This may be as good as it gets

Emmett is 6 months old today! I'll say it again....6 months old! How did 1/2 a year just flash by in a instant? Emmett is right on schedule with all his milestones. He's a big boy with big feet and a big smile. I, on the other hand, failed to meet any of my post-pregnancy milestones in the first 6 months. I think my original plan was to be running again by 6 weeks post partum and down to pre pregnancy weight by 4 months. I'd like to think I was not living in a fantasy world and that, had delivery gone a little smoother I would be there (but maybe I'm kidding myself). My new goals include running a 1/2 marathon in April and getting down to my pre-pregnancy weight by Emmett's 10 month milestone (following the 10 months on, 10 months off weight mantra).

I find that I have something very strange....cesarean envy. I spent my entire pregnancy reading and working out in hopes to avoid the cesarean delivery. And now 6 months after my regular delivery, I really wish I had a doctor slice open my layers of muscles and organs to deliver Emmett. Maybe I'm crazy....or maybe I think that I might have recovered from a cesarean faster than my own delivery. I know, I know, you will say that it was better for Emmett to come down the "normal" way. But I'm not sure he appreciated being stuck for so long either. Emmett has 1 floppy ear, an ear that sticks out a bit farther than the other one. That ear is Emmett's battle scar from his delivery. He came down ear first and that little ear was just a flat flop of skin when he was born. It actually took a bit to start looking like an ear. If that ear could talk, it might have wished for a c-section as well.

Today, I ran 5 miles...outside....no stopping....no walking. I was so proud of myself for my 44:40 time (just under 9 mins a mile). It's been a long time since I ran that fast or that far. I don't feel 100% back to normal but I did it anyway. As I was running, though, I had a thought. Maybe this is as good as it gets. Maybe, after baby, this is what I have to work with. Honestly, I still have some lingering pain. Before baby, I never thought about running...it just happened. Now, the pain is just enough so that I remember that I had a baby about every other step. I feel how jarring running is on the body and the impact of my footstep resonates through my bones. But, all in all, it's not bad. Today, the snow was falling, the road was quiet and somewhere in there, I realized I was enjoying myself. So, if this IS as good as it gets, I can live with that.

This was my first week as a stay at home mom and I was also proud I made it to the gym every day (and sometimes twice a day). I love my gym with daycare.

Workouts:
3 Jan: 30 min run (.5 mile warmup, 200 meters at 6:53/mile, 200 meters at 10:00/mile for 2 miles, cooldown .5 mile at 6.5mph)
- all around weights, some balance exercises

4 jan: 5 miles on treadmill (pace btw 6.0mph and 6.5mph)

5 Jan: 30 mins elliptical “hill” program, level 8, arms, back and abs
Did ab workout with one of my students at night

6 Jan: Butts and Guts class at Aspen….ouch!
Ran 1 mile after at 6.0 – 6.5
Evening: circuit workout with students + ran another mile

7 Jan: “Recovery day” did Morning mix class

8 Jan: 5 miles (no Frills racing series) in 44:40. Very proud! Ran negative splits.