or bushes; getting sturdy new sports bras that have three (not 1, not 2…) hooks on them, which I discovered are seriously a gift from the running gods, despite my initial cringing at having hardware on my sports bra; and by shortening any planned runs to roughly 40 minutes.  I used to scoff at the walk-jog routine, associating it with the painful road back from major injuries; however, as I have been recovering from pneumonia and the aforementioned pregnancy side effects assert themselves, I’ve discovered the walk-jog routine is truly awesome.  The jogging portions allow me to get my heart rate up, pretend I’m graceful, and make me feel good, while the walk breaks allow me to actually keep going, catch my breath, and enjoy the scenery without worrying so much about stumbling.

Walking the dog.

Hiking and walking Albuquerque is blessed with an abundance of hiking options: trails in the foothills

Hiking in the Sandias.

and Sandia Mountains provide rolling and steep trails, while trails along the Bosque of the Rio Grande river are flat, meander through cottonwood groves, and allow my dog to go for her much-loved swims. Walking: I’m lucky enough to live about 2 miles from the University of New Mexico, where I am a grad student, so I walk to and from school nearly every day, and my husband and I also try to get out and take evening walks with our dog. Walking and hiking are low-impact ways to just get out and give your muscles an active massage and get a little work out of them!  You can push as hard or as little as you like, and it still feels great.

Rock climbing While this might be the most nontraditional activity on my list, it’s one of my favorites.  Lately, John and I have been going to the local climbing gym, and while I’ve grown out of my normal harness, I’ve graduated into the full-body pregnancy harness, which allows me to climb safely while not putting pressure on my abdomen. I don’t recommend starting to climb while pregnant, but since I’ve been an active climber for nearly a decade, continuing to climb gives an incredible strength and flexibility workout in a controlled environment –and also keeps me a bit more social! I do climb more conservatively, and will not risk lead climbing, but top-roping and bouldering problems are great.

Weight lifting/strength training Weight lifting is a great way to increase the strength and endurance of your already active body.  While being pregnant has added some complications (e.g., refraining from doing activities lying on your back like bench press and not being able to lie on your stomach or curl forward as completely), in general, I have continued my normal body-weight centric weightlifting routine with only small modifications.  Again, pregnancy is not the time to start an aggressive weightlifting, but it does feel good to continue my strength training routine.

About to swim some laps.

Swimming I grew up swimming, was on the high school swim team, and love it.  This skill has proved to be a lifesaver throughout my injury-prone running career, and now, while flip-turns have become less efficient (and slightly more hilarious), I can still knock out a few thousand yards and feel wonderfully refreshed post-workout.  Aqua jogging is also another option in the pool, but I tend find it hideously tedious (especially alone!). Best of all with swimming: I am weightless!  Apart from the awkwardness of the belly, swimming is the time I feel most like my regular self.  An even bigger swimming perk is yet to come: as I lumber through the 100° Albuquerquean summer, I can only imagine the heavenly escape a dip in the pool will be.

Yoga I attend a prenatal yoga class – it’s a wonderful, easy way to meet other women who are also pregnant, have some peaceful time for reflection, stretching and meditation, and offers opportunity to discuss and prepare for childbirth in a non-clinical forum.  It is basically a “regular” yoga class, sans tricky balance poses or inversions.

Other low-impact exercise options? A non-pregnant, professional runner friend of mine, Lauren Fleshman, is all about her Ellipti-Go.  I’m not lucky enough to have the use of one of these awesome contraptions, but it looks like great fun and good training.  I use the standard elliptical machine at the gym for a low-impact cardio workout, although, like aqua jogging, I associate the elliptical too much with the tedium of injury to enjoy it much.  I’m also not much into cycling, although many pregnant women are avid cyclists.  Any of you all have other activities to suggest? I’d love to hear them!

Another whole discussion to have: How hard can a pregnant woman exercise safely?  What scientific research has been actually done on the topic? And, any interest in a casual women’s-running group here in Albuquerque?

Again: always, always discuss your physical condition and planned activity routine with your physician or midwife before launching into any activity! What works for one woman doesn’t necessarily fit for the next!

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Planning Reality, or, Planning vs. Reality

As I write this, I look to the last few years and see my running goals laid out behind me in a nice, steady progression.  My goals for the 2012 “Olympic year” were to compete in the US women’s marathon and track & field Olympic Trials.  I had spent the last four years planning this, and I felt stable, confident, in the perfect training location and with the best support structure I needed to be able to perform my best.  As many distance runners or endurance athletes are wont, I held these two race goals tightly; I mused, worried, obsessed, planned and rode waves of excitement, fatigue, anticipation and disappointment along the emotional ride that is a long-term training plan.

I had worked my goals and a shadowy 2-3 year progression for the 2011-2012 year out with my coach, I reached Step 1: Qualify for Marathon Trials at the Eugene Marathon in May 2011, a race in which I felt I floated through 23 miles (and gritted 3.2 miles) to reach a qualifying standard that was easily within my reach.  I had planned on a fall racing season of road races, but that fell through as I found myself busy with the other side of my life: classwork, my PhD comprehensive exams and geologic field work.

The expectations I had for myself regarding the marathon and track Olympic trials got me up on dark mornings when all I wanted was to stay in bed, cheered me as I progressed toward them, and provided constant inspiration and excitement; but they also were harsh company as I struggled with the span of my willpower, mental fortitude, occasional failures to meet steps I had envisioned. In order to spare my husband (and rest of the world) the self-imposed rollercoaster of agony and elation that a training program can sometimes elicit, and to be able to function in the academic world I also love, I try to keep my “running self” separate from my “regular self”!  The benefit of this quasi-split personality is that if I have a bad workout, I still have to go to work, engage my brain, bring up my enthusiasm, and, more often than not, the overall outcome of the day is salvaged.

Rarely do we have a straight road ahead! Photo: http://www.etsy.com/shop/GeomorPhoto

When I finally shook my head clear of the emotional fog (and physical fog of morning sickness!) I realized that this pregnancy was not the End Of All Running Goals, and that having a surprise baby was another way of adding excitement and balance to my life.  As  my mental self tried to make the sharp turn from the bearing of ‘Olympic Trials’ toward ‘Family,’ I realized that while this reorganization of goals in time and space was hard – harder than any long run or workout or high-mileage training week I had ever done – the readjustment was far more valuable and informative to my person, and my personality, than any running workout could be. Through weeks following the Trials, I was able to move from seeing this pregnancy as a lost opportunity to the Grand Opportunity.  I’ll admit to being filled with giddy anticipation and total, giggling excitement of what this year would bring.

In general, I find that having a more free-form training approach (than most professional runners) allows me to be more content with the mesh that is my running and personal life, and allows me to be a better, more consistent, and happier runner, wife, student and person.  I am taking the approach right now that adding a baby to the mix will add even more balance and reality to my life, not to mention, I’ll have another fan to cheer me on at races.  I have learned that no matter how much planning and preparation, goal-setting and careful meting out of energies I partake in, life will always ‘thicken the plot’ in ways that test me in deeply personal ways, and all I can do is to have the best, most positive response ready!