Sorry blog... I haven't forgotten about you. It's just kind of hard to write about running when you haven't been running in a few months!
My last run was July 13th. It was fairly short and I didn't feel like running but I ran anyways. I was battling a little injury but nothing major.
On July 5 I completed the Edmonton Spartan Race. On July 6, we found out I was pregnant. This baby is going to be a warrior!
This is FABULOUS news and news my husband and I had been hoping to receive for a few months! I can't even explain how terrified and excited I was (and have been) at the exact same time. I went to the doc the next day and they confirmed the news. I looked at the doctor and said "So...what now? What do I do? What can I do? HELP?"
A few months prior, I had really started to put more effort into my running. I completed five weeks of a 12 week Nike running program where I was running 3-4 days a week and feeling like my running was improving. I was confident that I could shave at least 20 minutes off my personal best at the Edmonton half in August. I had also stopped having that casual beer here and there to try and cleanse my system. I told my doctor about all the sports I was doing this summer and he said I could still run (but no half marathon) and play slo-pitch, but ball hockey had to go. I emailed my doctor afterward as I wanted a second opinion on the half marathon and he agreed and said it probably wasn't a good idea. Not only did he think I'd be exhausted, but he also said he didn't want me to overheat or raise my heart rate too much as that wouldn't be good for the baby. Fair enough. Baby comes first!
I really did want to continue running. I had been following blogs like Through Heather's Looking Glass and NYC Running Mama (which are both FANTASTIC blogs by the way) for some inspiration from moms who continued to run while they were pregnant and tried to gather as many tips as I could so I could prepare myself to run when I got pregnant. Then I learned a very important lesson - everyone's pregnancy is different. I'll be 19 weeks tomorrow and one of the symptoms that hasn't gone away since the first trimester has been exhaustion. My running plan prior had been getting up at 6-6:15AM a few times a week to run so I could keep my evenings free. Once I got pregnant I had a hard time getting up at my regular time in the morning, never mind super early. We also had an absolutely amazing summer in Edmonton, and a lot of July it was +30 outside. I don't like running in that kind of heat normally, and I certainly didn't think it was a good idea to run in it while pregnant either, so unfortunately I fell off the wagon. I give HUGE kudos to both those mama bloggers and any other woman who can keep up a fitness regimen while they are pregnant - you guys are my heroes! I just can't manage to get the energy!
I had a bit of a difficult first trimester, with a couple of urgent trips to the doctor and an emergency ultrasound but thankfully everything so far has been A-OK. I am also happy to report that the last month or so I've been feeling a lot better! I'm still very tired, but overall I'm feeling pretty good and starting to get more excited by the day! We found out on Sunday (in the presence of my family on Thanksgiving) that we were having a baby boy! I'm hoping we have a future NHL star on our hands who will spoil his parents when he makes the big leagues! :) Big thanks to my friends Kelly and Bryan at B and K Custom Cakes for making this amazing cake for us!
I'm going to shift this blog a bit for the next little while onto what I'm doing to keep in shape while I'm pregnant, and then getting back into shape once I have the little one! I'd be lying if I said my motivation level was high right now - as in all honesty it's extremely low, and exercise has been the farthest from my mind. However, I'm trying to do the little things to try and keep as active as possible. For example, I'm going for more walks (my doggie is happy) and trying to go for 1-2 KM and speed walk when I can. Because I haven't run in so long I'm not going to start back up now, but I am going to do my best to try and eat better (which is hard when you crave burgers and McDonald's, but don't worry I only cave 1-2 time a month) and try to continue to live a healthy lifestyle throughout the remainder of my pregnancy. One thing I'm considering is signing up for a half marathon in 2015 to make sure that I get my butt in gear once the little one arrives. I don't want to go far or use too much vacation because we're hoping to visit Australia late next year to visit my husband's sister, so I'm thinking of either the Edmonton Half in August (mostly because it's local and I'm familiar with the course) or maybe the Rock n Roll Half in Vancouver, BC in October (if it's around the same time as this year). The thought terrifies me as I feel like I'll be starting from scratch - but with the Nike Training program and some friends who have promised to help me along the way, I think I'll be able to do it! And I can't think of anything better than my little man waiting for me with a big smile at the finish line - so THAT's my motivation.
Am I crazy? Maybe. But if I'm going to run a marathon before I'm 40, I gotta keep moving. I can do this.
:)
xo
-Dianne
PS: Anyone know where in the Edmonton area I can get a fancy jogging stroller for under $300? The ones I like are close to $1000 and that's slightly out of my budget! :)
