The Swagger is Back

My running swagger is coming back. I had to drop the hammer on some "designer runners" today. On my trip around the lake (5 mile run), I blew past not 1 but 2 legitimate runners WITH the baby stroller (the bright yellow one which makes me all the more obnoxious). They were both dudes decked out in what my friend calls their "cutest running outfits" complete with racing sunglasses. One of them was rocking the Vibram 5 finger shoes. So, he definitely deserved it.

My only regret is that I didn't have some smart ass saying on the back of my shirt. In high school, my personal favorite t-shirt read "I'll see you when you get there". That one really used to tick the Army guys off.

My running stroller is getting a lot of action this week because Emmett is in quarantine. The little kid has Hand, Foot and Mouth disease which he picked up from some little snot fest at the gym daycare. I kindly refer to Emmett as my little, dirty slum child.

In other workout news, I have been lifting hard core. I did a pre pregnancy lifting routine the other day using at least the same weights or heavier than I did before pregnancy. I forgot how much I love weight lifting. I used to shy away from it in college because I tended to "bulk up" with extra muscle (more than you need for distance running).

(My workouts now mostly look like this: I run 2 miles to the gym with E in the stroller, then I go to an aerobics/toning class or lift on my own, then I run 2 miles home. Sometimes I do a few exercises at night with my students.)

I have my eye on running my first marathon in December. I'm not sure how Emmett will appreciate uber long runs in the stroller. So far, the longest he has done is 1 hour. But maybe I can bribe him with snacks.

Also, I finally fit into the last of my pre-pregnancy jeans (milestone 10.5 months). Yeah, reference previous post....nothing looks the same, but I met my goal....I guess.

I'm planning on starting the weaning process for Emmett when he turns 1 year old. It will be interesting to see what happens with weight and such then. My midwife also thought that some of my "delivery injuries" will heal as my estrogen increases after weaning.

Just because you can wear your pre-pregnancy jeans, doesn't mean you should

I apologize this blog has been woefully neglected. It's not that I don't have things to say....maybe I'm just disheartened to share them.

Today, Emmett is 9 months old! When you are in the middle of the newborn stage, it seems like forever, but really the 9 months has gone by quick.

Although Emmett is super cool, I wrote this blog originally to try and detail running while pregnant and then getting the body back after baby. To sum it up, here's what I learned....the phrase "9 months on, 9 months off" is true. I tried my best to make myself into a case study to refute this claim, but alas I failed. In fact, my phrase might end up being more along the lines of "9 months on, never off" but I'm still going to try.

Officially, I'm about 3 lbs up from pre-pregnancy weight and I can wear 50% of my old jeans and 25% of my old shirts. But here's the reality, just because I can zip those zippers does not mean I should be waltzing down main street in those jeans. I'm not going to lie....Stacey London ("What Not to Wear") would not approve. The "Muffin Top" look is NOT in this year. The "I'm painted to your butt" look is for night time wear only. And, again, let me be honest, I can't blame the last 3 lbs I need to lose. My body is just a different shape these days.

Yes, I'm going shopping today. I tried to hold out. I squeezed in extra aerobics classes, running and weight lifting all in hopes that when Emmett turned 9 months I would suddenly look like my pre baby self. It was not to be. Don't worry, I'm not turning to Mom jeans and sweatpants yet, but my days shopping at the Buckle and buying expensive bedazzled butt pocket jeans are over.

On the running front, yes, I'm running and able to run a lot more these days. The only reminder that I had a baby (well, besides the fact that I now push a giant neon yellow stroller when I run) is that after I do a hard workout or race, I feel really achy "down there". And often I have to take a day off after a hard day because it's too uncomfortable to do anything with impact. If that symptom will be there forever, I can live with that.

What do my workouts look like now? I joined a gym in January WITH daycare (best decision ever). I made myself go to aerobics class every single day at 9:15am. That was the second best decision I made. I didn't realize how much all around strength (especially in my back, abs and arms) I had lost until then. I didn't always like the aerobics classes, but I just did them. They brought me back to the basics on strength, flexibility and balance. I believe that simply running wouldn't have done that for me.

So now, I usually try and run a few miles before class and then do the classes about 4 times a week. On one day a week, I'm doing intervals (400m - 800m...NOT fast). On Saturdays, I try to run a little bit longer. I just completed a 12K trail race last weekend and am looking to do a half marathon in May.

I will finish my Personal Trainer certification next month and also plan to go ahead and get my Group Exercise certification. I would love to specialize in pre and post natal fitness.

Another post pregnancy PR

I ran 37:41 today for my 5 mile race (Brooks No Frills Race Series). I'm pretty proud because I feel like the legs are finally getting the message to break out of the pregnancy pace rut.

I also dropped the hammer on some girl who tried to pass me in the last 1/2 mile. I was like "hell, no....I have been literally working my butt off to get back in shape and you will not pass me". It was a little of the old swagger coming back (even though I was mid-pack at best in this race).

Total for today was 7 miles (5 mile race + 2 miles w/u and c/d).

Superficial milestones

Pre-pregnancy "fat" jeans - I OWNED you tonight. What, What !!!!

All joking aside, this is a really big milestone for me. It's only taken me 7 months! I really thought the baby weight would disappear a little easier. Pretty much all that running I did during pregnancy didn't help me one dang bit losing the weight post baby. My new goal is to get into ALL my old pre-pregnancy jeans in another 2 months.

I had to chuckle, I was lecturing the other night on "Training the Pregnant Client" (ie Personal Fitness Training). I was reviewing with my students all the benefits of exercise for pregnant women and thinking about how a lot of them did NOT work out for me. Easier and shorter labor (NOPE), quicker recovery/healing from labor (HELL NO), faster return to regular activities (NOT), faster/easier weight loss (I WISH).....I know, I know, everyone always says to me "think about how bad it would have been if you didn't work out". To that, I sarcastically say thanks.

I'm also pretty happy to report that my pain is continuing to decrease every month and I don't have any "limitations" on exercises anymore. I can run up to 6 miles at a time now, although I am still mostly keeping the running to every other day.

(I'm about 5-6 lbs above pre-pregnancy weight and 9 lbs above my goal weight.)

Post baby PR

I've decided that having a baby resets all my running PRs. Kinda like being a born again virgin, I'm a born again runner. I ran 40:29 for 5 miles on Saturday. So, by my book, that's about a 4 min PR. I have to do it this way, otherwise I would cry to think about comparing this time to my pre-baby times.

My goal is to get under 40 mins for 5 miles in 2 weeks. Perhaps leaving the shots out before doing the run will help. But then, I would feel really cold (it was 14 degrees this past Saturday.)

I apologize I have not been keeping up with workout postings. Eric accidently erased my workout log during a computer "fix". In summary, I ran 3 times this past week and did aerobics classes in between. This week, I hope to increase running to 4 times a week and do the aerobics in between.

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.

Itching to start working out again

The end is in sight for me! The end of my varying hours full-time job is in sight.

I ran 3 miles the other day (first time working out in months!) and felt pretty good. It was the first time since pregnancy/delivering that I didn't feel like my body wasn't my own. I have no clue what pace I was running at but at least I was running. I do know that I absolutely cannot run faster than what I was running at. My body only has 1 speed right now.

My "new gym" opens the day after Christmas and comes complete with a super-duper daycare! I have no excuses now. Lately, Emmett has hollered his little head off whenever I try to do P90x. And, it's been a little too cold to take him outside running. (or maybe I'm just overprotective).

I'm really fired up to get back in the groove. Not only will I be able to work out during the day, but I can also work out at night at my job (teaching people how to be personal trainers.) Pretty much, I can just think about fitness all day long, haha. I'm also thinking the more time Emmett and I can stay out of the house, the less dirty it will be!

I am tentatively planning a half marathon in April!